Angela Diaz, MD, PhD, MPH, is Elected to Leadership Role in the National Academy of Medicine
Angela Diaz, MD, PhD, MPH
Angela Diaz, MD, PhD, MPH, a leader in adolescent medicine, has been elected to the governing Council of the National Academy of Medicine. Membership in the Academy reflects major contributions to the medical sciences, health care, and public health. The group’s Council members, who serve three-year terms, are elected by their peers.
A member since 2008 of the Academy and its predecessor, the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, Dr. Diaz is the Jean C. and James W. Crystal Professor in Adolescent Health; Professor of Pediatrics, and Environmental Medicine and Public Health, at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai; and Director of the Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center. Under the leadership of Dr. Diaz, the Center has become one of the nation’s largest adolescent health centers, known for outstanding research and training, and for serving more than 10,000 vulnerable youths each year with care that is free of judgment, free of charge, and completely confidential.
Dr. Diaz is a national and international leader in her field, says a longtime mentor, Kurt Hirschhorn, MD, Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics, Genetics, and Medicine, and Chairman Emeritus of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. “She was so impressive that I recruited her to our high school program for teenagers interested in careers in medicine and health science. When she finished medical school, I recruited her as a resident in Pediatrics and later as a fellow in adolescent medicine. The rest is history. She is a member of the highest organization in medicine, and is now becoming one of its leaders.”
Dr. Diaz, who will join about 20 Council members governing the National Academy of Medicine, says, “I’m honored to have been elected to serve on the Council of such an esteemed organization that is a trusted resource for the nation.”
Eighth Annual Mount Sinai Innovation Awards
Individuals and teams from the Mount Sinai Health System were honored for significant advances in biomedical research, technology, and medicine at the eighth annual Mount Sinai Innovation Awards ceremony held Monday, October 24. Through the dedication of presenters,...Rachel Levine, MD, Reflects on Her Years at Mount Sinai and Her Historic Confirmation
Rachel Levine, MD, a longtime leader in public health, was sworn in as Assistant Secretary for Health in the Department of Health and Human Services in March 2021—making history as the first openly transgender federal official to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Dr....Celebrating the Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center
The Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center honored six individuals for their commitment to New York City’s young people at its 16th Annual Breakfast of Legends benefit at the Ziegfeld Ballroom on Thursday, November 14. The Center provides free, comprehensive, and confidential health and wellness services to more than 12,000 young people annually and is a national leader in adolescent health research and training.
“Today, in its 51st year, the Center remains true to its original vision and mission—the care of New York City’s adolescents and young adults,” James S. Tisch, Co-Chairman, Boards of Trustees, Mount Sinai Health System, said in a warm welcome to guests.
Angela Diaz, MD, PhD, MPH, Jean C. and James W. Crystal Professor in Adolescent Health, Professor of Pediatrics, and Environmental Medicine and Public Health, and Director of the Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center, recognized the volunteers, benefactors, leadership, and staff who made the event—and the Center’s work—possible: “Thank you for helping us give young people a place of healing, and a place of hope.”
Dennis S. Charney, MD, Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Dean, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and President for Academic Affairs, Mount Sinai Health System, emphasized the importance of innovation in the care of adolescents, who face constantly evolving challenges. “At the Center, innovations are ongoing—including its groundbreaking work with HIV-infected youth and transgender adolescents,” Dr. Charney said.
Three patients—Moza, Richard, and Anisa—recounted how the Center had transformed their lives. “It is not just a health center, but a chance for a fulfilled life,” Moza said.
The honorees were:
Jerry Bruno, Strategic Project Manager, City of New York Department of Homeless Services
Rachel L. Colon, LCSW, Primary Care Social Work Coordinator, Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center, who received the Center’s Staff Award
Yasmeen Mock, Head of Client Relations and Chief Operating Officer, Kimelman & Baird, LLC
Lisa M. Satlin, MD, Herbert H. Lehman Professor and Chair, Jack and Lucy Clark Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Patricia Wang, President and Chief Executive Officer, Healthfirst
Raja M. Flores, MD, Steven and Ann Ames Professor and Chair of the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, who was presented with the Dr. Joan E. Morgenthau Lifetime Advocate for Youth Award by Dr. Morgenthau’s daughters Ellie Hirschhorn and Joan Bright for his kindness, warmth, and clinical skill in treating adolescent patients.
