We are kicking off the spring season with several exciting developments! I have been very eager to announce our new Rural Health Equity and Access Longitudinal Elective (R-HEALE). R-HEALE is designed to train rural physicians who will practice in this specific underserved area. We now have funding to support a pilot with two to four of our medical students from the incoming Class of 2028, to begin this elective in their first year with didactic and mentoring sessions in Baltimore, followed by research and clinical experiences on the Eastern Shore. Our goal is to ultimately support 10 new students interested in rural health in this elective each year, with 10 full-tuition in-state scholarships. R-HEALE will help address the challenges Maryland’s rural Eastern Shore residents face in accessing quality healthcare and navigating health disparities.
I’m very proud to share that 140 of our senior medical students matched as of March 15 this year. 36 percent will stay in Maryland – that’s 2 percent more than last year – and students this year matched to 62 different health care facilities in 21 different states. 39 percent of students matched to a primary care specialty. Congratulations to all our matched students, and I wish them the best as they prepare for graduation and the next chapter of their medical careers!
In faculty news, last month we welcomed our new Chair of the Department of Dermatology, Shawn Kwatra, MD. Dr. Kwatra joins us from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where he served as the Founding Director of the Johns Hopkins Itch Center. He is an internationally renowned dermatologist and clinical leader in skin of color research, as well as chronic inflammatory skin diseases, including atopic dermatitis, prurigo nodularis, and chronic pruritus of unknown origin. He also has expertise in managing cutaneous adverse events associated with immunotherapy. In addition to Chair of Dermatology, Dr. Kwatra will also serve as the Chief of Service of Dermatology at the University of Maryland Medical Center.
On March 20, we launched our highly anticipated strategic plan for 2025-2030: GenMD Solving the Generational Health Challenges of our Time. This is an aspirational plan built on the premise that we are in the “right place at the right time with the right people.” The plan charts a clear course for the UMSOM to achieve our vision to stand as one of the nation’s leading public medical schools. We had an incredible level of engagement: almost 1,000 faculty and staff members participated in grassroots brainstorming sessions and more than 180 volunteered for community brainstorming sessions, prioritization meetings, and working groups. This was truly a collaborative team effort. I want to thank everyone involved, and especially Wendy O’Donnell, who led this colossal effort. If you missed the email, I encourage you to view the plan as a digital flipbook or download it as a PDF here. In the coming weeks, you will hear more about the implementation phase and ways that your work can contribute to the goals and objectives of the plan.
Since this year is already flying by and fall will be here before we know it, I want to ensure everyone has the date for our next State of the School Address marked on their calendars: Thursday, September 19 at 3:30 p.m., with a reception to follow. I’m looking forward to sharing many more significant updates about our school with you here.
With enthusiasm and commitment,
Mark T. Gladwin, MD (He/him/his)
Dean, University of Maryland School of Medicine
Vice President for Medical Affairs, University of Maryland, Baltimore
John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor and Dean
