Milestones, Class Notes and Alumni Achievements
The 00s
Steven E. Kong, M.D. ’11, and his wife Allison, are the proud new parents of a baby girl.
Rachael M. Thomason, D.P.T. ’09, just moved back to California after spending two years in South Carolina and one year in Colorado. In August, she and her husband, Matthew, celebrated the birth of their first child, Luke Douglas.
Roy Guerrero, M.D., Fifth Pathway ’07, reports he is the sole pediatrician in a small clinic, which he owns, in Uvalde, a rural south Texas town.
Alicia M. Prater, Ph.D. ’07, recently joined the board of Second Chance Animal Rescue (SCAR,) an all-volunteer, no-kill shelter for cats and kittens, in Littleton, N.H. She is an editor specializing in manuscripts written by non-native English speakers and a fact checker for some online publishers.
Joshua D. Quick, M.D. ’06, is currently in the second year of his anesthesiology residency at Massachusetts General Hospital. He was recently promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve.
James Linhart, M.P.H. ’05, was promoted to deputy corporate comptroller for the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation. He changed work location from Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx, N.Y. to the corporate office in downtown Manhattan which has been is inaccessible since Superstorm Sandy and he has been temporarily relocated to other various sites.
Addi Z. Rizvi, M.D. ’00, is a vascular surgeon in practice for four and a half years in Minneapolis. He has three children, Ian, 6, Maya, 3 ½, and Luke, 13 months.
The 90s
Domenic Visocchi, M.S. ’99, currently owns his own practice, Precision Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine, in Medford, Mass., and has been in business for nine years.
Scot G. McAfee, M.D., ’97, serves as vice chairman for education and program director for residency training in the Department of Psychiatry at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.
John M. Abrahams, M.D. ’95, associate professor of neurosurgery is an inventor and entrepreneur, and has developed a medical hydrogel to reduce bleeding during surgery and an injection to treat back pain. His work has been honored by the Congress of Neurosurgeons and Pennsylvania Neurologic Society. He is also launching the Westchester Neuroscience Research Foundation for spinal cord injury, stroke recovery and brain tumor research.
Joseph E. Chase, M.D. ’93, enjoys being self-employed in solo practice on the south shore of Boston for the past year and a half. He specializes in sports medicine, particularly arthroscopic reconstructive procedures.
Maj. Roger A. Gallup, M.D. ’91, has assumed duties as the Deputy Commander for Clinical Services at the Carl R. Darnall Medical Center. He previously served as Chief of Critical Care Medicine at the facility.
Gabrielle Shapiro, M.D. ’90, an associate clinical professor of psychiatry at The Mount Sinai Hospital and active in MSSNY, now has an empty nest!
The 80s
Eugene A. Conrad, Ph.D., M.S., MPH ’89, is a leader of two all-male Alzheimer's Disease caregiver support groups, out of six in the United States.
Alfonzo B. Owens III, D.M.D., M.P.H. ’89, was honored as “Doctor of the Year” in 2010, from Cumberland Diagnostic and Treatment Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., by the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation.
Robert M. Yacynch, M.D. ’88, is looking forward to seeing all his classmates at the 25th Reunion in 2013! He reports that his son David joined his brother Eddie, a junior, at the University of Maryland College Park this fall as a freshman. Janette is a high school sophomore and Michael is in the eighth grade.
Shirley Salvatore, M.D. ’87, is now a member of the Colorado Medical Board.
Judith J. Santini, M.D. ’87, has been happily married for 22 years to the man she married at the ASA in Las Vegas. They have two wonderful kids and just sent their 16-year-old off to college and she is doing great. “Who ever thought this New York City girl would land up in Boise Idaho? I just love it!” she wrote.
Jay Y. Lee, M.D. ’ 86, and his wife, Melissa, got married just before med school started in 1982 and recently celebrated their 30th anniversary.
Marc A. Berezin, M.D., ’85, has been in orthopedic group practice for 22 years in Rockland County, N.Y. “I've been married for almost 6 years with three children. Only my four-year-old daughter wants to be a doctor—the others think I work too much.”
Joseph S. Cervia, M.D. ’84, is currently regional medical director for Healthcare Partners IPA and MSO, and clinical professor of medicine and pediatrics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Hofstra-North Shore LIJ School of Medicine.
