Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine (KPSOM) has released the inaugural issue of The Torch, the school’s new official digital magazine. The publication is designed to illuminate the stories, achievements, and people who bring KPSOM’s mission to life. The debut edition features a detailed look back at the milestones of students, faculty, and staff in 2025. Click here to read the full issue.
“Within these pages, you will find themes that speak to resilience, innovation, and purpose,” writes KPSOM Dean and CEO John L. Dalrymple, MD, in his introductory “From the Dean” column. “You will see how our community responded to adversity with compassion and action, how we advanced scholarship and research to shape the future of medicine, and how we celebrated milestones that affirm our growing presence on the national stage.”
The extended-length first issue reflects how KPSOM responded to the Eaton Fire crisis with compassion, and reached new milestones, including a 100 percent residency match for the Class of 2025. A profile of Biomedical Science faculty member Kirsten Ludwig, PhD, details how she transformed a life-altering spinal cord injury into a platform for disability education and support at the school. Another feature highlights how Jeffrey Burack, MD, MPP, a veteran HIV/AIDS physician and Professor of Health Systems Science, went from philosophy studies at Oxford to frontline HIV care and ethics leadership. Other stories underscore our growing research footprint, including a national collaboration to modernize burn injury assessment led by student Max Hukill and faculty member Sam Behseta, PhD.
Overall, the inaugural issue of The Torch presents a school that is expanding global and community partnerships, advancing data-driven research, and reaffirming its mission to provide a world-class, service-oriented medical education grounded in equity and inclusion. The new magazine shows KPSOM as a medical school whose 2025 milestones lay the foundation for its next chapter.
Click here to read the December 2025 issue of The Torch. Readers can also sign up to get each issue of The Torch delivered to their inbox.
