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As the Fall semester draws to a close and we approach the holiday season, I want to express my deep appreciation for the extraordinary dedication of our students, faculty, and staff. Your collective commitment continues to drive innovation and excellence across our educational programs.
This season, our focus remains on engaging learners by listening carefully to feedback and turning it into meaningful action. We’ve streamlined coordination for student events, launched a refreshed and navigable medical education website, introduced new AI-based learning tools, refined assessments to better align with national board standards, and even secured student food discounts at affiliate sites.
The stories throughout this newsletter highlight the remarkable ways our community is advancing medical education together. I hope they leave you as inspired as I am about what we’ve accomplished, and what lies ahead.
Warm wishes for a joyful holiday season.
- Dr. Joseph Safdieh, Senior Associate Dean for Education
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Congratulations to Dr. MacKenzi Preston who was awarded the Brause Family Award for Medical Education, Research and Patient Care for her project, “Leveraging Large Language Models to
Enhance OSCE Feedback and Competency Tracking.”
| | Welcome Aboard New Faculty Leaders | | |
Dr. Rohit Chandwani Associate Professor of Surgery and AOC Pathway Advisor
"As someone who was a medical student but became passionate about research, I am excited to mentor students as they explore and develop their academic interests.”
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Dr. Brian Wiener Assistant Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine and EM Sub-I Director
“I’m excited to create a supportive and engaging learning environment where students can grow in confidence, clinical reasoning, and passion for emergency medicine.”
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Dr. Philip Katz Assistant Dean for Medical Student Research
"I’m excited to work with medical education leadership to bring medical student research and the area of concentration program under one unified office. I look forward to continuing and enhancing the successes of these two programs."
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Please join us in acknowledging a variety of students’ recent achievements:
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Kellen Vu won 2nd place in the 2025 AOA Pharos Poetry contest.
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Rana Barghout won the 2025 Building Trust Essay contest sponsored by the American Board of Internal Medicine.
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Ashwin Mahesh won the 2025 Excellence in Public Health Award from the U.S. Public Health service Physician Professional Advisory Committee.
Additionally, Ian Dinmore, Andrew Kuzemczak, Sonal Swain, and Hiba Shaqra participated in the RISE leadership program in Washington D.C.
Heart to Heart
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The H2H free health screening program expanded activities bringing “the clinic to the community” in 12 NYC neighborhoods so far. H2H is staffed by faculty, staff and students from CTSC partners. 42% of H2H participants are uninsured or under-insured (22% uninsured, 20% Medicaid only). 17% live below the poverty line, and at least 69% earn less than a living wage for NYC. Newly identified cases of chronic illness experienced by the 583 participants served include 47 new cases of pre-diabetes/diabetes, 68 new cases of hypertension, and 38 new cases of hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol).
There was a large turnout of M.D. and PA students from WCM, along with nursing and undergrad students from Hunter College, at the Third Avenue Fair back in September.
Weill-Rounded
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Dr. Dana Gurvitch has been working with M2s who participated in the RISE program for a personal development series for M1s that piloted in October.
Weill-Rounded encourages self-reflection aligned with purposeful action, helping students stay connected to their deeper calling in medicine by pursuing personally meaningful goals, defining and striving for fulfillment in medical school, and preparing a strong narrative for residency and beyond.
Coffee Hour
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Coffee hour brought our medical and graduate students back together for a moment of decompression over coffee and other snacks.
Student Activities Fair
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In September, Student Affairs put together an event for M1s to discuss which MSEC groups are available for them to join (i.e., interest groups, community service, patient-facing, recreational, pathway programs). Over 100 students attended, including graduate students.
Venipuncture/IM Injections Clinical Skills Session
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As part of M2s transition to clerkships, students had the opportunity to learn and practice venipuncture and intramuscular injections on each other with instruction from faculty from the department of anesthesia. A happy learning experience was had by all and no one passed out!
