Doctor makes bid for CU regent’s seat

Another candidate has entered the University of Colorado regent’s race. Brian Davidson, a physician and anesthesiologist at the University of Colorado’s Anschutz Medical Campus, will run as a Republican for the open Board of Regents at-large seat.

His only opponent so far is current at-large Regent Stephen Ludwig, a Democrat, who will be running for re-election.

Davidson, 34, lives in Arvada with his wife and their newborn son.

In addition to his clinical duties, he is the associate department chairman for health-care quality and patient safety and assistant medical director for operating-room services. He is a member of the University of Colorado Hospital Medical Board and is serving his third appointment to the Colorado State Board of Dental Examiners as a governor-appointed public member. He also serves on the University of Northern Colorado College of Natural and Health Sciences’ Advisory Board.

A fifth-generation Coloradan, Davidson said his main focus will be to make the university affordable for middle-class families. In order to do that, higher education should look to electronic media to decrease costs, Davidson said.

“The university tries to do business the old way with expensive buildings, huge campuses and huge amounts of administrative staff to deliver education in a traditional fashion,” Davidson said. For many programs, online tools cost a fraction of what a building would cost to provide the same type of education, he said.

He also supports the continued development of the university’s Anschutz Medical Campus, including partnerships with other community health-care providers along the Front Range.

Davidson earned his bachelor’s at the University of Northern Colorado and a medical degree at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. He received an MBA from the University of Colorado Denver and a graduate certificate in health-care quality and patient safety from Regis University in Denver.

He previously ran for the regent position in 2006.

ecowan@durangoherald.com