The School of Health Sciences and Practice's (SHSP) public health program recently earned the maximum term of accreditation--seven years--by the Council for Education on Public Health (CEPH). With the delivery of a final interim report in May 2016, the SHSP public health program is accredited through July 1, 2022. The national accreditation process is intensely rigorous to ensure that schools and programs of public health are effectively preparing their students for impactful careers in the field and that they are all guided by the same broad mission of public health -- defined by CEPH in 1978 as "enhancing health in human populations, through organized community effort." Read more...

Robert C. Seeger, M.D., center, professor, Department of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine of USC; section head for research, Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Blood and Marrow Transplantation Center for Cancer and Blood Diseases, Children's Hospital Los Angeles; and director, Cancer Research Program, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Saban Research Institute; delivered the 16th Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation (PCRF) Memorial Lectureship on July 14 in Nevins Auditorium. Dr. Seeger presented, "Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy -- the Yin and Yang of the Neuroblastoma Microenvironment." The Memorial Lectureship was established to honor the memory of children who have succumbed to cancer. Mitchell S. Cairo, M.D., left, professor of pediatrics, medicine, pathology, microbiology and immunology and cell biology at the College and chief of pediatric hematology, oncology and stem cell transplantation at Maria Fareri Children's Hospital at Westchester Medical Center, and PCRF President Jeffrey A. Dankberg, right, presented Dr. Seeger with a plaque. Read more...

High school students from Ossining and Port Chester got a glimpse of careers in health care when they visited NYMC on July 1 as part of the Open Door Family Medical Centers summer program. Their morning on campus included a tour and discussion on the history of medicine with Chancellor Edward C. Halperin, M.D., M.A., left. Robin Camhi-Baum, M.S., assistant dean of admissions, School of Medicine, gave them pointers on applying to medical school, while Robert W. Amler, M.D., M.B.A., dean of the School of Health Sciences and Practice and vice president for government affairs, inspired them with opportunities in the public health field.  The students also learned about careers in speech-language pathology from Kathleen Franklin, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, chair and associate professor of clinical speech-language pathology, and physical therapy from Susan Ronan, P.T., D.P.T., assistant professor of clinical physical therapy, along with physical therapy students. Padmini Murthy, M.D., M.P.H., M.S., M.Phil., CHES, associate professor of public health practice, health policy and management, clinical assistant professor of family and community medicine and global health program director, coached the students on global health issues and opportunities.

Lawrence Shapiro, M.D., who retired in 2013 after a long and distinguished career serving NYMC and the medical community for more than 40 years, has been named professor emeritus of pediatrics. An early pioneer in medical genetics and an outstanding educator and role model, Dr. Shapiro's career was known for his teaching excellence, clinical prowess and exceptional leadership skills.

Dr. Shapiro graduated from New York University School of Medicine and joined the NYMC faculty in 1975 and held appointments in pediatrics and pathology. He established and directed the NYMC medical genetics program and was the founding director of the Regional Medical Genetics Center.

The author or co-author of more than 70 peer-reviewed journal articles, Dr. Shapiro was one of the original authorities on Fragile X Syndrome. He was a founding fellow of the American College of Medical Genetics and served on the board of directors on the New York State Genetic Task Force, serving as president from 1994 to 1995.