Research

Academic Associates

The Academic Associates Program plays a critical role in the research and education activities of the Department of Emergency Medicine at North Shore-LIJ Health System in New York. Designed for post-undergraduate, pre-medical students interested in clinical and translational research, the program offers a one-year, paid position that enables qualified candidates to pursue these goals. In collaboration with physicians, nurses, research interns, and ancillary staff, Academic Associates lead related quality management, administrative and educational projects while maintaining accountability for meeting all research and academic goals and deadlines. Academic Associates' responsibilities include:

Manage clinical, translational and basic science research activities:

  • Identify, screen and consent patients for research studies in acute care clinical environments (Emergency Department, Intensive Care Unit, Neurology, etc.), while ensuring maintenance of ethical and legal standards, and compliance with local, state and national regulatory agencies
  • Chair bi-weekly Research Committee meetings
  • Collaborate with physicians to design and implement study protocols
  • Assume on-call responsibilities for patient enrollment and other projects
  • Oversee data collection and regulatory documentation, while serving as liaison between the Institutional Review Board and Biomedical Research Alliance of New York (BRANY)
  • Direct laboratory research procedures to process blood, urine and spinal fluid samples for studieo 
  • Write abstracts, manuscripts. and presentations, as well as coordinate submissions to outside agencies, including the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) and the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) , as well as other sub-specialty agencies 
  • Procure funding, negotiate budgets, and communicate with extramural funding sources and national coordinating sites for institutional and multi-center research studies
  • Administer the Research Internship Program, including recruitment, training and ongoing intern management
  • Travel, as necessary, for off-site projects and presentations

 Academic Associates ensure proper implementation of academic activities:

  • Coordinate Continuing Medical Education conferences in collaboration with physician course directors
  • Lead teams to complete accreditation requirements for agencies such as the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), North Shore-LIJ Office of Continuing Medical Education, New York State Department of Health and The Joint Commission, among others
  • Implement Performance Improvement projects and are actively involved in analyzing data and presenting outcomes to physicians, nurses, and administrators
  • Manage departmental faculty achievements, including publications, presentations, awards and promotions
  • Monitor academic progress and regularly provide reports to management and Senior Research Director
  • Academic Associates remain flexible to enroll patients into research studies at any time of day and remains on site to complete study-related work for the duration of study interventions

Academic Associates execute administrative projects in time to meet institutional and external deadlines

  • Perform additional duties at the request of departmental leadership, as required

Diverse Emergency Department Research Topics
The Academic Associates Program gives post-undergraduate and pre-medical students exposure to the latest research in a variety of Emergency Medicine areas including sepsis, stroke, international emergency medicine, pediatric emergency medicine, emergency ultrasound, medical toxicology, sports medicine, sexual assault, diabetes, asthma, simulation and resident education, and more. 

Academic Associates Program Application Process
If you would like to apply for an Academic Associate position in North-Shore LIJ's Department of Emergency Medicine for the 2012-2013 academic year, please e-mail a cover letter, a recent resume/CV, a list of references and an unofficial transcript to John Pizzuti at jpizzuti@nshs.edu, Rahela Aziz-Bose at razizbose@nshs.edu, and Mary Frances Ward, RN, MS, ANP at mward@nshs.edu. We are currently accepting applications for positions in our Academic Associates Program on a rolling basis.

2010 – 2011 Emergency Medicine Academic Associates             Sandra De Cicco, MD
Sandra is broadening her work in research this year at North Shore University Hospital (NSUH) after spending last year in the Department of Emergency Medicine at LIJ. While at LIJ, Sandra's research focused on the efficacy of investigational medications in asthma treatment outcomes, and she became proficient in conducting spirometry. Sandra coordinated a joint North Shore-LIJ study with the CDC investigating the seroprevalence of H1N1 antibodies among emergency health care providers. Sandra joined the NS-LIJ Health System shortly after completing her medical school training at Ross University School of Medicine. Previous to medical school, she received her bachelor's degree in biology at Boston University. Sandra spends her free time in the kitchen, and in the winter, she loves to ski. Sandra is currently interviewing for a PGY-1 residency position in the field of family medicine, with a special interest in disease prevention and immunizations.

