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If Walls Could Talkby Lori Baker 
James R. Schofield, M.D. Take a quick walk through the house that Dr. James R. Schofield helped design and you'll soon know that he is a collector. Antique tools and books vie for wall space with artwork ranging from the early practice of medicine to original clown portraits by a favorite Parisian painter. Most telling are the walls in the room that serve as Schofield's office at the center of his Georgetown, Texas home. Across from a woodburning furnace in mint condition, sits an imposing desk, where Schofield enjoys the view of the rolling landscape of the Texas Hill Country. When working on his computer—which he still does regularly, even at the age of 83—he faces one of two walls filled with awards and memorabilia that highlight a career that helped shape medical schools around the world. "When I went into medicine, I assumed I would set up a small family practice in my home town of Mart, near Waco," said Schofield. It turns out fate had other plans. In 1947, Schofield was asked to join the anatomy faculty at Baylor University College of Medicine, where he had just completed his medical training at the age of 23. Six years after accepting the assignment, he was named assistant dean of the College and chair of the Committee on Admissions. During his tenure, Schofield revolutionized the recruitment process and transformed the mostly local student body into a group drawn from across the nation—much as it is today. "I'm very much in favor of having a hospital where the BCM leadership can create an environment that is not only ideal for the patient, but also for the student." "I spread the word about Baylor Med by visiting colleges from coast-to-coast each year to interview the premedical students with the most potential," said Schofield. "I ensured our admissions processes were exceptionally responsive; I created for those who interviewed in Houston an experience that was both personal and meaningful, and I included current medical students in our efforts. It made an incredible difference in the caliber of our students." 
Dr. Schofield His vision and dedication resulted in promotions to associate dean and then dean of academic affairs from 1964 to 1970. As a College leader, Schofield played a role in several landmark event including BCM's separation from Baylor University in 1969 and the school's successful appeal to the state for funding to educate Texas residents. Schofield believes BCM's most recent trailblazing endeavor to create its own hospital "fits the bill." "I'm very much in favor of having a hospital where the BCM leadership can create an environment that is not only ideal for the patient, but also for the student," he said. Analyzing the learning environment for medical students is something Schofield knows like the back of his hand. In 1971, he joined the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) in Washington, D.C., to direct the accreditations of U.S. and Canadian medical schools. "In addition to accrediting the existing medical schools, I was involved in getting 30 new medical schools off the ground during my 16 years with the AAMC," said Schofield. This experience gave him the expertise that lead to his next career, as a consultant to help establish a new medical school in Abu Dhabi, the largest of the seven emirates that comprise the United Arab Emirates, and then one in neighboring Muscat, Oman. "I thought I was retiring in 1987 when I left the AAMC, but instead I started this new adventure that resulted in 25 trips to the Middle East over a three-year period," said Schofield. Schofield "almost retired" again in the early 1990s, when yet another opportunity presented itself in the form of Herbert H. Reynolds, who, as president of Baylor University, asked Schofield to volunteer his time as a premedical advisor to the university's 1,500 premedical students and to teach a course in the History of Medicine. "My first love is working with students and my second is the history of medicine, so how could I refuse?" said Schofield, who made the trip to Waco each week for 10 years. Although now fully retired, Schofield continues his commitment to students through his support for and advocacy of the Baylor University/Baylor College of Medicine Scholarship, a fund that supports outstanding students pursuing the study of medicine at the two institutions. Awards of appreciation from both of his alma maters are some of the latest additions to the walls that tell the Schofield's story. |
Patient CarePutting the Pieces Together: Megan's Story When Baby Heart Patients Grow Up Saying Goodnight to Sleeping Pills ResearchFrom a Sister's Illness... A Cancer Crusade EducationCommunity ServiceAlumni & DevelopmentBRASS Connections Help Students Soar College NewsPhysician Hall of Fame: College Receives One-of-a-Kind Signature Collection
People Working Together to Achieve Greatness
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Volume 3, Issue 1, Spring 2007 |
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