Empowering Education At the Icahn School of Medicine With AI

Updated on Jun 10, 2025 | Featured, School

Active medical and graduate students at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, along with some teaching and research faculty, now have comprehensive access to ChatGPT through the School. Compared to free users, they’ll be able to make more complex queries with fewer limits, especially regarding science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, and benefit from enhanced privacy protections.

The Icahn School announced, in May, that it has inked an agreement with OpenAI for an educational license—dubbed ChatGPT Edu—of OpenAI’s products. While a number of universities are using ChatGPT Edu, this agreement makes the Icahn School the first medical school partner in the nation, according to OpenAI.

“At Mount Sinai, we believe it’s our responsibility not just to adopt emerging technologies, but to do so with care, purpose, and a strong commitment to equity and academic integrity,” said David C. Thomas, MD, MHPE, Dean for Medical Education at the Icahn School of Medicine.

“This initiative is the result of a close collaboration between the Scholarly and Research Technologies team, the Department of Medical Education, Graduate School leadership, and OpenAI,” says Marta Filizola, PhD, Dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. She added that the Levy Library team has developed educational content and workshops to support students, faculty, and staff in effectively using ChatGPT Edu and integrating AI into academic learning, research, and scholarly activities.

What’s contained in this license, and what do those features spell for our users? Read on to learn more.

Access to advanced models

OpenAI offers a range of models to handle different types of tasks. Through the educational license, users can access them via ChatGPT.com. The following bullets describe the models available to Icahn School of Medicine users, and the table below summarizes specifications at a glance. The following information is current as of June 2025, but may change in the future as OpenAI models can change rapidly.

  • GPT-4o: This is OpenAI’s flagship model, the one most consumers are familiar with, and starts up by default on the ChatGPT Edu license. This model of reasoning is grounded in unsupervised learning, and is capable of processing text, images, file uploads, and voice for input and output. Tasks this model is good at include summarizing meetings into actionable notes, drafting copy, proofreading, and coming up with new angles and ideas.
  • GPT-4.1, GPT-4.1-mini: A specialized model for coding and tasks that need precise, step-by-step instructions. This model is helpful for front-end coding, such as developing web applications, debugging, explaining, and improving code, or comparing long reports while focusing on specific factors. The mini version trades off processing capability for speed, and is ideal for people who need quicker answers for simpler problems about coding.
  • The o-series: These are advanced models of reasoning, designed to deliberate and produce a “chain of thought” before generating answers. Its deliberation process is supposed to provide better-quality output, with lower levels of hallucinations. It is described as being “ideal for complex queries requiring multifaceted analysis and whose answers may not be immediately obvious.”
    • o3: With a knowledge base specialization in STEM, this model is suited for advanced math, science, and coding tasks, detailed analysis, devising strategy, and visual reasoning.
    • o4-mini, o4-mini-high: The model to use if one needs the STEM expertise and deliberative reasoning, but quicker answers. The o4-mini model can provide quick summaries of scientific articles or extract key points from an Excel spreadsheet, and the o4-mini-high model is capable of more complex tasks, albeit more narrowly than the o3 model in terms of subject expertise.
  • GPT-4.5: Intended to serve as a bridge between GPT-4o and its eventual successor, GPT-5, this model draws from both unsupervised learning and the “chain of thought” reasoning that the o-series models use. It was touted as being fine-tuned to understand human needs and intents better, and for better collaboration with the user. This model will be phased out later this year, in favor of GPT-4.1, as announced by OpenAI.
Model name GPT-4o GPT-4.1, GPT-4.1-mini o3 o4-mini, o4-mini-high GPT-4.5
Initial launch May 2024 April 2025 January 2025 April 2025 February 2025
Ideal for Everyday tasks, brainstorming, summarizing, search, and creative content Precise coding, close instruction following Complex, multistep tasks, has a specialization in STEM topics Quick queries relating to STEM, programming, or visual data extraction Creative tasks, clear communication, brainstorming
Recency of information (as of March 2025) October 2023 June 2024 December 2024 May 2024 January 2025
Request limits for ChatGPT Edu users Unlimited GPT-4.1: 500/3 hours; GPT-4.1-mini: unlimited 100/week o4-mini: 300/day; o4-mini-high: 100/day 20/week

Privacy, data safety, and ethics guardrails

Personal health information, sensitive information, and student data are safeguarded via a data privacy and business associate agreement between the Icahn School and OpenAI.

This means that no data, prompts, or responses will be used to train OpenAI’s models when using a ChatGPT Edu account through the Icahn School. The guardrails implementation was guided by Research and Education leadership, Cybersecurity, Compliance, and Legal teams, alongside the AI Steering Committee on Teaching, Learning, and Discoveries.

