The University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health Dean Robert N. Golden announced Tuesday that he will step down from his position as dean and vice chancellor of medical affairs.

Golden said that he will remain in his role until a successor is found, adding that selecting replacements for these types of leadership positions often take about a year.

Golden added that one of his proudest achievements was the successful integration of the previously separate schools of medicine and public health into a unified, comprehensive program encapsulating the two disciplines.

“Both of those are pillars for building a stronger foundation of service to the health of the people of Wisconsin and beyond.” Golden said.

Golden has been in his current role since 2006 — making him one of the longest-serving medical school deans in North America, according to UW News.

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The decision to step down comes after the UW Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin and Provost Charles Lee Isbell Jr. put UW in good hands, Golden said.

“I believe that it’s in the best interest of institutions to get fresh leadership with new perspectives and new ideas,” Golden said. “We are in a really strong position across all of our missions. The campus has been reinvigorated with wonderful new leadership in the chancellor’s role and the provost role, and so I thought this was as good a time as any.”

But, Golden isn’t retiring and will be transitioning back to a faculty position in the UW Department of Psychiatry.

“I’m not leaving the university, I’m looking forward to transitioning back to where I started my professional journey as a faculty member, and I’ll be becoming much more engaged in my home department, which is psychiatry,” Golden said.

In a statement on X (formerly known as Twitter), Mnookin thanked Golden for his dedication to strengthening healthcare across Wisconsin.

In addition to being the dean of UW’s School of Medicine and Public Health, Golden also served as the UW’s vice chancellor for medical affairs, and the chair of the UW Health board.

Golden said these three roles have been effectively combined into one during his career, significantly changing the manner in which the institution delivers care, bringing the power of academics into patient care.

Editor’s Note: This article was updated to clarify the department Golden will be working in after leaving his current position.