Downstate Faculty and Staff Recognized at 2026 ACGME Conference
By Office of the President | Mar 17, 2026
Faculty members, program coordinators, and graduate medical education staff from Downstate participated in the 2026 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Annual Educational Conference, joining colleagues from across the country to share practical approaches to physician training and to support residency programs.
Kino Williams, PsyD(c), MS, PHR, CPHQ, C-TAGME, Department Administrator in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and Juliet Green, PsyD, MHA, C-TAGME, Medical Education Systems Manager, presented at the 16th Annual Coordinator Forum. Their session, “From Abstract to PowerPoint: A Presentation Tutorial for Success,” focused on how program coordinators can turn ideas into effective conference presentations, from writing clear abstracts to building slides that communicate information directly.
At the main conference, faculty from Downstate and Kings County Hospital presented “React, Reflect, Remediate: The Faculty Journey in Supporting Struggling Learners.” The session, delivered by Teresa Y. Smith, M.D., MSEd, FACEP, Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education and Affiliations and Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine, and Lana Irons, M.D. Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, and Melanie Cheng, M.D., Associate Chief Academic Officer and Associate Program Director for Pediatric Hospital Medicine, examined how faculty can recognize trainee challenges early and develop structured remediation plans that support progress while maintaining program standards.
The conference also included national recognition for members of the Downstate community, including Chantal Littrean, MPH, C-TAGME, Program Administrator in Internal Medicine, who received the Debra L. Dooley Program Coordinator Excellence Award. The Award recognizes program coordinators whose work strengthens residency and fellowship training programs. Her win was announced last October, and she received her Award at this year’s meeting.
Lisa R. Merlin, M.D., Distinguished Teaching Professor of Neurology and Physiology Health, received the Parker J. Palmer Courage to Teach Award, which recognizes program directors who support residents and contribute to their professional development.
The presentations and awards reflected the role Downstate’s graduate medical education community plays in shaping physician training and strengthening residency programs across its clinical partners and the broader community.
Congratulations to the faculty, staff, and coordinators who represented Downstate at this year’s conference.
