A message from our interim dean

Dr. Dana Zimmel

Greetings all,

As we approach two full months of life in the COVID-19 era, I just wanted to take a moment to reflect on what we’ve all been through together in this period. Yet, how does one condense into a few paragraphs, the weeks of constant change, adaptation to change, modification of old routines into whatever we would define as our “new normal?” I’m not sure I can.

I overheard someone say recently, “This last month has been the longest year in my life.” I could relate to that, and I’m sure many of you can, as well. On one hand, time seemed to stand still, with the pace of life as we experienced it at the college, and in our personal lives, having slowed or even stopped in some areas. The canceling, postponement or online transformation of many traditional college events held at this time of year created a sense of absence, of time hollowed out. And yet, the college has never stopped responding amidst the rapidly changing nature of events and public health forecasts. There was no time to look back, as the events of the moment have needed constant attention from all of us. From that perspective, the past two months have raced by.

The UF Veterinary Hospitals have remained open throughout the pandemic, treating emergent and urgent care cases and going to great lengths to protect staff and clients through the implementation of curbside service for clients and social distancing. Some house officers moved from different services to support the emergency and critical care team, providing a deeper bench of clinical support. Staff and their friends and family members made masks for their coworkers. Faculty from throughout the college were faced with having to move course content entirely online in a timeline of roughly one week. All of our students dealt with the upheaval of being sent home from UF and having to navigate the new reality of classrooms and examinations delivered by Zoom. And yet, they have persevered.

Led by the talented scientists and epidemiologists at UF Health, along with much of the state and the nation, the college and the UF Veterinary Hospitals are beginning the process of carefully and gradually phasing back operations. This next stage will hold its own challenges, but we will meet them, keeping the safety of our faculty, staff, students and clients our top priority every step of the way.

This issue contains several stories relating to the college’s COVID-19 response. These stories represent only a few examples of college life since the arrival of the coronavirus pandemic, but offer a sense of what life at UF CVM has been like in this unprecedented period.

Please keep taking care of yourselves. I appreciate you all so very much.

Sincerely,

Dr. Dana Zimmel
Professor and Interim Dean
UF College of Veterinary Medicine