Dr. John Daly has been named dean of the Lewis Katz School of Medicine effective immediately, President Richard M. Englert and Provost JoAnne A. Epps announced today. Daly has been interim dean since October 2019.

“Dean Daly has shown that—even in the midst of a pandemic—the School of Medicine has made great strides in its commitment to excellent medical education, research that changes people’s lives and community service,” said President Englert. “We are fortunate to have him in this vital leadership role.”

Daly is also the Harry C. Donahoo Professor of Surgery. This is his second stint as dean, a post he originally held from 2002 to 2011. 

“I discussed with the president and the provost that when I was asked to return as the Interim Dean in October 2019, that I would not be a rocking chair dean,” Daly said. “My plan was to grow and enhance the Katz School of Medicine and with the support of the faculty and staff we’ve made some great strides during the past 16 months.”

During his most recent term in office, Daly has expanded the number and diversity of clinical affiliations at the school; he has overseen a restructuring plan for the Basic Science Departments; grown the translation of clinical research to benefit patients; and enhanced outreach to the communities in North Philadelphia and beyond. 

Support for the school has never been greater. Daly said the school surpassed its fundraising goals last year, and has already done the same for its goals in the current fiscal year. 

It was initiatives like these that make him an invaluable leader as medical education evolves to meet an increasingly complex world, said Provost Epps, who is also executive vice president at the university.

“Dr. Daly’s extensive knowledge of the school and its internal and external communities allowed him to hit the ground running in 2019,” she noted. “Our medical students, the school’s talented team of faculty and researchers and our community members have already benefited from his leadership.”

For example, in the past year the school developed a new laboratory that can conduct up to 20,000 COVID-19 tests per week. Daly noted that a current initiative is to work with other divisions of the university and Temple University Health to distribute COVID-19 vaccines to residents of the North Philadelphia community.  

Since he returned to the deanship, Daly has focused on the needs of students. He has increased communication within the school through a weekly newsletter and new social media outlets. He is also a strong advocate for students who are using their voices to speak out when they see social injustice. 

A 1973 graduate of the school of medicine himself, Daly has an extensive background in medicine, and throughout his career has specialized in cancer research and treatments, particularly for gastrointestinal and breast cancers. A frequently honored physician, he was  named one of 91 surgeons from seven countries to be inducted into the inaugural group of Master Surgeon Educators of the American College of Surgeons.