Aaron Lazare
Encyclopedia
Aaron Lazare was the Chancellor and Dean of University of Massachusetts Medical School
, Worcester, Massachusetts
from May 15, 1991 to March 15, 2007.
degree from Oberlin College
and his Doctor of Medicine
degree from Case Western Reserve University
School of Medicine. He served his internship in internal medicine at Albert Einstein Medical Center
in the Bronx and residency in psychiatry at Massachusetts Mental Health Center
, Boston.
(MGH), he became the director of Acute Psychiatric Service, director of Outpatient Psychiatry, and director of Clinical Services for the Department of Psychiatry while rising to the rank of Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School
. During his tenure at MGH, Lazare built the outpatient psychiatry department into the largest and most diverse in New England, and provided leadership for founding and developing what many believe has been the most successful continuing education course in psychiatry in the U.S.
In 1982, Lazare accepted the position of professor of psychiatry and chair of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. Lazare received the university's Distinguished Professional Public Service Award in 1988 "for exceptional achievement in serving the interests of the people of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts," and two teaching awards. While chair of the Department of Psychiatry, Lazare initiated an entirely new sphere of scholarly activity on the subject of shame and humiliation in medical encounters, an area in which Lazare is perhaps the national leader. His thesis focuses on the medical interview as a tinderbox for shame experiences for both patient and physician. Physicians can be taught to enhance the dignity of patients while minimizing the patient's humiliation.
In 1989, Lazare was called to be interim dean, permanent dean and interim chancellor of UMass Medical Center. He currently holds the title of chancellor/dean.
In 1992, Lazare was honored by the American Psychiatric Association to give the Benjamin Rush Award Lecture, given by an individual "who has achieved renown for his/her contribution to the history of Psychiatry".
In 1993, he was selected by the Anti-Defamation League of New England to receive the Maimonides Award for "outstanding commitment as a physician and educator to providing quality health services and the training of health care providers in an atmosphere of sensitivity and respect to all people".
In 1995, Lazare was appointed by Governor William Weld to chair the Citizens' Task Force on Adoption. One of the group's recommendations was the establishment of a UMass five-campus Center for Adoption Research and Policy.
On June 13, 2002 the recently built $100 million research building on the Medical School
campus was officially named the "Aaron Lazare Medical Research Building" at the request of Framingham, MA entrepreneur and philanthropist Jack Blais and his wife, Shelly, who donated $21 million dollars toward its construction. The Blais' donation is still the largest gift from an individual in the history of the University of Massachusetts
.
The honors he has received over the years recognize a broad range of accomplishments as a practicing psychiatrist, as a researcher, as an author, as an educator, as a lecturer, as a leader/administrator, and as a humanitarian. He is co-editor of the reference text, The Medical Interview.
A replacement for Lazare has yet to be determined, although President Jack M. Wilson
has stated he and the campus leadership team in the coming days will make arrangements for interim appointments, and will in due course define a search process for a chancellor.
funding over a period of eight years.
His publications include 70 original articles and book chapters and six books.
University of Massachusetts Medical School
The University of Massachusetts Medical School is one of five campuses of the University of Massachusetts system and is home to three schools: the School of Medicine, the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, the Graduate School of Nursing; a biomedical research enterprise; and a range of...
, Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
from May 15, 1991 to March 15, 2007.
Education
Lazare received his Bachelor of ArtsBachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree from Oberlin College
Oberlin College
Oberlin College is a private liberal arts college in Oberlin, Ohio, noteworthy for having been the first American institution of higher learning to regularly admit female and black students. Connected to the college is the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, the oldest continuously operating...
and his Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
degree from Case Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University is a private research university located in Cleveland, Ohio, USA...
School of Medicine. He served his internship in internal medicine at Albert Einstein Medical Center
Albert Einstein Medical Center
Albert Einstein Medical Center is a tertiary care teaching hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. An important aspect of the medical center is that of educating graduating physicians. The medical center offers residency and fellowship training programs in many specialized areas...
in the Bronx and residency in psychiatry at Massachusetts Mental Health Center
Massachusetts Mental Health Center
Massachusetts Mental Health Center is a historic building at 74 Fenwood Road in Boston, Massachusetts.The center was built in 1912 as Boston Psychopathic Hospital by Taylor Kendall and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1994....
, Boston.
Career highlights
During 14 years of service at the Massachusetts General HospitalMassachusetts General Hospital
Massachusetts General Hospital is a teaching hospital and biomedical research facility in the West End neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts...
