Linda Norman, DSN, R.N., Dean of Vanderbilt University School of Nursing (VUSN) and Valere Potter Menefee Professor of Nursing, told the Class of 2017 during Investiture ceremonies last week that they have chosen to become nurses at the best point in history.

When Allison Norlander was visiting biomedical science graduate programs in 2011, she nearly crossed Vanderbilt off her list before she even visited. After six interview trips, she was worn out.

Cheryl Blackwell walked into a room with her reading glasses propped atop her head and was greeted by people wearing wacky antennas adorned with rocket ships and planets.

Sharing ideas is powerful. IdeaShare, a tool to share ideas among groups of people, and even vote about which ideas you like best, is coming to Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) beginning May 16.

If a career in medicine hadn’t worked out for Sam Chang, he might have been a politician. As an undergraduate at Princeton University, Chang chose to major in politics instead of common premed majors such as biology or chemistry. That way, he would have the opportunity to take a spectrum of liberal arts classes, from psychology to sociology to anthropology.

Ordinary cells can be transformed into cancer cells through epigenetics — changes to DNA that turn genes on or off. Those gene changes can protect cells or make them vulnerable to disease processes including cancer.

Nearly 400 members of the Canby Robinson Society and the Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) community joined together at Cheekwood Estate and Gardens recently for a reception celebrating the Medical Center’s shared commitment to healthy communities and to pioneer the future of health care.