Predrag Krajacic, MD, has been named associate dean of undergraduate medical education for the School of Medicine Columbia, interim dean Gerald Harmon, MD, has announced. Krajacic joins the SOMC team from the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, where he serves as the assistant dean for curricular affairs.

Krajacic will lead an exceptional UME team at the School of Medicine Columbia. Brian Keisler, MD, has served as the interim associate dean for UME for the last several months, and will continue in that role until Krajacic officially begins his duties in Columbia on September 1.

“We are quite fortunate to have an individual with Dr. Krajacic’s credentials, experience, and talent join us as we continue to grow and improve our educational infrastructure at the School of Medicine Columbia,” Harmon commented.

“We remain indebted to Dr. Brian Keisler for his exceptional work serving in the interim role since the beginning of the year and for remaining engaged in the position while Dr. Krajacic comes onboard and integrates and joins our team of extremely talented educators.”

Krajacic is excited for the next step in his career as a medical educator and leader at USC.

Krajacic earned his medical degree from the University of Belgrade (Serbia) School of Medicine and completed his postdoctoral training in muscle physiology and disease at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia. He then joined the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine in 2013 as an assistant professor in the biomedical sciences department, eventually receiving tenure and promotion, becoming the only faculty member with a dual appointment in both the biomedical sciences and clinical sciences departments.

In his current role, Krajacic holds several key responsibilities, including curricular implementation, oversight and renewal, and other aspects of pre-clinical medical education. While at WVSOM, Krajacic has served on several committees, including as the current chair of the Curriculum Building Committee, and previous chair of both the Curriculum Review and Research Committees, the latter of which he chaired for four years. He also played an integral role in a recent site visit and accreditation cycle for WVSOM by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation, which resulted in continued accreditation for the school.

In addition to his role at WVSOM, Krajacic also serves as a faculty member for two professional development courses for medical educators at Harvard Medical School’s Harvard Macy Institute. During his career he has collected several accolades, including WVSOM’s Outstanding Faculty Award (2016) and the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (2008), and has also authored, or co-authored, numerous publications.