Dean Gotto Presents 10th Annual State of the Medical College and Graduate School of Medical Sciences
Dean Antonio Gotto speaks to a capacity-filled Uris Auditorium for the State of the Medical College and Graduate School address.
During his 10th annual State of the Medical College and Graduate School of Medical Sciences address on June 7, Dean Antonio Gotto Jr. outlined Weill Cornell's unprecedented growth over the last decade in terms of student performance, financial strength and short-term goals in research and recruitment, particularly in relation to the school's successful completion of the "Advancing the Clinical Mission" capital campaign.
The Medical College continues to draw and train students that outperform their peers nationally. The MCAT scores of incoming students continue to stay above the national mean, Dean Gotto explained. "It's clear to see that our students are getting brighter every year," he said.
Exiting students also continue to perform well, with all graduates of the Class of 2006 pursuing PGY1 residency positions successfully placed in residency programs and 87 percent of PGY1 and PGY2 positions matching at the country's top 35 institutions.
Dr. Gotto and Steven Rosalie (center) meet with faculty, including Dr. Selina Chen-Kiang, following the address.
Other key accomplishments include an approximate 5 percent drop in student indebtedness over the last year, due to an increase in student scholarships, and the continued success of the Tri-Institutional MD-PhD Program, which at 22 percent has the highest proportion of underrepresented minority students of any MD-PhD program in the country.
The Medical College—and in particular, the Graduate School—has seen a considerable increase in the number of students and faculty over the last decade, as well as major upgrades to the physical plant. This unprecedented growth is due in part to the success of three key areas: sponsored research, clinical services and prudent management of the College's endowments/investments.
"Our growth has been due to the hard work of faculty, staff, the Board of Overseers, students, friends and supporters. Without the significant fund raising that has supported our research and clinical activities, we could not possibly have experienced such unprecedented success," Dean Gotto said.
From left: William Cunningham, director of facilities development; Dr. Gotto; and Dr. Hajjar.
In addition to the construction of the new Ambulatory Care and Medical Education Building, generous gifts from supporters of the Medical College have also financed 50 new $1 million clinical research scholarships for young scholars.
Looking to the future, Dean Gotto outlined Weill Cornell's short-term goals, which include increasing funding for new research cores and facilities, faculty retention and recruitment, and bolstering the school's commitment to information technology.
"I would like to thank all of the faculty, staff, students, and all of you who have worked to make possible the accomplishments over the past 10 years," Dean Gotto said. "It is the network of Medical College departments, working together, that has helped us grow. We face a bright future together, and for that I am very grateful."
Photos by Richard Lobell.