UK HealthCare

Dr. Frederick C. de Beer Named Dean of the UK College of Medicine

LEXINGTON, KY (June 16, 2011) -- Dr. Frederick C. de Beer, longtime University of Kentucky faculty member and current chair of the Department of Internal Medicine, has accepted the position of dean of the College of Medicine and vice president for Clinical Academic Affairs, effective July 1, 2011, pending UK Board of Trustees approval.

The announcement was made today by UK Provost Kumble R. Subbaswamy and UK Executive Vice President for Health Affairs Dr. Michael Karpf. 

"After completing a national search, we concluded that Dr. de Beer best fit the needs of our College of Medicine," said Subbaswamy. "We look forward to working with Dr. de Beer in his new leadership role and greatly appreciate the work of our search committee and the participation and input of faculty, staff and students of the college in the selection process."

The search committee was co-chaired by Dr. Mark Evers, director of the Markey Cancer Center, and UK College of Nursing Dean Jane Kirschling.

"As we are experiencing this time of growth in the breadth and size of our clinical, academic and research capabilities, it is vital to have a leader who can move the college forward in all forefronts and Dr. de Beer has demonstrated that he has the qualities and experience needed to help UK achieve its goals," said Karpf.

De Beer received his medical degree from the University of Pretoria, South Africa. His postgraduate education was at the Royal Postgraduate Medical School, London. Prior to coming to the United States in 1989, he served as professor of medicine at the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa. 

In 1993, he was named chief of the Division of  Endocrinology and Molecular Medicine at the UK College of Medicine. He has also served as vice chair of the Department of Internal Medicine, director of the UK Graduate Center for Nutritional Sciences, and chief of medicine at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Lexington. In 2003, he was appointed as the Jack M. Gill Professor and chair of the Department of Internal Medicine. Dr. de Beer has authored or co-authored 129 peer-reviewed publications as well as a number of book chapters and editorials.  He maintains an active research laboratory and has been continually funded by the National Institutes of Health for more than 20 years. 

"I look forward to the opportunity to help my colleagues to build upon the achievements and successes of the past to elevate this college and our health care enterprise to national stature," de Beer said. "It is the challenge as well as responsibility of us all to take something that is very good and make it excellent.  The citizens of our Commonwealth deserve a truly great medical center and that meets their most complex health care needs.”

Dr. de Beer succeeds Dr. Jay Perman who was named president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore, in 2010.  Since then the former dean, Dr. Emery Wilson, has served as interim dean of the college.  At the request of Dr. de Beer, Wilson has agreed to continue to work with alumni and friends of the College of Medicine in building support for the college’s initiatives.