SGU has announced the appointment of Dr. Toni Johnson Liggins as associate dean of Clinical Studies in the US. Clinical studies are hospital-based experiences that students undergo during the final two years of medical school, giving students hands-on practical experience, and allowing them to interact with patients and practice medicine under the supervision of experienced doctors.

Her responsibilities will include working alongside Dr. Robert Grant, senior associate dean of clinical studies, to conduct site visits at SGU’s affiliated hospitals and clinical centers. She will ensure students from all around the world, including India, receive the resources they need on their journeys to becoming doctors. In 2022, 31 SGU students from the South Asia region entered into clinical rotations across the US and UK. Dr. Liggins will also work with Dr. Grant to support clinical teaching faculty who supervise and teach students at these sites.

Commenting on her appointment, Dr. Liggins said: “I am delighted to be joining SGU and looking forward to meeting students to discuss their clinical experience and provide them with advice for how they can thrive in their education”.

“I have 20 years of experience working in undergraduate and graduate medical education, as well as experience overseeing residences in a variety of specialties. As associate dean of clinical studies, I can use all of my knowledge and apply it to helping medical students at SGU get the most out of their education and prepare them to be the best physicians they can be”, she continued.

Prior to joining SGU, Dr. Liggins was the director of medical education (DME) and the designated institutional official (DIO) at the Mount Carmel Health System in Columbus, Ohio, where she oversaw the education and training for all medical students and residents in the healthcare system.

Her former role was at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina. Dr. Liggins graduated from the University of Michigan Medical School and completed her residency training in psychiatry at the Cleveland Clinic, going on to practice psychiatry for over 25 years.