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A Letter from the Dean

On April 4, 2012, a transformative new chapter in our history began: the naming of the Audrey and Theodor Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth.

This historic naming is built upon a 215-year legacy of achievement in education, research, and patient care that helped shape the excellence of our institution. Some of these milestones include:

  • performing the first clinical x-ray in America;
  • discovering the mechanism for how light resets biological clocks;
  • developing the first comprehensive examination of variations in U.S. health care costs;
  • discovering the role of RNA in prion diseases (neurodegenerative disorders that affect both humans and animals); and
  • establishing the nation's first center for health care delivery science.

With the naming of our medical school and the future support it will provide, we now stand ready to accelerate these breakthroughs and realize the great promise of our medical school in the years ahead.

The remarkable commitment of Audrey and Ted Geisel to Dartmouth will allow us to pursue innovations in medical education and in how students learn the art and science of medicine. We will be able to provide more scholarship assistance to students, so perhaps they'll be able to choose a specialty or research area based more on their passion for the work rather than on financial concerns. In the future, we will be able to establish more endowed chairs, which will attract world-renowned educators, scientists, and clinicians to the Geisel School of Medicine.

Most importantly, this will increase our ability to improve lives here and around the world.

This issue of Dartmouth Medicine celebrates the enduring benefaction of Audrey and Ted Geisel, and their timeless transformation of lives through education, literacy, and imagination. Likewise, you'll read about how our medical students put their values into action to improve the health of migrant farm workers in our region. We also provide a look at why so many top young faculty from around the nation are choosing to bring their research, clinical expertise, and passion for education to the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth.

At the heart of Audrey and Ted Geisel's example lies an unshakeable pursuit of a future that's bigger than themselves...of creative work that educates, entertains, and inspires a better world. I can't think of a better model for our future physicians—and all of us—to aspire to.

I thank you for all you do to make our medical school the best it can be. And to paraphrase Theodor "Seuss" Geisel, Dartmouth Class of 1925:

"Oh the good we will do...together!"


Wiley "Chip" Souba, M.D., Sc.D., M.B.A.
Vice-President for Health Affairs, Dartmouth College
Dean, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth


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