News on the loss of a medical student

February 4, 2021, update: After the message below was sent to the campus community, the university was able to identify the medical student as Rose Wong. The university is working with her family to plan a memorial and will share details when they are confirmed.

Dear students, faculty and staff,

I am writing today on behalf of the president and provost to forward tragic news about a student. The following message was sent earlier today from Dean Lloyd Minor and Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education Neil Gesundheit to our School of Medicine community. There is nothing more difficult than the loss of a young life, of a friend and classmate. We all feel this deeply, even if we did not have the good fortune to know the individual, and even as we are unable to share the student’s name as we honor the family’s wish for privacy. We are a community that cares deeply about and for one another. During these times, we need to reach into the wells of that care for support. Please be assured that we are here to help all university community members. You will find resources, including contact information for helpers ready to speak to you this afternoon, listed here. We will forward updates as they become available. In the meantime, let’s hold space in our hearts for each other and for this dear student’s friends, family and loved ones.

Sincerely,

Susie Brubaker-Cole
Vice Provost for Student Affairs

Dear colleagues,

We are writing to convey tragic news: the passing of a student in our School of Medicine community.

It is with heavy hearts we share that yesterday afternoon police confirmed the death of a medical student, who was found in an on-campus residence. The police stated that there is no ongoing safety threat to those on campus.

In honoring the family’s wishes for privacy, we cannot yet share the student’s identity nor can we share the cause of death. We can confirm that the student’s passing was unrelated to COVID-19. As we engage the family to understand how we can support them, we will reach out to the student’s Stanford Medicine network to offer our support to all those who are grieving.

We recognize the profound pain felt by the student’s classmates, educators, colleagues, family, and friends and understand how devastated our broader community will feel about this news. We want to encourage all of you, including those off-campus, to reach out for support should you need it.

You can contact any of our campus-based resources available here. We also have additional information about workplace resources on our Faculty Staff Help Center.

Stanford Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is available for students 24/7 at (650) 723-3785 and https://vaden.stanford.edu/get-help-now.

Students who are off-campus can still contact CAPS as a resource, as well as this national number for free and confidential emotional support: (800) 273-8255 and https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/.

The Graduate Life Office is available 24/7 at (650) 723-8222, pager ID number 25085, and during office hours at (650) 736-7078.

The Office for Religious Life offers pastoral care and spiritual guidance and can be reached at (650) 723-1762.

We are heartbroken about this immense tragedy. As more information becomes available, we will share it with you. In this distressing and sorrowful time, please know that we are here to listen and help in any way we can.

Sincerely,

Lloyd Minor, MD
Dean, Stanford School of Medicine

Neil Gesundheit, MD
Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education, Stanford School of Medicine