Randolph Burnside, PhD

Dr. Burnside became the Director of MEDPREP in June of 2021. Prior to that, he served as a faculty member and administrator on the SIU Carbondale campus for more than 15 years. His formal training is in Political Science and Public Administration. He has published in the areas of disaster behavior and policy, race and race relations, and diversity equity and inclusion. Dr. Burnside’s current research interests include cultural competence in underserved communities, leadership development, and rural healthcare access.

Prior to joining MEDPREP he served in various capacities on the SIU Carbondale campus. This included faculty positions in Political Science, Public Administration, and the School of Education. He served as the Director of Public Administration from 2011-2014. From 2015 to 2017 he served as the Deputy Associate Provost for Academic Programs.

Dr. Burnside’s primary responsibilities include the day-to-day management of the MEDPREP program as well as overseeing all aspects of student recruitment and retention. He also serves as a member of the SIU School of Medicine Admissions Committee as well as on the SIU System wide Diversity Initiative Committee.