Issue link: http://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/872903
Viewpoint If you're like me, it doesn't matter how old you get—the fall season always feels like "back to school" time. Although my days of attending classes may be in the past, I'm lucky that, throughout my career, I've been able to stay connected with education through affiliation with academic medical centers. NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital has been a teaching hospital since its founding over 135 years ago. In fact, the first president of our medical staff, Lewis S. Pilcher, M.D., was a pioneering surgeon of his day and the founding editor of Annals of Surgery, still the preeminent journal in its field. Although this message will reach you in the autumn months, I am writing it in July. A new class of resident physicians—recent medical school graduates— has just joined us. Under the supervision of our attending physicians, they will care for thousands of patients during the next few years, until they graduate from their residency programs and begin careers as highly trained physicians. We are extremely proud of the fact that we currently have over 250 residents, representing nine medical specialties, and about 50 clinical fellows, representing seven advanced subspecialties, who are working with and learning from our attending medical staff. As a teaching hospital, NYP Brooklyn Methodist is able to make an important contribution to society; the doctors we train will bring their medical expertise to the neighborhoods of Brooklyn, the communities of New York, and towns and cities throughout the nation. Our research and teaching program also provides advantages to us as an institution: the connection with Weill Cornell Medical College has given us the opportunity to add more attending physicians with clinical teaching appointments at the College to our excellent medical staff, and this, in turn, means that we can attract excellent new graduates who are eager to care for patients under their direction. Most important, though, are the benefits that accrue to our patients. Because of our robust graduate medical education programs, our doctors are able to offer patients the most advanced techniques and treatments—including access to clinical trials. Putting patients first means ensuring that we are able to offer patients the very best options for care—and our status as a teaching hospital makes that possible. Sincerely, Richard S. Liebowitz, M.D. President www.nyp.org/brooklyn www.facebook.com/NYPBrooklyn AS A TEACHING HOSPITAL, NYP BROOKLYN METHODIST IS ABLE TO MAKE AN IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION TO SOCIET Y; THE DOCTORS WE TRAIN WILL BRING THEIR MEDICAL EXPERTISE TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF BROOKLYN, THE COMMUNITIES OF NEW YORK, AND TOWNS AND CITIES THROUGHOUT THE NATION. FA L L 2 017/ / W W W.N Y P.O RG / BRO OKLY N 4 M E S S A G E F R O M T H E P R E S I D E N T