NYSOMS 2021 Spring Regional Osteopathic Convention On Demand

Jerry Balentine, DO, FACOEP, FACEP Related Seminars and Products

Dr. Balentine is New York Institute of Technology’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. In his position, Dr. Balentine spearheads new initiatives involving research for students and faculty, oversees strategic resource allocation, and evaluates new opportunities for NYIT’s growth and expansion. In addition, Dr. Balentine continues his responsibility for the School of Health Professions (including, Occupational Therapy; Physical Therapy; Physician Assistants Program; School of Nursing), the Osteopathic Medical School, two Academic Healthcare Centers as well as the Center for Global Health, the NYIT Center for Sports Medicine, the Ehlers- Danlos Center and the Parkinsonism Center. Dr. Balentine has been a faculty member at NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine since 2009. He became Vice President for Health Sciences and Medical Affairs in 2014 and was appointed NYITCOM Dean in 2018. Before joining NYIT, Dr. Balentine was the Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of the St. Barnabas Hospital and Healthcare System in the Bronx, New York. Dr. Balentine has authored multiple textbook and journal articles in the field of Emergency Medicine and is a frequent contributor and editor of articles in the WebMD network. He graduated from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and the Emergency Medicine Residency at the Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center, where he served as Chief resident. During his career, Dr. Balentine had the opportunity to work as an Emergency Medicine Residency Program Director, Emergency Department Director and Medical Director of a hospital and trauma center. He established the Urgent Care Center on Rikers Island, served as a consultant to SBH Prison Health and owned and operated his own Urgent Care Center in the Bronx for 10 years. Dr. Balentine is the past President of the New York Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians and has served as Vice-Chair of the New York State Board of Medicine, Chair of the finance committee of the NYCOM Educational Consortium and on the Education Committee of the Federation of State Medical Boards. 

Gerard Baltazar, DO, FACOS, FACS Related Seminars and Products

Dr. Baltazar is an academic surgeon at NYU Langone Hospital Long Island and assistant professor of surgery at the NYU Long Island School of Medicine. After obtaining degrees in biology and art from Georgetown University, he graduated with a D.O. from Touro University California. Dr. Baltazar’s post-doctorate training and practice in inner city communities and global surgery work in the developing world have deeply informed Dr. Baltazar’s empathetic practice of trauma and critical care surgery. Since matriculating to NYU, Dr. Baltazar has studied the psychoemotional and physical effects of PTSD and burnout including how osteopathic principles and practice may provide benefit. His recent work focuses on scientific and personal experiences on the COVID-19 frontline.

William Blazey, DO, FACOFP Related Seminars and Products

William Blazey, D.O. oversees the delivery of all four years of medical education content at NYITCOM and academic support for the medical students in his role as the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. He conducts lectures for osteopathic medical students and physician assistant students as well as faculty development programs.

Dr. Blazey frequently speaks at regional and national conferences on topics including medical education delivery systems, global health outreach and safety, and access to community resources for persons with disabilities. He is board-certified in Family Practice and OMT, providing medical care at the Academic Health Care Center of NYIT and delivering wellness and injury prevention lectures to community groups. His research focuses on physician behaviors and attitudes in the relation to patient outcomes has been published in both national and international peer-reviewed journals. He serves on the AOA’s Bureau on Scientific Affairs and Public Health and was a past board member of DOCARE International.

Thomas Burgess, DO Related Seminars and Products

Dr. Burgess is currently an emergency medicine attending physician and emergency ultrasound fellow at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Massachusetts. He completed his emergency medicine residency training at Albany Medical Center in Albany, New York. Prior to that he completed his undergraduate medical education at UNECOM in Biddeford Maine including a one year teaching fellowship in OMM, Gross Anatomy, and clinical skills, acting as junior faculty at UNECOM. Outside of medicine, Dr. Burgess enjoys road cycling and spending time with his partner Dr. Caitlin Farrell and their French Bulldog Lucy.

