Dr. Miriam Schechter is an associate professor of pediatrics at Einstein and director of medical student education in the department of pediatrics. She has spent more than 30 years at Einstein, dividing her time between her clinical practice at Montefiore’s Comprehensive Family Care Center and medical student education at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, where she has directed the pediatrics clerkship for more than 17 years.
“Through her dedicated efforts, Miriam transformed the pediatrics clerkship into the highest-rated clinical experience in student satisfaction overall, and it has earned the highest recognition for a positive learning environment and mentoring/teaching,” said Joshua Nosanchuk, M.D., senior associate dean for medical education, who nominated Dr. Schechter for the Honorary Alumna Award. Dr. Schechter earned her medical degree from New York University School of Medicine and completed a residency and chief residency in pediatrics at Mount Sinai Medical Center.
Dr. Schechter, why did you decide to study medicine?
Dr. Schechter: “As a kid, I really wanted to help other kids and be a doctor. My pediatrician gave me books to read, and my junior high school yearbook said I was going to be a pediatrician. But in high school I heard some stories about the hardships of residency and got nervous, so I decided to major in biomedical engineering in college. Luckily, I met my husband-to-be there—he was pre-med—and he said, ‘Are you sure you want to work in a lab the rest of your life? You’re so good with people! You can do it.’ I never turned back.”
You’ve spent more than 30 years of your career at Einstein. What makes it so special?
“It’s the people. It’s been an incredible journey, privilege, and honor to care for kids from birth to adulthood. I now take care of many children of my patients—I love that they come back to me and I get to see them as parents. I’m also privileged to work with incredible colleagues, many of whom I’ve been with in the same office for 30 years. And there’s something special about students and residents who come to the Bronx and are dedicated to our patients in the community. The culture is warm and friendly and family-like. Why would I leave?”
What’s best part of teaching at Einstein? Did any students make a long-lasting impression?
“I’ve definitely gotten close to the students who decide to go into pediatrics because I do a lot of advising and mentoring, writing letters, and getting them prepared for residency and beyond. I love seeing them go off into the world. And many of them come back here as faculty. To be part of that is really meaningful.”
What is the professional accomplishment you’re most proud of?
“The pediatrics clerkship, which is the required rotation that all students go through, has been my baby for a long time. Students speak highly of it. We’ve built a culture here of giving our students a positive experience in pediatrics, whether they become pediatricians or not. Everyone’s going to encounter kids in their lifetime, and if they’re thinking a bit like a pediatrician and can help kids, I’ve done a good job.”
What advice would you give our current and future students at Einstein?
“I’d say to really engage with the patients. Einstein is very hands-on for our students, and there’s so much to learn from our patients. My patients come from every continent except Antarctica, and many different cultures, and it’s so fulfilling to be a part of their lives and to make differences big and small. House staff and attendings can be busy, and students may have extra time to sit down with a family in the hospital or talk to a child in the clinic. Sometimes they get more information than anyone else because they can really engage. We hear from families all the time that it was a student who made the difference.”
Dr. Schechter has received multiple teaching awards from both the department of pediatrics (the William Obrinsky Award) and the College of Medicine (the Harry H. Gordon and Samuel M. Rosen Awards). She was inducted into Einstein’s Leo M. Davidoff Society for excellence in medical student teaching and inducted as a faculty member into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society and the Gold Humanism Society.
2024 Alumni Awardees