Provost Blog

The Boston Red Sox are in Florida for their spring training. They are making preparations for the 100 year anniversary of their home, Fenway Park. While they are focusing on this important celebration, we all know that their “eye is on the ball.” They are looking ahead to doing everything that they can to win the upcoming season. Attention to the birthday event inspires and brings attention to their story. Simultaneous attention to the coming baseball season is what it’s all about. The history, the party, and the story of what has come before inspire the next step. This history lifts up the...

Congratulations and thanks to the IHP faculty, staff and leadership who have made 2CC a reality. This new 20,000 sq. foot space next to the US Constitution is a game changer for our academic life together. Rather than write the story, I am choosing to post some pix I took during the opening day for our new ABSN cohort. They started their day in the new active learning center. Welcome new students and welcome 2CC! Great way to start the New Year!

One of my graduate school professors suggested that during every interaction with a colleague or patient we should ask the question “what can I do for you today?” The idea behind this simple question is that it conveys genuine interest in the conversation and in the other person present during the exchange. My New Year’s resolution for 2012 is to ask that question in my interactions with faculty and students at the Institute. My expectation is that from some I will hear that all is going well. From others, I anticipate a list of concerns and problems. These comments are very helpful in...

Dean Laurie Lauzon Clabo (School of Nursing) has provided this contribution to the Provost Blog. Thanks to Laurie for her thoughts on Nurse Practitioners during this celebratory week! By Laurie Lauzon Clabo, Dean, School of Nursing November 13th to 19th is National Nurse Practitioner Week. Nurse Practitioners, advanced practice registered nurses with Master’s level preparation, have been making significant contributions to the health of the nation since 1965, when the role was first introduced by the pioneering Dr. Loretta Ford at the University of Colorado. Since that time, NPs have been...

Today, November 11, is Veterans Day. Celebrated in the United States since the 1950s, Veterans Day is "a celebration to honor America's veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good." These are the words of President Eisenhower who proclaimed the original declaration for Veterans Day. We are fortunate to have as colleagues several individuals who have served our country as members of the military. Five of our current faculty members and several current students are veterans. Additionally, at least two of our current students are...

If you attended last night's scholarship gala in the beautiful atrium of the new wing of the Museum of Fine Arts, you know the meaning of the word beautiful. The setting was spectacular. Colorful decorations. Wonderful friends of the Institute gathered to support us. The Degas exhibit. Great words from people who care deeply about what we do every day. Smart, remarkable students being recognized. A thought provoking video that will go viral in the next 24 hours. Faculty and staff everywhere (and all looking handsome and beautiful). It was remarkable. What a celebration of the Institute...

This is national Physical Therapy Month. It's a good time to think a bit about the important leadership and service role provided by this important discipline. Physical therapists have been at the heart of rehabilitation for at least the last century. Interestingly the first modern school of PT was established at Walter Reed Army Hospital following World War I. There are now over 200 Physical Therapy Schools in the USA and many more around the world. The profession of physical therapy has advanced their own educational standards from a certificate to bachelor's degree entry to master's entry...

Dictionary.com provides 19 (yes nineteen) definitions of the word "core." One of them is particularly relevant to the Institute: Definition no. 2 (noun) is " the innermost, essential, or central part of anything . Our core values were developed during last year's strategic planning process as statements about our essential and central character as a community. I try to use these values as a roadmap for myself and for the Institute. I find them to be particularly useful during times of conflict or confusion. The core values are fairly lofty and are somewhat non specific. They provide general...

I have been struggling with how to put this next blog together. How does one "link" Better Speech and Hearing Month, Nursing Week, and the memories of important friends and alumni of the Institute? My mind has been flooded with some memories that fit a Memorial Day theme, that pay tribute to lost friends, and that tie nicely with the theme of honoring two of our disciplines that are "memorialized" in May! So in this blog I have chosen to focus on the memory of Dr. James Mongan, former CEO of Partners Health and MGH, and also an honorary "friend" of the Institute; on the recent loss of one of...

Our students (and alums) are beyond fantastic. We all know that. They are highly recruited, so smart, and destined to be leaders. Today, I want to take a moment and to recognize a few members of our community, who have demonstrated exemplary leadership through their participation in this year's Boston Marathon. I admire their effort so much and believe they have hit a "home run" for themselves and for the Institute. See what you think: Home Run Number 1: First off, CSD 2007 alum, Janis Greim decided to combine her passion for running and her commitment to the IHP into a remarkable memorial...