Dean's Message

Message from Dr. Ganzel Regarding COVID-19 Response - March 12, 2020

March 12, 2020

Dear Faculty, Staff, Residents and Students,

We must make every effort to maintain the integrity of our educational, research and clinical missions and keeping our workforce healthy to care for patients. President Neeli Bendapudi’s message yesterday outlined several actions that the institution is taking and identified further items that are under continued daily discussion.   Because there are unit-specific aspects to the School of Medicine’s educational, research and clinical programs, I want to provide you with further clarity around practices and directives. 

Please know your health and safety are of the highest importance to us and we are committed to keeping you informed and protected in this fluid environment, which may change daily.

  1. Education

    Medical Students: Our M2 students returned from spring break this week and have already converted to online teaching as of Monday thanks to the proactive efforts of our UME leadership team and faculty.  While Neeli’s message outlined that spring break will be extended until next Wednesday to give faculty time to prepare for converting their classes to online, we are already prepared to do so and expect our M1 students to be available for online teaching starting Monday, March 16.  Students will be getting a separate message from Dr. Ann Shaw and Dr. Amy Holthouser regarding further details.  For our clinical students, we are following AAMC guidelines and clinical students are expected to report to their assigned clinical sites, including their AHEC sites unless they are ill.  Students are NOT to be involved of the direct care of any COVID-19 patients.  Please note that there is to be NO clinical shadowing at this time for M1 and M2 students and for pre-matriculation students.

    For additional questions regarding medical student teaching, contact Dr. Ann Shaw at  monica.shaw@louisville.edu or Dr. Amy Holthouser at amy.holthouser@louisville.edu.

    Graduate Students

    Dr. Russ Salter is in conversations currently with the graduate course directors regarding online delivery and specific instructions.  Course directors will reach out directly to graduate students regarding further details.
    Graduate students working in research labs should report to their assigned lab and direct questions to their supervising research faculty.

    For additional questions regarding graduate student teaching and research, contact Dr. Salter at russell.salter@louisville.edu.

    Audiology and Speech Pathology

    Audiology and Speech Pathology students are to report to their clinical sites unless student presence is prohibited by the site.

    For additional questions regarding audiology and speech pathology, contact your Program Director.

  2. Research

    Maintaining our research enterprise during this pandemic is also critical.  Dr. Jon Klein and Dr. Craig McClain have worked closely with Dr. Kevin Gardner, our new EVPRI, and a comprehensive message addressing critical research functions and COVID-19 mitigation was sent March 11. Dr. Leslie Sherwood will reach out directly to those investigators involved in animal care research.  There are ongoing conversations at this time regarding clinical trial research which Dr. Craig McClain and Dr. Jason Chesney are spearheading.  Specific recommendations will come from them.

    For additional questions regarding research, contact Dr. Jon Klein at jon.klein@louisville.edu

  3. Graduate Medical Education

    Residents and fellows will continue to provide clinical care and participate in their learning environment unless ill.  In coordination with Dr. John Roberts and the GMEC, Program directors shall modify didactic gatherings as needed to promote social distancing and develop back-up planning for clinical service provision.

    For additional questions regarding GME, contact your residency or fellowship program director.

  4. Clinical

    The clinical and academic leadership, including Campus Health and the Infectious Disease Division, are actively immersed in planning, executing, and communicating a tiered approach to our clinical response.  Dr. Jason Smith, Chief Medical Officer, and Dr. Mary Nan Mallory, Vice Dean for Clinical Affairs, are in daily communication and are keeping me advised.  Please read Dr. Smith’s email communications for operational updates and follow the outlined prevention measures, including staying home if you are ill, encouraging your team members, trainees, and students to stay home when ill, following social distancing where possible, and practicing preventative hygiene.  Chairs shall review clinical faculty assignments and ensure back-up coverage plans are in place to minimize service disruption in case of physician illness.  Clinicians should regularly access information provided at each clinical site.

    UofL Health providers should send additional questions regarding clinical care issues to the actively monitored email account emergencyresponse@uoflhealth.org.     

  5. International Travel

    No change from recommendations in Dr. Neeli Bendapudi’s message

  6. Domestic Travel

    No change from recommendations in Dr. Neeli Bendapudi’s message

    Domestic travel includes travel to academic conferences, speaking engagements, professional society meetings, and professional development meetings.  Requests for essential travel exceptions will rarely be granted.  Please make those requests directly to me and I will seek input from the appropriate Vice Dean in making a decision. 

  7. On-campus events and meetings

    Non-essential large group (greater than 30 people) academic conferences and administrative meetings should not be held on campus at this time, but we will continue to monitor the situation for changes in this recommendation.  When possible, use technology in support of virtual meetings.  I acknowledge that some will think this number is too restrictive and some will think this is too permissive, but this is the number that we have settled on based on ability to implement social distancing, etc.  This directive also applies to co-curricular activities and on-campus social gatherings.

Our School of Medicine campus remains open and operational.

Faculty and staff are expected to follow their normal work schedules during this time but continue to follow social distancing and preventative hygiene practices.

This is a challenging time and the above actions will undoubtedly cause disruption to our daily activities and work, but we simply must practice an abundance of caution to keep our faculty, staff and students safe and healthy and to be good stewards of public health.  I also realize this pandemic will understandably cause additional stress and anxiety and please know there are resources available to assist (HSC StudentsFaculty and Staff to EAP).

WE WILL GET THROUGH THIS TOGETHER!  Our School of Medicine is over 180 years old and we have weathered wars, floods, pandemics and economic depressions, and we will weather this. 

Toni Ganzel, MD
Dean
School of Medicine
University of Louisville