Academic Excellence Recognized During Alpha Omega Alpha Iota Chapter 2023 Induction Ceremony
Featured Speaker Dr. Holly Humphrey, President of the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation, Shared Her Insight on Sustaining a Successful Career
School of Medicine (SOM) students, residents, faculty and alumni gathered in Skyline Dining Room on April 25 to be recognized for their academic excellence through induction into the Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA), the national medical honor society. An annual tradition at the College since 1957, this year marked the 67th induction ceremony by the New York Medical College (NYMC) Iota Chapter of AOA. Holly J. Humphrey, M.D., MACP, president of the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation, was the featured speaker.
During her address, Dr. Humphrey shared insight on how to sustain a successful career in medicine, including by viewing disruption of the status quo as an opportunity, noting that this year’s induction class was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic throughout their medical school education and the profound effect the pandemic had on health care delivery. She also spoke of the important building blocks for their careers, such as being master adaptive learners, successfully managing uncertainty, embracing emerging technology and, most importantly, staying tightly connected to their core purpose which will “fuel a passion that can be extremely sustaining.” Dr. Humphry concluded her talk with the recommendation to not just seek to maintain themselves but to flourish.
“This next period of time in residency for many of us who’ve been in the medical profession a very long time was the turning point for our careers, and so there’s nothing quite like the bonding with your fellow physicians in a residency program,” she said. “As you travel this path, my wish for you is that you not only reach that point of flourishing but more immediately you discover for yourselves a patient chief resident, wonderful new friends, a great call schedule and the sweet success of a life well lived in service to others.”
This year’s inductees into AOA included NYMC alumni Louis Heller, M.D. ’81, clinical associate professor of medicine; Douglas Padgett, M.D. ’82; and Jonathan Gavras, M.D. ’86. Several members of the NYMC faculty were also inducted, including Fawaz Al-Mufti, M.D., associate professor of neurology, neurosurgery and of radiology; Jaishvi Eapen, M.D., clinical assistant professor of medicine; and Jordan Stumph, M.D., clinical assistant professor of rehabilitation medicine.
The AOA Volunteer Clinical Faculty Award was presented to Margaret Kearns-Stanley, M.D., clinical associate professor of family and community medicine; and AOA Resident Teaching Awards were presented to Praise Njoku Austin, M.D., surgery resident; Alborz Borjian, D.O., obstetrics and gynecology resident; Alexander Eng, M.D., anesthesiology resident; and Anant Jain, M.D., medicine resident.
The induction ceremony concluded with remarks by William Frishman, M.D., long-time AOA Iota Chapter councilor, emeritus chair of medicine and professor of medicine and of pharmacology. “You will be the leaders of your medical and scientific communities and will have the continued responsibility of being the examples of excellence for your colleagues and patients. Election to AOA is a wonderful honor. In the future, you will have your AOA certificates framed next to your NYMC diploma in your offices, and your fellow physicians from all over the world will acknowledge what you have accomplished already, and what you will be expected to accomplish in the future. May God bless you as you continue in your medical careers and life voyages.”
2022-2023 New York Iota Chapter Officers
Arisheniah Sothilingam, President
Sean Ormond, Vice President
Samantha Sudol, Academic Coordinator
Jason Kreinces, Volunteer Coordinator
Class of 2023 Junior AOA Inductees
Sophie Guenin
Idine Mousavi
Rosa Semaan
Elayna Shaker
McCall Thorpey
Class of 2023 Senior AOA Inductees
David Alper
Leah Blowes
Jade Conway
Patrick Crorkin
Victoria D’acunto
Rebecca Dann
Emma Dragan
Penelope Farris
Jacob Feingold
Thomas Glazer
Manoj Goud
Andrew Grant
Bruce Haik
Yehuda Herman
Jenne Ingrassia
Sirajul Islam
Elias Kahan
Madison Kasoff
Katharine Kechejian
Olivia Kolodka
Klaudia Koziol
Victoria Levy
Antonio Lobao
Jonah Lowenstein
Abigail Marriott
Danielle Newbury
Bridget Nolan
Joel Novograd
Devon O’Donnell
Benjamin Rabinowitz
Abraham Resnick
Rina Rieger
Aaron Rips
Sacha Roberts
Emily Rooney
Akiva Rosenzveig
Ariel Sasson
Ariel Sher
Joshua Shin
Karima Trabelsi
Grigori Vaserman
Lynn Whang
Class of 2024 Junior AOA Inductees
Gavriel Berman
Joseph Conti
Jamiee Cooper
Ankita Das
Thomas Gagliardi
Carrie Hinchman
Eris Spirollari
Kristy Tefft
Lauren Williams
Katie Yang
