Dean of the School of Health Professions, Dr. J. Glenn Forister

December 12, 2018 • Office of the Provost

In talking with Dr. Forister, what attracted him to the opportunity was our “One University Vision–especially the concepts of extraordinary teamwork and a sustainable people culture.” He looks forward to “facilitating the development of faculty, staff, and students.  Top priorities will include alignment and synergy with the other schools, employee engagement, ongoing values-based initiatives, and creating a stable SHP Leadership Team.”

Dr. Forister most recently served as Associate Professor and Division Head of Physician Assistant Education in the School of Medicine at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, Oregon. This Physician Assistant Program is currently ranked #5 in the United States according to US News & World Report.

He has a Master of Physician Assistant Studies degree from the University of Nebraska, a Master of Science degree in clinical investigation from the University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio (UTHSCSA), and a PhD in Education and Human Resource Development from Texas A&M University.

Upon completing his Physician Assistant (PA) training in 1990 at the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, he practiced in orthopedic surgery, family medicine, and urgent care.  He also served as a PA in the Medical Specialty Corps of the U.S. Army/Army Reserve from 2000 to 2008.

Dr. Forister served on the Research Institute of the Physician Assistant Education Association and has been a feature editor, contributor, and reviewer for the Journal of Physician Assistant Education. The fifth edition of his textbook, Introduction to Research and Medical Literature for Health Professionals, will be published in 2019. He has also recently co-authored a paper titled “Burnout and Job and Career Satisfaction in the Physician Assistant Profession: A Review of the Literature,” published this month by the National Academy of Medicine.