Metropolitan’s Department of Medicine—under the leadership of Nora V. Bergasa, MD, FACP, FAASLD, AGAF and Chief of Service of the Department of Medicine—remained strong in 2015.
The department recognized dedication to patient care and training at the 2015 Medical Board dinner by honoring Dr. Alexander M. Sy, Assistant Professor of Medicine, and Associate Program Director of the Medicine Residency, for his selfless decision to volunteer as a Medicine Clinic First Responder to attend patients potentially exposed to the Ebola virus, and Dr. Nelky Ramirez, Deputy Chief of Medicine, and Chief of the Hospitalists Service, for her dedication to the Advanced Cardiac Life Support Certification Program.
Medical residents, under the tutelage of faculty members, were a driving force for the scholarly work that has been recognized with publication in peer-reviewed journals. Residents who graduated from the residency program found opportunities to advance their careers as internists or in other academic centers through fellowship training in medicine subspecialties, including cardiology and gastroenterology. The first two fellows from the combined Metropolitan and Woodhull Medical Centers Gastroenterology Fellowship Program graduated in 2015.
Dr. Bergasa said, “Respect of human resources and unity towards the common goal of serving patients attended at the hospital have been fundamental in the progress of the Department, which is committed to fulfill the tripartite mission of medicine: patient care, teaching and research.”
Other awards included:
- Dr. Soheila Talebi and Dr. Adrian Garafoli received the Carlos J. Finlay Award of 2014 in recognition of their intellectual curiosity and vibrant energy to conduct research.
- Dr. Shobhana Chaudhari, Chief of Geriatrics, Deputy Chief of Medicine, and Program Director of the Medicine Residency, received an appreciation award from NYMC for teaching the FCM1 course for the last 5 years.
- Dr. Taimur Mirza, former Chief Medical Resident (CMR), and now a faculty member of the department, received an Arnold P. Gold Foundation Humanism and Excellence in Teaching Award from NYMC students because of his commitment to teaching.
- Dr. Noella Boma, Hospitalist, was given the Best Ward Attending Award by the class of medical residents who graduated in 2015.
- The Division of Nephrology was recognized as the best subspecialty rotation, Dr. Jonna Mercado, as the best preceptor in the Medicine Clinic, and Dr. Thomas Newman, as the best preceptor in a subspecialty clinic (Pulmonary and Critical Care) by the graduating residents of 2015.
- Dr. Bergasa was inducted as a Fellow of the American Gastroenterological Association (FAGA) for her research contributions to the field. As a member of the Abstract Review Committee of the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease,she was invited to chair the session on autoimmune liver diseases at the AGA Annual Meeting of 2015.
- Dr. Sy and Dr. Bergasa were given the award for Excellence in Research by the medical residents who completed their training in 2015.
- Dr. Susan Williams, Chief, Division of Gastroenterology, and Dr. Andrea Popescu-Martinez, Chief, Division of Hematology Oncology, were recognized by the American Cancer Society for their service in the prevention of cancer and treatment of patients with cancer.