Denis A. Foretia, MD, MPH, MBA, FACS

Position Responsibilities

The Associate Dean for Global Health is charged with leadership and implementation of global health strategies that align with the medical school’s mission, particularly in areas such as global health education, international partnerships and research priorities.  The position also helps oversee global health electives or specialized courses that focus on global health issues, ensuring that they align with our mission and meet all academic, and accreditation standards.  Additionally, the position maintains and works to expand our international partnerships in collaboration with the Virginia Tech Office of Outreach and International Affairs, and serves as an advisor to faculty, students, and other stakeholders on global health matters.

Professional Background

Denis A. Foretia, M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A., F.A.C.S. is an Associate Professor of Surgery at Carilion Clinic – Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine Department of Surgery. He is also Chief of the Western Region Section, the Vice-Chair for Faculty Development in the department of surgery, and Associate Dean for Global Health at Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine. He joined Carilion Clinic from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) in Memphis where he was an Associate Professor of Surgery and acute care surgeon. At UTHSC he was also the Director of the Center for Multicultural and Global Health, the Associate Director of the UTHSC Global Surgery Institute, and the Co-Director for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the department of surgery.

Dr. Foretia served as Secretary of the Tennessee Chapter of the American College of Surgeons. He is currently member of the Publications and Programs Committee of the Society of Black Academic Surgeons (SBAS), member of the Publications Committee of the Association for Academic Surgery (AAS), member of the Committee to Advance Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion of the American College of Surgeons (ACS), and member of ACS Health Outreach Program for Equity in Global Surgery (ACS H.O.P.E.). He co-founded and was the inaugural president of the Association of Cameroonian Physicians in the Americas (ACPA). In 2012, he co-founded and has been the Executive Chair of the Nkafu Policy Institute that focuses on evidence-informed policy research. In addition, he co-chairs the Diagnostics Working Group of the Consortium of Universities for Global Health. He has received several awards including the 2023 American College of Surgeons /Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract (SSAT) Health Policy and Management Scholarship; the 2024 International Visiting Professor to the West African College of Surgeons Annual Meeting in Sierra Leone from the Association for Academic Surgery; the 2022 Digital Health Innovation Award at the Geneva Global Games, and a 2018 Emerging Leader award from the SBAS Leadership and Faculty Development Institute.

Prior to joining the University of Tennessee Dr. Foretia was a faculty member in the Department of Surgery at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and staff acute care surgeon at Lifebridge Health in Baltimore. He was also an Associate in the Department of International Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Dr Foretia holds a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Maryland Baltimore County, a Doctor of Medicine degree from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, and he completed surgical residency at Emory University in Atlanta. He also earned a Master of Public Health from the Bloomberg School of Public Health and a Master of Business Administration from the Carey School of Business both at the Johns Hopkins University. He is married to Lenora Ebule, MBA, and together they have two children: Gélan (daughter) and Baiden (son).

Research Interests

• Global Surgery and Surgical Systems Strengthening
• Health Policy
• Digital Health and Innovation
• Global Surgery Education, Advocacy and Workforce Development

Awards and Honors

• 2023 American College of Surgeons / Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract (SSAT) Health Policy and Management Scholarship
• Association for Academic Surgery, 2024 Visiting Professor to the Wester African College of Surgeons Annual Meeting Sierra Leone, 2023

Education and Training

• MD, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
• Bachelor’s, Biological Sciences, University of Maryland Baltimore Country
• Residency, General Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine

Other Positions

• General Surgery, Carilion Clinic
• Section Chief of Surgery, Western Region, Carilion Clinic
• Vice Chair for Faculty Development, Department of Surgery, VTCSOM
• Associate Professor, VTCSOM
• Founder & Board Co-Chair, Denis & Lenora Foretia Foundation