(MGH), he became the director of Acute Psychiatric Service, director of Outpatient Psychiatry, and director of Clinical Services for the Department of Psychiatry while rising to the rank of Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School is the graduate medical school of Harvard University. It is located in the Longwood Medical Area of the Mission Hill neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts....
. During his tenure at MGH, Lazare built the outpatient psychiatry department into the largest and most diverse in New England, and provided leadership for founding and developing what many believe has been the most successful continuing education course in psychiatry in the U.S.
In 1982, Lazare accepted the position of professor of psychiatry and chair of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. Lazare received the university's Distinguished Professional Public Service Award in 1988 "for exceptional achievement in serving the interests of the people of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts," and two teaching awards. While chair of the Department of Psychiatry, Lazare initiated an entirely new sphere of scholarly activity on the subject of shame and humiliation in medical encounters, an area in which Lazare is perhaps the national leader. His thesis focuses on the medical interview as a tinderbox for shame experiences for both patient and physician. Physicians can be taught to enhance the dignity of patients while minimizing the patient's humiliation.
In 1989, Lazare was called to be interim dean, permanent dean and interim chancellor of UMass Medical Center. He currently holds the title of chancellor/dean.
In 1992, Lazare was honored by the American Psychiatric Association to give the Benjamin Rush Award Lecture, given by an individual "who has achieved renown for his/her contribution to the history of Psychiatry".
In 1993, he was selected by the Anti-Defamation League of New England to receive the Maimonides Award for "outstanding commitment as a physician and educator to providing quality health services and the training of health care providers in an atmosphere of sensitivity and respect to all people".
In 1995, Lazare was appointed by Governor William Weld to chair the Citizens' Task Force on Adoption. One of the group's recommendations was the establishment of a UMass five-campus Center for Adoption Research and Policy.
On June 13, 2002 the recently built $100 million research building on the Medical School
University of Massachusetts Medical School
The University of Massachusetts Medical School is one of five campuses of the University of Massachusetts system and is home to three schools: the School of Medicine, the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, the Graduate School of Nursing; a biomedical research enterprise; and a range of...
campus was officially named the "Aaron Lazare Medical Research Building" at the request of Framingham, MA entrepreneur and philanthropist Jack Blais and his wife, Shelly, who donated $21 million dollars toward its construction. The Blais' donation is still the largest gift from an individual in the history of the University of Massachusetts
University of Massachusetts
This article relates to the statewide university system. For the flagship campus often referred to as "UMass", see University of Massachusetts Amherst...
.
The honors he has received over the years recognize a broad range of accomplishments as a practicing psychiatrist, as a researcher, as an author, as an educator, as a lecturer, as a leader/administrator, and as a humanitarian. He is co-editor of the reference text, The Medical Interview.
Resignation
Lazare stepped down as chancellor and dean of UMASS on March 15, 2007 citing health issues, specifically cardiac arrhythmia. Although not his first medical issue while in office, Lazare wrote in a statement "Since my kidney operation in the fall of 2005, I have been reminded almost continuously of the warmth and generosity of this community, and for that, I am deeply appreciative," he said in today's memo. "However, another health matter arose in the past month—a cardiac arrhythmia—and my efforts to manage the complexities and constituencies through the final stages of the search for a new medical school dean/executive deputy chancellor and the attendant stresses of that effort have caused me to consider how I might best serve the university, my family and my health."A replacement for Lazare has yet to be determined, although President Jack M. Wilson
Jack M. Wilson
Jack M. Wilson was the 25th President of the five-campus, 60,000-student University of Massachusetts System, serving from September 2, 2003 to June 30, 2011. During his career, he has served various institutions as Professor of Physics, Department Chair, Research Center Director, Dean, Vice...
has stated he and the campus leadership team in the coming days will make arrangements for interim appointments, and will in due course define a search process for a chancellor.
Research
He conducted pioneering research on the importance of understanding the patient's perspective on clinical outcome and applying a negotiating paradigm to the doctor-patient relationship. This research, conducted in the mid-1970s, generated more than $1 million in National Institute of Mental HealthNational Institute of Mental Health
The National Institute of Mental Health is one of 27 institutes and centers that make up the National Institutes of Health...
funding over a period of eight years.
Adoption
Lazare and his wife are the parents of 8 adopted children of three races. His work in the field of adoption has been recognized.Publications
He is the author of the first textbook on outpatient psychiatry, Outpatient Psychiatry: Diagnosis and Treatment (1979) now in its second printing. The textbook was selected in January 1990 by the American Journal of Nursing as "book of the year". He was named by Boston Magazine (1984) as one of Boston's leading therapists.His publications include 70 original articles and book chapters and six books.