WORCESTER— Dr. David McManus has been tapped to step into one of the state’s highest paid positions — chancellor of UMass Chan Medical School.
McManus, chair of the Department of Medicine for the medical school and UMass Memorial Health, is poised to succeed Dr. Michael Collins, who is stepping down in July after leading the school for almost 20 years. Collins was the second-highest paid state employee in 2025, earning more than $1.57 million, according to state data. He was only behind UMass’s head basketball coach Frank Martin, who earned $2.18 million last year.
“Dr. McManus is the right leader to guide UMass Chan Medical School into the future,” UMass President Marty Meehan said in a press release. “His pioneering work in digital health care and AI, his deep experience in both the clinical and research fields, and his visions and collaborative nature, reflect the very best of UMass Chan.”
McManus’ compensation is subject to negotiation, according to a spokesperson for the school. Meehan told reporters on Tuesday that he expects McManus’ compensation to be finalized in the next three to four weeks.
McManus’ start date is also unclear and Meehan said he expects it to be after the medical school’s graduation that’s scheduled for May 31.
During a special meeting Tuesday, the University of Massachusetts’ Board of Trustees approved Meehan’s nomination of McManus.
His appointment marks the first time an alum will lead the medical school. McManus earned his MD from the medical school in 2002 and his master’s of science in clinical investigation in 2012. He also received an Executive Master of Business Administration from MIT’s Sloan School of Management in 2025.
“As a graduate and a faculty member, I am deeply honored by the opportunity to serve as a steward of this world-class medical school,” McManus said. “The groundbreaking discoveries that happen in laboratories at UMass Chan Medical School, in the classroom, and at the bedside, are life-changing, and I will work tirelessly alongside the exceptional faculty, staff, students, and community to continue advancing together.”
McManus is also the founding director of UMass Chan’s Program in Digital Medicine, which has secured more than $140 million in NIH funding and published more than 400 scientific papers, according to the school. As chair of the department of medicine, McManus oversees 16 divisions, more than 370 faculty members, 80 principal investigators and more than $70 million in annual research funding.
In October, a group of health care professionals, UMass faculty, business leaders, alumni and stakeholders joined a chancellor search committee. The committee reviewed more than 100 candidates and interviewed the top ten, according to the school. On March 30, the committee unanimously voted to recommend four finalists to Meehan, who organized campus visits for them and solicited feedback before making his recommendation. One of the four finalists withdrew their name from consideration, according to the school.
The other two finalists were: Dr. Steven Goldstein, vice chancellor of Health Affairs for University of California Irvine and Dr. Frances Elizabeth Jensen, chair of Neurology at the the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine.
“This institution has given me so much professionally and personally, and I will lean into this role with every fiber of my being to guide this institution through this moment of enormous change in medicine, education, and society,” McManus added.
McManus told reporters Tuesday he wants to begin his new role by meeting with students, faculty, UMass leadership and community stakeholders.
“You think you know a place, you know as an internal candidate, but you really need to relearn the place and really understand what people are seeing as challenges and opportunities,” he said.
McManus also signaled an interest in building upon inter-campus collaborations, particularly with UMass Lowell and Amherst, surrounding AI use for patient care and medical training. Meehan added McManus’ background in digital health and AI had stood out to him.
“It’s something that we’re really focused on at UMass and it’s something that Dr. McManus brings real expertise to the table,” Meehan said.
Katie Castellani is a reporter for State House News Service and State Affairs Pro reach her at [email protected].
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