Minutes of the Council Meetings >>

2001-2002  (FY03) MEDICAL SCHOOL COUNCIL
Dr. John Clarkson, Chair

MINUTES

Medical School Council Meeting - Tuesday, July 30, 2002. (These minutes were approved at the Dean’s meeting of the School Council held August 27, 2002

This meeting was called to order at 5:10 p.m.  Members absent were Drs. Caswell, Cleary, Diego, Fenna, Markoe, O'Sullivan

1. TASK FORCE ON RESEARCH PRIORITIES:  Drs. King and Baumbach, who co-chaired this Task Force, reported to the Council. Dr, King explained that the Task Force had presented five recommendations to Dr. Clarkson during the Council’s retreat in March. These recommendations were in the areas of infrastructure, research focus, leadership, clinical-basic science interactions and a faculty club. At that time, Dr. Clarkson supported the recommendations and asked that the Task Force provide action plans for their implementation.

Dr. King emphasized that UMSM needs to accelerate the growth of its research enterprise at a rate greater than that of other schools in order to improve its ranking and to complete at the highest levels among research institutions. She said that this would require synergy between clinical and basic sciences and scientists. She noted that the first two recommendations of the Task Force on revitalization of infrastructure and building multi-disciplinary centers of excellence were well represented in the School’s Capital Campaign case statement that was recently sent to all faculty for review and comments. However, she was concerned that three of the Task Force recommendations, on enhancing interactions between clinical and basic science, hiring an Associate Dean for Research and building a faculty club were not included in the case statement which she understood was for development purposes.

Dr. Baumbach continued that a key recommendation is the revitalization of research infrastructure. She listed eight areas for concentration which are bioinformatics resources, biostatistics, IT infrastructure, genomics and genetics, proteomics and structural genomics, imaging facilities, veterinary core resources, a vector core facility and histopathology and she pointed out that support services must be readily accessible, geared for multiple users, available for pilot studies and supported by charge-back mechanisms. She continued that central facilities must be available to everyone equally in contrast to Center-based facilities which are inherently less accessible to outsiders.

Dr. King added that enhancing clinical-basic science interactions will increase clinical and translational NIH dollars to the school. She described problems from the clinical side particularly that of junior faculty who are overloaded with clinical work. She said that recruitment of physician-scientists has not been a priority in some departments and that it is difficult for clinicians to identify and network with basic scientists. She described that there are problems from the other perspective as well. Basic scientists often have difficulty in obtaining human tissues and other specimens for research and that basic scientists need to enhance the scope of their research through interactions with clinicians.

Dr. King said that solutions to these problems require that there be a commitment to a strong and supportive research environment from department chairs and division chiefs. We need to hold those leaders accountable for the research productivity of their departments or divisions. Among suggestions she related to the Council was that each clinical department appoint a research director with substantial research credentials to develop a research plan and to create and enhance interactions among clinicians and basic scientists. She also proposed that physician-scientists be recruited with 75% protected time and that each be mentored. She estimated that these recruitments would each require a commitment of $200K each year for three years but she believed that these would be investments that will pay for themselves in the long run.

Dr. Cohn thanked Drs. King and Baumbach and the Task Force members for their successful efforts and analyses. He then expressed a concern that protected time promised to faculty must truly be protected and that the Dean should hold the funds to assure that this occurs. He suggested that the Dean should pay part of the salary of physician-scientists so there is no confusion or overlap of effort if clinical departments need these faculty to manage clinical duties.

Dr. Bishopric agreed that a key problem is the lack of interaction among clinical and basic scientists. She believed that both groups underestimate the workloads of the other group and that communication is required to bring the groups together.

Dr. Lewis said there needs to be a cultural change among clinicians that promotes that they are appointed to provide clinical service rather than for academic accomplishments. Dr. Bishopric offered that this cultural change requires leadership changes and that we need leaders committed to academics although she observed that this is difficult due to the budget constraints faced today.

Dr. Clarkson congratulated the Task Force on its report and said that he would need time to comment on all of its important recommendations. He said that benchmarks have already been set for research space and that if faculty are not using space productivity, they will be moved.. He continued that dollars to implement the Task Force’s recommendations must come from the Capital Campaign and agreed that someone from each department must be accountable for research excellence. He said that research is a priority in chair searches and that the search for a Pediatrics chair will be an opportunity to meet this goal in that department.

Dr. Clarkson continued that he has asked the Executive Office for Research Leadership (EORL) to use the Task Force’s job description as a basis for a search for an Associate Dean for Research. He added that it is undecided whether the EORL will continue after a candidate is chosen.

Dr. Clarkson reported that President Shalala is supportive of a UMSM Faculty Center. He said that a temporary site in Park Plaza West may be used but discussions are ongoing for a 450,000 sq ft clinical research building on the PAC site and that a wellness center and faculty club could be part of this building. He offered that long-term, we need at least one and possibly two basic science buildings to replace and enhance RMSB, which will be converted to office space and for medical education. It could also a faculty club site.

He explained that we expect to break ground for the clinical research building this year and noted that dollars shifted from the present $5M annual rent payments will help support the new building. He said that this is the reason it is being built in advance of the capital campaign. Also planned is a clinical center for UMSM near the Hope Lodge but this and the research buildings will require capital campaign support.

Dr. Cohn said that the University of Pittsburgh and other schools are generating momentum by buying hospitals. Dr. Clarkson said that he and President Shalala are looking into expanding UMSM into other hospitals and he assured the Council that President Shalala came to UM to make a difference. He said that he is encouraged because she knows that the first place to accomplish this is at the Medical School.

Dr. Baumbach asked how the Task Force should continue to present its report to the faculty. Dr. Clarkson answered that he is open to all ideas for improving communication in this and other topics. He said that he stopped having town meetings because attendees were the same people at each meeting and that half were direct reports to the Dean. Dr. Cohn said that he was unsure that there is a venue at UMSM large enough to hold the faculty. He suggested that the Task Force use departmental grand rounds to interact with faculty. Dr. Clarkson asked Drs. King and Baumbach to present their report at a meeting of the chairs.

2. BYLAWS:  Dr. Cohn asked Drs. Thurer and Fishman to report on progress in establishing bylaws for the Council and School. Dr. Thurer answered that he and Dr. Fishman met with General Council on the remaining issue of whether the bylaws should be those of the School of Medicine or faculty. Also, there was concern that there is a mixing of guidelines and policies associated with the bylaws. Dr. Clarkson followed that this issue should go to completion and said that he is willing to meet with all involved next week.

3. SCHOOL COUNCIL:  The next Speaker’s Meeting of the School Council will be held Tuesday, August 13, 2002 at 5 p.m in the Ryder Trauma Center. The next Dean’s Meeting will be on Tuesday, August 27, 2002 at 5 p.m in the Sylvester Cancer Center, Room 1301. These meetings are open to all faculty, as are all Council meetings. The meeting was adjourned at 6:31 p.m.

Myron Rosenthal, Ph.D.
Senior Associate Dean for Faculty and Professional Affairs