American Psychiatric Association 2019: Mount Sinai’s Presentations
This year’s American Psychiatric Association (APA) conference takes place May 18-22 in San Francisco. The schedule of sessions presented by faculty from the Department of Psychiatry is listed below.
Veerle Bergink, MD, PhD, will speak on psychiatric illness during and after pregnancy on Tuesday, May 21.
Saturday, May 18
Computers and Psychiatry: How Might Our Practice Change?
Chair: Cheryl Corcoran, MD
When: 8:00-9:30 am
Where: TBD
Creating and Implementing a Program for the Mental Health and Wellbeing of Medical Students and Trainees: The Mount Sinai Health System Experience
Chairs: Jeffrey Newcorn, MD; Paul Rosenfield, MD
Presenters: Sabina Lim, MD, MPH; Daniel Safin, MD; Jonathan Ripp, MD, MPH
When: 10:00-11:30am
Where: TBD
Sunday, May 19
Sex, Drugs, and Culturally-Responsive Treatment: Addressing Substance Use Disorder in the Context of Sexual and Gender Diversity
Presenter: Faye Chao, MD
When: 8:00-9:30 am
Where: TBD
Advances in the Understanding and Treatment of Treatment Resistant Depression
Chair: James Murrough, MD, PhD
Presenter: Martijn Figee, MD, PhD
When: 8:00-9:30 am
Where: TBD
Imminent Suicide Risk Assessment in High-Risk Individuals Denying Suicidal Ideation or Intent
Director: Igor Galynker, MD, PhD
Faculty: Paul Rosenfield, MD
When: 8:00 am-12:00 pm
Where: TBD
The Multiple Faces of Deportation: Being a Solution to the Challenges Faced by Asylum Seekers, Mixed Status Families, and Dreamers
Presenter: Gabrielle Shapiro, MD
When: 10:00-11:30am
Where: TBD
Transitioning from Methadone to Buprenorphine At An Urban Opioid Treatment Program
Chair: Timothy Brennan, MD
Presenters: Annie Levesque, MD; Prameet Singh, MD
When: 3:00-4:30 pm
Where: TBD
Monday, May 20
Trauma Inflicted to Immigrant Children and Parents Through Policy of Forced Family Separation
Chair: Gabrielle Shapiro, MD
When: 8:00-9:30 am
Where: TBD
A Blueprint for Providing Free, Comprehensive, Integrated Adolescent Health, Transgender Services and Mental Health Care in NYC for $1,000 per Patient
Chair: Kashmira Rustomji, MD
Presenter: John Steever, MD
When: 8:00-9:30 am
Where: TBD
Facing the Challenges of Misuse and Abuse of Stimulant Medications for ADHD: From Neurobiology to Clinical Care
Chair: Jeffrey Newcorn, MD
Presenters: Iliyan Ivanov, MD; Jeffrey Newcorn, MD
When: 8:00-9:30 am
Where: TBD
Rebels With a Cause: Nurturing the Provider for Successful Program Evolution
Chair: Shilpa Taufique, PhD
Presenter: Brandon Johnson, MD
When: 8:00-9:30 am
Where: TBD
Diagnostic Categories or Dimensions? How Studying the Neural and Genetic Bases of Dimensional Traits Can Help Us Find New Treatments
Chair and presenter: Maria de las Mercedes Perez-Rodriguez, MD, PhD
When: 8:00-9:30 am
Where: TBD
Walking the Walk: Resident Roadmap to Leadership in Psychiatry
Presenter: Adjoa Smalls-Mantey, MD, DPhil
When: 10:00-11:30am
Where: TBD
Training the Next Generation of Community Psychiatrists: Science and Recovery
Chair: Paul Rosenfield, MD
Presenters: Joy Choi, MD; Tomas Felipe Restrepo Palacio, MD
When: 3:00-4:30 pm
Where: TBD
Tuesday, May 21
Scaling Behavioral Health Integration: One Academic Health Care System’s Approach
Chair: Sabina Lim, MD, MPH
