Dear Faculty, Trainees, and Staff Members of the Department of Medicine,
I am delighted to announce the completion of our departmental leadership cabinet with the appointments of three exceptional leaders to the roles of Vice Chair. Together, these individuals represent the absolute pinnacle of academic medicine, research innovation, and educational excellence.
Our new executive leadership team includes:
Susan W. Lane, M.D., MACP
Vice Chair for Faculty Development
Dr. Lane is SUNY Distinguished Service Professor, Professor of Medicine (Tenured), and Associate Dean for Clinical Faculty Development in the Renaissance School of Medicine. She will be transitioning from her current role of Vice Chair for Education in the Department of Medicine to the new leadership position. Dr. Lane is a consummate medical educator and academic leader. In addition to being a beloved former Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Training Program, Susan has developed a prominent national profile, serving many leadership roles such as President of APDIM, Vice Chair of the AAIM Board of Directors, and ELAM Scholar.
In her new role as Vice Chair for Faculty Development, Dr. Lane will focus on the career and professional development, recruitment and retention, and promotion and tenure of all DOM faculty. Under her auspices, I am confident that every faculty member in the department--from instructor to professor--will have a clear, well-supported path to success.
Patricia G. Ng, M.D., FACP
Vice Chair for Education
Dr. Ng, Associate Professor of Medicine and the current Internal Medicine Residency Program Director, is a visionary in medical pedagogy. A proud alumna of Stony Brook University and Renaissance School of Medicine, Patty has been a transformative force in our educational mission since joining the faculty a decade ago.
Formerly Associate Program Director of the Primary Care Track of the residency training program, Dr. Ng brings a wealth of experience in curriculum innovation and GME leadership. Her role in medical education has been nationally recognized by American Geriatrics Society and Society of General Internal Medicine. As Vice Chair for Education, Patty will help shape our educational enterprise, provide oversight and alignment of educational strategies, and ensure UME and GME programs remain the gold standard for training the next generation of compassionate, highly skilled physicians.
Agnieszka B. Bialkowska, Ph.D.
Vice Chair for Research
Dr. Bialkowska, Associate Professor of Medicine (Tenured), is an elite investigator whose research in GI oncology is supported by a highly cited body of work and major funding from the NIH and DoD (Department of Defense; now Department of War). Since joining Stony Brook in 2011, Agnieszka has distinguished herself as a visionary scientist and a dedicated institutional leader.
Her deep familiarity with our research ecosystem-including her roles on the School of Medicine Faculty Senate and the DOM Research Committee, and her service as an organizer of the annual Women in Medicine & Science Research Day-make her uniquely qualified to guide our department’s research enterprise into the next chapter of growth. Her appointment marks a significant step forward in our commitment to fostering a robust, collaborative, and world-class research culture within the Department of Medicine.
I would be remiss if I failed to acknowledge the contributions of the former Chair of Research Committee, Dr. Marie Gelato and Chair of Faculty Development Committee, Dr. Marina Charitou, and their respective committee members for laying a robust foundation in these important areas. As Toll Professor, Dr. Gelato has graciously agreed to continue to serve as chair of the department’s APT Committee.
Finally, I extend my sincere gratitude to the continuing services of Drs. Donna Heinemann and Bill Lawson-Vice Chair for Clinical Affairs and Vice Chair for Quality, Compliance and Patient Safety, respectively-in enriching our department as a proud provider of first-class healthcare with an emphasis on quality and patient safety.
Our Collective Vision
The appointment of the three new Vice Chairs, along with the existing two, marks a "New Era" for the Department of Medicine. Our goal is to build a transparent, agile, and high-performance culture that is nationally competitive yet deeply rooted in mentorship and wellness. By integrating these three pillars—Faculty Growth, Educational Innovation, and Scientific Discovery—with Quality and Patient Safety, we are ensuring that Stony Brook remains a destination for the brightest minds in medicine.
Please join me in congratulating our new Vice Chairs. I look forward to the transformative work we will accomplish together.
Best Regards,
Vincent W. Yang, M.D., Ph.D.
SUNY Distinguished Professor
Simons Chair of Medicine
Professor of Medicine, Biomedical Informatics, and Physiology & Biophysics
Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University