Dr. Chervenak Receives One of Medicine's Highest Honors at Institute's Annual Meeting
NEW YORK (Oct. 27, 2011) — Dr. Frank A. Chervenak, the Given Foundation Professor and chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Weill Cornell Medical College and obstetrician and gynecologist-in-chief and director of maternal-fetal medicine at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, has been elected to the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academies. IOM membership is considered one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine.
Announced at the IOM's annual meeting in Arlington, Va., Dr. Chervenak is among 65 new members and five foreign associates elected this year. "Each of these new members stands out as a professional whose research, knowledge and skills have significantly advanced health and medicine, and their achievements are an inspiration," said IOM President Harvey V. Fineberg.
"Dr. Chervenak has made many substantial contributions to the field of obstetrics and gynecology — particularly in the areas of ethics in maternal-fetal medicine and global health — that have undoubtedly improved the health of mothers and children alike. I congratulate him on this special honor," says Dr. Antonio M. Gotto Jr., the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean of Weill Cornell Medical College.
"The Institute of Medicine is one of medicine's most treasured institutions. As such, I am humbled and honored to be counted among its members," says Dr. Chervenak.
The Institute of Medicine recognizes individuals who have made major contributions to the advancement of the medical sciences, health care and public health. With this year's election, the Institute counts active membership to 1,688 active members and 102 foreign associates. The IOM is recognized as a national resource for independent, scientifically informed analysis and recommendations on health issues.
About Dr. Frank A. Chervenak
Dr. Frank A. Chervenak received his Bachelor of Science degree from Pennsylvania State University with highest distinction, and his medical degree from Thomas Jefferson University, where he was elected a member of Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society. Dr. Chervenak completed his internship in internal medicine at New York Medical College, residency in obstetrics and gynecology at New York Medical College in St. Luke's–Roosevelt Hospital Center, and a fellowship in maternal-fetal medicine at Yale University School of Medicine. In 2002, he received a Master in Medical Management degree from Carnegie Mellon University; and in 2008, he earned fellowship status from the American College of Physician Executives.
From 1983 to 1987, Dr. Chervenak was assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Mt. Sinai Medical Center, where he was also director of perinatal research. In 1987, he was appointed associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology and director of obstetric ultrasound and ethics at what is today known as NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center. Since then, he was promoted several times, becoming chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in 2000.
Dr. Chervenak has published more than 260 peer-reviewed papers and has co-authored or co-edited 28 textbooks on topics including ultrasound and ethics in obstetrics and gynecology, and physician leadership. Currently, Dr. Chervenak serves as president of the International Society of the Fetus as a Patient, president of the World Association of Perinatal Medicine, vice president of the International Academy of Perinatal Medicine and co-director of the Ian Donald Inter-University School of Medicine and Ultrasound. He also serves on the March of Dimes Bioethics Committee and Prematurity Research Advisory Committee. Previously, he served on the Board of Governors of the American Institute in Ultrasound and Medicine and the Society of Perinatal Obstetricians, and as president of the International Fetal Medicine in Surgery Society, the New York Perinatal Society, the New York Academy of Medicine Section of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and the New York Obstetrical Society.
He has been awarded honorary doctorates from Semmelweis University in Budapest, Hungary; the University of Athens, Greece; Carol Davila University of Medicine, Bucharest, Romania; and the University of Uruguay. He is an honorary member of the Barcelona Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Croatian Association for Perinatal Medicine, Hungarian Ultrasound Society, Italian Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Russian Association of Perinatal Medicine and the Texas Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology. He was recently admitted as a fellow ad eundem of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Great Britain and the Advisory Council of the National Institute of Perinatology of Mexico.
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, located in New York City, is one of the leading academic medical centers in the world, comprising the teaching hospital NewYork-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medical College, the medical school of Cornell University. NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell provides state-of-the-art inpatient, ambulatory and preventive care in all areas of medicine, and is committed to excellence in patient care, education, research and community service. Weill Cornell physician-scientists have been responsible for many medical advances — including the development of the Pap test for cervical cancer; the synthesis of penicillin; the first successful embryo-biopsy pregnancy and birth in the U.S.; the first clinical trial for gene therapy for Parkinson's disease; the first indication of bone marrow's critical role in tumor growth; and, most recently, the world's first successful use of deep brain stimulation to treat a minimally conscious brain-injured patient. NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital also comprises NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, NewYork-Presbyterian/Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Westchester Division and NewYork-Presbyterian/The Allen Hospital. NewYork-Presbyterian is the #1 hospital in the New York metropolitan area and is consistently ranked among the best academic medical institutions in the nation, according to U.S.News & World Report. In its commitment to global health and education, Weill Cornell has a strong presence in places such as Qatar, Tanzania, Haiti, Brazil, Austria and Turkey. Through the historic Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, Cornell University is the first in the U.S. to offer a M.D. degree overseas. For more information, visit www.nyp.org and weill.cornell.edu.