MDNews - Long Island

PEOPLE IN THE NEWS John Boockvar, MD, the Vice Chair of Neurosurgery and Director of the Brain Tumor Center at Lenox Hill Hospital, will assume two new leadership roles at the Northwell Health Cancer Institute — Director of Experimental Research and Head of Research for the Western Region. Dr. Boockvar's surgical expertise in brain tumors and skull base and endoscopic pituitary surgery, coupled with his extensive research portfolio, provide a strong foundation for the important work of advancing the health system's clinical and research oncological goals. After receiving his bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Boockvar received his medical degree from SUNY Downstate Medical School, where he graduated as a valedictorian. He completed his internship and went on to become the chief resident at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. He also received a post doctorate degree in brain tumor and stem cell biology. The Pain Institute of Long Island is pleased to welcome Olga Komargodski, MD, and Jerry Thomas, DO, to the Pain Institute of Long Island family. Dr. Komargodski was born in Ukraine. She obtained her Bachelor of Medical Sciences from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Israel, where she also received her Doctor of Medicine. In addition, she earned a public health and healthcare management degree from Bar Ilan University in Israel. After a year in internal medicine at SUNY Stony Brook, Dr. Komargodski completed a residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation. She was named Chief Resident of Research and Quality Improvement, Stony Brook PM&R. During her course of study, she received many awards and accolades, which she followed up with a fellowship in pain medicine at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. Dr. Komargodski is fluent in three languages and is a published author, including peer-reviewed publications, and has presented at several national conferences on pain medicine, physiatry, and rehabilitation and physical medicine. Jerry Thomas, DO, is a board- certified physician who specializes in interventional pain management. He is a native New Yorker who knew from an early age that he wanted to become a physician, completing his degree through a seven-year accelerated BS/DO program at New York College of Osteopathic Medicine, graduating in the top 5% of his class. He then went on to complete a medicine and surgical transitional internship year through Northwell Health, Plainview Hospital, where he was awarded Intern of the Year. He subsequently completed his residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital under both the College of Physicians & Surgeons of Columbia University and Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City. He had additional extensive training with sports medicine specialists at the Hospital for Special Surgery and with cancer pain specialists at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Dr. Thomas decided to pursue further training to advance his skill set where he completed an accredited ACGME fellowship in interventional pain medicine through the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. He has been a member of several professional membership societies and continues to lecture in the academic and community settings to both residents and patients alike. Catholic Health's St. Charles Hospital is pleased to announce that its Chief Nursing Officer, Nicolette Fiore-Lopez, PhD, RN, CENP, has been selected to be a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing. Induction into the Academy is a significant milestone in a nurse leader's career in which their accomplishments are honored by their colleagues within and outside the profession. Fellows are selected based on their contributions and impact to advance the public's health. Through a competitive, rigorous application process, the Academy's Fellow Selection Committee reviewed a record number of applications, representing a 30% increase from the previous year, to select the 2022 Fellows. Dr. Fiore-Lopez was one of 250 individuals selected to be inducted. The 2022 Fellows represent 35 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and 17 countries. As St. Charles' CNO, Dr. Fiore-Lopez serves as the clinical lead, directing a staff of nearly 1,000 nurses, social workers, counseling staff and other personnel. She ensures the provision of quality care to the community served with nationally recognized programs in acute care, inpatient rehabilitation and substance use disorder John Boockvar, MD Chief Nursing Officer Nicolette Fiore-Lopez, PhD, RN, CENP Jerry Thomas, DO Olga Komargodski, MD 1 8

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