Racing to Stop a Pandemic: The Critical Role of Clinical Trials

Updated on Apr 1, 2025 | COVID-19 Reflections, Featured, Research

A group photo of the COVID-19 Clinical Trial Unit, part of the Mount Sinai Infectious Diseases Clinical and Translational Research Center.

When the COVID-19 pandemic ramped up in New York City in March 2020, the disease was so novel there was no approved treatment for it.

“We saw people come to the hospital with COVID-19, and without specialized treatments, many died,” said Sean Liu, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Medicine (Infectious Diseases) at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. “I remember feeling helpless, and helplessness is probably the worst feeling that a doctor could experience, because people come to you for help but there is only so much you can do or give.”

With a dire need to discover treatments for patients, the Mount Sinai Infectious Diseases Clinical and Translational Research Center (CTRC) formed the COVID-19 Clinical Trial Unit (COVID CTU) in June 2020 to find ways to stop the disease.

“We already had experts beginning the effort, and with the support of Dennis S. Charney, MD, Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Dean of the Icahn School of Medicine, and under the leadership of Judith Aberg, MD, Director of the CTRC, we were able to form the COVID CTU and go all in to stop COVID-19,” said Dr. Liu, who was tapped as Medical Director of the research unit.

The COVID CTU conducted interventional studies in all aspects of tackling COVID-19, including several drugs that were ultimately approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These include Regeneron’s monoclonal antibody therapies, Gilead Sciences’ remdesivir, and two COVID-19 vaccines.

Judith Aberg, MD, Director of the Mount Sinai Infectious Diseases Clinical and Translational Research Center (left) and Sean Liu, MD, PhD, Medical Director of the COVID-19 Clinical Trials Unit (right).

In this Q&A, Dr. Liu and Dr. Aberg share their experience of how the COVID CTU worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic, and where it is headed in the future.

How did the COVID CTU come to be formed?

Dr. Aberg: We were able to build upon the infrastructure that was created for HIV clinical trials, along with the support of many, to immediately start two different drug trials for COVID-19. One drug aimed at the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the other was a potent anti-inflammatory. And I must say, our prompt efforts paid off. We were able to give remdesivir, an antiviral drug, via a compassionate use application on March 9—within two days of the admission of our first patient at Mount Sinai West.

Dr. Liu: When the pandemic first hit, I was working as a hospitalist—someone who cares for admitted patients—at Mount Sinai Queens, and Dr. Aberg asked me to help with clinical trials at The Mount Sinai Hospital.

As pharmaceutical companies started developing more candidates for COVID-19 treatment, the team working on the initial studies started taking on more studies, supported by the CTRC, the Infectious Diseases Division, and the Medicine Clinical Trials Office at the Icahn School of Medicine. When we realized we sorely needed to expand and formalize a team for COVID-19-related trials, Dean Charney provided seed funding, and during the summer of 2020, we were able to hire more staff needed to run the trials.

How big was the COVID CTU then, and how has it grown since?

Dr. Liu: It started with 11 people, including six from the CTRC. By 2021, we had 25 staff.

What was it like fielding a clinical trials team during the pandemic?

Dr. Liu: Dr. Aberg already had a research unit working with HIV before the pandemic, and we pooled together a staff of clinical researchers, project managers, research nurses, coordinators, and regulatory staff. It was incredible seeing so many people come together quickly to tackle one of the biggest challenges we’ve faced in health care.

In addition to assessing the effectiveness of industry-developed treatments, the unit became a translational springboard where basic science researchers could come to us with their ideas, and we could help apply them in a phase 1 study, creating a bridge between preclinical and in-human studies.

What were some of the COVID-19 trials done at Mount Sinai?

