Tag Archive for: interview
The "Mozart" Awards for Success, which recognize dedication and boldness, have just been presented.
At an event bringing together economic decision-makers from Occitanie, regional leaders were recognized for their dedicated efforts.
In 2023, our faculty honored its longest-serving member, Professor Isabelle Laffont, by awarding her the Health Prize.
Please find attached the article from *Midi Libre* dated November 24, 2023, and links to various articles explaining how the evening unfolded:
and videos: econews, Agence Go Easy
We're very happy for her and proud that the faculty is so well represented!
Every five years, a new dean’s office team, composed of associate deans and project managers, is appointed by the dean to represent him or her in carrying out specific tasks. This year, Prof. Arnaud Bourdin was appointed Vice Dean in charge of relations with the Clinical Research and Innovation Delegations (DRCI) at the Montpellier and Nîmes University Hospitals. Read his interview here: learn about his career and the projects he hopes to implement as part of his role!
You were appointed by the Dean, Ms. Isabelle Laffont. Could you tell us about your background and your area of expertise?
Pulmonology is an extremely broad discipline, covering fields as diverse as vascular medicine, inflammation, oncology, allergy, immunology, aerology, and—more traditionally—environmental science, infectious diseases, critical care, addiction medicine, and a significant amount of technical expertise. It fosters culture, knowledge, and open-mindedness. It is, by far, the organ most in contact with the environment. It is a difficult organ to study. One must be fully engaged in this interaction, driven by a desire to understand, to reason, and to generate evidence in order to grasp this wide range of topics; it is also a discipline that inspires humility, with all that this entails in terms of responsibility and ethics for making progress.
How do you plan to balance your duties as associate dean with your other professional responsibilities?
As President of the DRCI and the CRBSP, I have been committed for many years to fostering a culture of science within our faculty. Knowledge is often right there, within reach, and not all questions can be solved with “recipes” that are impossible to teach. The issue, therefore, is not about balancing activities, but about promoting this vision as much as possible in all the activities of the School of Medicine.
What will your contributions and goals be? What projects do you hope to carry out in your role?
The first objective is, of course, educational: research is an integral part of health-related degree programs, from the assessment of knowledge to the awarding of various degrees and the roles of faculty members who are also researchers. The charter of responsibility, ethics, and respect for patients are deeply rooted in the humanities and social sciences of the past, and the Montpellier-Nîmes Faculty must be a pioneer in this field. The second objective is to foster a culture of research within the Faculty, through its commitments as well as its human and intellectual heritage. In collaboration with the scientific advisory board, the direction of major structural projects, the identification of needs, and the analysis of both successes and failures must help us move forward collectively.
What motivated you to accept this appointment?
Learning through research, a passion for progress, a rejection of mediocrity and the “idiopathic,” and a desire to continually improve patient care and support—all of which require rigorous and ambitious educational and scientific policies—are the driving forces behind our motivation. Today, this is an urgent challenge facing our Faculty and, more broadly, our university hospitals—not only to ensure their legitimacy and sustainability, but also, and above all, their excellence.
Every five years, a new dean’s office team—composed of associate deans and program coordinators—is appointed by the dean to represent him or her in carrying out specific tasks. This year, Professor Stephan Matecki was elected chair of the Scientific Council. Read his interview here: learn about his background and the projects he hopes to implement as part of his role!
You have been elected Chair of the Scientific Council. Could you tell us about your background and your area of expertise?
I am a physiologist and head of the Pediatric Functional Testing Unit and a research team within the UMR CNRS 9214–INSERM U1046 unit located at the IURC. I am also co-director of the Master’s program in Biology and Health. After completing my medical studies in Paris, I went on to complete my residency and my fellowship in Physiology in Montpellier. I have always had a deep commitment to scientific education and to supporting our students on their scientific journey. As a result, I have developed a comprehensive support system for our youngest students by establishing a dual health sciences program designed for all health sciences students. This program was recently accredited by INSERM and has been integrated into the national network of Medicine-Science tracks at our school. As a member of the Scientific Council, I have also been able to develop this support strategy through a system of early and regular mentoring for all our students pursuing careers in university hospitals—who will form the future of our Faculty.
How do you plan to balance your professional responsibilities with your role as Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board?
