Outgoing Tosteson Is As Kind As He Is Smart, Colleagues Say

When Daniel C. Tosteson '44 relinquishes his position as dean of Harvard Medical School (HMS) next year, his successor will be forced to follow a man most believe will go down in Harvard history as one of the greats.

The outgoing dean's successes during his tenure are extraordinary by any measure. Under his guidance, the endowment of the Medical School quintupled, federal research funding jumped from $38 million to $85 million and the physical campus was almost completely reconstructed.

Tosteson, who will continue to teach even after he steps down as dean, is best known for his revitalization of the way medicine is taught.

His theory of a "new pathway," in which an analytical problem-solving approach replaces an emphasis on rote memorization, has received nationwide accolades and has fundamentally changed medical education across the country, colleagues say.

"Since his appointment in 1977, Dean Tosteson has served the Harvard Medical School, and the larger University community, with the greatest possible distinction and dedication," President Neil L. Rudenstine wrote in a letter last month.

"He has affirmed the highest quality in both medical education and research, not only for Harvard but for the nation as a whole."

Impressive as his accomplishments are, Tosteson wins as many accolades from his peers for his kindness and warmth as he does his national stature and vision for HMS.

Clyde Evans, associate dean for clinical affairs, says he has received several handwritten notes from Tosteson and lauds the dean's ability "to reach out and just make contact with people on a very personal level."

"[He has the] ability, in the midst of all the responsibilities of being dean, to personally recognize individuals and their contributions to the overall work of the school," Evans says, adding that Tosteson sent notes about everything "from the death of a parent to a particularly outstanding accomplishment."

A Nice Guy

Those who have worked with Tosteson say his effectiveness is enhanced by his personability and friendliness.

"He is a genuinely nice guy," Faculty Dean for Clinical Affairs Richard Kitz says. "I think the nice guy moniker helps him and helps us all."

"People gravitate to nice guys and nice gals," he adds. "That means it's easier to get your message across when people naturally gravitate to you."

That personability is reflected in his leadership style, S. James Adelstein, executive dean for academic programs, says.

"First of all, he's very generative of new ideas...and listens when people discuss them," Adelstein says. "He's good at consultation. He generates new ideas, has them processed by other people, and that leads him to the decision."

"He believes in the team approach' would be a vernacular way of putting it," he adds.

Karla J. Pollick, the chief of staff in the dean's office at the Medical School, also cites the dean's personality as a plus.

"I find him an interesting and compassionate person to work for," Pollick says.

"I feel honored to work for Dean Tosteson and fortunate for the opportunity to see first-hand his vision for and leadership of medical education and bio-medical research," Pollick adds.

The Vision Thing

Pollick is not alone in citing the dean's vision as one of his greatest attributes.

Evans says he admires Tosteson's "capacity to remember why it is we're all doing what we're doing--you might call that the 'vision thing."

Evans points to a statement Tosteson made in passing as an example of his ability to encapsulate the big picture and remind people why they are doing the work they do.

"He said the real goal of [HMS] is to relieve the burden of illness," Evans recalls. "It's his ability to remember what we're trying to accomplish and why that's important."

Albert Carnesale, who worked with Tosteson first as a fellow dean and then as provost of the University, called working with him "one of the great privileges of my job."

"Dan Tosteson is a thinker, a decision maker and a leader," Carnesale said in a written statement. "He [has] the ability to identify the truly important aspects of any problem or issue, the willingness to decide on--and take responsibility for--a course of action and the skill required to persuade others of the merit of the decision."

Kitz, who has been at the Medical School for 27 years, says Tosteson's vision is one of the most revolutionary things about him.

"Dan Tosteson stands out and may well be one of the best deans HMS has ever had," says Kitz, who has worked at HMS for 27 years. "What's marvelous about Dan Tosteson is that he is truly an academic elitist. He's what Harvard is all about."

"You truly have a person at the top who sees with great clarity what the job is and gets on with it," he adds. "There are no cutting corners."

Blazing the Trail

Tosteson is most famous for his emphasis on the medical education.

"HMS has been the fortunate recipient of Dan Tosteson's talents and energy for almost two decades," says Eleanor G. Shore, dean for faculty affairs. "He...has an abiding interest in a new approach to medical education that will serve HMS graduates for years to come."

In addition, Adelstein says that Tosteson's method of organizing his office is praiseworthy, though it often gets lost in the dean's other accomplishments.

"I think he has indicated a rather unique way to organize the medical school--by having a clear categorization of responsibilities," he says. "It's not talked about as much, but I think his method of organizing the dean's office as a center of a medical community is very good."

Searching for a Successor

In his letter, Rudenstine said the search process has already begun and he is forming a faculty advisory group that will assist him in the search.

Those at the Medical School don't envy Tosteson's replacement; he or she will have very large shoes to fill.

"It will be a monumental challenge to find a successor who can match his accomplishments," Shore says.