Shout-Outs
By Office of the President | May 24, 2023
College of Medicine and School of Graduate Studies Convocation and Awards Ceremony
Congratulations to the College of Medicine and School of Graduate Studies Convocation and Awards Ceremony recipients held earlier this month. Over 80 students received awards in various categories as this academic year comes to another successful close. Thank you to Dawn Froome, MSEd., Student Affairs Associate, and Director of Career Services-COM, for her work on these critical accolades. A copy of the program is attached here, and you can view the College Awards Ceremony 2023 video here.
AOA Induction Ceremony
On May 9, the local Eta Chapter of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society (AΩA) hosted their highly anticipated 2023 induction ceremony. Christina Guillén, M.D., FAAP, Department of Pediatrics, delivered a keynote message titled “Addressing Health Disparities through Community Engagement.”
The induction ceremony brought together a diverse cohort of exceptional individuals, including 42 graduating medical students, 18 house staff, five faculty members, and five esteemed alums. Inductees to the AΩA Honor Medical Society were selected based on outstanding academic achievements, steadfast professionalism, exceptional leadership skills, compassion, deep empathy, and a remarkable record of service to the academic institution and the broader community. Their induction into the esteemed Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society is a testament to their exemplary character and remarkable contributions to advancing healthcare and addressing the health disparities that affect our communities. See video here.
SOPH Awards First Annual Community Change Maker Award
Downstate’s School of Public Health bestowed its first Annual Community Change Maker Award to Life of Hope, a nonprofit in Central Brooklyn that provides services and programs
for youth, immigrants, and at-need families. The Change Maker Award recognizes community-based
organizations for taking creative actions to solve urban health challenges.
With members of SOPH and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Downstate, Life of Hope launched a Maternal Health Program to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality disparities and improve outcomes in the New York City Black immigrant community. The program provides culture-centered education, counseling, and materials, builds empathy and trust, and offers quality healthcare. The program’s focus started with the Haitian community, which has the highest rates of Severe Maternal Morbidity in New York City.
Learning to Ride with SUNY Downstate
Bike New York, a nonprofit that offers free bike education programs throughout the
five boroughs, is collaborating with two Downstate Occupational Therapy students,
Colleen Syms and Debra Mulcahey, on outreach and the curriculum for its “Learn to Ride on the Spectrum” classes.
The initiative provides vital resources and support for individuals with autism who want to learn how to ride a bike. With Colleen and Debra’s help, Bike New York offers specialized guidance and support for riders.
Colleen and Debra took specialized training on teaching Learn to Ride classes and led a session for their Downstate colleagues showcasing their skills and expertise.
Rabbi Holzman Visits the 67th Precinct
Downstate’s pastoral staff makes daily rounds to support our patients—but its members also provide support to those outside our hospital. Many thanks to Yosef Holzman, MRb, MTJ, Rabbinical Chaplain and COM Assistant Professor, for addressing the midnight roll call at the NYPD 67th Precinct earlier this month. Thank you to the dedicated officers of the 67th Pct. who serve Downstate and the East Flatbush community. Special thank you wishes are extended to 67 Precinct. Commanding Officer Inspector Gaby Celiba, and Community Affairs Officer Det. Mark Pierre.
Downstate Shares Equity Message During Grand Rounds
Jinel Scott, M.D., Associate Professor of Radiology, delivered Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Grand
Rounds at the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, the academic radiology department
at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri. Dr. Scott, who
serves on the Radiological Society of North America board of directors as the liaison
for Quality and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, spoke on, “Nothing New Under the
Sun: The Struggles for Health Equity.”
Gold Humanism Honor Society Inducts New Cohort
The Gold Humanism Honor Society (GHHS) is a community of medical students, physicians, and other leaders who their peers have selected for their compassionate care.
GHHS reinforces and supports the importance of human connection in healthcare, which is essential for the health of patients and clinicians. Founded in 2002, GHHS consists of more than 180 chapters in medical schools and residency programs and more than 45,000 members. Congratulations to the newest inductees.
