A Conversation with the New UMDNJ Chair

Before our interview began, his presence was confident yet his demeanor would put almost anyone at ease. Extending a hand, he says, “Hi, I’m Kevin.” That would be Kevin M. Barry, MD, MBA, wo was appointed to succeed Robert Del Tufo as Chairman of UMDNJ’s Board of Trustees by N.J. Governor Chris Christie in September 2010. He was originally appointed to the Board in 2007 by Governor Jon Corzine. He is, in fact, the first alumnus of UMDNJ to claim this top leadership position.

Barry, an attending anesthesiologist at Morristown Memorial Hospital, has also served as a member of the Board of Directors at the UMDNJ–University Hospital, as president of Anesthesia Associates of Morristown since 1994, and on the healthcare transition team for the Christie Administration. He pledges his allegiance to the entire University-wide system rather than to a particular unit.

Q: Describe what this means to you to be named the 13th Chair. A: It is both a privilege and an honor, especially returning to the Stanley S. Bergen Building, which I still at times reflexively refer to as Martland Hospital. I completed a clinical rotation downstairs and received a set of vaccines in ’86 there before heading off to Kenya for a medical mission. This is home. I’ve come full circle.

Q: What is your vision for the future? A: The past is behind us. As a result of Bob Del Tufo’s leadership, the University is positioned to make greater strides towards becoming a national leader in health education and research. We are poised to leverage our tremendous expertise and link with industry leaders worldwide. We will be partnering with pharmaceutical, biotech, engineering and life sciences industries to create innovative products, treatment methods and medications. Great potential exists for improving quality care, creating jobs and generating revenue.

Q: Do you have a message for students, faculty, staff, and administrators statewide? A: Yes, we’ve survived a number of tough years. Our resilient faculty, staff and students knew the true value and greatness of the University. We were beaten up on a daily basis by the press. That’s over. The staff, faculty, and students, all loyal members of the UMDNJ community, enabled us to weather the storm. Be proud of who you are and your accomplishments. I can tell you that the Board is very proud of you!

In the past, the alumni tended to identify with a school, rather than the University. Remain loyal to your school, but please recognize that you’re also connected to a larger entity, which is a relatively young university. Our history dates back to the 60s. In the life span of a university, we’re a toddler. Toddlers stumble and fall, but they get up on their feet. We’re poised to run.

Universities established a hundred years ago or more have strengthened their financial bases by building huge endowments. This is not necessarily as enviable a position as it may seem to be at first glance. When you consider UMDNJ’s faculty, public and allied health professionals, staff, dentists, nurses, physicians, and aspiring students, we have a huge endowment of talent, potential and skills. We too will get there with financial endowments! It takes time.

Q: Please share your experience and perspective on medical education. A: Health professionals nationwide are facing an increasingly older and more diverse patient population. We as a nation are facing a shortage of healthcare professionals. It is incumbent upon us to educate a sufficient number of highly-qualified, compassionate professionals who stay ahead of the curve by constantly gaining knowledge and passing that knowledge on to the next generation.

I’ve noticed a shift in medical education, particularly at UMDNJ, of accepting students who are genuinely interested in the humanitarian aspects of medicine. When I went to school, my classmates and I predominantly majored in the hardcore sciences. I loved being in labs. I loved physiology, pharmacology, biochemistry. As such, my natural inclination was to move into a field like anesthesiology. Other students may have been drawn to specialties that impact the cultural and societal aspects of healthcare because of their natural inclinations and interests in these areas. How do we keep students engaged and incentivize them to move into a field whether it is clinical practice or bench research? This and other questions need to be answered so we can address shortages in fields like primary care.

Q: In 200 years, what do you want people to know and remember about you? A: No matter what I build or accomplish, it will never be as important as my being able to instill in the younger generation of health care professionals the true sense of privilege and excitement of being in medicine. I tell students there will be patients that you will care for and cure. Sadly, some patients can’t be cured but all of them can be cared for. I want to be remembered as someone who instilled in the younger generation the importance of developing good technical skills, but more important, of having the kind of love for medicine that embraces the sacrosanct privilege of treating people with dignity and respect.