Prof Don Roberton, a paediatrician, plans to retire in February when his five-year term as health sciences pro-vice-chancellor ends.
He was out of town yesterday and unable to be contacted for comment.
The division teaches more than 5300 students enrolled in the faculties of dentistry and medicine and the schools of pharmacy and physiotherapy.
Medical students are taught in Christchurch and Wellington as well as in Dunedin.
The position is being advertised internationally.
The university has seven senior academic managers - the vice-chancellor, two deputies and four pro-vice-chancellors who each head an academic division.
Prof Roberton's replacement will be the fifth change of senior staff between the start of this year and July next year.
In a reshuffle in February, Prof Keith Hunter took over as sciences pro-vice-chancellor, replacing Prof Vernon Squire.
Prof Squire was promoted to academic and international deputy vice chancellor replacing Prof Gareth Jones, who finished his term and moved to a senior position with the Dunedin School of Medicine.
In April, humanities pro-vice-chancellor Prof Majella Franzmann left for a similar position at the Curtain University of Technology in Perth and was replaced by Victoria University's Prof Brian Moloughney.
He will take up his position later this year.
Last month, vice-chancellor Prof Sir David Skegg made the surprise announcement he would stand down in July next year, by which time he would have completed seven years.
The university is about to begin advertising for his replacement.
The other two senior academics are research and enterprise deputy vice-chancellor Prof Harlene Hayne, who began her role at the start of last year, and school of business pro-vice-chancellor Prof George Benwell, who has been in his position since the start of 2007.