When you love what you do, you don’t keep track of the hours. But as a physiologist, my professional obligations are less demanding than those of a clinician or a surgeon. Furthermore, I believe that my roles as director of the Master’s program in Health Biology and as head of a research team complement my responsibilities on the scientific advisory board very well. This role, I should point out, is heavily focused on mentoring and providing supportive guidance to our young students who are eager to pursue careers in university hospitals.
What will your contributions and goals be? What projects do you hope to carry out in your role?
I would like to focus on promoting transparency regarding the scientific policy of our Montpellier-Nîmes School of Medicine, in alignment with the Montpellier and Nîmes University Hospitals, by highlighting its core mission—education in the health field—and its driving force: our students. I also intend to strengthen our support for young candidates through the Scientific Advisory Board, which will be based on a relationship of support and mentorship. The goal will be to train them to reflect on their scientific positioning—a positioning that will guide them in their future scientific careers. Support for applicants must be provided as early as possible, which will allow us to better advise and guide them so they can arrive at their interview with full confidence, since their academic path and scientific positioning will have been validated in advance. Finally, I would like to continue developing dual degree programs in health and medicine, adapting them to the increasingly strong demand—especially since the implementation of the student’s academic track record, which will be taken into account in the matching process.
What motivated you to accept this appointment?
Above all, it’s the joy of giving our youngest students all the support they deserve. Their enthusiasm and willingness to listen are a real source of motivation for me—almost like a fountain of youth.
Every five years, a new dean’s office team, composed of associate deans and program coordinators, is appointed by the dean to represent the dean in carrying out specific tasks. Each year, a student Vice Dean is appointed by peers elected to the Management Council to represent them on the Dean’s Office team. Following in the footsteps of Florian Mary and Théo Lacoste, Paul-Arthur Valet has now taken on the role of student Vice Dean and president of Ademmoos. Read his interview here: learn about his background and the projects he hopes to implement as part of his role!
Hello, Paul-Arthur. For those who might not know you, could you please introduce yourself?
Hello, my name is Paul-Arthur VALET. I’m 21 years old and a fourth-year medical student in Nîmes. This is the first time the vice dean has come from the Nîmes campus. In addition, I am a student representative on the management council and president of ADEMMOOS (the association of student representatives from all programs). Although my future specialty changes from one clinical rotation to the next, I plan to become a surgeon.
You were selected from among ADEMMOOS members to serve as Student Vice Dean, succeeding Théo Lacoste. How did the transition go?
The transition went smoothly; that said, the start of my term was a bit unusual, particularly given the situation at the national level. We had to organize a protest in collaboration with the SILR, the ACM, and the CCC, whom I’d like to thank for their help. The mobilization brought together 400 students, which is a historic turnout for Montpellier-Nîmes. This was followed by the release of our VSS and student mental health surveys, which mark the starting point of a paradigm shift that we are beginning to see.
What made you want to take on this role?
I’ve been a member of ADEMMOOS since my sophomore year, first as VP of Communications, then as treasurer, and finally as president/VDE. I’ve always had a strong interest in student representation—in connecting directly with students and being able to help them. Furthermore, working with the dean’s office is very rewarding, especially as part of a supportive and attentive team.
How will you balance your duties as associate dean with your obligations as a student?
Let’s face it, this is relatively complex, but I knew that when I accepted these responsibilities. So you have to be particularly organized, but these positions (president and
VDE) are so exciting. To successfully balance everything, you have to know how to delegate, so I’d like to thank the association’s board and, in particular, the vice president general, Soukaina MOUH MOUH, who was elected to the educational council and does work behind the scenes that is all the more essential.
What are your goals and priorities for this term? Do you plan to continue the “Student Well-Being” project initiated by your predecessor?
Regarding the “Well-Being” project, we have two vice presidents on the executive board, Emma PETON and Florent BENOIST, whom I have every confidence will fulfill the mission entrusted to them
They have already organized booths for No Smoking Month and the “Solidarity Christmas” event, which aims to connect students from the Montpellier-Nîmes School of Medicine who wish to get together for a Christmas meal.
Furthermore, I am a strong believer in collaboration among student organizations; they bring our campus to life and play a structural role at both of our faculty’s campuses. On a personal level, my priority is combating sexual and psychological violence and empowering victims to speak out.
What initiatives would you like to implement for the students?
