Dear School of Medicine community:

This time of year brings with it not only celebration, but also reflection. Recently, at the annual State-of-the-School address, hundreds of faculty members and our guests had the opportunity to gather and celebrate our many recent accomplishments as well as look ahead and consider – together – how we will approach the future.

We’ve included a video of the address titled, The Context for Change: Meeting the Needs of 21st Century Society, as well as a photo album of events and people from the past year in this issue of SoM News. I invite you to review this material. The evolution of medical schools, including OHSU, is inevitable over the next several years, and I am sure our conversations about these changes will increase in 2011. I welcome your insights and comments.

Our primary goal as we transform ourselves to best meet the needs of society will be to ensure that we change in ways that support and enhance the success of our students, faculty and alumni. When you are successful, we are best able to meet our public missions and best able to serve Oregon, the nation and the world.

With 2010 almost behind us now, I also want to say thanks for your commitment and service to the School of Medicine this past year. I look forward to working with all of you in the New Year and wish you and yours a joyful holiday season.


Best regards,




Mark Richardson, MD, MBA
Dean, OHSU School of Medicine
President, Faculty Practice Plan