9-15-99

Search Begins For New Head Of Medical Programs

Columbus -- Restructuring of The Ohio State University's medical center administration took a major step forward today (9/15) with the appointment of a 10-member committee to search for a senior vice president for health sciences and dean of the College of Medicine and Public Health. The committee was named by President William E. Kirwan and Edward J. Ray, executive vice president and provost.

The medical center reorganization process was begun by the university's Board of Trustees earlier this month. The new position of senior vice president and dean was created in that reorganization and combines the position of dean of the College of Medicine and Public Health and the position of vice president for health sciences.

"In these days of constant changes in health care, having a single point of management at the top provides the speed and flexibility needed to maximize opportunities for improving our medical education and patient care programs," Kirwan said. "It also focuses our ability to maintain the tremendous momentum that the College of Medicine and Public Health, in particular, and the health sciences, in general, have achieved."

The search committee is chaired by Pascal Goldschmidt, director of Ohio State's Heart and Lung Institute and professor of internal medicine, cell biology, neurobiology and anatomy, and medical biochemistry. Other members are:

• Carole Anderson, dean of the College of Nursing
• Clara Bloomfield, director of the Comprehensive Cancer Center, co-director of the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute and professor of internal medicine
• Larry Copeland, chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Susan Jablonski, director of communications and marketing for the Ohio State University Medical Center
• Eric J. Ley, president of the InterProfessional Council and a student in the College of Medicine and Public Health
• Grayce Sills, chair of the Ohio State University Hospitals Board and professor emeritus in the College of Nursing
• George Skestos, a university trustee and a member of the Hospitals Board
• Ronald St. Pierre, vice dean of medical administration in the College of Medicine and Public Health
• Ray Wasielewski, associate professor of orthopaedic surgery.

This is a committee of exceptional individuals," Ray said. "That we have asked these very busy people to take on this task, and that they have accepted, is an indication of how important it is for Ohio State to find the right person to lead our academic medical center. It is vital that we find someone with the vision, skills and experience needed to keep us on the trajectory toward excellence and the recognition that goes with it. We have great confidence in Dr. Goldschmidt and the members of the committee."

Kirwan has charged the committee with recommending one or more candidates by Jan. 15, 2000 and he has requested all committee members make the search process their most important priority.

The senior vice president for health sciences and dean of the College of Medicine and Public Health will be responsible for advancing the academic mission of teaching, research and service and will have authority over the academic medical center.

The academic medical center includes the College of Medicine and Public Health with 17 clinical departments and the schools of Biomedical Sciences, Allied Medical Professions, and Public Health. The medical center also includes University Hospitals, the James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute, Harding Hospital, University Hospitals East and a growing number of on- and off-campus clinics and other health care delivery enterprises, as well as the Prior Health Sciences Library and a number of centers. Entities within the medical center engage in numerous cooperative ventures with the colleges of Dentistry, Nursing, Optometry, Pharmacy and Veterinary Medicine.

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Contact: Pascal Goldschmidt, (614) 688-5779