Founding Dean and CEO of Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine in Pasadena to Step Down in June 2024

The Board of the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine in Pasadena said in a statement that the school’s Founding Dean and CEO, Dr. Mark Schuster, had announced his decision on Thursday to step down from his role in June 2024.

“On behalf of the board of directors, I would like to acknowledge and offer deep appreciation for the many successes Dean Schuster has led our school to achieve. His countless contributions since he arrived have set the foundation from which we will enter the next phase of growth and development for our school,” Board Chair Dr. Holly J. Humphrey, MD said of Dr. Schuster on behalf of the Board. “His tenure is marked by extraordinary accomplishments, not the least of which includes the formidable task of opening a school in the middle of a global pandemic.”

Dean Schuster has been a key figure in developing the Medical School, since 2017. In her remarks, Dr. Humphrey said Dean Schuster had made major contributions to the school’s diversity, accreditation, admissions and curriculum. He also oversaw the construction of the school’s modern facility in downtown Pasadena.

In a letter to the students, faculty, and staff, Dean Schuster said he would “step down as Founding Dean and CEO in June 2024, after our inaugural class graduates and heads off into residency. I have concluded it will be the right time for a new leader to take KPSOM into our next phase of growth while providing the Board ample time to conduct a nationwide search for my successor.”

“I am incredibly humbled and appreciative to have had the opportunity to serve as the inaugural Dean at KPSOM—a place dedicated to the values that I hold dear, both personally and professionally,” Dean Schuster wrote.

The Board of Directors will launch a comprehensive search for the next leader of KPSOM, according to Dr. Humphrey. She said the search process will involve all stakeholders of the school community and will be announced in the coming weeks. The goal is to find a leader who can continue the school’s mission, vision and values.