
I. Michael Leitman, MD
- DEAN FOR GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATON | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- SITE CHAIR, DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY | Mount Sinai Beth Israel
- PROFESSOR | Surgery
- PROFESSOR | Medical Education
Specialty:
SurgeryResearch Topics:
Anatomy, Cancer, Computational Biology, Healthcare, Macrophage, Oxidative Stress, Spinal Cord, Staphylococcus AureusI. Michael Leitman, MD is an American surgeon and medical educator. He is Professor of Surgery and Medical Education and Dean for Graduate Medical Education at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. He previously held the position of Site Chairman of the Department of Surgery at Mount Sinai Beth Israel in New York City.
A native of Philadelphia, Dr. Leitman received both his bachelor's degree and Medical Degree from Boston University. After medical school, Dr. Leitman moved to New York City to receive his training in General Surgery at New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell and completed his fellowship in Surgical Critical Care at North Shore University Hospital-Weill Cornell. While at Cornell, Leitman was under the tutelage of American surgical pioneer G. Tom Shires. As a member of the faculty at North Shore University Hospital, he was appointed Director of Surgical Endoscopy, Physician-in-charge of Surgical Education, Program Director and Chief of Surgical Critical Care in 1995. He joined the Department of Surgery at Mount Sinai Beth Israel in 2005 where he is presently Vice Chairman of the Department of Surgery, and Chief of General Surgery. In 2007, he was appointed Associate Chief Medical Officer and in 2010 Chief of Graduate Medical Education. As an innovator of minimally invasive techniques for the treatment of abdominal conditions, Dr. Leitman is also known for his research on the outcomes following the surgical treatment of breast cancer, colon cancer, lower gastrointestinal hemorrhage, gallbladder disease and morbid obesity. He is currently the President-Elect of the New York Surgical Society - one of the oldest surgical associations in the United States.
For more than 30 years, Dr. Leitman has served as a medical educator. In addition to his current role as Professor of Medical Education at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Dr. Leitman has also served as a Professor of Clinical Surgery at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University in New York City. In 2017 Dr. Leitman was appointed Dean for Graduate Medical Education at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and is responsible for all of the GME programs in the Icahn School of Medicine of Mount Sinai Consortium, the largest program in the United States.
A fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine, Dr. Leitman has been recognized as a Harold C. Case Scholar and Commonwealth Scholar. Dr. Leitman is also a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the Society of Surgical Oncology. He is a member of the American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract where he serves as a member of the Continuing Education Committee. He is the author of more than 200 peer-reviewed scientific articles, book chapters and published abstracts. He is on the editorial board of 20 surgical journals.
In addition, Dr. Leitman was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and Alpha Omega Alpha honor societies and was the recipient of the 2008 Murry G. Fischer Distinguished Educator Award. Since 2013, Dr. Leitman has been included in New York Magazine’s (Castle Connolly) lists of "Top Doctors." In 2022, he was the recipient of the Mount Sinai Faculty Council Lifetime Achievement Award, and he received the Jacobi Medallion in 2023.
