Lawrence E. Jacobson, D.O., former dean of the DMU College of Osteopathic Medicine, died on Nov. 10, 2011. He was 80 years old.
Dean Jacobson earned his undergraduate degree at Ursinus College. After serving in the U.S. Army, he earned his D.O. degree from the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine and chose to specialize in neurology.
While he maintained a successful neurology practice for many years, Dean Jacobson’s true passion was medical education. He devoted most of his 50-year career to the training of medical students working as both a teacher and administrator, most recently as vice dean of Nova University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Fort Lauderdale, FL.
Dean Jacobson also was one of the founding faculty members at Michigan State University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine. He served as medical director of the brain trauma unit at Southfield Rehabilitation Center in Michigan.
At DMU, where he worked from 1986 to 1995, he held the positions of professor, dean of the College of Osteopathic Medicine and vice president for academic affairs.
William Dyche, Ph.D., DMU professor emeritus of anatomy, says Dean Jacobson provided key leadership during “two major historic moments in the University’s history” – the transition from the presidency of Leonard Azneer, Ph.D., to the interim presidency of Myron Magen, D.O., in 1992 and the flood that swamped central Iowa in 1993.
“We had no water on campus and couldn’t conduct classes here for several weeks,” Dyche recalls. “He found locations around the city so classes could continue to be held.”