Career Center

Wake Forest University School of Medicine

Dean

 

The Opportunity

The Wake Forest University School of Medicine (WFUSOM) seeks a new Dean, who will be responsible for developing strategies to advance the clinical, research, education, innovation, and community engagement missions of a top medical school. This inspirational leader will join a broader, entrepreneurial, integrated enterprise at a historic moment, with the charge to develop WFUSOM programs as the core of a next-generation Academic Learning Health System within the Atrium Health Enterprise and a key school of Wake Forest University. As part of this new enterprise formed between Wake Forest Baptist Health and Atrium Health in October 2020, WFUSOM announced plans to build a second medical school campus in Charlotte, North Carolina. This growth will expand existing education and research capabilities, including opportunities for clinical trials across a large, diverse market.

 

The Enterprise

In October 2020, Wake Forest Baptist Health and Atrium Health officially joined together as a single enterprise, under the Atrium Health brand. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, Atrium Health enterprise has expanded to become an integrated nonprofit health system with more than 70,000 teammates serving patients at 40 hospitals and more than 1,400 care locations. It provides care under the Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist name in the Winston-Salem, North Carolina, region, as well as Atrium Health Navicent and Atrium Health Floyd in Georgia and Alabama. A recognized leader in innovative medical education and groundbreaking research, Wake Forest University School of Medicine serves as the academic core of the enterprise, including Wake Forest Innovations, which is advancing medical technologies and biomedical discoveries. With the stated goal of building on foundational Learning Health System work, by mobilizing the unique academic strengths of WFUSM, the Enterprise is now on a journey to form a Next Generation Academic Learning Health System (aLHS).

 

As part of this new enterprise, Atrium Health has announced $3.4 billion in planned investments in Wake Forest’s health system and the communities served. As Wake Forest University School of Medicine continues its transformation to an Academic Learning Health System, leveraging the unique strengths of a legacy academic framework enhanced by the Atrium Health collaboration, leadership plans to provide dedicated programmatic support to achieve this goal. As part of this strategic combination, Wake Forest University School of Medicine will build a second campus of the School of Medicine in Charlotte, North Carolina. The growth of the medical school will expand existing education and research capabilities including opportunities for clinical trials across a large, diverse market with some of the nation’s leading medical experts.

 

Wake Forest University School of Medicine

Wake Forest University School of Medicine (WFUSOM) is recognized as one of America’s best medical schools for its innovative, learning curriculum, primary care training, and research programs and is among the top U.S. academic medical centers in total funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The WFUSOM has achieved $264 million in total extramural funding in 2020, including $178 million in support from the NIH. WFUSOM is ranked among the top 50 research programs in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, and is benefiting from the identification of seven (7) distinct focus areas (Aging & Mobility, Alzheimer’s Disease, Cancer, Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes/Obesity/Metabolism, Pain & Addiction and Regenerative Medicine.) With a core emphasis on translation, the establishment of six (6) Translational Bridges (Biomedical Informatics, Health Equity, Healthcare Innovation, Implementation Science, Precision Medicine and Virtual Health) are playing a key role in ensuring that care and health are impacted through our Health System.

 

The School of Medicine directs the education of nearly 2,500 students, residents and fellows including physicians, basic scientists and allied clinical professionals, offering MD, PhD and MS degrees, as well as five joint-degree programs. The school’s faculty, comprised of 1,400 faculty members in total, focuses on pioneering breakthroughs in advanced medicine, basic science and leading-edge health care technologies. The school is a leader in driving discoveries.

 

The major educational venue of WFUSOM – the Bowman Gray Center for Medical Education in Winston- Salem – is located in the Innovation Quarter, one of the fastest-growing urban-based districts for innovation in the United States. Home to more than 170 companies, five leading academic institutions, more than 3,700 workers, 1,800 degree- seeking students and more than 8,000 workforce trainee participants, the Innovation Quarter is a place for research, business and education in biomedical science, information technology, digital media, clinical services and advanced materials— creating a robust knowledge community. The mission of the Innovation Quarter is to drive economic growth and to build a vibrant community.

 

The Winston-Salem Innovation Quarter currently comprises 1.9 million square feet of office, laboratory and educational space on more than 330 acres. There are approximately 770 apartments and condominiums within or close by the Innovation Quarter. The district is a thriving example of successful placemaking—fostering a forward-thinking environment for innovations, partnerships and community to be developed. The new phase of development continues these efforts in a way that will allow Atrium Health and WFUSOM to build upon the scientific and innovation capabilities in a rich, blended environment, while creating new connections and partnerships to expand these dynamic spaces in Charlotte.

