Five Medical Students at Icahn School of Medicine Selected as Tillman Scholars, Recognizing the Contributions of Those in the Military

Updated on Jun 28, 2024 | Featured

In 2018, the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai set out to welcome a new kind of student into the field of medicine when it established an institutional partnership with the U.S. Navy as a complement to its traditional pathway. This unique partnership, which the school has broadened to include all branches of the military, provides a streamlined pathway for active-duty service members to apply to medical school prior to completing their service commitment.

Borrowing from the school’s popular FlexMed program, which allows college sophomores to apply for early assurance of acceptance into medical school, the military pathway provides a mechanism for recruiting service members while integrating a layer of flexibility to ease the transition from their undergraduate careers.

In just six years since the program’s inception, the school has enrolled 20 military veterans, some of whom have been admitted through the traditional avenue of admissions while others were admitted through the early assurance program. Now the school is celebrating a major milestone: five medical students were named 2024 Tillman scholars by the Pat Tillman Foundation. Last year, three students received this honor.

Considered to be one of the most prestigious and selective scholarship awards for student veterans and spouses of veterans, the Pat Tillman scholarship provides funding to military veterans and spouses to pursue higher education and continue their service in a variety of professions, including health care. In total, nine Icahn Mount Sinai students to date have been named Tillman scholars.

“I am deeply proud of our five students and grateful for their service to our country and beyond. To be honoring the service careers of five veterans with this prestigious award is truly remarkable and a very special milestone for our school,” says David C. Thomas, MD, MS, MHPE, Dean of Medical Education and Chair of the Department of Medical Education at Icahn Mount Sinai.

Pat Tillman, a starting safety for the Arizona Cardinals, distinguished himself in the National Football League when he broke the franchise record for tackles in 2000. When the September 11 terrorist attacks took place, he walked away from professional football and joined the U.S. Army, serving tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2004, he was killed by friendly fire. His family started the Foundation to cultivate the next generation of leaders.

The 2024 Tillman Scholars from Mount Sinai are Pierce Ferriter, Michael Lemonick, Katrina Nietsch, Nicole Parkas, and Rico Pesce.

“We are deeply proud of our partnership with the military and our students, who bring invaluable background and perspective to medicine. Many years ago, we set out to become a welcoming and supportive champion and educator of our country’s distinguished veterans. And this exciting news suggests we are reaching this goal,” says Valerie Parkas, MD, Senior Associate Dean of Admissions and Recruitment, Icahn Mount Sinai.

About the 2024 Tillman Scholars

 

Pierce Ferriter

Former Lieutenant Pierce Ferriter served in the Navy with unique assignments as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Officer in Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. After graduating from the United States Naval Academy in 2010, he commanded a platoon and deployed to the Horn of Africa, also known as the Somali Peninsula. In Somalia, he supported the Naval Special Warfare Development Group and the Army’s 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta in the actions against Al-Qaeda, disarming explosive devices and destroying terrorist weapons caches.

In 2014, he relocated to Guam and took command of a hostage rescue team planning, rehearsing, and conducting operations in the service of Special Operations Command Pacific. He met his wife, Anna, another naval officer, skydiving in San Diego, and they moved to Spain and got married in 2018. While she served as an EOD Company Commander, he led the Navy’s emergency response bomb squad in Europe. A rising fourth year medical student, he will graduate in 2025 and intends to pursue a residency in orthopedic surgery.

 

Michael Lemonick

Former Navy Lieutenant Michael Lemonick graduated with distinction from the United States Naval Academy in 2015 with a BS in Mathematics. While at Annapolis, he played on the varsity soccer team and completed additional studies in Istanbul, Turkey, and at the London School of Economics. He was inspired to serve others in a career in medicine after watching physicians provide lifesaving care to his parents for prostate cancer and breast cancer, and treating his sister for diabetes. However, it was first important for him to satisfy his competing desire to serve his country.

