John Baldwin, a cardiac surgeon and chairman of the department of surgery at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, has been appointed the new dean of Dartmouth Medical School.
Baldwin will begin his term on July 1, replacing Andrew Wallace, who has been the DMS dean since 1990. Wallace announced his resignation in September of 1996, citing his age as a factor.
"I am deeply honored that Dartmouth has chosen me to lead an institution renowned for its excellence in medical education, health care delivery and biomedical research," Baldwin said in a press release.
Wallace praised Baldwin as a "really outstanding" candidate who is "made for Dartmouth."
"He is very oriented towards the things Dartmouth College and the Medical School are made for," Wallace said.
Baldwin was born in Texas and graduated summa cum laude from Harvard University in 1971. He studied at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar and received his medical degree from Stanford University in 1975.
He has served on the faculties of Stanford's and Yale's schools of medicine. Baldwin has been at Baylor for four years.
Baldwin's research has included studies on gene and growth factor therapy for various cardiac conditions. He has also worked in the development of managed care within academic medical facilities and in the application of rigorous statistical methods in clinical analysis.
In addition to his duties as dean of the Medical School, Baldwin will serve as the vice president of health affairs for the College. Baldwin will represent the College in its relationship with state officials and the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.
"Dr. Baldwin's achievements reflect a deep appreciation for the importance of teaching, discovering new knowledge and providing high-quality cost-efficient health care," College President James Freedman said in a press release. "His personal and professional qualities will make him an excellent leader for Dartmouth Medical School."
After he steps down in June, Wallace plans to take a College-sponsored sabbatical.
