Philip Baker, dean of the University of Alberta's faculty of medicine, has apologized for failing to acknowledge the source of his speech.
The fate of the dean at a Canadian medical school remains up in the air after he lifted parts of another physician's speech in a convocation address to graduating students last week, sparking an uproar at home and abroad.
The speech was given by Philip Baker, dean of the University of Alberta's faculty of medicine and dentistry, last Friday and students noticed it sounded similar to a speech given in 2010 to Stanford University's medical graduates that had been posted online.
Students complained, saying the dean of one of the foremost schools at one of Canada's top research institutions should be held to the same integrity guidelines as students writing essays who are expected to credit the source of their material.
Dr. Baker apologized Sunday in an e-mail for a "lapse in judgment," but the issue exploded on Monday, appearing on popular international websites such as Fark and Gawker. University officials began a formal investigation, but avoided reporters throughout the day.
"These are serious allegations, and the University of Alberta will treat them as such. Academic integrity is at the heart of this university, and must continue to be so," University president Indira Samarasekera said in a written statement released Monday evening.
Much of Dr. Baker's speech is in question, but the essential passage was about a "velluvial matrix."
It's a fictional medical term created by American surgeon and journalist Atul Gawande and used in his commencement speech at Stanford last year. He created and used the term "velluvial matrix" to illustrate to students that learning never stops in the medical profession. "You never stop wondering if there is a velluvial matrix you should know about," he said.
Dr. Baker used the same term in his speech Friday, perking some ears in the crowd, which included the 2011 graduating class in medicine.
Some of the class complained. On Sunday, Dr. Baker sent an internal e-mail to students about his speech being "similar to that of one given by Dr. Atul Gawande." He apologized.
"When I was researching for the speech, I came across text which inspired me and resonated with my experiences," Dr. Baker wrote, adding he'd been in contact with Dr. Gawande to apologize.
"The talk was intended for a private audience, nevertheless, my failure to attribute the source of my inspiration is a matter of the utmost regret," he wrote. "And, while there is no excuse for the lapse in judgment which occurred on Friday evening I can only offer my sincere and heartfelt apology."
Some students at the time said they were "embarrassed and disappointed." On Monday, as the speech became notorious, they backtracked on their complaints and didn't speak publicly. The university, meanwhile, said little throughout the day.
"With a serious allegation that impacts a person's reputation, the university will not rush into anything," spokeswoman Deb Hammacher said.
Any investigation will be hampered by a lack of evidence - the university didn't record Dr. Baker's speech and, as of Monday evening, still didn't have a copy. Without it, it's hard to prove the extent to which the two speeches overlapped.
Through a spokesperson, Dr. Gawande declined comment, calling the ordeal "a matter between Dean Baker and the University of Alberta."
An esteemed obstetrician and gynecologist by training, Dr. Baker became dean in 2009, joining the University of Alberta from the Manchester Biomedical Research Centre in Britain. According to his university biography, he has published more than 200 scientific articles.
While speeches are much less formal than when writing a scholarly article, the central premise around plagiarism remains - credit where credit is due, says Michael McDonald, the founding director of the University of British Columbia's W. Maurice Young Centre for Applied Ethics.
To not credit a speech is a "serious" oversight, he said, but not one that demands Dr. Baker be fired.
"I wouldn't go that far at all," Prof. McDonald said. "I think that's the kind of thing where the dean probably needs to have a heart-to-heart discussion with the president of the University of Alberta, and say: 'What's best for the institution?' "