Dear Graduating Residents and Fellows,
This has been yet another unusually challenging year, with continued loss of human life from COVID-19 and gun violence, social and economic disruption, and dramatic disparities in healthcare. You have completed your training amidst all these crises – and so much stress.
We want to thank each of you for being present on the front lines and helping care for our patients. Thank you for your commitment to learning and teaching. Thank you for trusting UW Medicine with your development. Despite all the chaos and the unknown, we hope that your learning environment has been safe and your education memorable.
Some of you have been with us just a short time, some much longer. Thanks to each of you for your efforts in supporting the UW Medicine mission: “to improve the health of the public.”
As we say goodbye to you, those graduating, this time of the year is both joyful and bittersweet. For the first time in 2 years, though, we hope you will be able to celebrate your success at an in-person graduation event. For those of you who have alternate virtual graduation plans, we hope that you can celebrate in the way you feel most comfortable.
Our hope is that you have become better a doctor/dentist because of being here. Our community is certainly better for having had you with us. We are proud of you and look forward to the contributions you will make to the field of medicine/dentistry as a representative of the University of Washington.
Congratulations and best of luck!
Cindy Hamra, JD, MA
Assistant Dean, Operations and Administration
Jennifer Best, MD
Associate Dean, Accreditation and Education
Byron Joyner, MD, MPA
Vice Dean for GME and DIO