Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra Northwell: From Special Ops to Future Docs: Medical School Assists Veterans Transitioning to Medical Careers

The Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell is proud to announce a new partnership with Special Operations Forces to School of Medicine (SOFtoSOM) to support United States military veterans in their journey to become physicians. This collaboration advances SOFtoSOM’s mission to provide a pathway for Special Operations Forces (SOF) to enter the field of medicine as non-traditional applicants, ultimately enriching the medical field with diverse physicians to serve an increasingly diverse population. Learn more.

New York Medical College Awarded Funding to Bolster Medical School Success for Historically Disadvantaged Students

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) at New York Medical College has been awarded a nearly $100,000 Diversity in Medicine grant from the Association of Medical Schools of New York (AMSNY) to support a series of programs that the ODI developed to enhance medical school recruitment and retention of historically disadvantaged students. In the award letter, AMSNY noted that ODI’s program proposal “demonstrated an impressive commitment to supporting students who have overcome adversity by creating innovative opportunities for them to pursue careers in medicine and science. Learn more.

Albert Einstein College of Medicine: Supporting Bronx-Based Graduate Students on Their Path to Biomedical Career Success

On the cusp of graduating with a Master of Science degree, Marilyn Vallejo Alvarez has already contributed to genetic research at the National Cancer Institute-designated Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center (MECCC). She is abuzz with possibilities for a future she had not imagined a couple of years ago. Learn more.

New York Medical College is Charting New Paths with a Holistic Approach to Admissions

Qualifying for medical school once depended solely on high academic achievement. But during the past decade, admissions committees, like the New York Medical College School of Medicine’s (SOM), have recognized the importance of acquiring more comprehensive information about the character of potential students—and future physicians—than school transcripts alone can provide. Determined to maintain its commitment to diversity and inclusion, the SOM had been expanding its approach to screening and evaluating candidates years before the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to outlaw affirmative action and has expanded its approach even further since the decision. Learn more.

Student and Alumni News

CUNY School of Medicine Celebrates the Diversity of the Graduating MD Class of 2024

The fifth graduating class of the CUNY School of Medicine continued to reflect the remarkable diversity and commitment to inclusive excellence that sets the school apart from others in the nation. More than three-quarters of the class were first-generation students and most spoke a language in addition to English in their homes and communities. Eliseo J. Pérez-Stable, MD, Director of the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, served as keynote speaker for the Thursday, May 23, event. Learn more.

Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra Northwell Commemorates New Class of Inductees During 2024 Gold Humanism Honor Society Induction

On Tuesday, May 21, 2024, the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell celebrated its new Gold Humanism Honor Society class of inductees during their annual induction dinner. At the event, 15 medical students, 4 faculty members and 6 residents were honored as they were inducted into this esteemed organization. The Gold Humanism Honor Society seeks to promote humanistic values and behaviors in medicine and endorse a patient-centered approach to care. Learn more.

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai: Five Medical Students at Icahn School of Medicine Selected as Tillman Scholars, Recognizing the Contributions of Those in the Military

In 2018, the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai set out to welcome a new kind of student into the field of medicine when it established an institutional partnership with the U.S. Navy as a complement to its traditional pathway. This unique partnership, which the school has broadened to include all branches of the military, provides a streamlined pathway for active-duty service members to apply to medical school prior to completing their service commitment. Learn more.

New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine: Alumni Father and Daughter Share a Passion for Medicine

Caroline Varlotta (D.O. ’20) didn’t intend to follow her father’s footsteps into a medical career. But that’s where she landed, and Gerard “Rusty” Varlotta (D.O. ’83) couldn’t be happier. “One of the proudest days of my life was the White Coat Ceremony when I put the coat on Caroline,” says Gerard, a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician at White Plains Hospital in Westchester, N.Y., who was misty-eyed as he remembered the moment. Equally touching was her graduation from the College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYITCOM). She is now a fourth-year resident at Mount Sinai Health System and will graduate in June. Learn more.

Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences at University at Buffalo Student: Working With the Bills This Summer Will Be a ‘Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity’

To say that Moriah Martindale, a rising third-year medical student at the University at Buffalo, is looking forward to working with the Buffalo Bills this summer is probably an understatement. Martindale is one of just 29 medical students nationwide who were chosen to participate in the third year of the NFL Diversity in Sports Medicine Pipeline Initiative, a joint program of the NFL Physicians Society and the Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society. Learn more.

Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences at University at Buffalo Dean Is Appointed to the AAMC Board of Directors

Allison Brashear, MD, vice president for health sciences at the University at Buffalo and dean of the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB, has been appointed to the board of directors of the Association for American Medical Colleges (AAMC). One of 19 board members, most of whom are deans of the nation’s leading medical schools, Brashear will serve from November 2024 to November 2025. Learn more.