Presenters: Hansel Arroyo, MD; Kimberly Klipstein, MD; Rajvee Vora, MD
When: 10:00-11:30am
Where: TBD
Management of Psychiatric Illness During Pregnancy and Postpartum: What Every Psychiatrist Needs To Know
Chair: Verlee Bergink, MD, PhD
When: 1:00-2:30 pm
Where: TBD
Typical or Troubled?®: Program Update and Further Development Discussion
Presenter: Gabrielle Shapiro, MD
When: 1:00-2:30 pm
Where: TBD
A Patient-Centered Approach to School Refusal: A Day Program’s Guide to Tackling One of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry’s Most Difficult Problems
Chair: Brandon Johnson, MD
Presenter: Shilpa Taufique, PhD
When: 3:00-4:30 pm
Where: TBD
Separating Parents and Children: Impact on Mental Health and Resilience
Chairs: Adriana Feder, MD; Rachel Yehuda, PhD
Presenter: Angela Diaz, MD
When: 3:00-4:30 pm
Where: TBD
From Genetics to Stress Response to Treatment of Personality Disorders
Chair: Maria de las Mercedes Perez-Rodriguez, MD, PhD
When: 3:00-4:30 pm
Where: TBD
Wednesday, May 22
New Onset Psychosis: What Trainees, Residents and Early Career Psychiatrists Should Know
Presenters: Cheryl Corcoran, MD; Iliyan Ivanov, MD; Dolores Malaspina, MD, MS, MSPH; Gabrielle Shapiro, MD
When: 8:00-9:30 am
Where: TBD
Training Physician-Scientists in Psychiatry: A Road Map to Academic Success
Chairs: Antonia New, MD; Maria de las Mercedes Perez-Rodriguez, MD, PhD
Presenters: Kenechi Ejebe, MD, PhD; Rene Kahn, MD, PhD; Drew Kiraly, MD, PhD
When: 3:00-4:30 pm
Where: TBD
SinaInnovations Celebrates Past and Looks to Future
Scientists whose revolutionary treatments have cured millions of people with hepatitis C and restored sight to patients with a rare form of blindness were among keynote speakers at the seventh annual SinaInnovations conference, held in Stern Auditorium during two...Celebrating 50 Years of Adolescent Health
The Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center marked its 50th anniversary by honoring five individuals and the Mount Sinai Auxiliary Board at its 15th Annual Breakfast of Legends benefit at the Ziegfeld Ballroom on Tuesday, October 30. The Center provides free,...Road to Resilience Podcast Episode Five: A Resilient Journey from Trauma to Success
Mount Sinai has released the fifth episode of the monthly podcast series Road To Resilience, which details how playing to your strengths and altruism can help you overcome significant obstacles in life and achieve great success.
In this podcast, Angela Diaz, MD, PhD, MPH, explains how she used these resilience factors to move forward after experiencing major trauma growing up. Dr. Diaz is the Jean C. and James W. Crystal Professor in Adolescent Health; Professor of Pediatrics, and Environmental Medicine and Public Health, at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai; and Director of the Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center.
“People always say, ‘You’re so resilient, how did you make it?’ I had such a challenging life, but because of my temperament, my optimism, and the many wonderful people I met along the way, I was able to overcome this,” explained Dr. Diaz. “When you’re traumatized, there’s always a scar. But you can learn how to cope and learn to move forward.”