Drs. Aberg and Liu recall some of the studies done by the COVID CTU:

  • Remdesivir: The antiviral drug is currently approved by the FDA to treat patients hospitalized for COVID-19. We initially opened trials for this drug via an emergency investigational new drug application at seven hospitals. In less than a month, we opened the Gilead-sponsored studies at four hospitals.
  • Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs): We were involved in Regeneron’s mAb studies in many different settings. These included an outpatient treatment study, an outpatient post-exposure prophylaxis study, and a pre-exposure prophylaxis study. One of Regeneron’s mAb that we did a study on was sarilumab, a potent IL-6 inhibitor. While this study did not demonstrate the robust findings of another IL-6 inhibitor we had worked on, Roche’s tocilizumab, it was the first study that paved the way for potent immune-modulating therapies to treat COVID-19 as we do currently.
  • mRNA vaccine: We were heavily engaged in the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine trial, enrolling hundreds of participants from diverse backgrounds. Mount Sinai was recognized for enrolling the 40,000th participant in the initial phase 3 trial.
  • NDV-HXP-S: Mount Sinai developed its own COVID-19 vaccine, which can be delivered via injection or the nose. The technology was developed by our Microbiology Department, and the COVID CTU helped run the phase 1 trial. With our data, the vaccine went on to be developed further in other countries and has gone on to be approved as booster shots in Mexico and Thailand.
  • Hyperimmune immunoglobulin: This was a blood product-derived treatment using extracted antibodies from a pool of convalescent plasma donors who had recovered from COVID-19. With hyperimmune immunoglobulin, the patient is receiving a known purified amount of antibody from the donor. Studies are ongoing to identify who would benefit the most as well as timing in relation to onset of symptoms.

The COVID Clinical Trials Unit team received a letter of recognition for enrolling 280 participants—as well as the 40,000th participant—in the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine trial.

What were some lessons learned on running clinical trials to address the pandemic?

Dr. Liu: There were so many studies to undertake, but we had to learn to focus. A part of it was trial and error, but as we gained experience, we became better at identifying what studies were likely to yield promising results. Some clinical trials might sound great on paper, but given limited resources, we had to weigh what factors went into them—such as enrollment opportunity or viral targets—and choose our trials accordingly or make adjustments.

Dr. Aberg: Decisive action can help change the trajectory of a pandemic. When Regeneron finalized its protocol for sarilumab trials, within seven days we opened a randomized, placebo-controlled trial of the drug. Its interim results, along with our remdesivir clinical trials and observational use of tocilizumab, helped advise us of the narrow window where these types of drugs may be effective to prevent patients from developing respiratory failure, requiring them to go on a ventilator, and even death.

What’s next for the COVID CTU?

Dr. Aberg: The COVID CTU no longer needed to be distinct from the CTRC. However, we are still involved in COVID-19 studies. One such trial is RECOVER-VITAL, a National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded study to explore whether Pfizer’s Paxlovid™ treatment can be used to treat the chronic disease state commonly referred to as long COVID.

We are also in the NIH-funded Strategies and Treatments for Respiratory Infections and Viral Emergencies (STRIVE) consortium. A COVID-19 study we are involved in as part of the network is STRIVE-1, exploring whether the antiviral medication ensitrelvir can reduce symptoms and duration of hospitalization in persons with moderate to severe COVID-19. Another STRIVE COVID-19 study is exploring the additional use of immunomodulating agents for hospitalized patients.

Beyond COVID-19, we completed enrollment for a few other studies, including an mRNA shingles vaccine study by Pfizer and an exciting novel dual-affinity retargeting molecule for HIV. There are other studies we anticipate opening in 2025, including a C. difficile vaccine, as well as several HIV prevention and treatment studies.

Dr. Liu: We will never forget how the COVID-19 pandemic changed our lives. Thanks to tested vaccines and treatments, we are able to return to a normal life of packed movie theaters and lecture halls. Some of our team of skilled and knowledgeable research staff are being transferred to other areas where groundbreaking research is occurring throughout the Mount Sinai Health System. We are forever grateful for the contributions of the COVID CTU in reducing the morbidity and mortality from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Click here for more information about the CTRC or signing up for clinical trials

Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital Awarded Transcatheter Valve Certification by American College of Cardiology for Second Time in a Row

Updated on Apr 1, 2025 | Featured, Heart Health

Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital at The Mount Sinai Hospital has again earned the American College of Cardiology’s Transcatheter Valve Certification. Mount Sinai is the only cardiac center in New York City and one of six in New York State to receive this recognition. This award is a symbol of expertise, quality and safety of care, and commitment to treating patients who need transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

This award follows a prestigious “high performing” rating in transcatheter aortic valve replacement from U.S. News & World Report. This rating is based on multiple categories including patient survival, patient volume, and stroke prevention.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement, also known as TAVR, is a minimally invasive procedure for patients with severe aortic stenosis, in which the aortic valve doesn’t fully open. This reduces blood flow leaving the heart and causes chest pain, fatigue, and shortness of breath. TAVR allows the aortic valve to be replaced without open-heart surgery. Interventional cardiologists and cardiac surgeons work together to deliver the new heart valve through a catheter that runs from a blood vessel in the groin to the aortic valve. The team then deploys the transcatheter valve within the diseased aortic valve, so the new valve can function immediately.

