We began the semester by welcoming an entering class of 262 medical students and 330 graduate students to our campuses. The interest in our school remains strong, and the number of students who choose us over other institutions has grown steadily. Once again, our MD program received the most applications of any U.S. medical school, more than 15,000.
Daniel V. Schidlow, MD
Dr. Linda Berardi-Demo was recently appointed as our associate dean for admissions and enrollment. She brings a new perspective to the admissions process and has already implemented several changes to enhance the applicant experience as well as the screening procedures. Dr. Christina Cestone is our new associate dean for assessment and evaluation; in her role, she will garner data on our student profile and develop predictors of student success. We have had generations of great students who have done very well; these changes will help us better support our students in their educational journey.
October brought rich and varied times. Discovery 2015, the College of Medicine's annual research day, was transformed into a whole-school occasion, combining medical student research into the traditional graduate student event. Later in the month, at the New Faculty Reception, the department chairs introduced the basic science and clinical faculty members who had joined us over the year.*
We also celebrated the humanities. Martin Goldsmith, the host of Symphony Hall at SiriusXM radio and a prolific writer, especially on the themes of music and the human spirit, came to Drexel as the Annenberg Dean Medical Humanities Visiting Scholar. He was welcomed as the guest of honor at a short recital given by members of DUCoM Classical, the College of Medicine's student and faculty music group, and at a subsequent dinner. The following day, he gave an inspiring talk: "A Holy Song of Thanks: The Effect of the Humanities on the Human Spirit." We hope that in the future more people will partake in the Visiting Scholar activities, a program that reflects the importance our school places on the humanities and our connection with the world at large.
In that vein, I am enormously proud of three recent honors bestowed upon our faculty or College. Dr. Ana Núñez received the Association of American Medical Colleges' Herbert W. Nickens Award, given to an in dividual who has made outstanding contributions to promoting jus tice in medical education and health care equity in the United States.
The College received the 2015 Edward D. Harris Professionalism Award from Alpha Omega Alpha National Honor Medical Society. This award recognizes outstanding faculty and programs with the best practices in medical professionalism education.
Last but not least, the Arnold P. Gold Foundation has established a chapter of the Gold Humanism Honor Society at Drexel University College of Medicine.
Innovation, renewal, connection — all of this is so characteristic of who we are. We are a school that never stands still.
Daniel V. Schidlow, MD
Walter H. and Leonore Annenberg Dean
Senior Vice President of Medical Affairs
* Editor’s note: Discovery and New Faculty photos in next issue.