New York, NY (September 7, 2023)—The New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM) will present its prestigious, historic annual awards at a virtual event on Wednesday, September 27, 2023. Recognizing leadership and contributions in the medical and health-related fields, this year we honor scientists and healthcare leaders whose breakthroughs, innovations, and advancements will change the face of healthcare for years to come.
“In keeping with NYAM’s tradition of acknowledging and rewarding scientific excellence, we are thrilled to announce the recipients of the 2023 NYAM Annual Awards,” said NYAM President Ann Kurth, PhD, CNM, MPH. “Shining a light on the accomplishments of these exemplary individuals in the fields of biomedical science, health policy, public health, clinical practice, and service to the Academy gives us all hope for a healthier world.”
The 2023 NYAM Annual Awards and honorees include:
The Academy Medal for Distinguished Contributions to Biomedical Science
Presented to two individuals in 2023:
Claire M. Fraser, PhD
Dean E. Albert Reece Endowed Professor, University of Maryland School of Medicine
Former Director, Institute for Genome Sciences
Charles Rotimi, PhD
Scientific Director and NIH Distinguished Investigator, Inherited Disease Research Branch, NHGRI
The Biomedical Science Medal is given annually to accomplished investigators dedicated to using biomedical research findings to advance human health. The leadership, work, and achievements of these two outstanding individuals exemplify the spirit of this award: Dr. Fraser’s boldly leading the way in the uncharted territory of microbial genomics to fundamentally reshape the way scientists and researchers understand human life, and Dr. Rotimi’s call to increase diversity in genomics as a matter of a social justice imperative are inspiring reminders of the ways in which biomedical science can benefit the greater good.
Recipients of this award over the years have included Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman, Elaine Fuchs, Harold Varmus, David Biltmore, and Réne Dubos.
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The Academy Medal for Distinguished Contributions in Health Policy
Denis Mukwege, MD
Founder, Panzi Hospital
Special Adviser, Dr. Denis Mukwege Foundation
The Distinguished Contributions in Health Policy Medal recognizes outstanding individuals who, through public service, community service, or advocacy, promote significant change in health systems to improve the health of the public and eliminate disparities. Dr. Mukwege’s courageous advocacy and unwavering determination to end wartime sexual violence embody the spirit of this award. The work of the Panzi Hospital and Mukwege Foundation has saved countless lives of women in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and has had even broader implications for women around the world.
Recipients of this award over the years have included Freeman A. Hrabowski III, Donald Berwick, Margaret Hamburg, Uwe Reinhardt, and Ada Sue Hinshaw.
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The Stephen Smith Medal for Distinguished Contributions in Public Health
Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH
Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Administrator, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
The Stephen Smith Medal is given annually to outstanding individuals who have had a significant impact on public health policy, improving population health, and eliminating disparities. Dr. Walensky’s steadfast leadership through the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic was a remarkable service to every American. Through her research, guidance, and advocacy, Dr. Walensky helped to make the COVID-19 vaccine accessible to all, especially those in underserved communities.
Recent recipients of this award over the years have included Mary T. Bassett, Wafaa El-Sadr, Sir Michael Marmot, Harvey V. Fineberg, and William Foege.
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The John Stearns Medal for Distinguished Contributions in Clinical Practice
Presented to two individuals in 2023:
Mary-Claire King, PhD
American Cancer Society Professor, Department of Medicine and Genome Science, University of Washington
Clyde W. Yancy, MD, MSc
Vice Dean for Diversity and Inclusion, Chief of Cardiology in the Department of Medicine, and Magerstadt Professor, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
The John Stearns Medal recognizes lifetime achievement in medicine and extraordinary contributions to the clinical practice of medicine. The contributions of these two outstanding professionals exemplify the spirit of this award: Dr. King for her seminal work on BRCA1 that changed the way we treat, diagnose, and understand breast cancer, and Dr. Yancy for his focus on diversity and health equity in treating severe cardiac conditions.