Inaugural Alumni Giving Society Reception
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On November 3, WCM hosted the inaugural Alumni Giving Society reception, celebrating the loyalty and leadership of WCM's most generous and supportive alumni. Following a welcome from Dr. Edwin Su (M.D. ’97), Vice President of the Alumni Association and Chair of its Fundraising Committee, Dean Robert A. Harrington moderated a panel featuring students Anisah Alladeen, Kwadwo Amoako-Boadu, and Molly Monge, who shared their perspectives on the impact of alumni philanthropy on their medical education. The event concluded with a celebratory toast led by Dr. Anthony Rossi (M.D. ’08), President of the Alumni Association.
Belonging Mixer
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This event was an opportunity for our first-year medical and graduate students to meet other students from all years across the schools.
Blood Drive and Be the Match
| On November 18, the Community Service Representatives for the M1 and M2 class organized a blood drive, in partnership with the New York Blood Center and the National Marrow Donor Program, at Olin Hall Gym. Thanks to all who came out and donated as well as the students who helped set up a registration table for the national stem cell and bone marrow registry. | | |
"My first few months at Weill Cornell have exceeded all expectations. The immersive curriculum, engaging faculty, and incredible students have made it an unforgettable start to my medical journey. Surrounded by such amazing people and learning opportunities, I feel constantly motivated to grow both personally and professionally."
— Katie Hannon M1
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"One of my favorite parts of attending school here is how involved faculty are with students and I think little moments really add up to create a welcoming and supportive learning environment."
— Robert Novo M2
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“WCMC has been nothing short of a dream come true and I’m still so amazed by how many great opportunities I’ve already had in my short time here.”
— Fatinah Albeez M1
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"Reflecting on the last 4 years, I really feel so lucky to go to medical school at WCM and to be a part of this community. Our community is so incredibly special in every way and I’m very grateful to have made lifelong friendships here and to have the chance to tackle important issues in healthcare with the best mentors.”
— Ashwin Mahesh M4
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“Studying at WCMC has been incredible so far! The faculty are engaging and enthusiastic in lectures and small groups. Attending physicians make early clinical exposure accessible. I have already had the opportunity to shadow in many specialties, something I did not expect to be so easy as a first-year student.”
— Lily Woolf M1
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“I could never have envisioned the level of access to education and clinical experiences I would have already experienced in a few short months as an M1. At Weill Cornell, we have every door open for us, learning from researchers and clinicians that are spearheading the field of science and medicine. The genuine passion and excitement that radiates from my mentors and peers is contagious, and I cannot wait to continue this journey at an institution that is carefully designed to craft us into compassionate physicians and hungry learners."
— Jennifer Weiss M1
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Med Ed Grand Rounds
In September, we launched the Medical Education Grand Rounds—so far, we’ve heard from three dynamic speakers, including:
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Dr. Rita Charon, Columbia University: “Powering up the Medical Humanities: What Health Care Cannot Do Without Us"
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Dr. Calvin Chou, University of California, San Francisco: “The ART and Science of Feedback in Clinical Education"
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Dr. Jennifer Swails, Emory University School of Medicine: “Beyond the Quick Fix: Designing Sustainable Solutions for the Match"
| | View the recordings of our Grand Rounds here and register for our December Grand Rounds here. | |
WCM EDgeGrant Awardees
Congratulations to the following faculty members who were awarded a WCM EDgeGrant, which supports high-impact educational scholarship across the continuum of medical education.
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Dr. Anita Ganti: “Implementation of an Obesity Medicine Curriculum for Resident Physicians to Address the Influence of Weight Stigma and Bias”
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Dr. Christine Garcia: “The EMERGE Program: Empowering Mentorship and Excellence in Research through Grantsmanship Education”
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Dr. Duncan Hau: "Using AI-Powered Virtual Patient Simulations to Teach Cross-Cultural and Ethical Decision-Making in Global Health Education”
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Dr. Janine Katzen: "Art as a Prompt for Understanding Practice"
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Dr. Christopher Reisig: “A National Telehealth Curriculum for Emergency Medicine Graduate Education”
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M1 Meeting with Dean Harringtonr
Dean Harrington welcomed our M.D. class of 2029 and answered various questions our students had.
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CMEG Meeting
The Central Medical Education Leadership team had a meeting in September in which each office (Student Affairs, Curriculum, etc.) provided their respective updates on various initiatives.
