Nirav R. Shah, MD, MPH, the New York State Commissioner of Health, delivered the keynote address to the Centennial graduating class of the New York College of Podiatric Medicine (NYCPM) and received the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters-Honoris Causa, during the College's Centennial Commencement Ceremony at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall in New York City on Thursday, May 26th.

Louis L. Levine, President and Chief Executive Officer of the College, presided at the commencement ceremony. Dr. Shah addressed the 75 graduating seniors—who received their Doctor of Podiatric Medicine degrees—and an audience of nearly 1,000 faculty members, parents, family and friends. In addition, Glenn B. Gastwirth, DPM, Executive Director & CEO of the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA), and a magna cum laude graduate and Valedictorian of the NYCPM Class of 1974, was also awarded the College's honorary doctorate. Michael J. King, DPM, President of the APMA, also delivered brief remarks.

NYCPM President and CEO Louis L. Levine said, "The leaders whom we are honoring today are exceptional individuals who are dedicated to improving the human condition. We are honoring them to applaud their service and their dedication, and for exemplifying the ideals that the New York College of Podiatric Medicine encourages in each of its students."

Nirav R. Shah, M.D., M.P.H., is the 15th New York State Commissioner of Health. His nomination by Governor Andrew Cuomo was confirmed by the State Senate on January 24, 2011, making him the first Indian-American to serve as State Commissioner of Health, as well as the youngest person named to the post.

An expert in the use of systems-based methods to improve patient outcomes, Dr. Shah has been a leading researcher in the use of large-scale clinical laboratories and electronic health records to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of care. He is a nationally recognized thought leader in the methods needed to transition to lower-cost, patient-centered health care for the 21st century. His vision for New York is a state where every resident has access to affordable health insurance coverage, high quality care, and early screening and other services to prevent chronic disease and improve overall health.

Before his government service, Dr. Shah was attending physician at Bellevue Hospital Center in Manhattan, associate investigator at the Geisinger Center for Health Research in central Pennsylvania, and assistant professor at the NYU School of Medicine in value and comparative effectiveness. A native of Buffalo, Dr. Shah is an honors graduate of Harvard College and received his medical degree and master's degree in public health from the Yale School of Medicine.

Five faculty members from the New York College of Podiatric Medicine (NYCPM), along with twenty of the school's students, worked feverishly recently to fit the more than 1,400 new cadet candidates of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point with properly-fitting boots. The NYCPM volunteers found cadet candidates with a variety of pre-existing problems, ranging from blisters to bunions, hammertoes and other conditions, and referred them to their company medic. New cadets begin rigorous physical training almost from the moment they arrive at West Point, and later this summer, they do a 15-mile road march. Badly-fitting boots could result in blood blisters, ulcerations and stress fractures, hobbling even those cadets with the strongest constitutions. Properly-fitting boots go a long way toward maintaining the cadets' foot health and, as a result, their overall health and their ability to meet the Academy's demanding expectations.

This year's participation by NYCPM in the Boot Fit marked the seventh year that the College has provided faculty and students to West Point to help out. Leading the effort were Col. Michael Neary, DPM, MBA, of the Podiatry Service at Keller Army Community Hospital, and Michael J. Trepal, DPM, NYCPM's Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean. Other NYCPM faculty members taking part were Russell G. Volpe, DPM, Professor of Orthopedics and Pediatrics, Susan M. Rice, DPM, Associate Professor of Surgical Sciences, Robert Stabile, DPM, Adjunct Clinical Instructor of Surgical Sciences, and Jose Loor, DPM. The NYCPM student volunteers were Amarjit Chhatwal; Ilona Ocher; Irina Pisaryuk; John Ellie; Jay Bhuta; Avanti Redkar; Jarna Rathod; Rahul Bhatt; Anthony Ferraro; Jennifer Seifert; John Kannengieser; Shawn Braunagel; Spencer Monaco; Erin Roberson; Dunja Delevska; Michael Collins; Sara El Bashir; Kevin Warner; Lee Greenberg; and Keleigh Muxlow.