Recent recipients of this award over the years include Kizzmekia Corbett, Barney Graham, William Gruber, Philip A. Pizzo, and David Hamburg.
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The Academy Plaque for Exceptional Service to the Academy
Edward H. Shortliffe, MD, PhD
Adjunct Professor of Biomedical Informatics and Chair Emeritus, Columbia University Department of Biomedical Informatics
Former Scholar-in-Residence, The New York Academy of Medicine
The Academy Plaque is an award of distinction for those who have made major contributions to the success of NYAM’s mission, programs, and organizational growth. Dr. Shortliffe’s tenure as a NYAM Trustee and long-standing supporter have contributed to the success of NYAM’s mission and programs.
Recent recipients of this award over the years include James Flynn, George E. Thibault, Claire Fagin, and Margaret Mahoney.
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Special guest introducers at the awards on September 27 include: E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA; Barry S. Coller, MD; Carmen R. Green, MD; Ann Kurth, PhD, CNM, MPH; Wendy K. Chung, MD, PhD; Jennifer H. Mieres, MD, FACC, MASNC, FAHA; and Wayne J. Riley, MD, MPH, MBA, MACP.
About The New York Academy of Medicine
The New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM) is a leading voice for innovation in public health. Throughout its 176-year history, NYAM has uniquely championed bold changes to the systems that perpetuate health inequities and keep all communities from achieving good health. Today, this work includes innovative research, programs, and policy initiatives that distinctively value community input for maximum impact. Combined with NYAM’s trusted public programming and historic library, and with the support of esteemed Fellows and members, NYAM’s impact as a public health leader continues. To learn more, visit www.nyam.org and follow @NYAMNYC on social media.
(Buffalo and Syracuse, NY) The Health Foundation for Western & Central New York, in partnership with The New York Academy of Medicine, has announced 18 new grantee partnerships through their Age-Friendly: Go Local program. Age-Friendly: Go Local is an initiative announced in 2022 to support neighborhood-level groups and organizations in building equitable communities through locally focused healthy aging projects.
In addition to funding, grantee partners will also participate in a learning collaborative conducted by The New York Academy of Medicine’s Center for Healthy Aging that will connect members to each other for knowledge sharing.
A request for proposals was released by the Health Foundation in September 2022, resulting in 35 applications. Ten projects from central New York and eight projects from western New York were funded.
The concept of “age-friendly communities” was developed by the World Health Organization. The framework proposes eight interconnected domains that can help to identify and address barriers to the well-being and participation of older people in communities. Communities that are resourced and planned with these eight domains in mind have been shown to lead to healthier outcomes for people of all ages.
Age-Friendly: Go Local prioritizes projects that increase intergenerational interaction, improve access and ability to navigate health and human service systems, and foster livability at the neighborhood level, as well as organizations serving low-income, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color), and rural communities.
“These Age-Friendly: Go Local grantee partners are leading innovative, transformative work for the people in their communities, and we are proud to support these efforts,” said Nora OBrien-Suric, PhD, President, Health Foundation for Western & Central New York.“ By bringing healthy aging principles to the neighborhood level, these initiatives will help create places across western and central New York where people of all ages can thrive.”
“NYAM’s long-standing commitment to health equity and inclusivity for older adults across New York State makes the Age-Friendly: Go Local partnership with the Health Foundation for Western and Central New York a mission-critical initiative,” said NYAM President Ann Kurth, PhD, CNM, MPH. “We look forward to providing the collaborative and emerging community-based organizations with strategic and operational support to positively impact the lives of older adults in their communities.”
“In partnering with the Health Foundation for Western and Central New York on Age-Friendly: Go Local, we are pleased to expand our long-standing partnership and the transformative power of collaboration and shared learning,” said Elana Kieffer, MBA, Director of the Center for Healthy Aging at NYAM. “Supporting the innovative local organizations reach their goals will help older adults to age-in-community.”
