AMC Alumni Bulletin Winter2014

Bulletin

of the Albany Medical College Alumni Association Inside

New Patient Pavilion Surgeon, Leader, Farmer Reunion Giving in-Training Online Student Publication

Left to right: Zach Testo, ’14, Kim Kilby, M.D. ’03, Steven Frisch, M.D. ’79, Vincent Verdile, M.D. ’84, Dennis McKenna, M.D. ’92, and Christopher Lops, ’14, in front of the new Patient Pavilion on a snowy day.

Volume 79 Number 1

Winter 2014

PLEASE JOIN US FOR

193819391940194119421943 REUNION 194419451946194719481949 WEEKEND 195019511952195319541955 195619571958195919601961 Friday, April 25– Sunday, April 27 196219631964196519661967 196819691970197119721973 ’4 4, ’49, ’54, ’59, 197419751976197719781979 ’64, ’69, ’74, ’79, ’84, ’89, ’94, ’99, ’04, ’09 198019811982198319841985 the gold society 198619871988198919901991 199219931994199519961997 199819992000200120022003 alumni.amc.edu 200420052006200720082009

2 14 HONORING THE CLASSES OF:

and

*

*Celebrates all classes prior to 1964

AMCalumni@mail.amc.edu

2 alumni.amc.edu

518.262.5033

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS OFFICERS President Janet E. Gargiulo, M.D. ’79 Immediate Past President Alan M. Sanders, M.D. ’88 President-elect Anthony C. Campagna, M.D. ’85 Secretary John E. Kaplan, Ph.D. ’76

Bulletin

Winter 2014

of the Albany Medical College Alumni Association

Treasurer David M. Jones, M.D. ’97

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Historian Jeffrey D. Hubbard, M.D. ’68 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION DIRECTORS Albert A. Apicelli, M.D. ’65 Stephanie Bull, M.S., P.A. ’09 Christopher L. Campese, M.D. ’90 John Czajka, M.D. ’77 Jodi Della Rocca, C.R.N.A., M.S. ’02, Ph.D. Clifford A. Erickson, M.D. ’99 Robert J. Hedderman, M.D. ’82 Siobhan M. Kuhar, Ph.D, M.D. ’99 R. Peter Manes, M.D. ’04 Kathryn T. O’Keeffe, M.D. ’78 Phillip S. Paty, M.D. ’86 Donna M. Pietrocola, M.D. ’75 Mary E. Rappazzo, M.D. ’76 Kevin W. Roberts, M.D. ’77 Nancy C. Sapio, M.D. ’85 Gurvinder S. Uppal, M.D. ’86 Vincent P. Verdile, M.D. ’84 Peter Vincent, Ph.D. ’89 Bruce White, D.O., J.D., M.S. ’09 Richard A. Wilmot, M.D. ’88 Jitka L. Zobal-Ratner, M.D. ’88 Charles L. Poskanzer, M.D. ’45, Emeritus Steven M. Frisch, M.D. ’79, Ex-Officio

8 President’s Message

10

Featured Alumni: David M. Jablons, M.D. ’84

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Alumni/Student Profile: Alumna Provides Northern Exposure

12 17 20

The New Patient Pavilion

22 23

Minority Scholarship Fund

23 24

Alumni on Campus

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION STAFF Maura Mack Hisgen, Executive Director Christine Horigan, Assistant Director Alison Lester, Program Manager Jessica Watson, Archivist

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Design: Panarama Design www.panaramadesign.com

AMCalumni@mail.amc.edu or (518) 262-5033

Dean’s Message Featured Alumni: Maria Koenig Guyette, M.D. ’05

College News and Events Medical Students Create Innovative Online Student Publication Pillars Profile: Donna A. Caniano, M.D. ’76 Class Notes

23 Winter 2014

3

Medical Students of the Class of 2017.

CALLING ALL ALUMNI

Send an

Anniversary Wish In honor of the 175th Anniversary of Albany Medical College, please consider marking the milestone event with a “birthday remembrance.”

Let us know why you are grateful for your medical education, share a special highlight of your training or a note about an individual who positively influenced your career as a physician.

These “birthday remembrances” will be compiled in a collection and saved in our Archives for future generations to enjoy.

Email: AMCalumni@mail.amc.edu and make history!

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18392014

President’s Message Dear Fellow Alumni, There is a lot happening at the College and it’s all good as you’ll see in this issue.

Albany Medical College was founded in 1839, so we are celebrating the 175th Anniversary. I wonder how many of us will be celebrating the 200th Anniversary in 2039?

We launched our online directory in October, and more than 200 alumni signed up in the first week.

We hope that you will sign up for our secure directory if you have not already done so, as this is a valuable resource that allows you to connect with one another, as well as allows our Alumni Association to keep you well informed of what’s taking place at our alma mater. Simply visit alumni.amc.edu/directory to sign up.

Also, as we are in the public phase of the Lifeline Campaign, I hope you will consider supporting Dean Verdile with a gift to the Alumni Annual Fund.

Reunion 2014, for the classes that graduated ending in “4” or “9,” will be held April 25–April 27. There are several special events planned. We hope you will join us for some or all of them. Even if you are not celebrating a reunion, we still invite you to join in the festivities.

One of the highlights of the weekend will be honoring the 2014 Alumni Association Award recipients who will be recognized at the Saturday luncheon. The Nominations and Awards Committee did another outstanding job selecting these impressive recipients.

Distinguished Alumnus Award Stuart J. Schnitt, M.D. ’79

Exemplary Alumni Support Award Nathan Silon, M.D. ’58

Honorary Members of the Alumni Association Joel A. Bartfield, M.D. and Kevin C. Kiley, M.D.

Humanitarian Alumnus Award Thomas F. Burke, M.D. ’89

Meritorious Alumnus Award Thomas L. Snyder, M.D. ’69 Since three of the recipients are in reunion years, we hope many of their classmates will be able to attend the luncheon to honor and support them.

2 14 REUNION WEEKEND

REUNION

2 14 WEEKEND

HOTEL INFORMATION Hilton Garden Inn 62 New Scotland Avenue, Albany 518.396.3600 Group Name: AMC Alumni Weekend Group Code: AMCALU Room Rate: $119 (single or double) per night/per room

We look forward to your input and/or feedback to help us keep you connected.

Wishing you a happy and healthy 2014!

Janet E. Gargiulo, M.D. ’79

Winter 2014

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2014

Upcoming Alumni Events alumni.amc.edu/events

2 14 REUNION Sunday, February 23

Thursday, April 24

Boca Raton Regional Brunch

Scholarship Celebration

St. Andrews Country Club, Boca Raton, FL Hosts: Laura and Steven M. Litinsky, M.D. ’70

Hilton Garden Inn, Albany Medical Center Albany, N.Y.

WEEKEND

Friday, April 25 – Sunday, April 27

Reunion Weekend

REUNION

2 14 WEEKEND

Highlights:

• Distinguished

Alumnus Lecture • Friday Evening Individual Class Dinners • Dean’s State of the College Address • Awards Luncheon • Reunion Gala • Tours of the College, including the Patient Safety and Clinical Competency Center

Thursday, May 22

Wednesday, May 21

Awards Ceremony/ Commencement Eve Reception

Commencement Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

New York State Museum, Albany, N.Y.

