Mark Beard

Mark Beard, MD, MHA, FAAFP recently served at the University Of South Dakota Sanford School Of Medicine (USD SSOM) as the Dean of Medical Student Education. With an illustrious career spanning over three decades, Dr. Beard has consistently demonstrated his unwavering commitment to the advancement of medical education. Armed with a profound understanding of the evolving landscape of healthcare, he has spearheaded innovative programs and initiatives that equip aspiring physicians with the knowledge, skills, and compassion necessary to excel in their careers.

 

Dr. Beard, a Kansas City, Missouri, native, received his medical education at the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine and performed his residency in Family and Community Medicine at the same institution and at University Hospital in Columbia, Missouri. 

 

He served as assistant professor of family medicine and a clinical foundations director at Missouri’s medical school prior to coming to South Dakota, and also worked as a physician in the Urgent and Emergency Care department at University Physicians and University Hospital in Columbia, Missouri from 2009 to 2015.  Dr. Beard continues to maintain a private practice in family medicine as part of the USD Family Physicians Medical Group with Sanford in Sioux Falls and regularly works in acute care for Sanford Health.  He also serves as an associate professor of clinical medicine at the USD Sanford School of Medicine.

 

Dr. Beard has a specific interest in inter-professional education, simulation in medical education and the utility of case-based learning in undergraduate medical education.  Beyond his remarkable accomplishments in medical education, Dr. Beard also regularly volunteers at the Coyote Clinic, SSOM’s student-run free clinic, is an AOA member, a fellow in the American Academy of Family Physicians, is a Gold Humanism award recipient, and a Fellow in the Aequitas Health Medical Honor Society.

 

Dr. Mark Beard's unwavering dedication to advancing medical education, coupled with his visionary leadership and passion for innovation, make him an invaluable asset to medical students and leaders of medical education. His commitment to cultivating the next generation of compassionate, competent physicians ensures a brighter future for healthcare, where patient well-being and medical excellence remain at the forefront.