Community sharing of custom-build applications

Users can create customized resources for specific tasks—such as a flash card study guide for biochemistry—known as GPTs. Icahn School of Medicine ChatGPT Edu users can share the GPTs they’ve built on the Explore GPTs community page with other users, as well as access OpenAI’s official GPTs. However, they can’t access GPTs built by public users. This ensures a safe and secure space that supports collaboration while following Mount Sinai’s security standards.

“ChatGPT is just a great way to establish the baseline for what I want to say how I want to approach the patient,” said Joy Jiang, MD/PhD student, about how she used the AI tool during a mock patient simulation exam, in an interview segment on CBS Saturday Morning.

Watch how various students from the Icahn School of Medicine are using ChatGPT to bring their education to the next level in the segment below.

Mount Sinai Phillips School of Nursing Celebrates May 2025 Commencement

Updated on May 29, 2025 | Featured, Nursing

The Mount Sinai Phillips School of Nursing celebrated the graduation of 70 students of Cohort 13, the class of students who began their studies in January 2024. The Stern Auditorium at The Mount Sinai Hospital was filled to capacity with proud families and friends of the graduates and school faculty. The evet was held Tuesday, April 29.

After a welcome by Kimberly Glassman PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAONL, FAAN, Dean, Mount Sinai Phillips School of Nursing, Beth Oliver, DNP, RN, FAAN, Chief Nurse Executive, Senior Vice President, Cardiac Services congratulated the graduates. She assured the graduates they are well prepared to move into diverse professional roles.

“You bring fresh energy, ideas, and perspectives that will strengthen our collective mission: to advance health and deliver care with excellence and equity,” she said. “Whether you choose to work in acute care, ambulatory settings, research, education, or policy—you will carry the torch of this noble profession forward with the foundation built at the Mount Sinai Phillips School of Nursing.”

“Nursing is no longer simply about executing orders,” keynote speaker Selena Ann Gilles, Associate Dean, School and Community Engagement, Penn Nursing, told the graduates. “You are the bridge between science and soul.”

Janet Green, Chair of the Nursing School Board of Trustees, shared the story of the devotion of her ancestors to the Mount Sinai Phillips School of Nursing, originally established at Mount Sinai Beth Israel Hospital and later named for her grandfather, Seymour Phillips.

“Graduation was the favorite day of Seymour’s year,” she said. “He loved this school, its staff, and he especially loved its graduates. It was the highlight of his very full life when he was honored by having this nursing school bear his name.”

The keynote speaker, Selena Ann Gilles, DNP, ANP-BC, CNEcl, ANEF, FNYAM, FADLN, FNAP, FAANP, FAAN, Associate Dean, School and Community Engagement, Penn Nursing, delivered an inspiring speech, underscoring that today’s nurses are entering a profession that must adapt to changing times.

“You are entering a health care system that is different from the one many of us joined years ago. Technology has transformed how we deliver care,” she said. “Data informs our every decision. Interdisciplinary teams are now essential. And patients expect to be partners in their care.”

These changes have a significant impact on nurses. “Nursing is no longer simply about executing orders. You are leading care teams. You are designing solutions. You are innovating new ways to care for whole communities,” she said. “You are needed to lead initiatives that promote quality, safety, and equity.  Nurses today are researchers, entrepreneurs, policymakers, deans, CEOs, and yes, still the ones who sit quietly at the bedside holding a trembling hand. You are the bridge between science and soul.”

Claire Notarfrancesco, BSN, RN, was honored as valedictorian, and she thanked her PSON classmates, faculty and leaders for their support.

She was inspired to pursue a nursing career by a hospice nurse caring for her grandfather who was “awe-inspiring.” She and her twin sister were born at The Mount Sinai Hospital.

Dr. Glassman concluded the ceremony by congratulating the graduates on a job well done.

“Nursing school is a tough academic program, especially in a full-time, accelerated track,” she said. “I am so proud of all you have accomplished in your time here – look at what you have achieved in just 15 months. Wherever you go, your patients are going to be in excellent hands, and I wish you the best as you move into your professional practice careers.”

Voices From the Class of 2025 at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai’s Commencement

Updated on May 23, 2025 | Featured, School

After years of medical and scientific learning, Thursday, May 8, was a day the class of 2025 of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai had been waiting for: Commencement. Held at David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center, the ceremony served as a reminder for the graduating students that they had overcome great odds to receive their diplomas.

Many in this class started their education amid great challenges—the COVID-19 pandemic was still going on, noted Dennis S. Charney, MD, Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Dean of the Icahn School of Medicine. And even after they graduate, there will be more challenges to face in residency and postdoctoral training, he said.