Stay tuned for more 2014 dates to be added.

6 alumni.amc.edu

Dean’s Message I have had an incredible couple of months visiting with alumni in California, Boston and New York City and connecting with others across the country and closer to home.

A

truly impressive group of medical and research professionals proudly claim Albany Medical College as their alma mater, and I’m pleased so many choose to give something back.

In October, Lifeline: The Campaign for Albany Medical Center entered its public phase and announced a goal of raising $125 million. As all who I have met with over the past few years are aware, more than half of the funds raised during this campaign will support initiatives in the College. Our goal is $75 million—at least.

The pages of this Bulletin demonstrate physical improvements that continue to be made to Albany Med’s education, research and patient care facilities.

State-of-the-art technology and equipment are being deployed in the new Patient Pavilion on our campus, which is now fully occupied. Research is getting underway in our new lab floors, funded with grants from the NIH and the State of New York. And, our current students are enjoying a much improved lounge space carved out of the former bookstore in the J building.

Investments in infrastructure are important, but even more important are the investments we make in our students and faculty and other efforts to continually advance the academic milieu of Albany Medical College.

One of my priorities as Dean has been to reduce student indebtedness and we certainly try to moderate tuition increases against a backdrop of rising costs, but that’s not enough. If we are to continue to maintain or improve our strong record of encouraging students to enter primary care fields, we must lessen concerns about future income needed to pay off loans by offsetting tuition costs now. The key to achieving this goal is scholarship support.

Every one of our students deserves to interact with faculty members whose knowledge of emerging developments in their field is current. Investing in continued education and professional development for our faculty is essential to our educational environment. It is equally important that we have the resources to recruit faculty who bring new ideas, techniques and translational research to our College. Our endowed chairs and professorships enable us to achieve that objective for our students and the growth of the Medical Center.

In the current turbulent and evolving health care environment, the amount of hospital and patient care revenue available to support the education and research missions of Albany Medical Center is contracting. As a management team we are actively identifying ways to limit the impact of revenue reductions, but general philanthropic support is increasingly important during this time of transition.

I thank all of you for your continued interest and support of Albany Medical College. We have a shared history at a 175-year-old institution of which we all can be proud; and, today, together, we have the opportunity to build an even brighter future for the students of tomorrow.

All the best, Vincent P. Verdile, M.D. ’84

Winter 2014

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FEATURED ALUMNI

Maria Koenig Guyette, M.D. ’05

By Ajay Major, ’16

When Maria Koenig Guyette, M.D. ’05 heard that her grandmother had decided to donate her body to the Anatomical Gift Program, she knew her entrance into the profession of medicine inspired the gift.

“My Nana made that decision on her own, five years before she died,” Guyette said of her grandmother Alma Marie Koenig. “But she made that decision in part because of my experiences. I am the only one in my family who became a doctor, and she had a personal connection to that.”

Her grandmother’s choice was received with mixed emotions by her family.

Maria Koenig Guyette, M.D. ’05 “It really unsettled some of her children and my extended family. I think it was difficult for them to understand that decision,” Guyette said. “But in the end, it was her decision, and they weren’t going to revoke it.”

Despite the many questions, Guyette said her family found peace at the Annual Interment and Memorial Services last August, which she attended along with her grandmother’s son and three daughters.

“Everyone was so impressed at the memorial service,” Guyette said. “They were heartened that nana’s gift was appreciated, and they could feel that from the students that they really cared about the gifts.

“Especially in the world of medicine today, you don’t get much time to see that appreciation from your physician,” Guyette added.

“I think that day was a different side that people don’t get to see.”

8 alumni.amc.edu

Having been on the receiving end of her grandmother’s gift, Guyette was moved in her own way during the memorial service, reminiscing on her experiences with her own donor during her time at Albany Medical College.

“I still carry the name of my donor,” Guyette said. “It’s someone that you know. You talked to them. You learned a lot from them.”

At the memorial service, Guyette was reminded of her grandmother’s generosity as one of the student speakers, Tri Trang, ’16 said, “Today on this beautiful summer day, my classmates and I, thank you all tremendously for your ability to help us.”

“I was thinking of her when she was alive and how much she gave,” Guyette said. “This was just a continuation of her being such a generous person.”

In her obituary, which she started writing herself in the months before she died, Alma describes generosity as her life’s mission, writing about foster children she adopted and her decision to teach medical students even in death. “She never met a stranger, and she loved and was loved by all who know her.”

In honor of her grandmother, Guyette purchased a paver installed in Albany Medical Center’s new Healing Garden last October.

Since graduating in 2005, Guyette completed her residency in emergency medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), and asserts that her experience at Albany Med prepared her for a successful career as an emergency physician.

“I had a great experience at Albany Med,” Guyette said.

“It’s four years of your life that are so incredibly intense, and you’re growing up a lot. And that left a huge imprint on me.”

▲ Left to right: Dr. Guyette’s daughter, Eve Guyette, son, Dex Guyette, and father, Rich Koenig.

G

uyette also earned a Masters of Public Policy and Management through the University of Pittsburgh and currently serves as the chief of emergency services at UPMC Shadyside. Her rapid advancement to a leadership position is due to the work ethic she developed through her training at Albany Med, she said.

“Faculty here at Pitt recognize that Albany has a culture of people working hard and working together,” Guyette stated.

“I think that collaboration and that work ethic was a great start for me in terms of medicine and emergency medicine. It has opened doors to really fantastic opportunities for my career.”

Guyette is also a consistent supporter of the Alumni Annual Fund, an exception among recent graduates of the College. When asked about the support she received at Albany Med, Guyette’s composure suddenly broke as she tearfully described her own journey to medical school.

“I grew up in a large, close family with six children, and we didn’t have a lot of money. I only got to where I was,” she abruptly stopped, pausing for a few long moments, “because of a lot of other people, some people who knew they helped me and some people who didn’t know they helped me.”

“It’s important for me to help get other people along,” she said, regaining her stride. “I can give now and it’s something I was grateful for when I was in that position. I’m connecting the pieces, and I’m paying back how I was helped.”

To current medical students, Guyette advises them to “work hard, really work hard” and “remember that what you do is special.”

“There are not many people in the world who can do what you do,” Guyette said. “But with that comes huge responsibility and the knowledge that you will work and not be thanked often. But, that’s okay. You have to recognize the thanks when it comes. At the end of the day, you helped someone.”

Winter 2014

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FEATURED ALUMNI Left to right: David Jablons, M.D. ’84, Tamara Hicks, Psy.D, Vincent Verdile, M.D. ’84 and Lou-Ann Verdile at the San Francisco Regional Brunch held at Toluma Farms in Tomales, California.

David M. Jablons, M.D. ’84: Alumnus, Surgeon, Leader, Farmer

Dean Vincent Verdile, M.D., ’84, had a strong hunch back in school that his Albany Medical College classmate David Jablons was going to be a successful physician.

