UVA School of Medicine

8 VIRGINIA MEDICINE Dr. Kent the executive vice president for health affairs at the University of Virginia. He is responsible for overseeing all UVA Health operations and reports directly to the president. A researcher, educator and physician, Kent is an internationally recognized leader in academic medicine. He was elected to the 2019 class of inductees into the National Academy of Medicine, one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine. We recently had the opportunity to ask Dr. Kent about a variety of topics related to his career, academic medicine and UVA Health. You've had a wide-ranging career that includes research, education, and clinical care. What first attracted you to a career in medicine? Growing up, I never expected to pursue a career in medicine. I was raised on a ranch in western Nevada, and for a long time I thought I would grow up to be a rancher, taking care of animals and tending to crops. That all changed when I went to college and began taking biology courses. I've always loved science, and biology was particularly fascinating to me, not only for its incredible complexities, but also for its application to human health. While in college, an advisor suggested that I look into medical school, and once I began thinking about it, I couldn't stop. Medicine, like biology, is about the human connection. It is about the way that we relate to and care for one another. I've always loved connecting with people, and medicine allowed me to build upon this, while also studying the science that truly fascinates me. It was always my goal to return to my home town — to be a family physician and run the ranch. That didn't quite turn out how I expected, but the reasons that pushed me to enter the medical profession have never left me: helping people, healing, advancing the science, and creating new treatments. Over the years, the medical profession has allowed me to interact with so many people from my patients to fellow physicians, to the wonderful teams that care for these patients, to the community that supports this care. I feel truly blessed to have had this incredible opportunity — to be a physician — and to have experienced the adventures that a wonderful career in medicine has provided. What brought you to UVA? UVA stands out as a national leader in health care, innovation and talent; I was honored to be considered for this position. As I learned more about UVA and the health system, I became more and more impressed by the commitment to exemplary clinical care, education, research, and community. Something that impressed me from the very beginning was the excellence, dedication, compassion, and integrity of the faculty and staff at UVA. It is clear that its people are at the heart of all of UVA's greatness. As a health system, UVA's clinical care is truly extraordinary. Our healthcare providers are equipped to treat a wide range of illness, from basic medical conditions to complex and uncommon illness. People come from all over the region, and, in some cases, the nation, to receive care at our facilities. Academically, UVA is one of the best universities in the country, and our Schools of Medicine and Nursing are truly incredible in their commitment to quality education, immersive learning, and mentorship. The research efforts at UVA Health are some of the most robust and inventive in the nation. UVA is constantly on the cutting-edge of medical research and innovation, and we are often able to integrate our new discoveries into treatments and the care of our patients. As I began my work here at UVA, I was also excited to see Charlottesville and meet the wonderful community of people who live here. In the midst of a global pandemic, I found a community of people that are caring and dedicated. I feel fortunate to be welcomed into this community, and I am hopeful that we will continue to strengthen our partnerships in the years to come. Can you talk about the challenges and opportunities you see in academic medicine at this time, both at UVA and broadly? Academic medicine continuously faces both headwinds and tailwinds. The consistent challenges are a decline in reimbursement in addition to reduced funding for research and education. With this as the baseline, COVID-19 has been for us and for other academic medical centers a further disruptor. The opportunity for UVA Health, and for academic medical centers across the country, is to utilize our outstanding and talented people to improve the health of our nation and the world. Whether it be in the laboratory, in the operating room, or in the classroom (even if it's via Zoom), academic medical centers like UVA have leading experts who can perform cutting-edge research, clinical care, and education that is second to none. UVA specifically has the opportunity to grow and reach more people in the Commonwealth and beyond. The demand for our service is unbelievable — our hospital is always full, our medicine and nursing programs are incredibly selective, and our innovative care programs are always in high demand. With the development of a comprehensive strategic plan, which we intend to begin later this fall, UVA Health will be able to identify and prioritize where and how we grow. Our ultimate goal is to increase our strength as one of the nation's leading academic medical centers. Fourth-year medical students are doing virtual residency interviews this year because of the global pandemic, and many will not have an opportunity to visit the programs they are considering. What would you want someone to know about UVA who might be considering a residency program here? As I am certain you know, UVA is known for the quality of its training programs. There are two reasons for this. First, the complexity of patients we care for allows us to provide trainees with a wide range of experiences. More importantly, our faculty and care providers are the best teachers – caring, collaborative, and engaging. Nationally, UVA is recognized for the educational strength and diversity of our programs, the dedication of our faculty, the opportunity to be involved with research, and the wide breadth of patients for whom we provide primary, tertiary, and quaternary care. Both our current trainees and our applicants know that our graduates go on to have great careers WITH K. Craig Kent, MD QA

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