The OU College of Medicine has named Sheila Crow, Ph.D., Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs and Professional Development, a newly created role that will focus on faculty support throughout their careers.

Her appointment reflects the college’s increased emphasis on faculty support and development. Crow brings 30 years of experience in academic medicine to the position. Her goals include developing a longitudinal onboarding process for faculty; supporting faculty throughout the promotion and tenure process; showcasing faculty achievements; and more.

“Our aim is to support faculty throughout their careers, beginning day one,” Crow said. “We need to be thoughtful about what our faculty are engaging in and making sure it’s going to help them excel in their academic career. What they need in their first six months is quite different from what they need several years later. We think about it in terms of helping them across their work lifespan.”

Crow will interact with the Office of Access and Community Engagement to promote diversity among faculty. She will also bring an emphasis on faculty vitality and wellness.

“Faculty burnout in medical schools is high,” she said, “and the COVID-19 pandemic is adding extra stress. We plan to offer ongoing wellness initiatives and mental health resources. I want our faculty to feel the passion and excitement that drew them to academic medicine.”

The majority of Crow’s career has been with the OU College of Medicine, beginning in 1989. She began on the Oklahoma City campus as a research assistant in the Center on Child Abuse and Neglect (CCAN) in the Department of Pediatrics, and her first administrative appointment was in 1996 as assistant director of CCAN. She then served as director of the Palliative Care Program, followed by three roles in the Office of Medical Education -- Program Director for Curriculum Development, Interim Director and Director. She also served as Director of Operations for the Clinical Skills Education and Testing Center.

In 2011, Crow moved to the college’s Tulsa campus, serving as Assistant, then Associate, Dean for Curriculum and Faculty Affairs. Among her many efforts in that role was to work toward a four-year branch campus for what is now called the OU-TU School of Community Medicine. Most recently, was Assistant Vice President at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine in Florida from 2018-2020.

Her other professional roles include serving as a consultant in Undergraduate Medical Education for the Association of American Medical Colleges; for the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine; and for California University of Science and Medicine, School of Medicine.

Executive Dean John Zubialde, M.D., said Crow’s expertise across the continuum of medical education is especially valuable as the college grows its emphasis on faculty support and development.

“Our faculty members in the College of Medicine have chosen to practice in academic medicine because they are specifically drawn to our core mission of teaching the next generation of physicians and conducting research that contributes to the foundation of medical knowledge,” Zubialde said. “Just as our faculty are dedicated to that mission, we are committed to supporting them from the moment they step on campus.”