This is indeed a unique institution-one with a fascinating history. Penn State s College of Medicine is the result of an incredible expansion in the American medical education and research enterprise in the latter half of the 20th Century. George Harrell, Harry Prystowsky, and Mac Evarts. As Dr. Evarts has handed the reins to me, it is important to note that this strong and stable leadership has been vital to the success and growth of our College of Medicine. During the 34 years these three individuals have served as dean, the average U.S. medical school had eight to 10 different deans.
Stability is a key ingredient for success, and our college has proven that.
In its relatively short existence, the Penn State College of Medicine has earned a remarkable and deserved reputation as a research center, medical college, and academic health center. You hold evidence of this in your own hands. The subjects of the stories in this issue of Penn State Medicine exemplify perfectly the positive environment that led me to my decision to take the helm at Hershey. As we move forward at the threshold of a new century, I believe that a key to our ongoing success will be to maintain an abiding commitment to our core values, while at the same time becoming more creative and flexible than ever in rethinking and redesigning our organization. Many institutions talk about their values, but the real challenge is creating an organization where the shared values are so firm and well understood that they become a true driving force in every decision and action at every level of the organization.