News from AMSNY

Remembering Dr. Millicent Roth

The Associated Medical Schools of New York (AMSNY) notes with great sadness the passing of Dr. Millicent Roth, longtime Deputy Dean of the Division of Science at City College of New York and one of our longest partners. She oversaw Pathways to Careers in Medicine & Research at CCNY, a program supported by AMSNY since 2002 that pairs undergraduates with faculty scientists to conduct laboratory research and prepare them to enter DO, MD or PhD programs. A tenacious advocate for her students and a champion of AMSNY Scholars in Medicine and Science programs, Dr. Roth was a panelist at the Program Directors Summit last June, speaking about her program and its impact. Her leadership will be greatly missed.

Highlights

New York Medical College: Where Experience Becomes Evidence: Advancing Transplant Education

Few medical schools offer students hands-on experience in organ procurement, and even fewer have a structured program like the Transplant Education Program at New York Medical College. Traveling alongside the Westchester Medical Center surgical transplant team, students gain real-world clinical experience with measurable outcomes, now documented in the Journal of Surgical Education. Learn More

Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell: PACE Week, Where Future Doctors are Equipped with Skills to Address Substance Use and Pain in Routine Patient Care

Third-year students at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell are now uniquely equipped to address substance and alcohol use disorders, thanks to their participation in Pain and Addiction Care Prevention Week (PACE), which ran from Jan. 13–16. They’ve gained critical skills in harm reduction and non-opioid alternatives, placing them a step ahead of many medical students and even seasoned doctors. Crucially, they also learned to approach patients with empathy, listening to their individual needs to provide lifesaving, supportive care. Learn More

Medical Education

Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo: Celebrating the First Phase of Well Beyond Curriculum

When the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences launched its new Well Beyond curriculum in the summer of 2024, it marked an ambitious effort to prepare physicians for the demands of modern medicine and complexities of health care. The revamped curriculum emphasizes foundational skills, early clinical experiences, experiential learning, and community-centric compassionate care. After 18 months, medical students have now completed the initial phase of the new curriculum, with phases 2 and 3 remaining. Learn More

Weill Cornell Medicine: First-Year Students Express Thanks to Families of Anatomy Lab Donors

As first-year Weill Cornell Medical College student Sarah Mansour memorialized 28 people who donated their bodies to the institution’s Gross Anatomy program, she quoted a passage from the novel Gilead by Marilynne Robinson that she said served as a perfect testament to the donors’ ultimate gift. ‘“There is a kind of patience that comes from believing the future will remember us kindly, even if it does not remember us by name,’” said Mansour, reading the passage during Weill Cornell’s annual Gross Anatomy Memorial Service, held Dec. 10 in Uris Auditorium. Learn More

Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons: Longest Table Debuts at CUIMC

Sixty-five students from across CUIMC lunched together on Jan. 29 at a Longest Table event organized by Student and Campus Services. The Longest Table is a global initiative that brings communities together to share a meal, creating space for strangers to become friends and neighbors to feel like family. “We want our students to get to know each other and connect,” says Mario Rapetti, executive director of housing services at CUIMC. Learn More

Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell: Students Trade Their Stethoscopes for Spatulas

Fourth year students experienced a hands-on lesson in healthy cooking taught by a chef at Long Island Jewish Valley Stream Hospital. They learned practical skills like dicing and breaking down ingredients, with the core lesson being how food can be medicine. The curriculum emphasizes making healthier food choices, potentially reducing the need for medication and extending lives, as demonstrated by recipes like cauliflower mac and cheese and vegetable-packed hidden burgers designed for children. Learn more

Albert Einstein College of Medicine: A Transformed Anatomy Lab Opens at Einstein

Thanks to a $17 million gift from an anonymous donor, Einstein’s first-year medical students will now explore the intricacies of the human body using state-of-the art tools and resources. The Harry H. Gordon Anatomy Lab and Surgical Skills Center, named for Einstein’s second dean, opened in August on the first floor of the Van Etten Building. At more than 10,000 square feet, the new facility is nearly double the size of the lab it replaces. Learn More

CUNY School of Medicine: Commencement for New Physician Assistants

Now officially the 26th school within The City University of New York, CUNY School of Medicine on January 13 celebrated Commencement for graduates of its Physician Assistant Program for the first time as an independent institution. Annie Brown, an alumna of the  program’s inaugural Class of 1973 and one of the first Black physician assistants in the country, received a Doctor of Humane Letters honoris causa degree. In line with the school’s mission to increase broader participation in medical education and improve community health, CUNY School of Medicine physician assistants are graduating from the program with job offers and will go on to practice primary care in communities with healthcare provider shortages.

