The University of Colorado School of Medicine alumni are graduates of one of the top 10 Medical Schools in research, primary and patient care at the University of Colorado Hospital and in diabetes care at the Barbara Davis Center.

(May 2012) In recent months, we took the first tangible steps toward the goal of examining the structure and orientation of the medical school.

The question I asked in my State of the School speech last fall was: How would the school look if we could start fresh while keeping intact our substantial strengths in our four missions—education, patient care, research and community?

Several experts came to Denver at their own expense to offer thoughts, which made us think even more about this project. Whatever direction we choose, this endeavor will involve a lot of conversations with the faculty, students and staff who make up this medical school, the administration and staff of our partner hospitals and, in fact, the entire medical campus.

Change can be challenging, but certainly we have experienced a lot of it here: the move to the Anschutz Medical Campus and our major curriculum revision are two of the biggest. We are now transforming our clinical enterprise, an undertaking led by our senior associate dean for clinical affairs, Doug Jones, MD, and vice chairs from every clinical department and major center. They are focusing on crucial areas such as hospital readmissions, communication with referring physicians and quick access to outpatient clinics.

Here’s more change: the possibility of a branch campus in Colorado Springs. University of Colorado Hospital’s (UCH) proposal to run Memorial Hospital won the support of the city council there, launching further negotiations. The UCH bid included a major enticement of funding for our medical school to begin a branch campus in Colorado Springs to provide clinical training to third- and fourth-year students. There are hurdles to come, likely including a public vote. If all goes well, training in Colorado Springs could begin in May 2015 for 24 or more students who entered medical school in 2013. And if that works out, we may be able to expand each medical school class to more than 160 students.

And, there’s a big new health system in Colorado with direct impacts on our school. UCH has signed a joint operating agreement with Poudre Valley Health System, creating University of Colorado Health. Bruce Schroffel, president and CEO of the hospital, has been named president of University of Colorado Health and chairman of the board of directors. Rulon Stacey, president and CEO of Poudre Valley, will serve as CEO of the new system. This matters for the medical school because it should help solidify future revenue and expand our reach for clinical trials and rotations for students.

In other news, I want to note the passing of someone known to many of you. John Sbarbaro, MD, who was medical director of University Physicians Inc., died last August. In many ways, the success of this school rests on Dr. Sbarbaro’s skill in maneuvering through bureaucracy to solve problems. He was warm and tough, and is sorely missed. (There is an article about him on page 21).

And, we have a new University of Colorado Denver chancellor. Don Elliman, who was executive director of our stem cell center and member of former Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter’s administration, succeeded Jerry Wartgow. There are details about medical school news inside this magazine and at www.CUMedicine.UCDenver.edu.

I hope to see many of you from the graduating classes ending in 2 or 7 for the reunions that will be held Memorial Day weekend. Darrell Kirch, MD, ’77, president of the Association of American Medical Colleges, will be the graduation speaker.