A profile photo of Shelley Nuss, dean of the University of Georgia School of Medicine. She is pictured in a white lab coat with a logo from the medical school.

Shelley Nuss

Founding Dean of the School of Medicine

When the new School of Medicine was established in early 2024, UGA already had the best person to lead the new enterprise. In March, Dr. Shelley Nuss was named the school’s founding dean.

Dr. Nuss has served as the campus dean of the Augusta University/University of Georgia Medical Partnership since 2016.

Now, she’s spearheading the work to bring the medical school to life, including preparing the program for accreditation and further developing the Health Sciences Campus. Dr. Nuss envisions UGA’s School of Medicine will become a pioneer in bringing engaging, evidence-based teaching practice into medical education. She’s also committed to building upon the community-based service-learning curriculum that has been so successful for the Medical Partnership and impactful for the residents of the Athens community.

“Having the opportunity to start a medical school from the ground up will allow us to create a supportive and innovative learning experience for our future medical students. I look forward to the endless opportunities to partner with the University to create an unparalleled medical student experience.”