CUNY School of Medicine

With tremendous gratitude we welcomed NYC based artist Rafael Colon to the CUNY School of Medicine. As the home of Healers, Leaders, and Scholars, we strongly share Rafael’s belief that artwork brings to the world a sense of presence, peace, and relaxation. Our faculty, staff, students, and alumni were treated to Rafael’s ideation process for this one of a kind violin, which he gifted to our school. Born in Puerto Rico and of mixed ethnic decent, Rafael was inspired by the inclusive history of our School of Medicine. A piece of art as thoughtful as it is beautiful, his three days of research and five days of painting and woodburning include the following elements: • Hippocrates – the “Father of Medicine” • Ixchel – the Mayan goddess of Medicine • The Rod of Asclepius – symbol of medicine & healing • Reference to the painting "The Agnew Clinic" by Thomas Eakins, that shows a partial mastectomy in a medical amphitheater • Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man • Archangel Raphael – patron saint of medical professionals Art and medicine are strongly tied and continued to inspire our crowd. The Spinal Chords, our student orchestra, marveled at the artwork and announced their first official concert would be played in March. We are grateful to Maestro Cares Foundation for the incredible work they do, and for having introduced us to Rafael and his thought provoking portfolio. With Rafael’s artwork proudly displayed at the Metropolitan Opera, Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Asia Society and soon the Brooklyn School of Music, CUNY School of Medicine is honored to have been gifted this violin by such a successful artist and true humanitarian. It will be proudly displayed and appreciated by faculty, staff and students for years to come.

Our deepest thanks to Gov. Kathy Hochul for her enduring support for CUNY Medicine and our mission to train healers, leaders, and scholars who reflect the diversity of our great City and State. We share CUNY Chancellor Felix Matos Rodriguez’s appreciation for Gov. Hochul’s 2025 State of the State address that “offered a clear-eyed vision of a more inclusive and sustainable future” and recognized her “new proposals, which build on recent investments establishing the CUNY School of Medicine as an independent institution.” With such great champions, we look forward to an exciting year of growth ahead. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/ewb45ehf #HealersLeadersScholars #DiversityinMedicine #CUNY #CUNYMedicine

On January 8th we welcomed the Physician Assistant Class of 2027 to the CUNY School of Medicine with our traditional White Coat Ceremony. Dean Carmen Renée Green, MD, celebrated their potential while reinforcing our mission: “You are changing the face of medicine and showing the world what the next generation of healers, leaders, and scholars looks like—and should look like.” Dr. Phyllis Meadows, Senior Fellow at The Kresge Foundation delivered a powerful keynote and call to action for public health. She highlighted that our PAs will serve a role beyond clinical care - as partners with communities, people, and populations ultimately creating a pathway to better health. We welcomed back Ms. Annie Brown, PA Class of 1973, who was one of the first Black women PAs in the U.S. Adrian Llewellyn, Associate Dean and Director for the PA Program, presented the Ms. Annie Brown Legacy Award to Steven A. Robinson, PA Class of 1981. This poignant reunion of mentor and mentee, Brown and Robinson, demonstrated the deep connection our students feel to our school’s mission, as they go on to deliver care in NYC neighborhoods where there are health care provider shortages. Congratulations, Class of 2027, as you embark on this extraordinary journey of compassion, humanism and medical excellence. #CUNYMedicine #PAWhiteCoat #FuturePAs #HealthEquity #DiversityInMedicine The Arnold P. Gold Foundation #HealersLeadersScholars

With one of the most historic and competitive Physician Assistant programs in the country, on January 7th the newly independent CUNY School of Medicine proudly celebrated its first graduating Class of 2025. Nearly 75% of our graduates were first-generation college students, collectively speaking over a dozen languages. Dean Carmen Renée Green, MD, continued to motivate graduates as health care leaders “You are role models for the children in your communities, showing them that medical professionals can—and should—look like them.” A heartfelt thanks to our accomplished guest speakers, Wanda Lipscomb, PhD, Senior Associate Dean, College of Human Medicine at Michigan State University, and Denise Maybank, CUNY Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, who shared their wisdom with our graduates who will boldly enter New York City to fulfill our mission of eliminating health care disparities and changing the skyline of academic medicine.  Congratulations to these extraordinary graduates who now join generations of PAs who have been expertly trained at one of the oldest and most diverse Physician Assistant programs in the United States.  #CUNYMedicine #HealthcareLeadership #PhysicianAssistant #HealersLeadersandScholars

Dr. Junghoon Kim, a neuroscientist at the CUNY School of Medicine, has been awarded a $2.2 million grant from the United States Department of Defense to launch a promising clinical trial to support older adults with traumatic brain injury (TBI). The multisite collaboration will explore the therapeutic potential of transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM), an innovative, non-invasive light therapy aimed at enhancing cognitive outcomes and combating neurodegeneration in TBI patients. With partners at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and The City College of New York, this research is particularly impactful for veterans and service members who face elevated TBI risks. This Phase II trial represents a vital collaboration toward advancing brain health and quality of life for a vulnerable population. Congratulations, Dr. Kim! Explore more here: https://lnkd.in/gfcvavt9

