LEONARD OCTAVIUS BARRETT, MD, FACS, DDG, FABI, CHIEF OF THORACIC SURGERY AND DIRECTOR OF SURGICAL CRITICAL CARE AT NUMC, RECEIVES “AWARD OF HONOR” OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE, IN RECOGNITION OF PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCE AND HUMANITARIANISM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 12, 2013
PRESS CONTACT:
Shelley Lotenberg
shelley@numc.edu
516-572-6055
LEONARD OCTAVIUS BARRETT, MD, FACS, DDG, FABI, CHIEF OF THORACIC SURGERY AND DIRECTOR OF SURGICAL CRITICAL CARE AT NUMC, RECEIVES “AWARD OF HONOR” OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE, IN RECOGNITION OF PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCE AND HUMANITARIANISM
East Meadow, NY…..Leonard Octavius Barrett, MD, FACS, DDG, FABI, chief of thoracic surgery and director of surgical critical care at the Nassau University Medical Center, received notification that he had been awarded the Award of Honor of the National Institute of Medicine for the year 2013 in the specialty field of cardiac and thoracic surgery.
In a recent letter, A.J. Ferrari, MD, director of the National Institute of Medicine, notified Dr. Barrett of his selection to receive the Award of Honor: “On the basis of your professional practice, you have been designated to receive recognition at this time for professional excellence and humanitarianism. Recipients of the Award of Honor are also offered appointments as Distinguished Consultant in Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery to the National Institute of Medicine.”
While congratulating Dr. Barrett, Arthur A. Gianelli, President/CEO of the NuHealth System, stated: “Attaining the Award of Honor reflects Dr. Barrett’s commitment to excellence as a thoracic surgeon and in the quality of care provided to all his critical care patients. This recognition allows Dr. Barrett to join an elite alliance of professionals who have excelled in their chosen fields.”
Steven J. Walerstein, MD, FACP, NuHealth’s executive vice president for medical affairs and chief medical officer, also congratulated Dr. Barrett on his well-deserved award: “Only a select few have been honored with this prestigious Award from the National Institute of Medicine, reflecting an ultimate recognition of Dr. Barrett’s lifetime achievements. We are proud of his accomplishments as a clinician, educator and a valuable resource to our community.”
After honorable discharge from the United States Marine Corps in 1974, Dr. Barrett entered and graduated Iona College in New Rochelle with a degree in biology and chemistry. He graduated from SUNY Downstate in 1983 with a medical degree. In 1989, he completed his residency in general surgery at SUNY Stony Brook, where he remained an additional year to complete a surgical/critical care fellowship. He then, completed a cardiothoracic fellowship at Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, New Jersey. Since then, Dr. Barrett has qualified for board certifications in general surgery, surgical critical care, and thoracic surgery. Only about two percent of the physicians in the United State qualify for triple board certification. Dr. Barrett belongs to many professional associations, including the American Medical Association, Fellow of the American College of Surgery, the American Society of Thoracic Surgery and the Society of Critical Care Medicine. In 1993, Dr. Barrett began his assignment at NUMC as a thoracic surgery attending and as a director of surgical critical care. Due to his outstanding performance, he was appointed in 1995 as chief of thoracic surgery. Dr. Barrett operates on all chest trauma patients with excellent outcomes and manages all critical care trauma patients at NUMC. From 2003 to 2005, Dr. Barrett served as acting medical director for the Nassau Health Care Corporation.
He has received numerous awards, including multiple ‘Teacher of the Year” awards by the surgical residents, the American Medal of Honor and the American Biographical Institute and Lifetime Achievement Award. Last year he received first prize in the American College of Surgeons Annual Clinic Day poster presentation. He has been included in Castle Connolly “Top Doctors for the last ten years as well as Recognition of Lifetime Achievements from the International Biographical Center in England, Gage Award from the National Association of Public Hospitals, America’s Top Surgeons in Consumers Research Council of America and America’s Top Doctor in US News and World Report.
Dr. Barrett resides in Westbury.
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NuHealth is a Long Island health care organization delivering essential medical care and disease and lifestyle management to everyone at every stage of life. Also known as Nassau Health Care Corporation, NuHealth is a public benefit corporation managing the operations of Nassau Medical Center, A. Holly Patterson Extended Care and a network of Family Health Centers that bring primary and specialty care out into the community. By emphasizing wellness, cultural sensitivity and collaborative efforts with the North Shore-LIJ Health System, NuHealth is working to make good care more affordable and easier to access.
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