
Faculty Scholars Program
The Faculty Scholars Program at NYU Long Island School of Medicine helps faculty members advance their teaching skills and develop curricula that effectively deliver high-quality, evidence-based medical education.
As a participant in the program, you design an educational research project and carry it out from start to finish. You also take part in inquiry-based, interactive class sessions and complete self-guided, independent reading assignments geared toward professional development.
Topics include learning theories, collaborative learning methods, instructional models for designing courses, and how to be an effective leader and mentor in academic environments. You gain experience searching and appraising literature about medical education, designing research studies, analyzing data, and presenting and publishing your research findings.
To complete the program, all participants present a research project at the capstone symposium on campus and submit their research findings to the Northeast Group on Educational Affairs (NEGEA) annual meeting.
Learn how to apply to our program and more about our recent graduates. If you have questions, contact Jeannine Nonaillada, PhD, assistant dean for faculty development and mentoring, at jeannine.nonaillada@nyulangone.org.
Our Curriculum
Faculty scholars take the following courses:
- Research Primer and Institutional Review Board Basics
- Conducting a Literature Search and Critical Appraisal
- Writing the Literature Review and Reference Works Citation Manager
- Research Design and Methods
- Curriculum Development
- Effective Small Group Teaching
- Effective Large Group Teaching
- Innovative Technology
- Research Data Analysis and Interpretation
- Clinical Teaching and Giving Feedback
- How to Design a Poster for a Professional Meeting
- How to Write and Publish an Original Research Article
- Academic Promotion and the Enhanced CV for Medical Educators
- Using Simulation in Medical Education
- Mentoring in Medical Education
You are expected to attend educational sessions and perform all required activities by the suggested completion dates. This includes reading, engaging in online discussions with the class, and other assignments.
How to Apply
To apply to the Faculty Scholars Program, you must submit a nominating letter from your department chair that highlights your professional and academic achievements and recognizes your time commitment to the program.
The following application materials are required and should be submitted as a single PDF file:
- a CV, including information about your current role, responsibilities, and activities
- a brief description of a scholarly project proposal that clearly states a research question, outlines findings from a preliminary literature search, and explains a feasible design
- the letter of approval from your department chair or division chief
Applicants must be employed at NYU Long Island School of Medicine for at least one year, be able to attend classes for the duration of the program, and satisfy all application deadlines. Access the full eligibility requirements and application instructions.
Our Faculty
Instructors in the Faculty Scholars Program have expertise in helping other educators reach their professional goals.

Arsenia M. Asuncion, MD
Assistant Dean, Clinical Education

Clilly Castiglia, MPS
Director, Instructional Design and Innovation Center

Shah Islam, DrPH, MPH
Biostatistician

Patricia Janicke, RN
Director, NYU Winthrop Hospital Simulation Center

Wendy L. Kinzler, MD
Associate Dean, Graduate Medical Education
Designated Institutional Official

Ulka Kothari, MD
Director, Educational Informatics

Jill A. Leavens-Maurer, MD
Director, Pediatric Residency

Paula E. Lester, MD
Associate Program Director, Geriatric Fellowship

Robert A. Martin, MBA
Assistant Dean and Director, Continuing Medical Education

Barnaby Nicolas, MSIS
Director, Hollis Health Sciences Library

Jeannine Nonaillada, PhD
Assistant Dean, Faculty Development and Mentoring

Gary D. Rothberger, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine
Our Recent Graduates
We train advanced scholars dedicated to promoting educational leadership at NYU Long Island School of Medicine and NYU Langone Health. The following physicians have completed the Faculty Scholars Program.
2019–20 Graduates
Amanda Shepherd-Littlejohn, MD, Gynecologic Oncology
Dustin E. Suanino, MD, Palliative Care and Hospice
Jesus L. Garcia, MD, Geriatrics
Jordan S. Gitlin, MD, Pediatric Urology
Jun L. Levine, MD, General and Bariatric Surgery
Justine Lachmann, MD, Cardiology
Matthew A. Bokhari, MD, Neurology
Neha Bansal, MD, Endocrinology
Patrizio Petrone, MD, PhD, Surgery
Satu Kuokkanen, MD, PhD, Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility
Sevan A. Vahanian, MD, Maternal–Fetal Medicine
Estela D. Noyola, MD, Pediatrics
Nicole B. Sweeney, DO, Pediatrics
Michael C. Repka, MD, Radiation Oncology
Rani B. Fritz, DO, PhD, Gynecology
2018–19 Graduates
Michael Basseyn, MD, Neuroscience
Marc Braunstein, MD, PhD, Hematology-Oncology
Carole Filangieri, PhD, Psychology
Theresa Fiorito, MD, Pediatric Infectious Diseases
Iman Hanna, MD, Anatomic Pathology
Nadia Kunzier, DO, Maternal–Fetal Medicine
Meredith A. Lazar-Antman, MD, Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery
Manju V. Pillai, MD, Pulmonary Medicine
Vivian N. Siu, DO, Adult Hospital Medicine
Jaime A. Suarez Londono, MD, Hematology
Chaohui Lisa Zhao, MD, Clinical Pathology
2017–18 Graduates
Tracy Adams, DO, Maternal–Fetal Medicine
Wendy Chan, MD, Pediatrics
Alena Connelly, MD, Pediatrics
Minesh Khatri, MD, Nephrology
Stanislaw Klek, MD, Endocrinology
Priya A. Pinto, MD, Palliative Care
Gary Rothberger, MD, Endocrinology
Odette A. Thomas, DO, Adult Hospital Medicine
Alexandra N. Vinci, MD, Pediatrics