From the Dean
Cumulative repository
By John C. Baldwin, M.D.
The Dartmouth Medical School community was saddened and diminished by the death in late October of former dean Marsh Tenney. Marsh was known as the "refounder" of the School, and it is not an overstatement to say that the institution would surely not be the place it is today had it not been for his efforts nearly 50 years ago.
But as sad as it was, Marsh's passing underscored for me the sense of continuity that characterizes an institution like Dartmouth Medical School, despite the fact that individuals come and go through its portals over the years. Coincidentally, that has been a matter much on my mind of late, for there are now searches underway for four chairlevel positions—in the Departments of Psychiatry, Pathology, and Pediatrics, as well as in the Norris Cotton Cancer Center (NCCC)—plus for two section chiefs and a chief financial officer.
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There is a natural order to the comings and goings in any
academic community. . . . But the institution lives on
as a tribute to the contributions of those who pass through it. |
Ebb and flow: There is a different reason for each of these changes, but taken collectively they bear out the fact that education is a people business and that there is an ebb and a flow, a natural order to the comings and goings, in any academic community.
In psychiatry, Peter Silberfarb has served with distinction as chair for 15 years—a period during which the department has risen to international renown—and as a member of the faculty for 28 years; happily, he's not leaving Dartmouth but is just stepping down as chair, so he can direct the portion of his energy now expended on administration toward other things. The vacancy in pathology is the result of a reorganization of DMS's administration [see page 6 for details]; I asked that department's chair, Bill Hickey, to fill an expanded role as senior associate dean for academic affairs upon the retirement of Bill Culp, longtime associate dean for faculty affairs. The vacancy in pediatrics is due to John Brooks's recent decision not to resume his duties as chair, despite his gratifying recovery from a very serious car accident a year and a half ago; John made enormous contributions to the institution as chair, and I know he will continue to be a productive member of the faculty. And at the Cancer Center, Bob Greenberg is stepping down after distinguished service as director at a very auspicious moment, for the National Cancer Institute just reapproved the NCCC's core grant.
Searches: In addition, we have searches under way for section chiefs in cardiology and in neurology—both extremely important disciplines in terms of research as well as clinically. Finally, our chief financial officer, Eric Wadsworth, from whose rigorous fiscal oversight DMS has benefited greatly, has decided he wants to teach full-time.
The people who are leaving these positions have given much to DMS, and, of course, they will be much missed. But the institution lives on as a tribute to the contributions of those who pass through it. Dartmouth Medical School is now in its 204th year of serving as a cumulative repository for many thousands of people's personal and professional lives. This means the institution is—and I don't use this term lightly—a sacred thing. It deserves respect not because of bricks and mortar or endowments, but because it's a place where people have, both physically and conceptually, left their mark. In a way, the institution is an organism; it lives and breathes and, like all other organisms, it changes and evolves. The last thing we should do is to pursue a static state.
That is something I remind myself of when—as happens frequently—someone comes to my office to tell me that so-and-so is about to be recruited away to Yale or Stanford or wherever. The people bearing such news usually wring their hands about the impending departure, but I have to confess that I feel a sense of exhilaration. That's because if other places are trying to recruit our faculty away, it means we have the right faculty. Of course, I'll make an effort to keep someone who's good. But when someone thrives here and then moves on to another opportunity, their success there is a tribute to us. So I worry only when our people don't get offers from other places.
Community of scholars: I'm sure there are deans who would disagree with me on this point, but I do not view retention as a primary goal. I believe facilitation of people's success in their positions should be the goal. I want faculty to come here and, by virtue of the circumstances we provide, to flourish. If we're the kind of institution we want to be, then many people will stay—but not because of inertia but, rather, because this is a community of scholars they enjoy being part of. At the same time, if some people get recruited away, so be it. The institution is bigger than any one of us.
The loss from leadership positions of the individuals above is unfortunate. And the loss of Marsh Tenney as a resource for all of us in the DMS community is significant. But I had the privilege of visiting him in the hospital several times in the week before his death, and his intellectual vitality was not dimmed one whit. It was the sort of vitality that embodies the very essence of this place—and will ensure its perpetuation for many, many years to come.
John Baldwin is vice president for health affairs of Dartmouth College and dean of DMS.
