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COVID-19
WHERE TO FROM HERE

new resolutions, questions about the wisdom of those who lead the dead and those with permanent health consequences. Many people
health care system and government at all levels, new outlooks on their will be our patients for years to come suffering sequelae of this
future profession, motivation, and new faith and gratitude for a better plague. We have relearned lessons from the Bible which tells of how
world and its inhabitants. As they witness the might of a natural force to avoid transmission of leprosy, the Spanish flu pandemic men-
much greater than man, they develop resolve to gain new knowledge tioned by other writers in this journal, and many other previous
and help in any way they are able as they soon become front line care scourges to wear face coverings, wash hands, not touch our faces,
providers. Many will carefully study the distribution of health services, trace contacts, and distance ourselves from others to best avoid con-
the multileveled governmental response to the crisis, the economic tagion. We will be tempted to resist our calling and view these events
consequences of the pandemic, whether a nation’s wealth can be pro- with cynicism, dark humor, and partisan squabbles searching for
tected from the ravages of the virus infection, and the effect on dif- those to blame. When faced with such an event, many will find hope,
ferent geographic areas in their locale along with a myriad of other faith, gratitude, grace, positive thinking, mission, and hard work as
topics related to them personally or distantly. the answers to aid us in the tasks ahead. To care for those in need,
At the forefront of these young learners’ minds was the impact let us each day join hands and voices (if only virtually today) to con-
this pandemic would have on themselves and their future patients. tinue to do what we are able.
They reflected on their personal hardships as mere inconveniences Thank you for your time and attention.
compared to the rest of the population who will continue to suffer
from the ramifications of COVID-19 economically, mentally, and Samantha Bailey is an OMS1 at Midwestern University, Chicago College
medically. Although learning shifted from the classroom, these future of Osteopathic Medicine; John J. Seidenfeld, MD is a board-certified specialist
physicians learned lessons they will carry in hopes that history will in pulmonary diseases and internal medicine, is an Associate Professor of Clinical
not repeat itself. The need for human interaction, unity, and collab- and Basic Sciences Education at UIW School of Osteopathic Medicine, is cur-
oration has become evident as a necessity to overcoming this time rently the Vice Chair of the BCMS Publications Committee, and is a long-
in history and resuming daily life. standing member of the Bexar County Medical Society and the Texas Medical
In the face of this tragedy of epic proportions, we mourn for the Association.

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