Eric Houpt, MD
2020 will go down in infamy, and it is great to have it behind us. The Infectious Diseases and International Health Division continued our everyday work in the clinic and research, plus many of us pivoted and took on new COVID related activities. This combination of “usual work” amidst COVID and the addition of “new COVID work” was strenuous, and my colleagues’ fortitude has been remarkable. To look on the bright side, I think that we learned a lot about COVID and other areas. For example, our faculty stood up several new clinical research projects right here at UVA; others took on new leadership roles within the Health System, University, and the Commonwealth; others covered for faculty who were pulled away in other directions. We all played a part, and we will take these experiences with us and forge ahead. So we look towards 2021 with optimism. We are optimistic that we will see an effective COVID vaccine deployed throughout the community. We are confident that by late 2021 we will resume with a bit more normalcy our usual Divisional work in the clinic, on the wards, in the lab, and in the classroom. But let us take one step at a time and not get ahead of ourselves.
I hope you enjoy reading about a few of our 2020 activities. If you have any comments or questions, feel free to reach out to any of us directly.
Eric Houpt, MD
Filed Under: Top News
Tags: DOM, ID, Infectious Diseases & International Health, January 2021, January Medicine Matters, Research