In addition to continuing existing projects such as publishing the back-to-school guides and the Internal Future Forum… I’d like to revive certain projects that had to be put on hold due to the
COVID-19 pandemic, such as the “reprez’ cafés,” which were opportunities to connect with ANEMF administrators and your local elected representatives. Overall, I believe that national representation is just as fundamental as local representation. To that end, we have assigned two members to this task: for Montpellier, Zoé DOLADILLE (ADEMMOOS) and Rémi BOURGAUX (ACM); and for Nîmes, Manon VALETTE (ADEMMOOS) and Elise DE LOTH (CCC).
Any final thoughts?
The issue that is particularly close to my heart is gender-based and sexual violence (VSS). What I hope for is greater freedom of speech, in order to break the code of silence that
prevents victims from speaking out.
Thanks to our surveys and the responses from the faculties, people are starting to speak up; it’s up to us not to betray the courage that victims have shown in speaking out.
“The shame must shift to the other side.”
Every five years, a new dean’s office team—composed of associate deans and special advisors—is appointed by the dean to represent him or her in carrying out specific tasks. This year, Professor Maurice Hayot was appointed Special Advisor for Digital Health and Innovation in Digital Education.
Read his interview here: learn about his background and the projects he hopes to implement as part of his role!
You have been appointed “Special Advisor for Digital Health and Innovation in Digital Education” by the Dean, Prof. Isabelle Laffont. Could you tell us about your background and your area of expertise?
I am a physician, a physiologist by academic discipline, and a pulmonologist by medical specialty. I am also the head of the Clinical Physiology Department at Montpellier University Hospital, which comprises three medical teams specializing in functional, respiratory, metabolic, and pediatric testing.
The primary responsibilities of physiological physicians lie in the clinical evaluation and research of the body’s major functions, as well as in providing personalized care to patients, particularly through rehabilitation. Digital tools have enriched our practice in recent years.
In the field of digital health, I have spent the past ten years or so helping to create and co-lead several training programs as part of the “TIC et Santé Montpellier” initiative (“TIC” stands for “Information and Communication Technologies”), including:
- the “ICT for Health” master’s program, which has evolved into “Science and Digital Technology for Health,”
- the national interuniversity program in telemedicine, bringing together seven universities in France.
How do you plan to balance your duties as a project manager with your other professional responsibilities?
Digital health has become a key focus of my work, and I will naturally continue to pursue it in this role. I will serve as a liaison between the various stakeholders atthe University of Montpellier and its partners involved in digital health, on the one hand, and our faculty, students, and faculty members, on the other.
What will your contributions and goals be? What projects do you hope to carry out in your role?
The current challenge is to provide all healthcare and medical-social professionals with a foundation of digital health skills covering various aspects that will be relevant to their day-to-day professional practice:
- health data, cybersecurity in healthcare,
- telemedicine (telemedicine and telecare),
- e-health and digital tools,
- methods of communication between patients and healthcare providers, or among healthcare providers themselves.
Professionals in fields other than healthcare must also receive training; a master’s degree appears to be the most appropriate level for initial training, but significant emphasis should be placed on continuing education and apprenticeships.
I intend to carry out my mission by fostering a strong sense of momentum within our faculty and atthe University of Montpellier, drawing on the extensive expertise we have brought together across our various departments. Accordingly, the flagship project is to establish the “University of Montpellier School of Digital Health” in collaboration with actively involved partners.
What motivated you to accept this appointment?
This topic, which may seem new to some, has always been strongly supported not only by the president ofthe University of Montpellier but also by the deans who have held the position over the past decade or so.
Dean Laffont has long listened to me attentively and offered encouragement in this area, even before she assumed this position. Collaborative, supportive teamwork aimed at innovating in teaching is a powerful driving force!
Every five years, a new dean’s office team—composed of associate deans and program coordinators—is appointed by the dean to represent the dean in carrying out specific tasks. This year, Prof. Nadine Houede was appointed Associate Dean for Finance. She will soon succeed Associate Dean Messner in this role. Read her interview here: learn about her background and the projects she hopes to implement as part of her role!
You were appointed by the Dean, Ms. Isabelle Laffont. Could you tell us about your background and your area of expertise?
With two doctorates—one in medicine and one in biostatistics—I had the opportunity to spend two years in Canada toward the end of my studies, which allowed me to gain solid experience in urological oncology and develop a research mindset. I began my career as an oncologist at the Bordeaux Cancer Center, where I served as head of the urological oncology department and the early-phase clinical trials unit, and as an active member of French and American medical societies specializing in oncology.
