Background Information: Brief Biography
Robert P. Kelch, M.D., was appointed to a five-year term as executive vice president for Medical Affairs at the University of Michigan effective Sept. 15, 2003. In April 2007, Dr. Kelch agreed to extend that appointment by one year, through Sept. 14, 2009.
In this role he oversees the components of the U-M Health System: the Hospitals and Health Centers, U-M Medical School and the U-M School of Nursing.
Dr. Kelch has defined a strategic direction for the U-M Health System that is guided by seven basic principles: Integration, Collaboration and Teamwork; Innovation, Adaptation and Prioritization; Growth and Investment; Taking Care of Our Own; Cultural Competency; High Value and Fiscal Soundness; and Integrity and Trust. His vision remains true to the Health System’s mission to improve the health of patients, populations and communities through excellence in education, patient care, community service, research and technology development, and through leadership activities in Michigan, nationally and internationally. He believes that, as a top institution and academic health center, it is the U-M’s responsibility to be a leader in the community, the nation and the world.
Dr. Kelch is a nationally known pediatric endocrinologist, specializing in basic and clinical research on neuroendocrine regulation of human growth and sexual maturation. He has written more than 110 scientific publications, three books and nearly 100 book chapters. In addition to serving on the editorial boards of scholarly journals, Dr. Kelch belongs to several professional organizations including the American Board of Pediatrics, American Academy of Pediatrics, Endocrine Society, American Federation for Medical Research, American Society for Clinical Investigation, Lawson Wilkins Pediatric Endocrine Society, American Pediatrics Society, and the American Board of Medical Specialties.
Periodically Dr. Kelch serves as a site visitor for the Liaison Committee of Medical Education for other AAMC accredited colleges of medicine, a role he began in 1997. From 1998 to 1999 he was a member of the Association of American Medical Colleges Council of Deans Administrative Board and until 2006 he served as chairman of the AAMC Advisory Panel on Research. He was also a member of the AAMC task force on conflict of interest.
In 2006, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs appointed Dr. Kelch to serve on the VA’s National Research Advisory Council. Dr. Kelch is the recipient of the 2005 Joseph W. St. Geme, Jr. Leadership Award, established by the Federation of Pediatric Organizations. In 2004 he received the Midwest Society for Pediatric Research Founders Award for his contributions to pediatric research and the career development of academic pediatricians. He received the Iowa Medical Society’s Merit Award in 2000 and was elected to membership in the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences in 1996. In 2006, Dr. Kelch was appointed to the U-M President's Advisory Council on Public Art.
In 2007, Dr. Kelch was appointed to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies' Conflict of Interest in Medical Research, Education and Practice Committee. Details on the committee's charge can be found here. For more information, visit the IOM Web site.
When Dr. Kelch became executive vice president for Medical Affairs at the U-M in 2003, he quickly settled in and set his sights on growth opportunities and major capital projects including building the new U-M Cardiovascular Center, launching the Michigan Difference campaign to fund numerous efforts including the creation of an updated children and women’s hospital, and construction of a larger Biomedical Science Research Building to accommodate the University’s increasing research activities. He also turned his attention to rolling out a new Medical School curriculum that emphasizes communicating with patients, and understanding how the cultural and social contexts in which they live influence their health.
For additional information about Dr. Kelch, view his curriculum vitae (pdf) .
