Dear Larner Community,
This month brings a special excitement and promise for the academic year. On August 7, I had the pleasure of welcoming 124 members of the medical school class of 2027, and this month we greet both new and returning graduate students in our masters and doctoral programs and returning medical students. They join our outstanding staff and faculty, some of whom have also recently joined us. I encourage you to look for new faces and provide a warm welcome.
We are the seventh oldest medical school in the United States, now entering our third century. Over these many years, we have distinguished ourselves by innovation in education, outstanding clinical care, and leading-edge research. Our success, in part, emanates from core values of professionalism, inclusion and justice. As we prepare to recruit future LCOM classes, in the setting of the 2023 U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Race in Admissions, we remain unwavering in our commitment to foster a diverse community where inclusivity is integral to our identity and our mission.
Soon, you will see visible changes in our facilities. Spearheaded by the Arts, Walls and Environment Committee, the Given Lobby will be updated with displays that reflect our rich history and the pillars of our mission today. We anticipate the initial pieces and exhibition to be installed this fall, and welcome all faculty, staff, students, and community members to submit ideas or your work for consideration. Also in the Given building, after years of planning and a longstanding need to improve relaxation and wellness space for our learners, construction will soon begin first for a new lounge and then for a wellness/fitness facility to serve our medical and graduate students.
Best wishes for this new academic year.
Stay well,
Richard L. Page, M.D.
Dean
