The dean for the WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, who officially took over the role on Oct. 1, sat down recently with Spokane’s Journal of Business. In the article, Dean James Record, MD, JD, FACP, discussed his background, the inspirations that led him into a career in medicine, and his involvement with the college from the very beginning.
Record also focused on the college’s mission and his investment in joining a school focused on Washington and changing the metrics in those communities.
“When you look at the state of Washington, sadly, there’s some incredible health care deficits,” Record said. “So, our mission is to solve problems in challenging health care environments across the state.”
Record pointed out that across Washington there are astonishing health care disparities. Some of the worst in the nation, he said, are in Eastern Washington.
“For us to be successful, we not only have to graduate students, we have to be able to train them in the state,” he added. “There is no better mission in mind, and no greater importance, to have a medical school that can fulfill that.” Record arrived at the college in 2021 and served as interim dean for a year before his current appointment. He is the second dean to lead the medical school since establishment in 2015.