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Qatar Visit
Dr. Safdieh visited WCM-Qatar to teach neuroscience and also met with medical education faculty and curriculum leaders to share his vision for medical education and expand our collaboration with WCMQ.
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AAMC Meeting
Medical Education deans and staff members attended this year’s Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Learn Serve Lead meeting, which featured various talks on topics such as AI in medical education, accreditation, nutrition in medicine, erosion of public trust in science and more.
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AOC Fair
First-year students explored dozens of potential areas of concentration, met faculty mentors, and learned about the incredible range of projects available across the institution.
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Early Career Advisors Gather for Pizza and Conversation
Drs. Kaushal Shah and Juliet Aizer, Co-Directors of the Early Career Advisor Program, host a social get-together for Early Career Advisors each semester. On November 19, the group met at a local pizza spot for good food and great conversation—with a twist. Advisors engaged in a lively discussion of TALK by Alison Wood Brooks, a book that explores the art of meaningful conversation. The topic was especially fitting for their roles as mentors and advisors.
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Foundational Curriculum Updates:
During the Essential Principles of Medicine course, the M1 students have been piloting the use of HiTA AI Teaching and Learning Platform. HiTA allows students to interact with instructor-selected course resources using a virtual assistant. The learning platform can generate study guides and self-assessment questions based on course materials and answer specific questions about lecture content. Student feedback has been extremely positive.
A new AOC Pathway in Environmental Sustainability in Healthcare, led by Drs. Deirdre C. Kelleher and Arnab K Ghosh, has been created. This new AOC will allow students to broaden their understanding of how the changing climate is impacting human health and disease, as well as the ways in which the clinical care impacts environmental health and contributes to the growing climate crisis.
Exciting New Initiatives:
Curriculum Retreat
On September 29, we held our first, in person curriculum retreat focusing on integration between the foundation and clinical curricula. We had representation from all Phase 1 and Phase 2 leadership, as well as four medical student representatives. We came up with some great ideas to operationalize in the coming year.
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MedEdAI@WCM Taskforce
This is a multidisciplinary taskforce with AI innovators from WCM, WCM-Qatar, Cornell Tech, and ITS, along with students. Our goal is to identify curricular opportunities, facilitate student research, and support faculty development in this area. We had our kick-off meeting of this task force this fall, and more meetings of the taskforce are planned in the upcoming months.
Collaborative WCM-Vet School Elective
We are developing a new elective opportunity for students that is a collaboration between the Vet School at Cornell University and the medical school. Medical students who participate will spend time at Ithaca, covering curricula that spans both medical and veterinary students including communication skills and procedural anatomy. More to come in the coming months!
Policies and Guidelines
Digital Professionalism Guidelines: this was introduced this year for faculty and students that is in line with existing Cornell policies. This forms the guidance for the responsible use of AI by students and faculty for education purposes.
Informed Consent for Sensitive Exams for Training and Education Purposes: This new NYP policy was developed in conjunction with WCM and CUIMC education deans and clinical department chairs. Students examining patients for any purpose should always receive document verbal consent, but this new policy formalizes the requirement to obtain and document consent when sensitive exams are to be performed on anesthetized patients for training and education.
Other Updates:
Student Discounts at NYP-Queens and NYP-Brooklyn Methodist hospital cafeterias: Dr. Joshua Weaver, Assistant Dean of Student Wellbeing and Engagement, has been instrumental in formalizing the previously ad-hoc 50% discount provided to WCM medical students at the BMH cafeteria as well as the new 10% discount for WCM students at NYP-Queens. This amounts to an enormous donation from NYP towards the wellbeing of our student body. Thank you, Dr. Weaver!
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Congratulations to the M.D. Class 2026 Inductees into the WCM Chapter of the Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Honor Medical Society! Guided by the AOA bylaws and a rigorous institutional review, students are chosen based on a holistic set of qualities: distinguished academic performance, leadership ability, service to the institution and community, professionalism, and attributes that signal exceptional promise in the field of medicine.
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Congrats to our AOA Student Executive Board!
Congratulations to Medical Education staff members Thomas Nesdill and Emily Romanov who were nominated for a WCM President's Award for Employee Excellence!
