Dr. Grant takes new admissions role at College of Medicine

Wendy Grant, M.D., has been named the new associate dean for admissions and student affairs in the UNMC College of Medicine, announced Bradley Britigan, M.D., dean of the college.

Dr. Grant, an abdominal surgeon for UNMC/Nebraska Medicine, has served as associate dean for student affairs since 2017 and was assistant dean for six years before that. She has served on the admissions committee since 2011.

Her new position was announced after Jeff Harrison, M.D., was appointed the new chair of the UNMC Department of Family Medicine in January and stepped down as associate dean for admissions and students.

“I am honored to be asked by Dr. Britigan to take on this responsibility,” Dr. Grant said. “Having worked with Dr. Hill before he retired and seeing how these two areas are intertwined, it makes sense to integrate the admissions and student affairs responsibilities.

“Right now we have an incredibly strong team that coordinates and implements the admissions and student affairs process,” she said. “We already function as a consolidated unit in the office. This foundation makes the transition possible. We will be looking to recruit two more assistant deans — one for admissions and one for student affairs.”

Gerald Moore, M.D., senior associate dean for academic affairs, College of Medicine, said Dr. Grant has a unique ability to identify and help resolve issues related to students and admissions.

“As a former clerkship director for surgery, she has the background and experience to identify and resolve various issues that are brought to her attention,” he said.

Dr. Grant will now help recruit and retain students to the college along with providing academic and career guidance to students. She also plans to continue Dr. Harrison’s recruitment efforts in rural areas.

“There are incredible opportunities to recruit students from rural and urban Nebraska. It is our obligation to educate the students who will take care of the people of our state,” Dr. Grant said.

“Helping students problem solve, develop insight into who they are and realize their potential are some of the highlights of working with medical students. They are such an incredibly talented and hard-working group — I am constantly in awe of and humbled by all of their accomplishments.”