“He was very bright, hard-working and energetic,” Dean Verdile recalled. “What stood out was he had a very imaginative mind.”

The ensuing career of David M. Jablons, M.D., FACS, confirmed Dr. Verdile’s initial assessment. Dr. Jablons is chief of general thoracic surgery, program leader of thoracic oncology and director of the Thoracic Oncology Lab at the University of California San Francisco Medical Center.

An Ada Distinguished Professor in thoracic oncology and Nan T. McEvoy Distinguished Professor of thoracic surgical oncology, Dr. Jablons is credited with building a world-class thoracic surgery and oncology program at the UCSF Medical Center after being recruited there in the late 1990s. He has written numerous research papers and frequently lectures about lung cancer at international and national meetings. Dr. Jablons returned to Albany this fall to speak at the 7th Annual Translational Oncology Research Symposium.

“My Albany Med education was a fantastic and solid foundation for everything I’ve done subsequently,” he said. “It was very hands on, and the contact with faculty as a student and as an intern is exceptional.

“Having been a professor for 20 years now, I’ve learned that mentorship is the most important thing we do in educating students. Other institutions have many layers, but at Albany Med you are right there in the mix of it,” Dr. Jablons continued. “I felt very fortunate that I was educated there, and it’s so exciting to see all the progress going on there.”

Yes, the dean saw this success coming for Dr. Jablons years ago. As for the West Coast surgeon running a goat and sheep farm, well …

10 alumni.amc.edu

“No, no, no, I did not see that on the horizon,” Dr. Verdile said.

Dr. Jablons and his wife, Tamara Hicks, Psy.D., run Tomales Farmstead Creamery, which has been in the business producing artisanal goat and sheep cheese since April. And run it they do: they are proud to say they can identify every one of their 200 goats by name on their Marin County spread.

Why not the stock market for diversification, or golf, or tennis for a diversion? Why goats?

Dr. Jablons, who grew up on the east side of Manhattan, said he and his wife had roots in Maine and felt a need to steward the land in addition to his work in medicine. They found a beautiful-butrun-down dairy farm in Marin County near San Francisco, and they worked to bring it back.

“It was a labor of love and still is. We wanted to do something helpful to the foodshed, so we became certified in all-organic,” he said. “The farm had the bones of dairy and we love cheese, we thought why not make a goat/cheese dairy?”

They then fell in love with another kind of cheese. La Tur is made with three types of milk: cow, sheep and goat. Drs. Jablons and Hicks are two-thirds of the way there. Once they add dairy cows, Dr. Jablons said, they will be one of the only makers To learn more about of farmstead triple-milk, softTomales Farmstead Creamery: ripened cheeses in America http://www.tolumafarms.com since all the milk will come from their farm. Dr. Jablons compared the blossoming domestic cheese industry to Napa and its growth as a wine epicenter 100 years ago.

“There is a big movement for artisan U.S. cheese business,” he said. “Cheeses in U.S. now rival cheese elsewhere.”

ALUMNI/ STUDENT PROFILE

Kristen Frank, M.D. ’06 with Phyllis Ying and Lauren Westover

Alumna Gives by Providing Northern Exposure

A

n Albany Medical College alumna gave two students a glimpse this past June into a career with unique medical challenges: practicing family medicine in rural Alaska.

“When I was in medical school I came to Alaska for my family medicine rotation, and it exposed me to so many aspects of patient care,” said Kristen Frank, M.D. ’06.

“Rural Alaskan medicine is very different from anything you can see or experience in Albany. Learning here had such an important and positive impact on my career; I love opening that door for other Albany Med students.”

Second-year students Lauren Westover and Phyllis Ying shadowed Dr. Frank and other physicians for a month at the Kodiak Area Native Association (KANA) Medical Clinic. This included traveling by small plane to visit village-based clinics.

“It was an incredible experience to have during our first summer of medical school,” Westover said. “We practiced the clinical skills

Phyllis Ying, ’16 and Lauren Westover, ’16.

we learned in first year, and are eager to apply this knowledge to critical thinking skills required for second year.”

“Our time in Alaska was a wholly immersive look at life as a family medicine physician,” Ying said.

Noting that Alaskans have above-average rates of colon cancer, diabetes, obesity, alcoholism and depression, Dr. Frank said that primary care is vital.

“We have a tremendous responsibility to provide for remote populations,” she said.

“In rural settings, I have found people tend to be rather independent and more prone to deal with symptoms or self-treat until they really need care, so they often present when the disease is advanced.

“Our breadth of training is essential,” Dr. Frank continued. “Albany Medical College gave me a solid

foundation of clinical skills and critical thinking. Also, from my training there I learned to treat every patient like a family member, because they are family to someone.

I’ll never forget that.”

Dr. Frank, a Pittsburgh native, said the northern life suits her professionally and personally. “When not working, my husband and I spend a lot of time outdoors,” she said.

“The wilderness is awesome.”

Winter 2014

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A Patient Building, A Learning Experience

Alan Boulos, M.D. ’94, interim chair of the department of Neurosurgery and co-director of the Neurosciences Institute, in the Patient Pavilion BrainSuite, a pair of adjoining operating rooms that make use of a moveable CT scanner and computerized navigational system.

12 alumni.amc.edu

The new Patient Pavilion, in all ways geared toward the patient, offers Albany Medical College students an education in the process.

I

n Albany Med’s new Patient Pavilion, the technology is leading edge, the patient rooms are private and spacious, the natural light is abundant, and the rooftop gardens provide a decidedly non-institutional respite for patients and their families. The value of the Pavilion to patients and their families is readily apparent. But as the new wing has become operational over the past several months, it is clear that all the attention to detail has also created a facility that provides a unique classroom that will give future Albany Medical College alumni a tremendous edge for their futures.

“The Patient Pavilion was built because we needed space for more patients,” said Dean Vincent Verdile, M.D. ’84.

“But as an educational venue, it provides a tremendous training ground. Our students and residents are not only taught by the region’s top doctors on the best equipment, they’re learning in a setting that offers advantages found at only the best institutions in the country.”

For example, because of the new larger rooms, the medical student who was sometimes penumbral to the rounding team at the bedside and

forced to remain in a hallway during rounds now has the room to be not only privy to the discussion between doctor and patient, but be part of it.

“In a lot of ways, the building itself provides enhanced opportunities for medical education,” Dr. Verdile said.

Steven M. Frisch, M.D. ’79, executive vice president of IDS and Hospital Systems general director at Albany Medical Center, said the recent construction of the Patient Safety and Clinical Competency Center in the College and the Patient Pavilion at the Hospital marks “the completion of a transformational change for Albany Medical Center.”

“I would argue that the bookends of the campus— the simulation center at the College and the Pavilion— are providing educational opportunities of a national class,” Dr. Frisch said. “You put those two things together and you have a compelling arguments why medical students should want to come to Albany Medical College.”

Henry Pohl, M.D., vice dean for academic administration and Julio A. Sosa, M.D., chair of medical education, said that gearing the building toward the patient experience has

enriched the educational process in many ways.