Certifications
Surgical Critical Care
Clinical Focus
- Abdominal Desmoid Tumor
- Abdominal Hernia
- Antireflux Surgery
- Breast Biopsy
- Breast Surgical Biopsy
- Cholecystectomy
- Colectomy
- Colorectal Cancer
- Diverticulitis
- Gallstones
- Gastrectomy
- Gastric Ulcer
- Hernia Repair
- Hiatal Hernia
- Ischemic Bowel Disease
- Laparoscopic Hernia Repair
- Laparoscopic Intestinal Surgery
- Lymph Node Biopsy
- Mastectomy
- Melanoma
- Melanoma Removal
- Peptic Ulcer
- Small Bowel Obstruction
- Small Bowel Resection
- Thyroid Cancer
- Thyroidectomy
- Wound Dehiscence
Education
BA, Boston Univeristy
MD, Boston Univeristy
MD, Boston University
General Surgery, New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell
Surgical Critical Care, North Shore University Hospital - Weill Cornell
Internship, General Surgery, New York Presbyterian - Weill Cornell Medical Center
Residency, Surgery, New York Presbyterian - Weill Cornell Medical Center
Fellowship, Surg./Critical Care, North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System
-
2023
President-Elect -
2023
Jacobi Medallion Recipient -
2022
Vice President -
2022
“Top Doctor” New York Metro Area -
2022
Lifetime Achievement Award -
2022
Best Doctors in New York -
2021
“Top Doctor” New York Metro Area -
2021
Best Doctors in New York -
2020
“Top Doctor” New York Metro Area -
2020
Cullman Family Award for Excellence in Physician Communication -
2019
President, Medical Board -
2019
Cullman Family Award for Excellence in Physician Communication -
2019
“Top Doctor” New York Metro Area -
2018
“Top Doctor” New York Metro Area -
2017
“Top Doctor” New York Metro Area -
2016
“Top Doctor” New York Metro Area -
2015
“Top Doctor” New York Metro Area -
2014
“Top Doctor” New York Metro Area -
2013
“Best Doctors in New York -
2013
“Distinguished Service Award” -
2013
“Top Doctor” -
2013
“Top Doctor” -
2008
Murry Fischer Distinguished Surgical Educator
Minimally invasive surgery
Health technology assessment of new and novel surgical therapies for intra-abdominal disease.
Surgical outcomes
Predictors of outcomes for patients undergoing surgery for intra-abdominal disease
Surgical education
Outcomes from surgical simulation for the education of surgical residents in the development of skills for minimally invasive surgery
Gastrointestinal hemorrhage
Evaluation, identification of location and treatment of lower gastrointestinal hemorrhage
Gastrointestinal ischemia
Etiology, treatment and predictors of outcome for patients with gastrointestinal ischemia
Blankush JM, Leitman IM, Soleiman A, Tran T. Association between elevated pre-operative glycosylated hemoglobin and post-operative infections after non-emergent surgery. Annals of medicine and surgery (2012) 2016 Sep; 10.
Sabat J, Gould S, Gillego E, Hariprashad A, Wiest C, Almonte S, Lucido DJ, Gave A, Leitman IM, Eiref SD. The use of finger-stick blood to assess lactate in critically ill surgical patients. Annals of medicine and surgery (2012) 2016 Sep; 10.
Desai NK, Leitman IM, Mills C, Lavarias V, Lucido DL, Karpeh MS. Open repair of large abdominal wall hernias with and without components separation; an analysis from the ACS-NSQIP database. Annals of medicine and surgery (2012) 2016 May; 7.
Edwards SB, Leitman IM, Wengrofsky AJ, Giddins MJ, Harris E, Mills CB, Fukuhara S, Cassaro S. Identifying Factors and Techniques to Decrease the Positive Margin Rate in Partial Mastectomies: Have We Missed the Mark?. The breast journal 2016 May; 22(3).
Kapur V, Krikhely M, Leitman IM. Operative Management of Splenic Rupture and Hepatic Flexure Injury during Diagnostic Colonoscopy in a Patient with Adenocarcinoma of the Cecum and Pulmonary Embolism. Journal of the American College of Surgeons 2016 Feb; 222(2).
Leitman IM, Burpee SE. Lower Gastrointestinal Bleeding: Investigations and Nonoperative Treatment. In:.
Rajendra A, Cohen SA, Kasmin FE, Siegel JH, Leitman M. Surgical clip migration and stone formation in a gallbladder remnant after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Gastrointestinal endoscopy 2009 Oct; 70(4).
Gliatto P, Leitman IM, Muller D. Scylla and Charybdis: The MCAT, USMLE, and Degrees of Freedom in Undergraduate Medical Education. Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges 2016 May;.
Taylor JD, Leitman IM, Hon P, Horowitz M, Panagopoulos G. Outcome and complications of gastric bypass in super-super obesity versus morbid obesity. Obesity surgery 2006 Jan; 16(1).
