Reporting for Duty
We are still unpacking boxes. Our worldly possessions (but not our vehicles) arrived last Thursday, so don’t judge me if my socks don’t match. That said, I am excited to report to duty this morning. I am grateful for the very warm welcome that I have received thus far, and I look forward to meeting many of you as I learn more about the many facets of this great department. The department of medicine (DoM) at UCLA is by any measure strong. However, I believe that many opportunities exist for us to take things up a notch. Prior to my arrival, I have been struck by the energy and talent in this department and your strong desire to excel across all our missions: from outstanding primary care to the most complex subspecialty care, to training the next generation of leaders in medicine, to pushing boundaries in research and scholarship while maintaining a commitment to strengthening ties with the diverse community that we serve. In addition to seeing us elevate the academic reputation of the DGSOM, I look forward to working with you to ensure that our DoM sets the bar that defines what successful academic departments of medicine should look like in the 21st Century. To achieve this lofty but attainable goal, we need to be bold and strategic, open to new ideas, acknowledging our failures, while embracing and enhancing a culture of collegiality and collaboration. I will share more in the coming weeks, the steps that we will take to map out our future strategy. In the meantime, I will be listening and learning. I close by acknowledging the collective leadership that has brought the department to its current position of excellence. I am humbled and privileged to be offered the opportunity to write the next chapter with you. We begin this chapter with ongoing headwinds from the COVID-19 pandemic. I also recognize that for many of you, the recently concluded Holiday season has been challenging on this and other fronts. We will get through these challenges as a team, as we work together to achieve our mutually envisioned future. I firmly believe that with your support, the best is yet to come for the DoM.
Sincerely,
E. Dale Abel, MD, PhD
William S. Adams Professor of Medicine
Chair and Executive Medical Director
Department of Medicine
David Geffen School of Medicine and UCLA Health
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