Josh’s RX for Well-Being
After a 15-year run, Dr. Joshua Wynne is hanging up his hat as UND’s Vice President of Health Affairs and Dean of the UND School of Medicine & Health Sciences (SMHS).
He will, however, stay on as faculty at SMHS. A cardiologist, Dr. Wynne has a hearty understanding of what keeps our tickers in shape.
As Dr. Wynne gears down to a more relaxed pace, he offers his prescription for a healthy, happy life:
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Find a Job You Enjoy: “Finding a position where you love what you’re doing and feel like you’re making a difference is high on the list of what people need to do for good health.”
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Pay Attention to Risk Factors: Dr. Wynne suggests the following heart-healthy habits: Don’t smoke; monitor your blood pressure and cholesterol, control your diabetes (if you have it), exercise, and keep the weight off.
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Have a Social Network: Engage with friends and colleagues for support and interchange. “The Blue Zones have shown, pretty clearly, that social interaction is a factor in people living to a really old age,” he said.
Have a social network, Dr. Joshua Wynne (center) suggests. His prescription for well being: Engage with friends and colleagues for support and interchange.
Wynne’s Wins
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Dr. Wynne has been behind events like Joggin' with Josh, a 5K run scheduled around Homecoming (this year it will be on Thursday, Sept.12, at 4:30 p.m.), and “Java with Josh,” where coffee and discussion flowed freely.
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The average time a med school dean stays in the job is six years. Dr. Wynne says he stayed because he loved the job.
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He juggled numerous roles at UND, including interim president during the COVID pandemic.
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Dr. Wynne made significant strides in addressing the state's healthcare workforce shortage, enhancing the quality of educational programs, and expanding the research enterprise.
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SMHS’s enrollment of students from rural areas increased, and he introduced debt forgiveness for graduates who choose to serve in rural communities. This initiative has improved North Dakota's retention of medical students—from trailing far behind the national average to surpassing it, despite recruiting students from diverse and challenging backgrounds.
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All UND Medical School programs are now accredited by national agencies.
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The research arm at UND Med School has experienced significant growth, with external funding doubling over the past decade.
Dr. Wynne is optimistic about SMHS’s future and is excited to contribute in a less demanding role, giving him more time to spend with his wife and grandkids. We’ll miss him.
