For the past several weeks, we have all been adjusting our contributions in response to the evolving COVID-19 pandemic. Our initial phase of crisis management at DGSOM focused on implementing new mission-critical protocols and operational systems in response to the early waves of public health directives from campus, city and state officials. Staff, in particular, have been pivotal in our ability to transition much of our operations to virtual environments, and continue to provide crucial support, leadership and creative solutions to our entire DGSOM community. I would like to take this opportunity to recognize staff for their extraordinary contributions, which have helped reduce the spread of COVID-19 while enabling us to continue to deliver the research, education and patient care services our community relies on.
As we prepare for the extension of the safer-at-home order through May 15, I would also like to encourage staff and leaders to be proactive about establishing routines and boundaries that ensure sustained health and productivity during these challenging times. Suddenly converting living spaces into work spaces means our phones and computers are more central than ever, making it harder to unplug and draw boundaries between where our work begins and ends. Normal routines, including sleep and work hours, may also be inadvertently affected. If you find yourself under mounting pressure or feel unable to disengage from work at the end of the day, use the Cultural North Star to have an open and honest conversation with your supervisor. If you are feeling anxious or burnt out, seek out resources that can help buoy you during these stressful times. If you’re facing unanswered questions related to DGSOM’s COVID-19 response, fill out our staff communications survey so we can provide the information you need.
On behalf of our DGSOM community, thank you to our dedicated staff for all your efforts – so much of which I know is behind the scenes – that bring our mission to life, each and every day.
Sincerely,
Kelsey Martin, MD, PhD
Dean, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
For the latest COVID-19 information and resources pertaining to medical school staff, faculty, students and trainees, please see my fifth biweekly “COVID-19 Update” below. You will find general updates toward the top, followed by area-specific updates and support resources at the bottom.
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Effective today, UCLA Health will be implementing universal masking at all of its hospitals and clinics. This will be considered a pilot and is partially dependent on adherence to published guidelines for extended use, re-use and UVGI disinfection, as well as ongoing efforts to maximize our supply chain efforts with established vendors and donors. This policy replaces the prior permissive masking policy. Read more →
On April 10, Los Angeles County extended its "safer at home" order to May 15 to continue our region’s efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19. Based on this order, UCLA Administrative Vice Chancellor Michael Beck announced on April 14 that:
Upcoming virtual town halls: The next MS1 virtual town hall will take place April 21 at 5 pm. The MS2 town hall will be on April 15 at 3 pm. For MS4s, the next virtual town hall is April 24 at 4 pm. LOA students are welcome to attend any of the town halls. The recently held MS3 town hall will be posted to the website soon. Please continue to share your questions with us via Qualtrics →
MS3 town hall: The April 13 virtual town hall is available to view online →
Regular communications from Curricular, Educational and Student Affairs, as well as other information pertaining to students, are updated daily at medschool.ucla.edu/coronavirus-information/md-students. Students should also stay informed by reading any curriculum-update emails distributed by Ashley Siemer, director of curricular affairs.
Contacts: For curriculum questions, please contact Ashley Siemer. For event questions, please contact Brandon Susselman. For support and other questions, please contact your Assistant Dean. For additional support, please reach out to the Behavioral Wellness Center.
Effective today, UCLA Health will be implementing universal masking at all of its hospitals and clinics. This will be considered a pilot and is partially dependent on adherence to published guidelines for extended use, re-use and UVGI disinfection, as well as ongoing efforts to maximize our supply chain efforts with established vendors and donors. This policy replaces the prior permissive masking policy. Read more →
Peer and Emotional Support Training: The COVID-19 Mental Health Workgroup is assembling a team of Peer and Emotional Supporters who can offer check-ins to colleagues and other professionals who are directly impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. A two-hour interactive training took place this morning and focused on preparing professionals to offer peer support to their colleagues. To learn more or for more information on future training opportunities, please email UCLAPWP@mednet.ucla.edu.
PPE: Please stay up to date with the latest self-care and PPE information and protocols and reach out to GME with any concerns or suggestions.
Clinical psychology interns and postdoctoral fellows should follow the guidance from their respective training programs in the Department of Psychiatry and the UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior.
Resources for mental health and well-being (available virtually): medschool.ucla.edu/coronavirus-information/wellness-resources
To view the latest information pertinent to you, visit medschool.ucla.edu/coronavirus-information/graduate-medical-education.
To stay up to date with information pertinent to you – including working remotely, virtual town halls, new clinical research policies, our ramp down of research activities, minimized time in communal lab facilities, and more – visit medschool.ucla.edu/coronavirus-information/phd-trainees and the Graduate Programs for Bioscience website.
Contacts: If you have specific concerns or questions related to your training situation or program requirements, please reach out to your Program/Home Area Director or Greg Payne, GPB Director.
Access wellness resources virtually through the Behavioral Wellness Center and/or UCLA Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS).