The funded projects are:
Central New York
50 Forward Mohawk Valley – Oneida County – $10,000
This project will focus on closing the digital divide for older adults living on the west side of Utica. Through collaboration with Utica Public Library, 50 Forward Mohawk Valley will connect members of the public to resources and train them on a host of issues including accessing telehealth services. By learning digital literacy skills, they will be able to better connect to community and health services.
Blueprint15 Inc – Onondaga County – $10,000
Funding will support development of an intergenerational reading program for Black grandfathers and their grandchildren. The project will include four events to bring in 200+ members of the community. The goal is to foster respect and social inclusion and combat ageism between generations.
Bishop’s Commons at St. Luke’s – Oswego County – $9,350
This intergenerational project will bring senior housing residents and high school students together to learn the history of Oswego. The project will run for two semesters and will allow participants to share their recollections of historic events. Through this program, the age- friendly domain of ‘social participation’ will be promoted.
Fulton Block Builders – Oswego County – $19,740
Using the arts and older adults’ experiences, Fulton Block Builders will educate the community through three events on the historical significance of Fulton, NY. Older adult communities will be engaged to participate and lead these events. This will build upon other city-wide events in Fulton with a goal to see increased social participation of older adults throughout the year.
Herkimer County HealthNet – Herkimer County – $10,000
This project builds on the work Herkimer County accomplished as a participant in the Health and Age Across All Policies learning collaborative. Funding will support analyzing age-friendly community surveys and identifying implementation plan priorities. They will gather additional feedback through community events and by engaging local municipalities.
InterFaith Works of CNY – Onondaga County – $10,000
The Greater Syracuse Aging Services Coalition will work with community centers to identify barriers to reaching socially isolated older adults. The coalition will also engage the community to understand what gaps in services older adults face in different parts of the city of Syracuse to improve community and health services.
Madison County Rural Health Council – Madison County – $25,000
Funding will support improving transportation throughout Madison County by engaging older adults with education on transportation options and fall prevention while traveling. Madison will also host community convenings to identify gaps in services and will work with local municipalities to improve transportation through policy change and adjustments to bus routes.
SAGE Upstate – Onondaga County – $10,000
SAGE Upstate will develop a LGBTQ+ congregate dining program using LGBTQ+ owned restaurants. During the lunch hour, there will be presentations on what community and health services are available for older adults. This project is led in coordination with the Onondaga County Department of Aging, who, if the project shows success, can provide continued funding and replication.
Syracuse Northeast Community Center – Onondaga County – $25,000
Funding will support the co-design of programming with older adult immigrants and refugees, using the Life Needs Assessment tool to measure impact of various programs. Following the assessment, they will work with the Onondaga County Department of Aging to implement and adjust delivery of community and health services for New Americans while increasing social participation.
Women of PEARLS – Onondaga County – $25,000
Women of PEARLS will develop wellness activities for older Black women in the city of Syracuse. The goal is to create a safe place for them to exercise how and where they want. The goal is to improve respect and social inclusion of older Black women, as well as to increase social participation.
Western New York
Ardent Solutions Inc. – Allegany County -$25,000
Funding will support planning and activities needed to establish an Age-Friendly University at Alfred University. This includes looking at making the university a more welcoming place for older adults through community events and enrollment. They will also examine how they conduct research to include a greater focus on older adults.
Community Health Center of Buffalo – Erie, Niagara Counties – $25,000
The goal of this project is to create community-based resource hubs using age-friendly principles in the eastside of Buffalo, Niagara Falls, and Lockport. The goal is to improve access to community and health services. This will complement the work they are doing with age-friendly health systems.
Grassroots Gardens – Erie County – $25,000
The goal of this project is to increase the number of older adults that participate in community gardens planting and harvesting, and to co-design structural improvements to the gardens. By the end of the 2023 gardening season, they will identify and implement accessible community garden improvements with older adults in the eastside of Buffalo. This will improve outdoor space and increase social participation of older adults.
