Southern California Physician - http://www.socalphys.com/article
OCMA Viewpoints - In Support of Thomas Cesario, MD
http://www.socalphys.com/article/articles/161/1/OCMA-Viewpoints---In-Support-of-Thomas-Cesario-MD/Page1.html
By Lytton W. Smith, MD
Published on 05/1/2006
 
Lytton W. Smith, MD

 

In an editorial by the Los Angeles Times, the editors concluded that the recent difficulties at the UC Irvine Medical Center liver transplant program mandated the removal of Thomas Cesario, MD, dean of the medical school. I surmise that their (faulty) reasoning emanated from their belief that the dean was responsible for actions taken at UCI Medical Center.

Dr. Cesario demonstrates the qualities need to continue as dean of UCI School of Medicine.

In an editorial by the Los Angeles Times, the editors concluded that the recent difficulties at the UC Irvine Medical Center liver transplant program mandated the removal of Thomas Cesario, MD, dean of the medical school. I surmise that their (faulty) reasoning emanated from their belief that the dean was responsible for actions taken at UCI Medical Center.

In this commentary, I admit my bias (unlike the Times editors). Dr. Cesario is a longtime acquaintance of mine. I know and respect him as a thoughtful, intelligent, honorable and honest man. He has earned too many awards for his academic background and commitment to medical education to mention.

Related to the UCI School of Medicine, I serve as an assistant clinical professor of family medicine, primarily as a preceptor for medical students. Therefore, I understand Dr. Cesario's role is that of an overseer of medical education, not as an administrator of a department at UCI Medical Center.

It is precisely because of my UCI connections that I support Dr. Cesario. The UCI medical director paid the price and resigned. So how far up the chain of command should we expect heads to roll? Did the editors take the time to understand the chain of command? I suspect not! Do the editors assume responsibility for actions taken by the people delivering their newspaper? I suspect not!

Thanks to the actions of the newspaper, blight has now descended upon UCI Medical Center itself. If one department demonstrates mismanagement are all departments mismanaged? The negative perception perpetuated by the media threatens the public's confidence.

As a major population center, Orange County needs a thriving, strong tertiary medical center. We need medical educators to forge the future of medical education. And we in medical practice need to support leaders who demonstrate the best qualities for young physicians to emulate. Dr. Cesario demonstrates the personal and leadership qualities needed to continue as dean of UCI School of Medicine.

In the meantime, please advise me about front-page articles covering the successes at UCI Medical Center. I may have missed them.

Lytton W. Smith, MD, editor for the OCMA, is a physician practicing family medicine with the St. Jude Heritage Medical Group in Yorba Linda. Dr. Smith welcomes feedback on his articles and can be reached at ocmaeditor@ocdoc.com.