Dr. Ruth Bush

BS, Cornell University; MPH, MD, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; JD, William Howard Taft University

Bio:

Dr. Ruth L. Bush serves as Vice Dean for Undergraduate Medical Education and Professor of Academic Clinical Medicine at Methodist University Cape Fear Valley School of Medicine. She helps lead the development of the new medical school’s undergraduate medical education program, which emphasizes an integrated, student-centered curriculum, early clinical experiences, community engagement, and professional development.

A nationally recognized vascular surgeon, educator, researcher, and academic leader, Dr. Bush has more than two decades of experience in academic medicine. Before joining Methodist University Cape Fear Valley School of Medicine, she held senior academic leadership roles at the University of Texas Medical Branch, Texas A&M University, the University of Houston, and Baylor College of Medicine. Her work has included curriculum transformation, competency-based medical education, accreditation, faculty development, and continuous quality improvement. Her clinical expertise centers on venous and lymphatic disease.

Dr. Bush earned her undergraduate degree from Cornell University and her medical degree from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. She holds a Master of Public Health from the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health and a Juris Doctor from William Howard Taft University School of Law. She completed general surgery residency and vascular surgery research training at the University of California, Davis, followed by a vascular surgery fellowship at Emory University. She is board-certified in general surgery and vascular surgery. She is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a Distinguished Fellow of both the Society for Vascular Surgery and the American Venous Forum.

Her academic interests include venous and lymphatic disease, medical education innovation, curriculum design, competency-based education, and improving educational and healthcare outcomes. She is particularly committed to preparing physicians to serve rural and underserved communities in southeastern North Carolina through compassionate, evidence-based, patient-centered care.

Dr. Bush served as President of the American Venous Forum in 2025 and the Vascular and Endovascular Surgery Society in 2014. She is currently the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Vascular Surgery: Venous and Lymphatic Disorders and has held numerous national professional leadership roles. Additionally, she has authored more than 200 scientific publications, reviews, and guidelines and contributed more than 35 book chapters. Her scholarship includes work in education, vascular surgery, and venous and lymphatic disorders.

Outside her professional work, Dr. Bush enjoys spending time with her husband of 20 years, reading, and watching sports, especially college sports and Formula 1 racing.