Genesee County YMCA – Genesee County – $25,000
With this funding, YMCA will implement outreach and educational events in the older adult community that will inform the design of their new facility and the programs they provide. From these efforts they will be better equipped to engage local older adults that do not currently use their services and identify which adaptive equipment they should acquire so people of all abilities can use their facility. This will increase older adult access to community and wellness programming.
GO Bike Buffalo – Erie County – $25,000
Go Bike will complete an assessment and develop plans for improving walkability and bikeability in the Village of Blasdell, specifically focusing on neighborhoods with senior housing complexes. The Town of Hamburg will partner and provide $50,000 to support the project, providing the learning collaborative with an example of how to partner with local governments to advance age friendly communities.
Heritage Ministries – Chautauqua County – $10,000
Funding will support new intergenerational programming that includes older adults telling a story of their life and sharing it withl local classrooms. Programming will allow children at a young age to interact with older adults. This will combat ageism early on in one’s life and empower older adults to share their experiences.
Net+Positive|The Foundry – Erie County – $25,000
In partnership with Slow Roll Buffalo, they will identify areas of the eastside of Buffalo where older adults bike and will work with older adults to re-design bike racks to work better for older adults. They will also have educational and promotional activities on the importance of older adults and how cycling can reduce transportation barriers.
Jamestown Renaissance Corporation – Chautauqua County – $15,000
This grant provides matching funding for older adults to make improvements to their homes and use age-friendly principles in their work supporting people of all ages. By supporting this work, they will be able to address housing needs that have been identified and allow older adults to age in place. This work is in partnership with city and philanthropic partners in Jamestown.
The Health Foundation has been a leader of age-friendly work in New York since the state became the first AARP-designated age-friendly state in 2018. Prior age-friendly initiatives supported by the Health Foundation include Partnerships for Healthy Communities, which focuses on creating age-friendly policies and practices within county governments across New York State, and Age-Friendly Health Systems, a framework for integrating age-friendly practices into health care systems. Age Friendly: Go Local is the Health Foundation’s first program to support building age-friendly communities at a neighborhood, grassroots level.
About the Health Foundation for Western & Central New York
The Health Foundation for Western & Central New York is an independent private foundation that advocates for continuous improvement in health and health care for the people and communities of Western and Central New York. Our vision is a healthy central and western New York where racial and socioeconomic equity are prioritized so all people can reach their full potential and achieve equitable health outcomes. For more information, please visit www.hfwcny.org.
About The New York Academy of Medicine
The New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM) is a leading voice for innovation in public health. Throughout its 176-year history, NYAM has uniquely championed bold changes to the systems that perpetuate health inequities and keep all communities from achieving good health. Today, this work includes innovative research, programs and policy initiatives that distinctively value community input for maximum impact. Combined with NYAM’s trusted public programming and historic library, and with the support of esteemed Fellows and Members, NYAM’s Impact as a public health leader continues. To learn more, visit www.nyam.org and follow @NYAMNYC on social media.
BROOKLYN, NY (March 24, 2023) – Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso and The New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM) today released 10 recommendations from the Age-friendly Brooklyn Task Force – an initiative first launched in 2019 by Mayor Eric Adams during his tenure as the Brooklyn Borough President. Comprised of 29 Brooklyn-based organizations who are advocates for older Brooklynites, the task force analyzed and prioritized the results of a 2019 borough-wide survey of nearly 2,000 older adults as well as the original set of 33 recommendations set forth in the Age-friendly Brooklyn report published in October 2019.
The task force’s recommendations – prioritized to have the widest and most timely impact – aim to ensure that Brooklyn’s 352,000 adults ages 65 and older can age with dignity, enjoy all that the borough has to offer, and continue to contribute to their communities. The report will serve as a guide for Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso as he and his office work to implement age-inclusive changes in the coming years. READ THE FULL SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS HERE.
“Building a Brooklyn for all is how we show our love to the people who made our borough the beautiful place it is today,” said Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. “As our borough rapidly grows, and our aging community continues to increase, we must make sure it does so equitably – and that means providing the housing, infrastructure, and resources that encourage health, comfort, and opportunities for our older adults. I’m grateful to Mayor Adams, NYAM, and the Age-friendly Brooklyn Task Force for leading the way toward an age-inclusive Brooklyn.”
