The initial interviews with three candidates picked by the selection committee are now over.

The third and final candidate, Dr. Barbara Ducatman visited campus March 13.

“I was absolutely blown out of the water at the interest in the process. It’s very exciting,” Ducatman said.

When asked what her vision for the school would be, she said that it was not up to her.

“Vision has to come from the people in place, whoever is selected needs to listen and not just talk,” she said.

OU Provost Virinder Moudgil said, “The preferred candidate out of the three will be invited back for another interview. We are still relatively early on in the process,” he said.

The three candidates presented three unique styles and presentations for the future of the med school, a point that stuck with CSA Director Jean Ann Miller, and OU President Gary Russi.

“We have a diversity of choices. They have three very different approaches,” Russi said.

Moudgil said if none of the three candidates are chosen for a follow-up interview, the next candidates on the selection committee’s list will be called in for interviews.

“All three are excellent candidates though,” he said.

Russi added, “The three candidates are experts in their fields, and we are pleased to have them.” 

One fear among some Oakland faculty is that the existing health science programs will get phased out or diminished due to the partnership with Beaumont.

Ducatman doesn’t agree with that logic.

“When you grow the pie bigger, everyone wins,” she said.

Ducatman is currently the chair of the pathology department at West Virginia University.

Her presentation was full of examples of changes made in the pathology department that resulted in higher test scores and more students graduating.

Accountability for students and faculty as well as a focus on process were central themes of her presentation.

The second candidate for dean, Dr. Robert Folberg, head of the department of pathology at the University of Illinois-Chicago, visited campus March 5, to make his case to assembled faculty and students.

Dr. Charles Shanley of Royal Oak Beaumont Hospital was the first candidate interviewed.

OU is partnering with Beaumont Hospital to form the first medical school in Oakland County, and hopes to have the funding, staff and accreditation to open in 2010.

Beaumont Hospital’s representatives are not commenting on the dean search because they have not individually interviewed the candidates yet.

There have been positive responses to all three candidates, and according to many, a preliminary decision should come relatively soon.