Dr. Erica Friedman, Interim Dean of the CUNY School of Medicine (CSOM) at The City College of New York and a medical student educator for more than 25 years, is a recipient of the 2021 Hispanic Health Leadership Award from the National Hispanic Health Foundation (NHHF). The award is presented to outstanding individuals who have served in significant leadership roles and have helped improve the health of Hispanics and other underserved populations.
Friedman was specifically cited by the NHHF for her “leadership in ensuring the longevity of the Sophie Davis Biomedical Education Program mission in leading its transformation into the 7-year
BS/MD CUNY School of Medicine.”
“The goal of NHHF, the foundation for the National Hispanic Medical Association, is to improve the health of Hispanics and the underserved, to eliminate health disparities, to support Hispanic researchers and research, and to advance culturally competent quality health care and diversity in the workforce,” said Elena Rios, MD, NHHF president. “We are proud to acknowledge your leadership and vision and would like to recognize you as a top leader.”
Friedman, who’s also chair of the Department of Medical Education, will receive the award on Dec. 2 at the annual Hispanic Health Professional Student Scholarship Gala at The Sheraton Times Square Hotel in Manhattan.
She has served as Interim Dean of CSOM since Feb. 2019, having joined the Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education in 2013 as Deputy Dean for Academic Affairs, and medical professor. She will remain Deputy Dean when her tenure as Interim ends on Sept. 30, 2021.
Friedman has been hailed for devoting tremendous energy and skill to the administration of the Sophie Davis School and to the establishment of CSOM in 2015 in partnership with Bronx-based St. Barnabas Hospital (a part of the SBH System). Since then, she has developed additional CSOM clinical partnerships with Staten Island University Hospital, Northwell, Harlem Hospital and Jacobi/North Central Bronx. She has been instrumental in expanding the Health and Hospitals partnership in conjunction with CUNY Health and Human Services Dean Patricia S. Boyce.
CSOM is the only public medical school in Manhattan and is known for producing excellent and diverse health professionals who are leaders in providing primary care and serving in health professional shortage areas.
Prior to her arrival at CCNY, Friedman had a long career at several academic medical centers, including at the NYU School of Medicine, New York Medical College and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She is physician board certified in internal medicine and rheumatology, and in addition to being a practicing rheumatologist, she has done clinical research focusing on Lyme Disease.
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