I would like to start this month’s message with a congratulations to all faculty, staff and trainees in the college involved in research, as well as the leadership of our college’s administrative research team, which is led by Senior Associate Dean for Research Howard Fox, MD, PhD. As you should be aware, Jennifer Larsen, MD, the vice chancellor for research, announced a few weeks ago that UNMC saw a remarkable 26% increase in extramural research funding during the past year. The college was a major contributor to this with a 24% increase in funding. For the college, this amounts to an increase of almost $24 million, with nearly every department contributing to this increase. This is a truly remarkable accomplishment in light of the challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the highly competitive nature of research funding over the past several years. Thank you all for your efforts.
Next, I would like to welcome our new class of first-year medical students, as well as our returning students. We all appreciate the unique circumstances under which fall classes will be starting as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. I am particularly disappointed that we have had to delay the white coat ceremony that has traditionally launched the beginning of the new students’ transition to becoming physicians. A date is in the process of being identified for this moving ceremony.
Although we would all like the pandemic to just magically go away, that is not going to happen. Thus, resiliency and flexibility will need to be the order of the day as we walk the tightrope of balancing safety of our faculty, staff and students with assuring the highest quality medical education. Maintaining this balance is, and will continue to be, difficult and will require decisions based on the best information available at the time that can in turn be second guessed. Not everyone will agree with every decision. Before jumping to conclusions as to why a decision was reached, I would ask that you “assume good intent” on the part of those making the decisions. We are all in this together. I am confident that we are all trying to do what is best for the college and all of the people who comprise our institution.
Thank you in advance for all that you have done, are doing, and will continue doing to get us through this unprecedented challenge. I have the greatest confidence in all of you. Together we will get through this and emerge stronger on the other side.