How Did These New York City Teachers Spend Their Summer? In Mount Sinai Labs, Improving Their Science and Teaching Skills

Updated on Oct 18, 2024 | Community, Featured, Research

New York City educators visited the Microscopy and Advanced Bioimaging Core facility with Glenn Doherty, Senior Core Research Associate, seated left, and Denise Croote, PhD, seated right.

New York City high school teacher Christine Chan, middle school teacher Elsa Rosario, and assistant principal Kathy Pham gained hands-on experience in science content, communications, and teaching at Mount Sinai as part of a Summer Research Program for Science Teachers. They recently returned to their classrooms energized with fresh ideas to inspire a love of science in their students.

Ms. Chan worked in the laboratory of renowned scientist Yasmin Hurd, PhD, the Ward-Coleman Chair of Translational Neuroscience, Director of the Addiction Institute of Mount Sinai, and Professor of Pharmacological Sciences, Neuroscience, Psychiatry, and Artificial Intelligence and Human Health.

Ms. Rosario worked in the laboratory of researcher Joel Blanchard, PhD, Associate Professor of Neuroscience, and Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, and a core member of Mount Sinai’s Institute for Regenerative Medicine, who is developing in vitro models of the human brain.

Ms. Pham worked in the laboratory of researcher Yizhou Dong, PhD, Professor of Immunology and Immunotherapy, and Oncological Sciences, whose research is focused on drug discovery and delivery.

Mount Sinai was among four institutions hosting teachers through a program that was founded in 1990 by the esteemed scientist Samuel C. Silverstein, MD, at Columbia University.

“This program has created a wonderful community of science educators and researchers who are eager to enhance science education in the United States and prepare the next generation for careers in science, technology, engineering, and math,” says Denise Croote, PhD, Assistant Professor of Neuroscience, and an instructor in the Center for Excellence in Youth Education at Mount Sinai, who oversaw the Mount Sinai program for The Friedman Brain Institute, which hosted the teachers.

Ms. Pham was completing her second year in this two-summer program, while Ms. Chan and Ms. Rosario expect to return next summer and continue building on their first-year experiences in the laboratories.

“We were thrilled to welcome New York City science educators to our labs, and we are excited to work together on outreach programs that support their classroom goals in the upcoming year,” says Dr. Croote.

In addition to their work in the labs, activities for all of the teachers included a small symposium and poster session, and Professional Development Days, where, at Mount Sinai, they presented a science lesson of their choice, learned about resources available to them, and toured the Microscopy and Advanced Bioimaging Core and the BioMedical Engineering and Imaging Institute, interacting with faculty and staff.

“The experience was a perfect blend of collaboration, learning, and the joy of sharing knowledge with those who shape the future of science,” says Natalia P. Biscola, PhD, Associate Scientist in Mount Sinai’s Department of Neurology, who helped organize and develop the summer program at Mount Sinai. Adds Veronica Szarejko, Program Manager, Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, “As a mother of a high school freshman who is a science enthusiast, I am incredibly excited about the program’s ability to promote new ideas and help shape how the science curriculum is taught in New York City schools.”

For Ms. Chan, Ms. Rosario, and Ms. Pham, it was an extraordinary opportunity. Read on to learn more about what they learned and why they are passionate about teaching science.

Christine Chan, in the lab with Alexandra Chisholm, PhD

Christine Chan, ReStart Academy

Can you share a little background on your teaching experience?

I am starting my fourth year as a high school science teacher at District 79’s ReStart Academy at the Comprehensive Adolescent Rehabilitation and Education Service (CARES). I have taught biology, earth and space science, and environmental science. Our school collaborates with Mount Sinai to provide a safe space for students with mental disorders to simultaneously receive public-school education and outpatient psychiatry therapy.

Our student body is more diverse than any other school in the country. We have art school students, specialized high school students, special education students, LGBTQ+ students, and students from other minority groups. Although it can be challenging at times to have such a diverse group of students in the classroom, it does lead to unexpected perspectives and insights. Learning is bidirectional. I can inspire students and help them discover new aspects of themselves, while they introduce me to a broad variety of knowledge.

Who inspired you to become a science teacher?

I enjoyed my college science classes more than my high school science classes. While it was much more challenging, the content was much more relevant to my personal life. I found myself more easily drawn to science learning and asking more questions about the world around me. Science has enlarged my interests in health, scientific innovation, medicine, climate change, and sustainability.

I was inspired to become a science high school teacher because I think the excitement around science learning should be encountered earlier. I want to become a teacher who teaches science in a way that is relevant, rigorous, and fun for young students. I also want to inspire and motivate young people to care more and take action about major societal problems, such as health disparities, climate change, and the lack of diversity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields.

I believe there are creative ways to teach rigorous and exciting science while also preparing students for standardized tests. For example, while we must teach fundamental concepts of the endocrine and reproductive system, why can’t we teach it in the context of our students’ real worlds? They are more likely to pay attention, care, and invest time in learning. Many of my students are transgender, so they have heard of or may be taking testosterone or estrogen shots. I can teach students fundamental biology and help them apply conceptual knowledge to understand real applications of medicine.

What did you learn through the activities, and especially working in the lab with a mentor?

