The human/animal relationship is central to the past year. Adoptions of “pandemic pets” emptied animal shelters. The BBC retelling of James Herriot’s All Creatures Great and Small broke ratings records. And Netflix’s Concrete Cowboy brings much deserved attention — and crowd funds — to Philadelphia horsemen, like the Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club, a group that pairs kids with horses, knowing the deep connection that can develop.
What’s so captivating for me about these stories is the obvious sacred bond between humans and animals. They remind us that veterinary medicine is as much about people as it is animals — the veterinarians who care for earth’s wise and wonderful creatures and the owners who entrust us with care of their companions.
People behind the animals are the focus of this Bellwether. From First Up to Last Word, we share stories of the men and women who make Penn Vet the extraordinary place it is. The issue celebrates their compassion, influence, and skill, honoring their deep respect and love for the human/ animal bond. It also honors the people behind the people: mentors, role models, partners, and other cheerleaders.
As we saw in the last Bellwether, these people are working in an environment unlike any other in the School’s history.
I’m writing this message weeks after the world marked a year with COVID-19. The Penn Vet team remains resilient beyond words. Our faculty, staff, clinicians, and students continue to adapt to changes in work/home life without wavering in Penn Vet’s mission. I am deeply grateful for them and for our clients, whose love for their animals outweighs any inconveniences of social distance policies that remain necessary for now in our hospitals.
In the fall/winter issue, I also expressed Penn Vet’s commitment to advancing social and racial equity at the School and in our field. I am pleased to share since then we’ve embedded this promise into the School’s mission statement:
Our mission is to train the next generation of leaders to advance healthcare outcomes and access, ensure global health, bolster sustainable agriculture, create and support interdisciplinary career paths, and foster diversity, equity, and inclusion in the profession.
Much more than words, this mission is our roadmap; everything we do touches back to it. The mission holds us accountable, and I am proud that it now makes diversity, equity, and inclusion core to our work.
To support this work, we have also welcomed Rod Gilbert, Penn Vet’s first Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer. Rod is extraordinary and accomplished in organizational diversity and will help strengthen and advance Penn Vet’s vision for diversity representation and inclusion.
Rod and the School’s newly appointed Associate Dean of Institutional Advancement Hyemi Sevening, who joined us in January, both serve on the Dean’s leadership council. I’m thrilled to have them to help guide Penn Vet’s mission
In closing, I want to look back to look ahead.
No one is untouched by the events that have unfolded since March 2020 — it has been a challenging period for everyone. We’ve witnessed some of the best of humanity and some of the worst. The strength of the human spirit has been tested again and again and persevered through it all.
As the end of the pandemic slowly comes onto the horizon, and we start to consider life after this crisis, let our connection to each other and to animals — our relationship with all creatures — carry us come whatever may.
Andrew M. Hoffman, DVM, DVSc, DACVIM
The Gilbert S. Kahn Dean of Veterinary Medicine