Faculty, staff and friends:
 
My name is Michael Abecassis and I am the new dean of the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson. I am humbled, honored and privileged to join the wonderful and talented academic leaders, faculty and staff of this college.
 
I have spent the last 27 years in Chicago at Northwestern Medicine where I served primarily as chief of the Division of Organ Transplantation and founding director of the Comprehensive Transplant Center. I was also the dean of clinical affairs for three years. Through these and other positions, I have had the opportunity to wear many different but related hats as a clinician, researcher, teacher and administrator.
 
Needless to say, I am incredibly excited for this new opportunity, not to mention the change of scenery and weather. I enjoy challenges and I look forward to taking these on with your help and input. My goal is to foster a sense of shared purpose and shared destiny and to engender a pride of enterprise. 
 
With this goal in mind, over the next several weeks, my priority will be to listen and learn. I would like to better understand the ecosystem around the college and the current state as together we formulate and cap a forward-looking vision.
 
As I build my understanding of the college, its challenges and its opportunities, I hope to begin leveraging existing and new assets to empower our chairs, center directors and faculty. We have great strengths and we need to build on these, as well as build new strengths where gaps may exist.
 
In the interim, I encourage you to reach out to me in the coming months. I am very approachable and ready to listen and learn from you all.

Thank you,

Michael Abecassis, MD, MBA
Dean, College of Medicine – Tucson
Professor, Department of Surgery

P.S. I hope you will consider attending our Founders Day lecture on Friday, Nov. 15. This will be my first major event at the College of Medicine – Tucson. I look forward to meeting many of you there.