✨ The CUNY School of Medicine proudly celebrates Samantha Colon, a third-year medical student, for being awarded the Medical Student Diversity Scholarship by the American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS)! 🎉 Ms. Colon’s research was among the 102 projects presented at Student Research Day 2024 this week. Her dedication to cardiothoracic surgery was inspired by her internship Boston Children's Hospital where she witnessed the transformative power of life-saving heart surgeries. Her career goal is to advance health equity by addressing barriers faced by minority patients, such as language differences and cultural misunderstandings. As a Latina in medicine, Ms. Colon is committed to bridging these gaps and advocating for inclusive, compassionate care in cardiothoracic surgery. She also said her achievements are a testament to the strong foundation provided by the CUNY School of Medicine and its undergraduate Sophie Davis School for Biomedical Education, which equip students to lead in fields where representation and advocacy matter most. Join us in applauding Ms. Colon’s inspiring journey and this well-deserved recognition! #CUNYMedProud #MedicalDiversity #CardiothoracicSurgery #HealthEquity #LatinasInMedicine #AATSFoundation #RepresentationMatters American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS)

📢 CUNY Medicine’s #StudentResearchDay2024 celebrated innovation and commitment to health equity with 102 projects from students in the MD and Sophie Davis BS programs. This year’s event occurred during an extraordinary week marked by historic announcements from Governor Kathy Hochul and @Felix Matos Rodriguez about CUNY School of Medicine's transition to a standalone medical school—a milestone celebrated across media outlets like New York Daily News, CRAINS, Beckers Hospital Reviews, and THE CITY (newsroom). Dean Carmen Renée Green emphasized the value of unique perspectives in science, urging students to continue asking the critical questions that drive meaningful discoveries. Keynote speaker Dr. Bishr Omary Rutgers University a distinguished physician-scientist in gastroenterology, shared practical advice for aspiring researchers, including mentorship, work-life balance, and fostering research opportunities early. Research highlights from the award-winning projects include: ✅Basic Science: Investigating immune pathways in central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA). ✅Clinical Research: Virtual 3D specimen mapping in oncologic surgery. ✅Community Research: Digital health literacy to improve care for transgender women of color. ✅Meta-Analysis: Comparing coronary artery bypass techniques for diabetic patients. 👏 A huge congratulations to our student researchers and faculty mentors for advancing medical knowledge and addressing community health challenges. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/e3sKWxjv #MedicalResearch #HealthEquity #FuturePhysicians

The CUNY School of Medicine is turning into an independent institution, which will elevate the school to a graduate-level professional institution, adding master’s, doctoral, post-graduate residency, and other medical programs, aligning it with medical schools across the country.

🌍 In a milestone for health equity in NYC, the CUNY School of Medicine has been awarded a $19.3 million Foundation for the National Institutes of Health grant to establish the only Research Center in Minority Institutions (RCMI) in the northern United States, one of only two dozen RCMIs in the country. The new New York Center for Minority Health Equity and Social Justice (NYC-MHESJ) is uniquely situated to address significant health disparities in underserved communities across NYC, particularly Harlem and the South Bronx. Under the leadership of Dean Carmen Renée Green, MD, and Associate Dean Maria Lima, PhD, NYC-MHESJ will drive impactful research across three core arenas: ✅ Basic Science: Developing therapeutic strategies for end-stage kidney disease in minority populations. ✅ Behavioral Health: Empowering Chinese American adolescents and families with mental health resources. ✅ Clinical Research: Advancing Parkinson’s disease care and research participation within Latinx communities, and in collaboration with Parkinson's Foundation Announcing the largest NIH grant in CUNY’s history, @Felix Matos Rodriguez emphasized that the NYC-MHESJ aligns with the University’s mission to expand opportunity, stating, “The Center will deepen our research expertise, expand biomedical career pathways, and, most importantly, enable us to better serve our neighbors in Harlem and the Bronx.” Dean Green underscored the Center’s potential impact: “The NYC-MHESJ represents a pivotal step forward in our fight to eliminate health disparities. With this support, we are poised to drive transformative research, foster a diverse cadre of researchers, and address urgent health needs across New York City.” Learn more about this landmark grant here: https://lnkd.in/gDbCMvFP Together, we’re building a more equitable future for NYC. #HealthEquity #MinorityHealth #CUNYMedicine #NIH #RCMI #NYCMHESJ #BiomedicalResearch #HealthDisparities

✨ Congratulations to Carmen Renée Green, MD, Dean of the CUNY School of Medicine and the Sophie Davis Biomedical Education Program, for being named a “2024 Power Player in Education” by amNewYork and PoliticsNY! Recognized for her commitment to advancing health equity and transforming medical education, Dean Green is championing a new model for inclusivity in medicine. Her leadership has strengthened our BS/MD and Physician Assistant programs, with students who reflect the rich diversity of NYC. 🌎👩⚕️🧑🏽⚕️ #PowerPlayers2024 #CUNYMedicine #HealthEquity #MedEd #RepresentationMatters #FutureDocs #CUNY Read more about Dean Green’s vision and background here: https://lnkd.in/ebZQ3pyG