Thoughts from Our Advisory Dean: David C. Gordon, MD

May 2022. After a year of anticipation, application, and conversation, I was ultimately offered the opportunity to become an Associate Dean for Student Affairs at the Duke University School of Medicine. The answer to the invitation was obvious. Yes.

Teaching and advising have always brought diversification and enrichment to my career as an emergency medicine physician.  Being an educator offers unique opportunities to be creative, challenged, and impactful. While fortunate to remain as one of our Associate Program Directors - working with the dream team of residency program leadership – moving on from being an Undergraduate Medical Education Director to an Advisory Dean has brought with it the opportunity to expand my connection with medical students as well as further develop my abilities as a health professions educator.

Years ago, I had been mulling over how I wanted my career to evolve and found myself at a fork in the road. Did I want to take on more of an administrative position overseeing educational programs or alternatively more of an advising role affording more direct contact with students. Not that one job is mutually exclusive to the other, but where did I want the point of emphasis to lie? Or probably the most important question I had to ask myself is where did my soul – not my ego – want to travel?

I recently finished my first year as an Advisory Dean. They say it takes at least three years to feel comfortable at the job. I agree. But the correctness of the decision is without question. It’s been a privilege to join students early in their journey and see them through the finish line of medical school. They in turn have taught me how to be more open and vulnerable. Together we grow. It’s exciting and rewarding. The soul knew all along.D