My experience in the Hurd lab taught me that science and technology are advancing simultaneously. In the past, I was under the impression that people learn to code and program because they want to work in IT or make cool computer programs. As technology opens the door to large amounts of complex data, scientists need coding skills to use programs that can comprehend the information. Researchers in the Hurd lab write codes to make sense of and analyze large amounts of data from RNA sequencing. Scientists need to be flexible and lifelong learners to keep up with the latest programs and research methods.

In addition, I learned that a strong background in the biological mechanism of a research topic is essential. Without a fundamental background understanding, it is very hard to conduct literature searches, stay updated within the scientific community, understand methodology and results, and draw conclusions. Overall, the results of research projects are often very complex because the brain is very complex. There is still so much we don’t know about the brain.

What lessons will you take to the classroom?

My experience in the Hurd Lab, guidance from my lab mentor, Alexandra Chisholm, PhD, and professional development sessions have all inspired me. I plan to use some physical, interactive models acquired in my professional development sessions, to teach synapses. For example, I can have students throw balls (neurotransmitters) from the presynaptic neuron into the receptors (cups) of postsynaptic neurons. I can use this model to teach about neural communication and neuroplasticity.

I also want to encourage my students to learn coding via datacamp.com. I was enrolled in some courses during my time in the Hurd lab, where I acquired a great set of introductory skills. Educators can help students enroll in six-month coding courses that are interactive and project based. This is a great fit for my school because we don’t have a computer science teacher.

The Hurd lab also inspired me to create a bioinformatic poster project. Dr. Hurd is actively working to bridge the connection between the research community and the larger society, and she teaches her college interns the importance of this connection by assigning them a bioinformatics poster about prenatal exposure to cannabis. I think students can solidify their understanding of any topic by making posters to inform or educate local communities. For example, my students are very passionate about LGBTQ+ activism. I plan to have them create bioinformatic posters for trans teens about the mechanisms behind hormone replacement therapy.

Lastly, I plan to utilize some of the connections I built during this experience to coordinate field trips to science research labs or facilities to give students a better sense of where scientists work, what problems researchers are investigating

Elsa Rosario in the lab with Andrea Perez Arevalo, PhD

Elsa Rosario, Rachel Carson I.S. 237

Can you share a little background on your teaching experience?

I have been a middle school teacher for five years at Rachel Carson I.S. 237 in Flushing, Queens, New York. I teach sixth and seventh grade science, as well as Living Environment and Earth Science Regents Prep to eighth graders.

While middle school students have acquired a lot of skills by the time they get to me, they are still full of curiosity for the world around them. They are ready to identify problems and try to find solutions and get an allocated time for science every day in school. I also think it is the perfect time to get them interested in science through experiences, such as using scientific hands-on models to learn and answer questions. Experiences stay with us and help shape who we become.

Who inspired you to become a science teacher?

I attribute a lot of what I have accomplished to the educators who mentored and believed in me through different stages of my education career. Growing up, I never envisioned becoming a teacher, much less a science teacher. I wasn’t born in the United States, and in the country I am from, languages and math were the main subjects we focused on in middle school.

After I moved to New York City as a teenager I first got interested in science because of my Living Environment teacher talking so passionately about genetics and all the different possibilities researching genetics could lead to. This experience led me to college and a major in Biotechnology. I got the opportunity to do research as an undergraduate student, and my mentors at the time supported me to become a lab instructor, an experience that changed everything for me. It made me realize that sharing knowledge and empowering others to see the world in a critical way could impact more lives. We make choices every day, and the skills you learn in science class are very transferable to your everyday life. We just fail to see it through that lens sometimes.

What did you learn through the activities, and especially working in the lab with a mentor?

I truly believe no book or diagram can help you make a connection with something the way an experience can. I have gained an appreciation for the brain that no class in neuroscience could have ever taught me.

I have used all my senses to fully immerse myself into understanding the brain in this internship. Andrea Perez Arevalo, PhD, my mentor in the Blanchard lab, guided me through identifying a question of interest after doing research, carrying out hands-on qualitative and quantitative experiments to answer that question, and analyzing the result to make conclusions.

And, something else. I have also become a student again and that can really change your perspective, especially when you are being introduced to an unfamiliar topic. It’s the kind of feeling my students have when I stand in front of the class to teach. The internship was also a one-to-one experience, and my mentor addressed any misconceptions I might have had as I learned. That gave me a better understanding of how everything I was learning connected to my everyday life —and how I might use this experience to better teach my students how molecular interactions impact the way their brains work.

What lessons will you take to the classroom? 

One of the most important lessons I have learned from my mentor is that failure can also be a story of success in life and science! When you try something, and you fail, then you have learned what does not work. What matters is what you do with that knowledge.

Some of the experiments we completed did not give us the results we expected, and my mentor made sure we focused on taking that data for what it was and still analyzed what it meant. It is okay to have expectations when you do an experiment, that is what a hypothesis is, but focusing on that might narrow your field of view when analyzing your results. Not doing this might make us miss an opportunity to understand the process we are investigating.

I was also given the opportunity to create my own microscope slides with different types of brain cells that had different pathology. I plan to create a lab in which students collect data from these slides about how cells change in the brain when someone has a neurodegenerative disorder.

Kathy Pham giving a presentation

Kathy Pham, Bard High School Early College, Queens

Can you share a little background on your teaching experience?

