CFCM NEWS

Family Medicine faculty members and residents are in the New Columbia Medicine Magazine, Fall 2011

Dr. Richard Younge, Dr. Jim Spears, Dr. Mary Jo Fink, Dr. Mattew Spitzer, Dr. Danny Neghassi and Dr. Crissaris Sarnelli were featured and interviewed. Read the full article

2011 the Allen Hospital Physician of the Year Award

Mary Johanna Fink, MD received 2011 the Allen Hospital Physician of the Year Award on September 28th, 2011, at the 6th Annual Physician of the Year Awards given by the Allen Hospital of New York-Presbyterian Department of Nursing to acknowledge physicians for their shared commitment to providing a collaborate, collegial environment which supports the highest standards of quality patient care and enhances all aspects of clinical practice. Dr. Fink is one of two Family Physicians who participates in and teaches intra-partum obstetrics on the Allen Hospital OB/GYN unit. She also serves as the Attending Physician on the Inpatient Family Medicine Services. Dr. Fink's "passionate dedication to improving the health and well-being of women and families is deeply inspiring". An "exceptional communicator and educator" Dr. Fink "fosters interaction and connection as a means of broadening knowledge and generating ideas to advance patient care interdisciplinary teamwork".

Keynote Speaker at Washington University School of Medicine

Matthew C. Spitzer, MD, president of the board of directors for Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders USA, was the keynote speaker at Washington University School of Medicine’s 2011 Commencement, St. Louis, Mo. Dr. Spitzer joined the Doctors Without Borders USA in 1999 and was elected president of the board in 2008. He has provided medical care in southwestern China, Sierra Leone, Cambodia and in New York City, and has also worked in war-torn Afghanistan.

CFCM Welcomes the 2011 First Year Residents

In June, CFCM welcomed the 2011 First Year Residents to the Family Medicine Program.  The six residents are (pictured below):  N. Anton Borja, DO, Mariana Khawand, MD, Allison Lynch, MD, Nicole Vera, MD, Crissaris Sarnelli, MD; and Daniel Neghassi, MD.

CFCM Hosts 12th Annual Residents Graduation Ceremony

The 2011 Residents Graduation Ceremony was held on Thursday, June 23, 2011.  This marked the 12th year of the Famly Medicine Residency Graduation Ceremony.  Those who graduated includes (pictured below): Drs. Ashwini Mathai, Esmerald Serrano,Timothy Day, Lama El-Zein, Ricardo Jimenez-Kimble and Erin Ferenchick .  Congratulations to all!!

CFCM Physicians Visit Haiti

Family physicians, Drs. Carmen Dominguez-Rafer and Ayesha Siddiqui went to Haiti with uncertainty and came back re-entergized and inspired by the international compassion and goodness they witnessed in the face of adversity and dire need.  They found themselves devising creative solutions that allowed them to do their medical work with limited resources and huge communciation barriers.  And they realized that their daily struggle with tragedy and their own personal difficulties were largely offset by the indefatigable hope and gratituted expressed by the Haitians they cared for.

                                      Drs. Dominguez-Rafer & Siddiqui in Haiti                                           Dr. Dominguez-Rafer in Haiti

"Haiti was such a mind boggling, physically and mentally challenging and heart wrenching, but fulfilling experience...I am still spinning from its memory although I am so glad to be back (in a Miami hotel)...it has brought back a lot of palpable feelings and the renewed belief in everyone's capability at unlimited humanity, camaraderie, solidarity and faith.  Many times I almost cried from both fear and joy and then felt renewal when another much less fortunate than myself quipped "merci"...We all should do this to remember why we are here in this world and how utterly, utterly fortunate we are!" - Dr. Carmen Dominguez-Rafer

Allan J. Formicola, DDS, MS Retires

  Dr. Allan Formicola was honored at a reception hosted by the College of Dental Medicine on June 8,

  2010. He is retiring after 32 years of service at the Center. Dr. Formicola is the founder of the Center 

  for Community Health Partnerships, which merged into the Center for Family and Community   

  Medicine. Dr. Formicola initiated the collaboration between Columbia University Medical Center, Alianza

  Dominicana, and Harlem Hospital Medical Center to establish the Northern Manhattan Community

  Voices Collaboration. 

  He currently directs or co-directs a number of national foundation projects dealing with oral health   

  disparities and a lack of access to dental care. He has authored and co-authored over 74

  journal and book chapters. His newest book, co-edited with Dr. Lourdes Hernandez-Cordero entitled,

  Mobilizing the Community For Better Health: What the Rest of America can Learn From Community

  Voices, will be released in the fall.

Robert Lewy, MD, MPH Retires

  Dr. Robert Lewy retired from Columbia University Medical Center after 35 years of service at Columbia

  University.  Dr.  Lewy was the Senior Associate Dean for Health Affairs, a position which he has held

  since 1998.  As Senior Associate Dean he was responsible for overseeing all health and safety

  programs including environmental health and safety, occupational health and safety, radiation safety

  andstudent health at the Columbia University Medical Center.

  Dr. Lewy was also an Associate Professor of Medicine and Public Health and served as Director of the

  Center for Continuing Medical Education and as Interim Director of the Center for Family and

  Community Medicine from 2007-2009.

  Previously, Dr. Lewy was the Senior Vice President of Medical Affairs at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital

  and as the only Family Physician at Presbyterian Hospital, was instrumental in developing Family

  Medicine at the Hospital and at Columbia University.  He is responsible for hiring many of the current Family Medicine faculty.

Dr. Lewy is establishing the Robert Lewy Family Medicine Scholarship Fund to provide opportunities in Family Medicine to medical students.  Additional information about the Fund and donations to the Fund can be made by contacting the Center for Family and Community Medicine at (212) 304-5214.

Student Based Medical and Dental Program

Columbia-Harlem Homeless Medical Partnership (CHHMP), a student based program who serves the homeless is doing great things.   You can also learn more about the CHHMP Program by watching the CHHMP Video or visit the website CHHMP Program.