Rocky Vista University Announces Leadership Changes for its Montana Campus
Billings, MT – Rocky Vista University (RVU) is pleased to announce that Ben Wilde, DO, FAAFP, has accepted the position of Acting Dean of the Montana College of Osteopathic Medicine (RVU-MCOM), and Neil C. Olson, DVM, PhD, has accepted the position of Interim Dean of the Montana College of Veterinary Medicine (RVUCVM). Dr. Wilde, who currently serves as the Assistant Dean of Pre-Clinical Education and Chair of the Department of Clinical Sciences at RVU-MCOM, assumed his new role today, and Dr. Olson, who previously served as Dean of St. George’s University School of Veterinary Medicine since 2017, assumed his new role on March 1st.
Dr. Wilde and Dr. Olson step into these leadership roles with extensive institutional knowledge, accreditation experience, and proven track records in medical and veterinary education. Dr. Wilde was an inaugural faculty member at RVU’s Southern Utah campus and returned to Montana to help establish RVU-MCOM, where he has been instrumental in its early success and growth. In addition to serving as Dean of St. George’s University School of Veterinary Medicine since 2017, Dr. Olson has over 25 years of veterinary leadership experience, having previously served as Dean of the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine from 2007-2017 and held various administrative leadership roles at North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine as well.
These appointments reflect RVU’s confidence in its leadership and unwavering commitment to fostering a supportive, high-caliber learning environment for medical and veterinarian students in Montana.
“It is a privilege to serve as Acting Dean of RVU-MCOM,” said Dr. Wilde. “Having been part of this community since its founding, I am deeply committed to our mission of preparing compassionate, service-driven physicians. I look forward to working alongside our dedicated faculty and staff to continue strengthening our academic curriculum and ensuring our students have the resources they need to excel in their medical careers.”
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to step into the Interim Dean role at RVUCVM and help with the school’s transition,” said Dr. Olson. “Having served as a veterinary school dean for the last 20+ years, I continue to be excited by the opportunity to promote excellence in veterinary school education and look forward to building on the strong foundation at RVUCVM.”
Dr. Wilde earned his Doctor of Osteopathy (DO) degree from the Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine of Midwestern University. He is an AOBFP board-certified osteopathic family physician and a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians. Before joining RVU, Dr. Wilde practiced full-scope rural family medicine in northern Wyoming, where he also served as a site lead physician. His extensive leadership experience includes serving as the President-Elect of the ACOFP-Mountain West Regional Society and as national faculty for the NBOME.
Dr. Olson obtained his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. After completing his surgery residency within Michigan State University’s Department of Small Animal Surgery and Medicine, he went on to earn his Doctor of Philosophy in physiology from MSU.
“Dr. Wilde’s and Dr. Olson’s appointments ensure continuity of leadership and a steadfast focus on our student-centric culture,” said Dr. David Forstein, President of Rocky Vista University. “Their clinical expertise and history with our family of universities make them the ideal leaders to guide RVU-MCOM and RVUCVM as we continue to provide an unparalleled education in Billings and beyond.”
About Rocky Vista University:
Rocky Vista University is a health sciences university with campuses in Colorado, Utah, and Montana that provides quality healthcare education while inspiring students to serve with compassion, integrity, and excellence. RVU works to advance healthcare through its programs in medicine and health sciences. For more information, visit https://www.rvu.edu.
Contact:
Evan Cobb
Director, Communications and PR
Email: [email protected]