The University of Florida College of Medicine – Jacksonville remains committed to excellence after the unexpected passing of our former dean, Dr. Leon L. Haley Jr. Newly appointed Dean Linda Edwards, MD, has now stepped in to continue his vision. Since 1985, Edwards has been dedicated to the college, assuming many leadership roles throughout her tenure, making her best-suited to act as dean at this time. Recently, a virtual town hall allowed Edwards to outline next steps for the college to faculty and staff.

“I am humbled that I have been asked to accept this position after the sudden loss of our leader and friend Dr. Leon Haley Jr.,” Edwards said. “In our sadness, we must push forward and continue moving our institution and its learners to greater heights. That is how we will honor Dr. Haley.”

Carrying out the enterprise’s mission, to heal, to comfort, to educate and to discover, serves as Edwards’ primary focus and reflects her priorities for the year. Ranking first on that list is continuing the growth of the UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville. This includes preparing to launch a regional medical school, which will accommodate full-time, third- and fourth-year UF medical students. The highly anticipated regional medical campus was a vison of Dr. Haley’s, and construction and renovations continue on the UF Health Jacksonville campus to accommodate the plans. With education fueling its purpose, Edwards expects the school will act as the hub for progressive learning in our region, and a group of students is expected to pilot the program in May 2022.

Noting her experience as senior associate dean for educational affairs since 2013, Edwards wants to prioritize programs that help faculty become more efficient educators. That work is already underway in the Office of Educational Affairs as they continue building their faculty development programs. Led by Elisa Zenni, MD, and Colleen Kalynych, EdD, the goal is to allow professors and staff to strengthen their teaching capabilities while enhancing the learning experience for medical students. In 2022, Edwards expects the faculty development program will provide more opportunities for staff improvement.

In addition to education, Drs. Haley and Edwards shared a mutual passion for research. Research remains a driving force as the Office of Research Affairs works to discover solutions for better health and wellness for patients and the community. As a result, Edwards plans to continue fostering research at an increased pace to initiate and execute mission-focused clinical and community-based research. The dean also noted opportunities to expand boundaries, challenging faculty to incorporate artificial intelligence into the curriculum.

In her pursuit to execute our mission, Edwards emphasized that the quality of care given to patients and their families should continue to set the enterprise apart. The dean is confident Kelly Gray-Eurom, MD, assistant dean for quality and safety for UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville and chief quality officer for UF Health Jacksonville, will continue pushing these initiatives forward as she and her team have received national recognition and awards for quality of care projects. The goal is that each year, measurable improvement in quality and safety will be seen with residents, fellows, medical students and faculty.

Committed to promoting diversity and equity, Edwards made clear that the work centered on inclusion, diversity, equity and access, or IDEA, must continue. As this work is being led by Anne-Marie Knight and Madeline Joseph, MD, Edwards hopes to take a deeper look into minority representation at the college. That analysis will give insight to help further promote diversity and inclusion in the educational programs as well as in individual departments.

Finally, during this transition, Edwards asks leadership and faculty to work together to advance the UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville. She believes collaboration will make it possible to reach the common goal of educating the next generation of health care leaders who will serve patients and communities near and far.