“Logistically, it encourages the team approach, and provides students greater access to the patient-doctor exchange,” he said.

“And its overall design reinforces the concept that environment can play a critical role in the healing process.”

Located at the corner of New Scotland and Myrtle Avenues as the cornerstone of a neighborhood undergoing an urban renaissance in look and feel, the building includes greatly expanded features: 20 state-of-the-art operating suites, including those with the most advanced robotic and hybrid technology; an operating suite with an interoperative CT for spine and brain care (one of just five of its kind in the United States); 60 new private medical/surgical beds; new single- and double-occupancy neonatal intensive care rooms with Giraffe bed environment technology; and 30 additional adult intensive care beds.

All of these qualities provide multiple benefits for the Center’s medical practice and the students who study with them, said Ferdinand Venditti, M.D., vice dean for clinical Affairs and

president of the Albany Med Faculty Physicians group.

“For today’s

Albany Medical College students, (the Patient Pavilion) is a wonderful opportunity to learn about how patients and families should be treated and cared for, and in turn these students undoubtedly will become better doctors.”

Dennis McKenna, M.D. ’92, senior vice president for medical affairs and medical director.

“When you are trying to attract and retain talented physicians and have the right milieu for education, having this kind of facility is just fabulous,” Dr. Venditti said.

“It’s the physical facility, it’s the staff, it’s the educators Winter 2014

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A Patient Building, A Learning Experience

and it’s the type of patient that all create a rich, rich environment for education.”

Zach Testo, born at Albany Med and now a fourth-year student, cited the larger rooms as being a tremendous improvement in allowing students to participate in exams and consults.

“You can always be in full view of the patient, full view of the monitor,” he said. “Being the low man on the totem pole meant you couldn’t always be involved with the examination.

These larger rooms allow you to be a more active observer from a safe distance.”

And that, Dr. Verdile said, provides a two-way benefit.

“Having students in the room helps move the educational process along,’’ he said. “And their input also helps inspire the decision-making of the faculty on the care of the patient.”

Testo said being able to train on ultra-modern equipment both in the Patient Pavilion and in the College’s Patient Safety and Clinical Competency Center will give him an important leg up later in his career. “The best institutions will be using this equipment in the future,” he said. “It makes me feel very satisfied about my education and my decision to be part of the Albany community.”

These advantages will make these students Albany Medical College’s best recruitment tool. “Because of the advanced surgical and intensive care technology in the Patient

continued

Pavilion, our students will be more prepared to enter their residency training having been exposed to the latest medical advances,” said Kimberly A. Kilby, M.D. ’03, M.P.H., assistant dean for undergraduate medical education and assistant professor in the Department of Family Medicine. “Students who are knowledgeable and well-prepared reflect well on our institution.”

Dr. Kilby added the relocation of departments from the existing hospital into the Patient Pavilion this past year proved to be a valuable teaching experience, as it exposed students to the work that went into patient and staff transfers that required months of preparation and even, in the case of the transfer of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, actual rehearsals.

Dennis McKenna, M.D. ’92, senior vice president for medical affairs and hospital medical director, said the Pavilion reflects that medicine is taking patient environment into account more and more.

“For today’s Albany Medical College students, this is a wonderful opportunity to learn about how patients and families should be treated and cared for, and as a result these students undoubtedly will become better doctors,” he said.

“As a student it’s good to see the administration place such a strong focus on patient care,” said Christopher Lops,

a fourth-year student from San Diego. “That sends a clear message to me—to all of us.”

New Facility Enhances Biomedical Research While the new Patient Pavilion has drawn considerable attention, on the College side of the campus builders have completed a smaller, but equally impressive wing that expands and updates Albany Medical College’s research laboratories.

The $10 million research facility was built with a grant in the amount of $9.17 M from the National Institute of Health (NIH), National Center for Research Resources as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Matching funds from New York State also were provided.

“This new facility, which will be used in addition to our current labs, provides us with a more efficient, flexible and attractive research environment built to very specific National Institutes of Health standards that will lead to new opportunities in obtaining grant funding and recruiting new faculty,” said Dr. Harold Singer, professor and director of the Center for Cardiovascular Sciences.

The wing’s design makes it possible to adapt to changes in protocols and to share staff and resources. Built above the Patient Safety and Clinical Competency Center, the two floors with more than 20,000 square-feet of wet laboratory space feature open work areas and a combination of fixed benches and fully modular workspace. Supporting rooms will be used for cell culture, microscopy, large equipment, glass wash and autoclave, and cold/ environmental rooms.

“With researchers and students from different disciplines working side-by-side, we’re providing the type of collaborative environment that is the future of biomedical research,” said Dennis Metzger, Ph.D., professor and director of the Center for Immunology and Microbial Research.

Dr. Metzger said the facility fully embraces the trend toward translational research, such as work he does to study the connection between bacterial infections and influenza that will use human flu samples obtained from Albany Medical Center patients.

Dr. Singer also cited a study by Chuanxi Cai, Ph.D., a recent recruit with significant funding and expertise, who is working on a project with Albany Med physicians to determine whether stem cell therapy could be a viable option for patients with heart failure.

“We now have the security, the technology and the staff to do this type of large-scale translational work,” said Dr. Metzger.

14 alumni.amc.edu

Left to right: Zach Testo, ’14, Kim Kilby, M.D. ’03, and Christopher Lops, ’14.

“I would argue that the bookends of

the campus—the simulation center at the College and the Pavilion— are providing educational opportunities of national class. You put those two things together and you have compelling arguments why medical students should want to come to Albany Medical College.”

Steven M. Frisch, M.D. ’79, executive vice president of IDS and Hospital Systems general director

“You can always be in full view of the patient, full view of the monitor. Being the low man on the totem pole meant you couldn’t always be involved with the examination. These larger rooms allow you to be a more active observer from a safe distance.”

Zach Testo, ’14

Winter 2014

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REUNION

2 14 WEEKEND GIVING PROGR AM

The Reunion Giving Program continues to inspire our alumni to support the College during their milestone year. The program supports the top priorities of the College such as the Alumni Annual Fund, where gifts impact every aspect of the Albany Medical College experience, as well as gifts to scholarship funds to help ease the financial burden for medical students today.

Class Reunion Milestones How to Make Your Reunion Gift To make a gift to your class project now, simply visit:

alumni.amc.edu/ reunion_giving

50th Reunion

The Class of 1964 is celebrating their 50th class reunion. Led by class agent Charles “Tom” Mc Hugh, M.D. ’64, the class has set a $75,000 goal to fundraise for the Alumni Annual Fund.

The Class of 1989 is celebrating their 25th reunion. Led by class agent Kevin Hill, M.D. ’89, the class will also raise funds for the Alumni Annual Fund with a $25,000 goal.

25th Reunion

and click on your class year.