Following his graduation and commissioning as a Naval Officer, he completed a bilingual master’s degree in international affairs at Sciences Po in Paris, where he was selected as an Émile Boutmy International Scholar. He subsequently served two tours of duty onboard the USS Donald Cook, a guided-missile destroyer stationed in Spain, and accumulated more than 25 months at sea in support of national security objectives in the Europe and the Middle East. After serving as a Naval ROTC instructor at The Military College of South Carolina – The Citadel, he left active duty in September 2023. He is currently a rising second year medical student and aspires to be a surgeon.

 

Katrina Nietsch

Former Lieutenant Commander Katrina Nietsch graduated from the United States Naval Academy with a BS in Quantitative Economics and four varsity letters with the NCAA Division I women’s lacrosse team. Following commissioning, she began military flight training to become a Navy pilot. She received her Naval Aviator “Wings of Gold” in 2014 and deployed around the world flying the C-2 Greyhound, a twin-engine cargo plane. She piloted numerous MEDEVAC missions from aircraft carriers, which galvanized her interest in medicine. Inspired by one particular mission involving a patient needing critical care, she applied to medical school during her tour as an instructor pilot.

She was accepted to Icahn Mount Sinai via the Military Institutional Partnership with Mount Sinai in 2019 but deferred her acceptance to serve a final tour with Naval Special Warfare. She left the Navy in August 2022 after 11 years of service. She has a Masters of Science in Aeronautics and is now a third-year medical student. Her interests include veteran’s health, human rights advocacy, research, and mentorship. She lives with her wife, Jackie, and daughter, Rory, who was born in January. She hopes to match into an orthopedic surgery residency.

 

Nicole Parkas

Nicole Parkas was born and raised in northern New Jersey, where she was a first-generation high school and college graduate. She earned a BS in Biology from Montclair State University in 2016, followed by a BS in Medical Imaging in 2018 and was Valedictorian of the Rutgers University Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program. After graduation, she spent five years as a perinatal sonographer, delivering essential care to high-risk, underserved obstetric and gynecologic populations in New York City and Washington, D.C.

She mentors first-generation college students in New York City and founded a Rutgers Alumni Advocate program aimed at supporting sonographers as they navigate their transition to higher education and the workforce. Her husband, Josiah Parkas, served as a Staff Sergeant in the United States Air Force and is currently pursuing a law degree at Georgetown University Law Center. She is an incoming second-year medical student.

 

Rico Pesce

Former Sergeant Rico Pesce joined the Army at age 19, aiming to serve his country and gain experience before pursuing medicine. After completing rigorous training, including Airborne School and the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program, he became a Special Operations Combat Medic. He was then assigned to the 2nd Ranger Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment.

He completed five combat deployments to Afghanistan, serving as Platoon Medic, Company Senior Medic, and Battalion Aid Station Non-commissioned Officer in Charge. He provided point-of-injury care for numerous combat casualties and played a pivotal role in the management of a mass casualty event on base. On two deployments, he was selected for clandestine operations to advise and assist Afghan commandos. He was also the first openly gay Ranger in his unit.

After seven years of service, he was honorably discharged and went on to earn a BA in Computer Science from Columbia University, a joint Master’s in Translational Medicine from the University of California, Berkeley and UCSF, and a Master’s in Biomedical Sciences from New York Medical College in Valhalla, New York. Currently, he is a rising second-year medical student. He plans to become an emergency medicine physician, focusing on innovations in disaster medicine.

Mount Sinai’s Growing Partnership With Indian Health Services in South Dakota

Updated on Jun 27, 2024 | AIGH, Community, Featured

Since 2021, the Emergency Medicine Global Health Division at Mount Sinai has partnered with the Indian Health Service to provide physician and physician assistant staffing, operational assistance, and educational support at the Cheyenne River Health Center in Eagle Butte, South Dakota.

This remote, critical access hospital comprises an emergency department, a 10-bed inpatient unit, and community outpatient center. The Emergency Department serves about 30 patients daily from the local population on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation.

“The partnership has evolved from a few intermittent weeks of staffing to the point where we now expect to provide nearly 28 weeks of full-time attending physician staffing this year,” says John Rozehnal, MD, MS, Assistant Professor, Emergency Medicine, who leads the partnership with Indian Health Services.

