Dr. Barbara J. McNeil—member of the Harvard Medical School class of 1966 and professor of radiology and Ridley Watts Professor of Health Care Policy at HMS—was named interim Dean of Harvard Medical School in 2007 before Dean Jeffrey S. Flier took office. Dr. McNeil also served as interim dean in 2016 before Dean George Q. Daley took office. In 2014, the Barbara J. McNeil Faculty Award for Exceptional Service to HMS/HSDM was established and named in honor of Dr. McNeil.
Dr. McNeil has been a member of the Harvard Medical School faculty since 1983 and founding chair of the Harvard Medical School Department of Health Care policy since 1988. She was the first alumna of Harvard Medical School to be promoted to full professor at Harvard Medical School.