MSU Health Care Names New Chief Medical Officer 

Following a national search, Mark A. Smith, M.D., has been selected as the new chief medical officer, or CMO, at MSU Health Care, effective Feb. 1, 2026.

Smith, a board-certified emergency medicine physician, brings 25 years of health care experience to this key leadership role. He most recently served as senior vice president and CMO at Henry Ford Health Jackson and as the CEO of Allegiance Medical Group and currently serves as a clinical assistant professor at Michigan State University.

“His clinical and academic experience gives Dr. Smith a strong understanding of how care comes together across teams, hospitals and community partners,” said Kris Allen, chief administrative officer of MSU Health Care. “That perspective will strengthen the way we serve patients in mid-Michigan and across the state.”

MSU Health Care welcomes more than 400,000 patient visits each year and is the multi-specialty practice for more than 250 medical professionals in the MSU colleges of Human Medicine, Osteopathic Medicine and Nursing. Additional expertise from Henry Ford Health physicians is available through the Henry Ford Health + Michigan State University Health Sciences partnership.

In his role as CMO, Smith will ensure that teams across the organization work collaboratively to deliver exceptional, patient-centered care. He will do this by providing senior clinical leadership for quality, safety, risk management, credentialing and operational alignment across the organization.

“Dr. Smith has a sincere commitment to improving community health,” said David Kaufman, assistant vice president of clinical affairs at MSU. “He’s a strong leader who knows how to work well with partners, and his experience will support MSU Health Care as we deepen our work with Henry Ford Health and continue strengthening relationships with UM Health-Sparrow, McLaren, Corewell Health and others across the region.”

Born in Jackson, Mich., Smith earned his MD at Wayne State University and completed residency at the Detroit Medical Center/Wayne State University. He served on the board of the Henry Ford + MSU partnership and as chair of the partnership's clinical committee. His memberships in professional organizations align with his interest in the safety and quality of health care and have included the Jackson County Medical Society, Michigan State Medical Society, American Medical Association, Michigan College of Emergency Medicine, and American College of Emergency Medicine.

MSU Health Care is headquartered in East Lansing and works with more than 100 hospitals, clinics and affiliates across the state while also supporting ongoing education and research initiatives.