As we celebrate the month of February, a time traditionally associated with love, it’s fitting to reflect on the profound role that love plays within the practice of medicine. Not romantic love, but the love that manifests as deep compassion for our patients, unwavering support for our colleagues, and a genuine desire to make a difference in people’s lives.
In a field defined by scientific rigor and clinical expertise, knowledge alone does not create the highest quality of care. As Avedis Donabedian, the father of quality improvement in health care, so powerfully stated, “Ultimately, the secret of quality is love.” This love is expressed in countless ways: the relentless search for answers when facing a puzzling diagnosis, the advocacy for a struggling patient, the nurse who goes above and beyond to comfort a worried family, the researcher who dedicates their career to finding cures for debilitating diseases, and our collective resilience in the face of change.
Now more than ever, the importance of community and mutual support cannot be overstated. The challenges we face and changing times require us to lean on each other. Building a strong environment means fostering collaboration, ensuring that team members feel safe and valued, and agreeing on the collective goal for well-being of both our patients and our teams.
This month, I encourage you to take a moment to check in on your colleagues. Share a coffee, have a conversation, and truly listen. I would love to join any of you for a coffee or a conversation; just email me here and let’s find a time. Small gestures of connection strengthen our teams, reinforce our resilience, and remind us that, at its core, medicine is about people caring for other people. Let’s continue to care for and support one another.
2025 Mental Health Champion Award nominations
We all know someone who goes above and beyond to support mental health on campus. Now is your chance to recognize their incredible work!
SAVE THE DATE: Culturally Responsive Health Care in Iowa conference
The conference will take place on Thurs., June 5, 2025, from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. in MERF 1110 featuring Patrick Loehrer, MD, from Indiana University, and Natoshia Askelson, MPH, PhD, from the University of Iowa.
The Examined Life Journal is open for submissions
The journal accepts poetry, nonfiction, and fiction that deepens and complicates our understanding of health care, healing, illness, the human body, and the human condition.
Nominations for Kid Captain open
Do you know someone who would make a great Kid Captain? Nominate them here. (HawkID login required.)
University of Iowa Rural Health Summit
This event will spotlight rural health as one of the College of Public Health’s areas of excellence and provide a platform to showcase the impactful work being done across our college.
Restorative community building practice training
Restorative community-building practices are a set of skills and tools that can be used for conflict resolution. This year’s training will be scheduled for April 24 and 25, will be CME accredited, and is hosted by the Office of Access and Engagement.
liveWELL‘s 2024 Annual Report
Discover how the university’s liveWELL program is making an impact through success stories, well-being trends, and key data showcasing the services offered to University of Iowa employees.
February celebrations, holidays, and awareness days
- American Heart Month
- Black History Month
- Jan. 29 to Feb. 12: Chinese New Year
- Feb. 4: World Cancer Day
- Feb. 7: National Wear Red Day
- Feb. 14: Valentine’s Day
- Feb. 20: World Day of Justice
- Feb. 21: Mental Health Nurses Day
- Feb. 28: Rare Disease Day
Note: All holidays marked with * begin the prior evening. This is not an exhaustive list of cultural events and holidays celebrated in this month. Visit last February’s newsletter to see even more celebrations, holidays, and awareness days not listed here that are celebrated across cultures in February.