CUNY School of Medicine: City & State Names Dean Green to its “Trailblazers in Higher Education” List

In its profile of Dean Carmen Renée Green’s leadership, City & State describes how she is “tackling both New York’s physician shortage and its glaring health disparities,” noting that “CUNY Medicine is the rare institution that prioritizes lived experiences and excludes the MCAT in admissions decisions, yielding an unusually diverse student population – more than 60% are Black and Hispanic.” The “2024 Trailblazers in Higher Education” list features 100 presidents and executives from across academia, high-profile elected officials, labor leaders, philanthropists, advocates and other players in the world of postsecondary education. Learn more.

Albert Einstein College of Medicine Names Marla Keller, M.D., Executive Dean

Marla Keller, M.D., a national leader in academic medicine and in clinical and translational research and training, has been appointed executive dean at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. In this role, Dr. Keller will work closely with Yaron Tomer, M.D., the Marilyn and Stanley M. Katz Dean at Einstein, other executive leaders at the College of Medicine and Montefiore, and the Board of Trustees to achieve the vision for the institution. Learn more.

Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University: Dr. William Wertheim Named Executive Vice President, Stony Brook Medicine

Stony Brook University President Maurie McInnis announced that William Wertheim, MD, MBA, has been promoted to executive vice president, Stony Brook Medicine. Dr. Wertheim, who has been serving as the interim executive vice president role will continue to report to the university’s president and is a member of the senior leadership team. Learn more.

SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University Announces New Department of Family and Community Health Chair

SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University announced the appointment of Dr. Enitza George, M.D., MBA, MSAI, as the new Chair of the Department of Family and Community Health, effective July 1. In addition to her role as chair, Dr. George will serve as Chief Population Health Officer at University Hospital at Downstate, and as an Associate Professor of Clinical Family and Community Medicine at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University. Learn more.

Albany Medical College: Dr. John J. Folk Appointed Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs

John J. Folk, MD, EdD, has joined Albany Medical College as associate dean for faculty affairs, and will serve as an associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. “Dr. Folk will assist in the development of our diverse faculty and will assist with the integration of the Medical College’s new curriculum,” said Alan S. Boulos, MD ’94, MHCDS, The Lynn and Mark D. Groban, MD ‘67 Distinguished Dean of Albany Medical College. Learn more.

Awards & Grants

Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University: Dr. Tara Huston Selected for Prestigious ELAM Fellowship Program

Tara L. Huston, MD, professor of Surgery and Dermatology in the Stony Brook Medicine Department of Surgery’s Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, has been selected as a Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine® (ELAM®) Fellow for 2024-25. The prestigious ELAM program hosted at Drexel University College of Medicine is the only long-term leadership program in North America that focuses on preparing women for executive roles in various areas of healthcare. Learn more.

Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons: Four VP&S Physician-Scientists Named 2024 Gerstner Scholars

Four VP&S physician-scientists have been named 2024 Gerstner Scholars and will receive up to $300,000 to pursue promising research that has the potential to spark the development of new and better treatments for patients with kidney disease, cancer, and epilepsy. Learn more.

SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University’s Ann Kastor Brooklyn Free Clinic Expands Dermatology Services With Generous Grants

The Anne Kastor Brooklyn Free Clinic is thrilled to announce the receipt of two significant grants this Spring, totaling $70,000, aimed at expanding their Dermatology services. These grants will play a crucial role in furthering the clinic’s mission to provide equitable health care to underserved communities in Brooklyn. Learn more.

Weill Cornell Medicine: 2024 Excellence in Medical Education Awards

Weill Cornell Medicine faculty, alumni and staff were honored with Excellence in Medical Education Awards at a ceremony held on campus on June 17. The awards, which are given at the end of each academic year, recognize those who have made outstanding contributions to the institution’s medical education program and education mission. Learn more.

University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry: In Memoriam: URMC Remembers Paul Griner, MD

Paul Griner, MD, Professor of Medicine emeritus at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and former chief executive officer for Strong Memorial Hospital, died on June 24 in Weston, Mass. He was 91. Griner was a renowned expert on health care policy who consulted with the Clinton administration on national health insurance legislation, and served as a consultant to the Institute for Healthcare Improvement in Cambridge, Mass. Learn more.

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai: Mount Sinai Health System Earns Top Score in Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2024 Healthcare Equality Index

Mount Sinai Health System hospitals have once again received the designation of “LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader” in the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 16th iteration of the Healthcare Equality Index (HEI), the nation’s top benchmarking survey of health care organizations on policies and practices dedicated to the equitable treatment and inclusion of their LGBTQ+ patients, visitors, and employees. Learn more.

Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons Spotlight on LGBTQ Scientists at VP&S

At the end of Pride month, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons asked a few LGBTQ scientists to talk about their science, what Pride month means to them, and what advice they have for younger LGBTQ+ researchers. Learn more.