At a pinning ceremony held recently at the New York College of Podiatric Medicine, five members of the Class of 2012 – Amarjit Chhatwal, Sari Goldman, Oendrila Kamal, Lonny Nodelman, and Devin Poonai – were inducted into the Pi Delta National Podiatry Honor Society, Gamma Chapter. Khurram Khan, DPM, Assistant Professor of Podiatric Medicine, and Faculty Advisor to the Gamma Chapter, served as Master of Ceremonies, introducing Louis L. Levine, President and CEO of NYCPM, who spoke about how the future of the profession of podiatry depends upon people like the inductees. Michael J. Trepal, DPM, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean, congratulated the inductees, saying they had worked hard and consistently for this honor. Following his remarks, Dr. Trepal led the inductees in reciting the Oath. Lonny Nodelman, Pi Delta National Podiatry Honor Society President, offered closing remarks, thanking Dr. Khan for having put together an outstanding series of lectures during the year.

The International Podiatry Club (IPC) at the New York College of Podiatric Medicine recently held its third annual medical mission trip to Mexico. In 2009, led by then-students Munjed Salem, DPM and Andrew Goodeill, DPM, the IPC established an annual podiatric mission to Mexico by joining forces with the "Welcome Home Outreach Ministries" organization, whose team from Centralia, WA, has been led by Pastor Elmer Goodeill, and has included an internist and an orthopedic surgeon. For the past three years, the mission teams, consisting of third- and fourth-year podiatric students and DPMs from NYCPM, including Sharon Barlizo, DPM, Assistant Professor of Podiatric Medicine, as well as other health professionals, have traveled to Vicente, Guerrero, Mexico and surrounding areas to provide services for hundreds of patients who ordinarily could not afford podiatric treatment. Students not only assisted with surgical procedures and treated cases ranging from common plantar fasciitis to syndactyly, but also volunteered at a local non-profit day care center.
IPC President Oendrila Kamal, Class of 2012, declared the experience "…amazing. We definitely worked hard, but in the end, I gained more than it would have been possible to give." Fellow mission team member Tanler Volkman, Class of 2012, added, "The IPC Mexico medical mission trip provides an opportunity to interact with a variety of clinical specialists, offering medical care to populations that have limited access and means. It is an unforgettable experience that allows personal and professional growth and reminds you why you chose the health care field."

Robin Lenz (Class of 2013), Garrett Moore (Class of 2014, and President-Elect of the Student Council), Anthony C. DiLandro, EdD, Adjunct Professor of Pre-Clinical Sciences, and Anthony V. D'Antoni, DC, PhD, Director of Anatomy at NYCPM, recently returned from the 28th Annual Meeting of the American Association of Clinical Anatomists (AACA), held in Columbus, Ohio. Dr. D'Antoni reports that Robin Lenz was awarded runner-up for best oral platform presentation, and Garrett Moore's poster was very well received, with many scientists approaching him to ask questions. The same was true for Dr. DiLandro, who presented research on his novel method of foot dissection. All told, the NYCPM group made two oral platform presentations and had three poster presentations at the AACA Meeting.

Halina M. Semla-Pulaski, DPM, a member of the NYCPM Board of Trustees, and Michael J. Trepal, DPM, NYCPM Vice President for Academic Affairs & Dean, and Professor of Surgical Sciences, recently traveled to Jagiellonian University, in Krakow, Poland, to meet with the Dean of the Faculty of Medical Sciences and with the Head of the Orthopedics and Traumatology Clinic, to explore the possibility of developing academic affiliations.

The Discipline of Podiatry at NUI Galway in the Republic of Ireland has formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding with New York College of Podiatric Medicine (NYCPM), one of the leading colleges of podiatric medical education in the U.S.
Speaking at the signing, Dr. Caroline McIntosh, Head of Discipline of Podiatry at NUI Galway, said: "This agreement facilitates the establishment of student and staff exchanges, research collaborations, and the co-development of innovative developments in podiatric education which may have academic, clinical, and commercial implications."

RogerGreene
Director, Public Relations/Marketing
Phone Number:(212) 410-8147
Email: rgreene@nycpm.edu

  New York College of Podiatric Medicine & Foot Center of New York
53 East 124th Street
New York, NY 10035
Fax Number: (212) 876-7670