Julia H. Arnsten, M.D.BRONX, NY - March 2, 2015 - Dr. Julia Arnsten, Professor of Medicine, Epidemiology & Population Health, and Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences and Chief of the Division of General Internal Medicine, has been selected to receive the 2015 Association of Chiefs & Leaders of General Internal Medicine (ACLGIM) Chief's Recognition Award from ACLGIM and the Society for General Internal Medicine.
The ACLGIM Chief’s Recognition Award is given annually to the general internal medicine division chief who most represents excellence in division leadership. Nominees are evaluated for evidence of excellence in mentorship in research, education, clinical service, and/or leadership; faculty development across the division; generating infrastructure and/or resources for research and program development; advocacy for GIM within the home institution and more broadly; faculty recruitment and retention; supporting faculty in times of need or in unconventional career tracks; creating a diverse and harmonious division; and sharing wisdom and role modeling a satisfying academic GIM career.
"There was very stiff competition for this award, but Dr. Arnsten stood out as having strengthened her division with special attention to growth in all areas, with a strong focus on faculty development and mentoring," said Dr. Stewart Babbott, ACLGIM President and Chair of the Awards Selection Committee.
An accomplished general internist and outstanding clinician-educator with research interests in behavioral medicine, including adherence with medication taking, nicotine dependence, and substance abuse, Dr. Arnsten was chosen to be the founding Chief of the Division of General Internal Medicine in 2004. Her significant track record in obtaining funding that supports training and infrastructure for trainee and junior faculty career development includes initiating the CARE Fellowship, a unique NIDA-funded 2-year fellowship to prepare physicians for research careers in behavioral and biological aspects of substance abuse; serving as the principal investigator for a HRSA-funded Faculty Development Award in Primary Care which supported three primary care clinicians to receive research funding; serving as primary mentor on numerous Einstein-, federally-, and foundation-funded career development awards; and sponsoring nine junior faculty members for the NIH clinical research loan repayment program. Dr. Arnsten has published over 100 manuscripts, over half of which include trainees as first authors. She has received several awards for her teaching and mentorship within Einstein and also from national organizations.
Under Dr. Arnsten's leadership, more than 60 presentations were made by Montefiore Einstein medical students, residents, and faculty at last year's national SGIM meeting. Numerous faculty and residents have received national and regional SGIM awards including the Larry Linn Award, Mary O'Flaherty Horn Award, Hamolsky Finalist, Mid-Atlantic Clinician Educator Award, and Unified Leadership Training for Diversity Program Award.
Recently Dr. Arnsten completed the prestigious Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine Fellowship Program. After completion of the program she established the Center for Comparative Effectiveness Research at Einstein.
"Dr. Arnsten has founded and established an outstanding Division that others seek to emulate. I can think of no one more deserving of receiving this award," said Dr. Chinazo Cunningham, Professor of Medicine and one of the faculty members who nominated Dr. Arnsten for the award.
Dr. Arnsten will be presented with the award at the annual dinner of the ACLGIM Leadership & Management Institute meeting, April 22, 2015 in Toronto, Canada.
