Shaping what comes next for the UofL School of Medicine

There are moments in medicine when the pace of change asks us to pause and consider not only where we are going, but what kind of future we want to create. We are in one of the moments now; a renaissance, if you will. 

The science we pursue, the technologies we use, the ways we educate future health professionals and address the needs of the communities we serve are all evolving. Artificial intelligence is changing how we think about research and education. Advances in biomedical science are opening new possibilities for understanding and treating diseases. At the same time, health challenges facing our communities continue to demand new ideas, new partnerships and new approaches. 

For an academic medical center, these changes are an invitation to take charge and lead, and we have that opportunity in front of us as we begin our next chapter at the School of Medicine. 

As a graduate of this institution, I have the privilege of seeing our school from both sides of the equation – as someone shaped by its legacy and also as someone now entrusted with helping shape its future. For nearly two centuries, we’ve adapted to a changing world while remaining grounded in its responsibility to educate physicians and scientists, advance knowledge and improve the health of our communities.  

Our new 2026-2030 strategic plan builds on that legacy while giving us a clear direction for what comes next. 

At its core are two revised statements that capture both our purpose and our aspirations. 

Educate – Discover – Heal: Scaling our impact to revitalize the health of Kentuckiana and beyond. 

That is our mission. 

Our vision is to shape tomorrow’s health professions and biomedical research workforce to lead with innovation, respond to evolving health challenges and transform care across communities.  

There’s a natural connection between those two statements. Education, discovery and healing are not separate parts of what we do but are part of a continuum. 

The questions we pursue through research influence what our students learn. The experiences our learners have shape the physicians, scientists and health professionals they become. The patients and communities we serve teach us where our knowledge has gaps and where new discoveries are needed. And the discoveries we make have meaning when they ultimately help prevent disease, improve health and deliver better care. 

That interconnectedness is essential to our future. Now, we get to shift our focus from just imagining it, to truly building it. 

Our plan was shaped by members of our community who took the time to review, question and contribute to our vision for the future. Their engagement was essential to creating a plan that is both ambitious but also achievable. 

Soon, there will be new discoveries we cannot yet anticipate. There will be new challenges. And there will be new opportunities that will require us to adapt our plans along the way.  

Even with the future unknown, our purpose is clear. We will educate people who are prepared to lead. We will pursue discovery relentlessly. We will translate knowledge into better health and care. And we will strengthen the relationships that allow us to make a difference well beyond our campus. 

That is how we will build on the legacy of those who came before us – by preserving what they created and having the course to imagine what comes next. 

I invite you to explore our 2026-2030 Strategic Plan and see the goals and strategies that will guide us in turning this vision into action. This plan is our opportunity for every member of our community to see where their work fits within the future we are building, and I am excited to build that future with you.