 

Wake Forest University School of Medicine - Charlotte

Using the descriptor of One Wake Forest University School of Medicine, two locations, Wake Forest University School of Medicine and Wake Forest University, received the needed accreditation approval and notification to proceed with phased plans to open an instructional site in Charlotte, for years three and four of the medical school curriculum in 2022, allowing the institution to bring nationally ranked education and research programs to students and expand the ability to train the best medical providers for the communities being served. A 20-acre site in midtown Charlotte has been selected for the campus.

 

Wake Forest University School of Medicine – Charlotte is expected to break ground in the first quarter of 2022, soon after completion of the zoning approval process. Atrium Health’s technology offices currently on the site will be replaced with a large, mixed-use campus. It is envisioned it will become, over time, the nucleus for collaborative efforts in Charlotte that will bring about new innovations in health technology and research, much like the Innovation Quarter in Winston-Salem, where the School of Medicine’s Bowman Gray Center for Medical Education is located.

 

Wake Forest University School of Medicine began sending 3^rd year MD program learners to Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center in March 2021, as part of its clerkship rotations. The initial class of Wake Forest University School of Medicine – Charlotte’s first-year medical students is anticipated to begin their education in 2024.

 

The school of medicine campus will be located less than three-quarters of a mile from Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center. The campus of the health system’s flagship hospital is undergoing an extensive renovation, ensuring the school of medicine students will have access to the most modern, state-of-the-art facilities and technology in all of their learning environments. Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center serves as the region’s only Level 1 trauma center and is an approved transplant center for heart, kidney, pancreas, and liver. Also located at Carolinas Medical Center is the Levine Cancer Institute’s academic and research headquarters, Carolinas Rehabilitation, named a Best Hospital for rehabilitation, and Levine Children’s Hospital, consistently ranked as a Best Children’s Hospital in multiple specialties by U.S. News & World Report.

 

In addition to the location of the medical school, Atrium Health has established the Bishop George E. Battle Jr. Scholarship Fund to support the continuing education of those who live in underserved communities.

 

The two medical school campuses in Winston-Salem and Charlotte will create a new, preeminent regional corridor for health technology and innovation. Convening the surrounding academic, healthcare, government and business communities, the corridor will focus on improving health by bringing new medicines and treatments to patients in half the time and advancing economic equity.

 

The school of medicine aspires to be one of the most diverse learner bodies in the country – producing a generation of medical professionals representative of the communities it serves. Through this, it will reduce the shortage of doctors working in inner-city, suburban and rural areas of North Carolina.

 

Research capabilities will be expanded across a large, diverse market to drive discovery that improves the health of Atrium Health’s patients and communities with an emphasis on health equity.

 

Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist

Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist is a pre-eminent academic learning health system based in Winston- Salem, North Carolina and part of Atrium Health Enterprise. Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist’s two main components are an integrated clinical system – anchored by Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, an 885-bed tertiary-care hospital in Winston-Salem – that includes Brenner Children’s Hospital, five community hospitals, more than 300 primary and specialty care locations and more than 2,700 physicians; and Wake Forest School of Medicine, the academic core of Atrium Health Enterprise and a recognized leader in innovative medical education and ground-breaking research that includes Wake Forest Innovations, a commercialization enterprise focused on advancing health care through new medical technologies and biomedical discovery.

 

Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center is the region’s only Level l trauma center, renowned for handling the region’s most complex medical cases. With clinical expertise in more than 100 specialties including cancer, cardiology, geriatrics, nephrology, neurosciences, orthopaedics, pediatrics and urology, patients from across the country rely on the Medical Center for quality health care and compassionate service. Brenner Children’s Hospital is located on the main campus and offers a full range of specialized pediatric services. It was the first Level l pediatric trauma center in North Carolina. The University Group Practice is part of the health system. Wake Forest Baptist is a major research and innovation center, making important contributions to biomedical and health science research nationally and internationally. Wake Forest Innovations commercializes technology, products and services arising from the discoveries and scientific assets of Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist and Wake Forest University.