If you prefer to make your gift by check, please make your check payable to Albany Medical College (memo: Reunion Class Gift) and mail to: Julie Ruttan Albany Medical Center Foundation 43 New Scotland Avenue MC119 Albany, NY 12208 We look forward to seeing you at Reunion on April 25-27, 2014. For further information on how to make a gift or becoming a class agent, contact Julie Ruttan, Associate Director of Annual Programs at (518) 262-6806 or email ruttanj@mail.amc.edu.

Class Reunion Gift Highlights—

Many Ways to Give

Many of our generous alumni have made significant gifts in honor of their own reunion and to celebrate the 175th anniversary of Albany Medical College. Highlighted below are examples of alumni gifts and the different types of ways you can support your alma mater.

Ronald T. Burkman, M.D. ’69 Ronald Burkman, M.D. ’69 is celebrating his 45th class reunion this spring and is serving as Class Agent along with two classmates Dr. Thomas Snyder and Dr. Timothy Johnson. Dr. Burkman established the Burkman Family Endowed Scholarship Fund in 2000. To celebrate his upcoming reunion, Dr. Burkman donated a gift of life insurance to substantially increase the value of his family’s scholarship. A gift of life insurance is one of the many ways to make a gift for a lasting impact.

Clifford Marr, M.D. ’74 Dr. Clifford Marr and his wife Jerilyn have generously established the Marr Endowed Scholarship Fund in Memory of Samuel Powers, M.D. The gift was established through a planned gift, one of the many ways to give a gift to Albany Medical College.

Kevin Hill, M.D. ’89 Kevin Hill, M.D. ’89 is celebrating his 25th class reunion this spring and is serving as Class Agent.

Dr. Hill’s gift was made through a multi-year pledge supporting the Alumni Annual Fund. Dr. Hill has been a generous supporter of the Alumni Annual Fund and understands the impact his gifts make on students today.

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COLLEGE NEWS AND

EVENTS

40 Most Beautiful Medical Schools in the United States

Albany Medical College Ranked #21 Kim Fine named executive vice president Kim Fine, who joined Albany Medical Center as Senior Vice President for Policy, Planning and Communication nearly six years ago, was named an executive vice president over the summer and shortly thereafter assumed responsibility for Albany Med’s Foundation. With this expanded role, and the title Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer, Kim manages the development and execution of Albany Medical Center’s strategic plan which is supported through government relations, communications and philanthropy. The combination of these complementary responsibilities already is proving valuable to the medical center in executing its tripartite mission and advancing its strategic objectives. Kim has begun to present updates regarding Lifeline: the Campaign for Albany Medical Center.

Anyone who has recently made a gift in support of the College, research, or the capital campaign has likely received a note of thanks from her.

The editors of BestMedicalDegrees.com, a website offering advice to potential medical students put together a list of the forty most attractive medical school campuses in the U.S. Albany Medical College was cited for its stately red brick campus, adjoining large hospital complex, and proximity to downtown Albany, the Empire State Complex and Washington Park.

Medical Students Meet with Residents to Learn About Specialties

By Rohit Dhingra, ’16

In November, the Alumni Association together with the American Medical Student Association held the third annual Medical Student-Resident Mixer at the Hilton Garden Inn. The evening provided an opportunity for students to meet, over dinner, with Rohit residents from different specialties and learn why residents Dhingra, ’16 chose certain career paths, what experiences in medical school helped them match, and the challenges they faced along the way. Students rotated their discussions with residents throughout the evening, allowing them to be introduced to a wide variety of specialties. The event generated a lot of positive feedback from participants, including one medical student who stated that, from his discussions, he was now able to narrow down his specialty interests. Residents attending represented more than 15 specialties, and the gathering was, once again, highly anticipated and quite successful.

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COLLEGE NEWS AND

EVENTS

Left to right: James Bennett, Ph.D, Michael Lanni, Steven Roth, and Travis Bevington, Class of 2016.

Medical Student Investigation Day

D

r. James A. Bennett, professor and director of the combined degree programs and chair of Albany Medical College Admissions provided an update to the Alumni Association about the Medical Student Investigation Day held on Tues., Sept. 24 at the Hilton Garden Inn, Albany Medical Center.

“Medical Student Investigation Day was an enormous success.

We greatly appreciate the support of the Alumni Association for helping to underwrite the cost of this event. There were 98 poster presentations by our medical students. Over 300 medical

students, over 100 clinical and basic science faculty members, and over 50 interested members from the Capital District who viewed and discussed the posters. Topics encompassed a wide variety of scholarly concentrations including basic and clinical research, health care advocacy, bioethics, community service, and health care administration. Great enrichment of medical student learning occurred through investigative action, cross fertilization of ideas and professional development that occurs through experiencing this forum of communication that is utilized widely by established physician investigators.”

Albany Medical College students and faculty participated in the Capital City Rescue Mission’s Flu Shot and Heart Health Fair during its Thanksgiving celebration on Tues., Nov. 28. The students and other volunteers provided health education, blood pressure screenings and flu shots for South End residents who attended the Rescue Mission’s Thanksgiving Celebration.

18 alumni.amc.edu

COLLEGE NEWS AND

EVENTS

Dean Vincent Verdile, M.D. ’84 and Dr. Mara McErlean, director of the Patient Safety and Clinical Competency Center (PS&CCC), hosted an event, on Aug. 20, to announce that the PS&CCC is one of only three facilities in the state to be designated as a Karl Storz Center of Excellence. Training equipment has been provided to the College through an educational grant program from manufacturer Karl Storz Endoscopy-America and mirrors the equipment in Albany Medical Center’s new operating rooms.

In September, Albany Medical College received a $2.9 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop a universal vaccine strategy that could be used to produce vaccines to protect against many different diseases. The five-year grant will further enhance Albany Medical College’s flourishing vaccine research program.

The 10th Annual Addiction Medicine Weekend was held on Nov. 1 and Nov. 2 at Albany Medical College. The conference teaches medical professionals to recognize and treat addiction in their patients and its profound impact on health. Dr. Stanley D. Glick, director of the Center for Neuropharmacology and Neuroscience at the College (Alumni Association Honorary Alumnus) and colleague Dr. Isabelle Maisonneuve and Dr. Steven Kipnis, medical director of the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) were the conference organizers.

Dr. Elizabeth A. Higgins, associate dean of academic affairs and student services (Alumni Association Honorary Alumna), and Elayna Ng, ’15, published a letter to the editor in the Times Union regarding the annual flu shot and pneumococcal vaccine (pneumococcal disease can be complication of influenza).

In their piece, Dr. Higgins and Ms. Ng indicate that unlike the flu shot, recommended every year by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the pneumococcal vaccine is recommended only once after the age of 65 and every five to seven years for younger people who are at risk for pneumococcal disease.

Ali Nabeel, Class of 2016, was awarded one of only 25 national Medical Student Research Grants in 2013 by the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) for his work in inventing cardiac imaging software with the potential to aid in diagnosis of coronary heart disease. He is working as a research fellow at the Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School while attending Albany Medical College.

Forty Albany Medical College medical students, under the direction of Dr. Ingrid Allard, associate dean of medical education, screened veterans for medical issues at the Eastern New York State Homeless Veterans Coalition’s Homeless Veterans Stand-Down on Sat., Sept. 28 at the Colonie Elks Lodge in Latham, N.Y.

