Anupam Agarwal, M.D., has been named executive vice dean of the School of Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. This is a new position, created by Selwyn M. Vickers, M.D., senior vice president for Medicine at UAB and dean of the School of Medicine since October 2013.Agarwal, director of the Division of Nephrology and vice-chair for research in the Department of Medicine, served as interim senior vice president and dean from February to October 2013. He will remain director of Nephrology; a successor for vice-chair of research will be named by the Department of Medicine. He also is director of the O’Brien Center for Acute Kidney Injury Research, a collaboration with the University of California, San Diego, which is funded by a $5.64 million grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
“Dr. Agarwal is not only a world-renowned physician scientist, he is a highly skilled leader who has the respect and admiration of faculty, students and staff throughout the School of Medicine and UAB,” Vickers said.
In this new position, Agarwal will be responsible for assisting the senior vice president and dean in management and oversight of the School of Medicine. Chief among those is helping move forward many of the School of Medicine’s new programmatic initiatives and strategic programs. This function fits hand-in-glove with other responsibilities: building partnerships with other UAB schools, colleges and the Birmingham Veterans Affairs Medicine Center and others; partnering with departments to support recruitment and retention of faculty; working with the senior associate dean for Faculty Affairs and Development to recognize outstanding faculty; and working with the senior associate dean for Administration and Finance to address operation and financial requests that come from within the School of Medicine.
Agarwal will also support quality improvement efforts within the dean’s office by regularly meeting one-on-one with department chairs and other senior leaders to assess the effectiveness of the senior vice president and dean and members of his team in leading the School of Medicine.
“It was an honor to be offered this additional responsibility,” Agarwal said. “At UAB, our potential is unlimited, and we are fortunate to be in position to grow our enterprise. Dr. Vickers has a clear vision for our future and there are well-defined strategic areas, such as personalized medicine, where we can expand our existing strengths. I look forward to working more closely with Dr. Vickers and other School of Medicine and UAB leaders to accomplish our goals.”
Agarwal joins Mona Fouad, M.D., in new School of Medicine leadership positions. In March, Fouad was named senior associate dean for Diversity and Inclusion. Both positions were created following recommendations from internal task forces and a review by the Association of American Medical Colleges for adjusting the organizational leadership to more effectively and efficiently address strategic growth.