F. Sessions Cole, M.D., has been appointed assistant vice chancellor for children’s health at the School of Medicine and chief medical officer at St. Louis Children’s Hospital.
In these newly created roles, Cole will serve as a member of the dean’s office at the medical school and be on the executive team of Children’s Hospital. The appointments were effective Oct. 1.
As assistant vice chancellor for children’s health, Cole will collaborate with department chairs and the University’s faculty practice to leverage the considerable investigative, educational and clinical expertise of the medical school on behalf of interdepartmental programs that will benefit children.
As the chief medical officer for St. Louis Children’s Hospital, Cole will facilitate collaboration between the hospital and medical school in all matters related to children’s health priorities, such as clinical activities and operations, clinical information systems and quality assurance programs.
“I’m looking forward to working within three great entities — the School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics and St. Louis Children’s Hospital — to leverage their combined strengths on behalf of children in our community,” Cole said.
In addition, Cole will continue as the Park J. White, M.D., Professor and vice chair of Pediatrics, professor of cell biology and physiology and director of newborn medicine.
“Sessions Cole is an advo-cate for children,” said Alan L. Schwartz, Ph.D., M.D., the Harriet B. Spoehrer Professor and head of Pediatrics. “Given his superior experiences as a clinician, educator, scholar and leader of the most complex multi-disciplinary service here, it is most fitting that he should be named to these roles at Washington University School of Medicine and St. Louis Children’s Hospital.”
“This addition is a major step in our collaboration with the School of Medicine to build strong medical leadership to attain clinical excellence,” said Lee Fetter, president of St. Louis Children’s Hospital.
Cole joined the faculty in 1986 as an associate professor of pediatrics and of cell biology and physiology. Within two years, he was named director of newborn medicine and had restructured the Newborn Medicine service at Children’s Hospital, Barnes and Jewish hospitals. Under his direction, the department has become a leader in providing medical services to infants.
Cole has shown an extraordinary commitment to excellence in education and outreach activities. He was instrumental in the formation of community outreach programs for medical students, such as Students Teaching AIDS to Students (STATS), a program in which medical students teach AIDS awareness to middle-school students, and the Perinatal Program, which provides medical students with a clinical learning opportunity.
In 1989, he was promoted to professor of pediatrics and in 1994, was named professor of cell biology and physiology.
His research has appeared in numerous medical journals, including the New England Journal of Medicine, the American Journal of Public Health and the Journal of Pediatrics.