In April of 1997, Cecil B. Drain, Ph.D., CRNA, FAAN, was appointed as the Dean of the School of Allied Health Professions at Virginia Commonwealth University, Medical College of Virginia Campus. Prior to that appointment, he had served as the Interim Dean of the School since July of 1996, and before that as Chair of the Department of Nurse Anesthesia since 1993.

Before coming to VCU, Dr. Drain had a distinguished 27-year career in the U.S. Army. He was selected for the first class of the two-Phase Anesthesiology Nursing Course and was a distinguished Honor Graduate of the Phase II portion of the course in 1971. After graduation, he became a staff and then acting Chief Nurse Anesthetist at the 121st Evacuation Hospital in Seoul, South Korea. Later, while at Brooke Army Medial Center, he wrote the first edition of the book entitled The Recovery Room, which is now in its third edition and is regarded as the "Bible" of Post Anesthesia Nursing.

In 1980 Dr. Drain returned to the Academy of Health Sciences to become the Assistant Program Director and Acting Program Director of the U.S. Army/State University of New York at Buffalo Nurse Anesthesiology Course. He graduated from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, and in 1983 he was assigned to Texas A&M University where he obtained a Doctor of Philosophy degree in educational curriculum and instruction in higher education.

Dr. Drain returned to Brooke Army Medical Center in 1986, and served as the Special Project Officer along with providing anesthesia in the Department of Anesthesiology. In 1989, he moved to the Academy of Health Sciences, where he served as a Branch Chief and Director of the U.S. Army/University of Texas at Houston Program in Nurse Anesthesia. He also served on the faculty of the University of Oklahoma School of Medicine, Baylor University in Health Care Administration, and Texas Wesleyan University in Allied Health Professions. Dr. Drain retired from the Army in 1993 at the rank of colonel.

Dr. Drain's awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, the Order of Military Medical Merit, and the "A" Army proficiency designator, which is comparable to the full professor in the academic community. He was the 1981 winner of the Federal Nursing Service Award, which was presented by the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States. He remains the only Nurse Anesthetist to have received that research award. Dr. Drain was inducted into the American Academy of Nursing as a Fellow in 1988, only the second Nurse Anesthetist in the country to be so honored. Additionally, he has authored 3 books, over 60 professional articles, has presented at over 70 state and national conventions, and serves on 5 editorial boards and one research foundation.

Dr. Drain brings a broad spectrum of experience in leadership, research, teaching, and service to his new position as Dean. His vision for the School of Allied Health Professions is one of continued excellence, motivating faculty, staff and students toward national achievement and recognition through the use of cutting edge technology in preparation for the delivery of quality health care to the citizens of the 21st century.

Dr. Drain is married to the former Cynthia M. Phaff of Waseca, Minnesota. They have three children; sons Timothy and Stephen who reside with their wives Holly and Christine in Texas, and daughter Kathryn, who resides at home and recently graduated from Clover Hill High School in Midlothian, VA. Kathryn is attending VCU.

To email Dean Drain click here

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