The Icahn School granted a total of 173 degrees at the 56th Commencement: 95 MD, 55 PhD, 13 MD/PhD, four MD/MPH, and six MD/MSCR.

“What matters is how you meet disappointment and failure—which is far more important than how you embrace success,” said Dr. Charney. “To thrive, personally and professionally, you will have to accept disappointment and failure, learn from it, and move forward.”

The graduates will also be entering a political climate that has cast uncertainty over scientific progress, said Eric J. Nestler, MD, PhD, who will become Interim Dean of the Icahn School when Dr. Charney steps down as Dean at the end of June.

“Disease knows no political party—it can strike anyone. As physicians and scientists, our allegiance is to humanity—to apply biomedical research to better understand disease so that we can end suffering, heal patients, and save lives,” said Dr. Nestler. “Science should not be politicized—not by the left, or by the right. Ever.”

The student speakers called upon their graduating class to draw courage as they step into a daunting future, but also to hold compassion for others and themselves.

“As we transition from students to doctors, let’s carry forward not just what we’ve learned, but how we’ve learned to think. The world doesn’t need more impressive credentials; it needs people who can navigate complexity with both intellectual rigor and humanity,” said graduating student Anina Lund, who represented the PhD class.

“And at the crossroads of patient care, we face a question: What kind of doctors will we be?” said graduating student Dorothy Adu-Amankwah, who represented the MD class. “The answer will look different for each of us. But at the core, I hope we choose to be doctors who embrace the gift of listening—because listening is the foundation of healing. And as we listen, may we also speak—and advocate—for those whose voices have been silenced by systems, by structures, and by history.”

In the slideshow below, we’ve gathered the stories of 10 graduating students on why they chose to enter the medical and research profession, and how their time at the Icahn School has shaped them.

DeAnalisa Jones, MD/PhD

Next step: Internal medicine residency at Mount Sinai, in the research track.

Why did you choose to enter your field?
The physician-scientist career path gives me the opportunity to combine my love of math and engineering with my interests in tribal, carceral, and cardiovascular health. My mentors at Mount Sinai are helping me carve out a career for myself that includes all these diverse interests.

Describe a memorable experience at Mount Sinai, and who would you like to thank?
This graduation week has been one of the best weeks of my life. For the first time since I moved to New York City for college in 2011, all four of my siblings and my parents are here visiting at the same time. It has been so fun!

I would like to thank my parents, Donald and Deborah Jones; my siblings, DeAngela, Christopher, DeAnna, and Cameron; and the many friends I’ve made while at Mount Sinai.

Dorothy Adu-Amankwah, MD

Next step: Psychiatry residency at Stanford Medicine.

Why did you choose to enter medicine?
Medicine is where my intellectual curiosity and calling to serve meet. I’ve always felt drawn to healing. As a child, I watched my grandmother, a traditional healer in our community in Ghana, and I would say, “I want to heal people too.” Over time, I found other ways to offer healing—through poetry and creative writing—connecting with others and providing comfort through words. However, I was also very intellectually curious about the human brain and its functionality and I wanted to eventually be in a field of work that was service-oriented, but grounded in inquiry. Medicine felt like a calling from God. It offered space to be curious, compassionate, and impactful. Psychiatry, in particular, allows me to integrate my love for stories, language, curiosity, and service.

Describe a memorable experience at Mount Sinai, and who would you like to thank?
One of my most meaningful memories is from an open mic night during my first year. It was a collaboration between the Academy for Humanities in Medicine, Music in Medicine, and the Med-Peds Interest Group. We organized it to raise funds for an organization supporting individuals reentering society after incarceration.

That night, I saw our Mount Sinai community at its best—coming together around art, advocacy, and mutual support. I felt deeply loved and safe during my performance, and I fell in love all over again with the power of art to connect and heal. It was a moment that affirmed both who I was, who I was becoming, and what mattered to me most.

First and foremost, I would like to thank God for carrying me through these years. I couldn’t have made it without His grace.

I’m forever grateful to my amazing brothers, who sacrificed so much so I could finish college and medical school. And to my friends—truly the best friends in the world—thank you for your love, encouragement, and for lifting me when I was down.

I would like to thank my mentors Jacob Appel, MD; David Heller, MD; and Lauren Linkowski, EdD, and the entire Office of Student Affairs—thank you for your constant support, encouragement, and care. I couldn’t have done this alone. I’ve been surrounded by a village, and I carry their love and wisdom with me as I take the next step.

