Clinical Affairs Leader and Educator Dr. David B. Schwartz Announces Retirement from UM School of Medicine

Had Distinguished Career in OB-GYN, Led SOM’s Recent Success in Improving Patient Quality, Safety and Communications

University of Maryland School of Medicine Senior Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs, Anthony Lehman, MD, along with UMSOM Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, announced today that David B. Schwartz, MD, Director of Clinical Affairs Special Programs and Clinical Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology’s Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, will retire at the end of year.

Dr. Schwartz, who had a long, distinguished career in maternal fetal medicine at several prestigious medical institutions in South Africa, England and the U.S, has been known as a leading clinician, educator and tireless advocate for delivering the highest level of patient care throughout his career.

At the UMSOM, he was recruited in 2012 to initiate a series of new programs specifically focused on improving patient quality and safety, increasing levels of patient satisfaction and enhancing physician communication with patients.  Under his leadership, UMSOM Faculty have attained the highest levels ever in its Press-Ganey scores (the established national metric for patient satisfaction), increasing from the 20^th percentile to the 60^th percentile and continuing to rise.

“David Schwartz is a special individual, and one who has truly been a gift to the UMSOM,” said Dean Reece.  “He has tackled an enormous challenge and has succeeded across all dimensions. We are very grateful for the gentle and steady leadership he has brought here, and his ability to help transform a culture that places patient care as a top priority.”

Dr. Schwartz replied, “I am most grateful to Dean Reece to be given this opportunity to contribute,” he said.  “I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here.  It has certainly enriched the last phase of my medical career.”

Led Multiple Clinical Affairs Initiatives

During his six-year tenure at UMSOM, Dr. Schwartz was involved in multiple clinical affairs initiatives.

He was instrumental in integrating the UMSOM into the Service Excellence Program of the Faculty Physicians, Inc., including developing pilot programs, implementing patient survey research, defining roles and responsibilities of the FPI Medical Director and developing the document of ‘Guiding Principles for Physician Behavior.’

In the area of Faculty Communication Training, he worked with a dedicated team to establish the “PEP” Program and served as the Lead Physician and Certified Trainer for the program.  He conducted numerous workshops and training programs, and the program was featured in national forums for building a model program for faculty-physician communication.

“Dr Schwartz has provided clear-eyed and strong leadership on all of his projects, said Dr. Lehman. “He is highly compassionate and committed to the best patient care. He has been a valued friend and colleague in Clinical Affairs.”

An Educator and Mentor

As an educator, he taught medical students and residents in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, served as lecturer, and clinical research mentor.

Dr. Schwartz said he particularly enjoyed teaching residents. “I have always benefitted from tremendous mentors throughout my career. I believe it is critically important that each of us is able to share our experiences with our younger colleagues.”

He also served on numerous boards and committees for SOM, UMMC, UMMS and MMCIP (Maryland Medicine Comprehensive Insurance Program) related to clinical affairs, patient safety and quality, claims and risk management, and was involved in leadership committees for Ambulatory Electronic Records and Meaningful Use Data Reporting as well as the Physician Builder Program.

Accomplished Career:  From South Africa to Maryland

Dr. Schwartz, who was born in South Africa, received his medical degree from the University of the Witwatersrand Medical School in Johannesburg, South Africa.  He completed his internships and residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology in the teaching hospitals of the University of Witwatersrand.  He then continued his post-graduate training and fellowship experiences in Maternal Fetal Medicine & Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Nuffield Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at Oxford University and Basingstoke District and General Hospital in Berkshire, England.

Upon moving to the U.S in 1978., he completed his fellowship in Maternal Fetal Medicine at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and then served on its faculty before becoming Chair and Residency Program Director at Sinai Hospital of Detroit.  In 2000, he relocated to Baltimore to Chair the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, with a faculty appointment at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Dr. Schwartz has received numerous honors and awards throughout his career.  He was the first recipient of the Endowed Srere Chair in Perinatal Medicine, awarded by the Detroit Medical Center and Wayne State University. At Hopkins, he received the Volunteer Clinical Faculty Award by the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society and was three-time recipient of the Excellence in Teaching Award.

“At the end of the day, every patient should always receive the fullest attention and the best care possible by all medical providers,” he said, reflecting on his career.  “We hold the most privileged position to be able to care for and serve our patients. We must instill in our younger colleagues the confidence and ability to be compassionate medical practitioners for our patients.”

About the University of Maryland School of Medicine

Now in its third century, the University of Maryland School of Medicine was chartered in 1807 as the first public medical school in the United States. It continues today as one of the fastest growing, top-tier biomedical research enterprises in the world -- with 43 academic departments, centers, institutes, and programs; and a faculty of more than 3,000 physicians, scientists, and allied health professionals, including members of the National Academy of Medicine and the National Academy of Sciences, and a distinguished recipient of the Albert E. Lasker Award in Medical Research. With an operating budget of more than $1 billion, the School of Medicine works closely in partnership with the University of Maryland Medical Center and Medical System to provide research-intensive, academic and clinically-based care for more than 1.2 million patients each year. The School has over 2,500 students, residents, and fellows, and more than $530 million in extramural funding, with most of its academic departments highly ranked among all medical schools in the nation in research funding. As one of the seven professional schools that make up the University of Maryland, Baltimore campus, the School of Medicine has a total workforce of nearly 7,000 individuals. The combined School and Medical System (“University of Maryland Medicine”) has an annual budget of nearly $6 billion and an economic impact more than $15 billion on the state and local community. The School of Medicine faculty, which ranks as the 8th highest among public medical schools in research productivity, is an innovator in translational medicine, with 600 active patents and 24 start-up companies. The School works locally, nationally, and globally, with research and treatment facilities in 36 countries around the world. Visit medschool.umaryland.edu/