SUNY Downstate Celebrates 50 Years of Service by its College of Nursing, School of Health Professions, School of Graduate Studies, and University Hospital at Downstate.
Nov 21, 2016
Brooklyn, NY – SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University recently celebrated the founding, 50 years ago, of the academic medical center’s College of Nursing, School of Health Professions, School of Graduate Studies, and University Hospital at Downstate at a gala reception on campus. The event climaxed a yearlong celebration of the founding in 1966 of the three schools and the center’s teaching hospital.
Soft lighting and black tablecloths transformed the Student Center Gymnasium into an elegant setting made all the more so by chamber music provided by a string quartet composed of talented Downstate medical students.
Interim Provost Mark Stewart, MD, PhD, welcomed the attendees, speaking for himself and Officer in Charge Michael Lucchesi, MD. Dr. Stewart noted that six years ago SUNY Downstate as a whole celebrated its Sesquicentennial – its 150th anniversary – and during that year looked back upon a number of remarkable achievements. “The golden anniversaries of the College of Nursing, School of Health Professions, School of Graduate Studies, and University Hospital are and their remarkable achievements are what we are highlighting this year."
In his role as dean of Downstate’s School of Graduate Studies, Dr. Stewart pointed to the awarding of the Nobel Prize in Medicine to the late Robert F. Furchgott, PhD, in 1998, who was assisted in that research by 25 graduate students, and the first MRI human torso imaging by Raymond Damadian, MD, accomplished with the aid of two Downstate post-graduate assistants. He also pointed to the graduate school’s joint biomedical engineering PhD program with the NYU Tandon School of Engineering and the first joint MD/PhD program in nanomedicine with SUNY Polytechnic Institute.
Dr. Stewart noted successes of the College of Nursing and School of Health Professions, including the former’s accelerated program that was recognized as a best practice model throughout the country, and the latter’s midwifery program that was first to accept students with a background other than nursing. “Both of these colleges have incredibly high passing rates, so they are standouts not only in the State of New York but nationally as well.”
Dr. Stewart also pointed to advances at University Hospital at Downstate, such as
its leadership in HIV/AIDS and the founding of its kidney transplant by the first
African-American transplant surgeon, the late Samuel L. Kountz, MD, which “had a special
emphasis that continues to this day on caring for patients in an underserved community.”
Dr. Stewart thanked New York State elected and appointed officials who have provided
support to the campus over the years. In attendance were New York City Councilman
Mathieu Eugene and David Suarez, his chief of staff, and, from the office of State
Assemblywoman Diana Richardson, District Director and Chief of Staff Samuel Clarke
and Communications Director Jamila Pringle.
Daisy Cruz-Richman, PhD, RN, professor and dean of the College of Nursing, said, “This is truly a milestone.” She noted that since its founding in 1966, the College of Nursing has grown from a baccalaureate only program to an academic program offering a bachelor of science, a master of science with a major in nursing, and a post-graduate advanced certificate program.
Dean Cruz-Richman added that three of the major accomplishments that she and the faculty and staff are most proud are the college’s commitment to diversity; its track record of outstanding program outcomes; and its record receiving the maximum number of years of national reaccreditation.
Allen Lewis, PhD, CRC, professor and dean of the School of Health Professions, noted that the college began with three programs in 1966, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and medical computer science, which later became medical informatics. “With the understanding that health in the twenty-first century is one of society’s most important concerns, our mission is to educate high-quality health professionals in the disciplines of physician assistant, diagnostic medical imaging, occupational therapy, physical therapy, medical informatics, and midwifery.” He added, “Today we have over 4500 alumni making a positive impact on peoples’ lives in the New York City metropolitan area, the state, the nation, and the world.”
Margaret Jackson, MA, RN, vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer of University Hospital at Downstate, expressed greetings from the hospital administration and pointed to successful collaboration between the clinical facility and academic programs, notably how the hospital has benefited working with the College of Nursing’s accelerated program.
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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.