Dick Krugman says goodbye to University of Colorado Medical School as he steps down as dean, after25 – Video

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Dick Krugman says goodbye to University of Colorado Medical School as he steps down as dean, after25
Dick Krugman says goodbye to University of Colorado Medical School as he steps down as dean, after25 years. By: Joanne Davidson - I am The Denver Post #39;s society editor, covering everything...

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Dick Krugman says goodbye to University of Colorado Medical School as he steps down as dean, after25 - Video

At medical school, faculty unconvinced of task forces value

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Almost two weeks after its first meeting on Nov. 3 the Yale School of Medicines Gender Equity Task Force is remaining silent about its plans moving forward.

The task force, chaired by Associate Dean of Faculty Development and Diversity Linda Bockenstedt, was launched in July following discussions among the medical school administration about gender issues before sexual harassment allegations against former cardiology chief Michael Simons MED 84. But the lack of communication coming from the task force has made several medical school faculty members concerned about its objectivity, necessity and potential efficacy.

What we dont need is another faculty committee thats just going to waste a lot of peoples time doing yet another report thats going to get buried, said professor of molecular biophysics and biochemistry Joan Steitz.

A medical school faculty member, who asked to remain anonymous because she was afraid of the administration responding negatively, agreed with Steitz, noting that the school does not need another committee but rather a leader who is willing to change the schools climate.

According to School of Medicine Dean Robert Alpern, the lateness of the task forces first meeting had nothing to do with a lack of enthusiasm for its mission, but was rather due to the hectic schedules of the individuals involved.

Alpern added that the administration was made aware of the Timess investigation in the week prior to the articles publication. Still, he said it was a total coincidence that the first meeting was the Monday after the article was printed by the Times.

Eleven of 13 faculty members interviewed raised concerns about the task forces objectivity. Though eight committee members are female, all but two of the 12 were appointed to positions including chiefs, associate deans, chairs and directors by the medical school administration.

Our task force seems to feature a lot of the same people the University has already appointed. Is it really objective or are there favorites? said another medical school faculty member, who asked to remain anonymous due to fears of retaliation by the administration.

Despite the lack of confidence in the task force expressed by multiple faculty members, cardiology professor Steven Wolfson said he thinks the task force is making a serious effort to improve the climate for women at the medical school.

Alpern said that one of the criteria for being a task force member is the ability to think independently, but the first anonymous source said that a large number of outspoken faculty who have worked on gender equity in the past were left out. Alpern said he thinks the 12 individuals selected are the best for the job.

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At medical school, faculty unconvinced of task forces value

A West Indies chance for vet, med students

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A recent partnership between SUNY Cobleskill and Ross University's veterinary and medical schools allows students easier access to continue their postgraduate degrees if they meet required academic standards.

But both Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine and Ross University School of Medicine have been criticized for low completion rates and large class sizes, raising questions as to why the West Indies school was the first choice for SUNY's students.

The partnership between the two educational institutions has been a long time coming, said Lisa Lopez, assistant director of the Student Success Center at Cobleskill. In her job of working with students to secure internships and graduate school placements, she's seen many Cobleskill students continue their education at Ross as open seats for veterinary and medical schools dwindle and admission rates become more and more competitive.

"We've had all of our students successfully complete (at Ross)," she said. "There's no student in our experience who has been dismissed or been told 'You're not going to cut it.'"

Unlike most state schools, Ross admits three classes, or cohorts, of students per year, operating on a trimester system, said Chris Railey, senior director of communications for DeVry Medical International. By default, more students then have the opportunity to enter and continue their education at the Caribbean school.

But these qualities of higher admittance rates and larger class sizes are the same reason Ross comes under scrutiny from other universities, as some say the academic institution doesn't meet the rigors and demands of American schools.

Railey said the average MCAT scores for Ross is about 25, which he admitted is lower than most colleges. In 2013, the average score for all 48,000 students who took the MCAT was 28.4, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges and most schools look for a score of 31.2, according to Bloomberg.

There's more to medical and veterinary school applicants than just MCAT scores, though, Railey said, adding that Ross takes into account an applicant's GPA, social maturity and their in-person interview.

"It really speaks to the idea that we can take students who may not have the opportunity and have a great outcome for them," he said. "In a way, this helps us identify some pretty bright, intelligent people, some non-traditional students. For whatever reason or another, our school makes sense for them."

For Dana Elbrecht, one "bad year" left her feeling like she couldn't apply to state schools for veterinary medicine, and with additional high tuition costs for many of these colleges, Ross seemed like the best choice. The hands-on environment offered at both SUNY Cobleskill and Ross also prepared her for the demands of graduating in 2011 and moving directly into her career, she said. She is now a working veterinarian in New Hartford.

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A West Indies chance for vet, med students