The Ohio University’s Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine will lose two administrators by July of this year, as another dean has decided to step down.
Keith Watson, currently OU-HCOM’s Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, will be leaving June 30 to serve as president of Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences in Yakima, WA.
“It’s an exciting new, small, private school that I think is a really nice fit for this point in my career,” Watson said. “It’s been a tremendous honor and experience to be here to work with Dr. (Jack) Brose. It’s just been a wonderful experience. Athens has become a home … in many ways.”
Brose, the college’s current dean, who will retire at the end of this year, said he is supportive of his colleague but hates to see Watson leave.
“I’m really happy for him because it’s a tremendous career opportunity, and I’m really happy for (Pacific Northwest) because I think they will have one of the best in the field,” Brose said.
Brose’s replacement, who has yet to be named, will get to decide Watson’s successor and reorganize the position’s duties if necessary, said Karoline Lane, OU-HCOM’s director of communication.
Waston, who has been at OU-HCOM for more than ten years, makes $223,734. He said he learned a lot at OU-HCOM by developing and administering the college’s Centers for Osteopathic Research and Education program, which includes overseeing OU-HCOM students’ residencies in more than 25 Ohio institutions, he said.
Pacific Northwest recently developed a College of Osteopathic Medicine of its own, which will graduate its first class in May. It was Watson’s OU-HCOM experience that Lloyd Butler, Pacific Northwest’s interim president said he is most looking forward to having at the university.
“(Watson) will bring a huge benefit to our continued development and expansion of the school because of his extensive background in medical education and medical education leadership and experience in developing curriculum and graduate medical education programs,” Butler said.
Yakima Pacific’s interview process began last year and included interviewing more than 50 candidates, though Watson was “unanimously” the first choice, Butler said.
“We’re thrilled with our final choice,” Butler said. “This is a match made in heaven.”
sj950610@ohiou.edu
