Julie R. White, PhD
Dean of
Student Affairs

StudentsFirst! = PatientsFirst!

Over the last 24 months we have successfully raised the consciousness of the campus community on the topic of students and their needs as a constituent group.  Through these efforts, we have breathed life into our “StudentsFirst!” philosophy.  I am very proud of this and it is with resolute intention that we will continue.

There has been some question as to what exactly StudentsFirst! means.  For me, StudentsFirst! balances challenge and support and it is a philosophy that focuses on needs, success, and ultimately doing what is best to ensure that our students will be the most qualified of professionals when they graduate from Upstate Medical University.  This is student advocacy in its most successful application—ensuring students get what they need to ultimately make a positive difference in the health care of our communities.  So, if we do this right, StudentsFirst! should eventually translate into PatientsFirst!

It is at this point that we can and should reflect on the ripple effect of StudentsFirst!.  It is more than a slogan or logo.  It’s about meeting needs, supporting success and doing all we can to help students realize their own destinies.  If we are fortunate, those destinies will touch each of us—directly or indirectly.  We’ve all heard Dr. Smith say that the single thing we all have in common is that we’ll all be patients some day.  Our investment now in a StudentsFirst! philosophy will, ideally, yield great dividends as we benefit from a PatientsFirst! outcome.

All that said, and as I have stated repeatedly, “students first” does not equate to “give them what they want”, or “faculty last” or “patients later”.  StudentsFirst! aims to advocate for what students need (not necessarily want or prefer) to be successful in their professional endeavors.  While student success is our unique mission, StudentsFirst! is so much more than “what we do”. 

This is not rocket science.  Invest now in student success and benefit later from those same individuals who will be the health care professionals and scientists that keep us healthy.  This is not controversial nor is it negotiable.  Rather it is elementary and essential!

Best wishes,

Julie R. White, PhD
Dean of Student Affairs