Deborah DeMarco and Eric Dickson

Two senior associate deans have been named as part of an ongoing initiative to strengthen the connections between UMass Medical School and UMass Memorial Health Care. Deborah DeMarco, MD, professor of medicine, has been named senior associate dean for clinical affairs, and Eric Dickson, MD, professor of emergency medicine, has been named senior associate dean for the UMass Memorial Medical Group.

“As senior associate dean, Dr. DeMarco will lead the efforts to strengthen the alignment of the strategic direction of UMMS and UMass Memorial Health Care,” said Terence R. Flotte, MD, the Celia and Isaac Haidak Professor of Medical Education, executive deputy chancellor, provost and dean of the School of Medicine. “Dr. DeMarco’s leadership will be important in identifying opportunities for collaboration to enhance our clinical and academic enterprises, and she will play a key role as we focus on the science of health care reform and the design of the health care system of the future.”

In her new role, DeMarco will participate on executive level committees including the UMass Memorial Transformation Implementation Group (TIG). The TIG will be the primary vehicle for developing the UMass Memorial approach to new health care systems, such as accountable care organizations, and evaluating and researching their impact. She will also participate in the new UMass Memorial Medical Group Board meetings as a non-voting executive representative of the school.

DeMarco will continue to be the designated institutional official for Graduate Medical Education, and will continue to oversee all aspects of GME including chairing the GME Committee. She will also work closely with Dr. Dickson his role as interim president and senior associate dean of the Medical Group

In the 18 years DeMarco has been with UMMS, she has held a variety of administrative positions, including her most recent role of associate dean for GME, a position she has held since 2001. DeMarco was an Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) fellow year in 2009.

Dickson joined UMMS in 2009 from the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, where he was interim chief operating officer.

“Dr. Dickson’s selection reflects the complete alignment of the missions performed by the faculty of the UMMS clinical departments as members of the UMass Memorial Medical Group,” said Dr. Flotte. “Dr. Dickson’s leadership in promoting this alignment will be important in identifying opportunities for integration across the Medical School, the Medical Group and UMass Memorial Health Care.”