UVA School of Medicine

Fall 2020 9 in either academic medicine or private practice. Coming to UVA for a residency will lay the foundation for future career success. Although I might sound a bit prejudiced — EVPs are supposed to brag about their organizations, after all — one would find few that would dispute the strength of the training programs at UVA. All of that said, it is important during this difficult time where personal contact is not possible, to engage, encourage and support all of our applicants. Applicants have been taking advantage of the ability to interview virtually without traveling, and so most of our programs have seen a significant increase in the number of applicants compared to prior years. It was recently announced that School of Medicine Dean David S. Wilkes, MD, will be stepping down in 2021. What can you tell us about the search for a new dean in terms of a timeline and also how diversity, equity and inclusion will be incorporated into that process? We announced the search committee in late August. The co-chairs, Karen Johnston, MD, Fel '97, associate vice president for clinical and translational research and professor of neurology, along with Reid B. Adams, MD '87, Res '94, chief medical officer and chair of surgery, have been performing a listening tour with key stakeholder groups in the health system to learn what traits would be most attractive in a new dean. Spencer Stuart, the search firm who we have contracted to assist in the search, is sourcing top candidates from across the country. Thus far, interest in the position has been impressive with dozens of talented applicants in consideration. It is difficult to give a definitive timeline given the complexities of travel with COVID-19 and the upcoming holidays, but the search is going well and we are very optimistic. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are an essential part of this search. Not only have we solicited a diverse candidate pool, but in addition, candidates who apply must demonstrate an extensive track record of success in diversity, equity, and inclusion in their prior roles. Dean Wilkes made significant progress in these areas, and we need to use that momentum to make further gains. There are more than 15,000 MD and BIMS alumni and former housestaff of the UVA School of Medicine. What message do you have for them? UVA Health has been and continues to be one of the nation's leaders in academic medicine because of your efforts. Despite the challenges of these past few months, the UVA community remains strong and committed to carrying forward our missions of clinical care, research, education, and community. I could not be more proud to work at such an outstanding organization. Thank you for your loyalty and your engagement with UVA Health. We will call on you in the months and years to come to help us move forward and achieve our goals. Please reach out any time — we are here for you and also want to hear your ideas, thoughts, and suggestions about how we can improve. It has been a busy eight months at UVA with many challenges, but we are positive and optimistic about the future. I am so proud to be in the UVA Health family, and I hope that during my time here I have earned the right to become a Wahoo. "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."

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