A search for a new director of the MIT Medical Department has begun; a search committee has been appointed and the position advertised locally and nationally. Dr. Arnold Weinberg, MIT's current medical director, is retiring this summer after 14 years in the position.
The Medical Director Search Committee is chaired by Professor Henry D. Jacoby of the Sloan School. Members from MIT Medical are Laureen Gray, director of nurses; Annette Jacobs, executive director; Dr. Peter Reich, chief of psychiatry; and internist Dr. Elaine Shiang. Other members are Dr. Stephen Calderwood of Massachusetts General Hospital; Professors Paul Gray and Daniel Hastings; Associate Dean Leo Osgood; Dr. Antonio Pensa of Lincoln Laboratory; and Dr. Mitchell Rabkin, CEO emeritus of CareGroup and Beth Israel Hospital. Jennifer Walsh, human resources officer, and Leslie Byrne, administrative assistant to the medical director, are serving as staff to the committee.
The medical director is responsible for the organization and supervision of all clinical care and clinical services within the Medical Department, and also serves as advisor to the president and administration on health standards and concerns at the Institute. He or she must be a distinguished clinician and medical leader and should be knowledgeable about the business of medical care, especially in the light of the ever-changing health care environment outside MIT.
The Medical Department reports to Vice President of Human Resources Laura Avakian.
The search committee, which is charged with making a recommendation to the Medical Management Board and Ms. Avakian, wants to identify the widest possible pool of qualified candidates as well as a deep understanding of the needs and views of the various constituencies that the department serves. Committee members welcome suggestions of possible applicants and thoughts about the qualities they should seek in a new medical director.
A version of this article appeared in MIT Tech Talk on March 15, 2000.
