Bernardino Assumes Role of Dean

By Sue Wuetcher

Release Date: July 26, 2001 This content is archived.

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Provost Elizabeth D. Capaldi has announced that Michael Bernardino, vice president of health affairs and executive dean of the School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, has assumed the role of dean of the medical school, effective immediately.

John R. Wright, dean of the medical school dean since 1998, has returned to the UB faculty as a professor of pathology.

Before assuming the deanship, Wright had been chair of the Department of Pathology for 23 years.

Wright's predecessor as dean, John Naughton, had held both the vice presidential and decanal positions.

In explaining the consolidation, Capaldi said that "given the current period of rapid change in the field of medicine, the university has decided that leadership for the school can most effectively be provided by one individual who is responsible for its overall educational and research mission, its financial affairs and its relationship with its affiliated teaching hospitals."

"We all appreciate Dr. Wright's leadership in developing the school's new curriculum and in building a support base for the school with the alumni, students and other constituencies," Capaldi said. "These contributions form a strong basis for continued excellence."

Bernardino has served as vice president for health affairs at UB since the spring of 1998. Prior to coming to UB, he was director of managed care with the Emory University System of Health Care in Atlanta, and was a professor of radiology in the Emory University School of Medicine.

As vice president for health affairs at UB, Bernardino has been responsible for overseeing the clinical and collaborative activities of the university's five health sciences schools: Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Dental Medicine, Health Related Professions, Nursing, and Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

He also has spearheaded the university's relations with its affiliated teaching hospitals and led the health-science deans in planning and executing joint and cooperative programs of teaching and research.