Shapiro selected to head medical school
Alyssa GregoryDr. Larry Shapiro has been named the new executive vice chancellor for medical affairs at Washington University and dean of the School of Medicine. Shapiro will succeed Dr. William Peck on July 1, 2003, but Peck will remain with the university as a professor and researcher.
For Shapiro, returning to WU represents a homecoming of sorts. Shapiro is a graduate of both the undergraduate college of Arts and Sciences and the School of Medicine, and two of his three children are alumni.
However, Shapiro says his past connections with WU were not the main reason he chose to return to campus.
“It certainly played a part in my thinking-I have very fond memories and have maintained both friendships and professional associations throughout the years,” said Shapiro. “But, it’s really the challenge of the future that excited me and got me here.”
Shapiro also said that the reputation of WUSM was a factor in his decision to take the appointment here.
“This is one of the finest medical schools associated with one of the best universities in the country. In many ways, it’s a national treasure,” he said. He went on to comment that “the research accomplishments of this School of Medicine and its faculty are well-known. They’ve made major contributions in many, many disciplines.”
Shapiro is no stranger to excellence. He is currently the chair of the Department of Pediatrics and a professor at the University of California, San Francisco. He is also a member of the National Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine and of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
He does not officially take the helm of WUSM until July, but he already has plans to use his experience to make changes and improvements to the school.
“We’re going to have to find more effective ways to train students so that they can deal with the complex ethical and societal issues that modern medicine is generating and some of the practical and economic issues,” he said. “[I'm going to] try to help solve the problems of our healthcare system, which is badly broken.”
Peck, whom Shapiro is replacing, has served as the WUSM dean and executive vice chancellor for 13 years. Over that time, WUSM has consistently ranked as one of the best medical schools in the country. This year, U.S. News & World Report ranked WUSM as the third best research medical school in the nation.
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