Barbara Capozzi, DO, CNS Related Seminars and Products

Dr. Capozzi is the Clinical Dean and Associate Professor of Family Medicine at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Capozzi’s experience in education spans the entire continuum of osteopathic medical education including preclinical, clinical, graduate medical education and continuing medical education, as well as teaching in interprofessional programs including physician assistant, nursing, and undergraduate nutrition and public health. Most recently, she served as the Assistant Dean for Clinical Education at the NY Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYITCOM) in Old Westbury, NY, before rejoining TouroCOM. Dr. Capozzi holds the rank of Associate Professor and was a founding faculty member of TouroCOM Harlem. In her capacity as board member of the NY Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Education Consortium, she collaborated in the development of a Leadership Certificate course for a clinical affiliate. She also provided various presentations on leadership, and communication skills at local, state, and national conferences. She completed the Touro College Academy of Leadership and Management, TCALM and collaborated on the proposal for the Touro Interdisciplinary Institute for Health Aging, TIIHA that resulted in the first TCUS Symposium on Healthy Aging in the Era of COVID-19. During the past year, she has been a guest speaker at Touro College of Pharmacy’s Leadership: Theory and Practice course and for TCOP Leadership for the Frontline Pharmacist: A Certificate Program. Dr. Capozzi is the recipient of three leadership awards and Teacher of the Year. She is passionate about continually improving her self-awareness and practicing mindfulness.

Humayun Chaudhry, DO, MACP Related Seminars and Products

Dr. Chaudhry is the President and CEO of the Federation of State Medical Boards, which co-owns the United States Medical Licensing Examination. From 2016 to 2018, he was Chair of the International Association of Medical Regulatory Authorities. A graduate of NYU, NYITCOM and Harvard School of Public Health, Dr. Chaudhry did his internship at St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx, followed by a residency in Internal Medicine at Winthrop University Hospital, now known as NYU Langone-Long Island. He is a Master of the American College of Physicians and Past President of the American College of Osteopathic Internists. He served as DME at Long Beach Medical Center and then as Chair of Medicine and Assistant Dean at NYITCOM. He spent 14 years with the USAF Reserves, rising to the rank of Major and serving as a Flight Surgeon. He also spent more than two years as Health Commissioner for Suffolk County, on Long Island, overseeing 1,300 employees and a budget of $400 million during our last pandemic, due to H1N1 influenza. .tb_button {padding:1px;cursor:pointer;border-right: 1px solid #8b8b8b;border-left: 1px solid #FFF;border-bottom: 1px solid #fff;}.tb_button.hover {borer:2px outset #def; background-color: #f8f8f8 !important;}.ws_toolbar {z-index:100000} .ws_toolbar .ws_tb_btn {cursor:pointer;border:1px solid #555;padding:3px} .tb_highlight{background-color:yellow} .tb_hide {visibility:hidden} .ws_toolbar img {padding:2px;margin:0px}

Thomas Gallo, PA-C, Esq. Related Seminars and Products

Mr. Gallo graduated from Long Island University Physician Assistant Program in 1986. After graduating, he worked in various clinical specialties including Obstetrics/Gynecology, Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Emergency Medicine and other specialties. He has been involved in the education of physicians and physician assistant students in various faculty roles for many years. Professor Gallo teaches multiple courses including physical diagnosis, medicine, and various specialties. Mr. Gallo lectures on numerous topics such as legal medicine, HIPAA compliance, Healthcare Law, and Medical Ethics. He maintains his clinical skills through volunteer work in the U.S and abroad. Mr. Gallo attended New England Law in Boston, obtaining his Juris Doctor degree in 1993. Mr. Gallo, as an experienced healthcare attorney, advises, counsels and represents physicians, PA’s and other healthcare providers in license defense cases, privilege issues, employment cases, insurance company audits and many other matters. He also continues to serve as General Counsel to the New York State Osteopathic Medical Society (NYSOMS).

Athina Giovanis, DO Related Seminars and Products

Dr. Giovani is Board Certified in Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine and Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine. Dr. Giovanis graduated from the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed her internship at Mercy Hospital in Portland, Maine. She then completed the Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine/ Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine Residency at St. Barnabas Hospital in Bronx, New York. Since completing her residency in 2010, Dr. Giovanis has been in private practice in New York and Rhode Island. Presently, she is an assistant professor at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine in Middletown, New York. .tb_button {padding:1px;cursor:pointer;border-right: 1px solid #8b8b8b;border-left: 1px solid #FFF;border-bottom: 1px solid #fff;}.tb_button.hover {borer:2px outset #def; background-color: #f8f8f8 !important;}.ws_toolbar {z-index:100000} .ws_toolbar .ws_tb_btn {cursor:pointer;border:1px solid #555;padding:3px} .tb_highlight{background-color:yellow} .tb_hide {visibility:hidden} .ws_toolbar img {padding:2px;margin:0px}