Happy 99th Birthday, Dr. Falk!

On October 2, Dean Vincent Verdile, M.D. ’84 and Albany Medical College students marked the 99th birthday of alumnus David Falk, M.D. ’43 with cake in the Student Lounge. Row 1, left to right: Dean Verdile, David Condon, ’14, Milan Kahanda, ’14, CJ Pierce, ’14, Adam Parker, ’17, Ben DiNovo, ’15, Nora Callinan, ’14. Row 2, left to right: Kyle Thomas, ’16, Peter Antkowiak, ’16, and Hank Lai, ’14.

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Medical Students Create Innovative Online Student Publication

By Phyllis Ying, ’16 (Editor, in-Training)

A journalistic revolution is sweeping through medical schools all across the country, and Albany Medical College students Ajay Major, ’16 and Aleena Paul, ’16 are right in the center of the movement.

20 alumni.amc.edu

M

ajor and Paul are founders and editorsin-chief of in-Training, an online magazine featuring reflections and news written by and for medical students.

With pieces that range from analysis of current obesity trends to heartfelt patient tributes, or even to viewpoints on the abortion debate, in-Training acts as a collaborative publication for medical students to learn from one another. in-Training has rapidly grown since its inception in April 2012. The publication has 13 editors and 75 writers, representing more than 50 medical schools across the country and spanning 23 states.

Approximately three new pieces are published weekly on the site. Readership is also high, with the website receiving 4,000 hits from unique users per month.

“There is a niche for the medical student voice,” Major said. “Students are looking for a way to talk about the humanism side of medical training.”

It began with an idea formed at a restaurant in Atlanta where the two students had just met Dr. Tyeese Gaines, health editor for NBC news

site, The Grio, at a conference in the spring of 2012. With more than four years of editorial experience between them, including at the student newspaper of their alma mater Union College, Major and Paul first envisioned a revitalization of AMC’s student newspaper.

However, it wasn’t until their meeting with Dr. Ty did they expand their horizons.

“She told us to go bigger.

We realized that we would have a more powerful impact reaching out to the entire community rather than just AMC,” explained Major.

Over the next few months, Major and Paul worked tirelessly to create their dream from scratch. In between classes at Union and starting medical school at the College, both dedicated approximately 10 to 15 hours per week towards in-Training.

The first steps included creating author contracts, management guidelines, and writing a code of ethics.

They faced their biggest challenge when attempting to reach out to other medical schools. Establishing connections took time, and Paul shared the multitude of questions they were trying

Aleena Paul and Ajay Major, Class of 2016.

to answer at once: “How do we reach medical schools?

How do we tell people?

How do we address the legitimacy issue, when people ask ’who are you’?”

That was when the faculty stepped in. Paul and Major approached Dr. Elizabeth Higgins, associate dean of academic affairs and student services, to help keep their dream alive.

“I was absolutely amazed by what they were doing,” she said. “They were prepared in every way, but also felt like they weren’t getting the word out about their publication.”

To help with outreach, Dr. Higgins sent a message out to medical schools across the country, encouraging their deans to share this new publication opportunity with their students. She also found a way to feature them on the American Association of Medical Colleges’ “Careers in Medicine” website.

With Dr. Higgins’ efforts, the applications for editors

Alumni Get Involved! in-Training is developing a professional advice column for our medical student audience. If you are interested in sharing your words of wisdom about your years as a physician-in-training, please contact MajorA@mail.amc.edu and PaulA3@mail.amc.edu.

and writers began to pour in.

Major and Paul built their staff from those first few emails.

They also began to cultivate the publication’s voice that would eventually become in-Training’s hallmark. “We wanted to serve as a voice for the student body, and do that while transcending the geographic separation of medical students,” said Major.

For writer Valentina Bonev (University of California, Irvine, ’14), in-Training has been an opportunity to reflect on her learning experiences in medical school and develop her communication techniques.

“I always wanted to write for a newspaper, and now I have an opportunity to write about important topics,” she said. “I’ve grown as a writer and I continue to improve my writing skills.”

Editor and writer Will Jaffee (Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine, ’15) also has enjoyed being on the in-Training team. Having worked as a teacher before entering medical school, Jaffee enjoys watching in-Training grow as a forum for sharing ideas. He also credits Major and Paul for encouraging innovation and communication.

“Aleena and Ajay have been doing a good job getting feedback from the editors, and it’s clear that they have a backbone for what they want to do,” he said.

Looking into in-Training’s future, Major and Paul have big plans for their publication.

They want to incorporate more news reporting alongside the reflections that have become their staple. Major said they

also hope to represent the changing voice of medical students through the years, acting as an “institutional memory of the medical student community.”

As for the impact inTraining will have on the medical field, Major and Paul are focused on the well-being of students.

“We are empowering students to advocate for themselves,” emphasized Paul. “If you want to know what future physicians will be talking about, you need to know what current students are saying.”

“Medical students are underrepresented in modern media,” Major added.

“Which is a shame because we have a lot to say.”

To learn more about in-Training visit: http://in-Training.org/

Phyllis Ying, ’16

Winter 2014

21

Derri Shtasel, M.D. and Gary Gottlieb, M.D. ’79

Helping Create a Minority Scholarship Fund A profound conviction that great health care is a matter of social justice is helping change the face of education at Albany Medical College.

I

n 2012 this powerful belief spurred Gary L. Gottlieb, M.D. ’79, and his wife Derri Shtasel, M.D., to help create a fund that will benefit minority medical students at the College.

The world of health care, they agree, is fraught with inequities—from access to education and health care to successful treatment outcomes. And they saw Albany Medical College as a place to help change that.

In their minds, medical education and access for everyone to the best possible health care are inextricably linked, a belief they share with Dean Vincent P. Verdile, M.D. ’84, who has made raising scholarship funds a philanthropic priority.

“If we are to bring exceptional young people to the field of medicine and to encourage a diverse population of medical students, we must remove barriers which include the high cost of medical education,” said Dr. Gottlieb.

“A health care workforce reflecting the people we serve is critical to reducing the disparities in access and outcomes that exist today.”

Drs. Gottlieb and Shtasel’s shared passion mirrors their experiences in health care delivery and education from the time of their training in psychiatry at New York

22 alumni.amc.edu

University and Bellevue Hospital Center in New York, and through the various roles they have served over the course of their careers.

Dr. Gottlieb is the president and CEO of Partners HealthCare in Boston, the largest health care provider in Massachusetts, founded two decades ago by Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Massachusetts General Hospital; its cornerstone is accessible, high-quality health care, with a keen focus on underserved communities.

Dr. Shtasel is executive director of the Kraft Family National Center for Leadership and Training in Community Health and director of the Division of Public and Community Psychiatry at the Massachusetts General Hospital. She has dedicated her career to providing direct clinical care for underserved and marginalized patients.

Both Drs. Gottlieb and Shtasel also serve on the faculty of Harvard Medical School.

In Albany Medical College, they saw an institution most worthy of their support.

