U of S College of Medicine releases implementation plan supporting new vision

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - September 4, 2013 SASKATOON - Following 18 months of broad consultation, today the College of Medicine released The Way Forward, an implementation plan that will support the significant change required to address critical issues of accreditation, teaching and research. The implementation plan sets specific strategies for three main areas: the faculty complement, research, and governance and partnerships.

"The implementation plan supporting our new vision maps out strategies that will address our accreditation issues, improve our research productivity and begin to reverse our recent trends in teaching and education outcomes," stated U of S President Ilene Busch-Vishniac. "Our overarching goals are to align medical faculty, research, governance and partnerships and move the college from its current state to become the true flagship of our university."
Efforts to restructure the College of Medicine have been underway since April 2012. Significant structural change is required over the next four years to address the long-standing issues of accountability, assignment of duties and the realignment of resources to significantly improve teaching and research outcomes.
Over the last several months, the college's Dean's Advisory Committee conducted extensive consultations with college stakeholders about the restructuring and renewal process. The resulting implementation plan is expected to be discussed by University Council as early as the Oct. 24 meeting, as required by a motion at Council's Dec. 20 meeting when members approved, in principle, the document entitled A New Vision for the College of Medicine.
"The changes outlined in the implementation plan represent a radical shift for the U of S, but are standard practice for our U15 peers, and at other medical-doctoral institutions," said Martin Phillipson, vice-provost, College of Medicine. "Changing our structures will enable the College of Medicine to change teaching, research and accreditation outcomes."
"Our aspiration is for a renewed and revitalized College of Medicine that trains excellent doctors, recruits and retains outstanding faculty, and generates innovative research that improves patient outcomes and enhances the academic reputation of the school and the university," said Phillipson.
The implementation plan and all renewal details are available online at http://www.medicine.usask.ca/renewal
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For more information, contact:
Laura Herman, Communications
College of Medicine
306) 966-6059
mailto:laura.herman@usask.ca
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