Being a medical school dean is much more challenging than 20 years ago, believes Robert Golden, M.D., Dean of the School of Medicine and Public Health at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Things are tougher for academic physicians, researchers, and instructors, meaning deans "need to work harder, smarter, and longer." Despite the challenges, Dr. Golden takes them in stride and still finds tremendous reward in his profession. He leans on tried-and-true leadership principals ("Communicate, communicate, communicate") while maintaining a healthy perspective on his work, balancing the "crisis of the day" with long-range thinking and planning. He also exudes an infectious passion and sense of humor. In this Impactful Leaders episode – the second of our Academic Medicine Dean Series – WittKieffer Principal Valerie Weber, M.D. (herself a former medical school dean) engages with Dr. Golden in a lively discussion of the tribulations of deanships as well as, more importantly, secrets of success.

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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