National Search for School of Medicine Dean Underway

Chancellor Mike Bishop, MD, has appointed Mary Anne Koda-Kimble, PharmD, dean of the UCSF School of Pharmacy, to chair a committee to conduct a national search for a new dean of the UCSF School of Medicine. The search for the medical school dean is being co-chaired by Arthur Weiss, MD, PhD, professor and chief of the Division of Rheumatology. The committee will select a search firm to assist them in their work. For the membership of the Chancellor's Search Committee for School of Medicine Dean, go the Office of the Chancellor's website. "I have asked the committee to identify candidates who are distinguished academic physicians with appropriate administrative experience, scholarly achievements in teaching and research in the health sciences, and a demonstrated commitment to diversity," said Bishop in an email message to the campus community. UCSF's commitment to diversity is an important factor in filling this prestigious position of leadership. In fact, the UCSF Strategic Plan specifically calls for improving the diversity among senior leadership. "It is critical that UCSF continue to improve the diversity of its senior leadership to more accurately reflect the state of California and to provide top leadership role models for faculty, staff, students and trainees," the plan states. A more detailed description of the position of medical school dean is available here (PDF). Nominations, inquiries, applications and comments may be sent in confidence to Assistant Chancellor Deborah Brennan at [email protected] or via mail delivery to Deborah Brennan, Search Committee for School of Medicine Dean, Office of the Chancellor, 513 Parnassus Avenue, S 126, San Francisco, CA, 94143-0402. Sam Hawgood, MB, BS, chair of the Department of Pediatrics in the UCSF School of Medicine and physician in chief of UCSF Children's Hospital, is currently serving as interim dean of the UCSF School of Medicine. Hawgood succeeds David A. Kessler, MD, who was dismissed from his post as medical school dean and vice chancellor for medical affairs on Dec. 13. Kessler continues to serve as a professor of pediatrics at UCSF.