New York, NY – June 13, 2024: NYC Health + Hospitals today announced the open application period for the Clinical Leadership Fellowship, a one-year opportunity designed for post-residency graduates interested in administrative roles within the nation’s largest public hospital system. Fellows are assigned to teams within NYC Health + Hospitals’ offices of quality, population health, ambulatory care, managed care and patient growth, or medical and professional affairs to acquire hands-on, practical work experience. Their remaining time is spent delivering care in their clinical specialty at a facility within the health system. As part of their participation, fellows will be required to design and lead a quality improvement or population health project at their sponsoring facility. The application deadline for next year’s fellowship is September 20, and applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. A video featuring alumni of the program is available here.
“Every year, Clinical Leadership Fellows at NYC Health + Hospitals are entrusted with an unparalleled opportunity—to serve all New Yorkers, without exception,” said Eric Wei, MD, MBA, Senior Vice President and Chief Quality Officer at NYC Health + Hospitals. “As they immerse themselves in this transformative fellowship, they not only learn how to navigate the complexities of running the largest public hospital system in the country but also become empowered to drive innovative changes that directly impact patient care on the frontlines.”
Machelle Allen, MD, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at NYC Health + Hospitals, said “NYC Health + Hospitals takes immense pride in hosting this year’s Clinical Leadership Fellows, who are in training to become the future leaders in healthcare. The legacy of previous fellows, who have significantly influenced our system-wide quality and operational initiatives, assures us that this year’s class will continue to make a meaningful difference.”
“The Clinical Leadership Fellowship is at the heart of NYC Health + Hospitals’ commitment to develop the next generation of safety net healthcare leaders,” said Matthew Siegler, Senior Vice President of Managed Care and Patient Growth at NYC Health + Hospitals and CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals’ Accountable Care Organization. “As these dedicated fellows immerse themselves in the real-world challenges of our country’s largest municipal hospital system, they gain invaluable experience that will undoubtedly set them apart as they forge their careers.”
“These emerging leaders collaborate closely with senior executives, driving essential operational enhancements across our healthcare system. With unwavering passion, diverse experiences, and innovative thinking, the fellows champion our system’s priorities, reinforcing our commitment to delivering high-quality care,” said Ted Long, MD, MHS, Senior Vice President of Ambulatory Care and Population Health at NYC Health + Hospitals.
Nichola Davis, MD, MS, Vice President and Chief Population Health Officer at NYC Health + Hospitals, noted, “Fellows have been instrumental in advancing population health strategy for the system through their work on social determinants, chronic diseases, optimizing care for patients with sickle cell, and more. I look forward to working with this new class of change makers.”
“The Clinical Leadership Fellowship helped me understand the challenges NYC Health + Hospitals faces to provide quality care for historically marginalized populations in New York City. I had the opportunity to learn how hospitals and clinics collaborate with Central Office to find creative solutions for these challenges, from using system-wide data to inform priorities to partnering with other city agencies and community-based organizations,” said Dr. Anuj Rao, 2023-2024 Clinical Leadership Fellowship alum and incoming Medical Director at NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst Safety Net Clinic.
“The Clinical Leadership Fellowship has been an invaluable experience in establishing a foundation for my career as a physician committed to health equity and quality care. To work and learn from the leaders of such an expansive municipal system in the greatest city in the world has been so rewarding. From this year, I’ll be taking away a solid understanding of complex healthcare delivery, quality improvement, and equitable care that will be vital for the rest of my career, regardless of where it takes me,” said Dr. Thea Belay, 2023-2024 Clinical Leadership Fellowship alum and incoming Director in the Office of Medical & Professional Affairs at NYC Health + Hospitals.
“The Clinical Leadership Fellowship has given me the tools to lead with compassion, innovate in healthcare, and make a meaningful impact on the lives of New Yorkers,” noted Dr. Tamara Kliot, 2022-2023 Clinical Leadership Fellowship alum now a Director in the Office of Quality and Safety at NYC Health + Hospitals. “It’s not just a program; it’s a transformative experience.”
Dr. Risa Bocher, 2021-2022 Clinical Leadership Fellowship alum and Patient Safety Officer at NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem, said “The NYC Health + Hospitals Clinical Leadership Fellowship empowered me with the tools and skills to become an effective clinical leader. The fellowship offered direct access to learn from a diverse group of clinical and administrative leaders across NYC Health + Hospitals, hands-on training on quality improvement and healthcare leadership topics, and unparalleled opportunities to observe, practice and grow leadership skills in a mentored setting. I am better equipped and more confident in my ability to serve as a physician-leader as a result of my participation in the program.”
The curriculum includes fundamentals of leadership and administration, population health approaches to improving outcomes, team facilitation and change management, fundamentals of quality improvement and the science of quality measurement, developing and implementing quality improvement initiatives, designing safe systems, and building a “just” culture.
Previous fellows have played critical roles in NYC Health + Hospitals’ programming, such as:
- Expanding virtual ExpressCare (telehealth services) for vulnerable populations and launching the telehealth abortion access program.
- Optimizing MyChart messaging to improve communication between patients and their care teams.
- Implementing a new referrals system to improve the quality of e-consult and referrals for increased primary care patient access to specialty care.
- Helping lead major systemwide initiatives related to improving mammography operations, expanding community health work programming, expanding midwifery services, and improving care for patients with sickle cell disease.
- Supporting an initiative to build discharge navigators for congestive heart failure patients to ensure that more patients are discharged with the appropriate guideline-directed medication therapy.
- Helping lead and support surge planning for pediatric Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV).
The 2024 – 2025 class of fellows begins their fellowship on July 15, 2024. The fellowship class includes the following participants:
Brooklyn
- Alec Feuerbach, MD is assigned to the Office of Quality and Safety. He will conduct his clinical practice at NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull.
Manhattan
- Amara L. Davidson, MD is assigned to the Office of Ambulatory Care and Population Health. She will conduct her clinical practice at NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan.
- Joya Dupre, MD is assigned to the Office of Medical & Professional Affairs. She will conduct her clinical practice as a hospitalist at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue.
- Sneha Panganamamula, MD is assigned to the Office of Ambulatory Care and Population Health. She will conduct her clinical practice as a primary care provider at NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Gouverneur.
- Brittany L. Vanderhall, DO is assigned to the Office of Quality & Safety. She will conduct her clinical practice at NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem.
- Diandra Wong, MD is assigned to the Office of Ambulatory Care and Population Health. She will conduct her clinical practice at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue.
Queens
- Katherine Bruce, DO is assigned to the Office of Medical & Professional Affairs. She will conduct her clinical practice at NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens.
- Michael Musharbash, MD is assigned to the Office of Managed Care & Patient Growth. He will conduct his clinical practice at NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst.
How to Apply:
Physicians who have completed or are on track to complete a residency program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education prior to July 1, 2025 can apply. The application deadline is September 20. Applications will be reviewed and interviews conducted on a rolling basis. To apply, visit https://www.nychealthandhospitals.org/clinical-leadership-fellowship/.