I have been teaching for 12 years, primarily in Title I, low-income, and underperforming schools in the East New York and Bushwick sections of Brooklyn, where I focus on biology for grades 9 to 12. It has been a rewarding journey that allows me to engage with students and cultivate their curiosity in science. Many of my students continue to pursue their studies in the sciences as they advance to higher education.

Who inspired you to become a science teacher?

My inspiration originated from my seventh-grade science teacher who instilled in me a profound love for inquiry and discovery. We participated in science fairs, competed in science competitions, and conducted scientific research. The passion she exhibited for science was contagious, and I strive to ignite that same enthusiasm in my students.

What did you learn through the activities, and especially working in the lab with a mentor?

Working in the lab with a mentor has been incredibly beneficial. I have gained hands-on experience in the formulation of lipid nanoparticles using polysarcosine for mRNA delivery therapeutics, which has deepened my understanding of immunology and cellular biology. Additionally, this experience has underscored the importance of experimentation and critical thinking in science, reinforcing the necessity of fostering a similar environment in the classroom.

What lessons will you take to the classroom? 

I plan to create lessons that prioritize inquiry-based learning and collaborative projects. I believe that by emphasizing active learning and experimentation, I can cultivate a more dynamic and engaging atmosphere for my students.

Learn more about The Friedman Brain Institute

Your Guide to the Latest Trends in Breast Cancer Prevention and Treatment

Updated on Oct 24, 2024 | Featured, Your Health

Breast cancer remains one of the most prevalent cancers among women, with 13 percent of women—approximately one in eight—receiving a diagnosis in their lifetime. Early detection and advanced technology are vital to improving survival rates and treatment success.

Here are three important ways that updates in breast cancer screening and technology have the potential to significantly improve early detection and patient care, according to the experts at the Center of Excellence for Breast Cancer at The Tisch Cancer Institute at Mount Sinai.

Elisa Port, MD, FACS

New Mammogram Guidelines

In April, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommended that women begin regular mammograms at age 40, shifting from the previous guideline of age 50. Mount Sinai strongly supports this important change, as it can lead to earlier detection and a reduction in late-stage breast cancer cases.

“Starting mammograms at age 40 can facilitate earlier diagnoses, which are crucial for effective treatment,” says Elisa Port, MD, FACS, Chief of Breast Surgery for the Mount Sinai Health System and Director of the Dubin Breast Center. “We urge women to schedule their screenings and benefit from these updated guidelines.”

 FDA Ruling on Breast Density

 The FDA recently mandated that mammogram reports include uniform information about breast density. Dense breast tissue can obscure tumors on mammograms and is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer.

Laurie Margolies, MD

“This new requirement will provide women around the country with essential information about their breast density, helping them make informed decisions about additional imaging if needed,” says Laurie Margolies, MD, Chief of Breast Imaging at the Dubin Breast Center. “We are committed to offering comprehensive care and using all available information to enhance screening accuracy at all of Mount Sinai’s breast health locations.”

 Advances in AI for Mammography and Breast Ultrasound

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming mammography and breast ultrasound, significantly improving diagnostic capabilities. AI algorithms can analyze mammogram and breast ultrasound images with advanced precision, and have become a powerful tool in identifying potential abnormalities that traditional methods might overlook.

“AI technology is a tool that could represent a significant advancement in breast cancer detection,” says Dr. Margolies. “Thanks to our innovative work at the Dubin Breast Center and throughout the Mount Sinai Health System, we are leading the way in implementing AI-enhanced mammography and breast ultrasound to improve diagnostic accuracy and patient outcomes.”

Three Things Women Should Do

  • Schedule your mammogram: Follow the new guidelines to begin regular screenings at age 40.
  • Review breast density information: Understand your breast density from your mammogram report and discuss any additional screening needs with your health care provider.
  • Know your risk: Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in U.S. women, behind only lung cancer.

The Center of Excellence for Breast Cancer at The Tisch Cancer Institute at Mount Sinai celebrates Breast Cancer Awareness Month because it is an important time to embrace these advances and focus on proactive care.

Improving your chances of survival often begins with early detection. Mount Sinai encourages women to stay informed, be empowered, speak with their health care professional, and access the latest technologies and interventions as needed.

Mount Sinai offers excellent care in New York City and the surrounding suburbs

The Blavatnik Family Chelsea Medical Center: 325 West 15th Street, New York

Dubin Breast Center: 1176 Fifth Avenue, New York

Mount Sinai Tisch Cancer Center-Staten Island 1441 South Avenue, Staten Island

Mount Sinai West Breast Surgery Center: 787 11th Avenue, New York

Ruttenberg Treatment Center: 1470 Madison Avenue, New York

Mount Sinai South Nassau: 1 Healthy Way, Oceanside, Long Island

Click here for more information

Learn more about the Center of Excellence for Breast Cancer at Mount Sinai
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See the schedule for Mount Sinai's mobile mammography van

Spotlight on Nursing Research: Addressing Knowledge Gaps in Sickle Cell Disease Pain Treatment

Oct 4, 2024 | Featured, Nursing, Research

Charleen Jacobs-McFarlane, PhD, RN, ANP-BC

The Center for Nursing Research and Innovation at Mount Sinai recently interviewed Charleen Jacobs-McFarlane, PhD, RN, ANP-BC, a Nurse Practitioner in the Mount Sinai Health System Adult Sickle Cell Program, who has published abstracts in Practical Implementation of Nursing Science focused on the knowledge gaps in sickle cell disease pain treatment and on the factors influencing the decision to seek curative treatment.