John Rozehnal, MD, MS

Mount Sinai Emergency Medicine physicians and other health care providers who participate are given the opportunity to manage a wide range of emergency medical concerns and provide comprehensive critical intervention while developing knowledge of the indigenous culture to enhance their care. Other health care providers include physician assistants and residents, including four Emergency Medicine 2024 graduating residents who supported the partnership.

Recently, the team was successful in assisting with the implementation of a new point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) equipment and programming, including training that has begun with an education project on the placement of ultrasound-guided IV lines, the performance of regional anesthesia, and the use of bedside diagnostic studies helping to assess pregnancies. Without these new services, patients would often require transfer to a hospital more than an hour away.

The growing partnership between Mount Sinai and Indian Health Services includes a variety of quality improvement projects, such as implementing clinical protocols and improving cultural competencies and quality and safety initiatives.

“We look to further integration with the local team at Eagle Butte and to help develop area-wide initiatives to further both teach and learn from the facilities and patients in the Great Plain Area,” says Dr. Rozehnal.

Learn more about the Arnhold Institute for Global Health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Learn more about the Emergency Medicine Global Health Division at Mount Sinai

Mount Sinai Morningside’s Innovative Hybrid Operating Room Improves Precision in Minimally Invasive Procedures

Updated on Jun 26, 2024 | Featured

The team of vascular surgeons at Mount Sinai Morningside and Mount Sinai West work to ensure all available technology is used to benefit patients. From left: Michael Dudkiewicz, MD, James Cornwall, MD, Adam Korayem, MD, PhD, Daniel Han, MD, Robert J. Grossi, MD, and Alan Benvenisty, MD.

The hybrid operating room (OR) represents an important tool to help manage an increasing number of complex vascular and endovascular surgical procedures and at the same time meet the needs of patients seeking less invasive treatments.

“The techniques used in the hybrid OR guarantee a significant reduction in the invasiveness of surgical interventions,” said Daniel K. Han, MD, Chief of Vascular Surgery, Mount Sinai Morningside. “This not only allows the possibility of treatment to patients deemed at high risk for open surgery, it also meets the desire for a low-invasive surgical approach.”

A hybrid operating room is a surgical suite that combines medical imaging and a conventional surgical suite that can be used for both minimally invasive and conventional, or “open”, surgical procedures. The imaging devices allow surgeons to perform surgical procedures through a series of small incisions by enabling the visualization of miniscule body parts such as blood vessels.

The hybrid operating room includes an angiographic platform with advanced imaging systems, such as 3D reconstruction systems and image fusion with vascular navigator tools; an operating table integrated with the movements of the fixed C-arm angiography; and a multimedia monitoring system.

There is also anesthesiology monitoring and supporting tools like ventilators and multi-parametric monitors; complementary diagnostic tools including duplex scan, transesophageal echocardiography, and intravascular ultrasound, and the necessary equipment for carrying out most types of surgical procedures.

“The combination and sophistication of the equipment in the hybrid OR permits an unparalleled level of precision and safety,” said Dr. Han.

“As Mount Sinai Morningside commemorates the one-year anniversary of its hybrid OR, it celebrates groundbreaking achievements and life-saving interventions that have redefined vascular and endovascular care at Mount Sinai Morningside,” he adds. “The increasing level of complexity of the surgical interventions makes it essential to have suitable settings and equipment, capable of providing the highest possible performance.”

When the new operating room opened, Robert Lookstein, MD, Clinical Director and Manager of Interventional Radiology Services, Mount Sinai Health System, and Alan Benvenisty, MD, Site Director of Surgery for Mount Sinai Morningside, ceremoniously christened it by successfully addressing a renal bleed in a patient rushed from the Emergency Department—a promising beginning that heralded a year of successful procedures. There are also hybrid operating rooms at The Mount Sinai Hospital and Mount Sinai West.