Jessica Gatt, BS
Originally from Birmingham, Michigan, Jessy graduated from the University of Michigan with a concentration in philosophy and a minor in biochemistry. She was awarded three undergraduate fellowships to fund her pharmacology research, investigating the role of the sodium channel beta1 subunits in cardiac myocytes, using a knockout mouse model. In her senior year, she presented her research findings at the 2010 Experimental Biology Meeting in Anaheim, California, and was elected into Phi Beta Kappa. Throughout college, Jessy was an academic writing tutor for the university's Sweetland Writing Center and also led organized study groups for organic chemistry. During her free time, she enjoys attending concerts, asking questions, and practicing yoga regularly. Jessy will be applying to medical school for matriculation in fall 2012.

Alvin Lomibao, BS
Originally from Canton, Connecticut, Alvin received his degree in biomedical engineering from the University of Rochester. His senior design project comprised two components: 1) using FDA and ISO standards to evaluate the biocompatibility of a prosthetic material for lumbar artificial disc replacement, and 2) developing a device to deliver the implant into the spine. Alvin's other research involved designing a photonic biosensor from porous silicon to screen for targeted molecules in vitro. Outside of these projects, Alvin served as a MATLAB teaching assistant, mentored high-school research assistants and managed a $900,000 budget as student government president. In his spare time, Alvin goes to concerts, reads up on current events and likes home brewing. He is currently applying for master's and doctorate programs in biomedical engineering.

Maxwell Mathias, BS
Originally from Massachusetts, Max graduated magna cum laude from Brown University with a B.S. in biology and a concentration in neurobiology. During his senior year, he was elected to Sigma Xi and received honors for a thesis project that used mathematical models of the brain to explain behavior observed in the rodent model of ADHD. Max is an EMT and served as a primary crew member of Brown Emergency Medical Services as well as a vaccinator for the Rhode Island Medical Reserve Corps, an organization that administered flu vaccines to children during the recent H1N1 flu pandemic. He also loves French literature, culture, and, above all, pastries. Max is currently applying to medical school for matriculation in the fall of 2011.

Kate Miele, MA
Kate recently completed New York University's Pre-health Post-baccalaureate Certificate Program, holds a master's degree in international affairs from New School University and graduated with High Honors from the College of William and Mary with a bachelor's degree in East Asian Studies. She has seven years of professional nonprofit experience, including international reproductive health with EngenderHealth and GROOTS International, global diplomacy with One To World, and environmental advocacy with Green Corps. Kate's past research is with Trichomonas vaginalis, HIV/AIDS, and Japanese sociological development. Her volunteering includes mentoring high school students with the Opportunity Network, serving as an emergency room volunteer at New York Downtown Hospital, and organizing medical brigades to Ecuador with MEDLIFE. In her spare time, Kate enjoys being taken for long runs by her Jack Russell terrier.

Robert Spencer, MS
Robert graduated as a Presidential Honors Scholar from New York University after completing an accelerated B.S./M.S. program in organic chemistry. In addition to serving as a teaching assistant for five undergraduate science courses, he held large organic chemistry review sessions for charity, for which he was recognized with three NYU President's Service Awards and featured in the "15 Most Influential Students" issue of the Washington Square News. For his three years of research in fullerene chemistry, Robert published two manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals and presented his research at regional and national conferences in addition to receiving several research grants. In his free time, Robert enjoys traveling and playing tennis. He aspires to become a pediatric neurosurgeon and has been accepted to medical school for the class of 2015.

Karen Tenner, BS
Originally from Massachusetts, Karen graduated from Brown University with a B.S. in human biology and was elected to Sigma Xi during her senior year. Through Project HEALTH, in which she served as a volunteer and local coordinator, Karen worked in a pediatric clinic, connecting families to social and governmental resources. At Brown, Karen served as a teaching assistant for Genetics and Introductory Biology. Her research involved health behaviors in urban pre-adolescents. She designed, implemented, and evaluated an after-school dance and health curriculum for girls at risk for obesity. Karen's previous experience also includes working for the New York City Department of Health. In her free time, Karen enjoys running, reading, baking, going to the beach and exploring New York City. She is currently applying to medical school for matriculation in the fall of 2011.

Academic Associates Contact Information:

Sandra De Cicco, MD sdecicco@nshs.edu  516-562-2928
Jessy Gatt, BS  jgatt@nshs.edu   516-562-1235
Alvin Lomibao, BS alomibao@nshs.edu  516-562-1501
Max Mathias, BS mmathias@nshs.edu  516-562-1223
Megan McCullough, BA mmccullough@nshs.edu  516-562-1248
Kate Miele, MA  kmiele@nshs.edu  516-562-1514
Robert Spencer, MS rspencer@nshs.edu  516-562-1501
Karen Tenner, BS ktenner@nshs.edu  516-562-1248