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See below for advanced Degree Programs that are available to Weill Cornell Medical Students:
Students typically take a one-year leave of absence from the medical school curriculum between the 3rd and 4th year of medical school to pursue one of above advanced degrees.
If you're considering this as an option, please reach out to either Dr. Kaushal Shah (Assistant Dean of Academic Advising) or Dr. Salvatore Cilmi (Associate Dean of Academic Affairs). If you ultimately decide to take a leave of absence, you will need to meet with Dr. Cilmi for official approval.
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Carolyn Waite, 2022 alumna, was honored with the New York State Society of Physician Associates (NYSSPA) Kenneth Whitney PA Memorial Scholarship.
Carolyn (“Cally”) Waite earned her Master of Science in Health Sciences for Physician Assistants at Weill Cornell in 2022. She currently practices in the Department of Liver Transplantation, Hepatobiliary, and Pancreatic Surgery at Weill Cornell Medicine, where she serves as a first assist in robotic and minimally invasive surgeries.
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PA Day October 6th
WCM PA Program celebrated PA Day on October 6th alongside Dr. Safdieh, recognizing and honoring the contributions of PAs to the health care system, as well as raising awareness about the vital role they play in delivering quality patient care.
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PA Program Today Show Participation October 10
Students and faculty from the PA program attended the TODAY Show as part of the annual “PAs on the Plaza” event! The American Academy of Physician Associates organizes this special gathering to bring together PAs and PA students from across the country to celebrate National PA Week and raise awareness about the vital role PAs play in healthcare.
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Matt Laghezza: PA of the Year
The PA of the Year award at WCM honors a PA who has made outstanding contributions to the medical field, education, and community through exemplary clinical practice, leadership, and advocacy. This recognition is awarded to an individual who demonstrates exceptional commitment to patient care while also dedicating time to teaching and mentoring the next generation of healthcare professionals.
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PA faculty Present at the Annual NYSSPA Conference
This year, Associate Dean of PA Studies and Program Director, Dr. Kelly E. Ragusa Porta, and Associate Program Director, Dr. Christine Zammit, presented at the NYSSPA Annual Conference, an event hosted by the New York State Society of Physician Associates that brings together practicing PAs, PA students, educators, and healthcare leaders from across the state.
During the conference, Drs. Porta and Zammit shared their clinical expertise presenting Pediatric Critical Care Pearls for the Non-PICU Provider.
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PA Students Participation in NYSSPA Challenge Bowl
Christine Rosa, Chewon Lee, and Cindy Cheng (team “Red Reflexes”) represented WCM PA Program in the NYSSPA Challenge Bowl at the annual NYSSPA Conference. The Challenge Bowl is a fast-paced, quiz-style competition held during the NYSSPA annual conference; The Challenge Bowl allows PA students to represent their programs, showcase their medical knowledge, and school pride. The WCM team made it to the semi-finals with only three other PA programs in NY State. A special thanks to Veerali Patel, Lauren Miszkiewicz, and Elisabeth Lee (alternates) who participated in the conference as well as PA faculty, Bill Ameres and Lisa Doron, who helped prepare the Challenge Bowl team. Excellent job!
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PA Program Honored with the President’s Commendation Award
The PA Program was honored with the President’s Commendation Award at the annual NYSSPA Conference for 50 years of exemplary education and leadership in the PA profession.
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Medical Student Research Day
An annual tradition, our medical students presented their research projects in Belfer. Student research is a significant strength of ours at WCM and we are very proud of the work. Thank you to the faculty mentors and judges, and congratulations to the winners of the top abstracts, Alex Cheng, Disha Trivedi, and Rita Ohan.
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Helena Ma
Education Events Coordinator
"I scratch the creative itch by making cakes for family events!”
| | Important Dates/Deadlines | | |
Wednesday, Dec. 10 | Introduction to Clerkships (2) - Grading and Evaluation, Class 2028 (M2)
10:25-11:30am, A-250 | | |
Contact Lindsay Capozzi at lca4007@med.cornell.edu to highlight your awards, events, updates, etc. in the
next Med Ed Newsletter.
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