“The publication of this report is a milestone in a longstanding relationship between NYAM and the Brooklyn Borough President’s office as we work together to improve health for Brooklynites of all ages,” said Ann Kurth, PhD, CNM, MPH, President of The New York Academy of Medicine. “Together, with partners across the borough and the City, we’re working to amplify the voices of communities to affect system change for the people it is intended to serve.”
“We are thrilled to publish the Age-friendly Brooklyn Task Force report in partnership with Borough President Reynoso and his dedicated staff,” said Elana Kieffer, MBA, Director of the Center for Healthy Aging at The New York Academy of Medicine. “This report is an important next step in the Age-friendly Brooklyn initiative that was launched in 2019 and exemplifies the commitment of nearly 30 organizations from across multiple sectors in ensuring that the borough continues to be age-friendly for all of its residents.”
“As a founding member of the Age-friendly NYC Commission, the New York City Department for the Aging applauds the continued efforts of Brooklyn Borough President Reynoso to prioritize the needs of older New Yorkers who call Brooklyn home,” said Department for the Aging Commissioner Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez. “Older New Yorkers deserve a city to age-in-place in and today we take another step forward in creating a fully age-inclusive New York. The recommendations outlined by the task force in this report reinforces the vision of then-Borough President Eric Adams, which continues to be an important part of his vision for the City as our Mayor.”
The report’s recommendations address key aspects of aging-in-place including housing, transportation, outdoor spaces, social participation, and health services:
- Housing: Expand and promote housing options for older adults, including supportive housing, grandparent housing, and home sharing options.
- Outdoor Spaces: Ensure safe, clean, and well-maintained sidewalks and safe, well-lit intersections in neighborhoods.
- Transportation: Provide training to MTA bus drivers and rideshare drivers on working with older riders and/or riders with disabilities.
- Access to Information: Expand access to information about news, events, health services, and public benefits.
- Digital Access: Increase digital accessibility and literacy for older adults, including an expansion of computer and technology classes.
- Language Access: Expand language access for mental health services.
- Expanded Partnerships: Establish opportunities for private and public partnerships, including “Adopt-an-Older-Adult Center” programs.
- Employment: Increase employment opportunities that fit the diverse vocational needs of older adults.
- Arts & Culture: Increase opportunities and funding for programming at cultural institutions, community centers and spaces, and faith-based organizations.
- Volunteerism: Cultivate and promote opportunities for volunteerism.
“Brooklyn’s elders are the reason this borough thrives. They have worked here, raised families, and continue to play such an integral part of the community. The growth of this cohort to a significant portion of the entire population merits an infrastructure that supports a decent and sustainable quality of life which permits older Brooklynites to live with dignity,” said Maria Alvarez, Executive Director, BWICA (Brooklyn-wide Interagency Council on Aging) Educational Fund, Inc.
“Brooklyn Community Foundation was honored to participate in the Age-friendly Brooklyn Task Force to assist Kings County in taking measurable steps in supporting older Brooklynites to age in place with access to services and opportunities that are rooted in comfort and dignity. This report will also help guide our grantmaking strategy with the Foundation’s Brooklyn Elders Fund that prioritizes the voices and experiences of older adults throughout the borough,” said Sabrina Hargrave, Director of Programs for the Brooklyn Community Foundation.
“It’s been a rewarding privilege to partner with and learn from other organizations working towards supporting older adults and their ability to age in place.” said Ryan Greenlaw, Director of Social Impact at the Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership. “All recommendations are both necessary and timely and are a direct result of listening to older adults and addressing their unique needs.”
“Age Friendly Bay Ridge was thrilled to have the opportunity to contribute to the Age-friendly Brooklyn Task Force report. Bay Ridge is home to approximately 26,400 adults aged 60+; one of the largest older adult populations in the borough. We have a huge stake in the Age-friendly Brooklyn Task Force’s findings because NYC Aging has projected the need for a 75% increase in capacity by 2030 for older adult center programs and services,” said Todd Fliedner, Executive Director of the Bay Ridge Center.