 

Atrium Health is committing nearly $600 million to advance Wake Forest University School of Medicine’s academic mission and further elevate its national reputation. Included in this are a new $150 million academic endowment created to fund additional education and research growth and a $70 million Academic Enrichment Fund to accelerate academic initiatives. Expansion of educational programs, biomedical research, clinical trials and life-saving treatments that improve health are also planned.

 

Wake Forest University

Founded in 1834, Wake Forest University (WFU) is a private university located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Recognized by U.S. News & World Report in the top 30 of its National Universities category for 26 consecutive years, Wake Forest is committed to educating students to be bold thinkers who can address the world’s most challenging problems. The University is home to a rigorous liberal arts- centered undergraduate college, and thriving schools of business, divinity, law, and a graduate school of arts and sciences, in addition to the School of Medicine. Wake Forest is a lively, diverse academic learning community for its more than 8,000 students from 49 states and more than 50 countries. The University’s membership in the NCAA Division I Atlantic Coast Conference adds to both the student experience and its global reputation.

 

In 2017, newly approved courses of study in Engineering, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Discovery anchored the University’s undergraduate presence at Wake Downtown, located in Winston-Salem’s Innovation Quarter. These programs, along with other planned academic, community, and social opportunities, call a rehabilitated R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company building home. Development of the Innovation Quarter has significantly contributed to the region's entrepreneurial ecosystem and has made the University a driver of interdisciplinary innovation for entrepreneurship within higher education. Innovation Quarter is one of the fastest-growing urban districts for innovation in the United States.

 

The Role

Wake Forest University School of Medicine (WFUSOM) is seeking an accomplished and entrepreneurial leader with a demonstrated ability to grow and elevate the WFUSOM in its missions of clinical care, research, education, innovation and community engagement. The Dean position requires bold vision for the future of academic medicine in a global society, and offers numerous opportunities including expansion of the medical school to a second, four-year campus in Charlotte, North Carolina, development of WFUSM as the cornerstone and academic core of an academic learning health system in the Atrium Health Enterprise, and development of comprehensive innovation districts across an expanding geography. Collaborative leadership and an ability to break down silos, build trusting relationships, and ignite and direct change are required skills. The new Dean will be a talented physician scholar who is capable of acting as a major institutional leader at the WFUSOM, the University and Atrium Health Enterprise.

 

The Dean of the Wake Forest University School of Medicine reports to the Chief Academic Officer of Atrium Health, CEO of Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, and Executive Vice President for Health Affairs of Wake Forest University. The Dean will also participate as a part of the WFU Provost’s Deans Council. The Dean will be responsible for:

 

• developing strategy and leading growth across the mission of the WFUSOM,
• further expanding research in collaboration with other WFUSOM programs,
• continuing to advance and promote educational programs of the highest caliber:
  • including two, four-year medical school campuses (Winston-Salem and Charlotte),
  • the Physicians’ Assistant Program,
  • Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist Program (CRNA) and Doctor of Nursing Practice Program (DNP)
  • WF Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
• ensuring integration and synergy between WFUSOM research, education and clinical programs in the Atrium Health System,
• embed diversity, equity and inclusion in all elements of the mission and WFUSOM culture,
• partner with the communities to develop innovation and business partnerships that support economic growth in the regions WFUSOM serves.

 

This critically important senior leadership position requires a dynamic individual with a comprehensive understanding of the SOM’s missions and the numerous challenges facing academic health centers in today’s research and clinical environment. Outstanding strategic communication and diplomacy skills are essential, and an ability to function well is vital. The Dean must be creative and decisive, but also build consensus, with demonstrated success in a highly matrixed, complex, multi-faceted academic medical environment.

 

The Dean will be responsible for leading an exceptional leadership team including associate deans, chairs, center directors, key faculty, and senior administrators.

 

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

Reports to:

• Julie Ann Freischlag, MD

Chief Academic Officer, Atrium Health Enterprise

Chief Executive Officer, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Executive Vice President for Health Affairs, Wake Forest University

Direct Reports:

• Clinical Department Chairs (~20)
• Basic Science Department Chairs (~13)
• Center Directors
• Senior Associate Dean for Undergraduate Medical Education
• Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Faculty Development
• Senior Associate Dean for Research
• Associate Deans for Global Health & AHEC
• President, University Group Practice (dotted line report; this individual has a solid line report to the President, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist)

 

Internally Relates To:

