Letter from the Dean
Dear Friends,
Greetings from the Saint Louis University School of Medicine!
Our medical students are busy. Our new SLU School of Medicine Class of 2027 is well into Normal Structure & Function, Clinical Interviewing, and Health Systems Science. M2 students are studying for the Step 1 exam and preparing to enter clerkships in January. M3s are in the midst of clerkships, and M4s are about to start residency interviews.
Our academic faculty is growing. SLUCare Physician Group has signed 95 new SLU faculty physicians since January. New investigators are joining our Center for Vaccine Development, the Institute for Translational Neuroscience, the Advanced HEAlth Data (AHEAD) Research Institute, and our basic science and clinical departments.
The School of Medicine is transforming. Planning is underway for a Health Education Center, which will enable innovative student learning, high-fidelity simulation, and inter-professional education. We are growing scholarships for medical students from less advantaged backgrounds, supporting and growing research excellence, and establishing endowed chairs for visionary leadership across all departments.
In October, I had the pleasure of attending our annual Med Reunion and spoke with many of you individually and at various events throughout the weekend. I was asked during a presentation on our future vision and transformation, “What do you need from us?” As alumni and friends of SLU School of Medicine, you are an essential part of our past and our future. Your support has been instrumental, and I hope you will continue to join us in advancing our mission by considering a year-end, tax-deductible donation.
This issue of Grand Rounds celebrates our commitment to medical education, patient care and our community — informed by our core values: cura personalis, scholarship, discovery, collaboration, and equity. These values have been the guiding principles of our institution since its establishment in 1836 and continue to guide us in our ongoing education of future physicians.
In these pages, you will find inspiring stories that capture the essence of our core values and the work of the School of Medicine with our students and our community. These stories celebrate the profound impact of our School of Medicine community as we commit to our shared purpose.
Our dedication to medical education would not be possible without your generosity
and support year after year.
Thank you for supporting the future of medicine.
Best Regards,
Christine K. Jacobs, M.D.
Vice President of Medical Affairs and Dean to the School of Medicine