ADA, Okla.—The Chickasaw Nation announced today that Dr. Kayse Shrum, a nationally recognized leader, physician, educator and rural health care champion, will join the Chickasaw Nation as chief health strategy officer.
“Dr. Kayse Shrum’s qualifications in rural health care, education and collaborative system development are exemplary, and the Chickasaw Nation is happy to have her on board,” said Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby. “A longtime advocate of rural health care, we are confident in Dr. Shrum’s ability to help augment our health care programs and services in a way that prioritizes excellence and accessibility.”
Dr. Shrum will begin full-time employment with the Chickasaw Nation in July 2025. Her early work will focus on the planning and development of the upcoming Newcastle medical center campus.
“Dr. Shrum’s proven commitment to rural health care and her deep expertise in academic medicine will be a tremendous asset to the Chickasaw Nation,” said Chickasaw Nation Secretary of Health Dr. Charles Grim. “We are excited to welcome her leadership as we continue to expand access and innovation across our health care system.”
As part of her role, Dr. Shrum will lead strategic initiatives related to the Newcastle campus development, including identifying health workforce needs, creating graduate medical education opportunities, establishing research priorities and building partnerships with universities, health systems and other government agencies.
A legacy of rural health leadership
Born and raised in Coweta, Oklahoma, Dr. Shrum said her passion for rural health was shaped by her rural upbringing. She began her academic career at Connors State College where a professor recognized her potential and encouraged her to apply to medical school.
She earned her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Shrum practiced pediatrics in Muskogee before joining OSU’s medical school faculty in 2002. She advanced quickly, becoming chair of the department of pediatrics, then provost of OSU Center for Health Sciences, and dean of OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine. In 2013, she was appointed President of OSU Center for Health Sciences, becoming the youngest and first female dean of a medical school and president of an academic health system in Oklahoma.
As dean of OSU College of Medicine and president of OSU Center for Health Sciences, she made rural and tribal health a top priority for her administration. She established the Office for the Advancement of American Indians in Medicine and Science, implemented innovative outreach high school programs such as Operation Orange and Blue Coat to White Coat to inspire rural and tribal youth to consider a career in medicine, and she partnered with the Chickasaw Nation, Cherokee Nation and Choctaw Nation to establish rural residency programs to address the physician shortage in tribal health systems.
Her most fulfilling achievements were the creation of the OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine at the Cherokee Nation, the nation’s first tribally affiliated medical school located on a reservation in the U.S., and the OSU Academic Medical District, a collaborative endeavor with state and federal agencies, and nonprofit organizations to transform an underutilized area of downtown Tulsa into a vibrant healthcare and research campus that will house the OSU Medical Center, and newly constructed VA hospital, psychiatric hospital and research buildings.
Her leadership extended to public service when she was appointed Oklahoma’s Secretary of Science and Innovation in 2019 by Governor Kevin Stitt. In 2021, Dr. Shrum made history again as the first woman to serve as president of OSU.
“I’m thrilled to join the Chickasaw Nation leadership team. I have great admiration for Governor Anoatubby, and his commitment and vision to provide quality, accessible healthcare to Chickasaw citizens. My career has always centered around creating equitable access to health care and education for rural and underserved communities,” said Dr. Shrum. “I believe the Chickasaw Nation is uniquely positioned to lead the way in innovative, community-based health care. I’m honored to join them.”
A personal commitment
Dr. Shrum and her husband, Darren, reside in Coweta. Together, they have six adult children and a grandson.
Dr. Shrum has garnered a number of accolades and awards. She was inducted into the Oklahoma Women’s Hall of Fame, was named The Journal Record’s Woman of the Year, was recognized as the Oklahoma Osteopathic Association DO of the Decade and was honored as the Osteopathic Founders Foundation Outstanding Physician.
Dr. Shrum was also awarded a Special Recognition Award by the Association of American Indian Physicians in recognition of the OSU College of Medicine enrolling and graduating the largest number of American Indians and Alaska Natives and for partnering with the Cherokee Nation to establish the first tribally affiliated medical school in the Nation.
The Chickasaw Nation is pleased to welcome Dr. Kayse Shrum to the Chickasaw Nation Department of Health. A distinguished leader with a proven track record in rural healthcare and graduate medical education, Dr. Shrum brings proven innovative expertise and an exemplary commitment to excellence that will strengthen healthcare services and leadership within the department.
Her vision and experience will play a pivotal role in enhancing the overall well-being of Chickasaw people, fostering new opportunities for advancing healthcare, and improving health outcomes for First American people. The Chickasaw Nation looks forward to the contributions Dr. Shrum will make in this vital role.