Columbia University and CUIMC: A History of Resilience and Change

In its nearly 260 years of existence, the medical school has faced several existential challenges— and persevered. When VP&S celebrates its 300th anniversary in 2067, the current climate may seem like a minor setback. This perspective was highlighted in the August event “Columbia University and CUIMC: A History of Resilience and Change,” organized by the Office of Well-Being and featuring talks from James M. McKiernan’93, then serving in the role of interim dean of VP&S, and Katherine Satriano, head of archives and special collections. Dr. McKiernan and Ms. Satriano walked through centuries of difficult moments for VP&S and the Columbia University Irving Medical Center—from the American Revolution to the Great Depression and beyond. When we examine history, we learn how our forebears mobilized around challenges and set the course for the medical center’s future growth, Ms. Satriano said. “We are all a link in a lineage of resilience.”