Weill Cornell Medical College

As the newly appointed Chair of the Joan and Sanford I. Weill Department of Medicine, I look forward to the extraordinary journey ahead with the greatest of enthusiasm. We are indebted to those pioneering physicians and scientists who drove the major discoveries over the past century, but we cannot rest on their laurels. Today’s world of translational research offers undiscovered vistas to explore that will open the door to life-saving therapies. An ever-expanding universe of biomedical sciences, genomics, and technological tools will provide the key. We are on the precipice of targeted patient therapies that will not only save lives, but will enable a new style of more personalized and individualized treatments.

New York City offers an ideal setting for our pursuits, a multicultural academic mecca providing a full spectrum of patient cohorts and diseases that is unparalleled anywhere in the world. Our researchers are collaborating on projects nationally and internationally, and with colleagues at the Clinical and Translational Science Center here at NYP/WC, as well as with neighboring world class institutions, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Rockefeller University, and Hospital for Special Surgery. Their research addresses the medical concerns of our time - from cancer, obesity and diabetes, to lung, heart, kidney and infectious diseases - to name a few. We are also fortunate to be utilizing laboratory space in our campus’s spectacular new hub for science, the Belfer Research Building.

The Department is set to experience exponential growth in its clinical care mission. A newly recruited cadre of physicians and scientists are bringing the highest levels of expertise in their specialized fields of medicine. Our outstanding physicians treat patients from New York City, the tri-state area, the nation, and all corners of the world. Patient care services have expanded to encompass NewYork-Presbyterian/Lower Manhattan Hospital, as our many satellite and affiliated locations continue to evolve. We remain committed to providing all patients with the high-quality healthcare, compassion and dignity they deserve.

Home to one of the country’s top tier residency training programs, our department is known for its innovative approach to education. Residents-in-training, fellows, and Weill Cornell medical students enjoy an environment of camaraderie, replete with a wide array of clinical and research opportunities. Our extraordinarily dedicated faculty implement a proactive style of mentoring that is geared to building a young physician’s career path – whether it be physician-scientist, clinical educator, or academic leader.

With a passion for medicine, unwavering focus, and the remarkable talents of our faculty, we are using today’s scientific tools to unravel tomorrow’s medical discoveries. We look to a new era in life-saving therapies. Our patients deserve nothing less.

Best regards,
Augustine M.K. Choi, M.D.