What drew you to sickle cell disease research earlier in your career, and what sustains your interest today?

I was drawn to sickle cell disease (SCD) research by coincidence when I had my first NP clinical rotation at Mount Sinai’s Sickle Cell Program as a student nurse practitioner. At that time it was a much smaller program, but there were some research projects going on that sparked my interest. While taking care of people with SCD there were many different phenomena that were occurring simultaneously—in particular, the physiological manifestations of the disease, the complex care management involved, and most importantly, the patient’s experience living with a chronic illness. I thought it would be best to enroll in a PhD in nursing program to gain skills as a nurse researcher and to be better equipped to pursue the unanswered questions I encountered.

Can you give an example?

A small number of the patients I cared for received a bone marrow transplant to cure the disease and alleviate one of the most prominent features of SCD—pain. However, while these patients were technically cured, some continued to have pain. They expressed to me that they felt lost and disconnected from the SCD community because they did not have SCD anymore, and they wondered if they made the right choice in curing their disease because of their continued pain. My dissertation focused on the experience of deciding to pursue curative therapies in SCD. I believe the findings of that study could help us clinicians understand how patients move through making such a life-changing decision and how we can be better equipped to guide them through that experience, and determine what resources are needed to support them along the journey. The patients are what continue to sustain my interest today, because there are so many unanswered questions and gaps in SCD research that need to be addressed. People with SCD continue to have poor outcomes compared to others. I believe that through continued research, we can improve the lives of people with SCD.

In your experience, how has your clinical work been informed by pursuing a PhD, and vice versa?

The longer I practice, the more I refine my research. And since my research in SCD focuses on specific clinical problems and nursing practice within this space, the direct application of my research informs my clinical practice. Pursuing a PhD has sharpened by ability to critically analyze clinical situations, identify underlying patterns and phenomena, and apply evidence-based practice more effectively as a nurse practitioner. My knowledge base in SCD care deepened as I found myself going to the literature more frequently to get answers and to seek clarity with complex cases to ensure that an intervention was grounded in research. Additionally, the rigor of the PhD program inspired me to take on a more analytical mindset while caring for patients, and opened a path for me to generate questions for future research and to imagine how I would approach answering those questions. But while my PhD was research based, there was a heavy focus on leadership and advocacy as well. Using the latest research to inform best practices, influence policy changes, and promote clinical innovation to advance care was of utmost importance, and I continue to make sure I am doing that in my day-to-day practice. Additionally, another clinical influence on my PhD was the opportunity to work with people with SCD, which was a huge advantage. I had experience, insight, and practical perspectives to inform my research. Working directly with patients and various members of the health care team allowed me to identify gaps in current knowledge and where I could focus my research and methodologies.

What strategies have you adopted or developed to balance your clinical and academic pursuits?

It all comes down to time management. I try to stay organized using planners and jotting down my goals for the week. On my clinical days, I am fully immersed in the activities of the sickle cell program. A large majority of my research questions come from clinical practice, and if something of interest comes up clinically, I write it down as a potential project to explore at another time. I have a running list of research questions that are saved in my notes for future reference. On my academic days, I try to focus solely on academic pursuits—no clinical work at all. The questions saved from my clinical days are researched on my academic days. Allocating specific days and times for clinical and academic work has helped me a lot in maintaining structure and reduces the cognitive load of switching between roles. My mentor, Jeffrey Glassberg, MD, advised me on the idea of identifying and prioritizing tasks that are of “critical importance” to achieving my most pressing goals. It has helped me clear a lot of mental clutter, refocus my energy on my research career, and identify parts of my clinical role that can be delegated to others. I started a post-doctoral training program earlier this year and, honestly, I struggled for a few months switching between both worlds. Over time the balance has improved, but it is something on which I am continually working.

How have your research interests been affected by working with an interdisciplinary team at Mount Sinai?

I am fortunate to collaborate with an interdisciplinary team of clinicians who are also National Institutes of Health-funded sickle cell researchers. Their expertise and research achievements are inspiring and bring a culture of high academic and clinical standards to the program. Our interdisciplinary work focuses on delivering high-quality, equitable, patient-centered care for all patients with SCD. The collaboration between physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, social workers, research staff, and others allows the team to gain invaluable insights from one another on how to best implement our research findings into practice. It creates a feedback loop for our team, and also helps ensure that my own research remains relevant and beneficial to our patients. Research does not get done in silos. Collaboration between team members is essential to advance the research and the care of people living with SCD. Being a nurse practitioner on such a dynamic team has highlighted how crucial this role is, as we often integrate research activities into our clinical work.

Your abstracts published in Practical Implementation of Nursing Science focused on the knowledge gaps in SCD pain treatment and on the factors influencing the decision to seek curative treatments—how did your clinical relationship to your patients help identify these topics, and what advice would you give to other nurses looking to develop a research question?

