Kurt Hirschhorn, MD, front row, third from left, is surrounded by staff and many of his former chief residents, who include current faculty members at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
More than 160 faculty and guests gathered recently to celebrate the trailblazing career of Kurt Hirschhorn, MD, during a dinner to honor two milestones—his 90th birthday and his 50 years as a leader and mentor in Pediatrics and Human Genetics at Mount Sinai. Among the participants were several dozen chief residents he mentored, many of whom are on the faculty of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai today.
Currently Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics, Genetics, and Medicine, and Chairman Emeritus of Pediatrics, Dr. Hirschhorn continues to be involved in research and in the clinical practice of medical genetics, an area he advanced through more than 400 published studies and as a founding member of a number of organizations.
“Dr. Hirschhorn is an exemplary academic leader who serves as a role model that we all aspire to emulate—thoughtful, generous in the time he devotes to those who follow in his footsteps, committed to excellence in every endeavor he pursues, and passionate about science and discovery,” says Lisa M. Satlin, MD, Herbert H. Lehman Professor and Chair, Jack and Lucy Clark Department of Pediatrics, and Pediatrician-in-Chief, Mount Sinai Health System.
He is the recipient of many national and international honors, among them membership in the Institute of Medicine and the National Academy of Medicine, as well as the highest awards in Pediatrics and Human Genetics.
Says Dr. Hirschhorn: “The opportunity to meet with my previous chief residents and faculty colleagues at the dinner was inspiring. My career at Mount Sinai has been so great because of the friendships and fruitful collaborations I have had with many faculty members, residents, students, and the overall Mount Sinai community.”