In the episode, “A Resilient Journey from Trauma to Success,” Dr. Diaz details her difficult past, which includes growing up in extreme poverty, being separated from her family, going through a deep depression, and dropping out of high school.
Despite her upbringing and challenges, Dr. Diaz had the goal of becoming a doctor at a young age and never lost sight of that vision. She recognized her strength in math and physics.
Even after quitting school at the age of 15, she knew she needed help to get back on the right track. She went to the Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center, which provided her with the necessary counseling to move forward. Dr. Diaz went on to graduate on time, attended The City College of New York and then pursued her medical education at Columbia, Harvard, and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
Dr. Diaz has also used altruism to build resilience in herself and thousands of at-risk teens. She now runs the renowned Adolescent Health Center, the same unique program that transformed her life.
“This is not like work for me, this is a calling. To be able to work in the same place that helped me when I was a teenager, and then for me to be able to do the same thing for other young people, is truly a gift,” Dr. Diaz says. “Every time I talk to a young person—they may be suicidal or feel bad about themselves—we sit down with them and try to help them cope and stay in school. Just seeing how that young person evolves is so rewarding. And it doesn’t just help them become more resilient. Every day I get more resilient from this work and giving back to them.”
The podcast, created by the Mount Sinai Health System, is based on the well-received book Resilience: The Science of Mastering Life’s Greatest Challenges, co-authored by Dennis S. Charney, MD, Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Dean of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Steven Southwick, MD, Professor of Psychiatry at Yale University. Their research in resilience spans 25 years, and their book has been so well received it is now in its second edition.
In the book they present 10 resilience factors to help anyone become stronger when facing life’s greatest challenges, and they explain how these can be learned at any stage of life. Each podcast episode focuses on different factors including facing your fears and having realistic optimism, a moral compass, and a support system, along with physical and brain fitness. The monthly series features insight from Mount Sinai experts who explain the science behind resilience while sharing their personal stories and experiences.
Road to Resilience is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play (link works best in Chrome). New episodes of the series are released on the last Wednesday of each month. You can find more information on the Icahn School of Medicine website or on the Road to Resilience website.
Road to Resilience Podcast Features Insights From Renowned Experts on the Science of Resilience
Mount Sinai Health System has created a new monthly podcast series, Road To Resilience. The series is based on the well-received book Resilience: The Science of Mastering Life’s Greatest Challenges, co-authored by Dennis S. Charney, MD, Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Dean...Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center Hosts Conference on Violence Against Children
“Is anything more important than ending violence against children and adolescents?” That rhetorical question was posed by Dennis S. Charney, MD, Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Dean, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and President for Academic Affairs, Mount Sinai...Annual Event Celebrates the Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center
The Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center (MSAHC) saluted the contributions of four individuals who have dedicated themselves to helping New York City’s young people at its 14th Annual Breakfast of Legends benefit at The Plaza on Wednesday, November 1. The Center...Three Mount Sinai Researchers Elected to National Academy of Medicine
Three faculty members from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have been elected to the National Academy of Medicine (NAM). Election to the NAM is considered one of the highest honors in health and medicine, recognizing individuals who have demonstrated...Celebrating the Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center
From left: Rosanna Mirante, MD; Louis G. Monti, MD; and Marla Stern, MD
The Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center (MSAHC) honored nine individuals who have dedicated themselves to New York City’s young people during its 13th Annual “Breakfast of Legends” benefit at The Plaza on Thursday, October 13. The Center provides free, comprehensive, and confidential health and wellness services to more than 10,000 young people every year and is considered a national leader in adolescent health research and training. (more…)
Update on Bias and Racism
David Muller, MD
Thank you to all who participated in the recent Town Hall and small group meetings. You’ve helped us better define our goals and contributed excellent suggestions, many of which are being incorporated into the interventions we plan to implement. I want to start this update with a statement of purpose that will continue to be refined over time, will help us clarify our vision and focus our efforts.
“Our goal is to undo racism in all its forms at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. For the past year this has been among our highest priorities and it will remain so for the foreseeable future.”