Medical college dean will retire

Verdile lauded for researching, training he brought to school

Albany Medical Center Dean Vincent Verdile will retire at the end of this year after two decades in the medical school’s top spot, Albany Med President and CEO Dennis Mckenna said this week.

Verdile has held the position since 2001 when he became one of the first emergency medicine doctors nationwide to hold a college deanship. He is set to retire Dec. 31 but will remain on as dean emeritus, Mckenna said.

A national search is under way for his successor.

“Dean Verdile has profoundly affected Albany Medical College, elevating medical education and training, biomedical research and clinical care in our region,” said Robert Cushing, chair of Albany Med’s board of directors. “He has made a significant impact on our system, and we wish him the very best in his retirement.”

A native of Troy, Verdile earned his medical degree from Albany Medical College in 1984 before completing his residency at the

University of Pittsburgh. In 1993 he joined Albany Medical Center Hospital as vice chair of the department of emergency medicine, and quickly rose to become chair and head of the department.

During his time as Albany Medical College’s 17th dean, Verdile oversaw a complete overhaul of medical school curriculum and brought numerous innovations to the college, Mckenna said. One was the Patient Safety and Clinical Competency Center — one of the nation’s largest simulation facilities where students and professionals practice their medical skills before dealing with live patients.

He also helped diversify the college’s academic leadership and revitalize the Alden March Bioethics Institute, Mckenna said.

Student applications to the college grew from fewer than 6,100 at the start of his tenure to nearly 14,000 as of last year. The college endowment, meanwhile, nearly tripled from $43.5 million to nearly $125 million over the same period.

In addition to the deanship, Verdile was named senior executive vice president for system care delivery at Albany Medical Center Hospital in 2016 and guides the 500-member Albany Med Physicians Group.