Under the long leadership of Ed Huth, and, more recently, that of Suzanne and Bob Fletcher, Annals has advanced and evolved. It is now ready for the guiding hand of one of the most accomplished innovators in this new era of medical learning and communication. As Jim Nolan, Chair of the ACP Board of Regents, noted, "In the future years, we will regard the Davidoff era of Annals as particularly distinguished"

Scheduled to assume his post as Editor early in 1995, Frank Davidoff brings to the job an extensive background in patient care, research, and teaching. He received his undergraduate degree, magna cum laude, from Harvard University and graduated in medicine from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. After an internship and residency at Massachusetts General Hospital, he became an officer in the U.S. Public Health Service (1961-1964), serving as a research associate at the National Heart Institute. He returned to Massachusetts General Hospital for a fellowship in endocrinology and joined the faculty at Harvard Medical School. In 1974 he was appointed Professor of Medicine at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and Chief of the Medical Service; he became Chief of the Division of General Medicine and the residency training program, and later Chief of the Department of Medicine, New Britain General Hospital, a community teaching hospital in the University of Connecticut system. Over the years he has made many contributions to molecular pharmacology and endocrinology while teaching at the bedside and caring for patients. Among his more recent publications are an increasing number of original papers on postgraduate training, medical education, use of the medical literature, and the probabilistic reasoning approach to altering clinical behavior.

In 1987 he was appointed Associate Executive Vice President (later Senior Vice President) for Education at the American College of Physicians, and over the last 7 years he has brought new ideas and advances to major programs in the College, including the annual meeting courses and the Medical Knowledge Self-Assessment Program (MKSAP), which is now expanding its impact through subspecialty MKSAPs.

Frank has stimulated the College to undertake a series of important research endeavors, including a study of patient-centered care supported by the Commonwealth Fund and a project on community-based teaching opportunities in internal medicine funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts.

Since 1980, he has received numerous honors, including the 1994 Laureate Award from the College's Pennsylvania Chapter, which is given for demonstrated excellence in medical care, education and research, and dedicated service to the community, the Chapter, and the American College of Physicians. In November, Frank received the highest honor in medical informatics: the President's Award from the American Medical Informatics Association, which cited him as a visionary in electronic medical decision making.

He is a frequent contributor to the medical literature, has reviewed for six prominent medical journals, and served on the editorial board of the Journal of General Internal Medicine. I am most impressed, however, by his regular column on medical education concepts in ACP Observer, which I often re-read and have copied for my colleagues in other fields. I look forward to Frank's lucid prose gracing the pages of Annals.

To the 100 000 readers of Annals of Internal Medi-cine—I enthusiastically welcome you to the Davidoff era.