Dr. Britigan’s vision for the College of Medicine

In the latest edition of UNMC Connect, Bradley Britigan, M.D., dean of the College of Medicine, talked about his vision for the college.

Excerpts from this discussion are below.

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Bradley Britigan, M.D.

Where would you like to see the college in the next five years?

I want the college to emerge as a national and international leader in research, clinical care and education. I envision moving to a collaborative and integrative approach to health care delivery that also supports our educational and research missions with our hospital partners and prepares students to practice medicine as part of patient-centered, team-based care.

We must sustain and grow a culture in which research and educational excellence are an expectation for all of our departments. This will involve rigorous strategic planning efforts to define where resources are best invested and a governance structure that supports and encourages growth and development of our
faculty and trainees.

Discuss the next development in medical education.

Interprofessional education will continue to grow as we train medical students to be part of a team of specialized health care providers, with an increasing emphasis on assessment of quality of care, evidence-based medicine and use of the electronic medical record to facilitate and standardize care. I also see an increase in the use of computer simulation and web-based education to provide realistic experiences that expose students to rare diseases.

What has impressed you about Nebraska?

I’ve been impressed by the friendliness and sincerity of the people, their strong work ethic and their expectation that anything can be accomplished with hard work. I’ve traveled throughout the state and sense the enormous pride that Nebraskans, and in particular our alumni, feel toward the medical center. The financial support provided by friends and alumni is unsurpassed by any medical center with which I have been associated. UNMC is clearly an under-recognized gem in academic medicine, but we can change that by making our accomplishments and opportunities more visible.