Noor Anvery*
Colleen Beckford
Alexandra Belzie
Nicole Bodgan
Kingsley Cruickshank*
Marco Diaz-Cordova
Owen Edwards
Alana Engelbrecht
Gabrielle Estevez-Inoa
Antia Gomez
Jigar Govind
Alexandra Greenberg
Lauren Gruffi
Matias Icaza
Beiza Wajiha Kazmi*
Perry Kerner
Nina Kumar
Lawrence Langan
Shuhan (Sherry) Li
Takisha Morancy*
Iqra Nadeem*
Toan Nguyen
Ariana Otto
Charlotte Ruby
Molly Schneider
Lisa Scott
Kathleen Simons
Latia Skerving
Heidi Sosa
Bertilia Tavarez
Jason Truong
Radhika Viswanathan*
*Elected in 2021
SOHP Hosts Inaugural Research Day
The School of Health Professions (SOHP) held its inaugural Research Day on May 3rd, highlighting student research in SOPH’s Diagnostic Medical Imaging, Health Informatics, Occupational Therapy, Physician Assistant, and Physical Therapy programs.
The program, which included oral and poster presentations, highlighted interprofessional collaboration across SOPH disciplines and demonstrated students’ research knowledge and critical thinking skills. Mark Stewart, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Physiology and Pharmacology, delivered the keynote address, “How Research Changes You and How You Can Change the Lives of Others” to more than 100 students and faculty in attendance.
Special thanks to the students, faculty, program administrators, members of the Dean’s Office, and the School of Graduate Studies for making this first event a success.
Surgery Resident Pens Chapter in New Surgical Handbook
Congratulations to General Surgery Resident Erfan Faridmoayer, M.D., contributor of a chapter to the recently released surgical handbook, Translational Surgery.
Under the mentorship of F. Charles Brunicardi, M.D., Dean of the College of Medicine, and Alexander Schwartzman, M.D., Vice Chair of the Department of Surgery, the chapter, "What Problem Are You Solving?" explores methods of defining a surgical question in an objective and assessable fashion. The Handbook provides an accessible reference for surgeons and trainees interested in engaging in translational research as part of their career.
Community Outreach Events
The Center for Health Promotion and Wellness (CHPW) continues to represent Downstate in the community. Thank you to CHPW representatives Betty Jung, R.N., and Sarah Marshall, DNP, MS, RNC, CHPW department volunteers Vicente Marshall and Melissa Rojas, as well as Alishia Goodridge, MBA, AVP for Government & Community Relations, for their commitment and continued work on our behalf. Recent events included:
A collaboration with Healthfirst for community health events at the Christopher Blenman Senior Center and CAMBA Beacon 361. We provided free health screenings, education on healthier meals emphasizing fruits
and vegetables, information on chronic illness such as diabetes and hypertension,
tips on increasing physical activities, and the importance of breastfeeding and organ
donation.
Volunteers at this event included Clivia Torres, LCSW-R and I-Ting Cheng, LMSW, social workers in Downstate’s Center of Excellence for Alzheimer’s Disease, and Jesse Yavner, Jesse Asiedu and Maria Farag, volunteer medical students from the Downstate Surgical Society.
Haitian Culture Day Celebration Parade and Street Festival, known as Ayiti Nou La
Toujou, on May 13, where Downstate sponsored the Haitian community’s celebration of its rich
history and diverse cultures.
The parade was led by Christina Pardo, M.D., MPH, FACOG, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Porez Luxama, Executive Director and co-Founder of Life of Hope. They were joined by with community leaders, elected officials, business leaders, non-profit organizations, media influencers, and cultural activists. The colorful parade featured cultural costumes, marching bands, stilt walkers, floats, and balloons—as well as members of the SUNY Downstate community proudly waving Haitian flags.
Among the day’s highlights were the ANLT Committee’s recognition of Nurse Jung and Aimee Afable, Ph.D., MPH, SOPH Associate Dean for Community Engagement, as recipients of its "Community Star Award" in gratitude for their work and dedication to the community.
Thank you to Kristelle Pierre, MPH, and Brittney Vincent-Buckmire, MPH, from the Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health, Ernest Barthélemy, M.D., MPH, MA, Chief of Neurosurgery in the Department of Surgery, Kirabo Nanyanzi, MPH Student, and Adedamola Kasumu-Muritala, CHW, for representing SUNY Downstate and sharing healthcare resources at Downstate’s vendor table.
Downstate celebrated Haitian Flag Day at the Brooklyn Junction on Hillel Place with Christina Pardo, M.D., and Adedamola Kasumu-Muritala, CHW, Department of OB/GYN; Kirabo Nanyanzi, MPH Student, School of Public Health, and Eusia Edmond, MPH, CHES, STAR Program, who were among the volunteers.