Student & Alumni News

Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo: AMSNY Scholarships Help Two Jacobs School Medical Students Pursue Their Dreams

New York State students who aspire to practice medicine in the state’s underserved communities have to weigh that dream against the hard reality of the debt they take on in order to pay for medical school tuition.For Angelia Clemons and Monique Martin, students in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, that tricky balance just got a lot easier: Both were awarded the Associated Medical Schools of New York (AMSNY) Scholarship in Medicine. The goal of the scholarships is to reduce debt load for medical students while increasing the number of physicians practicing in medically underserved areas in New York State. Learn More

New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine: Finding His Balance

Between writing a research paper, minding academic studies, and working clinical rotations, third-year medical student Noah Hoonhout found time to reflect on his pursuit of a career in the medical field. He wrote and submitted an opinion piece, “Balancing Work and Life,” to the biomedicine Substack Sensible Medicine, which published his thoughts to an audience of more than 100,000 readers. In his essay, Hoonhout describes the challenges future physicians face while balancing their personal and professional lives. Learn More

Icahn School of Medicine At Mt. Sinai: An Early Interest in Immunology Set the Stage for Building a Scientific Career

Ananya Parthasarathy, MSBS, a first-year student in the PhD in Biomedical Sciences program at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, recalls developing an interest in immunology while growing up in India, including becoming involved in a project to investigate bacterial contents in Indian street foods. She completed her Master of Science in Biomedical Science at the Icahn School of Medicine in June 2025, and is now continuing to work in the Immunology Multidisciplinary Training Area in the lab of Karen Edelblum, PhD, studying intraepithelial lymphocytes. Learn More

Awards, Grants & Recognition

Weill Cornell Medicine: Physician-Scientists Recognized with ASCI Early-Career Awards

Two Weill Cornell Medicine physician-scientists, Dr. Semra Etyemez and Dr. Jesse Platt, have been honored with prestigious early-career awards from the American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI) for 2026.The ASCI is one of the nation’s oldest nonprofit medical honor societies, which is comprised of more than 3,500 physician-scientists from all medical specialties. It recognizes and supports the scientific efforts, educational needs and clinical aspirations of physician-scientists to improve the health of all people. ASCI’s early-career awards are designed to encourage and inspire physician-scientists by engaging them with the ASCI community, while honoring their research achievements. Learn More

Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University: Allison McLarty Honored with Health Care Heroes Lifetime Achievement Award

Allison McLarty, MD, Stony Brook Medicine’s Department of Surgery Chief of the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, has been named the 2026 Health Care Heroes Lifetime Achievement Award winner by Long Island Business News (LIBN). Dr. McLarty has previously been recognized by LIBN for her work with the Stony Brook Ventricular Assist Device Program. The Health Care Heroes Awards honor and celebrate innovative and influential organizations and individuals who are making positive differences in the quality of healthcare on Long Island. Learn More

CUNY School of Medicine: Dr. Carmen Renée Green Named Trailblazer in Healthcare

For the second consecutive year Dr. Carmen Renée Green, Dean and President of CUNY School of Medicine, has been named by City & State NY as a Trailblazer in Healthcare. As President and Dean of Manhattan’s only public medical school, Dean Green succeeds in training the doctors New York needs and New Yorkers want to see. This past year she advanced CUNY School of Medicine’s mission to improve health outcomes with a 100% residency match rate, and with 50% of the graduating Class of 2025 choosing to practice primary care in healthcare provider shortage areas. Learn More

Faculty News

Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons: University Announces Next Columbia Mailman School Dean

Jonathan Mermin, MD, MPH, a nationally and globally recognized public health leader, has been appointed to be the next dean of Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, effective March 2. A distinguished physician, epidemiologist, researcher, and organizational leader, Dr. Mermin has spent decades advancing public health research, practice, and policy at the highest levels. Learn More

New York Medical College: Shaun Desai, M.D., to Lead Department of Otolaryngology

Shaun Desai, M.D., a national leader in facial plastic and microvascular reconstructive surgery, has been named Chair of the Department of Otolaryngology at New York Medical College (NYMC) and Westchester Medical Center, one of NYMC’s major clinical affiliates. Dr. Desai will assume his new roles in April. Learn More

University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry: Juliet Emamaullee Appointed to Lead Transplant Research at URMC

The University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) has announced the appointment of Juliet Emamaullee, MD, PhD, as the inaugural Research Director of the Transplant Institute, effective January 1, 2026. A nationally recognized surgeon-scientist, Emamaullee will lead efforts to expand transplant research, strengthen clinical trials, and accelerate the translation of discovery science into improved patient care. Learn More

Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University: Two Stony Brook University Faculty Named to 2026 Fellowship Class for SUNY Leadership Institutes

Two members of the Stony Brook University faculty were among the 29 people selected to the 2026 Fellowship Class for SUNY’s Leadership Institutes. The announcement by State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. followed the first in-person retreat for the 2026 Leadership Institute fellows, which took place in Albany. The two fellows from Stony Brook University are Susan Lee, MD and Jennie Williams. Learn More