“Now, with more than 700 cases performed within the first year, the hybrid OR has become an important resource for patients with complex vascular conditions,” says Dr. Han. “These cases span a diverse spectrum, from carotid artery disease to lower extremity arterial occlusive disease, showcasing the versatility and expertise of the surgical team.” The team offers a wide range of expertise including amputation prevention, care for aortic aneurysms, and treatment of peripheral artery disease and carotid stenosis.

Central to the success of the hybrid OR is the collaboration among various medical disciplines, which includes the perioperative, operative, and radiology teams—vascular surgeons, interventional radiologists, anesthesiologists, nurses, radiology technicians, perfusion technicians and a broad range of support staff.

“These teams have played instrumental roles in ensuring the smooth operation of the hybrid operating room, underscoring the importance of teamwork in delivering high-quality care,” says Dr. Han.

To make an appointment, call Mount Sinai Morningside Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, 440 W. 114th Street, Suite 100, New York, NY 10025, at 212-523-4706.

Learn more about Vascular and Endovascular Surgery at Mount Sinai Morningside

Advancing Health Equity With Data: Improving Patient Care in the Emergency Department

Updated on Jun 17, 2024 | Community, Engagement, Featured

At Mount Sinai, active collaboration with department stakeholders drives the efforts of the Health Equity Data Assessment (HEDA) team to advance health equity through data-driven initiatives.

Yvette Calderon, MD

Yvette Calderon, MD, Vice President and Dean for Equity in Clinical Care at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, recently discussed how the Emergency Department (ED) partnered with the HEDA team to apply an equity lens to evaluate Left Without Being Seen (LWBS) patients.

Together, they are reviewing data integrity in emergency medical records and applying an equity lens to effect meaningful change.

“This commitment underscores Mount Sinai’s ongoing dedication to fostering health equity through collaborative, data-informed strategies,” said Pamela Y. Abner, MPA, CPXP, Senior Vice President and Health Equity Officer for the Mount Sinai Health System.

LWBS is defined as a patient leaving the ED before completing a medical screening exam. When this metric is not met, it can represent quality and safety concerns, according to Lyndia Hayden, Senior Director, Data Integrity and Equity Analytics.

LWBS patients may also have an undiagnosed medical condition and may experience undesirable health outcomes outside of the hospital. Hospitals can also face penalties if they fail to meet certain quality metrics, like LWBS. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services can reduce reimbursement rates for hospitals that do not meet these standards, having a direct impact on the hospital revenue stream.

On average, non-white patients tend to have a disproportionally higher rate of LWBS than white patients. As such, LWBS must be examined through an equity lens to ensure optimal patient outcomes for all patients.

Dr. Calderon emphasized the critical role of data integrity as a foundational step before delving into metrics analysis. With invaluable support from the HEAD Hub, the Department of Emergency Medicine at Icahn Mount Sinai implemented a comprehensive dashboard system, empowering ED service lines across the Mount Sinai Health System to closely monitor performance indicators, identify key drivers, and establish clear accountability measures.

For example, guided by these insights, each ED tailored interventions to their unique context, with initiatives such as Provider-in-Triage (PIT) protocols, mandatory unconscious bias training, and enhanced education for registration staff on demographic data collection emerging as effective strategies at Mount Sinai Beth Israel.

This work was presented to the Joint Commission during the Mount Sinai Downtown survey. It impressed the surveyors to see that Mount Sinai had already started integrating the new standard from the Joint Commission.

“The data integrity piece had to happen first before we could look at any of the metrics,” said Dr. Calderon. “Through diligent implementation, these interventions have proven instrumental in addressing pertinent issues within the emergency departments that identified a need.”

New Teen Lounge Unveiled at Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital

Updated on Jun 14, 2024 | Community, Featured

The Mount Sinai Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy team recently opened a newly constructed Teen Lounge at the Mount Sinai Child Life Zone at the Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital. The team celebrated the opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, June 6.

Thanks to a generous gift from the Garth Brooks Teammates for Kids Foundation, a longtime partner and collaborator, the lounge meets the unique developmental needs of teenage patients and helps to minimize the stressors that they feel during a hospital stay. Promoting creativity, self-expression, and connectivity, the lounge offers teenage patients a place to socialize and connect, escape from their patient room, explore creative outlets, and relax and unwind.