“It is an absolute honor that we have received Transcatheter Valve Center certification from the American College of Cardiology after a very detailed review of our structural heart program. This certification solidifies Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital as one of the premier centers in the nation for percutaneous nonsurgical valve procedures,” says Samin Sharma, MD, Director of Interventional Cardiology for the Mount Sinai Health System.

Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital underwent a rigorous evaluation in which reviewers from the American College of Cardiology conducted an analysis of key areas including:

  • Quality of care
  • Clinical outcomes and patient experience
  • Quality assessment and performance improvement initiatives
  • Multidisciplinary approach and shared decision making by heart team for patient care
  • Review of metrics from national registries
  • Staff credentialing, training, and education
  • Equipment safety and inspection
  • Infection control guidelines

“The American College of Cardiology Certification is a testament to the close collaboration and active involvement including interventional cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, imaging specialists, heart failure specialists, and nurse practitioners working closely together to offer the best experience possible to our patients at Mount Sinai,” says Gilbert Tang, MD, MSc, MBA, Surgical Director of the Structural Heart Program at the Mount Sinai Health System.

“Our center, through a combination of technically skilled operators and careful attention to patient details, has achieved the best outcomes. Regular communication with patients’ families and the referring physicians has made us a preferred center for transcatheter valve therapies,” says Annapoorna Kini, MD, Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory at The Mount Sinai Hospital.

The certification is based on established national clinical measures to support clinical decisions and links process improvement to patient outcomes. Hospitals that achieve Transcatheter Valve Certification learn best practices for implementing evidence-based medicine to support patient-shared decision making and can track key performance metrics to better identify opportunities for improvement.

From Personal Tragedy to Life Purpose: How One Masters Student at Mount Sinai Was Inspired to Focus on a Career in Public Health

Mar 31, 2025 | COVID-19 Reflections, Featured, School

Brianna Sukhdeo, a second year Master of Public Health student

Brianna Sukhdeo is a second year Master of Public Health (MPH) student in the Health Promotion and Disease Prevention concentration. She is also the first student from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai to be selected as an ambassador as part of a special program administered by the Association of Schools & Programs of Public Health.

This honor is just the next step for her as she embarks on a career in public health.

She had been inspired to study public health during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic as she watched her mother having trouble getting proper medical care. As soon as she arrived at Mount Sinai, she began pursuing opportunities outside the classroom to purse this goal.

For example, she has been working with Lauren Zajac, MD, MPH and Sofia Curdumi Pendley, PhD, MPH, on TEAM Kids (Team-based Environmental Asthma Management), a pediatric asthma clinic at Mount Sinai.

She found that mentors were willing to invite students into professional spaces to give them networking experiences and to develop new skills. Her mentors have been responsive to outreach from students and are willing to share professional opportunities, even to mentees they don’t work with directly.

The team that manages the Graduate Program in Public Health recognized that she would be a good fit for the This is Public Heath (TIPH) Ambassador Program run by the Association of Schools & Programs of Public Health. So they met with her to explain the opportunity and then nominated her for it.

“I was excited to learn that I would be the first representative from Mount Sinai to participate,” she says of the program, which aims to raise awareness of the field of public health to students across the United States.

Embarking on a career in public health wasn’t always her primary goal.

“I want students to understand how foundational public health is to health care careers, along with how to make connections between this field and industries such as business, law, politics, and environmental science,” she says. “Public Health should be the lens through which we view health in our society.”

While completing her undergraduate degree in psychology, she thought about becoming a school psychologist or child psychologist. Her plans changed when her mom got sick and was hospitalized during the COVID-19 pandemic. She saw how her mother wasn’t getting the care she needed and how resources were diverted during the pandemic.

