Surgeon General Richard Carmona and AAMC president Jordan Cohen to address graduates on may 25
May 16, 2006
U.S. Surgeon General Vice Admiral Richard H. Carmona, MD, MPH, and Jordan J. Cohen,
MD, retiring President of the Association of American Medical Colleges, will be the
speakers at commencement ceremonies of SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University on
Thursday, May 25, 2006 at Carnegie Hall in Manhattan.
Dr. Cohen will speak at the ceremony for the College of Medicine and School of Graduate
Studies at 3:30 pm and Dr. Carmona will speak at the ceremony for the College of Nursing
and School of Health Professions at 7:30 pm.
Dr. Carmona will be awarded an honorary doctor of humane letters degree, as will be
Linda H. Aiken, PhD, RN, Claire M. Fagin Leadership Professor of Nursing at the University
of Pennsylvania and Director of the Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research.
Honorary doctor of science degrees will be awarded to Willem J. Kolff, MD, inventor
of modern kidney dialysis and a voluntary Professor of Medicine at SUNY Downstate;
and to Robert F. Furchgott, PhD, a 1998 recipient of the Nobel Prize in Medicine and
Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Pharmacology at SUNY Downstate.
Dr. Cohen, who already holds an honorary degree from the State University of New York,
will receive SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University's Ailanthus Award.
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About SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University
Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn is one of four academic health centers (AMCs) in The State University of New York (SUNY) 64-campus system and the only SUNY AMC in New York City dedicated to health education, research, and patient care for the borough’s 2.7 million residents. Its flagship hospital, University Hospital at Downstate (UHD), is a teaching hospital and benefits from the expertise of Downstate’s exceptional medical school and world-class academic center research facilities. With a staff of over 800 physicians representing 53 specialties and subspecialties, Downstate offers comprehensive healthcare services to the community.
UHD provides high-risk neonatal and infant services, pediatric nephrology, and dialysis for kidney diseases and is the only kidney transplantation program in Brooklyn. Beyond its clinical expertise, Downstate houses a range of esteemed educational institutions, including its College of Medicine, College of Nursing, School of Health Professions, School of Graduate Studies, and School of Public Health. Downstate fosters innovation through its multifaceted biotechnology initiative, the Biotechnology Incubator and BioBAT, which support early-stage and more mature biotech companies.