The newly designed Teen Lounge features pods for patients to relax, read, and take photos; gaming stations with gaming systems and seating; and lounge seating for patients to watch movies and entertainment. There are also two large communal tables for art, games, and other activities, three colorful wall murals, and additional storage cabinets for art, music, play, and technology supplies.

“Being in the hospital, whether as an inpatient or outpatient, can be difficult and overwhelming for a teenager,” said Lisa M. Satlin, MD, Chair of Pediatrics for the Mount Sinai Health System and Pediatrician-in-Chief of the Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital. “We are delighted that we can give all of our adolescent patients a chance to unplug, forget why they are at the hospital, feel inspired, and have fun, even though they are in the hospital.”

“We have long recognized that adolescent patients face a unique set of challenges when coping with illness and hospitalization, and this new space allows us to provide a place that teens can call their own,”  said Morgan Stojanowski, MS, CCLS, Director of the Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy Department. “They can relax and interact with their peers and escape from the rest of the hospital. Especially for teens adjusting to a difficult illness or medical condition, this space gives them a safe haven to relax and be themselves.”

Learn more about Mount Sinai Kravis Children's Hospital

The Importance of Pathogen Surveillance Networks

Updated on Jun 6, 2024 | Featured, Infectious Diseases, Research

High school students working in the lab of Florian Krammer, PhD, as part of the New York City Virus Hunters program. Image credit: Christine Marizzi, PhD, BioBus.

The H5N1 bird flu virus was detected for the first time in cows in March, and in May, a third person tested positive for bird flu, presumably from exposure to infected dairy cattle. With viral fragments detected in dairy, the Food and Drug Administration tested and announced that pasteurized milk was safe to drink, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been working with city and state health authorities and institutions nationwide to monitor any new spread of the pathogen.

What goes into ensuring that we remain safe from pathogenic outbreaks? Are we adequately equipped to monitor, prevent, and treat another pandemic?

The co-directors of the Center for Vaccine Research and Pandemic Preparedness at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai—Florian Krammer, PhD, Mount Sinai Professor in Vaccinology, and Viviana Simon, MD, PhD, Professor of Microbiology; Pathology, Molecular and Cell-Based Medicine; and Medicine (Infectious Diseases)—tell us how the research community worked to shed light on bird flu in cows, pathogenic surveillance, and what Mount Sinai is doing in this field.

Left: Florian Krammer, PhD. Right: Viviana Simon, MD, PhD.

Were the bovine cases of bird flu expected and detected quickly?

Dr. Krammer: It took a while before H5N1 avian influenza was detected in cows for several reasons. Typically, cows do not get infected with influenza A virus. So nobody’s looking at cows, because why would you look if it has historically not been there? Compared to the poultry industry, where there is a good system in place for rapid detection of any outbreaks. Also, in cows, the H5N1 avian influenza is a slow disease. In avian species, when they get infected, they tend to die quickly. Other mammals, like bears, raccoons, or foxes that get infected with H5N1 via ingestion of infected birds, they often get neurological symptoms and die quickly too. It is different with the cows.

Are there adequate systems to prevent and protect against unexpected pathogenic outbreaks?

Dr. Krammer: From a scientific perspective, we have very good capabilities for detecting pathogens quickly. But preventing outbreaks is a complex task that takes more than just good science. Take the cases of avian influenza in dairy cattle, for example: When the outbreak occurred, there were no legal grounds for initial testing, or even for restricting movement of cows across state borders—there was not much the government could do. Academic networks like the Centers of Excellence for Influenza Research and Response, funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, produced the first reports of the recent cases, and are much more flexible and can respond quicker. These networks work very closely with government agencies to provide needed recommendations to handle unexpected outbreaks. One of these centers is located at Mount Sinai and we have also been very active with H5N1 surveillance and research.

