It’s been just over a month since I took over the deanship from Dr. Tom Marrie, and I really appreciate all of the well wishes that’ve come my way from across the Maritimes. I also want to thank Tom for all he has done for the medical school over the past six years, and for assisting my transition into the dean’s role.
One of the ways I’ll communicate with students, faculty, staff, and alumni is through a monthly update. This update will outline what I’ve been up to, and highlight the current issues, opportunities, and challenges facing us. I hope you’ll find this information interesting and informative.
Getting settled in
I’ve spent much of the last several months rolling up my sleeves and getting acquainted with my new job. Although I’m a Dalhousie Medical School grad (Class of ’83), and have worked in a variety of roles over the 23 years as a faculty member, I continue to be impressed by the scope and the complexity of the work that goes on here. I’ve been meeting with many people who have diverse and integral roles at the medical school; they’re proud of all that we’re achieving, and are committed to making us as successful as we can be.
Undergraduate and postgraduate education
On July 1, we welcomed a new group of residents into the Dalhousie Medical School community. On August 24, the MD Class of 2019 will be starting. And of course, a number of graduate students will be joining our research teams as the fall rolls around. I look forward to having learners fill our empty hallways once again.
We’ve just successfully wrapped up all of our outstanding accreditation requirements from the 2009 undergraduate accreditation process. And though it’s hard to believe, it’s almost time for us to go through the cycle again.
In 2017, the Committee on the Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools (CACMS) will be reviewing our undergraduate MD program. Though I fully expect us to make it through the review, there’s a lot of work that has to be done in preparation for the CACMS visits. You’ll be hearing more from our accreditation co-chairs, Dr. Darrell White, senior associate dean and Anne Weeden, assistant dean of operations, as we make our way through the accreditation to-do list.
In 2018, our postgraduate programs are due to be accredited. Dr. Andrew Warren, associate dean of postgraduate medical education, will be leading that process. Work on the internal review will begin this fall.
Research successes
Funding for research is increasingly becoming a challenge, and our work needs to be world class in order to compete for dollars.
Having said that, this month we had a number of funding successes (have a look). I’d like to specifically congratulate Dr. Roy Duncan of the Department of Microbiology & Immunology. Dr. Duncan is the first Dalhousie scientist to receive a CIHR Foundation grant, which will fund his research program for the next seven years.
This will be a time of transition in research at our medical school. Dr. Gerry Johnston will be completing his term as associate dean after 11 years dedicated to this position. Gerry has done some great things during his tenure and will leave big shoes to fill.
We’ll be talking more about our research activities and priorities in the months ahead.
Strategic planning
A key focus for me as dean will be to develop a five-year strategic plan to help set our major priorities and guide decision-making.
On October 29 and 30, 2015, this planning process will begin with a retreat that will include our associate deans and department heads. From that meeting, we’ll be pulling together working groups to address the identified areas of strategic focus.
Hearing your ideas on how we can make Dalhousie Medical School an even better place to work and learn is something I’m committed to. A major part of this planning will be engaging faculty, staff, and others who work within our med school community (this means you!). Please stay tuned for details on how you can make a difference in the strategic planning initiative.
Stay in touch
With this monthly missive, I’ll aim to update you on where I see things from the dean’s desk. In the meantime, I encourage you to be in touch (david.anderson@dal.ca). Please don’t hesitate to approach me in the hallways or at the coffee shop as the weeks and months go by. You can recognize me by my red bike. I’m also going to give Twitter a try in an effort to communicate with you better.
One of the things I’m looking forward to is celebrating Dalhousie Medical School’s 150th anniversary and Dalhousie University’s 200th anniversary, in 2018. We want to make that year special. More details to follow.
Enjoy August!