Teaching Doctors in Ethiopia

Mar 19, 2018 | Community

Jerome D. Waye, MD, third from left; Berhane Redae, MD, Vice Provost of St. Paul’s Millennium Medical School, in white coat; Hailemichael Desalegn, MD, Director of Gastroenterology, far right; and fellows.

Jerome D. Waye, MD, Professor of Medicine (Gastroenterology) at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, recently traveled to St. Paul’s Millennium Medical School in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with three colleagues from Canada, Italy, and Norway, where they taught local physicians the latest techniques of upper and lower endoscopy. This was the first live endoscopy teaching project in Ethiopia. The mission was sponsored by the nonprofit World Endoscopy Organization, which promotes high standards and quality in endoscopy, as well as access to the procedures in underserved parts of the world. During the mission, all of the procedures went well, and there were no complications, according to Dr. Waye.

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Fun and Facts at the Patient Safety Fair

Mar 19, 2018 | Community

At the event, Polina Lerner, PharmD, left, and Kendra Yum, PharmD, discussed with employees safe practices in dispensing medication.

Employees received popcorn, cotton candy, and safety tips at the three-day Patient Safety Fair in early March. Held in the Guggenheim Pavilion, the fair was organized by the Department of Risk Management and Patient Safety. Employees visited information stations on subjects that included pharmacy procedures, infection prevention, patient services, and the Great Catch Program, which recognizes staff members whose vigilance has prevented an adverse event. Great Catch winners were honored with a “Wall of Fame” at the fair. Organizers also raffled prizes to employees who visited each patient safety station. “During this fair, we celebrate our achievements and engage employees in fun activities that teach about patient safety issues and initiatives in our hospital,” said Tessa T. Callender, MBA, MPH, BSN, RN, Associate Director, Patient Safety. “Every day is patient safety day at The Mount Sinai Hospital.”

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“Art in the Heart” at Mount Sinai St. Luke’s

Updated on Nov 14, 2025 | Cardiology, Community, Engagement

Paintings by Harlem artists are brightening the walls of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory at Mount Sinai St. Luke’s in a new exhibit called “Art in the Heart.”

The display, which was unveiled at a reception on Thursday, February 15. It features eleven vibrant paintings by three artists: Whitney Bilotta, Tiffany B. Chanel, and Ria Nicole.

The Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory intends to display a regular rotation of local artists’ work with themes of the heart, love, and healing.

“At Mount Sinai Heart we are concerned with the health and healing of the whole person,” says Beth Oliver, DNP, RN, Senior Vice President of Cardiac Services for the Mount Sinai Health System. “Visual artwork in the hospital setting has been shown to reduce stress and pain, and facilitate healing. We are delighted to have the work of community artists on display in our Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory.”

Above, two paintings by Ria Nicole, and a painting by Whitney Bilotta.
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Commencement for Phillips School of Nursing

Mar 19, 2018 | Community, School

Azaria Belfon, RN, left, and Alexandra Jean-Toussaint, RN, celebrated at the Phillips School of Nursing Commencement.

Before hundreds of family members and friends, the Phillips School of Nursing (PSON) at Mount Sinai Beth Israel graduated 41 new nurses who received an Associate’s Degree in nursing and conferred a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree to 11 registered nurses. The Commencement was the first to include graduates of PSON’s 15-month accelerated associate’s degree program. It was held on Sunday, January 14, at Stern Auditorium at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

Janet A. Green and Ruth Nerken, Co-Chairs of the Board of PSON, presided over the ceremony. Graduates received their diplomas from Ms. Green and her brother Douglas Green, grandchildren of Seymour J. Phillips, who was a Beth Israel Trustee from 1939 until his death in 1987. Their mother, Carol Green, a PSON Trustee, spoke fondly of her father’s love for the nursing school, giving graduates a glimpse of why it is named in his honor. The graduates, faculty, and staff were also welcomed by Todd F. Ambrosia, DNP, MSN, FNAP, Dean of the Phillips School of Nursing; and Jeremy Boal, MD, President of Mount Sinai Downtown, and Executive Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer of the Mount Sinai Health System.

Twelve students were inducted into the Honor Society, which was founded in 2012. Those students successfully achieved a grade point average of 3.7 or higher. Valedictorians were Nhung Khuu, RN, BSN, for the bachelor’s degree program, and Christina Kim, RN, for the associate’s degree program. The Commencement address was given by Vivian Lien, RN, BSN, PSON Class of 2015. Ms. Lien recalled her first patient encounter as a nursing student, when she helped a frail woman shower and brush her teeth. Ms. Lien recounted the patient’s thank you, calling it a lasting lesson on how to be a good nurse: “You are helping me and caring for me from your heart—and that’s all that matters. Remember that.”

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A Generous Gift to Advance Care for Children with Cancer and Blood Disease

Mar 18, 2018 | Community, Featured, Pediatrics

From left: Alan Feldman, Chairman, and Mark Zeller, Co-President and Treasurer, The Jack Martin Fund; Kenneth L. Davis, MD; Chris Mongeluzo, Co-President, The Jack Martin Fund; Lisa M. Satlin, MD; David L. Reich, MD, President and Chief Operating Officer, The Mount Sinai Hospital; and Birte Wistinghausen, MD, Medical Director of the Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology.

The Jack Martin Fund, a nonprofit organization that has partnered with Mount Sinai Health System for 68 years, has provided a gift to open a new pediatric cancer inpatient unit at Kravis Children’s Hospital at Mount Sinai. The benefactors, along with Mount Sinai Health System leaders, celebrated the launch of The Jack Martin Fund Inpatient Unit for Children’s Cancer and Blood Disease at a recent ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The 5,300-square-foot unit features eight private beds, including two isolation rooms with negative air pressure to protect immune-compromised children from infection, as well as a family lounge, a kitchen, and a playroom for younger children.

“This extraordinarily generous gift represents a critical step toward Mount Sinai’s goal of transforming children’s health care,” said Kenneth L. Davis, MD, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Mount Sinai Health System. “Through our alliance with Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the co-managed Children’s Cancer Program, we have expanded our pool of nationally recognized experts and are increasing the scope of clinical services to provide the most advanced care for children with cancer and blood disease.”

In 1988, the Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology was named for Jack Martin, a business executive who died of polio in 1950 after being cared for at Mount Sinai. The Jack Martin Fund was established by his family to honor his memory.

“The Jack Martin Fund Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, led by new Chief Steven J. Burakoff, MD, provides exceptional care to children with cancer and blood disease, while conducting innovative research to advance our understanding and treatment of these disorders,” said Lisa Satlin, MD, Chair of Pediatrics for the Mount Sinai Health System. Dr. Burakoff also continues as Dean for Cancer Innovation at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and the Lillian and Henry M. Stratton Professor of Cancer Medicine as he takes on this new role. Added Dr. Satlin: “This new inpatient unit reflects our commitment to caring for children and families in a warm, nurturing environment.”

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