“Albany Medical Center is the leading provider of quality care in northeastern New York, making Albany Medical College the perfect place for our investment,” Dr. Gottlieb observed. “It provides an education focused on clinically

In creating the scholarship, Drs. Gottlieb and Shtasel chose an option that is becoming increasingly popular to address immediate challenges and needs of institutions.

Their “expendable gift” is available immediately and in full to support the purpose selected by the donor. This means that these funds can be used immediately to help offset tuition of minority students, an important goal of Dean Verdile for the College.

Gary L. Gottlieb, M.D. ’79 and Derri Shtasel, M.D.

excellent patient care and graduates physicians who are empathic, complete clinicians in every sense. In addition, the institution shares our belief that it is important to invest deeply in the communities we serve to create the right workforce to address the inequities in health care today.”

“I am very committed to increasing the diversity of our student body at the College, and the gifts from Drs. Gottlieb and Shtasel are laser-focused on helping us achieve this goal,” said Dr. Verdile. “For their vision, their credo and their commitment, we sincerely thank them.”

Celebrating By Giving Back

O

n her birthday last July, Donna A. Caniano, M.D. ’76 decided to celebrate by giving back. Recently retired as surgeon-in-chief at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, Caniano established an endowed scholarship at Albany Medical College with her birthday gift. Her estate plan will add substantially to this fund to help more aspiring doctors long after her passing. In doing so, Caniano became a member of the Pillars Society, which recognizes those who have included Albany Medical College in their estate plans.

“I called it the Caniano Family Scholarship because this honors my whole family,” she says. “Though we were of humble economic circumstances, my parents raised me with the tradition of giving back.” Establishing a scholarship was fitting because Caniano attended the Medical College on full scholarship. And the Medical College is grateful because adding to the scholarship endowment Donna A. Caniano, M.D. ’76 is one of Dean Verdile’s highest priorities.

This scholarship is Caniano’s way of thanking the Medical College mentors who guided her. One of only 10 women in a class of 110, she credits physicians such as Ian Porter, John Carter ’52 and Samuel Powers for helping her achieve her goals.

“When I told them I wanted to be a pediatric surgeon, the three of them sat me down. At that time, there were less than 10 pediatric surgery fellowships nationwide, so it was by no means a given I would succeed.” Powers, who chaired the department of surgery, encouraged Caniano to stay at the Medical College for her internship. “’If you stay here,’ he said, ’I will do everything to support you in your goal.”

Thanks to their tutelage and her hard work, she did succeed. In addition to the Medical Center, Caniano completed residencies at Nationwide as well as a fellowship at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore.

She became the first tenure-track woman hired in the department of surgery at The Ohio State College of Medicine, and eventually became surgeon-in-chief—one of fewer than five women nationally to hold that post.

Though private practice would have been more lucrative, Caniano chose to spend her career in academic medicine because it allowed her to do what she loved—give frail babies the opportunity to live a long life—while teaching the next generation.

“Establishing this scholarship is an enormous privilege,” she says. “Particularly given the cost of medical school now, there’s joy in knowing one student today is resting a little easier because of this gift.”

How You Can Help Like Caniano, you too can make a transformational gift through your will or estate plan. Estate gifts offer significant tax savings, give you a way to demonstrate what matters most to you and support it in perpetuity. Many people find they are able to make their most generous gifts through their estate plan.

PILLARS

Donna A. Caniano, M.D. ’76

societ y

PILLARS PROFILE

THE

If you’ve included Albany Medical College in your will, please let us know so we can recognize you now. If you’re interested in hearing more please contact Laura O’Brien, director of gift planning, at 518-262-6835 or obrienL@mail.amc.edu.

Winter 2014

23

Stay connected ALUMNI NETCOMMUNITY

Would you like an easy way to get back in touch with your classmates?

Check out our new online directory at

alumni.amc.edu/directory This resource enables you to connect with fellow alumni and update your current contact information.

Please note: You have the option to remove yourself from being listed in the online directory by visiting alumni.amc.edu/directory.

24 alumni.amc.edu

Class NOTES

Share Your News! The Alumni Association is happy to pass along your news and messages to fellow classmates and community members. If you would like to share an announcement, news or update regarding your professional and/or personal life, please contact: AMCalumni@mail.amc.edu CLASS OF 1956

CLASS OF 1972

CLASS OF 1973

CLASS OF 1980

Kenneth A. Deitcher, M.D. ’56

James C. MacIntyre, II, M.D. ’72

Harry L. Haroutunian, M.D. ’73

Elliot M. Morris, M.D. ’80

Dr. Deitcher writes, “I retired from Pediatric practice in 2000 and worked the subsequent five years for the Federal Government in examining recruits enlisting in the armed forces. Due to physical limitations, I permanently retired in 2005.”

In October, Dr. MacIntyre received the 2013 Catcher in the Rye Award from the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) at the AACAP 60th Annual Meeting held in Washington, D.C. Dr. MacIntyre was recognized for his outstanding leadership, tireless advocacy and work on behalf of children and families in New York and North Carolina.

Dr. Haroutunian, physician director of the Residential Day Treatment at Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage, California was a guest on the Dr. Oz show on Sept. 10.

Dr. Haroutunian discussed the signs and risk factors of addiction and steps one can offer to help someone suffering from addiction.

CLASS OF 1957

Robert C. “Corky” Rosan, M.D. ’57

Dr. Morris writes, “After our youngest son, Colby, matriculated at Princeton, my wife, Marie, and I moved to Kauai, Hawaii, where I am the only therapeutic biliary endoscopist on the island.

Our older son, Dillon, begins his medical training at Tufts medical school next fall.”

CLASS OF 1983

Kai H. Moy, M.D. ’83 In August, Dr. Moy, a hospitalist, joined the department of pediatrics at Pottstown Memorial Medical Center in Pottstown, Pennsylvania.

Dr. Rosan writes, “I’m alive and well. Just finished my novel, ready to self-publish.”

ALUMNI On Campus This fall, Albany Medical College was pleased to welcome back the following alumni to campus:

David M. Jablons, M.D. ’84

Willem Heydendael, MS ’06, Ph.D. ’08

Dr. Jablons, professor and chief of Thoracic Surgery at the University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, was a keynote speaker at the 7th Annual Translational Oncology Research Symposium, “Transforming Basic Science Into Clinical Practice,” hosted by Albany Medical College on Oct. 6. The title of his address was, “Identifying Stem Cell Pathways for the Treatment of Lung Cancer.”

Dr. Heydendael, project manager at Synergy Medical Education in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, presented a talk entitled, “Multi Disciplinary Approach to Understanding Stress Adaptation” as part of the Center for Neuropharmacology & Neuroscience Seminar Series on Oct. 9.

Maria Koenig Guyette, M.D. ’05

Dr. Morgan presented a talk entitled, “Healthcare for the Homeless: First Impressions from the Front Line of Care,” in Huyck Katherine Wagner, M.D. ’94, assistant professor and the director Auditorium at the College on of the division of community outreach, Oct. 24. She is the medical and Ruth Morgan, M.D. ’10. director of Project H.E.A.L.T.H. Clinic (Homeless Engagement Addressing Limitations To Healthcare) in San Antonio, Texas. In her presentation, Dr. Morgan credited her Albany Medical College student training with providing a solid foundation for her current work with the underserved.

