Newsletter 2:Layout 1
13/7/05
3:58 pm
Page 1
Oxford medicine THE NEWSLETTER OF THE OXFORD MEDICAL ALUMNI O X F O R D M E D I C I N E . J U LY 2 0 0 5
From the President I can, without doubt, claim a great success the first annual Oxford Osler lecture brilliantly delivered by John Bell, Regius Professor of Medicine, on the 23rd of April 2005. “Will Genomics change Oslerian Medicine?” Answer “yes”, very much so. It will be enhanced. Diagnosis will become more precise, treatment better targeted, management of patient and family improved and the potential for doing harm reduced. For example, we now have 10 or so defined varieties of type 2 diabetes each requiring a different approach. We have the prospect of being able to define a malignancy with such precision that therapy can be almost personalized to the individual. All heady stuff, but to keep a perspective, it is still Public Health that holds centre stage. John Bell reminded us, it is fifty or so years since DNA was defined and fifty years since Richard Doll first published his evidence of the link between smoking and lung cancer. In terms of “lives saved” Richard Doll wins hands down.
Two dinners, fully subscribed, followed at Rhodes House and Green, and our guests included the new Vice Chancellor, Dr John Hood (whom your president found to be a highly agreeable and relaxed dining companion) and Dr and Mrs John Spalding (see page4). We were also delighted to welcome some of those who had graduated through the medical school in 1960. Do come to the September meeting designed to mark the 100th year since William Osler came to Oxford as Regius (details enclosed) and sign up for dinner in Christ church afterwards. Partners and spouses are always most welcome at OMA events. I hope very much that we will fill Christ Church hall as a tribute both to Sir William Osler and to Oxford medicine.
University On the University side, there has been publication of two very important green papers, one on an Academic Strategy and one on a Governance Structure. The Academic Strategy estimates the standing of the University and proposes that, in general, the University is in the top 3 – 5 universities in the world. It also states that teaching and research activities jointly run at a deficit of around £100m a year. This is clearly unsustainable. The paper proposes recruitment of the best staff and students as a vital component of the strategy, and also proposes restructuring departments which are under-performing. A key aspect of both
From the President
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Division news from Dr Kenneth Fleming
. . . . .1
OUS Travel programme 2005–2006 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2005 . . . . . . .3 Dr John Spalding in conversation . . . . . . . . . . .4 Oxford Osler Centenary September 2005 . . . . . . . . .7
J.M. Holt
Inaugural Osler Centenary Lecture 2005 . . . . . . . . . . . .8 OMA Events Diary 2005–2008 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Division News The last three months have been a particularly busy time for both the University and the Division.
Contents
these sensible proposals is much increased Personnel functions. In particular, regular review of an individual’s contributions to teaching, research, administration, etc. and connecting this to rewards, or the opposite, where appropriate. Review of academic career progression is proposed, which by suggesting a systematic promotion pathway, would be a major change for Oxford. There are proposals for increasing income and reducing costs and for jointly distributing the University’s HEFCE income for teaching and research between the colleges and divisions, using the same criteria. A variety of other important issues are addressed, one of the most important of which is to re-balance the numbers of under-graduate and graduate students, by increasing post-graduates and decreasing under-graduates.
Oxford Developments Obituaries
. . .9
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .10