The NYMC community buzzed with excitement and anticipation as the Class of 2023 celebrated their dedication to the health sciences and looked onward to the journey that lies ahead of them. Behind Sunshine Cottage, families, friends and faculty gathered to commemorate the SHSP graduates for their time at the College on May 24. With the beaming sun and rich greenery of the NYMC campus, the graduates glowed as they solidified their commitment to their professions in the health sciences. The ceremony—conferred 175 degrees to the SHSP Class of 2023, including 41 D.P.T. degrees; 31 M.S. degrees; 50 M.P.H. degrees; 7 Dr.P.H. degrees; and 46 CRT. Read the full article on the 164th commencement and view the photos, live stream and highlights video. 

The NYMC community rose to the occasion for the sixth annual Days of Giving on March 28 and 29 and raised $480,000 for student scholarships. The goodwill of 45 ambassadors and 327 gifts from 315 donors hailing from 27 states, along with matching gifts from a generous group of donors will impact the lives of students in the School of Medicine, School of Health Sciences and Practice and Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. “This year’s Days of Giving campaign was a tremendous fundraising success with increased participation from faculty, staff, alumni and students. The unprecedented number of student callers helped solidify our efforts as alumni happily chatted with young medical students and reminisced about their time at NYMC,” said Bess J. Chazhur, M.S., chief development officer and executive director of alumni relations. “We are deeply grateful to all those who participated in this special 48-hour campaign.” Donations for Days of Giving may still be made to support student scholarships.

D.P.T. students from the Class of 2025 reached a significant milestone in their educational journeys, donning their white coats for the first time at the White Coat Ceremony held in John W. Nevins, M.D. '44 Auditorium on April 18. In front of friends, family, faculty and SHSP leadership, the 49 students asserted their commitment to the field of physical therapy as they transition to the clinical side of the curriculum. Read the full story on the White Coat Ceremony.

On May 30, 2023, the Division of Physical Therapy in the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences at the SHSP welcomed the largest first-year class in program history to campus. The class of 2026 is comprised of 62 students, all pursuing their doctoral degree in physical therapy.

Over the next three years, the students can expect to engage in a curriculum geared towards not only treating people with injuries or disease, but also preventing or detecting movement-related problems at the earliest stages and promoting healthy lifestyles and work environment.

The SHSP has announced the creation of the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences which comprises of the Division of PT and Division of SLP. The new department will be led by Sambit Mohapatra, Ph.D., P.T., (center), chair and professor (nominated) of the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, who will begin on July 1. Janet Dolot, PT, D.P.T., Dr.P.H. '14, (right), has been named chief and associate professor in the Division of Physical Therapy in the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences. Vikas Grover, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, (left), has been named chief and associate professor in the Division of Speech-Language Pathology in the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences. Read the full story on the new department in SHSP.

Sambit Mohapatra, Ph.D., M.S., PT, has been named chair of the newly designed Department of Rehabilitation Sciences at NYMC SHSP. Dr. Mohapatra will be responsible for the oversight of the Divisions of Physical Therapy and Speech-Language Pathology. He joins NYMC after serving as an associate professor and interim program director of the Department of Rehabilitation and Movement Science at the University of Vermont (UVM). At UVM, he increased the number of submitted applications to the physical therapy program by 30 percent, while significantly reducing the total cost for a Doctor of Physical Therapy education. Read the full story about Dr. Mohapatra.

For the first time since 2019, the Department of Physical Therapy at NYMC hosted its annual doctoral project presentation day in person. Forty-two students, split into nine different groups, presented their research in various areas concerning the field of physical therapy, ranging from the impact of line dancing on cogitative function, to teaching cultural competence in the physical therapy curriculum. The keynote presentation was delivered by Victor Santamaria, Ph.D., PT, M.S., PCS, assistant professor of physical therapy. Read the full article on the Doctoral Project Presentation Day.

Alumni and members of the NYMC community gathered at two recent local events to learn about the great things happening at NYMC. Debra and Jonathan Gavras, M.D. '86, welcomed friends of NYMC for a brunch in their Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, home on March 5. Patricia White, M.D., a member of the Board of Advisors, and her husband, Daniel Flatley, hosted an intimate parlor event at their home in New Vernon, New Jersey, on March 22. The occasions were an opportunity to reconnect with NYMC alumni and friends and encourage communication and engagement with the College. 

The Family Health Center (FHC) at NYMC celebrated their third year on campus. The outpatient clinic, opened in October 2019, provides quality and affordable medical care staffed by board-certified family physician faculty. Led by Lori Weir Solomon, M.D. '99, M.P.H. '09, chair and clinical associate professor of‌ the Department of Family and Community Medicine and director of the FHC, the clinic serves patients from Westchester, New York City and the tri-state area and was a tremendous resource during the pandemic after just five months of operation. Read the full article on the FHC.

The NYMC community came together to support a student-led fundraiser and drive to provide relief for the victims of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria on February 6, that left more than 45,000 dead and two million homeless. More than $2,500 was collected and donations of bedding, winter clothes, non-perishable food items, medical supplies and more overflowed from boxes in the Blanche and Albert Willner, M.D. '43 Lobby. Read the full article on the earthquake relief efforts.

Police officers, EMTs and paramedics from throughout the Hudson Valley and New York City converged upon the CDM on March 22 to participate in the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians Tactical Emergency Casualty Care course. The 16-hour course teaches EMS practitioners and other pre-hospital providers how to respond to and care for patients in a civilian tactical environment such as active shooter, active threat and aggressive behavior incidents. 

The Center for Disaster Medicine hosted the Counter Narcotics and Terrorism Operational Medical Support (CONTOMS) EMT-Tactical (EMT-T) Course during the week of June 12. The course is a one-week, 56-hour continuing education module to meet the need for specialized medical training to support law enforcement special operations. The class comprised approximately 40 EMTs, paramedics, firefighters, law enforcement officers and physicians from all over the country. The topics covered included medical threat assessment, downed officer rescue, care under fire, special equipment and kits, toxic hazards and medical support of specific operations.

The NYMC and TU communities gathered for a melancholy observance of Yom Hashoah on May 4 in Nevins Auditorium. A moving presentation by Edward C. Halperin, M.D., M.A., (third from right), chancellor, chief executive officer, interim dean of the SOM, the Miriam Popack Chair of Biomedical Ethics and the Holocaust, director of the Hirth and Samowitz Center for Medical Humanities and Holocaust Studies and provost for biomedical affairs at TU, explored the story of the “Dachau Ashes.” Read the full article on Yom Hashoah and view the video.

NYMC and TU presented, “Ninety Minutes: The Medical Magazine of the Web,” on May 11, featuring a panel of faculty experts who discussed trending medical topics. The event, hosted by Edward C. Halperin, M.D., M.A., chancellor and chief executive officer of NYMC, was followed by a question-and-answer session. Karen M. Murray, M.D. '99, FACOG, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology and SOM associate dean for admissions, centered her segment on the medical management of menopause; Marisa A. Montecalvo, M.D., professor of medicine and medical director of health services, presented a panel on the next steps for the COVID-19 vaccine and boosters; Michael Goldberg, M.D., clinical associate professor of medicine, discussed vitamin D deficiency in adults; and Amy Brown, M.D., M.Be. FAAP, assistant professor of pediatrics and adjunct associate professor of public health, focused on testing water supply for contamination. View the “Ninety Minutes: The Medical Magazine of the Web” webinar.

The saying “experience is the best teacher,” rings true for Samantha Walker, M.S., SLP '19, in the SHSP. She uses her experience as the foundation on which she has built a brand with more than 52,000 Instagram followers. Inspired by her own journey of becoming a speech-language pathologist, Walker created Speaking of Samantics, a platform dedicated to helping members of the SLP community. From the application process, to finding a job after graduation and everything in between, Walker shares stories about the highs and lows speech-language pathologists encounter throughout their educational and professional endeavors. Read the full story on Walker.

Sari Koppel, SLP '23, in the SHSP, is the personification of the intersection between art and science. She’s a singer, actor, and now, a speech-language pathologist. The Ithaca-native started singing lessons at eight years old and continues to sing 20 years later – getting the chance to perform with a live orchestra of more than 60 instrumentalists and to audiences of thousands. She most recently sang the national anthem at the SHSP commencement Ceremony on May 24. Read the full story on Koppel and her career in the arts and sciences.

Jena Schoenherr, D.P.T. '23, was the SHSP student speaker at the 164^th commencement ceremony on May 24. Charmed by NYMC the first day she arrived on campus, Schoenherr dreams of being a pediatric physical therapist. Read the full story on Schoenherr.

We would love to share your most recent news and accomplishments in our next issue of Chironian. If you have any accomplishments or developments, published a book, or have any family news to share we would love to hear from you. 

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The History of New York Medical College highlights the College's rich history of excellence and diversity in medical education and heritage as one of the oldest and largest private health sciences institutions in the United States.

These stunning pages take the reader on a journey through time - beginning with the College's founding in 1860 through 2017.

If you are interested in purchasing The History of New York Medical College, please contact the Office of Development and Alumni Relation at development@nymc.edu.

We are excited to invite you to join NYMC Connect, the interactive online platform that provides opportunities for direct communication between NYMC alumni, students, faculty and staff who wish to engage in the exchange of advice, career counseling, professional guidance, volunteerism and so much more. 1,500+ members of the NYMC community have already registered - join today!