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Duke University's next chancellor for health affairs should be a physician with clinical experience, proven scholarly accomplishments and national recognition in a medical sciences discipline. He or she should also have strategic vision, strong communications skills and a demonstrated capability to lead a complex organization, according to new guidelines issued by the committee leading the search for the position.

Duke University President Nannerl O. Keohane appointed the 14-member committee to identify a short list of candidates to recommend to her for the position, which also serves as the president and chief executive officer of the Duke University Health System (DUHS).

The committee has prepared a detailed description of the position's background and responsibilities, and of the personal qualifications needed. It cites the need for "personal characteristics of maturity, honesty, consistency and integrity" and a "personality that fosters collegial, yet data-driven and business-like, interactions."

The next chancellor will need to provide "sufficient financial stability to the School of Medicine to assure success in seizing the remarkable opportunities within the life sciences while enhancing Duke's signature for leadership in health care and medical education," according to the committee. Noting that "major strides" have been made in meeting the school's strategic goals, the committee cites several areas where important needs remain, including nanoscience, performance-based incentives within clinical services units, a medical quality and safety program, integration of clinical information systems and strengthening of Duke's market presence.

Keohane announced on Sept. 1 the members of the search committee, which is chaired by Roy. J. Bostock, a founding member of the DUHS board of directors who retired from Duke University's Board of Trustees in July after 12 years of service. He is chairman emeritus of BCom3 Group Inc., one of the world's leading advertising and marketing communications holding companies. Charles B. Hammond, M.D., E.C. Hamblen Professor and former chairman of the department of obstetrics/gynecology, serves as vice chair of the committee, which also includes Duke trustees, faculty, staff, a student representative and a representative from the Durham community.

Ralph Snyderman, M.D., announced on March 4 that he plans to step down in June 2004 as chancellor for health affairs at Duke University and as president and chief executive officer of DUHS. Snyderman helped guide a number of important initiatives at Duke during the past 15 years, including the establishment of DUHS, the Duke Clinical Research Institute and the Institute for Genome Sciences and Policy.

Keohane also plans to step down at the end of June. She hopes the chancellor's search committee will complete its work by late February 2004. The person selected will report to the president of Duke University. He or she will be responsible for all operations and performance of the Duke University Medical Center, which includes the Schools of Medicine and Nursing, and of DUHS. The chancellor will also oversee strategic planning, the allocation of resources and the management of academic, research and clinical programs.

Duke University Health System is a non-profit, fully integrated academic health care system dedicated to providing outstanding patient care, educating tomorrow's health care leaders and discovering new and better ways to treat disease through biomedical research. Duke University Medical Center operates one of the country's largest clinical and biomedical research enterprises, and is dedicated to quickly translating advances in technology and medical knowledge into improved patient care.

The members of the search committee and the full text of the description prepared by the committee can be found above by clipping on "Chancellor job description.pdf"