“I welcome the recommendations of the Age-friendly Task Force and appreciate the Borough President for ensuring continuity of focus on issues impacting older adults,” said Assemblymember Stefani Zinerman. “Throughout my time in public service, I have worked to emphasize the importance of ensuring that our neighborhoods are places where our elders can live in dignity, places where they feel cared for, places that honor the loving work they have done to create the communities we now enjoy, and places that value and support them. It has been my privilege to work with community stakeholders to uphold the values and eight domains of an age-friendly city. There is much work still to be done. It is up to us to collectively take responsibility for the future we build for ourselves and our elders.”
“In the next fifteen years, our City’s older adult population is projected to grow by nearly 40%. Despite this looming demographic change, we’re woefully unprepared to meaningfully meet many of our older neighbors’ material needs,” said Council Member Crystal Hudson, Chair of the New York City Council Committee on Aging. “We have to do all we can to ensure that our communities are responsive to the needs of our aging population today so that we may all age with the care and dignity we deserve tomorrow. I applaud the Office of the Borough President and the New York Academy of Medicine on the release of their recommendations for an Age-friendly Brooklyn, and I look forward to continuing my work alongside the Borough President to ensure all New Yorkers have the opportunity to age in place, with dignity, in the city they call home.”
“We inherited the greatest borough in the greatest city and owe a debt those who built it,” said City Council Member Chi Ossé. “That is a debt of gratitude, but also a debt of resources and equitable investment. We are obligated to provide for our aging community through investment in in spaces and institutions dedicated to their wellbeing. NYAM and the Age-friendly Brooklyn Task Force are providing a path forward for the Borough of Brooklyn, and their recommendations have my full support.”
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Isabel Shepard, [email protected], (929) 469 6168
New York (February 24, 2023) – The New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM), in collaboration with the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), this year has announced an unprecedented awarding of two fellowships for the 2023-25 Jeremiah A. Barondess Fellowship in the Clinical Transaction. Recipients include Jacqueline Birnbaum, MD, Assistant Professor, General Internal Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston for her program Developing Inter-Visit Care Curriculum for Internal Medicine Recipients, and Daniel Sartori, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine for his program Developing a Virtual Standardized Patient Program to Teach and Assess Trainees’ Clinical Skills in the Telemedicine Era.
The ACGME will recognize Dr. Birnbaum and Dr. Sartori at its Annual Educational Conference, held in Nashville, Tennessee from February 23-25, 2023.
The Barondess Fellowship is awarded to junior faculty members in internal medicine to enhance medical students’ and residents’ training in the clinical transaction, a fundamental element of clinical care. The two-year, $50,000 fellowship—awarded to each individual this year—aims to improve the patient experience by innovating and strengthening the critical skills that characterize the clinical transaction, including communicating with patients, conducting the physical exam, and applying clinical reasoning.
“This year NYAM is honored to present the Barondess Fellowship to two individuals who are pioneering innovative ways to address the active dynamic of patient-physician collaboration,” said NYAM President Ann Kurth, PhD, CNM, MPH. “Ensuring medical education keeps pace with the post-pandemic realities of evolving clinical practice will strengthen trainees’ preparedness to address patient needs and also enhance provider satisfaction.”
“The ACGME is proud to present The Barondess Fellowship, in partnership with The New York Academy of Medicine, for the first time to two individuals, Drs. Birnbaum and Sartori. Honoring Dr. Barondess’s teaching of clinical skills at the bedside to generations of medical students and residents, this year’s awardees transform Dr. Barondess’s groundwork for the digital age,” said ACGME President and Chief Executive Officer Thomas J. Nasca, MD, MACP.
