UAB School of Health Professions Ranked No. 1 in USA
Mark Merrick, PhD has been selected as dean of the UAB School of Health Professions following a nationwide search. Currently the dean of the University of Toledo’s College of Health and Human Services, Merrick’s tenure at UAB begins on July 1.
“UAB is a global leader on countless fronts,” Merrick said. “And the institution is not resting on its laurels. UAB’s vision on where it will go next is what truly excites me.”
At the University of Toledo, Merrick manages more than 35 health-focused degree programs. He led the successful merger of two colleges, increased scholarship funding and improved student retention rates.
Merrick has been named a fellow by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association, the National Academies of Practice and the Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions. He is a former president of the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education and was awarded its highest honor, the Pete Koehneke Award, in 2019. He is a member of the National Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine’s Global Forum on Innovation.
He earned his Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Toledo, his Master of Arts degree in athletic training from Indiana State University and his Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Toledo.
Merrick succeeds Andrew J. Butler, PhD who, as dean of the School of Health Professions, oversaw record milestones in research funding, national rankings and student enrollment. It is now the fastest-growing school at UAB and one of the largest health professions schools in the nation with more than 20 programs and more than 40 offerings at the bachelor, master and doctoral levels. In 2025, U.S. News & World Report ranked the School of Health Professions No. 1 in America for Health Care Management.