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PREFACE
On behalf of my colleagues in the medical
school administration, I commend the Medical Student Senate
for their very thoughtful and insightful report on the state
of the school for the 1999–2000 academic year. The thoroughness
with which the survey was conducted and the maturity with
which it was reported speaks well of the quality and character
of our student body. Brown University historically has encouraged
its students to participate actively in the affairs of the
university, both at the college and graduate and professional
levels of education. We believe that this active engagement
in the affairs of the institution play an important role in
advancing its goal of educating men and women who will “discharge
the offices of life with usefulness and reputation.”
The report of the Medical Student Senate
received serious attention by the administration. This response
reflects a considerable effort by many individuals representing
many offices and programs within the medical school. Each
concern raised in the report was studied carefully. We noted
with considerable satisfaction that many of the concerns expressed
by students during the 1999–2000 academic year have already
been addressed through actions initiated since the time the
data was collected. This document reports on the progress
made between then and now.
Each item of concern raised in the Medical
Student Senate report is addressed in this response in the
same order in which it appeared in the original report. General
areas accorded the highest priority in the report are dealt
with first. The ranking within each category is the same as
listed in the report. The response restates the students’
concern, provides an update on progress since the 1999–2000
academic year, discusses the issue, presents the administration’s
position and plans, and, when appropriate, offers a timetable
for expected actions and outcomes.
I thank the following members of the medical
school administration for their assistance in preparing this
response: Debra Abeshaus, Kathleen Baer, Edward Beiser, Richard
Dollase, Mercedes Domenech, Lynn Epstein, Faiza Estrup, Julianne
Ip, Susan Luckel, Francis McCrossan, Alicia Monroe, Lois Monteiro,
Alexandra Morang, Ann Paton, Tovah Reis, Peter Shank, Steve
Smith and Terrie Wetle. I thank Adrian Gardner for his initiative
in conceiving of the idea for the report and shepherding the
process through to its culmination in the publication of the
State of the School Report. On a personal note, I remarked
to Dean Smith, who took the leadership in compiling initial
responses, that I took great satisfaction from spending time
on the writing and editing of this report. It helped me shape
and hone my own thinking about the medical school’s future
direction and its responsibility to our excellent students.
All of us in the administration will be challenged to do our
jobs better as a result of this ongoing conversation, and
for that I thank you all.
Sincerely,
Donald J. Marsh, M.D.
Dean of Medicine and Biological Sciences
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