Med School's Howard Hiatt Named Dean of Public Health

President Bok announced yesterday the appointment of Dr. Howard H. Hiatt, Blumgart Professor of Medicine, as dean of the School of Public Health.

Hiatt--who has been Physician-in-Chief at Beth Israel Hospital--is well-known for his research in cellular growth and in the application of scientific findings to the control of cancer in man.

"Over the years there has been a distortion of priorities in the health fields," Hiatt said yesterday.

He cited the "emphasis placed on curative medicine rather than in areas of prevention." Hiatt added that he hoped that people in the health fields would begin to concentrate more of their efforts on preventive methods.

Hiatt said yesterday that he foresees "great opportunities to work with people in state and municipal agencies in planning effective health programs."

Hiatt said that he has resigned his position at Beth Israel Hospital. However, he said that he will keep his Medical School professorship, and hopes to teach at both the Medical and Public Health Schools.

Hiatt--whose appointment will take effect in July--will replace Dr. Richard H. Deggy, who is acting dean.

Hiatt succeeds Dr. John C. Snyder as dean of the School of Public Health.

"Since public health has not been my field. I will devote the coming months to learning," Hiatt said. He said that he intends to study the curricula in public health at other universities as well as at Harvard.

Bok called Hiatt "a proven administrator and a distinguished clinician and research scholar."

Hiatt is 46 years old. He has been associated with Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Hospital since 1955. In 1964 he became Blumgart Professor and Physician-in-Chief.

Since 1964, Hiatt has also served as consultant in medicine to the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital and to the Children's Hospital. He is a visiting consultant to the Imperial Cancer Research Unit in London.

Hiatt's research has focused on the management of cancer in man. He has traced the effects of chemicals crucial to the metabolism of the human system.

He studied at Harvard College for two years and then entered the Medical School where he received an M.D. cum laude in 1948.

Following his internship and residency at Beth Israel Hospital, Hiatt served as a research fellow at the New York Hospital and Cornell Medical College, and as assistant in the University of Chicago Hospital.

Between 1953 and 1955, he worked as an investigator with B.L. Horecker at the National Institute of Health