Christian Hietanen, DO Related Seminars and Products

Dr. Hietanen is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine in Middletown, NY. He graduated from Canisius College in his hometown of Buffalo, NY and attended medical school at New York College of Osteopathic Medicine, where he graduated in 2002. He completed a residency in Pediatrics at Upstate Medical University in 2005, and then moved to the Hudson Valley to practice full time outpatient pediatrics. Beginning in 2015, Dr. Hietanen began teaching as an adjunct professor at TouroCOM and, in 2018, was hired as a full-time professor in the Department of Primary Care. At Touro, Dr. Hietanen teaches within various courses in the department and coordinates the Standardized Patient program. In addition, Dr. Hietanen directs the third-year Pediatric Clerkship at Garnet Health, also in Middletown. He continues in his practice on a part-time basis and plays an active role within the community. He is currently in the home stretch of earning a master’s degree in Medical Education from Nova Southeastern University. His special interests in outpatient pediatrics include managing school problems, newborn care, and atopic disease.

Donald Krieff, DO, FACOS Related Seminars and Products

Donald S. Krieff, DO, FACOS, is a board certified neurosurgeon at Neurological Surgery P.C. based in West Islip, NY with nearly 20 years of experience. Dr. Krieff received his undergraduate degree in Biological Science from Florida International University and obtained his medical degree from Nova Southeastern University of the Health Sciences. He served his internship at Palmetto General Hospital and then completed his neurological surgery residency at Long Island Jewish Medical Center. In his last year of training, Dr. Krieff served as Neurological Surgery Chief Resident at Long Island Jewish Medical Center and North Shore University Hospital-Manhasset. Upon completion of his training in 1998, Dr. Krieff began his neurosurgery practice in Fort Lauderdale, FL as a primary neurosurgeon at Broward General Medical Center. During the subsequent five years, Dr. Krieff developed expertise in treating traumatic brain injury as well as complex spinal injuries requiring stabilization and instrumentation. He served as the Chief of Neurosurgery at Broward General from 2000 until his move back to Long Island in 2003. After relocating to Long Island, Dr. Krieff was appointed Chief of Neurosurgery at Nassau University Medical Center, Nassau County’s busiest Level I trauma center. Dr. Krieff has received several honors including First-place ranking in achievements with the Annual Clinical Assembly of Osteopathic Specialists and American College of Osteopathic Surgeons, Recipient of the “Annual Resident Achievement Award”, and Recipient of the “Robert C. Erwin Literary Achievement Award”. Throughout his career he has been involved in training medical students and residents. Dr. Krieff has been a member of the American Osteopathic Board of Surgery, a Fellow in the American College of Osteopathic Surgeons, and a current member of the AMA and AOA.

Al Mercado, Esq. Related Seminars and Products

Mr. Mercado is the managing attorney for the East Meadow office of Fager Amsler Keller & Schoppmann, LLP. In addition to his managerial responsibilities, Mr. Mercado practices in the fields of professional liability, premises liability, insurance litigation, and healthcare law. Mr. Mercado litigates cases in both the New York state and federal courts involving professional malpractice, general negligence, contractual issues, and insurance coverage. He has successfully litigated insurance coverage cases at the trial and appellate level, and prepared and successfully argued appeals in various appellate courts in New York State, including motions to the court of appeals. As a counselor at law, Mr. Mercado regularly provides practical risk management advice to physicians, dentists, hospitals, and medical organizations throughout New York State on various risk management topics. In doing so, Mr. Mercado provides practical guidance to many medical-legal and regulatory issues. As a lecturer, Mr. Mercado has presented lectures to various organizations and medical societies that include the Richmond County Medical Society, the Myanmar American Medical Education Society, the Nassau County Dental Society, the New York State Dental Association, the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, and MLMIC Insurance Company, as well as numerous hospitals throughout the New York metropolitan area. Moreover, he was featured with ophthalmologist John Lombardo, MD, in a highly rated risk management module on the medical-legal issues surrounding LASIK procedures. Similarly, Mr. Mercado has authored and published articles on various legal and risk management topics. Mr. Mercado is admitted to practice law in New York State and the Eastern District of the State of New York (1993). He is a graduate of the State University of New York at Stony Brook (BS, magna cum laude, 1989) and Hofstra University School of Law (1992). Mr. Mercado is a member of the New York State Bar Association as well as the Suffolk County Bar Association.