Health & Fitness
On The Rise
New U-M health system chief reflects on tikkun olam.
Beth Johnson
Special to the Jewish News
Ann Arbor
A
s the only girl in her ninth-
grade research and develop-
ment class, Ora Hirsch chal-
lenged herself to develop a hypothesis
based on her two main interests: science
and playing the piano. She aimed to prove
that plants grew better when they were
exposed to music. Though her key finding
was that she wasn't much of a gardener,
she was hooked on the idea of a career in
science and medicine. And, as the daugh-
ter of internationally acclaimed rabbi
Richard G. Hirsch, medicine would allow
her to fulfill a core principle of Judaism
— tikkun olam — to heal the world.
Flash forward to 2009 and it's clear that
Ora Hirsch Pescovitz, M.D., has made
her mark in the field of medicine. As the
University of Michigan's new executive
vice president for medical affairs and
chief executive officer at the U-M Health
System, Pescovitz is now at the helm
of one of the nation's largest and most
acclaimed institutions for medical care,
research and education. In just her first
few months on the job, she has already
begun work on a bold strategic planning
process, aiming to catapult the Health
System to become the leader in health,
health care reform and biomedical inno-
vation.
"There are different ways that people
contribute Pescovitz says. "I initially
wanted to make my contribution as a
researcher, but later learned I excel at
creating the environment in which oth-
ers thrive. It is equally satisfying to
enable others to do great work. I want the
University of Michigan Health System and
each of its faculty and staff to collectively
reach their highest potential."
Despite a challenging economic envi-
ronment, the Health System continues to
push forward in its three mission areas:
clinical care, research and education.
Pescovitz is now tackling key initiatives
such as planning the best use of the
newly acquired North Campus Research
Complex, a 30-building, 174-acre property
that was once home to a massive Pfizer
Inc. pharmaceutical research facility. She's
"I initially wanted to make my contribution as a researcher, but later learned I excel
at creating the environment in which others thrive. It is equally satisfying to enable
others to do great work," says Ora Hirsch Pescovitz, M.D.
also working to strengthen U-M's foot-
ing in clinical and translational research,
statewide health care strategies, informa-
tion technology, global health and its abil-
ity to retain top clinicians.
"Ora joined the University at a critical
juncture for the Health System as it posi-
tions itself to serve the region and nation
in a time of rapidly evolving health care,"
says U-M president Mary Sue Coleman.
"The decision to purchase the former
Pfizer campus presents the University
with tremendous options for growth and
impact in scientific research. The research
enterprise of our Health System is vital
to this expansion, and Dr. Pescovitz is
an exceptional choice for advancing our
scholarship and discoveries."
Before taking the Health System post in
May, Pescovitz served as executive associ-
ate dean for Research Affairs at Indiana
University School of Medicine, president
and CEO of Riley Hospital for Children in
Indianapolis and interim vice president
for Research Administration at Indiana
University.
A pediatric endocrinologist, most of
her research has been on the mechanisms
responsible for disorders of growth and
puberty, and development of new ways to
treat them.
In addition to her professional endeav-
ors, Pescovitz is married to transplant
surgeon Mark Pescovitz, vice-chair for
research in the Department of Surgery at
IUSM. They have three adult children.
On parenting, she says, "Sometimes I
liken my work as an academic administra-
tor to my role as a mother. It's a parent's
goal to help a child succeed in the world."
Pescovitz notes that it has been her
practice to combine her personal and pro-
fessional ideals into a very simple philoso-
phy: Aim high.
"Always shoot for the stars," she says.
"Even if you land on the moon, you just
might discover something else
This is definitely true in her case. Over
time, her dream to be a concert pianist
and a famous scientist took her where she
never expected: the leader of a world-class
health care organization. Tikkun olam,
indeed.
❑
Beth Johnson is a member of the public rela-
tions and marketing communications staff at
the U-M Health System.
August 20 • 2009
37