William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine Welcomes New Faculty Member

Hattiesburg, MS, August 05, 2008 - William Carey University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine (WCU-COM) welcomed its newest faculty member to its growing staff. Darrell Lovins, DO, MPH, FACOFP and his wife Denise moved to their new home in Hattiesburg in June. Lovins will be the Associate Dean, Clinical Sciences.

Lovins’ duties will include the oversight of the clinical curriculum for all four years of osteopathic medical education.  He will coordinate and supervise all clinical subjects (clinical skills, Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology and related subspecialty fields) for the first two years. Additionally, he will work with the local hospitals in Hattiesburg, and throughout the state and region, to arrange for clinical rotations and training for WCU-COM students in community hospitals.

Lovins has extensive academic and clinical experience. He was the Chair of Family Medicine and executive director of the Appalachian Osteopathic Postgraduate Training Institute Consortium (A-OPTIC) at the Pikeville College School of Osteopathic Medicine (PCSOM) prior to coming to Carey.  Well versed in the accreditation process, Lovins successfully headed the team that achieved a seven year accreditation for PCSOM.  He will be instrumental in guiding WCU-COM through the accreditation process with a goal of starting its first class of 100 students in 2010.

A graduate of Bethel College (now Bethel University), St. Paul, Minn. with a degree in chemistry (biochemistry emphasis) in 1978, Lovins was commissioned as an Ensign, Medical Corps, USN in 1979, and he received his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree from the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, Kirksville, Mo. in 1983. Lieutenant Lovins then took his internship and Family Medicine residency training at the Naval Hospital, Pensacola, Fla.

After training, Lovins served as a family physician, family medicine residency faculty, medical officer to the USS Lexington and USS Tortuga, and founder of the department of family practice and the family medicine residency at Naval Hospital, Camp Lejeune, NC.  He earned a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Washington, Seattle while completing fellowship training in Faculty Development and Research at Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, Wa.  In 2007 the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians conferred upon him the Fellow Award (FACOFP).

Lovins achieved the rank of Captain and retired after serving in the United States Navy for over 26 years.  His last naval assignment was with the Department of Defense Medical Examination Review Board as Chief of Sea Services.  His highest personal award is the Defense Superior Service Medal.

Upon retirement Lovins joined the faculty of the PCSOM.  Throughout his career he has been active in training medical students and residents and serving the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) where he currently sits as Vice Chair, Council on Postdoctoral Training.  He has a keen interest in teaching and understanding how students learn.  His additional professional interests include curriculum development and disaster medicine.