Paul J. Hauptman, M.D., has been named dean of the and chief academic officer for
Dr. Hauptman is a nationally recognized investigator in outcomes assessment in advanced heart failure, the evaluation of cardiac care delivery and clinical trials. Dr. Hauptman currently serves as dean at the University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine-Knoxville and chief academic officer at the University of Tennessee Medical Center. He begins his appointment on Oct. 17, 2022. The selection of Dr. Hauptman came following a nationwide search.
“Dr. Hauptman has an impeccable background in all of the areas that we felt were essential in finding our new Dean,” University President Brian Sandoval said. “He has a passion for and a deep understanding of how we should be training Nevada’s next generation of physicians. He has vast experience in administering and delivering clinical programs that can have a profound impact on our local communities. He has incredible credentials in the research arena. He clearly articulated a compelling vision on how he hopes to magnify and grow the educational and research endeavors of our School of Medicine. Equally important, it was very clear that he felt that as we expand upon current educational and research initiatives to enhance our School of Medicine’s impact, he is committed to working collaboratively across the community in order to meet its greatest needs. On behalf of the entire University, we are excited to have Dr. Hauptman as our new dean. We want to offer Dr. Hauptman and his family a warm welcome to the Wolf Pack Family.”
"The appointment of Dr. Paul Hauptman as dean is a great step forward for the Medical School and for Renown Health. His record of leadership, scholarship, scientific expertise and enthusiasm in building academic and clinical excellence, creates an even higher standard for medical education and quality health care in the next decade. In addition to his talent as a physician and professor, Paul brings a deep humanity and commitment to the study and practice of medicine. We are pleased to welcome Dr. Hauptman to Nevada and know he will do much to advance health and health care through world-class medical education, clinical research and patient care for our community and our state,” said Thomas R. Graf, M.D., FAAFP, chief executive officer of Renown Health. Dr Graf also serves as chief clinical and quality officer at Renown and senior associate dean for clinical affairs for the ÍƼöÐÓ°ÉÔ´´ School of Medicine.
As dean and chief academic officer, Dr. Hauptman will support and advance the academic and clinical integration established under the . This affiliation benefits the community by recruiting top-tier physicians and health care professionals, improving access to and developing new models of innovative care, and investing in clinical research. As pillars of health care in northern Nevada, both organizations provide key services for underserved populations and collaborate to educate, train and employ the next generation of doctors and health care professionals. Together, they support the health of local and rural communities, the state and the nation.
“I am delighted to have this opportunity and honored to lead the School of Medicine and the academic mission of Renown Health for the betterment of our students, trainees, physicians, patients and community-at-large. This is a pivotal time for medical education and the delivery of quality healthcare, and I will be steadfast in ensuring student success and the growth of research that can meaningfully impact patients. I will do my best to build upon the legacy of Dr. Schwenk and look forward to collaborating with President Sandoval, Provost Thompson, and Dr. Graf and the Renown team. I am all in for the silver and blue – and purple!”
A first-generation American and college graduate, Dr. Hauptman received his M.D. degree from Cornell University Medical College (now Weill Medical College) and completed his internal medicine training at Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School in Boston and cardiology fellowships at both Mount Sinai Hospital (New York) and Brigham and Women’s. Dr. Hauptman was on faculty at Harvard Medical School and an attending physician in the Division of Cardiology at Brigham (1993-1998) and subsequently served as director of heart failure & transplant and assistant dean of clinical and translational research at Saint Louis University School of Medicine, where he held an adjunct position at the College for Public Health.
He has received research grants from the American Heart Association and National Institutes of Health and has served as a reviewer for the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute and as a consultant to the Circulatory System Devices Panel and Medical Device Advisory Committee of the FDA. He also has extensive clinical trial experience as a site principal investigator and an active member of steering, clinical events and data & safety monitoring committees. He previously worked as the part-time medical director of a medical device company (Biocontrol Medical, 2007-2011). After serving as associate editor at the European Journal of Heart Failure and Circulation: Heart Failure, he was editor-in-chief of the Journal of Cardiac Failure for six years (2015-2020). At the University of Tennessee, Dr. Hauptman has been deeply invested in the expansion of research capabilities, faculty development and health equity issues through initiatives such as the Academic Leadership Academy, a Women in Science fund, Disparities Awareness Month and the Advancing Access to Careers in Science Scholars Program.
In recognition of his work as a mentor and patient advocate, Dr. Hauptman was named Teacher of the Year and received the Caring Physician Award from Saint Louis University. His major research interests have involved the assessment of outcomes in advanced heart failure, patient-physician communication and trends in cardiovascular care. He is the author of numerous abstracts, articles, book chapters, consensus guidelines and reviews.