Anina Lund, PhD in Biomedical Sciences and Neuroscience

Next step: Postdoctoral fellow at Mount Sinai

Why did you choose to enter your field?
I chose this field because the brain is incredibly complex, and despite all we’ve learned, so many fundamental questions still remain unanswered. Mount Sinai’s collaborative environment, exceptional resources, and strong focus on translating research into real-world impact make it the ideal place to pursue these questions and contribute to meaningful discoveries.

Mount Sinai’s culture is all about collaboration and curiosity. People here really care about pushing science forward and helping each other do their best work

Describe a memorable experience at Mount Sinai, and who would you like to thank?
It’s hard to pick just one. What really sticks with me is a collection of everyday moments: random conversations in the lab, figuring something out after weeks of troubleshooting, or getting that first glimpse of meaningful results.

I would like to thank my incredible mentors, family, and friends. It wouldn’t have been possible without them.

Jennifer Dias, MD

Next step: Emergency Medicine residency at Mass General Brigham in Boston.

Why did you choose to enter medicine?
I chose to enter medicine because of my cousin, Conner. I’ve always been drawn to the intersection of science, service, and human connection. I wanted to be part of a profession where I could contribute to something bigger than myself. Medicine felt like a calling—one that challenges me intellectually while grounding me in a deep sense of purpose.

I’ve learned that the spirit of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is dynamic, eclectic, and grounded in a legacy of mission-driven care. It has been a place where bold ideas and rigorous science live alongside a commitment to questioning norms and advancing more just models of care. Mount Sinai didn’t just train me in medicine—it helped shape the foundations of my practice. Here, I learned to challenge the status quo, to bring my authentic self into every patient interaction, and to uphold equity and justice, even when doing so is uncomfortable. Mount Sinai’s culture instilled in me the responsibility to provide equitable, evidence-based care and to never lose sight of the humanity before me. It’s a community that taught me to listen with intention and to act with hope.

Describe a memorable experience at Mount Sinai, and who would you like to thank?
There are so many: delivering food and cash grants to East Harlem Health Outreach Partnership patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, being on Good Morning America, assisting in a tracheoesophageal fistula repair for a one-day-old newborn, my annual “surprise” birthday parties in Aron Hall, and presenting my scholarly year work at the National Academies of Sciences and Medicine.

I would like to thank my mom, Maura, and my dad up above, Waltair. My friends and family, both near and far. Many donors and mentors, deans and faculty, including Ellen Seely, MD; Valerie Parkas, MD; David Muller, MD and so many more. The Aron Hall community and staff, members of the Office for Diversity and Inclusion, Racism and Bias Initiative, Medical Education, as well as the Student and Trainee Mental Health Program and the Financial Aid Office. My patients and my classmates: the most incredible humans who I have had the distinct pleasure of growing with and learning from. To each person who walked alongside me—through challenges, growth, and countless moments of joy—thank you.

Michelle Mediolaza, PhD in Clinical Research

Next step: Exploring career opportunities involving patient-centered research, particularly around chronic immune-mediated conditions like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Why did you choose to enter your field?
I was drawn to the Clinical Research Education Program at Mount Sinai because it offered a robust, hands-on curriculum and focused on turning research into tangible, impactful results to help improve patient outcomes. What really stood out to me was how much the program emphasized collaboration and gave me the opportunity to work across different disciplines, from learning about various clinical trial methodologies and statistical approaches, to applying these concepts to tackle complex and real-world health care issues.

While I’ve always been interested in gastroenterology—in fact my master’s thesis focused on the efficacy of different closure methods for GI perforations and leaks—it’s especially meaningful that Mount Sinai is the very place where Crohn’s disease was first described back in 1932. Since then, Mount Sinai has truly led the way in advancing research and treatment for IBD, including developing breakthroughs that have helped patients better manage their conditions. Being able to study IBD at such a historically significant and impactful clinic has been a true honor and highlight in my PhD journey.

Describe a memorable experience at Mount Sinai, and who would you like to thank?
One memory that will always stay with me is the moment I presented our findings at a national conference and realized the impact our work was beginning to have. The Resilience Scale for IBD (RISE-IBD), which I developed alongside my incredible mentor Laurie Keefer, PhD, was gaining strong enthusiasm from respected researchers in the field. I was deeply moved to learn that two research teams outside of Mount Sinai wanted to use the scale in their upcoming research projects as well. It was one of those rare moments when all the long nights and tribulations felt worth it. That experience was such a powerful reminder that our work truly has the potential to reach researchers and patients across the country.

