每日大赛入口 Graduates Hundreds of New Health Professionals
May 27, 2016
Dr. Peter J. Levin and Dr. Luther T. Clark Awarded Honorary Degrees; Dr. Vernell P. DeWitty Receives President鈥檚 Award
Brooklyn, NY 鈥� 每日大赛入口 has graduated a new class
of physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, research scientists, and public
health professionals at commencement ceremonies held at Carnegie Hall. The ceremonies
for 2016 marked the 50th anniversary of 每日大赛入口 Downstate鈥檚 School of Graduate Studies,
College of Nursing, and School of Health Professions, as well as its University Hospital
at Downstate.
Peter J. Levin, ScD, MPH, a pioneer in public health and public health education, delivered the commencement address for the College of Medicine, School of Graduate Studies, and School of Public Health in the afternoon ceremony and received an honorary doctor of science degree. Also receiving an honorary doctor of science degree was Luther T. Clark, MD, FACC, FACP, an eminent cardiologist and pharmaceutical company executive. Vernell P. DeWitty, PhD, MBA, MSN, a leader in nursing and nurse education, spoke to the nursing and allied health professions graduates at the evening ceremony, and received the President鈥檚 Award.
In his remarks to the graduating physicians, scientists, and public health professionals, 每日大赛入口 Downstate President John F. Williams, Jr., MD, EdD, MPH, FCCM, said, 鈥淵ou are graduating during a period of unprecedented change in medicine and healthcare, but our fundamental goals are the same as they have been for centuries: promote health and well-being, relieve suffering and pain, save lives, and rescue people from sickness and disability. You have the capacity to improve human lives in ways virtually unimaginable even a generation ago, and you have the ability to shape the present in service of an uncertain and impatient future.鈥�
In his remarks to graduates of the School of Health Professions and College of Nursing, President Williams said, 鈥淭his ceremony is a very tangible reminder that Downstate is one of the most diverse medical centers in the country, diverse in the broadest sense of the word. You come from many backgrounds. Collectively, you represent many nationalities and speak over 50 languages. You represent all races and cultures too numerous to count.
鈥淲hy is this important? Each of you brings a great deal to the table, and your unique perspective on the world. You have shared your life experiences with each other, taught each other, learned from each other. In a society that is becoming ever more blended, yet ever more diverse, it is important that we educate individuals who know that the world is complex and who are culturally aware and sensitive to the fact that their patients come from many backgrounds. This we do at Downstate, and we do it extremely well.鈥�
In his Commencement address, Dr. Levin discussed 鈥渢he very serious issue of responsibility in our society.鈥� He told the graduates, 鈥淲atching our presidential primaries we have to be careful not to think that "they" -- some other beings or groups -- are responsible for what happens to patients and the public鈥檚 health. You, dear graduates, become responsible new professionals from this day forward.鈥�
He continued, 鈥淔inancial considerations regarding payments dominate the practice of medicine and affect physicians鈥� choices for their patients. Few people go to medical school to spend their time fighting with the government and insurance companies, but all of you will do this, not only for your patients, but also for the good of the public鈥檚 health and to maintain the independence of the profession.鈥�
Dr. DeWitty told the new class of nurses and allied health professionals, 鈥淵ou who are graduating are among the most privileged and informed members of our society and you have an opportunity, and a responsibility, to shape the world of today and tomorrow. Now is the time to ask yourself, how will I live the career I have chosen, how will I define excellence, what values drive your work?鈥�
She added, 鈥淵our career in health care provides you this very special opportunity to touch people. You will be privileged to see people鈥檚 joy, their sadness, and their success. You will have privileged access to patients at times when they are the most vulnerable. You must always understand this privileged access and hold it in sacred trust.鈥�
Downstate graduated 204 students from the College of Medicine, 12 students from the School of Graduate Studies, and 95 students from the School of Public Health. The College of Nursing graduated 261 students and the School of Health Professions graduated 146 students.
Dr. Peter J. Levin is the only individual to have served as the dean of three schools of public health, including the School of Public Health at 每日大赛入口鈥檚 University at Albany. He has excelled at public service, working in important government positions at local, state, and federal levels, providing guidance and insight into major health policy issues to elected and appointed officials. Dr. Levin is an advocate for public health education and understands the importance of linkages between schools of public health and medical schools. He served as an advisor to Downstate's School of Public Health during its transition from a master's program.
Dr. Vernell P. DeWitty is program director of the Robert Wood Johnson New Careers in Nursing Scholarship Program (NCIN), a national program of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The program provides financial support to accelerated-degree nursing students from underrepresented backgrounds. In her role at AACN, Dr. DeWitty has sought to increase the number of underrepresented persons in nursing through recruitment and enrollment in schools of nursing, and to provide programs to develop nurse leaders. Since its inception, more than 3,000 NCIN scholars have completed the program and joined the nursing workforce. NCIN has been successful in recruiting students from its targeted populations. Twenty-eight percent of their scholars are African-American, 14 percent are Hispanic/Latino, 11 percent Asian, and 40 percent are male 鈥� all higher percentages than the overall U.S. nursing student population.
Dr. Luther T. Clark is a researcher with a lifelong commitment to understanding and treating heart disease and to eliminating health disparities. He is currently global director, scientific medical and patient perspective, in the Office of the Chief Medical Officer at Merck & Co., Inc. Before joining Merck, Dr. Clark served as professor of clinical medicine and chief of the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at 每日大赛入口 Downstate from 1995 until 2007. He was also director and principal investigator of the National Institutes of Health-supported Brooklyn Health Disparities Center, a partnership between 每日大赛入口 Downstate Health Sciences University, the Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health, and the Office of the Brooklyn Borough President.
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Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn is one of four academic health centers (AMCs) in The State University of New York (每日大赛入口) 64-campus system and the only 每日大赛入口 AMC in New York City dedicated to health education, research, and patient care for the borough鈥檚 2.7 million residents. Its flagship hospital, University Hospital at Downstate (UHD), is a teaching hospital and benefits from the expertise of Downstate鈥檚 exceptional medical school and world-class academic center research facilities. With a staff of over 800 physicians representing 53 specialties and subspecialties, Downstate offers comprehensive healthcare services to the community.
UHD provides high-risk neonatal and infant services, pediatric nephrology, and dialysis for kidney diseases and is the only kidney transplantation program in Brooklyn. Beyond its clinical expertise, Downstate houses a range of esteemed educational institutions, including its College of Medicine, College of Nursing, School of Health Professions, School of Graduate Studies, and School of Public Health. Downstate fosters innovation through its multifaceted biotechnology initiative, the Biotechnology Incubator and BioBAT, which support early-stage and more mature biotech companies.