Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine names new senior associate dean of academic affairs

Eduardo Velasco, MD, Ph.D., has been named the senior associate dean of Academic Affairs for the Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine in Las Cruces following a thorough national search.

Velasco, a family medicine specialist, is currently the associate dean of PreClinical Education and professor of epidemiology at Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine in California. He also serves as chair of the Epidemiology and Biostatistics Section for the National Board for Osteopathic Medicine Examiners.

Velasco will step into his new role at Burrell College effective on July 1.

Velasco holds a medical degree from Mexico’s National University (UNAM) and a family medicine specialist degree from Mexico’s Technology Institute (IPN). In addition to his medical education, Dr. Velasco earned a master of science degree in health systems from Mexico’s School of Public Health and a Ph.D. in epidemiology from Johns Hopkins University.

Velasco spent 14 years practicing family medicine before transitioning to a career in public health research and medical education. He has held leadership positions in Mexico’s National Institute of Public Health/School of Public Health of Mexico, where he chaired two departments and served as the deputy director for academic development. He also held a tenured position at Morgan State University in Maryland, where he oversaw the public health master’s and doctor of public health programs, the nursing program and the nutrition program.

In addition to his work within collegiate systems, Dr. Velasco has served as a grant reviewer for both the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), as well as a consultant for the World Health Organization/ Pan American Health Organization (WHO/PAHO).

“Dr. Velasco will join our senior leadership team, collaborating closely with the dean's office and our associate and assistant deans to oversee the academic elements of our degree program,” says Dr. William Pieratt, dean and chief academic cfficer of the Burrell College. “His extensive career shows an ongoing dedication to the advancement of both medical education and the overall health of our society.”

BCOM was established in 2013 to improve the health of the Southwestern U.S. and its border with northern Mexico. The four-year, private osteopathic medical school is student-centered, utilizing the latest medical education technologies and methods to ensure student success in all fields of medicine — from primary care to subspecialties like surgery, anesthesiology and emergency medicine. Burrell College is a freestanding college located on the New Mexico State University campus.

Visit burrell.edu or @burrellcollege on Instagram.