Duggan to step down as dean of Upstate Medical University’s College of Medicine in October

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Dr. David Duggan will step down as dean of Upstate Medical University’s College of Medicine on Oct. 15.

Dr. Danielle Laraque-Arena, president of Upstate Medical University, made the announcement to the Upstate community in a letter dated Feb. 23.

The school provided BJNN a copy of that letter.

Duggan will take a six-month sabbatical and then return to the Upstate Medical faculty, according to the letter.

Duggan has served as dean since 2011 and began his role on an interim basis, the letter said.

He had replaced Dr. Steven Scheinman in the job. Scheinman had resigned in 2011 after the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) recommended probation for the College of Medicine over curriculum issues.

In March 2013, Upstate Medical appointed Duggan as College of Medicine dean on a permanent basis.

LCME removed the College of Medicine from probation in June 2013.

In the years that followed, Duggan has provided “solid leadership” on issues that included curriculum and student and faculty-support services, according to the Laraque-Arena letter.

Dr. Duggan’s leadership in handling the school’s interaction with the LCME and its accreditation process was “especially noteworthy,” Laraque-Arena contended.

“His work has helped strengthen the academic foundation of the college, and has helped bring about some fundamental curriculum changes. He was instrumental in the introduction of academic learning communities in the medical school that have fostered greater interactions between students and faculty,” Laraque-Arena said.

Laraque-Arena concluded the letter by saying Upstate Medical University will “soon” begin a national search for a new dean of the College of Medicine.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com