Expanding Global Learning at SHSU-COM: Dr. Megan Powell to Guide New International Opportunities for Student Doctors

Expanding Global Learning at SHSU-COM: Dr. Megan Powell to Guide New International Opportunities for Student Doctors

Opening doors to global learning and service, Megan Powell, MD, has been selected to lead the global medicine initiatives at the Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (SHSU-COM). A graduate of Sam Houston State University (’04) and the University of Texas Medical Branch, she brings more than a decade of experience in internal medicine and pediatrics into a role designed to expand international learning opportunities for SHSU-COM student doctors. Her new role as director of global health supports the college’s growing efforts to prepare future physicians for practice in settings around the world while strengthening relationships with partners and communities abroad.

Since joining SHSU-COM in 2024 as an assistant professor in the Department of Primary Care and Clinical Medicine, she has taught across several preclinical and clinical courses and supported student doctors as they transition into clerkships. Her academic contributions build on more than ten years of caring for patients in Huntsville and the surrounding region, where she worked in both outpatient and inpatient settings and maintained privileges at Huntsville Memorial Hospital.

In this new role, Powell will build international programs in partnership with institutions and communities abroad, creating new learning opportunities for medical students. This work includes developing curriculum and policies, establishing training sites and supporting the logistical needs required for global learning. A long-term goal is the development of a track for students who want a more in-depth international experience. She will also support additional opportunities such as international clerkships, osteopathic training abroad and potential dual degree pathways that include international study options.

Dean Thomas J. Mohr, DO, shared that this role opens an important new frontier for SHSU-COM as it strengthens partnerships and prepares student doctors for the realities of modern medical practice.

"This position expands what is possible for our students,” he said. “As we work with current partners and form relationships with future partners abroad, Dr. Powell’s leadership will help create experiences that broaden clinical understanding and deepen students’ readiness to care for patients in a wide range of settings. These opportunities reflect our commitment to preparing physicians who are equipped and confident wherever their careers may take them."

Powell’s leadership in global medicine supports SHSU-COM’s mission to graduate physicians who are prepared to serve communities across Texas with professionalism, adaptability and an understanding of the people they care for, strengthened by learning experiences that broaden their perspectives through opportunities around the world.