November 7, 2003

Slavin moves to the head of the class

Peter L. Slavin, MD, president of the MGH, had a change of duty Oct. 28 when he hung up his stethoscope and turned off his PowerPoint presentation in exchange for a blackboard as he became a high school principal for a day.

Slavin participated in the Principal for a Day program, a citywide event in which business and community leaders spend a day experiencing for themselves the strengths and challenges of the public school system. Slavin was assigned to East Boston High School, which is a partner with the MGH through the ProTech program.

During the morning, Slavin met with the school's headmaster, attended classes and visited with students. That afternoon, more than 50 leaders from the Boston area who had participated in the event took part in a roundtable discussion.

"I found the experience quite remarkable," says Slavin. "I met dedicated administrators and incredible teachers who encourage, support and inspire their students. I also had the opportunity to meet with some extraordinary students who are clearly motivated to learn."