New position will fill existing gap while increasing efficiencies, reducing costs
After serving as interim dean of the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Medicine for the past year, Rod Markin, M.D., Ph.D., has been named to the newly created position of associate vice chancellor for business development and chief technology officer.
The appointment, which is effective July 1, was announced today by Don Leuenberger, vice chancellor for business and finance and the person who Dr. Markin will report to in his new position.
“I’m excited that Rod has accepted this new challenge,” Leuenberger said. “He is a perfect fit for the position, as he has always had a passion for technology along with a strong entrepreneurial spirit.
“A growing number of universities have created the position of chief technology officer, so this allows us to fill a gap that has existed at UNMC. I have no doubt that Rod will maximize his talents to create a technology vision for the campus that will make us more efficient and produce significant cost savings.”
Among his duties, Dr. Markin will work closely with departments to plan major equipment purchases and make sure that utilization justifies the cost. In the spirit of UNMC’s existing core laboratories, which are used by multiple departments, he will look for opportunities for departments to better coordinate their use of equipment. He also will be looking for potential new uses for information systems and telemedicine and will be involved in the rollout of the new electronic health record system at the medical center.
UNMC Chancellor Harold M. Maurer, M.D., praised Dr. Markin for doing a stellar job as interim dean.
“I relied on him a great deal to manage the college, and he did an exceptional job in a short period of time,” Dr. Maurer said. “He dealt with a myriad of issues very effectively. He managed the finances of the college with a great deal of expertise. He championed the faculty and students. He is very well liked and supported. He is a trusted leader.”
Dr. Markin has been associated with UNMC for more than 30 years. He earned his medical degree from UNMC in 1983 and his doctoral degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1980. He joined the UNMC faculty in 1986.
Prior to serving as interim dean, Dr. Markin was the David T. Purtilo Distinguished Professor of Pathology and senior associate dean for clinical affairs in the College of Medicine. He also served as president of UNMC Physicians, the physician practice group for UNMC, from 1997 to 2010.
Dr. Markin is one of the most prolific inventors at UNMC. In 2009, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from UNeMed Corporation for his innovative work in transforming the clinical laboratory through technology.
Through world-class research and patient care, UNMC generates breakthroughs that make life better for people throughout Nebraska and beyond. Its education programs train more health professionals than any other institution in the state. Learn more at unmc.edu.