It is with deep gratitude that we announce the retirement of Ron Paul, MD, vice dean of Faculty Affairs and Advancement, effective January 2024. We are very thankful for his nearly 33 years of academic service at the UofL School of Medicine and Norton Children’s Hospital, including over 25 years developing the Pediatric Emergency Medicine program and 8 years in the Office of Faculty Affairs. 

Paul has been a professor of Pediatrics at the ULSOM since 1991, serving as the Pediatric Emergency Medicine division chief for 25 years and the medical director of Norton Children’s Hospital Emergency department for 14 years. He established the Pediatric Emergency Medicine fellowship program at Norton Children’s Hospital and was chair of the Pediatric Emergency Medicine fellowship directors national committee. Paul sat on the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Emergency Medicine executive committee for 12 years and was chair of the committee from 2020-2022.

A strong advocate and instrumental in achieving many changes for the betterment of the ULSOM faculty, Paul’s commitment was undeniable. His efforts include a newly revised Personnel Document, expanding promotion pathways, meeting LCME accreditation requirements for faculty policies and procedures, creating more efficient Annual Work Plans and Performance Reviews and enhancing the award nomination processes for faculty awards. During his years of academic service, he produced 27 peer-review publications, 60 non-peer reviewed publications, 25 scientific presentations at national meetings and 66 invited presentations.

“Dr. Paul’s commitment to our faculty has been unrelenting throughout his time leading our faculty affairs team,” said interim dean Bumpous. “We will miss his thoughtful leadership and extraordinary ability to operationalize strategic endeavors that create a lasting impact on the lives of our faculty .”

Paul completed medical school at the University of Louisville in 1983, he completed a residency in Pediatrics followed by a Pediatric Emergency Medicine fellowship program at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and Children’s Memorial Hospital. He will be requesting both an Emeritus Professor Appointment and a (gratis) Clinical Professor appointment with the ULSOM department of Pediatrics in order to continue teaching on a voluntary basis.

“I am very grateful for all the opportunities I have been given working at the University of Louisville School of Medicine,” said Paul. “Anything that I have accomplished in my leadership roles in Pediatric Emergency Medicine or in the Office of Faculty Affairs has been because I have had a great team working with me to meet the needs of our pediatric community and our faculty.”

Due to the important nature of his role as vice dean of Faculty Affairs and Advancement and the constituents it serves, the School of Medicine will be advancing an internal search immediately. The first step in this process is to develop a comprehensive search committee. Once a search committee has been formed, notification for application will be sent. The anticipated date of replacement is November 2023.