Nicholas H. Hyde, M.D. ’84, became a medical director for two Stanford plastic surgeons after finishing his hospital-based anesthesia practice in Berkeley, Calif. Since 2001 and after training in Europe, Canada and Texas he began a practice in vein medicine. He is double board certified and opened a second practice location in San Francisco three years ago. He has been featured on ABC News Healthwatch as a regional expert demonstrating endovenous laser ablation, a non-surgical alternative to surgical stripping and ligation. “It has been extremely fun to have 2 entirely different lives during my medical career—one hospital based treating other physician's patients and the other practice of my own patients and learning how to run your own practice. Life is very good and I love going to work everyday,” he wrote.
Jonathan Kunis, M.D. ’82, has been medical director of Hazelden, a residential treatment facility for chemical dependence in Naples, Fla. He is returning to the Sarasota area in January 2013 to develop an office-based addiction medicine practice.
Alan H. Morelli, M.D. ’82, reports he is working very hard at trying to practice good medicine in the age of EMR!
Brian Solow, M.D. ’82, is currently chief medical officer of OptumRx, a pharmacy benefits manager.
Robert P. Driscoll, M.D. ’81, was the recipient of the Fifth Annual Physician Partnership Award given by South Shore Hospital in South Weymouth, Mass. The award is presented annually to a member of the medical staff who demonstrates true partnership in caring for patients and families, and whose practice of medicine consistently combines clinical and service excellence.
Victor L. Modesto, M.D. ’81, works as a general and colorectal surgeon for the Orlando (Fla.) VA Medical Center.
Steve Resnick, M.D. ’81, was elected vice president of the New Jersey Psychiatric Association. He also chairs the IT committee.
David B. Southren, M.D. ’81, was recognized as a V.I.P. member by Strathmore’s Who’s Who Registry for his outstanding contributions and achievements in health care. He is a founding partner of Advanced Cardiovascular Care of the Hudson Valley.
As of November 13, Peter A. Galvin, M.D. ’80, still had no power, phones, cell phone service or heat at both his home and office in Rockaway, N.Y., from Superstorm Sandy. He was the chief medical officer at Peninsula Hospital Center in Queens until it closed last April and has since increased his office hours in Rockaway. “I am still employed by the NYPD as a police surgeon—20 years and counting,” he wrote.
Jill S. Hirsch, M.D. ’80, and her husband Randolph, are very proud of their three daughters. Larissa received her Master’s of Education in secondary science with a specialty in chemistry from Marist College. Twins Allison and Jessica each received doctorates from the University of California Berkeley in chemistry. Allison is doing her post doctorate at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa and Jessica is doing her post doctorate at University of Massachusetts Medical Center.
James Walsh, M.D. ’80, frequently works as a pediatric anesthesiologist at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital in Valhalla, N.Y. He writes that daughter Pamela Walsh, M.D. ’12, graduated last May and is doing her internship at Greenwich Hospital, then radiology at North Shore LIJ.
The 70s
Nicholas G. Bonvicino, M.D.’79, M.B.A., is a principal in a health care consulting practice NB Healthcare Advisors, LLC, with expertise in managed care, integrated delivery networks, PCMH and accountable care, delivery system redesign and reimbursement innovation.
John T. Repke, M.D.’78, has been named to the editorial board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the official journal of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Dr. Repke is professor and chairman of ob/gyn at Penn State University College of Medicine.
Charles B. Slonim, M.D. ’78, was elected president of the Florida Society of Ophthalmology.
Nicholas V. Polifroni, M.D. ’77, chief of orthopedic surgery at Norwalk Hospital, received the hospital’s Tracey Award for leadership, character, community service involvement and clinical skill.
Joanne Kurtzberg, M.D. ’76, received an Alumna Award of Achievement from Sarah Lawrence College in June. She was also the keynote speaker at the 2012 NYMC Medical Student Research Forum held in February.
Mark Mishkin, M.D. ’76, is proud to announce his son, Aaron Mishkin, M.D. ’12, graduated from NYMC in May.
Edward Moss, M.D. ’76, changed from solo practice five years ago and joined a 90 person urology group practice, Integrated Medical Professionals-Advanced Urology Centers of New York.
Richard C. Prokesch, M.D. ’76, continues in the private practice of adult infectious diseases with two other physicians. He is also on the board of directors of their primary hospital and for the past 2 years served as chair. His daughter is in her first year of an infectious diseases fellowship and plans to join the practice upon completion.
Robert A. Stern, M.D. ’76, still practices OB/GYN in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Wife Anita is well, and they have five grandchildren to keep them busy: Elijah, Judah, Lana Rose, Maxell and Nora Sophie. “Life is good!”
Vincent Vigorita, M.D. ’76, sends his regards to all his classmates.
