UB's School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences has two reasons to celebrate its faculty and academic prosperity.
Earlier this month, Anne B. Curtis, MD, the newly appointed chair of medicine at UB, received a Distinguished Fellowship Award from the International Academy of Cardiology at the 15th World Congress on Heart Disease Annual Scientific Session in Vancouver, BC.
The department of medicine formally inducted its new department chair on Sept. 22. Curtis, formerly a professor of medicine, chief of cardiology and director of cardiovascular services at the University of South Florida, accepted her new position as the inaugural Mary and Charles Bauer Professor and chair of the department within the School of Medicine and Biomedical Science.
According to an interview with Heartwire, an online cardiology news source, Curtis addressed the move to UB as a "wonderful opportunity," saying that she was drawn to a school with the dual focus of being a public university with a strong research focus.
UB has one of the four medical schools within the SUNY system. Curtis will replace Alan Saltzan, who served as chair for five years. In her new chair position, Curtis will be working under fellow cardiologist Dr. Michael Cain, dean of the school of medicine and biomedical sciences. Cain and Curtis have both served as president of the Heart Rhythm Society in the past decade.
According to Cain, the department was looking for an individual with excellence in research, education and administration to fill the post of department chair.
"The [Department of Medicine] needs to excel in new knowledge," Cain said.
A formal committee was created by the department of pediatrics to conduct a national search with the assistance of an external search firm.
"Out of 50 candidates, Curtis was the best," Cain said.
Curtis earned her medical degree from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1979 and completed her residency in internal medicine at Presbyterian Hospital in New York City. She went on to complete fellowships at Duke University Medical Center in cardiovascular disease and investigative cardiac electrophysiology.
Additionally, Curtis spent nineteen years teaching and practicing medicine at the University of Florida, Gainesville. During her career, she has written over 113 book chapters, editorials and reviews, as well as a book on cardiac pacing.
Curtis was inducted on Sept. 22 at the Biomedical Education Building on South Campus.
"This is an opportunity to lead an entire department of medicine and the largest department in the school of medicine, with over 140 full-time faculty members and a large residency program." Curtis said in her interview with Heartwire.
Even freshman undergraduate students studying medicine are eagerly anticipating the arrival of a new, experienced departmental chair.
"[At the induction], I realized how very accomplished [Curtis is] and how critical [her roles is] for the future of UB, including the UB 2020 program," said Nicholas D. Valente, a freshman in the School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.
Curtis, a native of Brooklyn, N.Y., has voiced her excitement to move back to a place that has four seasons, although she is expecting the winter season to be a challenge.
"I moved to Buffalo just a week ago. I've heard so much about the friendliness of Buffalo – turning out to be quite true. The night I arrived, a neighbor, a complete stranger, showed up at my house and offered to get me dinner from the supermarket," Curtis said. "I like that. I barely knew my neighbors in Tampa."
Email: news@ubspectrum.com
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