I would like to thank Dr. Keefer, who has shown so much kindness and grace throughout our journey together. Whenever we faced challenges in our work, she always responded with optimism, and that truly changed the way I approach setbacks. Her positivity helped me understand that it’s okay to fail, pivot, and grow from unexpected trials. Furthermore, she taught me how to face obstacles with resilience and grit. I also want to thank my incredible parents, family, and friends for their unwavering support and constant encouragement throughout these past few years. Without them, I truly wouldn’t have made it this far!

Jack Gomberg, MD

Next step: Neurology residency at Mount Sinai.

Why did you choose to enter medicine?
My first exposure to medicine was as a circus performer in pediatric oncology units. I loved connecting with patients on a personal level but was also drawn to the science and potential to directly improve lives. Every step along the way has reinforced that initial curiosity, and it’s a dream to have come so far.

Describe a memorable experience at Mount Sinai, and who would you like to thank?
I got to bring out my gymnastics wheel—also known as a German wheel—into the Guggenheim Lobby for the admissions music video. Performing in scrubs was a very surreal experience.

I want to thank my wife, Devon, and my mom and dad for getting me through med school. I also want to especially thank my incredible, inspiring, and passionate mentors for their support.

Christos Sazeides, PhD in Biomedical Sciences and Neuroscience

Next step: Working for a pharmaceutical company in Boston as a R&D scientist developing therapies for autoimmune diseases.

Why did you choose to enter your field?
I chose Mount Sinai not just because of the exceptional research that goes on here, but also because of the collaborative environment it offers, not only within the institution itself, but globally as well. For example, we had collaborators based in Spain and Japan. Mount Sinai is a very inclusive institution where everyone is able to be who they are. It fosters a safe space for everyone.

Describe a memorable experience at Mount Sinai, and who would you like to thank?
Truthfully, the relationships I formed with my lab mates. It felt like home. Besides my friends and family, who without their unwavering support, I wouldn’t be able to do this, I do want to thank my PhD mentor, Dusan Bogunovic, PhD, who always pushed me out of my comfort zone and motivated me to go after the work and career that I truly wanted.

Michael Peruggia, MD

Next step: Psychiatry residency at Mount Sinai.

Why did you choose to enter medicine?
For me, it was a particular patient population that drew me in. My sister, Alexa, was diagnosed with autism just before I was born. Growing up, I saw both how the medical setting could be a scary place for her and her friends, and how medicine was pivotal in managing comorbidities, from epilepsy to anxiety. I am excited about the future of the autism field, have had amazing experiences with and mentorship from the Seaver Autism Center team here at Mount Sinai, and I’m endlessly fascinated by the relationship between neurobiology and human expression. I hope to be the kind of doctor that patients with neurodevelopmental disorders feel comfortable with, and families of these patients feel understood by.

Describe a memorable experience at Mount Sinai, and who would you like to thank?
At the end of first year, some people in our class put together a field day in Central Park, where we played games like egg toss and tug of war. I have never laughed harder than I did during the watermelon-eating race, where we had to eat a quarter of a watermelon with our hands held behind our backs.

Medical school isn’t easy, and sometimes life and school can pile on top of each other, too. I owe it all to the friends I’ve had by my side for years and the lifelong friends I’ve made here at Mount Sinai. They kept me grounded and kept me laughing. And I thank my family for their constant love and support and macaroni and meatballs.

Sanan Venkatesh, PhD in Biomedical Sciences and Neuroscience

Next step: Postdoctoral fellow at Mount Sinai.

Why did you choose to enter your field?
I’m interested in understanding the etiology of neuropsychiatric disease so that we can develop novel therapies and help people find the therapy right for them. I came to the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai since they had the best psychiatric genetics department I could find.

Describe a memorable experience at Mount Sinai, and who would you like to thank?
When I went to conferences for the first time after the height of the pandemic. I was recognized by a lot more people than I originally expected, and I realized that, despite not seeing everyone face to face, I had become a member of the scientific community.

I would like to thank my wife, Richa; my cat, Chilli; my parents, and my sister’s family for their support during my graduate studies. I’d also like to thank my mentors, Georgios Voloudakis MD, PhD, and Panos Roussos, MD, PhD, as well as the many other members of the Center for Disease Neurogenomics, without whom my work would not be possible.

Lucy Schultz, MD

Next step: Internal medicine residency at NYU Langone, in the primary care track.

Why did you choose to enter medicine?
I was a middle school teacher for many years through Teach for America. I decided to make the switch from education to pursuing medicine after seeing how much health impacted my students and their families. Conditions like asthma, diabetes, sickle cell, and HIV caused so many challenges for kids and families. I also had loved science and biology since I was a little kid, so medicine had always been this personal dream as well. Now, I really love medicine for a lot of the same reasons I loved teaching: you get to build a lot of relationships and support people through difficult situations.