• President, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist and other health system leaders
• Chief Physician Executive, Atrium Health Enterprises
• Senior Associate Dean, Health Sciences Education and Faculty, Greater Charlotte Region
• Executive Vice Chief Academic Officer, Administration
• Deans across Wake Forest University
• Provost, Wake Forest University
• President, Wake Forest University

Externally Relates To:

• National Institutes for Health (NIH)
• Community stakeholders
• Other federal funders
• Other external funders, such as foundations
• Government and regulatory bodies
• Donors and alumni

 

Key Responsibilities

 

Provide visionary leadership and support that enables the SOM to achieve and sustain top ranked national status in clinical care, research, and educational missions:

 

• Collaboratively develop, articulate, and implement strategic plans for the SOM that build on the current Research Plan for Excellence and Educational Plan for Excellence and will elevate the SOM into the elite tier of academic medical schools through excellence in clinical care, discovery, translation/implementation, education and service.
• Support a clinical enterprise characterized through continuous improvement, quality, safety, evidence-based practices, and patient-centered medicine by leveraging historic strengths and developing organizational culture that embraces the future.
• Oversee activities related to the accreditation of all educational programs, including LCME and ACGME reviews, and oversight of doctoral and master’s programs in the SOM (through the Dean of Biomedical Sciences Graduate programs). This includes the opening of second campus of WFUSOM in Charlotte while enhancing programs in Winston-Salem.

 

Recruit and retain world-class faculty and leaders, and foster faculty excellence and recognition in clinical care, research, education, and community engagement:

• Support a strong leadership team of associate deans, chairs, center directors, and executive administration to unite and inspire a highly effective organization that is committed to achieving the SOM’s vision and strategic plan.
• Responsible for compensation plan approvals (with the President, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist and Chief Physician Executive Atrium Health Enterprises for clinical faculty) and determination/distribution of leadership and faculty recruitment packages.
• Supervise the Senior Associate and Associate Deans responsible for undergraduate, graduate, postgraduate and continuing education programs in the medical school.
• Ensure that the SOM has a strong mentorship and professional development process that fosters faculty professional development and advancement through the tenure and promotion processes.

 

Develop WFUSOM programs as the core of a next-generation Academic Learning Health System within Atrium Health Enterprise:

• Integrate academics and clinical care using the health system as a learning laboratory for both quality improvement and research.
• Encourage translational research and population science programs, while fostering a culture of innovation and scholarship.
• Oversight of all research matters for the School of Medicine including a Research Plan for Excellence recently developed as part of a ten-year investment in research through the partnership with Atrium Health Enterprise and connections to the various campuses of WFU.

 

Foster a diverse, equitable and inclusive community:

• Promote and enrich diversity, equity, and inclusion among faculty, staff, and students as well as within the process of education, the conduct of research and provision of patient care services.
• Demonstrate a vision for, as well as a record of success in, recruiting, supporting, mentoring, and retaining faculty, staff, and students from diverse culture, backgrounds and perspectives.
• Nurture future physicians who are dedicated to eliminating healthcare disparities and helping those most in need.

 

Ensure financial health and sustainability to allow the mission to thrive:

• In connection with the Executive Vice Chief Academic Officer, Administration, oversee and improve a governance, administrative, and financial structure that will advance each component of the SOM’s overall mission and strategy, and support a pluralistic faculty model across a diverse geography.
• In connection with the Executive Vice Chief Academic Officer, Administration, ensure that the WFUSOM remains financially strong and maintain effective internal controls, ensuring that the integrity and reputation of the institution are enhanced.
• Serve as a financial steward of the organization, while demonstrating business acumen when allocating resources across the WFUSOM.

 

Encourage and support multidisciplinary connections university-wide, system-wide and across Departments and Schools:

• Serve as the public face and voice for the SOM in internal activities of the WFUSOM while interfacing with colleagues/faculty/staff.
• Work collaboratively with Deans of the other Wake Forest University schools in the development of innovative research and education programs.
• Serve as a leader in the WFU community at large, while supporting multidisciplinary research and education.
• Support multidisciplinary collaborations and partnership for the mutual benefit of units involved and to advance the overall strategic priorities of WFU.

 

Maintain and enhance partnerships and engagement with local, national and global communities:

• Identify, nurture and develop innovative and unique partnerships and ventures with industry or other local, national, or international business partners and foundations helping to ensure the success of the established Innovation Quarter in Winston Salem, an emerging innovation district in Charlotte, and developing a thriving corridor for technology, medical science and related industries connecting the geography of western NC.
• Act as a local and national thought leader in academic medicine as well as a leader in one’s own professional area.
• Represent WFUSOM to internal and external constituents, as well as national and international groups to enhance engagement with the regional healthcare community to inform educational and research programs and engage support.