Her mother had been living with liver problems and had been treated at other hospitals without a specific diagnosis. She finally came to The Mount Sinai Hospital, and her daughter credits this with saving her mother’s life. Her mother was diagnosed and treated for autoimmune hepatitis, a chronic liver disease. She has since recovered.

During the pandemic, Brianna Sukhdeo was inspired to help patients who were alone in hospitals due to COVID-19 restrictions, which led her to an internship at the Stony Brook University Emergency Department helping patients and families in the Emergency Department. Her supervisor, Samita Heslin, MD, MPH, MBA, was an Emergency Department doctor. “She explained how useful and versatile public health is in addressing the foundational issues of health and how these concepts can be applied to patient care,” she says.

While researching the next step in her educational journey, Brianna discovered many pediatric mentors were available at Mount Sinai.

“I was drawn to the fact that the Icahn School of Medicine was within the Mount Sinai Health System, which provides many opportunities for professional development, such as volunteering in clinical settings, research, and quality improvement,” she says.

“I often work with medical students, health administration students, and students from several other programs,” she says of her time at the Icahn School of Medicine. “The collaborative environment encouraged me to be an active participant as a student instead of just passive learning.”

After graduating from the MPH program in June, she hopes to attend medical school and become a public health pediatrician.

The goal of the This is Public Health Ambassador Program is to raise awareness of the field of public health. She believes this is crucial because she didn’t know much about the field until she was far into her academic journey.

“I want students to understand how foundational public health is to health care careers, along with how to make connections between this field and industries such as business, law, politics, and environmental science,” she says. “Public Health should be the lens through which we view health in our society.”

The TIPH Cohort runs from August through June, and the most important part of the experience is the networking. Participating schools have the chance to nominate one student a year. They meet once a month to discuss the similarities and differences of their programs, places of need, and to share resources. Brianna has enjoyed learning about the policy differences from ambassadors at schools in other states.

The TIPH Cohort provides advice to prospective public health students, such as why to study in this field, how to pick a school, how to successfully apply to programs, and more. Brianna has attended virtual and in-person recruitment fairs to answer these student questions. Each TIPH Cohort participant completes a presentation or project, which can include interviewing professionals in the field, educating students about public health topics, and more.

Learn more about the This is Public Health Ambassador Cohort
Learn more about the Department of Public Health at Mount Sinai

Match Day 2025: This Is Where It Begins

Mar 28, 2025 | Featured, School

With their medical school journey nearly over, students gathered at the Annenberg Building lobby on Friday, March 21, for an important reason: Match Day. It is when fourth-year students learn where they will complete their residency training. For the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai’s Class of 2025, 118 students matched to 27 different specialties across the country.

“These are excellent results. Our students are going to some of the best residency programs in the nation,” said David C. Thomas, MD, MHPE, Dean for Medical Education of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

Graduating students are starting their residencies at leading institutions, including The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Massachusetts General and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, to name a few. Of the Class of 2025, 45 will continue their training within the Mount Sinai Health System.

Embarking on a residency program is where a student’s years of classroom knowledge is put into practice, said Dr. Thomas.

“This is it,” he said. “This is where it begins. For our students, they’ve worked so hard to get to this stage and now they’re ready to start the next phase of their career.”

Icahn School of Medicine Class of 2025 Top Residency Matches by Specialty

Specialty Number of Matches
Internal Medicine 30
Anesthesiology 14
Psychiatry 10
OB-GYN 7

Click to read more as three MD seniors talk about their calling to enter the medical field, and their excitement on getting to the next stage.

Sungjae Park

Matched to: Preliminary internship at Flushing Hospital Medical Center in New York City, then Diagnostic Radiology residency at Montefiore Einstein

Why did you choose to enter medicine?

I was a U.S. Army Psych Medic—a behavioral health specialist—and a registered nurse. While I loved helping my patients in those roles, I always felt like I wanted to learn more so that I can do more for my patients. That’s why I chose to become a physician.

As a medic, I played an active role in patient care, but I often felt limited by my medical knowledge. I wanted to do more—to take full responsibility for my future patients by being able to assess, diagnose, and treat them. That desire for deeper understanding in medicine and science drove me to pursue further education and training.

What’s been one of the hardest moments for you at medical school, and how did you overcome it?

Balancing studying, volunteering, research, socializing, and clinical rotations simultaneously was challenging throughout medical school. I overcame it by recognizing my limits and just focused on and prioritized what I can do each day.

