Discusses the role of medical school deans today, examining dramatic decreases in tenure in recent years and the possible reasons. Causes for administrative distress are enumerated. Argues that the dean must set the agenda for action by the medical school, indicates some main items of that agenda, and offers both personal and professional tips to…

Using stories, anecdotes, and parables, the challenges currently faced by medical school deans are presented as an opportunity to rethink the dean's role and reexamine the attributes and skills required of successful deans today. Deans must be attuned personally and professionally to the enduring values and commitments that inform medical…

Residency program directors were surveyed to determine whether a standardized "dean's evaluation" form submitted by deans of student affairs on behalf of senior medical students would suffice in conveying information desired for the residency selection process. Program directors were asked to rate each subpart of this suggested form.…

A study compared findings from 1981 and 1992 surveys concerning use, format, and content of medical school deans' letters, using published guidelines of the Association of American Medical Colleges. Costs were also examined. Recommendations for improvement are offered, including consistent format, centralized overview of a school's letters, and…

A survey of 994 medical school deans, basic science and clinical department heads, tenure committee members, and junior and senior faculty found the most frequently identified problems with medical education concerned evaluation of teaching. General and specific concerns were expressed by the 455 survey respondents. (Author/MSE)

Leadership skills are essential for today's medical school deans to meet today's complex institutional demands. In an environment that has traditionally valued autonomy, deans must be skilled at collaboration, have vision, and offer direction, while suppressing ego. A checklist of characteristics and responsibilities of deans is offered for new…

Tenures of 862 medical school deans serving 1940-91 show increasing instability in medical school leadership. Proportion of deans surviving to a specific tenure in office has decreased; proportion of schools with new deans has increased. Some schools have had many deans, others only a few. Explanations and implications are examined. (Author/MSE)

A study compared student evaluations made by residency directors and deans in 2 medical schools, using 3 standard methods of ranking 20 students per school. Ordinal ranking showed substantial agreement for 15 of 16 residency directors. Two methods of clustering into fixed groups gave high agreement only for top students. (Author/MSE)

A survey of student affairs deans at 108 medical schools found most schools required hepatitis vaccination, evidence of immunity, or waiver refusing vaccination. Nearly all required health insurance, and usually offered a plan, but fewer offered disability insurance. Schools often held students responsible for costs of vaccination, serologic…

A study developed and evaluated five class ranking models for graduating medical students (n=1,283) in which performance data from both basic and clinical sciences could be used to study the models' predictive validity. Two models yielded higher validity; one is recommended for balance of clinical and basic science measures. (MSE)

A study of factors influencing tenure of 382 medical school deans from 1985-1994 found that, at the schools that were less healthy financially, were under the same ownership as the primary teaching hospital, and had small faculties, deans tended to have shorter tenures and higher turnover. Possible reasons for these findings and implications for…

A survey of academic deans (n=100) in universities associated with medical and osteopathy schools found that administrators' attitudes about curriculum content are being influenced by changes in health care delivery and an increasingly generalist orientation. There appears to be support for medical school curricula fostering a broader, more…

A survey of 75 student affairs deans, 53 individuals responsible for mental health services, and 30 student representatives in 126 Canadian and U.S. medical schools sought information on personnel, individuals served, location, hours, administration, funding, confidentiality, and administrative referrals. Suggestions for improvement focused on…

A study found that the admission interview scores for 62 Dartmouth Medical School (New Hampshire) applicants correlated positively with dean's letter ratings given 4 years later and that interview scores were better predictors of ratings than were total Medical College Admission Test scores or science grade point averages. (Author/MSE)

A survey of 22 current and former medical school deans identified two forces in the health care environment that have had a profound impact on their role as deans and which frequently posed conflicts between clinical and educational enterprises: decline in resources available to medical schools following an era of abundance, and unprecedented…