Jeffrey Balser, M.D., Ph.D.
Faculty Meet set for April 24
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Dean Steven Gabbe, M.D., will deliver his annual Spring Faculty Meeting address to faculty members at 4 p.m., Tuesday, April 24, in 208 Light Hall.
Gabbe will provide updates on areas including growth, research, education and planning.
The medical school has focused on faculty recruitment, research accomplishments, curriculum changes, achievements in graduate student and postdoctoral training, and successes in clinical medicine over the past several years.
A new curriculum was implemented last summer for third-year students, and the changes for first-year students will begin in August.
Not only is the curriculum changing but the face of those students who come to VUSM is also changing; the medical school will graduate its most diverse class in school history on May 11 in a ceremony at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium.
In the area of faculty recruitment, the Medical Center continues to grow its full-time staff, with 402 basic science and 1,365 clinical science full-time faculty members as of March 1. The total of 1,767 eclipses the 1,170 full-time faculty members when Gabbe took over as dean in 2001.
VUSM now has one of the best faculty/student ratios in the country, according to U.S. News & World Report's 2008 rankings, with nearly four faculty members to every student.
Gabbe may also provide updates on building projects including Medical Research Building IV, which includes the Langford Auditorium addition slated for occupancy this summer.
The School of Medicine and School of Nursing 2007 Faculty Awards for Teaching and Research will be presented by Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs Harry Jacobson, M.D., following the meeting.