Dr. Salifu: New Governor-Elect for Regional ACP
By Office of the President | Jan 28, 2025
Congratulations to Moro O. Salifu, M.D., MBA, MPH, MACP, Chair of Medicine, has been elected Governor-elect Designee for the Brooklyn/Queens/Staten Island Region and to the Board of Governors of the American College of Physicians (ACP). He will begin his term as Governor-elect on April 5, 2025, and assume his four-year term as Governor on April 18, 2026.
The ACP, representing over 161,000 members across 172 countries, relies on strong leadership to promote excellence in patient care, medical education, and research. Dr. Salifu will organize scientific meetings, develop educational programs for medical trainees, and enhance public understanding of internal medicine. Nationally, he will collaborate on policy development to address the specialty’s challenges.
Dr. Salifu’s election highlights his dedication to collaboration, equity, and medical innovation. He remains focused on strengthening physician advocacy, improving patient outcomes, and upholding the highest medical education and care standards. Dr. Salifu drives transformative initiatives, including launching Downstate's Primary Care Internal Medicine Residency Program, which graduated its first class in June 2024. The program directly addresses the nationwide shortage of primary care physicians, underscoring a proactive approach to solving systemic healthcare challenges.
As the Edwin C. and Anne K. Weiskopf Endowed Chair in Nephrology and Transplantation, Dr. Salifu researches nephrology and health disparities, emphasizing the urgent need to provide equitable care and reduce inequities affecting underserved populations.
Recent data from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) shows that over 40 percent of practicing physicians in the United States are aged 55 or older, highlighting the growing challenge of an aging medical workforce as the demand for care increases. Estimates predict a shortfall of 20,000 primary care physicians nationwide, threatening access to care and increasing strain on the remaining workforce.
Dr. Salifu actively promotes the expansion of graduate medical education (GME) opportunities, particularly in primary care. He calls on organizations like the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Congress, and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) to implement policies that create more residency training slots.
Dr. Salifu’s long-standing involvement with the ACP includes chairing the chapter’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Task Force and serving as Brooklyn District Councilor. His contributions earned recognition as a Master of the American College of Physicians (2018) and the New York Chapter ACP Laureate Award (2022) for his medical care, research, and community service excellence.