Department Chair: Edmund Bourke, M.D.
(718) 270-1573 Fax: (718) 270-4070

The eleven divisions of the Department of Medicine provide a broad range of general and specialized medical care. These divisions include Allergy and Immunology, Cardiovascular Medicine, Digestive Diseases, Endocrinology, General Internal Medicine, Hematology/Oncology, Hypertension and Electrolytes, Infectious Diseases, Pulmonary/Critical Care, Renal Diseases and Rheumatology.







ALLERGY AND IMMUNOLOGY
Division Chief
interim Rauno Joks, MD(718) 270-2156

Location: 470 Clarkson Ave. Suite A (Sat.) & Suite H (Thurs.)

The Division of Allergy and Immunology tests for and treats all allergic disorders, including eczema, hay fever, hives, drug reactions, food allergies and asthma.






ASTHMA CENTER OF EXCELLENCE
Director of Adult Asthma
Michael Akerman M.D. (718) 270-4AIR/(718) 270-4247
Director of Pediatric Asthma (718) 270-4AIR/(718) 270-4247
Madu Rao, MD

Location: 470 Clarkson Ave., Nursing Station 41

The goal of the Asthma Center of Excellence is to help the asthma patient to achieve symptom-free asthma control. To accomplish this, we offer a comprehensive education and management program involving our special education staff and our pulmonary and allergy physicians. After completing the program, patients are referred back to their primary physicians with a written management plan which suggests lifestyle and treatment alternatives.






THE BROOKLYN CENTER FOR LIVER DISEASES
Director
Cherif M. El Younis, M.D. (718) 270-1112

Location: 470 Clarkson Ave. Suite A

The Brooklyn Center for Liver Diseases is a referral facility comprised of a specialized interdisciplinary team of experts dedicated to the management of patients with various forms of liver and biliary diseases (viral hepatitis, cirrhosis, alcoholic liver disease, drug-induced liver injury, metabolic-based liver disease, cholestatic liver disease, autoimmune liver disease, gallstone disease and tumors). The team members include specialists in hepatology, gastroenterology, radiology, oncology, pathology, nutrition, vascular surgery, and transplantation.

The center provides a wide range of care utilizing state-of-the-art therapies and techniques for patients with liver disease. This includes among many, antiviral therapy for patients with chronic viral hepatitis, immunization against viral hepatitis, nutrition counseling, alcohol addiction services, chemoembolization, liver resections, variceal obliterative therapy (sclerotherapy, banding), transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt placement (TIPSS), surgical portosystemic shunts, and liver transplantation.







CARDIOVASCULAR MEDICINE
Division Chief
Luther T. Clark, M.D. (718) 270-1568 Fax: (718) 270-2917

EKG Office: Room A2-393 (718) 270-1081/(718) 270-1587

The Division of Cardiovascular Medicine offers a full range of comprehensive diagnostic and therapeutic services including: consultation, preventive cardiology, coronary care, cardiac rehabilitation, ECG, signal averaged ECG, 24-hour ambulatory ECG and blood pressure monitoring, exercise and pharmacologic stress testing, nuclear cardiology, echocardiography (transthoracic, transeophageal and stress), tilt-table testing, cardiac catheterization, angioplasty, atherectomy, electrophysiologic studies, pacemakers, radiofrequency, catheter ablation, and implantable defibrillator (AICD).






CENTER FOR DIALYSIS TREATMENT AT PARKSIDE
Director
Eli Friedman M.D.

Location: 710 Parkside Avenue (718) 703-5900

Kidney failure—the frequent end result of high blood pressure, diabetes, and inherited kidney diseases—is becoming more prevalent. More than 300,000 Americans are now supported by Medicare for regular kidney treatments. To meet the needs of Brooklyn residents, Downstate has opened a state-of-the-art hemodialysis facility at nearby Parkside Avenue. Providing peritoneal dialysis, hemodialysis, and general supportive care for children and adults with so-called end-stage renal disease (ESRD), the 20-station facility focuses on rehabilitation. Early return home and, where possible, hemodialysis at home, is a main theme of therapy.