Contacts: If you have specific concerns or questions related to your training situation or work requirements, please reach out to your mentor.?If your mentor is out of reach or you need to escalate a concern above your mentor, please contact Greg Payne or Lynn Talton. If you have further concerns or if issues arise, contact Graduate Division at postdoc@grad.ucla.eduor 310-825-3819 and you will be connected with the appropriate resource.
To stay up to date with information pertinent to you, visit the research lab and educational areasections of the website.
Access wellness resources virtually through the Staff and Faculty Counseling Center.
Clinical psychology postdoctoral fellows should follow the guidance from their respective training programs in the Department of Psychiatry and the UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior.
COVID-19 Scientific Prioritization and Feasibility Committee: As part of the COVID-19 research infrastructure announced on March 31, UCLA Health (DGSOM and the UCLA health system) has created an 11-member COVID-19 Scientific Prioritization and Feasibility Committee for studies that involve UCLA Health patients, health care workers and/or clinical research infrastructure (see details). This committee was originally called the Biospecimen Taskforce; its scope has now been expanded to include all COVID-19-related studies submitted to the IRB that require any of the following: (a) access to UCLA Health patients, (b) access to clinical data from UCLA Health patients, (c) access to biospecimens, including for research purposes, from UCLA Health patients and/or (d) access to our UCLA health care providers. Studies that do not require any patient-related resources from UCLA Health (as outlined above) will be quickly exempted and proceed immediately to IRB review.
To stay up to date with information pertinent to you, visit medschool.ucla.edu/coronavirus-information/researchers.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) donations: See details →
Individual concerns or questions: Route to your PIs, program/home area directors, division chiefs, department chairs, and then CAOs; they can then provide responses and/or escalate questions to the Dean’s Office.
Additional resources:
For emotional or mental-health support for you or your team, see our Wellness Resources page →
To stay up to date with information pertinent to you – including planning, technological and data-protection resources for remote teaching – visit medschool.ucla.edu/coronavirus-information/faculty.
Contacts: Individual concerns or questions should be routed to your division chiefs/department chairs/CAOs; they can provide responses and/or escalate questions to the Dean’s Office. Academic personnel matters that cannot be answered in departments should be sent to DGSOM Academic Affair
UCLA Health providers can find information and resources on the UCLA Health COVID-19 website. Please stay up to date with the latest self-care and PPE information and protocols.
Communication survey: Please use this form to share COVID-19-related topics or questions that are most important to you/your team. If you prefer, you may choose to submit anonymously.
To review the latest information pertaining to you, visit medschool.ucla.edu/coronavirus-information/staff and the “Support Services” section of our COVID-19 website.
Health care workers required to perform essential functions onsite can access child and senior care resources contracted through UCLA Health and Bright Horizons.
To ensure your and your families’ safety, we are providing overnight accommodations to those caring for patients on our designated COVID-19 units. Contact the Command Center at (310) 267-7115 for accommodations.
Virtual wellness services are available for staff, faculty, trainees and students. A new COVID-19 Mental Health Workgroup also offers facilitated group and individual check-ins, grief support, training, and materials for trauma-informed peer support for those on the COVID-19 frontlines. Learn more →
If you are required to work on campus and you notice any suspicious activity, please alert the appropriate security or law enforcement personnel. Learn more →
Information and resources, including how you can address bias and prejudice, are available online. Contact DGSOMEDI@mednet.ucla.edu with any questions or concerns. In addition, UCLA students and faculty who experience a bias incident should report it by completing a UCLA Incident of Bias Reporting Form.
See more information about this and other initiatives to help unite us →
DGIT offers a virtual helpdesk via zoom Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm. Learn more →
Take the Stop COVID-19 Together survey, a new web-based app that will enable the public to help fight the spread of the coronavirus.
Recognize your peers or colleagues for their contributions by submitting a digital Cultural North Star card.
Donate blood. The UCLA Blood & Platelet Center is experiencing a shortage of donated blood. Across its donation sites and blood drives in Westwood, Santa Monica and Ackerman Union, the Center has implemented numerous safety measures to protect donors and staff during the COVID-19 outbreak. Find a donation site // Make an appointment // Learn more →
Volunteer to support our frontline health care teams: org (website is not managed by or associated with UCLA or the DGSOM).
UCLA Health employees can help keep everyone safe by participating in the UCLA Health symptom-tracking survey. Start by signing up here.
Consider a donation to UCLA Health’s new COVID-19 Coronavirus Patient Care Fund and the COVID-19 Coronavirus Research and Education Fund. Details on each are available online, as are additional opportunities to support UCLA Health’s COVID-19 response efforts.
If your research lab has Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to spare, consider a donation. Learn more →
Please check DGSOM’s COVID-19 website and the UCLA Health Coronavirus Information website frequently to make sure you have the latest information