Developing Inter-Visit Care Curriculum for Internal Medicine Recipients
Teaching the clinical transaction in the evolving context of inter-visit care poses unique challenges. The aim of Dr. Birnbaum’s proposal is to develop, deliver, and study multiple educational, patient-oriented, and clinical outcomes of a curriculum on inter-visit care. Additionally, the program aims to enhance the clinical transaction across telehealth and electronic communication modalities in the ambulatory setting.
“I am delighted and honored to have been awarded the Barondess Fellowship. Carrying out effective and efficient “inter-visit” care with patients in the ambulatory setting remains a vexing challenge for fully fledged providers. This is even more challenging for resident trainees in the rapidly evolving interface among technology, society, and medicine such as increasing patient engagement on electronic health record portals and open access to notes. Helping residents to adeptly navigate this landscape to develop their clinical skills, connect and communicate effectively with their patients, and find purpose and meaning and doing so is essential, and I am grateful for the support of the University of Texas Health Scienter at Houston, The New York Academy of Medicine, and the ACGME to pursue this work,” said Dr. Jacqueline Birnbaum.
Dr. Jacqueline Birnbaum graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and earned an MD from Boston University School of Medicine. She completed her internal medicine residency training at Baylor College of Medicine, where she was selected as a Chief Resident in Ambulatory Care. In 2021, she joined the Department of Internal Medicine at McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHSC), where she was offered the position of Associate Program Director for Ambulatory Care for the Internal Medicine Residency Program. In these roles, Dr. Birnbaum has led multiple educational efforts teaching clinical reasoning and patient communication, particularly in the ambulatory setting. She has collaborated in the development of a curriculum on advanced skills in patient communication and has led the effort to formalize the system for inter-visit follow-up and patient communication at the UTHSC resident continuity clinics, which will be the area of focus of her Barondess Fellowship.
Developing a Virtual Standardized Patient Program to Teach and Assess Trainees’ Clinical Skills in the Telemedicine Era
As telehealth has expanded dramatically in the wake of COVID-19, developing trainees’ virtual care skills to meet patients’ evolving needs is more critical than ever. Dr. Sartori’s innovative program will build upon simulation training already in practice at NYU by informing what is known about teaching, measuring, and assessing the complexities of virtual care.
“The Barondess Fellowship will enable us to create an innovative means of teaching and assessing the clinical transaction in the telemedicine era, and we are so grateful for the opportunity to bring this to our residents,” said Dr. Daniel Sartori.
Dr. Daniel Sartori is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and an Associate Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program at NYU Langone Hospital-Brooklyn. Dr. Sartori attended Swarthmore College prior to his medical training at NYU Grossman, where he was a medical student, internal medicine resident and senior chief resident prior to starting his current role in the residency program. Dr. Sartori practices hospital medicine at NYU’s Brooklyn campus, which blends academic medical training in a community-facing hospital setting. He is interested in using simulation as a means of teaching and assessing the unique skills trainees need for telemedicine practice. He will use the Barondess Fellowship to create a workplace-based virtual standardized patient program for residents at the NYU-Brooklyn campus. Dr. Sartori lives in Brooklyn with his wife Marissa and kids Miriam (5) and Jacob (6 months).
About The New York Academy of Medicine
The New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM) is a leading voice for innovation in public health. Throughout its 176-year history, NYAM has uniquely championed bold changes to the systems that perpetuate health inequities and keep all communities from achieving good health. Today, this work includes innovative research, programs and policy initiatives that distinctively value community input for maximum impact. Combined with NYAM’s trusted public programming and historic library, and with the support of esteemed Fellows and Members, NYAM’s Impact as a public health leader continues. To learn more, visit www.nyam.org and follow @NYAMNYC on social media.
About the ACGME
The ACGME is a private, non-profit, professional organization responsible for the accreditation of approximately 11,700 residency and fellowship programs and the approximately 850 institutions that sponsor these programs in the United States. Residency and fellowship programs educate approximately 140,500 resident and fellow physicians in 181 specialties and subspecialties. The ACGME’s mission is to improve health care and population health by assessing and advancing the quality of resident physicians’ education through accreditation.