Allen Beals, M.D. ’75, J.D., was appointed Commissioner of Health in Putnam County, N.Y.
Catherine Dunn, M.D. ’75, writes that in 2012 she visited her med school roommates, Nancy Roistacher, M.D., ’75, in NYC, Rosemary LoCastro, M.D. ’75 at her new home in Alvbemarle, N.C., and Lynn Romano, M.D. ’75, at her unique farm in Delaware!
John Stinson, M.D. ’75, has retired from clinical orthopedics and is working full-time as a medical officer for the FDA. He writes he is “enjoying the new challenges very much.”
Lewis S. Coleman, M.D. ’74, discovered the stress mechanism postulated by Hans Selye.
George Klafter, M.D. ’74, is retired after completing two terms as chief of urology from 2006 to 2011 at Holy Name Hospital in Teaneck, N.J. He previously served as chief of the Department of Urology at St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx, N.Y. from 1986 to 1998.
Robert D. Restuccia, M.D. ’72, writes that he is retiring from Rockford Health System in Rockford, Ill., at the end of the year, after serving as a pediatric critical care specialist since retiring from the U.S. Army in 1998. He plans to travel, bike, read and pursue his hobby—horology. He writes that his wife, Mary Elizabeth, passed away in July.
Phyllis Skolnik, M.D. ’72, and her husband Marvin L. Sussman, Ph.D., are the proud grandparents of two grandsons, Simon and Nathaniel.
Kathleen Nelson, M.D. ’71, remarried in November, 2011, retired as professor emerita at the University of Alabama School of Medicine in June and moved to be with her husband in Los Angeles. She is now clinical professor of pediatrics and associate chair for faculty development at Children's Hospital of Alabama. She is also chair of the Council of Academic Societies of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and is on the AAMC Board of Directors.
Robert E. Crootof, M.D. ’70, and his wife, Linda, are retired and officially live in Norwich, Conn., but spend summers at the lake in Wolfeboro, N.H. and winters in a condo in Sarasota, Fla. Their son Matthew lives in Bozeman, Mont., and daughters, Sarah in the West Village, and Martha in Los Angeles.
The 60s
Richard N. Hirsh, M.D. ’69, has been retired from radiology group practice for almost two years and he continues mammography teaching projects in developing countries and underserved regions. He has missions planned Guatamala and Cost Rica in 2013. Visit his website at www.radiologymammography.org.
Norman A. Cagin, M.D. ’67, is retired and just spent two weeks in Gondar, Ethiopia, checking out the health status of Ethiopian Jews (Felashas) before they go to Israel. He also gave lectures at the Gondar Medical College and did consult rounds at the government hospital where there is no cardiologist. Dr. Cagin says, “More docs are needed to do this work over the next year so if you are interested, email me at cooldocnac@aol.com.”
Michael Brody, M.D. ’66, has a new book coming out soon, Seductive Screens: Children’s Media—Past, Present, Future. Dr. Brody practices adult and child psychiatry and is chair of the Media Committee of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, liaison to the American Academy of Pediatrics and adjunct professor at the University of Maryland.
Jack J. Kleid, M.D. ’65, is still in active cardiology practice in San Diego and is clinical professor of medicine at UCSD School of Medicine in LaJolla. He lectured at Sackler School of Medicine in Tel Aviv in April and was inducted into the Israel Heart Society. Dr. Kleid serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Clinical Lipidology. He has three children and three grandchildren. Visit his website at www.drkleid.com.
Leonard B. Krich, M.D. ’65, retired from the United States Public Health Service after 20 years of active duty. He retired from full time work with the Cigna Medical Group in Phoenix, eight years ago but still works two days a month. His three children and eight, soon-to-be nine, grandchildren, all live nearby. His eldest, Mark Krich, M.D. ’97, is a NYMC graduate, specializing in emergency medicine.
Morton Meltzer, M.D. ’65, practices psychiatry in a number of locations but gave up general medicine because of his distaste for EMRs.
Harvey Weisslitz, M.D. ’65, has been retired from an allergy practice since 2010 and resides in a 55 –and-older complex in N.J. His oldest son, Jeffrey is a clinical psychologist and has two children, Ella, 4, AJ, 1 1/2, and his son, Michael, is a lawyer and has a daughter Milie, 11 months, and his wife, Rachel is expecting twins in April. His third child is a professor of comparative literature at Georgia Southern University. “I hope to go to our 50th reunion in 2015,” wrote Dr. Weisslitz.