My advice for nurses looking to develop a research question would be to start with your clinical area of expertise or interesting things that continue to occur in your area. Because SCD is a chronic illness, and we follow patients through the continuum of care (inpatient and outpatient), I have developed long-term relationships with our patients and their families. They not only share their struggles, but also their successes in overcoming adversity while living with SCD. As I follow patients longitudinally, I am acutely aware of the lack of treatment options for chronic SCD pain, and while curative therapies are a hot topic, they remain inaccessible for many people with SCD. In “Descriptive Analysis of Buprenorphine Inductions in Adults with Sickle Cell Disease,” we investigate the small number of our patients with SCD who often have pain, repeated hospitalizations, and a poor response to the standard treatment with opioids who are in need of additional treatment options. Some of those patients were frustrated with the lack of pain control, and the use of buprenorphine to reduce acute care visits was emerging in SCD treatment. We were curious to see the outcomes of acute care visits and opioid use before and after starting buprenorphine at our institution. In “The Lived Experience of Deciding Curative Treatments for Adults With Sickle Cell Disease,” building on discussions about curative therapies with patients with severe cases of SCD, I found that while this population was aware of the severity of their disease, they often expressed feeling overwhelmed by the decision to move forward with curing their disease for a multitude of reasons, and they often had repeated conversations over months, and sometimes years, about being referred to a transplant therapist. There was some existing research on this phenomenon, but little that focused on adults with SCD and the complex factors behind making such a high-risk, high-reward decision. I sought to understand the reasons patients might hesitate in pursuing curative SCD therapies, and to identify the potential impact of clinical nurses and nursing leadership in the decision-making process.

Read more stories about Nursing Excellence

The Public Health and Racial Justice Program Hosts 28 Young People in Its Biggest Cohort Yet

Updated on Oct 4, 2024 | Community, Diversity and Inclusion, Featured

Visesha Ainapudi, MPH, CHES, left, Program Facilitator, and Lesly Sanchez, Program Participant

The Mount Sinai Department of Health Education hosted its second in-person cohort of the Public Health and Racial Justice Program for youth ages 15-18 years in July and August. During the six-week program, 28 participants—selected from nearly 300 applicants—learned about a variety of public health topics through a racial justice lens.

The Department of Health Education created the Public Health and Racial Justice Program in the spring of 2020 in direct response to the Black Lives Matter movement and the COVID-19 pandemic. Emphasizing the power and importance of civic engagement, community advocacy, youth activism, and the cultivation of a diverse public health workforce, the program builds skills, fosters pride, and nurtures community connection so that all participants see themselves as powerful agents of change.

With generous support from the Helen Gurley Brown Foundation, the program provided participant stipends, MetroCards, and lunch vouchers to offset financial barriers to participation.

The program’s hospital-community partnerships highlighted how clinical medicine and health care access are complemented by the advocacy and activism of community-based movements, often spearheaded by leaders of color. Participants heard from more than 45 guest presenters, including community experts from community-based health care collectives, city government, and non-profits.

Mount Sinai Health System leaders offered their educational, personal, and professional wisdom to participants, with representation from a variety of departments including Emergency Medicine, the Institute for Health Equity Research, Graduate Medical Education, the Raquel and Jaime Gilinski Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Science, the Office for Diversity and Inclusion, and more. Through a partnership with the Mount Sinai Simulation Teaching and Research Center, participants gained concrete skills through hands-on trainings in adult and infant CPR, naloxone administration, tourniquet application, and birthing simulation.

One program participant said, “I learned a lot from people from the hospital who would come talk to us and tell us about their career and how they got where they were… Sometimes they fell down and got back up. Their stories were rocky but they ended up in a good position they enjoyed, and that gives me hope.”

This year’s cohort was the largest in the program’s history. The facilitators took great care to prioritize group cohesion, building in time for engaging and fun activities, individual check-ins, and small group activities to develop relationships between the youth.

One participant shared, “My favorite thing from the summer were the icebreakers and games. It wasn’t like school where you go straight to working or watching or listening. You get to learn different things about the people around you. It starts a conversation.”

As the program progressed, some of the participants even felt encouraged to step into peer leadership roles with group activities. “I felt like I really belonged, and I don’t feel that way often,” said one participant. Another added, “It felt empowering being surrounded by a group of girls my age who were so intelligent, kind, and dependable.”

The 2024 Public Health and Racial Justice Program youth cohort and facilitators

Participants completed a final “Photovoice” project, applying what they learned throughout the program to a community health issue that mattered to them. Each young person had the platform to voice their perspective, educate Mount Sinai staff and representatives from New York City government and community-based organizations, and facilitate critical dialogue to encourage action as youth leaders. Participants shared their Photovoice project at a culminating event, attended by Mount Sinai staff, community partners, family, and friends.

One participant said the most meaningful aspect of the program was “being able to present everything we’d been working on and learning about for 6 weeks. I loved hearing the things people found to be impactful in their communities during the Photovoice presentations.”

Another young person, reflecting on their experience, said, “This program has helped me to speak up about the way that I feel about certain issues and to become more educated about issues that I didn’t know too much about. With the knowledge I’ve gained from this program I can go out into the world and be an activist.”

To learn more about the 2024 session, read the full program report.