Farivar BS, Eiref SD, Leitman IM. Strategies to prevent sepsis-induced intensive care unit-acquired weakness: are there any options? Commentary on . The Journal of surgical research 2013 Nov; 185(1).
Iskandar ME, Eiref SD, Leitman IM. The Iliad and the Odyssey of metallic foreign body extraction: commentary on . The Journal of surgical research 2013 Nov; 185(1).
Lugo JZ, Deitch JS, Yu A, Jang JH, Patel R, Slova D, Lantis J, Leitman IM. Demographic and laboratory data may predict positive temporal artery biopsy. The Journal of surgical research 2011 Oct; 170(2).
Cassaro S, Leitman IM. A technique for laparoscopic peritoneal entry after abdominoplasty. Journal of laparoendoscopic & advanced surgical techniques. Part A 2013 Dec; 23(12).
Reiner DS, Leitman IM, Ward RJ. Laparoscopic Stamm gastrostomy with gastropexy. Surgical laparoscopy & endoscopy 1991 Sep; 1(3).
Leitman IM, Suzuki K, Wengrofsky AJ, Menashe E, Poplawski M, Woo KM, Geller CM, Lucido D, Bernik T, Zeifer BA, Patton B. Early recognition of acute thoracic aortic dissection and aneurysm. World journal of emergency surgery : WJES 2013; 8(1).
Iskandar ME, Radzio A, Krikhely M, Leitman IM. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy for a left-sided gallbladder. World journal of gastroenterology : WJG 2013 Sep; 19(35).
Eiref SD, Leitman IM, Riley W. Hand sanitizer dispensers and associated hospital-acquired infections: friend or fomite?. Surgical infections 2012 Jun; 13(3).
Agnew JL, Abbadessa B, Leitman IM. Strategies to evaluate synchronous carcinomas of the colon and rectum in patients that present for emergent surgery. International journal of surgical oncology 2013; 2013.
Llaguna OH, Avgerinos DV, Nagda P, Elfant D, Leitman IM, Goodman E. Does prophylactic biologic mesh placement protect against the development of incisional hernia in high-risk patients?. World journal of surgery 2011 Jul; 35(7).
Allori AC, Leitman IM, Heitman E. Delayed assessment and eager adoption of laparoscopic cholecystectomy: implications for developing surgical technologies. World journal of gastroenterology : WJG 2010 Sep; 16(33).
Leitman IM, Levin R, Lipp MJ, Sivaprasad L, Karalakulasingam CJ, Bernard DS, Friedmann P, Shulkin DJ. Quality and financial outcomes from gainsharing for inpatient admissions: a three-year experience. Journal of hospital medicine : an official publication of the Society of Hospital Medicine; 5(9).
Leitman IM, Virk CS, Avgerinos DV, Patel R, Lavarias V, Surick B, Holup JL, Goodman ER, Karpeh MS. Early results of trans-oral endoscopic plication and revision of the gastric pouch and stoma following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery. JSLS : Journal of the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons / Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons; 14(2).
Avgerinos DV, Llaguna OH, Seigerman M, Lefkowitz AJ, Leitman IM. Incidence and risk factors for the development of anemia following gastric bypass surgery. World journal of gastroenterology : WJG 2010 Apr; 16(15).
Llaguna OH, Avgerinos DV, Lugo JZ, Matatov T, Abbadessa B, Martz JE, Leitman IM. Incidence and risk factors for the development of incisional hernia following elective laparoscopic versus open colon resections. American journal of surgery 2010 Aug; 200(2).
Lugo JZ, Avgerinos DV, Lefkowitz AJ, Seigerman ME, Zahir IS, Lo AY, Surick B, Leitman IM. Can interval appendectomy be justified following conservative treatment of perforated acute appendicitis?. The Journal of surgical research 2010 Nov; 164(1).
