Mark Beard

Mark Beard, MD, MHA, FAAFP, full professor of family medicine and is the Chair of the Integrated Clinical Education Department at the Thomas F. First, Jr. College of Medicine at Belmont University. 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 at University Hospital in Columbia, Missouri. 

He served as assistant professor of the department of family medicine and community medicine and a Clinical Foundations course director at Missouri’s medical school prior to then transitioning to South Dakota, where he worked as Dean of Medical Student Education, leading a longitudinal integrated clerkship across the state of South Dakota and serving the school’s accreditation needs during his tenure at South Dakota.  He also continued to serve as a family physician and urgent care provider over the time he was living in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. 

Dr. Beard also serves in regional and national committees with the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and their Group on Educational Affairs (GEA) and has specific interests 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 student-run free clinics, 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 FCOM, its medical students and to 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 of all healthcare systems.