Imagining the Future of Medicine at the White Coat Ceremony

Updated on Oct 3, 2024 | Community, Featured

Medical practice and research are not only about healing patients, but also about changing the future of the field. That was the message from Dennis S. Charney, MD, Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Dean of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, to the class of 2028 at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts on Thursday, September 19. The students were gathered for the White Coat Ceremony, which marks the start of their medical education.

Dennis S. Charney, MD, Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Dean of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai reflects on how the medical field has changed since his own time at his White Coat Ceremony.

“Fifty-one years ago, I was sitting in your position—a first-year medical student,” said Dr. Charney. “It was 1973. On the radio was John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’—his iconic song about peace and harmony and a better future for the world.” He recalled how his peers were determined to help patients despite not having medical tools considered essential today—MRI scans or statins for controlling cholesterol did not exist back then. “I want you to imagine what medicine could be over the next 50 years when you’ll be in my position, looking back,” said Dr. Charney, who is also President for Academic Affairs of the Mount Sinai Health System. With the field exploring frontiers in artificial intelligence, genomic sequencing, and digital medicine, options for rethinking how medicine is done are boundless.
“Class of 2028, what you are imagining is what you can make possible,” said Dr. Charney.

In his remarks, Brendan G. Carr, MD, MA, MS, Chief Executive Officer of the Mount Sinai Health System, emphasized the human side of medical training and the transformation occurring in health care delivery. Pivoting from the certainty of hard sciences to the more nuanced practice of medicine will be challenging, he noted.

“The path ahead will be exciting but uncertain, and my advice to you is to embrace the uncertainty. The job isn’t always about being right, it is often about being kind,” said Dr. Carr, adding that the students will learn things that simply cannot be taught by anything but experience. “This next chapter of your education will be harder than any you’ve had before—but also more beautiful and meaningful,” he said. “Health care is evolving. And you’re at the center of a generational shift in the practice of medicine. You are going to solve the unsolvable questions. And we are here to guide and support you.”

The incoming class comprises a spectrum of talented and ideals-driven individuals. Read about what drove them to pursue medicine at Icahn Mount Sinai.

Class of 2028, By the Numbers

120

Class size

7,138

Number of traditional entry applications

48%

Percentage of women

21%

Percentage of students from backgrounds underrepresented in medicine

518

Median MCAT score of class

3.92

Median GPA of class

Charu Jain

What drew you to Icahn Mount Sinai?

I chose Icahn Mount Sinai because it allows me to not only learn as a student and future physician, but also to grow from a humanities-based perspective, with its emphasis on patient interaction in its curriculum. That’s especially so as the curriculum shifts toward longer clinical time versus preclinical over the course of four years. I also appreciate that Mount Sinai allows me to learn in a diverse environment.

What drew you to medicine?

I was drawn to medicine because of its intersection between art, science, and compassion. Medicine is a field that combines intricacies of anatomy—which in itself is an art—with the aspect of lifelong learning that comes with science never fully being understood, and the compassion that comes with helping patients.

What are you looking forward to at medical school?

I am looking forward to meeting new people, learning from experienced professionals in the field, and being exposed to innovative research! I hope to enter more bioengineering-based research, maybe in orthopedics.

What’s a fun fact about yourself?

A fun fact is that I love woodworking. I’m drawn to the tactility of woodworking, and how something so strong and organic can be manipulated into works of art. I’m proud of some wood light fixtures that I’ve made.

Kristen Lewis

What drew you to Icahn Mount Sinai?

I chose to come to Mount Sinai because of the emphasis on patient-centered medicine, clinically meaningful research, and sustained commitment to serving a diverse patient population. Mount Sinai is uniquely positioned on the border of the Upper East Side and East Harlem, and thus serves a wide range of patient populations. After living, learning, and working in Manhattan since I began college at Columbia University in 2018, I have come to understand the strengths and weaknesses of health care in New York City, and the need for culturally sensitive and community-guided medicine. Training at an institution that understands the need for culturally sensitive and equitable health care will allow me to best serve my future patients.

What drew you to medicine?

I decided to pursue medicine in the interest of combining cooperativity, lifelong learning, health advocacy, and scientific discovery in my career path. In my eyes, being curious is an unspoken requirement for being in the medical field. This emphasis on asking questions and working alongside others to solve problems is what inspires me about medicine, and I look forward to engaging with this structure to enact change in both clinical medicine and access to health care resources, the latter being a right we must fiercely protect. As an MD-PhD candidate, I feel strongly that science and medicine are intertwined. There is an extraordinary power in connecting these spheres to improve patient care and drive forward clinically relevant research, which I hope to embrace as a future physician-scientist. Lastly, I credit my draw to medicine to my mother, who showed me that being a physician is far more than solving clinical problems, but rather an integration of expertise with empathic communication, trust, and humanism.

What are you looking forward to at medical school?

I am looking forward to exploring different specialties and remaining open to any and all opportunities that come my way. Since beginning this journey in July, it has been eye-opening to learn about the wide breadth of medical specialties and their respective applications in policy, health equity, research, and innovation. I hope to continue to surprise myself and fearlessly accept the challenges that come my way.

What’s a fun fact about yourself?

