OU appoints new dean for school of medicine

TROY — Christopher F. Carpenter, M.D., who was appointed as the third Stephan Sharf dean of Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine, was inspired to pursue medicine after his younger brother was experiencing issues with a genetic condition.

“It made me reset my path in life,” Carpenter said. “I like problem solving, so I thought, why not apply that to a different field?”

Carpenter earned his Bachelor of Science in engineering and his Doctor of Medicine degrees from the University of Michigan.

He subsequently completed an internal medicine residency at Duke University, followed by an infectious diseases fellowship at Johns Hopkins University before joining Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital in 2000. Carpenter also earned his Master of Health Services Administration degree from the University of Michigan School of Public Health in 2017.

Carpenter specializes in addressing infectious diseases, usually with patients who are dealing with issues related to hepatitis C, HIV, resistant bacteria, and suppressed immune diseases, among other medical conditions.

He has also served as the Michael E. Maddens M.D. Distinguished Chair and professor of the Department of Internal Medicine at the OUWB School of Medicine and Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital in Royal Oak. In those and other roles, he has led more than 1,000 physicians and advanced practice providers in the provision of clinical care, the pursuit of innovative research, and the education and mentorship of future physicians and other health care providers. Carpenter’s clinical subspecialty is in the field of infectious diseases, providing care for patients in both ambulatory and inpatient settings.

“Dr. Carpenter is well-respected by his peers, and in collaboration with leaders at Oakland University and OUWB, we agreed he is the right fit for the role,” Lamont Yoder, R.N., president of Corewell Health - Southeast Michigan, said in a press release. “I am confident the medical students, faculty and staff at OUWB will continue to thrive and excel under his leadership as permanent dean.”

During the pandemic, Carpenter led a COVID-19 vaccine research study at WBUH and performed health care cost-effectiveness analyses of zoster vaccination. He has served on several state and national committees, including the Food and Drug Administration Antimicrobial Drugs Advisory Committee and the FDA Medical Devices Panel.

In addition to patient care, Carpenter initially focused on antimicrobial stewardship after joining WBUH and served as the director of WBUH’s Antibiotic Stewardship Program for 15 years. He directed the Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program for 10 years and served as section head of infectious diseases for five years prior to assuming his role as chief and chair of the Department of Internal Medicine in 2019. In 2022, after Beaumont Health and Spectrum Health joined together to become Corewell Health, Carpenter was appointed to the Corewell Health Board.

After the previous dean stepped down earlier this year, Carpenter took on the role of interim dean as they went through the process of searching for a permanent person to fill the position.

“I jumped in not knowing how much I would enjoy the role and threw my hat into the ring,” Carpenter said.

OU President Ora Hirsch Pescovitz said in a press release that Carpenter is “a proven leader with national expertise and an impressive academic background.”

As a part of Carpenter’s role as dean, he said he is dedicated to working with stakeholders to ensure students, faculty, administration members and community members are heard.

“Working with the community gives us a big frame of reference to make sure we are serving the community well,” Carpenter said.

Some areas of interest Carpenter is considering include working with students and donors to ensure they come out of their education with as low debt as possible, as well as expanding research capabilities to address issues related to neuroscience and population health matters that can provide support to areas with higher risks or lower access to health care. He will also serve on the executive leadership team of Corewell Health - Southeast Michigan.

For more information, visit oakland.edu/medicine or visit corewellhealth.org.