 

Advance alumni relations and philanthropic support

• Develop a strong philanthropic base to support and endow the programs of the SOM.
• Represent the WFUSOM to donors and the philanthropic community, serving as the face of the organization in communities where WFUSOM programs exist.
• Serve as a leader and active champion for alumni engagement, while being an enthusiastic and convincing advocate with donors and alumni to broaden and deepen WFUSOM’s fundraising efforts.

 

Location: Wake Forest University School of Medicine is located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Relocation to the Winston-Salem area is required for this leadership role. Travel to the new medical school campus in Charlotte, North Carolina will be expected, as needed.

 

Candidate Profile

Ideal Experience

 

Outstanding Reputation in Academic Medicine

Exceptional reputation as a physician-scholar/physician-scientist leader across all aspects of the SOM’s missions of clinical care, research, education, innovation and community engagement. Significant accomplishments and credentials as an outstanding medical educator, researcher and/or skilled clinician is expected. Leadership and participation in one or more national or international academic, scientific, and/or medical societies with an ability to work within, and improve, a complex health system is preferred. A nationally recognized leader in the field of health services research, health systems science, population health, or translational research is preferred.

 

Administrative Leadership

Demonstrated success as a leader in roles of progressive scope and scale, which may include current or previous service as dean, associate dean, center director and/or department chair. Experience in setting and articulating a vision, executing a strategy, successfully directing recruitment, mentoring, philanthropic and diversity/equity/inclusion programs are all desired in the successful candidate.

 

Excellence Across Missions

Background appropriate to a leader in all four missions: clinical care, research, education, and community engagement. An ability to integrate academics and clinical care using the health system as a learning laboratory for both quality improvement and research are highly desired.

 

Business and Financial Acumen

Prior experience overseeing finances and budgeting, successfully driving operational efficiency, and an understanding of the complex financial pressures facing medical schools and academic healthcare delivery organizations is necessary. Specific understanding of the potential impact of value-based care on the mission of academic medicine is highly valued. Similarly, an understanding of the unique pressures of the current research funding environment is essential.

 

Mentorship and Development

Demonstrated commitment to and success in faculty mentorship and development, including department chairs, center directors, and senior administrative staff.

 

Education

Doctor of Medicine or equivalent with a distinguished record of visionary leadership, research/scholarly accomplishments, and excellence in academic administration.

 

CRITICAL LEADERSHIP CAPABILITIES

The Dean, WFUSOM will embody the values and characteristics that meld the motto of Wake Forest University - Pro humanitate, a calling to use our knowledge, talents and compassion to better the lives of others - with the vision of Atrium Health Enterprise, to improve health, elevate hope, and advance healing ... for all.

 

Desirable leadership characteristics include:

 

Collaborative governance that fosters belonging and unity

In a dynamic and growing university and health system that is committed to advancing its academic mission through a collaborative approach, the Dean must develop cooperative/collegial strategies and engage in mutual problem solving while serving as the steward for the missions at the SOM. The Dean will do this by:

• Partnering effectively and productively with senior leaders at the health system and university, deans of other Wake Forest University colleges, senior associate and associate deans of the SOM, department chairs, WFUSOM Physician Group leadership, faculty, and trainees to ensure the continued advancement of all components of the SOM mission equally;
• Building trust and respect at all levels of the institution and within the broader community, and by being seen as a “balanced and fair” executive who can both communicate and implement a broad, aspirational vision;
• Promoting a culture of the highest integrity and ethics;
• Demonstrating strong mentorship and advancing teams that leverage individual skills for a better collective outcome;
• Developing a culture that values, promotes, and expects diversity, equity and inclusion across all constituencies and components of the SOM; and by
• Creating a culture of collaboration, civility, and professionalism where faculty, students, and staff all feel a sense of belonging.