Volunteering was a meaningful activity for me. I served as the New York/New Jersey Chapter President of the Korean American Medical Student Association, where I organized volunteer events supporting local immigrant communities. Our team assisted physicians at free health fairs in Flushing, New York, and Fort Lee, New Jersey, providing health screenings and counseling to uninsured local residents.

Why were you excited to remain in New York and match to a New York institution?

Although I’m originally from South Korea, I attended Hunter College and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and I’ve been living in New York City for the past eight years. Over time, I’ve made New York my second home, building strong relationships with friends and mentors who have supported me throughout my medical journey. I hope to stay connected to this community and give back by mentoring and support to the next generation of physicians and medical students, just as my mentors did for me.

Why did you choose diagnostic radiology as your next step?

I didn’t know much about diagnostic radiology during most of medical school. But while I was visiting my parents at home, my mother suddenly developed sharp left-sided chest pain that radiated to her shoulder and jaw. We all thought she was having a heart attack. We rushed her to the emergency department. In the ED, the radiologist there quickly identified the true cause: a clavicle fracture. I was fascinated by how, even with limited face-to-face interaction with patients, radiologists play a critical role in rapidly diagnosing conditions and making a significant impact on patient care.

Horacio Romero Castillo

Matched to: Otolaryngology at Mount Sinai

Why did you choose to enter medicine?

As a former first-grade teacher, I found that medicine offered a career to continue growing as a lifelong learner and educator and the privilege to make an impact on the lives of others. I will always be a teacher at heart, and as a physician I have the opportunity to continue teaching and learning from my patients and colleagues.

Changing careers from teaching to medicine allowed me to pursue research opportunities. It was an avenue to help create knowledge, in addition to teaching and learning it, and that was what ultimately inspired me to make the switch.

What’s been one of the hardest moments for you at medical school, and how did you overcome it?

Balancing time between medical school, research, and family was a big learning curve for me, but luckily, with the combined support of my husband, friends, and family, I gained better time and project management skills to prioritize my learning and loved ones.

What are you looking forward to in your otolaryngology residency?

Mount Sinai was my top choice. It has opened up many doors for me throughout the years. I started as a volunteer premed student shadowing patients in the World Trade Center Health Program, then worked as a full-time clinical research coordinator before starting medical school here. It is an honor to continue my career at Mount Sinai as an otolaryngology resident—building on the experiences I’ve had and I’m excited to continue working with the mentors, patients, and research infrastructure available here.

Catherine Wu

Matched to: Anesthesiology at Mount Sinai

Why did you choose to enter medicine?

I chose to enter medicine because I love caring for others. That, combined with my love for physiology and working with my hands, anesthesiology seemed like the perfect specialty. Physiology is the study of how the human body works, which I find so fascinating. As an anesthesiologist, I get to apply these concepts in the operating room as I take care of patients.

What’s been one of the hardest moments for you at medical school, and how did you overcome it?

One of the hardest moments during medical school was when Hurricane Beryl hit Houston while I was home to take Step 2 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination, a nine-hour-long exam. We lost power and internet for the five days before my exam, which made studying very challenging. I ended up doing lots of reading of my first aid textbook in the candlelight. After all that, my test ended up getting canceled, but I was able to reschedule it and take it back in New York.

What are you looking forward to in your anesthesiology residency?

I’m excited to be matched at Mount Sinai—it was my first choice. The people in the department of anesthesiology at Mount Sinai are absolutely wonderful, and the training is phenomenal. Many of my friends are also staying at Mount Sinai for residency in both anesthesia and other fields—I can’t wait to be co-residents together!

The Virtual Doctor in the Room: How Tele-Trach Evolved as a Catalyst for Safety and Quality

Updated on Mar 28, 2025 | COVID-19 Reflections, Featured

A tele-tracheostomy performed at the bedside in the Intensive Care Unit at Mount Sinai Queens Hospital on a patient who had been ventilated for respiratory failure.

It’s been five years since the COVID-19 pandemic’s first cases, and much has changed in the world of medicine. Virtual care, also known as telehealth, became routine, among other virtual adaptations such as iPad hook-ups to IV poles to connect families to say goodbye, and even Zoom classrooms.

