Dear Members of the HMS and HSDM Community:
I recently had the privilege of attending the School’s annual Spotlight on Medical Education dinner, which celebrates Harvard Medical School students and the many faculty, staff, and donors who support teaching and learning at HMS.
I was inspired and humbled by our students’ remarkable stories of how they came to join the HMS community. In particular, I was captivated by keynote speaker Jonathan Yong Kim, a first-generation Korean American, NASA astronaut, and U.S. Navy lieutenant commander who received his MD from HMS in 2016. In his talk, Kim recounted how his time at HMS was a powerful salve for the traumas he endured in combat as a U.S. Navy SEAL. In seeking to heal others through his medical training here, he said he was ultimately able to heal himself.
This Thanksgiving, I feel extraordinarily grateful for the spirit, dedication, and legacy of healing that we nurture here at HMS. Kim’s story exemplified this in a profound and moving way. Each of you brings personal meaning to your service and your scholarship, to your courses and your clinical care. And each of your stories nourishes and strengthens our community and mission.
Let us keep in mind, however, as we pause and enter this season of gratitude and giving, that to be successful in whatever we do, we must also commit to our own health and well-being. Rest and relaxation are essential. Over the holiday, I urge you to take time to care for yourselves, especially as we grapple with news of yet another mass shooting and alleged hate crime, this time in Colorado Springs.
We also acknowledge that while the Thanksgiving holiday is a time to gather with friends and family to give thanks for our good fortune, it is also a time to reflect on what we all can do to address the social conditions that create disparities in the health and wellness of so many in our community. Thanksgiving can also be a painful reminder of the continuing repercussions of colonialism and of the displacement, genocide, and oppression of Native and Indigenous peoples, who observe a National Day of Mourning on Thursday. Let us take a moment to honor and recognize the Indigenous people who once held this land and whose culture is an indelible part of our country’s past, present, and future.
Finally, while we give thanks for the medical advances that have helped us weather the pandemic, please remember, as you prepare to gather with loved ones, that COVID-19 still circulates among us. Influenza season is upon us, and cases of RSV are on the rise. I encourage everyone to exercise caution and wear a mask when possible, especially in crowded or unventilated indoor environments. The Keep HMS Healthy webpage has more details on testing and exposure, vaccine and booster requirements, and flexwork.
May the coming holiday break be infused with togetherness and a generosity of spirit. I know I will be giving thanks this holiday for all that you do throughout the year for the HMS community.
Sincerely,
George Q. Daley
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine
Harvard University
Note: Harvard has many resources available to support mental health and wellness, including Counseling and Mental Health Services for students, the Employee Assistance Program and Work/Life Programs for employees, and the Ombuds Office for all staff, trainees, faculty, and students.