The Commonwealth Medical College has named a new leader.

Steven J. Scheinman, M.D., professor of medicine and pharmacology at SUNY Upstate Medical University, will become the second permanent president and dean of the region's only medical school.

Dr. Scheinman's appointment comes less than two months after the school received provisional accreditation and as the college continues to seek an affiliation with a hospital or another college to ease financial difficulties. He will also be charged with seeing the school's first class of students through their fourth year, with the college's first medical-degree graduation this spring.

He begins Sept. 10.

After the school's founding dean and president Robert D'Alessandri, M.D., abruptly resigned in April 2011, Lois Margaret Nora, M.D., served as interim president for one year. Robert Wright, M.D., has served in the interim role since the end of June.

Dr. Scheinman previously served as SUNY Upstate Medical University's senior vice president and dean of the College of Medicine. He earned international prominence for his research into the genetics of inherited kidney diseases and kidney stones, according to TCMC. He has been on the faculty at Upstate for nearly 30 years, during which he served as chief of the nephrology division in the department of medicine for 10 years where he doubled the size of the faculty and grew the dialysis program.

He received his medical degree with honors from Yale University and is board-certified in internal medicine and nephrology.

"After an extensive national search, Dr. Scheinman emerged as an exceptional leader with a strong and broad vision to advance the college's educational, administrative, and research activities in exciting new ways," Louis DeNaples, chairman of the college's board of trustees said in a statement from the school. "TCMC is extremely fortunate to have recruited a leader with Dr. Scheinman's outstanding talents and breadth of experience in medical education. His character is consonant with TCMC's mission and values."

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Contact the writer: shofius@timesshamrock.com

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Commonwealth Medical college names new leader