Author: Dr. Eva Aagaard

“Grief is like the ocean; it comes in waves ebbing and flowing. Sometimes the water is calm, and sometimes it is overwhelming. All we can do is learn to swim.” – Vicki Harrison I should have seen it sooner, but I didn’t. I was in a meeting about budget cuts and reductions in travel and […]

As I reflect upon the past month, it is with a heavy heart that I acknowledge the profound challenges that have tested our resilience. The devastating tornado that tore through our region has deeply impacted our community – uprooting individuals, damaging our environment, and tragically claiming lives within the greater St. Louis area. Many of […]

As we transition into May and Commencement, I find myself reflecting on the transformative journeys that we have shared with our learners. The end of April was a particularly poignant reminder of the enduring impact of mentors and teachers, as we celebrated our annual Alumni Weekend and the Distinguished Service Teaching Awards. Reconnecting with alumni […]

Caring for Yourself and Others in Times of Change and Challenge Amid our turbulent political climate, shifting medical, research and educational landscapes, and the normal, but still challenging, ups and downs of life, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. March and April are filled with milestones, both exciting and stressful, some annual and some intermittent: Match […]

At the February Academy of Educators meeting, Dr. Casey Reimer (Director of Deaf Education Studies and Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology) submitted a terrific teaching pearl. She challenged us to reflect on our most impactful teachers, exploring why they stuck out. I LOVE this teaching pearl, and I loved the answers my colleagues shared. The exercise […]

In the words of Lucian De Crescenzo, “We are each of us angels with only one wing, and we can only fly by embracing one another.” I frequently get asked what brought me to WashU Medicine. My answer is simple: the opportunity to link two things that have always driven me – educational innovation and […]

Happy New Year! The new year (or really any milestone) is a great time to take stock of where we are and set goals and ambitions for the future. In this month’s newsletter, I’d like to share a little of what I see coming in 2025, and the goals I have for us educationally and […]

Ready to Vote? This upcoming election presents a pivotal opportunity for you to make an impact on the policies that shape the field of medicine and the health of our communities. Yet, statistics have consistently shown that physicians are less likely to vote. A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine in 2018 revealed that, during […]

In her new book, How Do You Feel? One Doctor’s Search for Humanity in Medicine,  Dr. Jessi Gold offers a thoughtful and highly relevant memoir on the importance of mental wellbeing for healthcare professionals and students through her own story and that of four of her patients. As caretakers of others’ health, it becomes imperative […]

With mixed emotions, I write today to announce the retirement of Dr. Koong-Nah Chung, effective January 3rd, following an exceptional career of nearly three decades at WashU Medicine. During this time, she has served as the Assistant Dean for Admissions and Student Affairs, and as our Associate Dean for Medical Student Research, Director of the […]