UW Medicine announced the creation of a historic endowed deanship honoring Paul Ramsey, MD, retired CEO of UW Medicine and dean of the University of Washington School of Medicine. The Paul G. Ramsey Endowed Deanship was established with leadership gifts from Steve and Connie Ballmer and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, each donating $10 million to advance research discoveries, train medical leaders and further excellence and equity in healthcare.
This $20 million deanship is the largest, publicly announced medical school deanship in the country.
Making a difference in medical education
Ramsey retired this past summer after 25 years of distinguished service as CEO of UW Medicine and dean of the UW School of Medicine.
During his tenure, he led the integration of the School’s clinical, research and training programs, a move that positioned UW Medicine to serve as a regional, national and global leader during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The endowed deanship honoring Ramsey will provide a stable source of funding to advance the mission, goals and reputation of the UW School of Medicine, including research projects, medical education and student support programs and initiatives that further excellence and equity in healthcare.
You can read more about the deanship on the UW Medicine Newsroom or in the Q&A below.
Q&A
1. What is the Paul G. Ramsey Endowed Deanship?
The Paul G. Ramsey Endowed Deanship is an endowed fund established by private gifts that provides permanent funding for current and future deans to support programs, projects and research that advance the mission, goals and reputation of the University of Washington School of Medicine. It is not restricted to a particular activity and the dean has maximum flexibility on how to use the funds.
The full value of the endowment is invested in UW’s Consolidated Endowment Fund (CEF) and a percentage is distributed on a quarterly basis in perpetuity.
2. Why is this historic? Are endowed deanships rare?
Endowed deanships are a rare honor. There are only 13 publicly announced medical school deanships across the country. Likewise, endowed deanships of this size are very rare. Based on public announcements of universities and colleges nationwide, the Paul G. Ramsey Endowed Deanship is the largest medical school deanship and the second largest deanship across all academic units.
3. How much are the annual distributions for the Paul G. Ramsey Endowed Deanship
Established at $20 million, the annual distributions will be approximately $720,000. Distributions could increase as additional donations are made to the deanship. Additional gifts have already been given by other generous families in the region and fundraising will continue for this deanship.
4. What are some of the current priorities that distributions will be used for?
While the first distributions will not be available until June 30, 2023, allocations are likely to be made to research projects, medical education and student support programs and to initiatives that further excellence and equity in healthcare.
5. How will the dean decide how to spend the funds?
The dean has maximum flexibility in allocating funding toward programs, projects and research that advance the mission, goals and reputation of the School. Each dean will have to develop their own process for making those determinations.
6. Can distributions be used to support initiatives in the health system?
Yes. The UW School of Medicine is a clinically integrated part of UW Medicine and funding from the deanship can support initiatives in our hospitals and clinics. The close connection between our research, patient care and learning programs is essential to advancing our mission of improving the health of the public.