Describe a memorable experience at Mount Sinai, and who would you like to thank?
I will always remember my time working at our student-run free clinic, East Harlem Health Outreach Partnership (EHHOP). It is such a great experience to work with other students and faculty who believe health care should be accessible for all. At every EHHOP clinic, the hallways are buzzing with volunteers being energized by the mission. I also loved being on the leadership teams and seeing how students really are able to deliver quality care and keep the clinic running.

I want to thank my husband, family, and friends for sticking with me through all the ups and downs. I am also very thankful to the amazing Mount Sinai faculty for their teaching and advice, particularly those involved in EHHOP and the Primary Care Scholars Program. I am grateful to the residents, medical students, and nursing staff who were always willing to help me and answer my questions. Thank you also to our wonderful patients who trusted me to be a part of their care.

Navigate with the arrows to learn more about the Class of 2025 and their time in medical and graduate school.

For Prostate Cancer, Early Detection Saves Lives

Updated on Sep 8, 2025 | Featured, Your Health


Prostate cancer is periodically in the news, often when a celebrity or public figure announces they are undergoing treatment. But experts say that for older men, prostate cancer should be something they regularly discuss with their health care providers, and the key for most men is to understand the need for regular prostate cancer screenings.

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men in the United States, after skin cancer, and the number of cases has been rising. It’s also the second-leading cause of cancer death (after lung cancer). About one in eight men will get prostate cancer in their lifetime.

However, in many cases, men can recognize and manage this disease through testing and early detection, according to Ash Tewari, MBBS, MCh, FRCS (Hon.), DSc (Hon.), Professor and Chair, Milton and Carroll Petrie Department of Urology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

“The one thing men should know is that they should understand the risk and get tested,” says Dr. Tewari,  a leading expert on prostate health and an advocate for expanding efforts to get men tested for prostate cancer. “That’s one thing that makes all the difference.”

Get Answers to Your Questions: A Prostate Cancer Survivorship Seminar Wednesday, September 17

The Department of Urology is holding a seminar dedicated to life after a prostate cancer diagnosis. Click here to register and for all the details.

In this Q&A, Dr. Tewari, who is also Director of the Center of Excellence for Prostate Cancer at The Tisch Cancer Institute at Mount Sinai, explains when men should be tested for prostate cancer, how to assess your risk, and how regular testing is critical to identifying cancer earlier when treatment is significantly more successful, especially for those who may be at higher risk.

What are the warning signs of prostate cancer?

Prostate cancer is a silent killer. No symptoms will show up before the cancer has grown and has become incurable. The message here is: Don’t expect cancer to declare itself. You should go out and look for it. You should understand the risk. If you find it early enough, it’s very curable. But if you wait for the signs and symptoms to come and the cancer declares itself, the battle is usually a difficult battle. It’s a silent killer, don’t wait for the symptoms.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms can happen when the cancer is quite advanced. People may have difficulty in passing urine, they may have some pain, they may have some blood in their urine. That usually is a sign that the cancer is growing into the areas surrounding the prostate. But similar symptoms can happen even if there is no cancer. For example, an enlarged prostate—a condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH—can produce these symptoms. It can be confusing. My message remains the same: Look for prostate cancer, and get screened, especially if you have a high risk, and that’s what saves lives.

When should men get tested for prostate cancer?

Men normally should start having a conversation with their primary care doctor or a urologist when they are about 45 to 50 years of age. When we talk about the testing, it’s not just about the test, it’s also what are the implications of the test—what we call shared decision making.

On average, any man 50 to 69 years old should be having a discussion with their doctors about prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening, and older men should also discuss prostate cancer with their doctor. But we can have this conversation earlier. For example, if someone has a family history of prostate cancer, is BRCA positive, or is African American, we could consider that group to have a high risk of prostate cancer. That discussion can start at about age 40. It is all about the individual’s risk for prostate cancer. Prostate cancer can be checked, and that’s the beauty of it.

About 288,000 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer last year. About 34,700 men died due to prostate cancer last year, and the majority of these deaths were avoidable if we had found the cancer early. PSA screening is a simple blood test. I think of PSA as standing for “Please Stay Alert.” There are other ways of testing, including a digital rectal exam, ultrasound and MRI scans, and other tests of your blood and urine. But the discussion starts with the PSA, and people should talk about what this PSA can do for them.

Looking for even more detailed information about prostate cancer? Click here to watch a special Prostate Cancer Awareness Seminar with Ash Tewari, MBBS, MCh, FRCS (Hon.), DSc (Hon.), Professor and Chair, Milton and Carroll Petrie Department of Urology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

How can you minimize the risk of prostate cancer?

