Montefiore Medical Center’s Surgical Assistant program recently came full circle. Not only did it celebrate the graduation of its 2011 class, it’s also looking back at 40 years since the program began.
Physician’s assistants help doctors and surgeons perform medical tasks. They came into vogue during the Vietnam War, when physician assistants were relied upon to care for soldiers under doctor’s directions. Montefiore was the first hospital in the country to center the program around helping surgeons in 1971.
Ten members of the PA program graduated at the ceremony recently held at the Cherkasky Auditorium. Members of the 2012 class were also announced.
Clara Vanderbilt is one of the program’s first students and won the PA of the century award from Montefiore in 2000.
“Four decades ago Montefiore established a tradition which became the inspiration for over 40 residencies in surgery and other medical specialties around the country,” she said.
The program, which used to be a full four -ear residency, is now a grueling 15 month program.
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Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible. Founded in 1988 by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore Medical Center, the Norwood News began as a monthly and grew to a bi-weekly in 1994. In September 2003 the paper expanded to cover University Heights and now covers all the neighborhoods of Community District 7. The Norwood News exists to foster communication among citizens and organizations and to be a tool for neighborhood development efforts. The Norwood News runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Heard, a journalism training program for Bronx high school students. As you navigate this website, please let us know if you discover any glitches or if you have any suggestions. We’d love to hear from you. You can send e-mails to [email protected] or call us anytime (718) 324-4998.