Scott Engum named Associate Dean of SMHS Southeast Campus

Dr. Scott Engum, professor of surgery with the UND School of Medicine & Health Sciences (SMHS), has been named Associate Dean for the School’s Southeast Campus in Fargo. Engum succeeds Dr. Cornelius “Mac” Dyke, who was recently named chair of the SMHS Department of Surgery.

A widely published practitioner-scholar, Dr. Engum received his medical degree from the UND SMHS in 1989. After completing both a general surgery residency and pediatric surgery fellowship at the Indiana University (IU) School of Medicine, Engum was a professor of surgery with the IU Department of Surgery until 2014, when he moved back to North Dakota to practice in Fargo.

A fellow with the American College of Surgeons, American Academy of Pediatrics, and American Pediatric Surgical Association, Dr. Engum is also an award-winning instructor who has secured numerous research grants and fellowships, most of which have focused on improving medical education. He is certified by the American Board of Surgery in both general and pediatric surgery.

“I am very excited and appreciative of the UND School of Medicine & Health Sciences for allowing me the opportunity to transition back into an academic leadership position on the frontline with students, faculty, and curriculum,” noted Engum, who practices pediatric surgery at Sanford Health. “I was incredibly blessed with the training I received at SMHS, which has allowed me to reach all of my professional aspirations. Becoming an active member of the UND team to make each student’s journey as rewarding as possible is my primary focus.”

As the primary representative of the SMHS and the Office of the Dean in North Dakota’s largest metro region, the associate dean in Fargo develops and meets curriculum goals and objectives for the School, provides a resource for volunteer faculty, recommends campus physicians for clinical appointment, and serves as a student advocate who organizes third- and fourth-year student clinical rotations in the community.

The associate dean also functions as a liaison between Southeast Campus students and the SMHS, works with clerkship directors, chairs, and faculty to optimize education on the Southeast Campus, reviews Southeast Campus electives annually, and cultivates links between the SMHS and local hospitals/clinics to encourage their participation in the School’s educational mission.

“I am delighted to welcome Dr. Engum into this important leadership position,” said Joshua Wynne, M.D., M.B.A., M.P.H., vice president for health affairs at UND and dean of the UND SMHS. “Scott and I have interacted in the past, and I have high regard for his style, insights, and background. I and the entire leadership team look forward to working with him going forward.”