Peter Alan Bell (born Jan. 21, 1958) is an American

osteopathic physician Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO or D.O., or in Australia DO USA) is a medical degree conferred by the 38 osteopathic medical schools in the United States. DO and Doctor of Medicine (MD) degrees are equivalent: a DO graduate may become lice ...

. He is the current Vice Provost and Dean at

Baptist College of Health Sciences Baptist Health Sciences University, formerly Baptist College of Health Sciences, is a private college in Memphis, Tennessee. It is operated by Baptist Memorial Health Care. The school was created through the expansion of the School of Nursing ( ...

, now known as Baptist Health Sciences University in

Memphis, TN Memphis is a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. Situated along the Mississippi River, it had a population of 633,104 at the 2020 census, making it the second-most populous city in Tennessee, the fifth-most p ...

. Additionally, Bell is nationally known for his continued work on health policy reform and the impact of health policy on the medical profession. Finally, Bell has served as president of the Ohio Osteopathic Association (OOA) and the National President of The American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians (ACOEP).

Education

Bell was born in

Abington, Pennsylvania Abington is an unincorporated area, unincorporated community in Abington Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States, coterminous with the ZIP Code 19001. Places of interest * Jefferson Abington Hospital * Abington Senior High Scho ...

, in 1958, to Clyde H. Bell and Dorothy B. Bell. His family moved to

Penfield, New York Penfield is a Administrative divisions of New York#Town, town in Monroe County, New York, Monroe County, New York (state), New York, United States. The population was 39,438 at the 2020 census, up from 36,242 in 2010 United States census, 2010. ...

, where he was a resident until his graduation from high school in 1976. After obtaining an undergraduate degree at

Hamilton College Hamilton College is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Clinton, Oneida County, New York, Clinton, New York. It was established as the Hamilton-Oneida Academy in 1793 and received its c ...

in 1980, he then attended the

University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine The University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine (UNECOM) is a private medical school in Biddeford, Maine. Founded in 1978, the college is part of the University of New England and grants two degrees: the Doctor of Osteopathic Med ...

, where he obtained his

Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO or D.O., or in Australia DO USA) is a medical degree conferred by the 38 osteopathic medical schools in the United States. DO and Doctor of Medicine (MD) degrees are equivalent: a DO graduate may become li ...

(D.O.) degree in 1984. Post-graduation, Bell completed a traditional internship and a

residency Residency may refer to: * Artist-in-residence, a program to sponsor the residence and work of visual artists, writers, musicians, etc. * Concert residency, a series of concerts performed at one venue * Domicile (law), the act of establishing or m ...

family medicine Family medicine is a medical specialty that provides continuing and comprehensive health care for the individual and family across all ages, genders, diseases, and parts of the body. The specialist, who is usually a primary care physician, is ...

, at the Metropolitan Hospital/Parkview, in

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

. He then completed a second residency in emergency medicine at Grandview Hospital and Medical Center, located

Dayton, Ohio Dayton () is a city in Montgomery County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of cities in Ohio, sixth-most populous city in Ohio, with a population of 137,644 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The Dayton metro ...

. In 2008, Bell graduated first in his class from

Ohio University Ohio University (Ohio or OU) is a Public university, public research university with its main campus in Athens, Ohio, United States. The university was first conceived in the 1787 contract between the United States Department of the Treasury#Re ...

's Executive Masters in Business Program.

Career

In 1988, Bell became the emergency department medical director at OhioHealth Doctors Hospital in

Columbus, Ohio Columbus (, ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Ohio, most populous city of the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 United States census, 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the List of United States ...

. In 1991, he founded the emergency medicine residency program at Doctors Hospital and since then has helped establish emergency medicine programs in other

midwestern states The Midwestern United States (also referred to as the Midwest, the Heartland or the American Midwest) is one of the four census regions defined by the United States Census Bureau. It occupies the northern central part of the United States. It ...

. Ohio University College of Medicine (now the Ohio University

Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine The Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine (OU-HCOM) is the medical school of Ohio University, the largest medical school in Ohio, and the only osteopathic medical school in the state. Heritage is ranked in the Top 50 U.S. medical schools for p ...

- OUHCOM) hired Bell as a regional dean in 1995 under

Barbara Ross-Lee Barbara Ross-Lee, D.O. (born June 1, 1942) is an American physician, academic, and the first African-American woman to serve as dean of a U.S. medical school; she is also known as the sister of Diana Ross along with being the aunt of actress Trac ...

, DO. In 2014, OUHCOM expanded and opened two more campuses at OhioHealth in

Dublin, Ohio Dublin is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. A suburb of Columbus, Ohio, Columbus, it falls within the jurisdictions of Franklin County, Ohio, Franklin, Delaware County, Ohio, Delaware, Union County, Ohio, Union, and Madison County, Ohio, Madison ...

, and at Cleveland Clinic. Bell was a key member in the creation and opening of the medical schools. Bell graduated in 2000 from the

American Osteopathic Association The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) is the representative member organization for the more than 197,000 osteopathic medical doctors ( D.O.s) and osteopathic medical students in the United States. The AOA is headquartered in Chicago, Illi ...

(AOA) National Health Policy Fellowship and was chairman of the OOA’s Health Policy Committee from 2002 to 2017. His focus has always been on cost, quality, and access to care as well as

tort reform Tort reform consists of changes in the civil justice system in common law countries that aim to reduce the ability of plaintiffs to bring tort litigation (particularly actions for negligence) or to reduce damages they can receive. Such changes ...

. From 1995–2004, Bell was editor-in-chief of the American College of Osteopathic Emergency Medicine Newsletter, ''The Pulse''. He is also on the ''Western Journal of Emergency Medicine'' Advisory Board from (2011–present) and joined the editorial board in 2013. Bell has participated in Grants and Research involving more than $100 million. He has published dozens of papers and editorials, led the development and implementation of hundreds of scholarly projects, and regularly presents at national and international forums. In 2012, Bell received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians. In 2017, Bell was appointed dean of Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine (LUCOM). Bell orchestrated the accreditation of the new medical school. Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine graduated its first class in May 2018. To celebrate this achievement, Dr.

Ben Carson Ben Solomon Carson Sr. (born September 18, 1951) is an American retired neurosurgery, neurosurgeon, academic, author, and government official who served as the 17th United States secretary of housing and urban development from 2017 to 2021. A pio ...

was invited to the graduation as the keynote speaker. Bell left Liberty University in December 2020. In September 2020, Bell earned Emeritus Status from the Ohio University Board of Trustees. In 2022, Bell was awarded the highest honor from the

for his service to the discipline. In addition to his work at Baptist Health Sciences University, Bell continues to serve as a faculty member for Doctors Hospital Emergency Medicine Residency.

Baptist Health Sciences University College of Osteopathic Medicine

In 2021, Bell was hired to develop a new College of Osteopathic Medicine in

Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. Situated along the Mississippi River, it had a population of 633,104 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of municipalities in Tenne ...

. In October 2022, the college was granted candidacy status by the

Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation The American Osteopathic Association's (AOA) Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) educational accreditation, accredits medical schools granting the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree in the United States. The US Department ...

(COCA). In April 2023, the college received pre-accreditation status from COCA. nsert citation here/ref> The first class matriculated in July 2024.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bell, Peter Alan Living people Hamilton College (New York) alumni University of New England (United States) alumni American osteopathic physicians Ohio University alumni 1958 births