Marcus D. Wilson

Marcus D. Wilson, of Newark, Delaware, graduated from Virginia Tech in 1985 with a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry. He earned his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the Medical College of Virginia and completed a family medicine residency at the Medical University of South Carolina. Wilson began his career at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, where he established a clinical practice site to train pharmacy students in direct patient care. His program earned national recognition for managing hypertension and hyperlipidemia. During this time, he and his colleagues pioneered the use of electronic healthcare data to improve patient outcomes.

In 1996, Wilson co-founded HealthCore, advancing real-world research through electronic healthcare data. Acquired by WellPoint Health Networks (now Elevance Health) in 2003, HealthCore became a global leader in realworld evidence under his leadership, publishing more than 2,000 studies. Wilson played key roles in the FDA’s Sentinel Initiative, chaired the Reagan-Udall Foundation’s Innovations in Medical Evidence and Development program, and collaborated with the Brookings Institute, the National Health Council, and the National Academy of Medicine. He also worked with the Bipartisan Policy Center to shape legislation leading to the 21st Century Cures Act. Wilson served as HealthCore’s president until 2020 and then as Elevance’s Chief Analytics Officer until his retirement in 2024.

Wilson remains active in healthcare through board service and consulting.He is a long-time member of the College of Science Dean’s Roundtable and a member of Virginia Tech’s 1872 Society and Ut Prosim Society. Together with his wife, he established the Marcus and Diana Wilson Athletic Scholarship.