A lesser-known adaptation, the tele-consult, allowing a doctor at one hospital to oversee and guide care at another hospital, came about as hospitals swelled with patients and doctors were spread thin.

Dhruv Patel, MD

Dhruv Patel, MD, Director of Quality and Associate Director of the Transplant Intensive Care Unit at The Mount Sinai Hospital within Mount Sinai’s Institute for Critical Care Medicine, was part of a team that helped to make this innovation possible.

In his role at the Institute, he oversees percutaneous tele-tracheostomies from his office at The Mount Sinai Hospital. A percutaneous tracheostomy is a minimally invasive procedure done with a needle that punctures the skin, which is performed at the bedside to create an opening in the windpipe to facilitate breathing.

“The capacity to beam into another hospital to oversee and guide a tracheostomy made a world of difference during the pandemic when we had large volumes of very sick patients on ventilators for prolonged periods,” says Dr. Patel.

“During the pandemic, we performed three times as many tracheostomies, as respiratory failure among infected patients became extremely common. This allowed for faster and less invasive bedside procedures, while avoiding the necessity to transfer critically ill and vulnerable patients to the operating room,” says Dr. Patel. The Institute has continued to train all critical care specialists to become proficient at performing bedside percutaneous tracheostomy.

Leveraging the tele-consult has presented an important training opportunity, says I. Michael Leitman, MD, FACS, Dean for Graduate Medical Education at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Dr. Leitman, Professor of Surgery and Medical Education, oversees Mount Sinai’s resident training program, which is the largest in the county.

“The introduction of telemedicine and the ability now to do tele-consults at the bedside provides an important advantage for an attending to supervise residents and attending doctors as they round on critical, complex cases,” says Dr. Leitman.

Nazia Mashriqi, MD, MBA, ICCM Site Director at Mount Sinai Queens, performs approximately 30 tracheostomies annually.

“Even though we aren’t seeing many critical COVID-19 patients, we are still performing bedside percutaneous tracheostomies quite often for patients who require prolonged assistance of a mechanical ventilator for other respiratory illnesses, such as the flu or pneumonia. With Dr. Patel tele-consulting and present in the room as we perform these procedures, we can ensure a critical layer of oversight and safety,” says Dr. Mashriqi, who is also part of the Institute’s team. “The procedure is somewhat straightforward, but at the same time, proficiency is key to avoid complications of bleeding due to trauma to nearby tissues. We use multiple layers of visualization including ultrasound and bronchoscopy to enhance the safety of the bedside procedure,” says Dr. Patel, noting that the procedure is now rarely performed in the operating room.

Mount Sinai’s Institute for Critical Care Medicine oversees critical care at seven of Mount Sinai’s eight hospitals in New York, providing highly specialized, life-saving care for patients experiencing the most serious diseases and injuries, and those recovering from complex surgeries.

The Institute’s System Director, Roopa Kohli-Seth, MD, says the team provides care for more than 10,000 patients annually.

“Our critical care teams care for the sickest of patients at Mount Sinai’s hospitals, and the capacity to tele-consult and advise from afar has given us an important advantage in saving lives and ensuring both quality and safety. We see this as a great win for our patients and patient safety overall,” says Dr. Kohli-Seth.

 

Certified Nurses at Mount Sinai: Representing a Commitment to Excellence and to Their Profession

Updated on Mar 18, 2025 | Featured, Nursing

Nursing Certification is an important, independent validation of specialized nursing knowledge and expertise that meet or exceed professional standards. In fact, empirical evidence shows an association between nursing certification and better patient outcomes, as well as lower rates of falls, hospital-acquired infections, and central line-related bloodstream infections.

Across the Mount Sinai Health System, an impressive near 50 percent of nurses have earned board certification in their chosen specialties. Their patients, families, colleagues, and teams are the direct beneficiaries of nursing expertise that is recognized as meeting or exceeding the highest professional standards.

In recognition of National Certified Nurses Day, Wednesday, March 19, Mount Sinai would like to shine a spotlight on some of our nurses who have earned their specialty certification. Along with their fellow certified nurses, they represent a commitment to excellence and their profession that is synonymous with Mount Sinai Nursing.

I’m proud to be certified in Medical Surgical Nursing. I believed that obtaining certification demonstrates commitment and dedication to professional growth and maintaining the best evidence-based practices. Encouraging other nurses to become certified is something I truly believe in. It’s not just a title, it’s a commitment to excellence.