Those at high risk can do a lot to prevent this cancer and live healthier lives. It’s not rocket science. It starts with diet and nutrition—cutting down on carbs and processed food, balancing your diet, having more lean protein, avoiding red meat, cutting down on smoking and alcohol. And exercising a lot. I mean about 30 minutes a day, three to four times a week. Combining all of these is one of the biggest preventive factors in prostate cancer risk. Obviously, testing early makes all the difference.

How treatable is prostate cancer?

If we find prostate cancer early, we can cure it 98 to 99 percent of the time. But think about it: Despite this high cure rate, we still lost 34,700 men last year. Why did that happen? Because we are finding the cancer a little late. In five percent of patients, when we find cancer, they already have a cancer that has advanced to their bones, to the lymph nodes, to other parts of the body. We call it metastatic cancer.

Finding cancer when it is confined within the prostate makes all the difference. At that time, it’s very curable, and the cure can come in many different forms. We have nerve sparing procedures in which we can remove the prostate using minimally invasive, robotic surgery, and the patient is cured of the cancer in a majority of times. We have new kinds of radiation therapies that can do the same job in a select group of patients. In many cases, prostate cancer doesn’t even need active treatment. Patients can be closely monitored in what we call “active surveillance.” We have many forms of the treatment. An expert can tell exactly what is suitable for each person, based on the type of cancer, how far it has progressed, and personal choices. Hope is there, but we need to fight it early.

What role does family history play in prostate cancer risk?

When I ask people about their cancer, they often say, “I never talked to anyone in the family about medical issues.” That’s not a good answer. Basically, if people have many members in the family who had prostate cancer, or if there is breast cancer, uterine cancer, or pancreatic cancer in the family, that tells us they are from a family with high risk of prostate cancer. For example, the BRCA2 gene that can increase the risk of breast cancer in women is known to be correlated with a higher risk of prostate cancer. Knowing there are members in your family going through the same journey should make you a little more cautious, and that can save your life.

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How Mount Sinai Prioritizes Language and Cultural Understanding to Improve Patient Care

Updated on May 12, 2025 | Community, Featured

In one of the most culturally and linguistically diverse neighborhoods in New York City, Mount Sinai Queens demonstrates how offering personalized, inclusive care ensures that communication does not become a barrier to treatment.

Located in Astoria, where more than 150 languages are spoken, Mount Sinai Queens is home to a team of physicians and clinical staff who reflect the diversity of the community. Many health care providers are bilingual or multilingual, and the hospital offers on-demand medical interpretation services in more than 200 languages—ensuring that patients can fully understand their diagnoses, care plans, and treatment options.

“When patients feel understood, they’re more likely to follow through on care plans, attend follow-up visits, and engage in preventive care,” says George Nikoloudakis, DO. “That’s what makes a long-term difference.”

“When a patient hears their own language spoken in the exam room—especially in a moment of vulnerability—it creates a connection that goes beyond words,” said George Nikoloudakis, DO, an Internal Medicine physician at Mount Sinai Doctors-Astoria at Mount Sinai Queens. “As someone who is a Greek speaker, I understand how meaningful it is for Greek-speaking patients to feel heard and understood. It helps build trust, and trust leads to better outcomes.”

Numerous studies show that language barriers in health care can lead to miscommunication, delayed diagnoses, lower treatment adherence, and higher rates of avoidable hospital readmissions. For some New Yorkers these barriers may even deter them from seeking care altogether.

Throughout the Mount Sinai Health System, medical interpretation and translation services are provided to patients and family members who prefer to communicate in a language other than English. Assistive devices are also available to persons with disabilities to help them communicate with providers and staff during their visit. All services are provided free of charge, and a Language Assistance Program is offered at each of the main hospital campuses.

At Mount Sinai Queens, teams are delivering care that is not only clinically excellent but culturally and linguistically informed.

The hospital’s care teams include multilingual providers and support staff across departments. Professional medical interpreters are available around the clock, both in person and virtually, to help patients navigate their care with confidence and clarity. Additionally, providers use culturally sensitive care approaches that acknowledge and respect patients’ diverse backgrounds, customs, and health beliefs. Health education materials are also available in multiple languages to ensure accessibility and understanding.

For patients, this level of communication support makes it easier to ask questions, understand treatment options, and participate more actively in their care.

“Language is an essential part of health equity,” said Dr. Nikoloudakis. “When patients feel understood, they’re more likely to follow through on care plans, attend follow-up visits, and engage in preventive care. That’s what makes a long-term difference.”

