Mayo Clinic Names Richard Berger, M.D., Ph.D., as the New Dean of Mayo School of Continuing Medical Education

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Richard Berger, M.D., Ph.D., professor of orthopedics and consultant in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery and the Department of Anatomy, has been named dean of Mayo School of Continuing Medical Education (MSCME). He begins his new position immediately.

Dr. Berger succeeds Carole Warnes, M.D., professor of medicine and consultant in the Division of Cardiovascular Diseases and Internal Medicine and the Division of Pediatric Cardiology, who has served as MSCME dean since 1997.

"This is an exciting and pivotal time for medical education, and I am honored to be able to serve as MSCME dean," says Dr. Berger. "Our ability to improve quality patient care depends in large part upon current and future health care providers staying at the frontiers of their fields — to continue learning on a daily basis during their careers. As dean, I am excited to nurture innovations in continuing medical education to advance quality and safety in patient care."

Dr. Berger earned his medical degree and did his residency training at the University of Iowa, College of Medicine, where he was selected as a Fulbright Scholar. He joined Mayo in 1989 as a fellow in hand surgery within the Department of Orthopedic Surgery.

Dr. Berger has served as associate dean of MSCME since 2005 and chairs the Mayo Clinic Continuing Medical Education Committee. Outside of Mayo, he is in his second term as a member of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME). Additionally, Dr. Berger is co-chairing the National Consensus Conference of CME Research and Strategic Management with the ACCME and the Society for Academic Continuing Medical Education, which will be held in Rochester in the spring of 2008.

Dr. Warnes has served as dean of MSCME since its inception in 1997. During Dr. Warnes' tenure, the school received two consecutive exemplary accreditation reviews by the ACCME and is recognized nationally for leadership in continuing medical education (CME) quality and practice. "Dr. Warnes has served an integral role in advancing CME at Mayo Clinic — in setting and achieving standards of practice that are considered the best in the nation. We are indebted to her," says Terrence Cascino, M.D., executive dean of education for Mayo Clinic.

Mayo School of Continuing Medical Education is an accredited school within Mayo Clinic that provides more than 140 continuing education courses each year to physicians and other health care professionals around the world. More than 19,000 physicians and scientists and 16,000 health science professionals participate in its programs each year.

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