Dean's Message

"...And gladly share such knowledge as is mine with those who are to follow."

Dean Michael Rosenblatt

This phrase, an excerpt from Dr. Louis Lasagna's revision of the Hippocratic oath, wonderfully expresses the central mission of Tufts University School of Medicine.

We are here to pass on to the next generation the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of the "complete physician." The very word Doctor means teacher; as doctors, we teach our patients, we teach our students, we teach our colleagues, we teach the public and we must always teach ourselves. We aim to teach our students to marry rigorous scientific knowledge and humane, compassionate care. And we have succeeded. Our graduates are distinguished not only by their exemplary patient care but also by their remarkable academic achievements.

How do we do this? We do this by focusing on our students and by blending the best of both traditional and modern pedagogical methods: large group lectures; small group discussions; problem-based learning; case-based learning; research projects; computerized instruction; as well as one-on-one clinical teaching at the bedside, in the clinic, and in the office. We do this by utilizing the considerable skills and talents of both our basic science faculty and our clinical faculty at all our teaching affiliates. Our clinical faculty, in fact, is the "living endowment" of our medical school. Noted for its teaching ability, and for its excellence in patient care and research, the faculty is enthusiastically involved in undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate medical education, as well as many specialized programs of national and international prominence.

Through the years, Tufts University School of Medicine has created many innovative and influential programs in medical education. For example, TUSM was a pioneer in combining traditional teaching methods with Problem-Based Learning , which focuses on self-directed learning and the development of active inquiry and critical reasoning skills. We also have developed a unique cadre of combined-degree programs by which students can attain an MD/PhD; MD/MPH; MD/MBA in Health Management; MD/MA with the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, or a BS/MS/MD in Bioengineering through collaboration with Tufts College of Engineering. In addition, we have established a Center for Learning whose goals are to promote quality and consistency for all TUSM educational activities; to provide a center of excellence that will unite and strengthen the Tufts teaching enterprise; and to act as a catalyst for curricular innovation, evaluation and research at all levels of medical training.

Our Internet-based Tufts University Sciences Knowledgebase (TUSK), which hosts more than 3/4 of the didactic material of the first two years, was termed a "unique and powerful educational resource" by our last accreditation evaluators. Just recently, TUSK won a national award for its innovative programs. In the late 1990's, the School established a joint Department of Family Medicine and Community Health in recognition of the national need to produce more primary care physicians. Tufts remains committed to its long-standing goal of producing the generalists of tomorrow as well as specialists to handle and investigate more complex medical problems.

Our goal is to provide for all students an educational experience that is demanding, rigorous, of the highest quality---yet, one that is enjoyable. Successful completion of our program enables Tufts graduates to obtain outstanding residency programs ranging from generalist medicine to highly specialized practice; and subsequently to achieve their fullest potential as clinicians, researchers, and public health workers. All doctors, all teachers.

Our past achievements are a source of pride to the University, our faculty, our students, our staff, and our graduates. We select each new entering class with the intent of ensuring that the School's future will be even more illustrious than its past. We create the future in medicine.

Michael Rosenblatt, M.D. , Dean