Cumulative repository
By John C. Baldwin, M.D.
The Dartmouth Medical School community was saddened and diminished by the death in late October of former dean Marsh Tenney. Marsh was known as the "refounder" of the School, and it is not an overstatement to say that the institution would surely not be the place it is today had it not been for his efforts nearly 50 years ago.
But as sad as it was, Marsh's passing underscored for me the sense of continuity that characterizes an institution like Dartmouth Medical School, despite the fact that individuals come and go through its portals over the years. Coincidentally, that has been a matter much on my mind of late, for there are now searches underway for four chairlevel positions—in the Departments of Psychiatry, Pathology, and Pediatrics, as well as in the Norris Cotton Cancer Center (NCCC)—plus for two section chiefs and a chief financial officer.
|
|
There is a natural order to the comings and goings in any
academic community. . . . But the institution lives on
as a tribute to the contributions of those who pass through it. |
Ebb and flow: There is a different reason for each of these changes, but taken collectively they bear out the fact that education is a people business and that there is an ebb and a flow, a natural order to the comings and goings, in any academic community.
In psychiatry, Peter Silberfarb has served with distinction as chair for 15 years—a period during which the department has risen to international renown—and as a member of the faculty for 28 years; happily, he's not leaving Dartmouth but is just stepping down as chair, so he can direct the portion of his energy now expended on administration toward other things. The vacancy in pathology is the result of a reorganization of DMS's administration [see page 6 for details]; I asked that department's chair, Bill Hickey, to fill an expanded role as senior associate dean for academic affairs upon the retirement of Bill Culp, longtime associate dean for faculty affairs. The vacancy in pediatrics is due to John Brooks's recent decision not to resume his duties as chair, despite his gratifying recovery from a very serious car accident a year and a half ago; John made enormous contributions to the institution as chair, and I know he will continue to be a productive member of the faculty. And at the Cancer Center, Bob Greenberg is stepping down after distinguished service as director at a very auspicious moment, for the National Cancer Institute just reapproved the NCCC's core grant.
Searches: In addition, we have searches under way for section chiefs in cardiology and in neurology—both extremely important disciplines in terms of research as well as clinically. Finally, our chief financial officer, Eric Wadsworth, from whose rigorous fiscal oversight DMS has benefited greatly, has decided he wants to teach full-time.
The people who are leaving these positions have given much to DMS, and, of course, they will be much missed. But the institution lives on as a tribute to the contributions of those who pass through it. Dartmouth Medical School is now in its 204th year of serving as a cumulative repository for many thousands of people's personal and professional lives. This means the institution is—and I don't use this term lightly—a sacred thing. It deserves respect not because of bricks and mortar or endowments, but because it's a place where people have, both physically and conceptually, left their mark. In a way, the institution is an organism; it lives and breathes and, like all other organisms, it changes and evolves. The last thing we should do is to pursue a static state.
That is something I remind myself of when—as happens frequently—someone comes to my office to tell me that so-and-so is about to be recruited away to Yale or Stanford or wherever. The people bearing such news usually wring their hands about the impending departure, but I have to confess that I feel a sense of exhilaration. That's because if other places are trying to recruit our faculty away, it means we have the right faculty. Of course, I'll make an effort to keep someone who's good. But when someone thrives here and then moves on to another opportunity, their success there is a tribute to us. So I worry only when our people don't get offers from other places.
Community of scholars: I'm sure there are deans who would disagree with me on this point, but I do not view retention as a primary goal. I believe facilitation of people's success in their positions should be the goal. I want faculty to come here and, by virtue of the circumstances we provide, to flourish. If we're the kind of institution we want to be, then many people will stay—but not because of inertia but, rather, because this is a community of scholars they enjoy being part of. At the same time, if some people get recruited away, so be it. The institution is bigger than any one of us.
The loss from leadership positions of the individuals above is unfortunate. And the loss of Marsh Tenney as a resource for all of us in the DMS community is significant. But I had the privilege of visiting him in the hospital several times in the week before his death, and his intellectual vitality was not dimmed one whit. It was the sort of vitality that embodies the very essence of this place—and will ensure its perpetuation for many, many years to come.
John Baldwin is vice president for health affairs of Dartmouth College and dean of DMS.