Dr. George to become Dean Emeritus
Bradenton, Florida (January 2, 2018) Silvia Ferretti, D.O., Provost, Senior Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs of the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) announced that Associate Dean Robert George, D.O. has retired.
After a distinguished medical education career that included being the first associate dean at LECOM Bradenton, Dr. George will assume his role at LECOM Bradenton as Dean Emeritus with duties that include teaching, recruiting and fundraising.
Dr. George was a hospital medical director and director of medical education in Ohio and Michigan before joining LECOM Bradenton as Associate Dean of Academic Affairs. He was instrumental in establishing one of the first branch campuses for a medical college when LECOM began development of the Bradenton campus in 2004.
“It has been gratifying to see the Bradenton campus evolve and expand in these past 14 years,” Dr. George said. “It is exciting to welcome each class of medical students and watch them grow to become outstanding physicians.”
Mark Kauffman, D.O., an assistant dean at LECOM, will take Dr. George’s place at the Bradenton campus. “It is with a great deal of excitement and pleasure that I welcome Dr. Kauffman as he succeeds me in this very important role to recruit and graduate the osteopathic physicians of the future,” Dr. George said.
Aside from his many administrative duties in Bradenton, Dr. George serves as Clinical Professor of Family Medicine and Emergency Medicine at LECOM.
He also has championed a variety of community programs across Southwest Florida and throughout the state to foster the best quality health care to the communities that he touches. He has actively supported such organizations as the Sen. Bill Galvano One-Stop Center for the homeless and indigent, the Cancer Support Community, and the V Foundation.
He received the 2017 President’s Distinguished Service Award from LECOM President John M. Ferretti, DO. In presenting the award, Dr. Ferretti said, “LECOM places exceptionally high value upon its educational goals; stressing the importance of preparing students to become osteopathic medical professionals through programs of excellence in education, research, clinical care, and community service that enhance the quality of life through improved health for all humanity. There are few educators and medical professionals who have better defined that commitment to excellence and that concentration upon service than has Dr. Robert J. George.”
Dr. George has served in a variety of roles with the American Osteopathic Association, including Chairman of the Committee on Hospital Accreditation and Chairman of the American Osteopathic Board of Family Physicians.