May 24, 2013 – (BRONX, NY) – Philip O. Ozuah, M.D., Ph.D., executive vice president and chief operating officer at Montefiore Medical Center, the University Hospital and academic medical center for Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, will deliver the keynote address at Einstein’s 2013 commencement ceremony. The College of Medicine’s 55th graduation will take place at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall on Wednesday, May 29 at 7:30 p.m.

Philip O. Ozuah, M.D., Ph.D.“Dr. Ozuah is an outstanding leader, physician, scientist and teacher, who has received every Einstein teaching award for his mentorship of medical students,” said Allen M. Spiegel, M.D., the Marilyn and Stanley M. Katz Dean at Einstein. “He first came to Einstein and Montefiore as a resident, rose to chair of pediatrics and now plays a leading role directing one of the nation’s premier teaching hospitals.”

In his commencement address, Dr. Ozuah, who is professor of pediatrics and of epidemiology & public health at Einstein, will speak about his experiences as a physician. A native of Nigeria, Dr. Ozuah earned his medical degree from the University of Ibadan in Nigeria, his masters of science in education from the University of Southern California, and his doctorate in educational leadership and administration from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He completed his residency in social pediatrics at Montefiore. Before becoming COO at Montefiore, he was the chair of pediatrics at Einstein and physician-in-chief of The Children's Hospital at Montefiore (CHAM). He is also the author of over 100 publications in peer-reviewed journals and books.

“Dr. Ozuah is an outstanding leader, physician, scientist and teacher, who has received every Einstein teaching award for his mentorship of medical students.”

-- Allen M. Spiegel, M.D.

As the leader of CHAM and the department of pediatrics, he expanded access for underserved communities, quadrupled specialty case volumes and National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding, enhanced CHAM's regional and national reputation, and improved financial and operational performance. Under his leadership, the pediatrics department became a Top-20 ranked NIH-funded department, and CHAM became one of “America's Best Children's Hospitals.”

Einstein’s partnership with Montefiore has resulted in shared centers of excellence in children’s health, cancer care, cardiovascular services and transplantation, where multidisciplinary teams of researchers and clinicians collaborate to develop and deliver advanced, innovative care. These centers have helped drive the Montefiore-Einstein residency program to become the second largest in the country.

Dr. Spiegel will present the diplomas at the May 29th ceremony. He will be joined by Yeshiva University President Richard M. Joel. This year, Einstein plans to confer 181 M.D. degrees and 41 Ph.D. degrees. Twenty-one graduates will receive both an M.D. and a Ph.D. degree. Alumni and faculty teaching awards will also be given to a number of individuals during the ceremony.

Edited: March 8, 2018