As part of the Department of Emergency Medicine Visiting Professor Lecture program, Dr. Guyette presented a talk entitled “Conflict Resolution” on Dec. 11. Dr. Guyette is associate chief of Emergency Services, UPMC Shadyside, clinical assistant professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

Dr. Guyette’s husband, Frank Guyette, M.D., associate professor of Emergency Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, director, STAT MedEvac, also presented a talk “Post-Arrest Care” at the event.

Ruth M. Morgan, M.D. ’10

Winter 2014

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Class NOTES

CLASS OF 1985

Mitchel Krieger, M.D. ’85 In October, Dr. Krieger wrote, “I recently completed a master’s degree program in Clinical Informatics from Duke University Fuqua School of Business and have accepted the position of medical director for the Information Technology Division at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio.”

Regional Events 2013 The Alumni Association hosts a variety of events throughout the year.

These gatherings provide a wonderful opportunity for alumni, faculty, staff and students to make new connections, renew old friendships and be part of the vibrant Albany Medical College community. Alumni receptions were held in Newport Beach and San Francisco, California, Seattle, Washington, and Boston, Massachusetts. Our deepest appreciation and gratitude to Stephen C. Dennis, M.D. ’82, David M. Jablons, M.D. ’84, and John M. Cohen, M.D. ’63 for graciously hosting regional events.

CLASS OF 1994

20th Reunion

April 25-27

Jacob M. Reider, M.D. ’94 In September, Dr. Reider was named Acting National Coordinator for the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health Information Technology.

ONC is located within the Office of the Secretary for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

CLASS OF 1996

Eleni A. Tousimis, M.D. ’96 Dr. Tousimis has been named the 2013-14 president of the board of directors for the American Medical Women’s Association. Correction: Dr. Tousimis’ Class Year was incorrectly stated as 1986 in the Summer 2013 Special Bulletin.

W

ould you like to learn more about the fascinating alumni of Albany Medical College? Subscribe to the “Facts from the Past” e-newsletter by emailing Archivist Jessica Watson at WatsonJ1@mail.amc.edu.

26 alumni.amc.edu

Thomas L. Snyder, M.D. ’69 and Peter J. Koltai, M.D. ’75 at the San Francisco Regional Brunch held at Toluma Farms, California.

Left to right: James Boswell, M.D. ’02, Liza Perupse, M.D. ’02, Bradford Wolfram, M.D. ’11, Kier Huehnergarth, M.D. ’02, and Liz Huehnergarth.

See page 6 for upcoming 2014 alumni events.

Class NOTES

CLASS OF 1997

Camille Huszczo Fleming, M.D. ’97 Dr. Huszczo Fleming joined the staff at Orcas Medical Center in Eastsound, Washington in 2013.

David M. Jones, M.D. ’97 Dr. Jones has been appointed vice chair of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine for Pathology Practice and Undergraduate Medical Education at Albany Medical Center. He has been with Albany Medical College since 2002.

CLASS OF 1998

David H. Newman, M.D. ’98 Dr. Newman is now a blog contributor for the Huffington Post. His most recent post, “Mediterranean Diet vs.

Cholesterol Pills: We Have a Winner” was featured in October.

tumors. She is working with a team of engineers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) in Worcester, Massachusetts.

CLASS OF 2002

Matthew Waxman, M.D. ’02 In November, Dr. Waxman was named residency director of the UCLA/Olive View Emergency Medicine Residency Program in Los Angeles, California.

CLASS OF 2003

Sanjay M. Thomas, M.D. ’03

Calling All Alumni

Humanitarians Albany Medical College alumni have a strong and long standing tradition of giving back. Each year, hundreds of alumni volunteer in their communities and perform critical humanitarian work abroad.

The Alumni Association would like to hear from our alumni who have dedicated their time to the service of others.

Please share your personal experiences and photos with us: AMCalumni@mail.amc.edu We will share them in the next issue of the Bulletin.

Dr. Thomas, a general surgeon, joined the Health Quest Medical Practice team at Vassar Brothers Medical Center in Poughkeepsie, New York in September.

Anil K. Gupta, M.D. ’07

CLASS OF 2007

CLASS OF 2009

Julie G. Pilitsis, M.D. ’98, Ph.D.

Tomasz T. Antkowiak, M.D. ’07

Dr. Pilitsis, associate professor of surgery in the Department of Neurosurgery at Albany Medical College will serve as co-principal investigator on a $3M grant from the National Institute of Health (NIH) to develop an MRI-guided robotic system for patients with brain

Dr. Antkowiak, an orthopedic surgeon, joined the Silver Cross Medical Hospital in Frankfort, Illinois in October.

Trevor J. Bayliss, M.D. ’07 Dr. Bayliss joined the Berkshire Health Systems in Pittsfield, Massachusetts in August.

In Memoriam We mourn the passing of the following classmates:

Dr. Gupta joined the Florida Orthopaedic Institute in Palm Harbor, Florida in November.

5th Reunion

April 25-27

Stephanie J. Van Dyke, M.D. ’09 In November, Dr. Van Dyke received an E-Chievement Award from eTown, a nonprofit organization in Boulder,

Colorado. She was recognized for her work establishing the Engeye Clinic in Uganda, Africa. Since opening in 2007, the clinic has treated more than 75,000 patients from 70 surrounding villages, offering them comprehensive evaluation, treatment, education and medication.

CLASS OF 2010

Daniel R. Kyle, M.D. ’10 Dr. Kyle joined Core Pediatrics in Exeter, New Hampshire in August.

Lt. Gen. Paul W. Myers, M.D. ’46

Amnon Wein, M.D. ’58

Robert A. Breault, M.D. ’47

Frederick M. Appleton, M.D. ’61

George R. Prout, Jr., M.D. ’47

John R. Bosco, M.D. ‘61

James E. Ryan, M.D. ’48

Dante L. Gismondi, M.D. ’61

Angelo Garofolo, M.D. ’49

Charles W. Needham, M.D. ’61

James E. Meyer, M.D. ’49

Martin F. Stein, Jr., M.D. ’62

Robert M. Griffin, MD ’53

David S. Pointon, M.D. ’65

Lennart A. Carlson, M.D. ’57

Louis P. Gagliardi, M.D. ’73

James R. Kennedy, M.D. ’57

Peter M. Horvath, M.D. ’82

Winter 2014

27

Alumni Office (MC-5) P4800 Albany Medical College 47 New Scotland Avenue Albany, NY 12208

Nonprofit Org. US POSTAGE

PAID Albany, NY PERMIT NO. 187

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

www.facebook.com/amcalumniassociation

In honor of the 175th Anniversary of Albany Medical College, please consider making a gift to the Alumni Annual Fund.

Visit: alumni.amc.edu/annualfund, or simply use the enclosed envelope for your convenience.