D' Neil Granger

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Mid-Career Transitions Choices Challenges
Assuming Administrative/Leadership Positions
While Maintaining an Active Research Program
D. Neil Granger Boyd Professor Head Department
of Molecular Cellular Physiology LSU Health
Sciences Center-Shreveport
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Expanding Job Opportunities for Department Chairs
in US Medical Schools

• Until recently, 125 US medical schools employing
  3,000 Department Chairs
• Existing physiology chair vacancies average 16
  per year (2005-07)
• In response to a predicted shortage of
  physicians in the US, the AAMC has called for a
  30 increase in medical school enrollment.
• Proliferation of new medical schools
• Florida International University College of
  Medicine (Miami)
• University of Central Florida College of
  Medicine (Orlando)
• Paul L. Foster School of Medicine (El Paso, TX)
• Touro University College of Medicine (Hackensack,
  NJ)
• Scripps School of Medicine (La Jolla, CA)
• Oakland University Beaumont Medical School
  (Rochester, MI)
• Hofstra University School of Medicine (Hempstead,
  NY)
• The Commonwealth Medical College (Scranton, PA)
• Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine
  (Roanoke, VA)

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Expectations of the Department Chair

• The Dean (whose success or failure largely
  depends on performance of Chairs)
• Advocate for Department/faculty
• Promote the goals and objectives of Department
  (teaching, research, service)
• Partner in management of medical center
  (institutional vision)
• Apply responsible management practices in
  dealing with the budget, hiring/firing personnel,
  resource allocation, state/federal regulations,
  compliance issues, etc
• Set an example for faculty in scholarship,
  teaching research

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Expectations of the Department Chair

• The faculty (success of Chair depends on what
  s/he can get others -- the faculty -- to do)
• Primary spokesperson advocate for
  Department/faculty
• Hold the line with central administration
  (Dean) on issues perceived to negatively impact
  faculty/Department
• Establish/maintain equity among work loads
  carried by individual faculty
• Hold faculty accountable for performing
  responsibilities
• Lead by example in scholarship, teaching
  research

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Determinants of a Successful Transition From
Researcher to Administrator/Researcher

• Time-management skills - setting priorities
  realistic perspective about time commitment to
  administrative duties
• Recruitment expectations - new vs established
  program time-consuming nature of recruitment
• Learning curve for institutional policies
  procedures - a new bureaucracy experienced,
  knowledgeable staff
• Service obligations to national/regional
  organizations - restrictive selective in
  extending these obligations
• Research staff trainees - quality, experience
  size of own research team graduate students
  postdocs

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Tips on Surviving as an Administrator/Researcher-
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• ? Choose good people -- your success now also
  depends on what you can get others (faculty
  research staff/trainees) to do
• Set a high bar expect excellence and
  professionalism
• ? Delegate authority -- this allows for
  engagement of provides administrative
  experience for faculty who have interest/passion
  for specific activities (teaching) or programs
  (graduate)
• ? Work on departmental culture create
  environment that is conducive to productivity and
  collaboration do not allow faculty to take
  themselves too seriouslyhave fun

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Tips on Surviving as an Administrator/Researcher-
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• ? Seek input build consensus and seek input on
  the big issues
• ? Luck if space and financial resources are gt
  adequate, the faculty is willing to overlook some
  shortcomings (and personality defects) of the
  Chair
• ? Learn to say no -- to new and existing
  obligations that detract from efforts as
  researcher administrator

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Major External Internal Obligations
(1985-present)
Department Chair
RO1 funding
Program Project Grant
Clinical Sciences
CVB
GMA-2
Study Sections
GMPB
Am J Physiol (AE)
Am J Physiol (AE)
(Editor)
Editorial
Microcirculation
MCS
President
American Physiological Society
Council
President
Elect/Active/Past
Physiology
National Board Of Medical Examiners
Test Committee
FASEB Board
Associate Dean for Research
Chair, BoD CV Institute
LSU administration
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Assessment of Success as Researcher vs.
Administrator/Leader

• Administration/leadership Research
• (Largely driven by local metrics) (Largely
  driven by national metrics)
• Financial success ? Extramural (NIH) support
• (grant funding)
• ? Publication quality/impact
• ? Meeting educational objectives
• (student performance evaluations) ?
  Editorial boards/editorships
• ? Program development ? Peer review panels
  (study sections)
• (faculty recruitment/retention)
• ? Participation/leadership in national
  societies
• ? Good citizenship
• ? Achievement awards

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• If everything is under control, you are going
  too slow.
• Mario Andretti