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News and Events

In the Department

Six Department of Medicine Specialty Programs Recognized by US News & World Reports

August 8, 2017

Six specialty programs within the Department of Medicine earned a High Performing designation from US News & World Reports for 2017-2018. The Specialties recognized were: Cardiology & Heart Surgery, Diabetes & Endocrinology, Gastroenterology & GI Surgery, Geriatrics, Nephrology, and Pulmonology. In addition, Strong Memorial was ranked High Performing in seven conditions and treatments, including five performed by the Department of Medicine: Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair, Aortic Valve Surgery, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Heart Bypass Surgery, and Heart Failure. U.S. News recognized hospitals that were high-performing across multiple areas of care and ranked them within their states and by metropolitan areas. U.S. News rated Strong Memorial as the top hospital in the Rochester Metro area and fourth among New York state hospitals. Read more about the rankings and ratings.

Michael Apostolakos Named Chief Medical Officer of Strong Memorial and Highland Hospitals

July 19, 2017

Michael J. Apostolakos, MD, Director of Adult Critical Care in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine for 20 years, is being named Chief Medical Officer of both SMH and Highland.

His appointment is pending approval from both URMC and Highland governance. Apostolakos will succeed Raymond Mayewski, MD, who stepped down June 30. As CMO, Dr. Apostolakos will oversee all matters related to medical staff affairs, clinical outcomes, patient safety and more.

Two DOM Faculty Appointed to Endowed Professorships

July 7, 2017

The University of Rochester Board of Trustees has appointed two Department of Medicine faculty to endowed professorships. Steve Georas, MD of the Division of Pulmonary & Critical Care has been appointed to the Walter & Carmina Mary Parkes Family Endowed Professor for 5 years, effective January 1, 2017. Annette Medina-Walpole, MD, chair of the Division of Geriatrics & Aging, was appointed as the Paul H. Fine Professor in Medicine from July 1, 2017 through December 31, 2021.

Read the full announcement about faculty appointments

Brett Robbins Named President-Elect of MPPDA

April 4, 2017

Brett Robbins, MD, professor of Medicine and Pediatrics and director of URMC’s Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Residency Program, is the new president-elect of the Medicine-Pediatrics Program Directors Association (MPPDA), which is part of the Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine (AAIM).

Effective July 1, Robbins will transition into a four-year term as president of the MPPDA, which is entrusted with advancing medical education in combined medicine-pediatrics programs across the country, promoting the growth of new combined programs, and educating medical students about opportunities in the field.

Robbins, who is also chief of Adolescent Medicine, said he sees the role as being an ambassador for the importance of having physicians in our health system who can provide high quality care for patients across the lifespan.

Dr. Bordley Honored with National Teaching Award

March 31, 2017

Don Bordley, M.D., professor of Medicine and vice chair of Medicine for Education, recently received the 2017 Dema C. Daley Founders Award from the Association of Program Directors in Internal Medicine (APDIM), an organization dedicated to improving and supporting the graduate education of doctors in internal medicine.

Named for Dema C. Daley, an APDIM leader for 15 years until her death in 2002, the award is the organization’s highest distinction, recognizing excellence in education, innovation and leadership. Bordley received the award at the annual APDIM conference in Baltimore March 22.

Winners of Pilot Research Program Announced

March 30, 2017

The Department of Medicine is pleased to announce that the 2017 recipients of the Pilot Research Program are:

Dr. Scott Cameron, Division of Cardiology: "Platelet Dysregulation in Vascular Disease”
Dr. Richard Dunne, Division of Hematology/Oncology: "The Pancreatic Cancer Tumor Genome and its Influence on the Development of Cancer Cachexia"
Dr. Shannon Hilchey, Division of Nephrology: “Defining the Molecular Networks Associated with Oxygen Dependent Molecular Switching of Human B Cell Migration”

Funding will begin in April 2017. Learn more about the Pilot Research Program.