“It is only fitting to pay some kind of tribute to this very special group of dedicated physicians who we owe so much to and who continue to inspire us in the art and science of our profession,” said Dr. Edelstein.

Michael Dowling, president and chief executive officer of the North Shore-LIJ Health System, added, “None of us does anything alone. We are a large extended family influenced by many people who are no longer with us. They have been our inspiration, our guidance. They were our colleagues, teachers, mentors and moral compass. We honor their contributions and ask, ‘Are we good enough to maintain their legacies? What will people say about us when we are no longer here?’”

In addition to the 33 physicians honored, the memorial wall includes the name of a former administrator, Marc Rosenblatt, who worked tirelessly on behalf of the NSUH Medical Staff Society. Each January, staff and physicians will be invited to propose names to be added to the wall. Selections will be announced at the NSUH Medical Staff Society’s annual meeting in the spring.

The following physicians are memorialized on the plaque:

• Joseph N. Attie, MD, chief of head and neck surgery at LIJ Medical Center, was a surgeon of international renown as well as an outstanding clinician and teacher.
  
  
• Harry T. Barbaris, MD, was a NSUH surgeon who was involved in initiating new programs such as the daVinci Robotic Surgical Program and the expansions of laparoscopic capabilities.
  
  
• Peter Bluestone, MD, was an outstanding nephrologist who played a key role in starting NSUH’s dialysis program.
  
  
• Robert Boxer, MD, was a gifted cardiologist and intensivist at Schneider Children’s Hospital.
  
  
• Maxim Brettler, MD, was a founding physician of NSUH known for his high quality medical care, great compassion and gentle professionalism.
  
  
• Frederick R. Brown, MD, was a founding physician of NSUH as well as chief of the division of allergy from 1953 until his retirement in 1992.
  
  
• Leonard I. Ehrlich, MD, was a founding physician of NSUH, and a pediatrician admired for his clinical skill, compassion, kindness, and devotion to children.
  
  
• Ralph S. Emerson, MD, was a founding physician of NSUH and one of the first general surgeons to form the department of surgery.
  
  
• Joseph A. Epstein, MD, was a world-renowned neurological surgeon, one of the first neurosurgeons on Long Island, and chief of neurosurgery at LIJ Medical Center and NSUH.
  
  
• Arthur W. Feinberg, MD, was a revered physician and mentor who was the first medical director of the Center for Extended Care and Rehabilitation as well as NSUH’s first chief of geriatrics.
  
  
• Arnold N. Fenton, MD, served as chairman of NSUH’s department of obstetrics and gynecology for over three decades, and was recognized as a model physician/surgeon by his patients and colleagues.
  
  
• Enrique Fierres, MD, was a caring physician-in-training at NSUH who demonstrated professionalism and devotion to human values. He was 25 when severe myocarditis and heart failure took his life.
  
  
• Walter Glass, MD, was a founding physician of NSUH and LIJ Medical Center, director of otolaryngology at NSUH and a distinguished otolaryngologist on Long Island.
  
  
• Barton Hoexter, MD, was one of the country’s pre-eminent colorectal surgeons and a member of the NSUH medical staff known for providing patient care with humor, wisdom, dignity and integrity.
  
  
• Roger A. Hyman, MD, was chairman of the department of radiology at NSUH recognized by the medical staff and patients for his knowledge, leadership and teaching skills.
  
  
• Everett Jessup, MD, was a distinguished internist practicing in Roslyn, NY, a staff member of NSUH, president of the Nassau County Medical Society, and president of the second district branch of the Medical Society of the State of New York.
  
  
• Irwin Katzka, MD, was a caring physician, dedicated teacher and distinguished clinician who played a critical role in the establishing gastroenterology programs on Long Island.
  
  
• Irving Kramer, MD, served as the first chief of family practice at NSUH and practiced for 40 years as a family physician in Great Neck, NY.
  
  
• Frederick Lane, MD, played a key role in establishing the department of obstetrics and gynecology at NSUH and was admired for his clinical skills, dedication to quality care and mentorship of young physicians.
  
  
• Irving H. Mauss, MD, was a renowned pediatrician whose compassion and commitment to service continued beyond medicine with his involvement in many organizations advocating a better life for all people.
  
  
• William Messinger, MD, was an eminent cardiologist, founding physician of NSUH and the first director of the department of medicine.
  
  
• Sidney Mishkin, MD, was a founding surgeon of NSUH and LIJ Medical Center, an inventor of surgical devices and president of the Nassau County Medical Society where he created a peer review committee as a medical standard.
  
  
• Abdallah Mishrick, MD, was a surgeon-physician known for his leadership skills that inspired others to excellence as well as his ability to create solutions to clinical problems.
  
  
• John Mountain, MD, was an outstanding clinician, surgeon, leader and humanist who contributed greatly to the growth and operation of NSUH.
  
  
• George Papanicolaou, MD, a Nobel laureate and creator of the Pap test used to detect cervical cancer, was briefly a member of the medical staff of the NSUH department of pathology.
  
  
• Mark J. Schiff, MD, served NSUH for over 20 years as chief of pulmonary medicine and was recognized as a dedicated clinician with an extraordinary sense of competence and educational ability.
  
  
• Jeffrey Siegel, MD, was a “physician’s physician” who tirelessly advocated for his patients. He died at the age of 48 after being struck by a hit-and-run driver as he walked across a street to pick up pizza for his family.
  
  
• John J. Snodgrass, MD, was a founding physician of NSUH. As the first director of radiology, he brought excellence and high level quality for radiographic information to serve his patients.
  
  
• Richard A. Stark, MD, was director of orthopedic surgery at NSUH. After joining the hospital’s faculty, he built the foundation for a leading orthopedic program on Long Island.
  
  
• Lawrence Strauss, MD, was a general practitioner and an early founding physician when NSUH first opened its doors in 1953. He supported the importance of primary care and was one of the first physicians to be certified by the American Board of Family Practice.
  
  
• John K. Swinburne, MD, was a dedicated surgeon, a distinguished member of the Long Island Plastic Surgeons Group, and a creative clinician whose ability to solve complex medical problems from a novel vantage point was widely recognized and highly respected.
  
  
• Jack S. Waxler, MD, was a highly respected attending surgeon for more than 25 years at NSUH and LIJ Medical Center.
  
  

• David P. Wolk, MD, was a head and neck surgeon who practiced in Great Neck, NY, for over 30 years. He was admired for the devoted work and great attention that he provided in the care of his patients.