Clarke-Pearson EM, Jacobson AF, Boolbol SK, Leitman IM, Friedmann P, Lavarias V, Feldman SM. Quality assurance initiative at one institution for minimally invasive breast biopsy as the initial diagnostic technique. Journal of the American College of Surgeons 2009 Jan; 208(1).
Avgerinos DV, Llaguna OH, Lo AY, Voli J, Leitman IM. Management of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography: related duodenal perforations. Surgical endoscopy 2009 Apr; 23(4).
Avgerinos DV, Llaguna OH, Lo AY, Leitman IM. Evolving management of colonoscopic perforations. Journal of gastrointestinal surgery : official journal of the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract 2008 Oct; 12(10).
Allori AC, Leitman IM, Heitman E. Natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery: lessons learned from the laparoscopic revolution. Archives of surgery (Chicago, Ill. : 1960) 2008 Apr; 143(4).
Avgerinos DV, Leitman IM, Martínez RE, Liao EP. Evaluation of markers for calcium homeostasis in a population of obese adults undergoing gastric bypass operations. Journal of the American College of Surgeons 2007 Aug; 205(2).
Taylor JD, Leitman IM, Rosser JB, Davis B, Goodman E. Does the position of the alimentary limb in Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery make a difference?. Journal of gastrointestinal surgery : official journal of the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract 2006 Dec; 10(10).
Taylor J, Leitman IM, Horowitz M. Is routine cholecystectomy necessary at the time of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass?. Obesity surgery 2006 Jun; 16(6).
Sorita A, Steinberg DI, Leitman M, Burger A, Husk G, Sivaprasad L. The assessment of stat laboratory test ordering practice and impact of targeted individual feedback in an urban teaching hospital. Journal of hospital medicine : an official publication of the Society of Hospital Medicine 2014 Jan; 9(1).
Adusumilli PS, Kell C, Chang JH, Tuorto S, Leitman IM. Left-handed surgeons: are they left out?. Current surgery; 61(6).
Adusumilli PS, Ben-Porat L, Pereira M, Roesler D, Leitman IM. The prevalence and predictors of herbal medicine use in surgical patients. Journal of the American College of Surgeons 2004 Apr; 198(4).
Leitman IM, Sullivan JD, Brams D, DeCosse JJ. Multivariate analysis of morbidity and mortality from the initial surgical management of obstructing carcinoma of the colon. Surgery, gynecology & obstetrics 1992 Jun; 174(6).
Leitman IM, Fisher ML, McKinley MJ, Rothman R, Ward RJ, Reiner DS, Tortolani AJ. The evaluation and management of known or suspected stones of the common bile duct in the era of minimal access surgery. Surgery, gynecology & obstetrics 1993 Jun; 176(6).
Kafka NJ, Leitman IM, Tromba J. Acute pancreatitis secondary to incarcerated paraesophageal hernia. Surgery 1994 May; 115(5).
Lee B, Leitman IM, Subramanian VA. Esophageal varices: is there still a role for the portal-systemic shunt?. Current surgery; 60(4).
Chorost MI, Datta R, Santiago RC, Lee B, Bollman J, Leitman IM, Ghosh BC. Colon cancer screening: where have we come from and where do we go?. Journal of surgical oncology 2004 Jan; 85(1).
Leitman IM. The evolution of surgery at the New York Hospital. Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine; 67(5).
Ling GN, Baxter JD, Leitman MI. Effects of adrenaline, calcium, and ouabain on the resting potential of frog muscle: interpretation based on the theory of allosteric control of cooperative interactions among surface anionic sites. Physiological chemistry and physics and medical NMR 1984; 16(5).
Leitman IM, Van Zee K, Antonacci AC. Elective cholecystectomy after biliary lithotripsy: an indication for routine intraoperative cholangiography?. Archives of surgery (Chicago, Ill. : 1960) 1990 Nov; 125(11).
