Drexel names interim as its med-school dean

Drexel University has appointed prominent pediatric lung specialist Daniel V. Schidlow as dean of its college of medicine.

Schidlow, 64, had been serving as interim dean for eight months while a university committee conducted a national search - ultimately deciding that the right candidate was already on the job.

A native of Chile who speaks seven languages, Schidlow is a widely published researcher on cystic fibrosis and other lung ailments. He spent 35 years at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, where he rose to assume the title of physician in chief before becoming Drexel's interim dean in November. He had been teaching at the medical school since 1994, soon after the merger of its two predecessors, Medical College of Pennsylvania and Hahnemann University.

Schidlow said his goals include improving translational research - the sort of studies that lead to new drugs, products, or treatments. He also aims to boost collaboration with other schools at Drexel, such as public health, nursing, engineering and the sciences.

"Medical schools in general can be a little bit insular within universities," the dean said in an interview. "We want to bring down any possible barriers."

The medical school admits 260 medical students each year. It also serves students seeking graduate degrees in biomedical and health sciences. Schidlow said the school remains committed to addressing regional and national shortages of primary-care physicians. It offers scholarships to students who pursue such careers.

With Polish grandparents, and parents originally from Austria and Germany, Schidlow said, he feels comfortable speaking to student groups of various ethnic backgrounds.

"Everybody invites me because I'm a little bit of everything," he said.

When Schidlow became a U.S. citizen in 1984, his wife gave him a piece of embroidery reflecting his new status. Prominently displayed in his office, it reads: "America, I love you."