Andrew Roth, M.D. ’64, is still in active practice, busier than ever and really enjoys his practice. He writes, “My only concession to age (74) is working four days a week.” He enjoys travel and entertainment—plays, operas, symphonies and any interesting venue that comes to Los Angeles.
Howard Cooperman, M.D.’63, wishes fellow classmates all the best. He’ll have to miss the 50th class reunion due to grandkids’ graduations.
Steven F. Frier, M.D ’63, received an M.P.H. from Columbia University in 2003. Dr. Frier is an active instrument pilot and a recent president of the Bergen County Medical Society. He initiated and obtained passage by the Medical Society of New Jersey of a resolution advocating the nation-wide abolition of capital punishment and replacing it with life in prison without the possibility of parole. He continues to practice internal medicine and nephrology full time and is blessed with four grandchildren.
John J. Healy, M.D. ’63, is retired and lives on Cape Cod. He works one day a week at his previous pediatric practice with four partners.
Stuart Mackler, M.D. ’63, is vice president of the Virginia Board of Medicine.
Jack D. Norman, M.D. ’63, retired on New Year’s Eve 2011 after practicing plastic surgery for 40 years. He enjoys vacationing, playing golf and reading, and he and his wife Ann celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary in Paris. His daughter teaches reading at a KIPP school in Nashville and he is looking forward the 50th reunion!
Gerald R. Schultz, M.D.’63, received the Distinguished Service Gold Medal from the Bombay Opthalmologists Association and the International Academy for Advances in Ophthalmology, marking 30 years of service and teaching eye surgery in India. Dr. Schultz is an associate clinical professor at Loma Linda University School of Medicine and chief of ophthalmology at Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, Calif.
John J. Bouvier, M.D. ’61, is retired from the U.S. Navy and is enjoying family, life and “U.S.A. travel ad infinatum!”
Ira D. Glick, M.D. ’61, writes he still at Stanford, now emeritus but running the psychopharmacology courses for residents. He is medical director of a clinical research company in Oakland and sees private patients in San Francisco. His basketball career is going down although his 75s team won the National Senior Championship in Houston last July. Dr. Glick does night photography and had two shows last year. An electronic catalog is available upon request by emailing iraglick@stanford.edu.
The 50s
Justin Howland, M.D. ’59, has authored three books and helped get two others published. They are listed in his blog, billhowlandmdblogspot.com
Spencer R. Downs, M.D. ’58, is retired from the U.S. Air Force Medical Service and as an associate pastor at the Christian Fellowship Church in Evansville, Ind., where he still teaches, counsels and conducts weddings and funerals. He has four children, eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Joseph Intile, M.D. ’57, and his wife, Juana “Annie,” have been married since 2006 and have a son, Anthony, born in 2010. Dr. Intile believes he was the oldest biologic father in Oregon that year. They spend half their time in Oregon and half at their home in the Philippines, north of Manila. He fully retired in 2002 after many years of private and administrative practice, his last job having been medical director of the Oregon Health Plan (Medicaid). He is also a retired Colonel from the military, having been a flight surgeon for ten years with a twilight-of-career course in learning to fly the Air Force F-16. “Annie and Anthony are dual citizens and complete a wonderful life for me,” he writes.
George T. Hare, M.D. ’56, received a Distinguished Alumnus Award from Gettysburg College and is emeritus medical director of long term care at the Camden County Health Services Center in N.J.
Sanford Sherman, M.D. ’56, is happily retired. His wife, Jane, died four years ago. “I am in relatively good health and active both physically and mentally...so far,” he says.
James J. Finnerty, M.D. ’55, is currently associate professor for medical education and obstetrics and gynecology at Albany Medical Center. He teaches at the Alden March Bioethics Institute there, working with students through all four years and conducts ethics lectures for the ob/gyn residents.
Roger C. Duvoisin, M.D. ’54, retired in 1996 and resides in Chapel Hill, N.C. He is professor emeritus at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. He served as professor and chairman of the Department of Neurology from 1980 to 1995. He led the team that established the first gene mutation in the etiology of Parkinson’s disease and was a pioneer in the development of levodopa therapy.
Theodore Y. Rodgers III, M.D. ’52, writes, “I retired to Shell Point Retirement Community in Fort Myers, Fla., “a five star community!”
Paul D. Fuchs, M.D. ’51, is retired and lives in New York City and Arizona. He is still active and travelled with his wife, Rhoda, to Spain and Holland this year. They have seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
The 40s
Norman M. Ackerman, M.D. ’47, is happy to announce, “On November 8th, my thirteenth grandchild, Nicholas, came into the world, saw the sunshine and smiled.”
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Page updated: May 7, 2013