Jan. 7, 2026

 

Dear faculty, staff and learners: 

 

The new year is often viewed as an opportunity to make fresh starts. Certainly, many of you may have taken the past few days to reflect on 2025 and plan for 2026. While the start of a new year is a nice reminder to pause, I personally don’t think there’s ever a bad time to reflect upon what we are grateful for and what we know to be true in our lives and the work we do.

 

In the School of Medicine, we are excited to highlight several new things! We have developed a new research strategic plan that will position Emory to lead the next era of biomedical discovery and clinical impact by investing in bold science, integrated infrastructure, and our people.

 

In education, we remain focused on developing innovative ways to deliver education across all degree programs. We are excited to support our teams in their continued growth as educators as they implement the new curricula, and to enhance student experience through new programs and holistic support.

 

Our clinical faculty continue to provide exceptional patient-centered care amid increasing volumes and acuity. I’m grateful to all our faculty, staff and trainees who worked so hard during the busy holiday season and who continue to be on the frontline of care every day across our system.

 

As we take a moment to “ring in the new,” let’s remember that some things will not change. We remain dedicated to challenging ourselves and forging connections as we strive for common goals. We also remain committed to supporting our people so that everyone can do their best work and have maximal impact. In the next Team Emory Medicine newsletter, we will highlight last month’s School of Medicine Staff Awards ceremony—a recognition event celebrating staff who make up the backbone of our organization.

 

In this time of constant change, we must prioritize clear communication. We’ve heard your feedback that you want to hear more about our strategic priorities and focus areas, and we plan to highlight these efforts more frequently in our regular SOM communications. As a reminder, the Huddle email goes out every other Tuesday and includes important operational updates and the day-to-day information you need. The Team Emory Medicine newsletter recognizes and celebrates our people and goes out the last Friday of each month. Additionally, you will receive more detailed monthly updates from me and other members of the leadership team on topics including SOM strategic priorities, key operational initiatives, and more.

 

I look forward to all we will accomplish together in 2026. Happy new year!

 

My best,

 

Sandra

Sandra L. Wong, MD, MS 

Dean, Emory University School of Medicine 

Chief Academic Officer, Emory Healthcare