Dr. Simon: Besides global and national surveillance networks, local efforts are important, too, especially for a large metropolitan city such as New York City. We have known for a long time that because New York is a very popular place for tourists to visit, that makes it a very likely entry point for any virus or pathogen. The city and state have various surveillance programs, and Mount Sinai also has a pathogen surveillance program that is more than 10 years old. This program is co-directed by Harm van Bakel, PhD; Emilia Sordillo, MD, PhD; and myself. We have been tracking nosocomial infections—picked up while in a hospital—and gaining information about circulating pathogens, including influenza virus strains, bacteria, and fungi. Our Pathogen Surveillance Program has resulted in Mount Sinai being the only site in the United States that is part of the Global Hospital Influenza Surveillance Network, which works to provide a unified protocol on covering hospitalized cases of severe influenza at a global level.

Are there any particular pathogens these networks are keeping an eye out for?

Dr. Simon: Some pathogens that the Mount Sinai Pathogen Surveillance Program is watching include bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococci and Clostridioides difficile; viruses like influenza, RSV, SARS-CoV-2, and hantavirus; as well as fungi such as Candida auris.

What are some research questions these surveillance networks are trying to answer?

Dr. Simon: Some major questions include how influenza strains change in humans—their escape from the human immune system or their change of glycosylation (the process where sugar molecules attach to lipids, proteins, or other organic molecules); how to improve vaccines; and ensuring our diagnostics are able to pick up all the strains that can cause disease in humans.

Dr. Krammer: The tracking of the changes is not a problem. The World Health Organization does that on a regular basis, and we can do that too at Mount Sinai. A bigger challenge might be: can we catch up with seasonal viruses with our vaccines, or are we always a step behind? One way to tackle that is trying to design a vaccine that gives us broad protection, no matter if the viruses change, or if the strain is an H5N1 or an H1N1. Mount Sinai is very active in working on a vaccine that would work against any type of influenza—a universal influenza virus vaccine. As for diagnostics, there are so many subtypes of influenza viruses, but you never know which one presents a risk. We’re trying to find out what are the pathogenicity markers that make a strain dangerous for humans and make it transmit well. Or, what determines the risk of avian influenza jumping to humans? That’s why we have a program that looks at not only human influenza, but also avian influenza in animals in an urban space in New York City.

What does it take for such surveillance networks to succeed?

Dr. Krammer: You have to consider the fact that influenza viruses were not human viruses originally—they were bird viruses—and to tackle the vast topic of “One Health,” an approach that seeks to address the health of people, animals, plants, and the environment interconnectedly, you might need a wide range of expertise. This includes epidemiologists, immunologists, molecular virologists, structural biologists, doctors of veterinary medicine, and medical doctors. And that’s the nice thing about health systems like Mount Sinai, where we have a lot of those experts and they are able to come together to tackle this issue.

Beyond the science, collaboration is key. We have initiated the New York City Virus Hunters program, which is our science outreach surveillance program for H5N1. In this program, we work with local high school students to collect samples from birds in urban parks and greenspaces in the city, which are then screened for the presence of the virus. This is done in collaboration with Christine Marizzi, PhD, from the science education nonprofit BioBus and the wild bird rehabilitation center Wild Bird Fund. What’s important about getting high school students involved, especially those from backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in science, is getting them interested in science and steering them towards careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), specifically in molecular biology, virology, and so on. It’s about building the next generation of biologists and about involving the community in pandemic preparedness.

Mount Sinai does not exist in a vacuum—we help by sharing our information with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, as well as with the government agencies. On the COVID-19 side of things, we are actively participating in the National Institutes of Health’s SARS-CoV-2 Assessment of Viral Evolution (SAVE), which tracks emerging variants. Our information feeds into the scientific community, but it also feeds into government agencies, who use that information to make their health policy decisions.

Dr. Simon: To be able to do what Dr. Krammer outlined, we need to keep our infrastructures intact. And that is really hard because we need all the funding and support we can get from the school, hospital, and government. But we are excited for what we can learn to continue keeping everyone safe from outbreaks.

The New York City Virus Hunters program works with local high school students not only to track the presence and spread of H5N1 virus in animals, but also to foster an interest in science and a career in STEM fields among students.

Image credit: Christine Marizzi, PhD, BioBus.

Read more about the New York City Virus Hunters program

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