SEMR members are encouraged to reach out to our community and invite family, friends, prospective members, Rotarians, medical professionals, etc. for this meeting to hear about the formation of only the second public medical school in our state's history and the value of it's "community based" approach specifically focused on serving areas of our state that are underserved.
Dr. John Tomkowiak
Founding Dean
Dr. Tomkowiak will be making a special trip over from Spokane to speak with SEMR members and guests at our November 17 meeting about the formation of the college and its unique mission for health care in our state.
The dean was recruited by WSU from the Chicago School of Medicine for this pioneering role that has involved guiding the school through the process of accreditation to personally offering the first 60 students a place in the inaugural class of 2017-2018. Tomkowiak highlights the school's focus on providing more opportunities in this state for medical education and better care for more citizens of the state and that healthcare starts with the student's own personal health and well-being. The school will also stress leadership training.
November 17 meeting at Shawn O'Donnell's American Grill and Irish Pub: 12:00 - 1:30PM - Lunch $15
Dr. Tomkowiak (pronounced tom-KOVE-e-ack) came to WSU from the Chicago Medical School, where he served as dean, acting chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health and professor of psychiatry. He was also president of the Rosalind Franklin University Health System and executive vice president for clinical affairs for the Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. He has also worked in administrative and faculty positions at New York Medical College, the Florida State University College of Medicine and Southern Illinois University School of Medicine.
Tomkowiak is a psychiatrist by training. He urges his faculty and staff members to take care of their own personal wellbeing first, then fulfill their responsibilities to family and friends. The job, he says, should be third on the priority list.
“Take care of the first two and I’m confident you’ll be able to throw yourself fully into your work while you’re here,” he said.
Tomkowiak’s first major task at WSU was to guide the College of Medicine through the process of gaining national accreditation for its medical school. It’s a process with which he’s very familiar. He has helped four other medical schools with accreditation, including Chicago Medical School, his most recent post.
And when this years inaugural class of 60 students was formed after accepting over 700 applications, they were invited by a personal phone call invitation from the dean. The school is located in Spokane, but 4 times a year the students will spend a week at a time in four locations around the state (Spokane, Everett, Vancouver, and Tri-Cities) to get to know health care in various parts of the state.
He talks about his belief that, in addition to their academic and clinical studies, medical students should also be taught about leadership. (Tomkowiak holds a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Gonzaga University.) He says WSU medical students may be required to take a series of four leadership courses.
