VCOM 2020 Annual Report

SPECIAL REPORT

Alumni on the Front Lines of the Battle Against COVID-19 Across the nation, more than 3,600 VCOM alumni physicians are quickly adapting to the new personal and patient safety challenges in medical settings. T he College wishes to recognize its brave alumni who are out on the front lines of caring for their patients. With the coronavirus pandemic reaching across the world, every person working in a medical setting or in essential services must adapt to protecting themselves and others with masks and other personal protective equipment (PPE) as needed for their situation. VCOM alumni are resilient and well-suited to respond to the unexpected. A shortage of PPE in the United States and around the world has placed extra pressure on healthcare workers. COVID-19 positive patients in crowded urban areas have overloaded some hospitals without enough beds to handle highly infectious patients. Smaller hospitals in rural areas may not have enough physicians or other medical staff needed to cover the increased number of patients. Some physicians were asked to work longer shifts or more days per week. Many of them must self-quarantine away from their own home to protect their spouse and children. Despite all of this, VCOM’s alumni keep going and continue to provide care for their patients. VCOM thanks our alumni for their dedication, whether in a small-town clinic or in a busy urban hospital. We salute them for the care and compassion towards patients that motivates them to keep going. We support our alumni. Our thoughts, prayers and gratitude go out to each of our alumni with pride.

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