Currently a department head at the Nîmes University Hospital and deputy head of the division, I lead numerous research programs at an INSERM unit in Montpellier and advocate for the rapid translation of research advances into patient care.
How do you plan to balance your duties as associate dean with your other professional responsibilities?
I am fortunate to be supported by a young and dynamic team in oncology. I hold two positions associated with my academic status: Director of the Cancéropole Grand Sud-Ouest, working closely with cancer research teams, and now Vice Dean for Finance, supporting faculty and student projects.
What will your contributions and goals be? What projects do you hope to carry out in your role?
Since the Dean has placed her trust in me with this appointment, I wish to assist her to the best of my ability with the administrative responsibilities entrusted to me, both in relation to her specific initiatives regarding DI and DIU and in connection with the university. I will work to maintain a balanced budget in order to provide students and faculty with the best possible learning environment.
What motivated you to accept this appointment?
While I should point out that working with numbers comes naturally to me, two factors motivated me to accept this position: first, my gratitude to the faculty that appointed me as a professor in 2015 and my desire to give back by dedicating all my resources to furthering its work; and second, the supportive mentorship of my predecessor, Professor Patrick Messner.
Every five years, a new dean’s office team—composed of associate deans and program coordinators—is appointed by the dean to represent him or her in carrying out specific tasks. This year, Prof. Gérald Chanques was appointed Associate Dean for General Affairs, Heritage, and Campus Life. Read his interview here: learn about his background and the projects he hopes to implement as part of his role!
You were appointed by the Dean, Ms. Isabelle Laffont. Could you tell us about your background and your area of expertise?
I earned my high school diploma and completed my undergraduate studies in Montpellier, so you could say I’m one-quarter Parisian and three-quarters Montpellier native. I loved my studies so much that it was difficult for me to choose a “specialty.” I chose anesthesiology and critical care for several reasons: first, because of the interdisciplinary nature of medical knowledge, but also because of the human and material resources available within our teams to provide safe care, including pain management and the treatment of the most critical situations.
How do you plan to balance your duties as associate dean with your other professional responsibilities?
This is a project that took shape within my hospital department, in collaboration with my colleagues and my department head, who has always supported and encouraged me throughout my professional career. My involvement at the faculty has grown gradually since my appointment 8 years ago. I continue to maintain a clinical practice that constantly enriches my teaching and research. Conversely, my understanding of academic institutions shapes all my responsibilities as a University Physician-Professor (PUPH). The Faculty and its unique history, as well as the University (I serve on the Committee on Education and University Life and on the disciplinary sections of the Academic Council), prompt me to reflect on every facet of my work—from patient care to teaching and innovation. The societal shift taking place in how we relate to one another—including the fight against inequality and against sexual and gender-based violence—represents a major turning point that our institutions have long anticipated.
What will your contributions and goals be? What projects do you hope to carry out in your role?
I gradually came to realize the importance of teaching and passing on knowledge to the younger generation, as well as the importance of having a faculty that draws on multiple campuses (Nîmes and Montpellier, modernity and heritage) and embodies a true university spirit—one that is meaningful to our patients, our students, and society alike. The Faculty has an urban history. It serves as a bridge to the general public.
Our faculty currently faces multiple challenges in terms of the institution’s organization, its campuses, and the promotion of its heritage: the university community—students, faculty, and administrative staff—must embrace this past and future history and share it with others—our colleagues in other parts of the University, our healthcare colleagues, and the general public. Among the general public are potential patients. The image we project of the faculty through our history and heritage must align with today’s demands—innovation, excellence in care, but also addressing vulnerability and access to care. All of this together defines our faculty, and we cannot rest easy unless we strive to address all these challenges. The unity of the leadership team, united around our dean, will be the strength of the institution—involving all its faculty and administration, those from previous teams, and those preparing future generations.
What motivated you to accept this appointment?
My desire to contribute to a dean’s office initiative focused on community, kindness, and active listening, with ambitious goals for the institution. I was very grateful for this appointment because it allows me to consistently continue the work I’ve been doing for several years with Dean Mondain and Vice Dean Lavabre-Bertrand on complex projects (preparing state-region planning contracts for long-term renovations to the historic building; conducting studies for the learning center; and liaising with the general affairs departments of the Faculty and the University to develop a large number of projects involving institutions, local governments, and businesses as part of the 800th-anniversary celebrations…).
