This past Thursday afternoon I had the chance to talk about the CHC at a Dell Medical School all-hands meeting. We have Dell Med representatives on the CHC steering committee, and there are already many connections between Moody and Dell Med faculty and students. But this was an important forum to introduce the CHC to a much broader audience, which is particularly important given the quick growth of Dell Med.

The presentation was a chance to reflect – not for the first time, and certainly not for the last – on how the CHC can pursue its mission of advancing evidence-based health communication in scholarship, education, and community involvement. The CHC becoming a joint operation between Moody and Dell Med, which was announced this spring, presents exciting new opportunities for pursuing that mission.

The “joint academic center” has never felt quite so real as it did standing in front of that big Dell Med audience. It was a thrill, really. I’ve heard Dean Clay Johnston talk about the importance of communication in the future of healthcare and training of physicians. It’s an inspiring vision, and I’m excited for the role the CHC can play in fulfilling that vision. He made that point again when introducing me, and I could see interest and enthusiasm on the faces of faculty, staff, and students when I was providing an overview of the CHC and the kind of work we are doing.

As we look ahead to the fall, we will be working hard to fulfill the promise of a joint academic center.  We intend to host several CHC events and meetings at Dell Med in the fall, and we are busy planning a pilot grant program which will facilitate connections between Moody and Dell Med faculty. Stay tuned for more, it’s going to be an exciting year!