Vice Dean of Graduate Medical Education and Designated Institutional Officer
Position Overview
Organization: Dean of Medicine
Title: Vice Dean of Graduate Medical Education and Designated Institutional Officer
Position Details
Position Description
The University of Washington School of Medicine is seeking its next Vice Dean for Graduate Medical Education and Designated Institutional Official (VDGME/DIO or Vice Dean)—a role that sits at the nexus of academic medicine, healthcare delivery, workforce development, and educational innovation. This is a rare opportunity to shape the future of one of the nation’s largest and most influential graduate medical education (GME) enterprises while advancing the mission of an academic health system renowned for its impact across the Pacific Northwest and beyond.
As the sponsoring institution for more than 128 ACGME-accredited residency and fellowship programs, approximately 90 non-ACGME fellowships, and multiple dental residency programs, the University of Washington (UW) oversees the education and development of more than 1,600 unionized residents and fellows annually, making it one of the largest graduate medical education organizations in the United States. The institution ranks among the nation's largest sponsoring institutions by both program count and trainee volume, with a footprint that spans leading academic medical centers, children's hospitals, Veterans Affairs facilities, community hospitals, and hundreds of affiliated training sites.
What makes this opportunity truly distinctive is the scale and complexity of the University of Washington School of Medicine's five-state education enterprise serving Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho (WWAMI). Covering roughly 27% of the U.S. landmass, WWAMI represents one of the most ambitious and successful regional medical education models in the country. Through more than 420 training sites, including over 260 regional sites and 70 rural sites, UW is uniquely positioned to influence physician workforce development, improve access to care in underserved communities, and address some of the nation's most pressing healthcare challenges.
The next Vice Dean and DIO will inherit an organization with a strong foundation and national reputation for excellence. UW GME programs maintain the highest levels of accreditation, support a diverse and global trainee community, and have demonstrated a profound impact on the healthcare workforce, with nearly half of recent graduates remaining in the WWAMI region and more than 800 alumni returning as faculty members.
At the same time, the role presents a compelling leadership challenge. Graduate medical education is evolving rapidly amid workforce shortages, changing learner expectations, new accreditation requirements, technological transformation, and increasing financial pressures on academic health systems. Stakeholders across UW Medicine consistently describe a tremendous opportunity for a leader who can strengthen partnerships across the clinical enterprise, advance innovative approaches to physician training, modernize educational models, leverage emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, and expand UW's influence as a national leader in graduate medical education.
The Vice Dean and DIO reports to the Executive Vice Dean for Medical Education and Faculty Affairs and serves as a key member of the School of Medicine's senior leadership team, working closely with department chairs, health system executives, hospital leaders, program directors, faculty, residents, fellows, and regional partners to advance a shared vision for the future. The Vice Dean and DIO will engage in issues involving accreditation and educational quality, workforce strategy and healthcare delivery, financial stewardship and policy advocacy, and the human dimensions of leadership that foster trust, collaboration, and a culture of excellence. University of Washington faculty engage in teaching, research/scholarship, and service. Positive factors for consideration include, but are not limited to, candidates who have substantial direct experience in graduate medical education, faculty development, and leadership.
The UW School of Medicine has retained Isaacson, Miller to assist with this important recruitment. Inquiries and nominations should be directed confidentially to Isaacson, Miller as indicated at the end of this document.
The Vice Dean for Graduate Medical Education and Designated Institutional Official (VDGME/DIO) reports to the Executive Vice Dean for Medical Education and Faculty Affairs (EVDMEFA) and is an integral member of the School of Medicine’s executive leadership team providing leadership for the Office of Graduate Medical Education and guidance for UW SoM graduate medical education (GME) programs.
The VDGME/DIO will work closely with other vice/associate/assistant deans, department chairs of the School of Medicine, department vice chairs of education, the UW Medicine Chief Medical Officer, and the hospital/clinic leaders of UW Medicine as well as the UW Medicine Chief Equity Officer, the Office of Healthcare Equity, and the Chief Well-Being Officer/Associate Dean for Well-Being. The VDGME/DIO will establish strong partnerships with program directors and program administrators from the more than 120 ACGME-accredited UW Medicine residencies and fellowships as well as the leaders of the non-ACGME accredited programs. The successful candidate will be expected to support the School of Medicine’s commitment to professionalism and to creating an inclusive and welcoming learning environment.
The VDGME/DIO will directly supervise the Associate Dean for GME Accreditation and Education and the Associate Dean for GME Finance and Administration. They will chair the Graduate Medical Education Committee (GMEC), convene the Vice Chairs for Education across SoM Clinical Departments, and support the career development and professional growth of residency and fellowship program directors. They will also lead the ACGME accreditation efforts ahead of the next renewal in 2028.
KEY OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES FOR THE Vice Dean
Explore and invest in WWAMI regional growth and workforce development
One of the most significant opportunities for the next Vice Dean for Graduate Medical Education and Designated Institutional Official is to advance UW School of Medicine’s leadership role in addressing physician workforce shortages across the WWAMI region. With more than 420 training sites spanning Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho, and with a longstanding commitment to rural and underserved communities, the institution is uniquely positioned to expand residency and fellowship pathways that strengthen regional workforce pipelines. In partnership with the Vice Dean for Rural and Regional Affairs, success will require building and sustaining strategic partnerships across diverse health systems, identifying innovative models for rural and regional training, and aligning undergraduate and graduate medical education efforts to create a seamless continuum that encourages physicians to train, remain, and practice throughout the region. The next leader will have the opportunity to shape a long-term vision that leverages UW’s scale, reputation, and expertise to improve healthcare access and workforce distribution across one of the nation’s largest and most geographically complex academic medical regions.
