August 22, 2016

OHSU President Joe Robertson stepped in as acting dean of the OHSU School of Medicine following a serious accident Aug. 13 in which Dean Mark Richardson was critically injured.

Dr. Richardson fell from a high height while doing a home repair and remains in critical condition.

The dean had begun succession planning with his senior team in recent months, including creating a guiding philosophy for the school. He had discussed with his family and with Dr. Robertson his intentions to retire this year.

Dr. Robertson will appoint an interim dean while conducting a national search for Dr. Richardson's successor, whom the university would like to have in place in time for the start of the 2017-18 school year.

"Among the many traits that make Dr. Richardson special are his thoughtfulness and ability to not only plan for the future but to use the need to plan as an opportunity to drive improvement," said Dr. Robertson. "We will use the roadmap he gave us to chart next steps for the School of Medicine so that he and his family can focus all of their energies on his recovery."

Dr. Richardson, M.D., M.Sc.B., M.B.A., an otolaryngologist, has served as dean since July 2007, bringing a systems-thinking approach to make structural and programmatic changes that have positioned the School of Medicine well amid the evolution of academic medicine.

"Talking with so many people here, I have been struck by the profound appreciation for Dr. Richardson's body of work as dean," Dr. Robertson said. "We are all deeply indebted to him for all that he has done, and we join his family in pulling for his recovery."