The Department of Medicine is dedicated to excellence, innovation and leadership in patient care, the education of our physicians and scientists, research, and anticipating the changing needs of our community – all within a supportive environment that fosters creativity and personal development. Our vice chairs spearhead these system-wide initiatives and work with the institute directors and division chiefs to implement them.
Education
Under the leadership of the Vice Chair for Education, David C. Thomas, MD, MHPE, we are providing the highest level and most rigorous training of physicians from undergraduate course work, through residency and fellowship, to continuing medical education for the seasoned physician. Our main challenge since the merger is to unify, standardize and elevate the educational goals of each member institution while preserving their individual identities and cultures. Our training programs on each campus now meet the interests of every type of doctor, from those who want to focus on purely clinical, community-based medicine to a mix of research and clinical work at a tertiary-referral academic medical center. Read More
Research
Benjamin K. Chen, MD, PhD, the Irene and Dr. Arthur M. Fishberg Professor of Medicine, is building upon this tradition of excellence in discovery as we incorporate researchers from Mount Sinai Beth Israel, Mount Sinai West and Mount Sinai Morningside into our expanded health system. We are establishing system-wide collaborations, integrating the clinical trials office, using populations and health system data to conduct patient-centered research, and evaluating the impact of clinical innovations implemented across the system. With access to a larger population of patients for clinical trials and an increased number of studies that are being conducted, our researchers now have greater opportunities to turn their lab-based discoveries into clinical realities. Read More
Quality
Consistent with the Department of Medicine’s mission is a laser-like focus on quality and safety. A performance improvement program is being led by our new Vice Chair for Quality, Beth Raucher, MD, who is committed to an objective, systematic, and fair process for monitoring quality, safety and appropriateness of services in order to achieve excellence in patient care throughout the health system. As we move away from a fee-for-service model towards one driven by preventive medicine and population management, it is quality improvement and processes that promote quality that stand at the nexus. Read More.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
The Department of Medicine has always been dedicated to the promotion of multiculturalism among its members. To further that work and to keep our department on the forefront of this issue, Kirk Campbell, MD, is the Vice Chair for Diversity and Inclusion. The department is committed to our mission of excellence in patient care, research and education in an environment that is supportive and inclusive for all. Dr. Campbell will institute programs designed to support recruitment and retention of underrepresented groups and develop programs that identify resources and opportunities that increase diversity within the department. He also works closely with the Vice Chairs for Education and Faculty Affairs to support faculty professional development and other mentoring initiatives.
Faculty Affairs
The Department of Medicine would not be what it is without its faculty. Without a doubt, they are our greatest asset and our success depends on the development and maintenance of a climate of respect, civility and cooperation. However, professionalism is not something that can be imposed from the top down; it is something that must be nurtured and modeled. By sustaining a work environment that is inclusionary, we believe that our Department of Medicine will be all the greater. Read More
The Department of Medicine would not be what it is without its faculty. Without a doubt, they are our greatest asset and our success depends on the development and maintenance of a climate of respect, civility and cooperation. However, professionalism is not something that can be imposed from the top down; it is something that must be nurtured and modeled. Led by Neomi Shah, MD, the Office of Faculty Affairs nurtures a work environment that is inclusionary, team-oriented, and at the forefront of professional development.
Ambulatory Care
In response to the increasing importance and significance of ambulatory care in our department and our health system, we have appointed Aida Vega, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine (General Internal Medicine) as the Vice Chair for Ambulatory Care for the Department of Medicine for the Mount Sinai Health System. Our aim it to make the department a leader in everything from patient satisfaction, quality metrics, meaningful use metrics and the use of technology to enhance both the physician and patient experience.