Author: Dr. Eva Aagaard

In all honesty, I am struggling. I am struggling as a leader to know what to say to you all right now as we enter what for many of us, including me, is one of the most challenging times of many of our lives. We are beaten down by the COVID-19 pandemic, racism, violence, natural […]

“Differences must be not merely tolerated, but seen as a fund of necessary polarities between which our creativity can spark like a dialectic.” ~ Audre Lorde In the month of July, some of us engaged in a discussion about polarities. Polarities are often thought of as opposites- things that cannot co-exist or that result in […]

Instability. This is what most, if not all of us, are feeling right now. COVID, financial challenges, furloughs, layoffs, re-openings and closings, unclear school schedules for our kids, unclear changes to our work environment and to our educational practices, and so much more. The ground under our feet is shaking, swaying and sometimes crumbling. I […]

The last few weeks and months we have experienced the atrocious killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor compounding hundreds of years of oppression, racism and inequity. We have witnessed police brutality, and peaceful protests that have been turned to violence and destruction. At the same time, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the […]

This is my wish for you: Comfort on difficult days, Smiles when sadness intrudes, Rainbows to follow the clouds, Laughter to kiss your lips, Sunsets to warm your heart, Hugs when spirits sag, Beauty for your eyes to see, Friendships to brighten your being, Faith so that you can believe, Confidence for when you doubt, […]



“I am willing to struggle along and let us learn step by step. But because man is such a slow learner, let us recognize our mistakes and remedy them without having to repeat the historical process again and again.” ~ Dr. Montague Cobb A colleague introduced me to the 1619 New York Times Podcast Series.  The […]

We are quickly approaching the launch of the Gateway Curriculum. As we do so, I want to bring our attention back to some of the critical supporting infrastructure that is foundational to our current and future success as one of the best medical schools in the country.