 

Leading people by earning and developing trust

Within a large, complex academic health sciences setting, ideal candidates will be a servant leader, inspire, motivate, and hold accountable the Dean’s administrative team, department chairs, clinical and basic science faculty, and students, as well as stakeholders and influencers throughout the organization. The Dean will do this by:

• Working to motivate individual team members, empowering them to initiate projects or strategic objectives on their own, and taking on ownership of leadership roles based on insight into individual motives and abilities;
• Taking actions and hosting events to engage and energize all stakeholders beyond direct reports through active listening, appreciative inquiry, and open communication;
• Providing vision, leadership, and management for the academic enterprise within the SOM through transparency and engagement;
• Attracting, retaining, and developing talented faculty; and by
• Setting clear expectations and targets for faculty contributions in collaboration with department chairs and individual faculty members.

 

Innovation to better the now and create the future

The Dean will uphold the SOM’s mission of promoting research, education, and health care delivery within the current challenging healthcare environment by:

• Accelerating the transfer of knowledge and intellectual property from the bench to the bedside to the marketplace through creative and innovative partnerships;
• Leveraging the unique assets of the SOM and its affiliates to advance all elements of the mission; and by
• Building a governance and administrative structure that supports and facilitates long-term collaborations for the mutual benefit of all parties.

 

Driving excellence

• Transparently setting goals and expectations and requiring accountability.
• Creating an environment where others grow and succeed through creativity and innovation.
• Fostering professional growth, leadership and distinction in faculty and staff in all aspects of their work.
• Constantly improving day-to-day operations and the organizations capacity to execute; and by
• Relentlessly pursuing excellence in all aspects of work.

 

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

• A visionary, big-picture thinker with the ability to think strategically.
• Personal humility, a will to succeed, and ambition at an organizational level.
• Versatility with the ability to talk and listen, invite dissent and conversation while not being afraid to take a stand when needed.
• Participates in activities of the SOM and health system – i.e., servant leadership.
• Practices open and transparent communication and inspires trust. Assumes the best in people and creates a culture that rewards collaboration and teamwork.
• Inspirational, genuine, and enthusiastic.

 

APPENDIX

 

Leadership Biography

Julie A. Freischlag, MD, FACS, FRCSEd(Hon), DFSVS

Chief Academic Officer, Atrium Health Enterprise

Chief Executive Officer, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist

Executive Vice President for Health Affairs, Wake Forest University

Dean, Wake Forest University School of Medicine

 

Julie A. Freischlag, MD, FACS, FRCSEd(Hon), DFSVS, is currently the chief executive officer of Wake Forest Baptist Health, executive vice president for health affairs of Wake Forest University, dean of Wake Forest School of Medicine, and chief academic officer of Atrium Health Enterprise.

 

As CEO and dean, she has the overall responsibility for the health system’s clinical, academic and innovation enterprises and its annual operating budget of $4 billion. Previously, Freischlag was vice chancellor for Human Health Sciences and dean of the School of Medicine at UC Davis.

 

Freischlag has helped to drive change in academic medicine with a deep commitment to diversity and inclusion. For more than 15 years, she has led education and training programs at top medical schools in her role as professor and chair of surgery and vascular surgery departments. Freischlag also has more than 30 years of experience leading patient-care services as chief of surgery or vascular surgery at nationally ranked hospitals. She served as professor, chair of the surgery department and surgeon-in- chief at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions. She led initiatives to expand research, add specialty clinical services, improve patient-centered care and patient safety, redesign the surgical training program and enhance academic career paths for faculty.

 

Her national leadership includes serving as a former governor and secretary of the Board of Governors and a regent and past chair of the Board of Regents of the American College of Surgeons. She is the past president of the Society for Vascular Surgery and the Society for Vascular Surgery and the Society for Vascular Surgery Foundation, and past president of the Association of VA Surgeons and the Society of Surgical Chairs. Freischlag was the editor of JAMA Surgery for 10 years (2005-2014) and is a member of the editorial boards of the Annals of Vascular Surgery, Journal of the American College of Surgeons and British Journal of Surgery. She was recently named to the JAMA Editorial Board.

 

She has published more than 250 manuscripts, abstracts and book chapters, primarily addressing the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms, carotid artery disease and peripheral vascular disease utilizing outcome data and clinical trials; additionally, she has published on burnout and work-life balance.

 

Freischlag is an internationally recognized expert in the treatment of thoracic outlet syndrome which can require a specialized surgical procedure. Her present research involves completing assessment of a prospective randomized trial that tracks more than 800 patients from 34 Veterans Affairs Medical Centers across the country to compare outcomes in patients who received either open or endovascular repair of their abdominal aortic aneurysm. Freischlag has received numerous teaching awards, an achievement award from the Department of Veterans Affairs, and was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2015.