Balancing the education mission with workforce and clinical needs
As healthcare delivery models continue to evolve, UW Medicine faces the challenge of balancing its educational mission with increasing workforce demands and clinical service expectations. Residents and fellows are essential contributors to patient care, yet they remain learners first, requiring high-quality educational experiences that prepare them for independent practice. The next Vice Dean must navigate the complex intersection of training requirements, clinical productivity, faculty workload, resident well-being, and operational realities across an integrated academic health system. This will require a thoughtful and collaborative approach that aligns educational priorities with enterprise needs while ensuring that trainees receive the experiences, mentorship, and autonomy necessary to become exceptional physicians. The successful candidate will be expected to foster shared understanding among program leaders, department chairs, hospital administrators, and learners will be critical to achieving sustainable solutions.
Innovation in medical education
Rapid advances in technology, artificial intelligence, competency-based medical education, and evolving accreditation expectations present an extraordinary opportunity to reimagine how physicians are trained. The next Vice Dean will need to champion innovation while maintaining educational excellence and regulatory compliance. In addition, they will have the opportunity to modernize educational delivery, leverage emerging technologies to improve assessment and feedback, explore new training pathways and competency frameworks, and create scalable solutions that enhance both learner and faculty experiences. As medicine and healthcare systems transform, UW has the potential to remain a national leader by proactively preparing trainees for the future practice environment and fostering a culture of continuous improvement, creativity, and educational scholarship.
Trust-building leadership, communication, and culture
The importance of building and strengthening trust, transparency, and collaboration throughout the GME ecosystem is essential for an enterprise the size and complexity of UW. The next Vice Dean will inherit a highly successful and nationally recognized GME enterprise, but also an environment shaped by organizational change, evolving learner expectations, unionization, and competing stakeholder priorities. There is a significant opportunity to build stronger connections among residents and fellows, program directors, faculty, departmental leadership, hospital operations, and regional partners. Success will require an authentic, visible, and highly communicative leader who listens actively, engages stakeholders thoughtfully, and creates a culture of partnership rather than division. By fostering psychological safety, shared accountability, and a common vision for the future, the next leader can strengthen institutional trust while reinforcing UW’s commitment to excellence in education and patient care.
Financial sustainability and strategic resource management
Ensuring the long-term financial sustainability of GME will be among the most important strategic challenges facing the next Vice Dean. As healthcare organizations face increasing financial pressures, traditional funding models, legacy arrangements, and evolving reimbursement structures continue to require careful evaluation and modernization. There are opportunities for the Vice Dean to streamline funding processes, maximize available resources, strengthen partnerships with clinical and governmental stakeholders, and pursue innovative approaches to supporting educational growth. The next leader will be expected to serve as both a skilled advocate and strategic steward, capable of articulating the value of GME to institutional leaders while identifying creative solutions that support expansion, workforce development, accreditation excellence, and operational effectiveness. Balancing fiscal responsibility with continued investment in trainees, faculty, and educational infrastructure will be essential to sustaining UW’s position as one of the nation’s premier GME programs.
Faculty Appointment
The position is a full-time position with a 12-month service period that will have a faculty appointment as Associate or Full Professor without tenure in one of the UW SoM departments appropriate for the candidate’s professional background and experience. Associate and Full Professors hold indefinite appointments that align with a 12-month service period (July 1-June 30). Faculty with 12-month service periods are paid for 11 months of service over a 12-month period (July-June), meaning the equivalent of one month is available for paid time off.
The administrative role is a 0.6-0.8 FTE position. This position should have time dedicated to clinical effort.
Compensation
The base salary range for this position will be within a range of $200K-650K annually for an Associate Professor or $250K-700K annually for a Full Professor, commensurate with experience, qualifications, and field, or as mandated by a U.S. Department of Labor prevailing wage determination. This range is inclusive of base salary provided through the UW Physicians (UWP) practice plan, in addition to base salary provided by the University. Please note that only compensation provided by the University is included in University benefit determinations and calculations. Compensation provided by UW Physicians (UWP) practice plan may provide eligibility for separate benefits offered by that organization.
UW Physicians Benefits:
Compensation provided by UW Physicians (UWP) practice plan may provide eligibility for separate benefits offered by that organization. Please see additional benefits that may be available: https://faculty.uwmedicine.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/3.-UWP-Benefit-Summary-2025-0.50-FTE-or-Greater-with-UWP-Salary.pdf.
Qualifications
The candidate will possess an MD, MD/PhD, DO, or foreign equivalent degree and must have graduate training and board certification in a medical or surgical specialty. They will have a minimum of ten years of experience in an integrated clinical, research, and learning health system with working knowledge of faculty responsibilities.
Candidates must be eligible for and able to maintain a Washington State medical license. In order to be eligible for University sponsorship for an H-1B visa, graduates of foreign (non-U.S.) medical schools must show successful completion of all 3 steps of the U.S. Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE) or equivalent as determined by the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Instructions
Applications must be submitted via Interfolio: https://apply.interfolio.com/190562. The position will remain open until filled.
Applications should include the following materials:
- a cover letter of no more than 2-3 pages detailing your interest in the position, relevant qualifications, and experiences
- a curriculum vitae
Applicants should articulate how their past experiences and/or future plans in research, teaching, mentoring, patient care, and/or service promote a sense of belonging and foster a welcoming and inclusive environment.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
Equal Opportunity
The University of Washington is committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful and welcoming community for all. As an equal opportunity employer, the University considers applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, citizenship, sex, pregnancy, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, disability, or veteran status consistent with UW Executive Order No. 81.
Benefits Information
The University is committed to providing excellent benefits to our faculty. For a summary of available benefits, please see UWHR benefits information.
Privacy Notice
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Disability Services
The University of Washington is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, education, and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 or dso@uw.edu.