By Pamela DiSalvo Lepley

The Virginia Commonwealth University Board of Visitors has appointed Jerome F. Strauss III, M.D., Ph.D., to be dean of the VCU School of Medicine. His term will begin Sept. 15, 2005.

Since 1987, Strauss has been associate chairman of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, considered to be one of the nation’s top programs in women’s health. 

Strauss also is the Luigi Mastroianni, Jr. Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and founding director of the Center for Research on Reproduction and Women’s Health at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center.

“Dr. Strauss’ strengths in medical education research and research training rose to the top in a highly competitive field of candidates from across the country,” said VCU President Eugene P. Trani, Ph.D.  

Strauss has been internationally recognized for his research and research training programs, which have been sponsored continuously by the National Institutes of Health for more than 20 years. He also has served as an elected officer or member of many national and international medical science organizations. 

In recognition of his outstanding achievements and internationally renowned scholarship, Strauss was elected to the Institute of Medicine in 1994. The Institute of Medicine is the component organization of the National Academies of Sciences that serves as adviser to the nation on matters of health and health policy. Election to the institute is considered one of the highest honors in medicine.

“Dr. Strauss’ credentials as a nationally renowned researcher, educator and administrator are a perfect match for VCU’s aggressive agenda to dramatically grow the research program at the medical school,” said Sheldon M. Retchin, M.D., Vice President of VCU Health Sciences and CEO, VCU Health System. “Dr. Strauss is the right person at the right time to lead our efforts over the next decade to establish the preeminence of the VCU School of Medicine. We are very excited to have someone of Dr. Strauss’ caliber as our next dean.”

As dean, Strauss will serve as chief administrator of the School of Medicine and also will serve as executive vice president for medical affairs for the VCU Health System, overseeing MCV Physicians, the 600 physician-faculty group practice of the VCU Medical Center. 

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with VCU leadership and faculty to move forward research at the School of Medicine -- making the science enterprise relevant to clinical medicine and building upon strong education programs to fashion exciting and relevant activities to promote the highest quality of medical care,” Strauss said.

Strauss earned a bachelor’s degree from Brown University in 1969. He earned a medical degree in 1974 and a doctorate degree in molecular biology in 1975, both from the University of Pennsylvania. 

Strauss continued his postgraduate training at the University of Pennsylvania and joined the faculty in 1976. He has held dozens of hospital and administrative appointments during his 29-year career at the university and received numerous awards and honors. Over the years he has contributed to the international scientific community as an editor and editorial board member for journals in the gynecology and obstetrics discipline as well as general scientific publications such as Science.

Strauss’ appointment as dean follows a yearlong, national search to replace Heber H. “Dickie” Newsome, who will retire from the position on June 30 after 40 years of service to VCU.