EDITORIAL: College of Medicine will persist onward without El-Sawi
Dr. Nehad El-Sawi’s resignation from associate dean may be an organizational hiccup in the faculty hiring process for the College of Medicine, but her absence is not exactly a sign of doom for the project.
University administrators said El-Sawi’s Jan. 25 departure was a personnel issue that was not fully commented on, though it was reportedly her choice to quit her position as the associate dean for Medical Education and Faculty Development.
She would have led the process of hiring faculty, but now those responsibilities have been reassigned to Dr. Ernest Yoder, founding dean, and the other associate deans until a replacement is found. A national search to fill the position will commence soon.
The vacancy of her position has not had an adverse effect on the hiring process because interviews have already been scheduled with potential candidates to instruct courses.
While it remains to be seen whether the College of Medicine will place a financial burden on the students of CMU through tuition hikes to support the endeavor or if it can actually attract qualified candidates that will practice medicine in mid-Michigan, it would be unfair to speculate that El-Sawi’s resignation is a sign of discontent among the leadership deans.
It is true when offered the position of founding dean in early 2010, then-former Interim Dean Cam Enarson declined. However, despite mixed public opinion concerning the need for the College of Medicine, El-Sawi’s resignation is not a sign the school is at the cusp of failure and its supporters will soon abandon the project.
The college has made many strides toward completing stages of the Liaison Committee on Medical Education accreditation process without any substantial issues so far. The Presidents Council, State Universities of Michigan, consisting of presidents from the state’s 15 public universities, approved CMU’s proposed Doctor of Medicine degree Jan. 21. In addition, the structure of the program received recommendation from the Association of American Medical Colleges.
Furthermore, the college’s official partnership with Synergy Medical Education Alliance, a Saginaw-based organization which coordinates medical education efforts, announced Dec. 14 was a step toward beginning clinical education for the college’s students.
El-Sawi’s leaving is simply a complication, and not a cause for dire concern. No one has said the launch of the new college would be a seamless process, and Yoder has demonstrated his ability to lead the initiative forward.