Leitman IM, Paull DE, Barie PS, Isom OW, Shires GT. Intra-abdominal complications of cardiopulmonary bypass operations. Surgery, gynecology & obstetrics 1987 Sep; 165(3).
Left-handed Surgeons . In: Bias in Human Behavior. Nova;.
Having Safe Surgery. In: Questions Patients Need to Ask - Getting the Best Healthcare. Xilibris;.
Long-term Metabolic, Gastrointestinal and Surgical Complications Following Gastric Bypass Surgery for the treatment of Morbid Obesity. In: Obesity Epidemic. iConcept Press;.
Erythropoietin and Endothelial Progenitor Cell Therapy after Myocardial Infarction. In: Frontiers in Drug Discovery - Erythropoietic Stimulating Agents. Bentham Science Publishers;.
Laparoscopic cholecystectomy for a left-sided gallbladder. Case Report and review of the literature. In: World Clinical Case Report. First Edition.
Colovos C, Suzuki K, Leitman IM, Adusumilli PS. Surgeons and simulators. The National medical journal of India; 22(6).
Leitman IM. Modulating the inflammatory response in sepsis. The Journal of surgical research 2011 Dec; 171(2).
Leitman IM. Understanding the brain-heart axis in neurological trauma. The Journal of surgical research 2012 Mar; 173(1).
Leitman IM. The impact of trauma admissions in the elderly. The Journal of surgical research 2012 May; 174(2).
Leitman IM. Curcumin for the prevention of acute lung injury in sepsis: is it more than the flavor of the month?. The Journal of surgical research 2012 Jul; 176(1).
Reddy SS, Leitman IM. Blood transfusions in the surgical patient: a gift of life, but at what cost?. The Journal of surgical research 2013 May; 181(2).
Montgomery MM, Leitman IM. Endoscopic ultrasound and paracentesis in the evaluation of small volume ascites in patients with intra-abdominal malignancies. World journal of gastroenterology : WJG 2014 Aug; 20(30).
Farivar BS, Flannagan M, Leitman IM. General surgery residents' perception of robot-assisted procedures during surgical training. Journal of surgical education; 72(2).
Kapur V, Krikhely M, Leitman IM. Operative management of splenic rupture and hepatic flexure injury during diagnostic colonoscopy in a patient with adenocarcinoma of the cecum. Journal of surgical case reports 2015; 2015(3).
Suzuki K, Bower M, Cassaro S, Patel RI, Karpeh MS, Leitman IM. Tube cholecystostomy before cholecystectomy for the treatment of acute cholecystitis. JSLS : Journal of the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons / Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons; 19(1).
Leitman IM. Graduate Medical Education-A System in Evolution. American journal of orthopedics (Belle Mead, N.J.) 2015 Jul; 44(7).
Solsky I, Edelstein A, Brodman M, Kaleya R, Rosenblatt M, Santana C, Feldman DL, Kischak P, Somerville D, Mudiraj S, Leitman IM, Shamamian P. Perioperative care map improves compliance with best practices for the morbidly obese. Surgery 2016 Sep;.
Solsky I, Edelstein A, Brodman M, Kaleya R, Rosenblatt M, Santana C, Feldman DL, Kischak P, Somerville D, Mudiraj S, Leitman IM, Shamamian P. Perioperative care map improves compliance with best practices for the morbidly obese. Surgery 2016 Sep;.
Yim CK, Ferrandino R, Chelnis J, Leitman IM. Analysis of Early Outcomes After Surgical Repair of Orbital Floor Fractures. JAMA facial plastic surgery 2017 Oct;.
Boodaie BD, Bui AH, Feldman DL, Brodman M, Shamamian P, Kaleya R, Rosenblatt M, Somerville D, Kischak P, Leitman IM. A perioperative care map improves outcomes in patients with morbid obesity undergoing major surgery. Surgery 2017 Nov;.
Gribben JL, Ilonzo N, Neifert S, Michael Leitman I. Predictors of Reoperation and Failure to Rescue in Bariatric Surgery. JSLS : Journal of the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons; 22(1).
