Nanette Laitman Scholarship Program
The Nanette Laitman Clinical Scholars Program in Public Health is funded by a $3 million gift from the Laitman family and a $1 million matching gift from Weill Cornell Medical College’s “Advancing the Clinical Mission” capital campaign. For this the Department is deeply grateful to Nanette Laitman, as well as to the College. The Clinical Scholars Program provides funding for clinicians to engage in research in the areas of prevention (with a focus on women’s health), clinical evaluation, community health, and quality of care research.
Lisa M. Kern, M.D., M.P.H., Assistant Professor of Public Health in the Division of Outcomes and Effectiveness Research,Assistant Professor of Medicine, and Assistant Attending Physician, is the Laitman Scholar in Clinical Evaluation. Since joining the Medical College faculty in 2002, her research has focused on evaluating screening and diagnostic tests for diseases such as osteoporosis, diabetes, high cholesterol and cardiovascular disease. She also studies the impact of health information technology on health care quality and other outcomes. This scholarship is enabling her to continue her work in both of these areas.
Carla Boutin-Foster, M.D., M.S., Associate Professor of Medicine, Associate Professor of Complementary and Integrative Medicine, Associate Professor of Public Health in the Division of Community and Public Health Programs, and Associate Attending Physician, is the Nanette Laitman Clinical Scholar in Community Health. She is also the supervisor and faculty advisor for Weill Cornell Community Clinic-Medical student free clinic and Co-Director of the Office of Multicultural and Minority Health. Recently, she was named Director of Diversity in Medicine and Science of the Medical College's newly established Office of Faculty Diversity in Medicine and Science. Much of her research focuses on cross-cultural, community, and preventive medicine. As part of her role as Laitman Scholar, Dr. Boutin-Foster is engaging in research and initiatives targeted at communities that are hardest to reach but that experience the highest burden of health disparities. She focuses especially on cardiovascular disease, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and mental health. Specifically, she is developing academic partnerships within communities in New York City that have the poorest health profiles. These projects identify social, cultural, and political barriers to the effective dissemination of health messages in these communities and develop and evaluate community-based strategies such as curricula, conferences, or workshops that improve dissemination of health messages. Dr. Boutin-Foster is Director of a Comprehensive Center of Excellence in Disparities Research and Community Engagement (CEDREC), a consortium between Weill Cornell Medical College, Hunter College School of Nursing, City University of New York, Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center; and the Center for Healthful Behavior Change at New York University School of Medicine. The Center is supported by the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NCMHD).
Shari Midoneck, M.D., Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College and Associate Attending Physician in the Department of Medicine at the Iris Cantor Women’s Health Center at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, was from 2006 through 2008 the Laitman Scholar in Prevention with a focus on women’s health. Dr. Midoneck researched womens health issues to promote their inclusion in both research and policy initiatives, continuing and expanding upon the research efforts already begun by the Women’s Health Research Group, established by the Department of Public Health in 2003. Specifically, she investigated methods to improve the rates of colon cancer screening by targeting women at a screening mammography setting.
The Laitman Scholar in Quality of Care Research (to be named) will develop strategies, including the use of information technology, to prevent medical errors and substandard care. Furthermore, this Scholar will examine specific ways to improve the quality of medical care received by underserved populations, focusing on chronic conditions such as asthma, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Nanette Laitman is the daughter of William and Mildred Lasdon, now deceased, who were generous benefactors to Weill Cornell Medical College, and for whom Lasdon House, the Medical College dormitory, is named. Ms. Laitman has followed in her parents’ footsteps as a major philanthropist. She has a special interest in public health. She previously endowed the position of the Chairman of the Department of Public Health. The Nanette Laitman Clinical Scholars Program is the largest endowment for junior faculty in any department within the Medical College.