Emmy Lou C. Adonay, RN, BSN-BC, Mount Sinai Queens

Carla Alves-Miraldo, MS, MSN-Ed, RN, CHPN, KP6 Palliative Care Unit, The Mount Sinai Hospital

Becoming a Certified Hospice and Palliative Care Nurse is a reflection of my commitment to ensuring every patient receives comfort, dignity, and compassionate care during life’s most challenging moments. This certification is more than a title—it represents my dedication to guiding patients and families with expertise, empathy, and unwavering support. I stand proud of my certification because it allows me to be a source of comfort, an advocate for quality of life, and ensure that no one faces their journey alone. Being a certified palliative care nurse is not just my profession—it is my passion and my purpose.
Obtaining and maintaining this certification provides me the opportunity to achieve professional and personal growth. Being a certified Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN) validates and demonstrates my expertise in advanced knowledge and skills caring for critically ill patients while developing wisdom of practice in the critical care fields. This allows me to share my knowledge and skills to elevate the standard of patient care within the nursing units, as well as at the organizational level to promote patient outcomes in Mount Sinai.

Keiko Iwama, PhD, MSN, RN, CCRN,Mount Sinai Morningside

Odeisha Maitland, DNP, FNP, RN-BC, Mount Sinai Brooklyn

Being a certified nurse is not just a title; it is a profound commitment to excellence in patient care and a testament to my dedication to ongoing professional development. Achieving certification demonstrates my expertise and the trust that patients and colleagues place in my abilities. It embodies my passion for delivering exceptional health care and my unwavering responsibility to uphold the highest standards of our profession. Ultimately, being a certified nurse is both an honor and a defining aspect of my identity in the health care field, empowering me to make a meaningful impact on the lives of others every day.
As an ED nurse, you never know who’s going to walk through the door. All we can do is prepare and improve our practice. Being certified is just that; It means I stay ready and inspire my team to do the same.

Cynthia Mendez, RN, MSN, CEN, Senior Clinical Nurse, Department of Emergency Medicine, The Mount Sinai Hospital

Jay Rodriguez Reyes, RN, BSN, AMB-BC, Ambulatory

In the ever-evolving health care landscape, certification is not just a title but a commitment to excellence, professional growth, and improved patient outcomes. Earning certification in Ambulatory nursing validates our expertise, knowledge, and dedication to the highest standards of patient care. To those considering certification, take that step. Invest in yourself, in your patients, and in the future of the nursing profession. Because when we grow as professionals, everyone benefits.
Being a certified nurse at Mount Sinai represents a deep commitment to professional growth and ensuring the highest standard of care for my patients. It reflects my expertise and dedication, particularly in specialized fields like vascular access and infusion therapy. After 25 years at Mount Sinai, these certifications reinforce my passion for nursing and the responsibility I feel in continually advancing my skills to best serve those who rely on me.

Lynette Joy Romanovitch, BSN, RN, CRNI, VA-BC, Vascular Access Service RN, Institute for Critical Care Medicine, The Mount Sinai Hospital

Elvira Solis MSN, RN, CCRN, Mount Sinai Queens

Certification means a lot to me in different perspectives, although we will say it is a validation of my knowledge and skills and my practice, embodying excellence, lifelong learning, and commitment in excellence in care.  As a Certified Critical Care Nurse, I am committed to so many duties and responsibilities. My commitment to providing excellence in care means I have an advance knowledge and skills to provide effective and safest care to my patients. I must ensure the excellence in practice is backed up with evidence-based. My commitment to life-long learning and professional development is not to myself alone but also to  support my team through peer-to peer teaching onsite and online. I take pride of being a role model to my colleague and a “Go to Person” especially in some challenging cases and situations.
Being wound care certified fills me with pride because it reflects my commitment to providing the highest level of care to my patients. This certification represents my dedication to continuous learning and staying up to date with the latest techniques and best practices in wound healing. Knowing I can make a tangible difference in someone’s recovery, while ensuring their comfort and well-being, gives me a strong sense of purpose in my work.

Sylvia Springer-Fahie, RN-BC, DNP, MSN, BSN, WCC, The Mount Sinai Hospital

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