Bui AH, Guerrier S, Feldman DL, Kischak P, Mudiraj S, Somerville D, Shebeen M, Girdusky C, Leitman IM. Is video observation as effective as live observation in improving teamwork in the operating room?. Surgery 2018 Apr;.
Acheampong DO, Paul P, Guerrier S, Boateng P, Leitman IM. Effect of Resident Involvement on Morbidity and Mortality Following Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair. Journal of surgical education 2018 Apr;.
Bui AH, Feldman DL, Brodman ML, Shamamian P, Kaleya RN, Rosenblatt MA, D'Angelo D, Somerville D, Mudiraj S, Kischak P, Leitman IM. Provider preferences for postoperative analgesia in obese and non-obese patients undergoing ambulatory surgery. Journal of pharmaceutical policy and practice 2018; 11.
Thomas AT, Leitman IM. Predictors of serious morbidity and mortality after endovascular repair of aortoiliac lesions. Surgery 2018 Jun;.
Acheampong D, Guerrier S, Lavarias V, Pechman D, Mills C, Inabnet W, Boateng P, Leitman IM. Risk factors contributing to cardiac events following general and vascular surgery. Annals of Medicine and Surgery 2018 Sep; 33.
Acheampong D, Guerrier S, Lavarias V, Pechman D, Mills C, Inabnet W, Leitman IM. Unplanned postoperative reintubation following general and vascular surgical procedures: Outcomes and risk factors. Annals of medicine and surgery (2012) 2018 Sep; 33.
Yim CK, Shumate L, Barnett SH, Leitman IM. Health literacy assessment and patient satisfaction in surgical practice. Annals of medicine and surgery 2018 Nov; 35.
Neifert S, Ilonzo N, Gribben JL, Leitman IM. Economic Disparities in Patients Undergoing Sigmoidectomy. JSLS : Journal of the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons; 22(4).
Physicians and scientists on the faculty of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai often interact with pharmaceutical, device and biotechnology companies to improve patient care, develop new therapies and achieve scientific breakthroughs. In order to promote an ethical and transparent environment for conducting research, providing clinical care and teaching, Mount Sinai requires that salaried faculty inform the School of their relationships with such companies.
Below are financial relationships with industry reported by Dr. Leitman during 2022 and/or 2023. Please note that this information may differ from information posted on corporate sites due to timing or classification differences.
Consulting:
- ABRAMSON, BROWN AND DUGAN; CASSIDAY, SCHADE; Cogan and Power; DLA PIPER LLP; Darr Law Firm; Davis Levin Livingstion, LLP; Elliot Hospital; Gaiderheide Lockmeyerr; Gray Ritter and Graham; Kean Miller LLP; Lokahi Assurance Ltd; Miscellaneous MedicoLegal; Morgan and Morgan; Nicholas Loizzi Law Office; Pace Risk Reduction Group; Rapoport Weisberg and Sims; South Nassau Communities Hospital; TODD AND WELD; Wicker, Smith, O; Wicker, Smith, O'Hara, McCoy & Ford, PA; Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker LLP; medQuest, Ltd.; morris james; murphy and landon
Scientific Advisory Board:
- New York Surgical Society
Mount Sinai's faculty policies relating to faculty collaboration with industry are posted on our website. Patients may wish to ask their physician about the activities they perform for companies.
Physicians who provide services at hospitals and facilities in the Mount Sinai Health System might not participate in the same health plans as those Mount Sinai hospitals and facilities (even if the physicians are employed or contracted by those hospitals or facilities).
Information regarding insurance participation and billing by this physician may be found on this page, and can also be obtained by contacting this provider directly. Because physicians insurance participation can change, the insurance information on this page may not always be up-to-date. Please contact this physician directly to obtain the most up-to-date insurance information.
Insurance and health plan networks that the various Mount Sinai Health System hospitals and facilities participate in can be found on the Mount Sinai Health System website.