For 14 years now, New York magazine has published a special "Best Doctors" issue; in the past 10 years, the name of Dr. Steve Keller professor of clinical cardiovascular and thoracic surgery, has appeared in the magazine's annual listing, noting the region's "best of the best" across every specialty for doctors. Making the list is a major honor, since the designation represents respect and recognition from one's peers

Dr. Steve KellerThe magazine compiles its list by culling from the popular guide, How to Find the Best Doctors: New York Metro Area, published annually by Castle Connolly Medical, a research and publishing firm that surveys the New York medical community to determine its larger, 6,000+ listing. Those surveyed – representing approximately 12,000 medical professionals in New York City, Westchester County, Long Island and portions of Connecticut and New Jersey - are asked to nominate those physicians who they consider to be the best in their field and in related fields, particularly those individuals to whom the nominators would refer their own patients and family members. The objective is to identify the most caring, the most responsible, and the most knowledgeable practitioners in the tri-state region. And, doctors cannot vote for themselves.

Dr. Robert Marion Dr. Keller's feat is all the more remarkable when one considers his peers have recommended him for 10 consecutive years. "When you consider that most of the physicians included in the listing only appear from time to time, the fact that Steve has been on the list for 10 years in a row demonstrates the tremendous respect he has from his colleagues and peers," said Dr. Robert Michler, who holds the Samuel Belkin Chair and is professor and chair of the departments of surgery and of cardiovascular and thoracic surgery at Montefiore, Einstein's University Hospital and Academic Center, as well as director of the Montefiore-Einstein Heart Center. "While several other members of our two departments also are among those listed, having such a consistent record of recommendation from one's peers is quite a special distinction."

Overall, this year's listing of 1,144 physicians included 60 doctors from Einstein-affiliated institutions, including Montefiore, Beth Israel Medical Center, Long Island Jewish Medical Center and North Shore University Hospital. Of these, 36 were from Montefiore and 20 were from Beth Israel.  A number of these Einstein faculty members also are known for their excellence in research or academics.

Dr. Cynthia ChazotteFor example, Dr. Shlomo Shinnar, a top doctor in child neurology also is renowned for his clinical research concerning epilepsy and childhood seizures. Another touted childhood geneticist, Dr. Robert Marion heads up Einstein's Children's Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center and chairs the medical school's admissions committee. And Dr. Louis Harrison, noted as a leading radiation oncologist specializing in head and neck cancer at Beth Israel, is a member of the Albert Einstein Cancer Center conducting research into causes and potential treatments for cancers of the head and neck.

On the education end, Dr. Susan Coupey, a specialist in adolescent medicine, previously ran Einstein's Introduction to Clinical Medicine course and co-chaired the division of education, while Dr. Benjamin Kligler, a top doctor in complementary medicine, runs Einstein's course on alternative medicine and Dr. Cynthia Chazotte, a standout in maternal and fetal medicine, is both vice chair of obstetrics & gynecology and women's health and runs the department's training program.

Dr. Susan CoupeyIn addition to these individuals and other Einstein faculty members making the list, two Einstein faculty members were among those featured in special stories that were part of the "Best Doctors" spread; in a photo essay that was the lead article to the section, Dr. Samuel Weinstein, associate professor of clinical cardiovascular and thoracic surgery, described a heart transplant operation he performed on a three-month-old baby, and a subsequent story highlighted the work of Dr. Sheldon Teperman, head of Jacobi Medical Center's trauma service, following a horrific bus crash that flooded the ER with 15 seriously wounded individuals.

"While it's not surprising to see so many doctors from our affiliated hospitals included among those listed, it is gratifying, especially to see individuals who work closely with our students and set a shining example of what excellence in medicine, science and education can be," said Dr. Edward R. Burns, executive dean.

2011 Best Doctors from New York Magazine
Steven Allen
Gregory Asnis
Sarah Bellemare
Susan Bressman
Deborah Campbell
David Carr-Locke
Andrew Casden
Cynthia Chazotte
Steven Cohen
Susan Coupey
Joseph DeRose, Jr.
Joseph Feghali
Todd Feinberg
Harry Fischer
John Fox
Leonard Freeman
Reza Ghavamian
Robert Gotlin
Susan Gross
Louis Harrison
W. John Hodgson
Eric Hollander
Daphne Hsu
Gerard Igel
Norman Ilowite
T. Byram Karasu
Frederick Kaskel
Steven Keller
Gary Kennedy
Samuel Klagsbrun
Benjamin Kligler
Peter Kozuch
Roy Kulick
Robert Marion
Marguerite Mayers
Peter McCann
Charles Melone
Jonathan Moldover
Walter Molofsky
Harris Nagler
David Perlman
Mark Persky
Kevin Plancher
Russell Portenoy
David Preven
Jacob Rand
David Rosenstreich
Bruce Schwartz
Peter Selwyn
Michael Serby
Howard Sherman
Shlomo Shinnar
Richard Smith
Cy Stein
Harry Steinberg
Michael Swerdlow
Mark Urken
Christine Walsh
Gerard Weinberg
Samuel Weinstein