Prior to medical school, I was a member of Team USA’s synchronized figure skating team from 2016 to 2020. This provided me with the opportunity to travel the world with my teammates and devote myself to the sport that I loved. After retiring in 2020, I began coaching skating with the organization Figure Skating in Harlem and have enjoyed passing on my love for skating to my students as I transition from competitor to instructor.

Kevin Nguyen

What drew you to Icahn Mount Sinai?

To me, it really came down to the incredible faculty, mentors, physicians, and community at Mount Sinai. I wanted a place where I wasn’t afraid to reach out with “dumb” questions and I felt that at Mount Sinai I could surround myself with people who not only excel in their fields, but are also approachable and willing to invest in my personal and professional development. And, of course, I feel incredibly lucky to attend a medical school in New York City where I can experience the amazing cultures, music, activities, and food.

What drew you to medicine?

There were many reasons why I wanted to pursue medicine, but I remember a moment I had with a tutee that shifted my perspective when it came to medicine. I had been working with a boy from Myanmar for a few months, and one day, he opened up to me about his experiences in a refugee camp, describing how he had lost many family members due to a lack of access to basic medical care. He also told me that if I were a doctor, he’d want me to treat him. That kind of innocence and hope took me aback. In that moment, I realized that medicine is not just about having a bunch of knowledge or technical skills, but also encompasses trust, compassion, and dedication that I hope to provide to the patients I care for.

What are you looking forward to at medical school?

Although it’s a bit cliché, I am really looking forward to learning—whether that be lectures, stories from my peers, the different floors of the hospital, or even the best cafeteria food. I know the accumulation of these experiences will help me be more present in my day-to-day life while shaping the type of person I aspire to be.

What’s a fun fact about yourself?

I was born on Christmas, which the internet told me is the rarest birthday, besides February 29.

Emmanuel Oshodi

What drew you to Icahn Mount Sinai?

Icahn Mount Sinai was an easy pick for me because it’s right in the heart of New York City, surrounded by a diverse community that mirrors my background. Plus, I love that they encourage students to be involved in research, advocacy, and health care innovation. I want to be in a place that not only teaches me how to be a great doctor but also pushes me to think outside the box.

What drew you to medicine?

Well, it wasn’t just about the cool white coat! I’ve always been fascinated by the human body and how it works, but my interest really sparked when I lost a friend to sickle cell disease. I realized then that I wanted to be someone who could make a difference in people’s lives, especially in communities that look like mine. Medicine felt like the perfect blend of science, empathy, and a good dose of humanity.

What are you looking forward to at medical school?

I can’t wait to get into the clinical settings and apply everything I’ve been learning. Also, I’m excited about the chance to join cool research projects and make some lifelong friends who also have a passion for medicine.

What’s a fun fact about yourself?

I can solve a Rubik’s Cube in under a minute! It started as a random challenge, but now it’s my favorite way to impress people and keep my brain sharp.

Laurel Wong

What drew you to Icahn Mount Sinai?

I chose Icahn Mount Sinai for its prime location in New York City, and because its welcoming and supportive environment cultivates a strong sense of community among students. Being in the heart of such a diverse and dynamic city provides unparalleled opportunities to engage with a wide variety of patient populations, deepening my understanding of the health care disparities faced by different communities and patient demographics. Additionally, the access to numerous hospitals, renowned research institutions, and a vibrant medical community makes Mount Sinai the ideal place for my growth as a clinician and future leader in medicine.

What drew you to medicine?

My motivation to become a physician stems from my belief that medicine offers us an opportunity to forge meaningful connections with patients while providing care with respect and humility. Over the next four years, I am excited to grow alongside our class, both as a person and provider, as we work together to advance patient-centered care and improve the human condition.

What are you looking forward to at medical school?

I am looking forward to learning from both my peers and patients, gaining diverse perspectives that will help me grow into a compassionate, well-rounded physician. Classes like anatomy have been fascinating because they offer a tangible connection between textbook knowledge and the human body, revealing the intricate design and functionality of structures that let us do incredible things.

What’s a fun fact about yourself?

I grew up playing the harp!

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Read more about White Coat Ceremony 2024

Passing the Torch After Decades of Transforming an Adolescent Health Center

Updated on Sep 27, 2024 | Featured

There are very few people who can claim to know the Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center better than Angela Diaz, MD, PhD, MPH, its Director. After all, she has not only been the Center’s longest-serving leader, but also a patient.

“I’ve been working at the Center since 1984. And it has been a job of love,” says Dr. Diaz. “I often say, ‘Who has been in the same job for 40 years and loving every minute of it?’”

The Adolescent Health Center, located on East 94th Street in Manhattan, was established in 1968 as a primary care program specifically for the health needs of teenagers. It now offers medical, sexual and reproductive health, behavioral and mental health, dental, optical, and legal services for people aged 10 to 26, and serves more than 12,000 patients annually.

Dr. Diaz became the Center’s third Director in 1989, and after decades of hard work, the blueprint for adolescent care she and her team developed has become a model of excellence nationwide. Now, she is ready to pass on the torch to the next generation.

From left to right, Christine Soghomonian, MA; Felice Axelrod; Angela Diaz, MD, PhD, MPH; Dennis Charney, MD; and Adam Jacobs, MD, at the Breakfast of Champions event celebrating the Adolescent Health Center

“I love my many years of working here, but I really feel good that this is the right moment to give the opportunity to a new leader to come, and new ideas and freshness for the Center,” says Dr. Diaz.

