School Notes: School of Medicine
March/April 2026

Gift will advance MS research

A $3 million gift to Yale School of Medicine will establish an endowed professorship in neurology named after David Hafler, William S. and Lois Stiles Edgerly Professor of Neurology, professor of immunobiology, and former chair of the Department of Neurology at YSM. The gift, from Betsy Coward Phillips and Herb Phillips, is rooted in gratitude to Hafler as Betsy’s physician and in their commitment to supporting Hafler’s research in MS. Betsy Phillips has been battling the disease since 1985. The gift will also provide a secure base for continuing significant research efforts in MS. Hafler says it will enhance YSM’s ability to explore and develop novel treatments and provide essential funding for salaries. “This kind of support is invaluable,” he says. “It allows researchers to engage in innovative experiments without the constant pressure of securing grant funding.”

Preparing physicians to treat the homeless

Building on existing street medicine and outreach efforts in New Haven, a new Yale School of Medicine training initiative will expand resident education in caring for people experiencing homelessness, preparing future primary care physicians to deliver consistent, preventive care directly to these patients on the street. This initiative, titled the Yale Street Medicine Training Program, will be co-led by Jeffrey Lin, instructor in general medicine, and Benjamin Howell, assistant professor of medicine. The program will be offered to residents in the Yale internal medicine primary care residency program and feature more than two months of dedicated street medicine training. “By offering more than two months of experiential training,” Howell says, “this new curriculum will provide our residents with the skills to become experts in providing primary care to this population after graduation.”