Dr. H. Dirk Sostman
Dr. H. Dirk Sostman, chairman of the Department of Radiology, has been named senior associate dean for clinical affairs, succeeding Dr. E. Darracott Vaughan. Dr. Sostman will serve as senior associate dean while continuing to serve as chairman of radiology.
"Dr. Sostman has been playing a significant role in the administration of the Cornell Physician Organization," said Dean Gotto. "He has served as associate chief medical officer and chairman of the P.O.'s finance and operations committee, and he is a member of the P.O. Policy Board, Operating Board, and executive committee. He is well prepared to undertake his new responsibilites as senior associate dean, and I look forward to working with him as we launch the important clinical phase of our Strategic Plan."
In his Physician Organization activities, Dr. Sostman has been involved in reorganizing the Medical College's clinical activities to meet the demands of the changing health-care market and to forge alliances with the institutional members of the NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare System. He has played a major role in designing the Strategic Plan to Advance the Clinical Mission and serves on the Strategic Plan Executive Council to ensure that the plan is effectively implemented and monitored.
An authority in cardiovascular and pulmonary imaging, Dr. Sostman joined the Medical College in 1995, when he was recruited to be chairman of the Department of Radiology. He previously served as vice chairman of radiology at Duke University Medical Center. He received his M.D. degree from Yale University School of Medicine, where he also did his postgraduate training in radiology.
He has been principal investigator on several NIH and foundation grants and is author/co-author of more than 100 original papers as well as numerous reviews, chapters and abstracts. He currently serves as president of the Association of University Radiologists. His professional memberships also include the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (founding member), the Fleischner Society, and the Society of Thoracic Radiology (founding member). He has been named one of New York's "Best Doctors" (New York magazine) and "America's Top Doctors" (Castle Connolly edition). Other awards and honors include the Stauffer Award, the George Simon Memorial Award, the Lamport Biomedical Research Award, the Dolgan Memorial Award, and the Fales Prize. He has been invited to serve on many scientific advisory panels, including the RNM Study Section of the NIH, the DMG Special Emphasis Panel (chair) of the NIH, and the NIH Commission, Academy of Radiology Research. He has lectured extensively nationally and internationally.
Succeeding Dr. Sostman as associate chief medical officer of the P.O. is Dr. Stephen ("Butch") Thomas, professor of anesthesiology. Dr. Thomas, who has been at the Medical College for 12 years, has served on the P.O. finance committee since 1995 and has also been appointed chair of the finance and operations committee.