Dr. Selwyn Vickers, senior vice president of medicine and dean of the School of Medicine at UAB, announced Monday that he will be leaving his current position to become president and CEO of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK).
Since being appointed dean in 2013, Vickers has become a leading figure in Alabama’s medical community. He was at the forefront of UAB’s COVID-19 response and has led the hospital to unprecedented levels of success. “Dr. Vickers is an extraordinary surgeon-scientist with a proven track record of success in leading complex academic medical centers, building innovative academic and research programs, and strengthening clinical care,” said Scott M. Stuart, chair of the MSK boards of trustees and governing trustees, in a press release. “Throughout his career, he has demonstrated a passion for unlocking treatments and cures for cancer. Dr. Vickers is a charismatic and compassionate leader who is uniquely qualified to shepherd this great organization into the future.”
“For 135 years, MSK has set the standard for excellence in caring for patients and finding new treatments and cures for cancer, and it is arguably the world’s preeminent center for the training of the next generation of scientific and physician leaders,” said Vickers in the press release. “The basic science programs of the Sloan Kettering Institute have led the world in cancer discovery science and translational research, and I am confident that MSK is on the path to tackle one of the world’s greatest threats to life, cancer. I am honored to have the opportunity to work with the pioneering researchers and dedicated doctors, nurses and staff to build on MSK’s extraordinary legacy.”
Vickers is leaving behind a legacy of remarkable accomplishment at UAB. In a note to employees, UAB President Ray Watts said that the dean “helped recruit and retain incredible talent to advance our mission, and that fact is among the many reasons we remain in a position of strength to ensure a smooth transition as we continue to grow and thrive and serve the people who count on us.”
Watts announced on Wednesday that the executive vice dean of the School of Medicine, Anupam Agarwal, will serve as interim dean of the School of Medicine as well as interim senior vice president of medicine.