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Why Eye Exams Are an Important Part of Care Offered at the Corinne Goldsmith Dickinson Center for Multiple Sclerosis

May 7, 2025 | Featured, Your Health

Eye examinations reveal a lot about a person’s general health. With multiple sclerosis, what is found deep inside an eye may yield an initial diagnosis of the chronic disease, and yearly checkups can help to measure disease progression.

With the acquisition of an Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) machine, vital for neuro-ophthalmologists, the Corinne Goldsmith Dickinson Center for Multiple Sclerosis has expanded its capacity to provide comprehensive care. A generous gift from the Muzio Family Foundation enabled the Center to purchase the OCT machine.

Sylvia Klineova, MD, MS

In this Q&A, Sylvia Klineova, MD, MS, who specializes in multiple sclerosis (MS) eye health, explains why routine exams are essential for MS patients, how an OCT works, and the benefits of offering it at the Center. She is also an Associate Professor of Neurology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

“OCT tests are a new part of how we’re assessing our patients and should be incorporated in MS comprehensive care,” she says.

Why are regular eye exams important for multiple sclerosis care?

You can think of eyes as sort of a surrogate for changes in the brain of someone with multiple sclerosis. The “retinal nerve fiber layer” (RNFL) are the nerves in the back of the eye that are the beginning of the pathway for vision into the brain. Loss of thickness in the RNFL has been correlated to the degree of brain atrophy in MS patients, particularly in those with prior optic neuritis, a condition in which the optic nerve, which connects the eye to the brain, becomes swollen or inflamed. An MRI, however, cannot precisely measure the thickness of retinal nerve fiber layer, or accurately determine the effects of lesions in optic nerves. Optic neuritis is one of the most common initial attacks of MS, so a precise diagnosis is important. Even in patients without optic neuritis, we can see the impact of MS on retinal nerve fiber layer thickness.

Why do multiple sclerosis neurologists use an OCT?

The OCT, first introduced in 1991, was predominantly used by ophthalmologists for care in glaucoma, a very common reason for people developing optic neuropathy, or damage to optic nerves. Since the optic nerves are often affected in people who have MS, researchers who focused on eyes concluded that an OCT is more sensitive than an MRI in uncovering optic nerve lesions. The technology can help attain an earlier diagnosis of MS or confirm diagnoses in patients where the use of MRI doesn’t reveal an optic nerve lesion.

An OCT also is used to help to distinguish optic neuritis in MS versus other demyelinating diseases like neuromyelitis optica (NMO). After an MS optic neuritis attack, doctors use OCT to monitor how much optic nerves are damaged. Looking at changes in thickness of the neural layer can help to predict the degree of vision recovery in six months or a year after the attack. In imaging of a patient’s eyes over time, doctors look for any sign of changes of a neural layer in optic nerves and macula, the area with the highest number of cells that form optic nerves.

How does OCT work?

An OCT machine looks a little bit like a big computer. You put your chin on a chin rest and look straight ahead without shifting your eyes. A scanning light, moving across your line of vision, reaches deep inside tissues of the retina, and comes back with pictures of different cell layers. The test lasts about 15 minutes, is painless and non-invasive, and the results are quickly available to the physician.

The OCT will be part of the newest multiple sclerosis diagnostic criteria (the McDonald Criteria), which have been widely discussed at international conferences and will be published in 2025. The older criteria did not specifically single out optic nerves as one of the locations where doctors would look for lesions.

Why did Mount Sinai’s Center get an OCT?

The OCT program began in December 2023 when the Center added an OCT to its onsite equipment. Our Center staff take the images. The only thing needed from a patient is to sit and not move their eyes. With the OCT installed at the Center, patients do not need to go to another facility for a test that is recommended as a part of their comprehensive care. The exams usually are scheduled by providers as part of patients’ regular clinical visits.

Are OCT tests necessary?

Annual OCT exams are recommended for many MS patients. How the nerve layer around the optic nerve and retina looks can tell neurologists something about how MS is affecting the whole nervous system.

OCTs are particularly useful for tracking progression in patients who had optic neuritis. Whether and how much these patients lose vision depends on the extent of damage to the optic nerve as well as the macula, the place of sharpest vision. Evaluating the loss of thickness in optic nerves and macula can help to predict the degree of vision recovery.

For patients without prior optic neuritis, doctors can see how MS affects thickness of the neural layer. They are looking for stability of the thickness over time. And since neuroprotective or remyelinating drugs have not yet been developed, if a significant drop in retinal thickness occurs, then advancing to a more effective MS therapy can be discussed.

By Kenneth Bandler, a multiple sclerosis patient, advocate, and member of The Corinne Goldsmith Dickinson Center for Multiple Sclerosis Advisory Board

Learn more about the Corinne Goldsmith Dickinson Center for Multiple Sclerosis

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