Friedman named Penn State College of Medicine Vice Dean for Educational Affairs

Dr. Erica Friedman, deputy dean and medical professor for the Department of Medical Education and Office of Academic Affairs at City University of New York School of Medicine, will assume the role of vice dean for educational affairs at Penn State College of Medicine on Aug. 1.

A native Philadelphian, Friedman received her combined five‑year BS/MD degree from Penn State and Thomas Jefferson University Medical School and completed her post-graduate training in New York City. She is board-certified in internal medicine and rheumatology and has broad research interests, including rheumatology, health disparities and medical education.

During her career, Friedman has focused on institutional development and the advancement of faculty and student excellence. She was recruited to the Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education in 2013 as the deputy dean, charged with transitioning the five-year BS program in biomedical education that included the first two years of medical school, into a seven-year BS/MD program of the City University of New York School of Medicine (CSOM). The first class of students from this new program successfully graduated in 2020. In her role as deputy dean at CSOM, she has had oversight of the medical education program, physician assistant program and the Offices of Admissions, Registrar, Student Affairs, Evaluation and Research, Learning Resource Center and Counseling and Wellness. She also oversaw the medical library and established and oversaw numerous clinical affiliations.

Friedman’s experience in medical education at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai included serving as the internal medicine clerkship director, director of the Morchand Center for Clinical Competence (Standardized Patient Center), director of Employee Health, interim director of the Medicine-Pediatrics Program, associate dean of Curriculum and Assessment and associate director of the Institute for Medical Education.

“Dr. Friedman’s passions for diversity and equity in the health care workforce and her desire to lead others to be change agents in systemic health care and health education are among the many reasons why our search committee selected her for this role,” said Dr. Kevin Black, interim dean of the College of Medicine. “Her knowledge and fresh perspectives will bring new energy to the College of Medicine, and we are excited for her to join us.”

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