 

Currently, Freischlag serves on the Executive Board of the Association of Academic Health Centers, the Council of Deans of the Association for American Medical Colleges, Aga Khan University Board of Trustees, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Advisory Board, the University of Illinois Health Advisory Board and the American Hospital Association Changing Workforce Task Force.

 

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Located in Forsyth County, Winston-Salem (population approximately 376,000) is part of the Piedmont Triad region of North Carolina (Winston- Salem, Greensboro, High Point; total population approximately 1.7 million). Winston-Salem is the state’s fifth largest city, featuring a moderate climate with all four seasons and a cost of living 19% below the national average. The nation’s much-loved Blue Ridge Mountains and Parkway are a one-to-two-hour drive to the north and west, and the foothills extend to Winston-Salem, providing outstanding local hiking, biking and other outdoor activities. North Carolina’s beaches are approximately four hours east, close enough to enjoy during long weekends.

 

Winston-Salem is a region on an upward trajectory that still maintains its Southern roots. Although the city is traditionally Southern in its friendliness, it has an international feel. The metro area celebrates its diversity during an array of festivals and through a variety of cuisines. You’ll find a multitude of restaurants serving everything from traditional North Carolina barbecue to Indian curries and Greek pastries, a thriving community of microbreweries and 42 wineries in the area.

 

Winston-Salem’s steady growth has preserved the region’s small-town feel while allowing for improvements, such as repurposing old textile and tobacco factories into modern offices and loft apartments. Due to heavy interest in residential and corporate development, the region has become a fertile land for entrepreneurs and small businesses.

 

As home to the first Arts Council in the United States and the University Of North Carolina School of the Arts, Winston-Salem paved the way for public-private support of the arts, and created the model for arts councils nationwide. Numerous galleries, performing arts groups, theaters, collectives and collections continue to attract and appeal to arts lovers worldwide.

 

For more information on Winston-Salem and Forsyth County, please visit: www.visitwinstonsalem.com, www.winstonsalem.com, and www.co.forsyth.nc.us

 

Charlotte, North Carolina

Charlotte is one of the 25 largest cities in the United States and the largest city in North Carolina (population approximately 874,579). It is one of the most diverse cities in the country. A charming yet sprawling Southern city, Charlotte is a pleasant urban area nestled in the Piedmont region of North Carolina, within a few hours’ drive of both the Appalachian Mountains and North Carolina’s white sand beaches.

 

Charlotte consistently ranks as one of the top growing cities and is the home to more than 10 Fortune 1000 companies, including household names such as Bank of America, Lowe's and Wachovia Corp. It is the second-largest banking hub in the United States, behind New York City.

 

Charlotte is also home to the Carolina Panthers of the NFL, the Charlotte Hornets of the NBA, the NASCAR Hall of Fame and the U.S. National Whitewater Center. The heart of the city’s outdoor community is the Whitewater Center, a 300-acre recreation area along the Catawba River, which has plans to expand its acreage this year. In addition to rafting opportunities for all levels, the Center also has climbing, hiking, and mountain-biking options. In addition, the Mint Museum, Levine Museum of the New South and Bechtler Museum of Modern Art are sources of local culture.

 

For more information on Charlotte, please visit: www.charlottesgotalot.com

 

Nomination and Application Procedure

Russell Reynolds Associates welcomes inquiries, nominations, and applications. To receive full consideration, interested individuals should electronically submit a Curriculum Vitae and a letter of interest to Russell Reynolds Associates. The letter of interest is a two-page cover letter detailing your experience and key achievements related to this position and your thoughts on how you see yourself contributing to the initiatives and responsibilities described in this position specification. Letters should be addressed to the Search Committee and submitted electronically. Materials will be reviewed immediately and will continue to be reviewed until the position is filled.

 

Contacts

Sarah Schumacher

Russell Reynolds Associates

277 Park Avenue, Suite 3800

New York, NY 10172

Direct: +1-212-351-2560

Mobile: +1-330-447-1219

sarah.schumacher@russellreynolds.com    

 

Sarah Eames

Russell Reynolds Associates

277 Park Avenue, Suite 3800

New York, NY 10172

Direct: +1-212-351-2261

Mobile: +1-917-783-9661

sarah.eames@russellreynolds.com