Deep divisions in the Texas Medical Center resulted from the decision of Baylor College of Medicine to terminate its 50 year relationship with the Methodist Hospital earlier this year. One by-product of the split is that Baylor and Methodist began to compete with each other for medical talent (earlier posts here) that previously served both institutions.
This Chronicle story reports on Dr. Michael Lieberman‘s resignation yesterday as chairman of Baylor’s pathology department to become director of Methodist’s new research instititue. This move follows the earlier resignation of Methodist’s chief of surgery to remain with Baylor.
Dr. Lieberman is the first key defection from Baylor to Methodist in the battle between Methodist and Baylor to retain staff members. Before the Baylor-Methodist breakup, 19 of Methodist’s division chiefs were Baylor department chairs; now that number is down to 17 and almost certain to reduce further.
Dr. Lieberman was one of the doctors who co-signed a letter to Baylor trustees in April opposing the breakup because it could cause “a crisis of major proportions” and predicting that many faculty would “undoubtedly” stay at Methodist.
Expect more defections between these two fine institutions as the dust settles after this unfortunate divorce in a long-standing Medical Center relationship.