Steven P. Schmidt, Ph.D., the Principal of Medical Research and Education Advisors, built a distinguished academic and research-focused career spending more than 40 years in academic and healthcare settings conducting both basic and clinical research, teaching undergraduate and graduate students and medical residents and leading research administrative teams. A doctoral graduate of Idaho State University in 1978, Dr. Schmidt was recruited to fill a tenure-track faculty position directly out of graduate school in the Department of Biology at The University of Akron. He transitioned in 1982 to Akron City Hospital (now Summa Health System) to develop and direct the Vascular Research Laboratory in collaboration with the Department of Surgery. The focus of the research in the Vascular Research Laboratory was endothelial cell function. The lab was funded for more than 20 years primarily through the generosity of the Summa Health System Foundation and the American Heart Association which named Dr. Schmidt a Distinguished Researcher. At Summa Health System Dr. Schmidt also developed and ran the Surgical Research Laboratory and mentored countless residents, medical students and attendings in research processes and methodologies. In 2008 Dr. Schmidt was named Director of Research for Summa Health System and transitioned to the newly created role of Vice President for Research and Innovation shortly thereafter. In that role Dr. Schmidt led the creation of a Clinical Trials Research Center for the health system. He also served an interim role as President of the Summa Foundation. In 2015 Dr. Schmidt transitioned to Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) where he served as Chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Vice-President for Research and Dean of the College of Graduate Studies. At NEOMED Dr. Schmidt developed a Research Track for the Fellowship in Academic Medicine (FAME) program. This nine-month clinical research training program was specifically designed for clinical trainees and junior faculty in NEOMED-affiliated health-systems desiring to intentionally incorporate clinical research in their clinical and professional priorities. In addition Dr. Schmidt oversaw both intramural and extramural research at NEOMED as the designated Institutional Official (IO) and supported the growth of extramural research at NEOMED to greater than $20 million in funded projects – primarily through NIH grants. Dr. Schmidt is familiar with all clinical research regulatory roles and responsibilities including Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) and Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees (IACUCs). In addition, Dr. Schmidt developed a course entitled Regulatory Affairs in Clinical Research for both undergraduate and graduate students as an Adjunct Professor in the College of Public Health at Kent State University and has taught that course annually since 2015.
Dr. Schmidt retired from full-time employment at NEOMED in 2022 but remains a Professor in the College of Graduate Studies where he is active mentoring students and former colleagues.