“She’s a legendary figure, both at Mount Sinai and throughout the nation, as somebody who’s committed to providing outstanding care to those who are underserved,” says Dennis Charney, MD, Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Dean of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and President for Academic Affairs of the Mount Sinai Health System. “When you look back upon her leadership in running the Adolescent Health Center for as long as she did, she has changed the trajectory of thousands of adolescents who have become successful individuals,” he adds.

Bringing the Center to New Heights

Dr. Diaz has attracted great talent to build the Adolescent Health Center into an autonomous, full-service resource for young people. But particularly under her leadership, says Dr. Charney, she has ingrained an ethos of providing care for the underserved and underprivileged—for example, services are free of charge for all youth.

As a leader, Dr. Diaz has been a master in attracting philanthropy and federal funding to support the Center, and she has hosted an annual gala that’s well-attended every year, notes Dr. Charney. She also sits on several national advisory committees, and state health agencies have consulted with her on public health.

Despite Dr. Diaz’s successes, she remains incredibly humble, says Dr. Charney. “Her ambition is characterized by an intense need to help others. She cares deeply about others, and she’s willing to do almost anything to help others.”

The Mount Sinai Health System has named Sarah Wood, MD, MS, as Dr. Diaz’s successor to the titles of Director of the Center, as well as Chief of the Division of Adolescent Medicine, Pediatrics.

A Lifelong Experience With the Center

Dr. Diaz’s deep bond with the Adolescent Health Center stems from having been a patient, worked as a trainee, and been a parent whose children all used its services.

Born in the Dominican Republic, Dr. Diaz grappled with poverty and with her immigration status when she moved to New York City.

“We didn’t have health insurance, so I never went for preventive care or checkups, didn’t get vaccines, none of that,” Dr. Diaz says. “I remember that when I got migraines as a teenager, I used to go to a hospital, to the emergency room. That was my health care.”

It was only in high school that she learned about the Center through Mount Sinai’s health careers program, and it was then that she received care in a primary care setting for the first time, in 11th grade. But the Center didn’t just provide Dr. Diaz health care; it turned her life around.

In 12th grade, Dr. Diaz became depressed and dropped out of school. “No one realized that I was depressed. So I just came to the Center saying, ‘Help me,’ and asking ‘What is wrong with me?’”

Not only did the Center provide Dr. Diaz the diagnosis and treatment for her condition, her therapist and other staff encouraged her to return to school. The health career program helped reaffirm her childhood dream of becoming a doctor.

“So that’s what we do here—we see these kids for who they are, we see their strength,” says Dr. Diaz. “Nobody else may see it, but we see their intelligence, we see their creativity, we see how hard-working they are, and we take their hands and we go to the next stage with them, and we connect them to the school if they need that, we connect them to lawyers.”

When Dr. Diaz obtained her medical degree, she did her pediatric residency training at Mount Sinai and her adolescent medicine fellowship training at the Center. Leslie Jaffe, MD, who was Director of the Center then, suggested she do a fellowship in adolescent medicine there. But she was unsure whether that was possible—to pay for medical school, she had joined the National Health Service Corps and there was an understanding she would work wherever they sent her after her residency.

And so Dr. Jaffe worked with the federal government to make the Center a site for the program. “Once I was working here, I just fell in love with the kids, and the staff,” says Dr. Diaz. “It was such a special place, like a family where you belong. I’ve always had a sense of belonging here, and I never left.”

What’s Next for Dr. Diaz?

In addition to being an administrator and a clinician, Dr. Diaz also has a research program. It received a five-year renewal earlier this year, and she anticipates furthering that front.

Having also been appointed Dean for Global Health, Social Justice, and Human Rights in 2021, Dr. Diaz has plans on devoting more effort to that role, including curating her learnings and experiences in the field.

“I know that I’ll be happy just doing whatever. I was a factory worker before, so I could do and enjoy anything,” she says.

Stepping aside as Director of the Center will also give Dr. Diaz more time to spend with family. “I love my mom, my kids. I have two grandkids. I’m sure I will have more grandkids, so there’s plenty to be done and enjoy.”

A Timeline of Dr. Diaz’s Achievements

1981

Obtained Doctor of Medicine from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons

1984

Joined the Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center to train in adolescent medicine

1985

Was offered a faculty position at the Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center

1989

Became Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center’s third Director

1994

Named White House fellow under the Clinton administration, examining health care policies in the U.S. territories in the Pacific and Caribbean

2001

Appointed as James W. and Jean C. Crystal Professor in Adolescent Health at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine

2002

Obtained Master of Public Health from Harvard University

2003

Appointed Chair of the National Advisory Committee on Children and Terrorism for the Department of Health and Human Services

2008

Admitted as a member of the National Academy of Medicine (formerly the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies)

2009

Appointed to Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s New York City Commission for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning (LGBTQ) Runaway and Homeless Youth Taskforce

2016

Obtained Doctor of Philosophy in Epidemiology from Columbia University

2017

Elected to the governing council of the National Academy of Medicine

2021

Appointed Dean for Global Health, Social Justice, and Human Rights at Icahn Mount Sinai

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