Beyond Sterling Hall Past Issues
Beyond Sterling Hall Past Issues brings together Dean Nancy J. Brown’s newsletters in one place, organized by year for easy browsing. These messages reflect on the ideas, decisions, and ongoing initiatives shaping Yale School of Medicine—spanning strategic planning, education and training, research and innovation, clinical excellence, wellbeing, and our climate and culture. Use this archive to revisit past communications, follow how key priorities have evolved over time, and explore the themes that continue to guide YSM’s work and community.
2026
- Artificial Intelligence is a "Natural"Investment in the development and implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) permeates plan goals throughout education, clinical, and research missions.
- Communication 3.02026 is here. In the next few weeks, we will be rolling out the final refreshed Yale School of Medicine (YSM) strategic plan. Much gratitude for all of those who participated in surveys or interviews, focus groups, writing, and feedback. Over the next few months, I will highlight several of the themes we heard consistently and have incorporated throughout the plan. The first of these relates to different forms of communication, a topic we have been discussing periodically since February of 2020.
- Faculty Survey Resultshe survey addresses five broad themes–unit climate, responsibilities and recognition, professional growth, Yale climate, and freedom from disrespect–and there is much good news. YSM results have improved year-over-year in all five areas. All trends from 2021 to 2025 and from 2023 to 2025 are statistically significant.
2025
- PossibilityAs we continue our strategic planning, “rich” has been the word most often used to describe the conversations in focus groups. Through September over 400 faculty, staff, students, and community members have signed up for 21 focus groups. Strategic planning drives us to focus on our future and to respond to disruption through innovation. Through this strategic planning, we maintain our agency and leadership in nurturing physicians and scientists, advancing discovery, and improving the health of all.
- Strategic PlanningTimes of disruption provide an opportunity for innovation and creativity. To this end, as I shared on March 20 and in the State of the School, we have begun the work to refresh our strategic plans as a single, overarching strategic plan as we move forward and thrive.
- Thriving TogetherAs patterns begin to emerge, choosing our way forward will require increased communication and interaction, creating a supportive environment where ideas can triumph over fears, and developing creative and innovative new strategies.
- Creating the FutureEvery time I witness the transformation of committed scientists, clinicians, and students into passionate artists, and the uncomplicated enthusiasm of the audience, including children, for the musicians, I am reminded of the amazing creativity, conviction, and power of our community.
- GratitudeI am grateful to President McInnis, Provost Strobel, and the Yale Corporation for the privilege of continuing to serve in this role.
- Moving ForwardDuring the last few days, reports from federal agencies regarding pauses in travel, communications, and grant reviews have raised uncertainties and may create confusion or anxiety among members of our community.
2024
- Being PresentNear the end of my residency, my beautiful, talented, and irreverently witty mother-in-law developed an expressive aphasia and was diagnosed with an inoperable grade IV glioblastoma multiforme.
- Science MattersThrough the thesis process, students learn the importance of observation and formulation of a question leading to the expression of a testable hypothesis.
- OptimismAs one of my former chairs used to say to faculty when we were feeling daunted about designing a new clinical or educational program or achieving a fundable score on a grant, “You have to plan for success.”
- Freedom and ResponsibilityFreedom of expression is sometimes conflated with academic freedom, but the two differ in ways that relate to our obligation to provide a robust and productive learning environment.
- Tasks at HandAfter a year focused on clinical strategic planning and implementing a new funds flow model, we turned to our goals related to education, research, and climate and culture at this year’s retreat.
- PerspectiveDays of joy, these rituals enable us to take time out from the routine and appreciate the talent, excellence, and ideals of our students.
- Living Our ValuesAs members of Yale School of Medicine, our commitment to the pursuit of discovery, as well as our student and professional oaths, require that we engage in inquiry, acknowledge each person’s humanity, and honor life.
- Funds Flow: How's It Going?Many of our peers have adopted this type of formulaic approach to funds flow and have found that aligning incentives between the school and health system results in increased revenues to both. We are seeing the same pattern.
- Harnessing AIThe two YSM panels have been meeting to identify our strengths and differentiators as a school and university; needs within the school; opportunities for collaboration; transformative questions; risks; and the role for Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, and academia in general in addressing these questions.