The Levy Letter — Department of Medicine, University of Rochester Medicine

05/29/26

Letter from the Chair

Ruth O'Regan, MDDepartment of Medicine leaders recently gathered for our annual leadership retreat to celebrate key successes and identify opportunities to maximize the impact and benefits of our clinical, research, and education missions. Over the next few months, I’ll share some of those success stories and plans for progress.

Today, as we celebrate the centennial of our residency programs, I want to spotlight education.

Training the next generation of academic leaders, physicians, and researchers is a major part of our department’s mission and strategic plan—and it's one of the most powerful ways we advance health and shape the future of medicine. Our education program leaders are continuously innovating to prepare trainees not just to keep pace with an evolving healthcare landscape, but to lead it.

Our training programs are the largest at the School of Medicine & Dentistry and highly ranked by trainees. We train around 100 medical students in our top-rated clerkship and another 50 in our acting internship each year. Our medical students routinely rank our residents as outstanding teachers. We currently have 118 residents and 87 fellows enrolled in our residency and fellowship programs, and we provide a solid internal medicine foundation for another 100 residents from other departments.

Our programs cultivate curiosity and a scholarly, evidence-based approach to medicine, with robust research and scholarship opportunities woven throughout. Our current residents and fellows have produced nearly 100 scholarly publications and have presented their work at numerous scientific and medical conferences.

Our trainees rely on mentors across the DOM to guide them on their academic journey. If you have a research opportunity that could benefit from a trainee's energy and dedication, I encourage you to reach out to Vice Chair of Education Kit Gracey, MD.

I’m grateful to all our faculty mentors who share their hard-won wisdom with the next generation and proud of our trainees who will shape the future of medicine.

Best,

Ruth O’Regan, MD

Top Stories

Pulmonary Leaders Honored for Outstanding Research, Mentorship
Augusto Lintonjua, MD, MPH, M. Patricia Rivera, MD, and Gloria Pryhuber, MD

University of Rochester Medicine pulmonary researchers and leaders M. Patricia Rivera, MD, Augusto Litonjua, MD, MPH, and Gloria Pryhuber, MD, were recognized for their outstanding contributions to pulmonary medicine and respiratory science at the American Thoracic Society International Conference, held May 15-20. Learn more about their awards and the breadth of research our teams shared at the annual meeting.

Wilmot Wins $7.7M Award to Support Clinical Trials
Paul Barr, PhD

The grant, led by Paul Barr, MD, of Hematology & Oncology, recognizes Wilmot Cancer Institute’s leading role in conducting large, cancer-related clinical trials. Barr discussed the rewarding nature of conducting clinical trials with Danielle Wallace, MD, of Hematology & Oncology, in a recent URochester SMD video.

Younger Adults Opt for ‘Quick-Fix’ Heart Valve Surgery Despite Risks
prosthetic heart valve

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is a less invasive alternative to open heart surgery for aortic stenosis, but the prosthetic valves placed via TAVR wear out over time, posing a risk to younger patients. A study supported by Cardiology researchers shows that nearly half of low-risk, younger patients with aortic stenosis opt for TAVR despite the long-term risk.

Bulletin Board

Faculty Development Colloquium in the Health Professions: Join fellow faculty, educators, and health care professionals from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Wednesday, June 3, for practical tips to maintain wellness while advancing in your career.

Medical Aid in Dying Act Panel Discussion: This interdisciplinary conversation set for noon to 1 p.m., Wednesday, June 3, will explore clinical, ethical, and operational considerations for implementing New York State's Medical Aid in Dying Act. Erin Denney-Koelsch, MD, and Robert Horowitz, MD, of Palliative Care, and Thomas Caprio, MD, of Geriatrics & Aging, are among the panelists.

Geriatric Medicine Community-Wide Grand Rounds: Join us at 8 a.m. Wednesdays to learn about tools and resources for addressing language, cultural, and sensory barriers in older adults (June 3) and practical approaches to screening and diagnosis of sarcopenia (June 10).

Seeds for Collaboration: This faculty and postdoc mixer, from 4:30 to 6 p.m., Thursday, June 4, will feature five-minute seed talks on cancer-related cognitive impairment, RNA parasites, and music therapy. 

Restorative Dialogue: Relating to Uncertainty: University students, staff, and faculty are invited to contemplate when uncertainty is useful and to share strategies for dealing with uncertainty from noon to 1 p.m., Tuesday, June 9.

Connecting Through Dialogue Workshops: Explore the difference between productive discussion and contentious debate. Examine the barriers to real dialogue and leave with practical skills—deep listening, curiosity, and centering connection—that make a difference in any conversation. Four sessions will be held throughout June on the Health Sciences and River Campuses.

Help Shape DOM Community-Engaged Research: Our Office of Engagement, Enrichment, and Well-Being has launched a survey to better understand perceptions of community-engaged research and assess institutional readiness to support it. The brief survey is open to all DOM faculty, residents, APPs, and trainees, whether or not they conduct research.

Off the Clock
Valentina Kutyifa, MD, on the Sehgahunda Trail and with her vizsla, Finn after the race.

Valentina Kutyifa, MD, PhD, vice chair of Clinical Research for DOM, completed the Sehgahunda Trail Marathon on May 16, which she called “the only marathon of her lifetime.” The race traversed over 100 punishing gullies across Letchworth State Park. Kutyifa was among only 147 solo marathoners who completed the race in the scorching heat and was greeted at the finish line by her favorite trail pup, Finn.

Special Announcements

Welcome Back! Jared Walsh, MD, has rejoined the DOM as chief of General Medicine. “It's incredibly meaningful coming back to the place that made me the physician I am,” said Walsh in a January announcement of his appointment. “I have so much respect for the division and everything it's accomplished.” 

In the News: Jessica Stern, MD, of Allergy, Immunology & Rheumatology, spoke with WXXI News about how seasonal allergies can impact children’s daily lives, especially in Rochester, which ranks among the nation’s most challenging cities for allergies. 

Publication: Theresa Bingemann, MD, of Allergy, Immunology & Rheumatology, published “ACAAI/ AAP Symposium -What was Served in the Last Year: Food Allergy Non-Treatment” in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. 

Publication: Ali Murra, MD, internal medicine resident, led the study “Incidental Detection of Coronary Artery Calcification in Women Undergoing Cancer Screening or Treatment,” published in Current Atherosclerosis Reports. 

Publication: George E. Vates, MD, PhD, of Neurosurgery and Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism, led the study “Determinants of Remission and Recurrence Following Transsphenoidal Surgery for Prolactinoma: A Single-Center Experience,” published in Pituitary.

Publication: Frederick Ling, MD, of Cardiology, led the study “MAUDE Registry Analysis of Pericardial Effusions Following Watchman and Amulet Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion,” published in JACC: Advances. 

Publication: Dillon Dzikowicz, PhD, RN, of the Clinical Cardiovascular Research Center, led the study “Generative AI for ECG Interpretation Education: Impact on Nursing, Student Performance, and AI Model Accuracy,” published in Nurse Educator.

Social Spotlight
LinkedIn post by Erica Miller, Cardiologist and Program Director, Med-Peds Residency at University of Rochester, with a video of her commencement speech and the following text "I had the incredible honor of giving the faculty address at the University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry's MD Graduation Ceremony today. I talked about the power of #awe in healthcare and medical education, and how it can shape us as physicians and human beings. Please, take a moment to find awe, and then share it with someone. URochester Medicine Department of Medicine

The Levy Letter is always looking to learn about good things happening in the Department of Medicine. Please email us your news!

 University of Rochester Medicine logo
LinkedIn X (Twitter)