<h3 class="subhead">Honored for Leadership and Quality Outcomes in Surgical Critical Care</h3>
<div class="photobox2"><a href="/surgery/people/faculty/dr-james-a-vosswinkel"><img width="200" height="266" title="Dr. James A. Vosswinkel Receives SBU Physicians Award for Excellence in Clinical Practice" alt="Dr. James A. Vosswinkel Receives Award for Excellence in Clinical Practice" src="/sdmpubfiles/VosswinkelAward-200.jpg"></a><br><div class="caption">Dr. James A. Vosswinkel</div></div>
<p>On November 16, 2011, <a href="/surgery/people/faculty/dr-james-a-vosswinkel">James A. Vosswinkel, MD</a>, assistant professor of surgery and chief of trauma and critical care, was honored as one of two physicians selected by their faculty peers as the recipients of this year’s Stony Brook University Physicians Award for Excellence in Clinical Practice.</p>
<p>The awards were presented by Mark Sedler, MD, professor and chairman of psychiatry and chairman of Stony Brook’s Clinical Practice Management Plan (CPMP) Board, the governing board of the medical school’s faculty practice plan during the board of directors meeting at Stony Brook University. Frank S. Darras, MD, professor of urology, was the other honoree this year.</p>
<p>"As director of the surgical intensive care unit, Dr. Vosswinkel had an enormous impact on quality outcomes and reduced complications rates of the SICU," said Todd K. Rosengart, MD, professor and chairman of surgery. "He has worked tirelessly to create an enhanced service-oriented focus as noted by our quality assurance team. With Jim as director, collegiality between physicians, nurses, residents, and staff members in the SICU has increased — an accomplishment worth noting."</p>
<div class="callout"><p><strong>The SBU Physicians Award for Excellence in Clinical Practice recognizes medical school faculty who exemplify a sustained commitment to excellence in patient care.</strong></p></div>
<p>The selection committee, made up of Practice Committee members, sought nominations of physicians who have demonstrated a strong clinical role, excellent patient satisfaction and collegial working relationships, as well as an engagement in delivering outstanding care to patients.</p>
<p>"Drs. Vosswinkel and Darras exemplify the mission of physicians in academic medicine by delivering outstanding and compassionate care to patients, communicating well to patients and colleagues, and training other physicians in their area of medical expertise," says Kenneth Kaushansky, MD, vice president of the health sciences and dean of medicine.</p>
<p>Dr. Vosswinkel joined the faculty of the Department of Surgery in 2002. He is the director of the surgical intensive care unit at Stony Brook University Hospital and chief of trauma and critical care for the department.</p>
<p>Board certified in surgery and surgical critical care, Dr. Vosswinkel received his medical degree from the SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, and completed his residency training in general surgery at Stony Brook. Subsequently, he completed a fellowship in trauma/surgical critical care at Yale University School of Medicine in Connecticut.</p>
<p>Dr.Vosswinkel’s clinical interests include traumatology, conventional and minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery, as well as the pre- and post-operative critical care of adult surgical patients.</p>
<p>Established in 2009 under the auspices of the CPMP Practice Committee, the SBU Physicians Award for Excellence in Clinical Practice recognizes School of Medicine faculty who exemplify a sustained commitment to excellence in patient care.</p>
