Now Chair of the Department of Medicine, leading researcher is a McGill grad, native Montrealer.
Principal Heather Munroe-Blum announced on October 12, 2011, that the Board of Governors of McGill University has approved the appointment of one of McGill’s own leading medical researchers and administrators, David H. Eidelman, as Vice-Principal (Health Affairs) and Dean of Medicine.
“We are delighted that an administrator, teacher, clinician and researcher of Dr. Eidelman’s outstanding stature will assume the important role of McGill Dean of Medicine and Vice-Principal (Health Affairs),” said Prof. Munroe-Blum. “David has demonstrated superb leadership in his Department, in the Faculty and, broadly, in the research, clinical and teaching milieux and he will bring his deep intelligence, high standards, strong executive ability and collegial style to this key new role.”
Dr. Eidelman currently serves as Chair of the University’s Department of Medicine. A McGill graduate and a native Montrealer, Dr. Eidelman has been a leading clinician-scientist based at the Meakins-Christie Laboratories, where his work has focused on the development of important models of asthma in animals and the application of tissue culture techniques to the study of the mechanisms of respiratory disease. Currently President of the Canadian Association of Professors of Medicine, Dr. Eidelman has been an active leader in clinical medicine and research in Canada and internationally. In addition to his research and leadership skills, Dr. Eidelman brings to this position extensive knowledge of the health care system having served as Physician-in-Chief at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) since 2004 and previously as the Director of McGill’s renowned Division of Respiratory Diseases.
“He knows McGill and he knows Medicine. He has a simply stellar track record and great promise. We all look forward to working with him in building further our Faculty of Medicine and the McGill Academic Health Network as innovators and leaders in medical education, research, and service, for Quebec, and for Canada, broadly, and reflecting the highest international standards,” Principal Munroe-Blum noted.
“I am very excited to be tackling this challenging position as we make a major transition to new hospital facilities,” Dr. Eidelman said. “The teaching of medicine and the development of new forms of patient care are changing rapidly and I look forward to McGill contributing at the leading edge of these new opportunities, and to building on the remarkable work of each of my predecessors. McGill’s Faculty of Medicine enjoys exceptional international recognition and has a remarkable history. It is humbling to be asked to lead it. No one does it alone and I am looking forward to building partnerships within and outside of the University. I am most eager to continue working with an incredibly talented and hard-working team as we move ahead to lead in these new frontiers.”
Following completion of his undergraduate medical education at McGill in 1979, Dr. Eidelman pursued training in internal medicine at the University of Toronto, first at St. Michael’s Hospital and subsequently at the Toronto General Hospital. He then returned to McGill to undertake advanced training in respiratory medicine. Upon completion of his sub-specialty training, Dr. Eidelman undertook research training first at the Royal Victoria Hospital and subsequently at the Meakins-Christie Laboratories.
Dr. Eidelman then joined the faculty of the Department of Medicine in the Respiratory Division and as a member of the Meakins-Christie Laboratories. His research interests have been focused on the physiology of the airways, particularly as applied to inflammatory disorders such as asthma and cystic fibrosis. His current work is focused on the immunology of obstructive lung diseases including asthma and chronic obstructive lung disease.
In his role as Chair, Dr. Eidelman supervises an extensive department at McGill and across the University’s affiliated teaching hospital network, which includes the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC), the Jewish General Hospital, St. Mary’s Hospital Centre and the Douglas Mental Health University Institute. Organized into 13 divisions, the Department is the major clinical teaching unit of the Faculty of Medicine.
Dr. Eidelman will assume his responsibilities as Dean and Vice-Principal on Jan. 1, 2012, after returning from his leave at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, a Teaching Affiliate of Harvard Medical School.
The Montreal Gazette