In a week where the United States has surpassed the tragic milestone of 60,000 deaths from COVID-19, we are seeing many encouraging signs and we are planning for an eventual return to clinical education and resumption of clinical and research activities. UVM and our College intend to provide on-campus education in the fall, even as we all must acknowledge that many changes in daily life will persist. We are at this juncture only because of all our collective response to flatten the curve. Getting back to any semblance of “normal” will require continued vigilance, testing and contact-tracing, with mid-course adjustments based on data and science.

(MAY 1, 2020) Beth Kirkpatrick, M.D., chair and professor in the department of microbiology and molecular genetics and director of the Vaccine Testing Center at the University of Vermont, was quoted in a STAT article, titled "Infect volunteers with Covid-19 in the name of research? A proposal lays bare a minefield of issues". Kirkpatrick discusses the challenges that come with testing a new vaccine and the steps it takes to even get to the testing stage.

(APRIL 26, 2020) An article in VTDigger featured the Larner College of Medicine's Match Day for Class of 2020 medical students on March 20, which was swiftly adjusted to be a virtual event due to the COVID-19 pandemic.