NASSAU UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER’S NYAPATI RAO, MD, MS, CHAIR OF THE PSYCHIATRY DEPARTMENT AWARDED 2008 EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR BY THE ASSOCIATION FOR ACADEMIC PSYCHIATRY
–Prestigious Award Acknowledges Innovative and Exemplary Psychiatric Educators With Impressive Credentials –
East Meadow, NY..Nyapati Rao, MD, Chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Nassau University Medical Center, and Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, SUNY-Downstate, was awarded the 2008 Educator of the Year by the Association for Academic Psychiatry for his innovative leadership, long-term sustained impact in psychiatric education as well as his national reputation in psychiatric education.
In congratulating Dr. Rao on this prestigious and well-deserved award, Arthur A. Gianelli, President/CEO of the Nassau Health Care Corporation (NHCC) said: “Congratulations on this prestigious award! It is well deserved, and its national scope is both humbling and exhilarating, demonstrating that NUMC has practitioners that rival those of the best hospitals in the country. To be awarded the 2008 Educator of the Year by the Association for Academic Psychiatry reflects so well on our focus placed on providing high quality care to all our patients.”
The Association for Academic Psychiatry focuses on education in psychiatry at every level from the beginning of medical school through lifelong learning for psychiatrists and other physicians. It seeks to help psychiatrists who are interested in careers in academic psychiatry develop the skills and knowledge in teaching, research and career development that they must have to succeed. The Association provides a forum for members to exchange ideas on teaching techniques, curriculum, and other issues and to work together to solve problems. It works with other professional organizations on mutual interests and objectives through committee liaison and collaborative programs.
Steven Walerstein, MD, Senior Vice President for Medical Affairs and Medical Director at the NHCC also congratulated Dr. Rao by stating: “This award, established in 1988, is given to an outstanding psychiatric educator in recognition of excellence in psychiatric education with significant impact. This prestigious award acknowledges innovative and exemplary psychiatric educators and is well deserved for a leader of a department offering 24- hour psychiatric emergency room service as a major receiving teaching hospital on Long Island. Dr. Rao’s leadership and his impressive credentials have inspired a rebirth in the Department of Psychiatry.”
Dr. Rao was delighted to receive notification of his 2008 Educator of the Year Award which will be presented in Santa Fe, New Mexico on September 26, 2008: “To be honored as an educator is the greatest reward anyone can receive. I am especially gratified that I was chosen for this award when I became Chair of Psychiatry at NUMC where, under the leadership of Mr. Gianelli and Dr.Walerstein, great emphasis is being placed on delivering quality and culturally competent care to all residents of Nassau County.”
