PUBLISHED BY THE STANFORD UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER NEWS BUREAU

Dr. Clayton Rich Named Dean

Dr. Clayton Rich, former associate
dean for research and clinical affairs at
the University of Washington School of
Medicine, has been appointed Dean of
the Stanford School of Medicine and
Vice President for Medical Affairs.

The appointment announced by Pro-
vost and Acting President William F.
Miller on behalf of President Richard W.
Lyman, is effective Sept. 1.

Dr. Rich, 47, also was appointed pro-
fessor of medicine. He succeeds Dr, John
L. Wilson, who has served as acting
dean since Dr. Robert L. Glaser resigned
August 31, 1970 to become Vice Presi-
dent of the Commonwealth Fund in
New York.

His appointment culminated a year-
long search by a faculty-student com-
mittee. More than 170 candidates were
considered for the deanship.

“Dr. Rich brings a great deal of en-
thusiasm and talent to the deanship,”
Provost Miller said. “Both the President
and I are delighted with this fine ap-
pointment.”

Dr. Wilson said, “We all are antici-
pating his arrival and looking forward to
working with him in the interests of the
Medical School.”

Dr, Rich, a native of New York City,
was educated at the Putney School in
Vermont and Swarthmore College. He
received his M.D. in 1948 from Cornell
University. He served his internship and
residency at the Albany Hospital and
Union University, and received addi-
tional clinical training at Cornell Med-
ical College.

Before becoming an assistant profes-
sor of medicine at the University of
Washington in 1960, he was engaged in

research, teaching and patient care at
Rockefeller University.

He was promoted to professor of med-
icine in 1967, and a year later became
associate dean. He also served as chief of
staff of the Veterans Administration
Hospital in Seattle, which is closely asso-
ciated with the Medical School there,
and as medical director of the University
Hospital.

In 1970, Dr. Rich was named associate
dean for research and clinical affairs, his
present position.

His research has been in endocrinol-
ogy, specializing in diseases of the bone.
His publications include more than 80
papers and abstracts.

Dr. Rich said that he believes medical
schools will share with other medical
agencies the major job of solving the’na-
tion’s health care delivery problems.

“The whole area of delivery of health
care is terribly important,” he said. “It
has become apparent in the past few
years that the system in this country
isn’t working very well. We'll have to
devise better ways of providing proper
health care to everyone, not just a few.

“I see the primary role of medical
schools in the health care scheme as that
of innovation, and applying research
methods to the problem.”

Dr. Rich believes that, in coming
years, there will be increased interaction
between medicine and the other aca-
demic disciplines.

He and his wife, Scotty, have a son,
16, now attending Putney School. Mrs.
Rich’s father, the late Melvin G. Hodg-
kinson, attended Stanford as a member
of the Class of 1925.

VOL. 13 NO, 8 SEPTEMBER 1971

of Med School

 

Dr. Clayton Rich .
Dean, Stanford School of Medicine