Dr. Roger Bulger to Step Down as President of Association of Academic Health Centers

3/1/2004

From: Elaine Rubin of the Association of Academic Health Centers, 202-265-9600

WASHINGTON, March 1 -- Roger J. Bulger, M.D.,announced that he plans to step down from the presidency of the Association of Academic Health Centers on June 30, 2005.

"I have been privileged to serve this association for the past 16 years and to lead the only national organization giving voice to academic health center issues. I am honored to have contributed to its leadership in public policy, thus enabling academic health centers to serve the public in the education of health professions, the conduct of biomedical research, and the delivery of patient care," said Bulger. "These past 16 years have seen growth and development as well as serious challenge and major change. I leave the association with a clear vision and a focused mission that will allow the association to continue its distinguished leadership in Washington," Bulger added.

Dr. Barbara Ross-Lee, chairperson of the association's board of directors, and vice president-health sciences and medical affairs and dean of the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine of the New York Institute of Technology, said "Dr. Bulger's leadership has been farsighted, innovative, and highly successful. He raised the profile of the association in the policy world, focused on member services, established vital connections in academe, government and business, and enlarged the scope of activities to the global arena. His commitment to working in partnership with all the health professions to improve education, research and health care delivery is unsurpassed. Dr. Bulger's legacy is enormous."

Bulger is committed to continuing his efforts in support of the association's top priorities -- access to health care, the health care workforce, and the biomedical research infrastructure.

Bulger, 70, came to the association in 1988 after a distinguished career in academe and academic health center administration. Bulger was president of the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston for 10 years and also served as chancellor of the University of Massachusetts Medical School and dean of its school of medicine for three years previous to his appointment in Texas. He had a noted academic career as a professor of internal medicine, community medicine and public health at the University of Washington, Duke University, the University of Massachusetts Medical School, and the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. He also served for four years as the first executive officer of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences in the 1970s.

A recognized author on medical science and health policy, his latest work, "The Organization Therapeutic Index," highlights his interest and dedication to institutional transformations that enhance patient-centered care. Bulger is a graduate of Harvard College and the Harvard Medical School.

Bulger plans to remain active in the policy world and also devote more time to writing upon leaving the association. He has agreed to serve as chairman of the national Medicine/ Public Health Initiative. He has also accepted the position of the secretary of the board of directors of the American International Health Alliance and will continue to serve on the board of directors of ResearchAmerica.

Ross-Lee and Board Chairman-elect T. Michael Bolger, J.D., president and chief executive officer of the Medical College of Wisconsin, will co-chair the search committee to select Bulger's successor. Other members of the committee are: Frank B. Cerra, M.D., senior vice president for health sciences at the University of Minnesota; James Gavin, M.D, Ph.D., president of the Morehouse School of Medicine; Michael M.E. Johns, M.D., executive vice president for health affairs and chairman of Emory Healthcare Inc. of Emory University; David J. Ramsay, D.M., DPhil, president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore; and Richard Valachovic, DMD, MPH, executive director of the American Dental Education Association.

The Association of Academic Health Centers (AHC) is a national, non-profit organization dedicated to improving the health of the people by advancing the leadership of academic health centers in health professions education, biomedical and health research, and health care delivery.