Our Sports Medicine teams continued to shine on the national and international stage. A team led by Mariam Zakhary, DO, supported the USA Fencing team at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, where it achieved a record medal count. Similarly, Anna Rozman, DO, MBA, served as head physician for the U.S. Paralympics Powerlifting Team in the 2024 Summer Paralympic Games in Paris.
In research, our Department pushed boundaries in areas of great need—David Putrino, PhD, published papers unveiling how long COVID affects different sexes and exploring the immunological basis of the chronic condition. Maria Kajankova, PhD, in a work funded by the Department of Defense, launched a study on a new treatment approach that could be transformative for female veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. We invite you to read more about these works in this Specialty Report.
The year saw significant expansions to our clinical footprint and offerings, which includes the opening of the Cohen Center for Recovery from Complex Chronic Illnesses. This innovative facility provides services to patients impacted by Lyme disease and long COVID, in addition to other chronic illnesses. We now also have a new outpatient location at 112th Street and Broadway on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, with Michael Harbus, DO, and Sean Schowalter, MD, joining the practice for Pain Management and Sports Medicine, respectively.
At The Mount Sinai Hospital, we've expanded our clinical consult services with the recruitment of Sofia Barchuk, DO, to lead neurorehabilitation, and expanded our outpatient Spinal Cord Injury services with the addition of Andrea Leyton-Mange, MD.
Our Pain Management commitment strengthened with the recruitment of Tariq Alfarra, DO, to the Mount Sinai Downtown Union Square location, and we grew our Brain Injury program by welcoming Alyssa Volmrich, MD, and Megan Andrews, MD.
As a testament to our excellence, the Mount Sinai Rehabilitation Center was designated one of 15 Rehabilitation Innovation Centers by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in the 2024 inaugural list. This prestigious designation underscores our dedication to advancing rehabilitation medicine and improving patient care.
These achievements reflect our unwavering mission to advancing health within our local communities and worldwide. I am incredibly proud of our faculty, staff, learners, and researchers, and I eagerly anticipate the continued advancements and innovative directions our Department will pursue in Rehabilitation and Human Performance.
Featured
Joseph E. Herrera, DO, FAAPMR
Chair, Rehabilitation and Human Performance; Lucy G. Moses Professor of Rehabilitation Medicine