DIGESTIVE DISEASES
Division Chief
Eugene Straus, M.D. (718) 270-1112

Main Practice Location: 470 Clarkson Ave., Suite A

The Division of Digestive Diseases offers diagnosis and treatment of ulcers, gastritis, gastrointestinal bleeding, colitis, pancreatic and gall bladder disease and acute chronic liver diseases such as hepatitis and cirrhosis. Procedures performed include endoscopies, laser therapy and hormone level measurement.






DIABETIC TREATMENT CENTER (DTC)
MaryAnn Banerji, M.D. (718) 270-1068

Main Practice Location: 470 Clarkson Ave., 5th floor, Nursing Station 51

This outpatient diabetes consultative service offers evaluation, development of treatment plans, and education of the diabetic patient. Primary care providers can refer patients for a consultation.






ENDOCRINOLOGY
Division Chief
James Sowers, M..D. (718) 270-1698

Main Practice Location: 470 Clarkson Ave., Nursing Station 51

The Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes provides a variety of services including the administration of a radioimmunoassay laboratory that measures plasma insulin, C peptide, growth hormone, prolactin, TSH, FSH, LH, cortisol and thyroid antibodies. Numerous clinical research activities are being carried out on the pathogenesis and treatment of diabetes mellitus, the pathogenesis and treatment of the microvascular and macrovascular complications of diabetes, lipids disorders and pituitary dysfunctions.






GENERAL INTERNAL MEDICINE
Division Chief
Steven L. Cohn, M.D.
(718) 270-1531 Fax: (718) 270-2477
Main Practice Location: 470 Clarkson Ave., Suite A

A group of full-time, primary care, board-certified internists and specialists provide acute and continuing care in all areas of internal medicine. Special areas of interest include medical consultation and preoperative evaluation, geriatrics, diabetes, hypertension, renal disease and cardiopulmonary disease.






HEMATOLOGY/ONCOLOGY
Division Chief
Gerald Soff, M.D.
(718) 270-2785

Main Practice Location: 470 Clarkson Ave., Suite A

The Division of Hematology/Oncology provides consultation for the evaluation and management of patients with hematologic and oncologic disorders. A wide range of therapeutic protocols have become available for the treatment of a variety of solid tumors, many of which combine infusional chemotherapy with radiation therapy. There are specially trained chemotherapy nurses to provide additional expertise for these programs. Plasmapheresis is also available. A new special hematology laboratory is being developed to provide in-depth evaluation of disorders of hemostasis.






HOSPITAL MEDICINE
Section Chief
Vibhu Sharma MD
(718)-270 4217 Fax: (718)-270 7304

Location: A6-505, 450 Clarkson Avenue, Brooklyn NY 11203

The Section of Hospital Medicine cares for the majority of inpatients admitted to the Department of Medicine.The faculty also supervise medical students and residents rotating through the medicine floors at SUNY Downstate.







INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Division Chief
William McCormack, M.D. (718) 270-1432 Fax: (718) 270-4123

Main Practice Location: 450 Clarkson Ave., Room B5-302 (5th floor)

This practice is limited to patients who have gynecologic and urologic infections, or who are infected with human immuno-deficiency virus.






THE OSTEOPOROSIS DIAGNOSTIC CENTER
(718) 270-1579
Samy McFarlane, M.D., Director (Endocrinology)
Steven Lee, R.T. (Technician)
Main Practice Location: 470 Clarkson Ave., Rm. B5-473 (5th floor)

The Osteoporosis Diagnostic Center is a consultative service aimed at the early detection and prevention of osteoporosis. It is equipped with a Hologic QDR-2000 plus x-ray bone densitometer which offers state-of-the art technology for the measurement of bone mineral density. A comprehensive review of each patient's medical history for the assessment of fracture risk is provided. A written evaluation outlining risks, interpretation of the bone density results, suggestions for lifestyle and dietary modifications and treatment alternatives is sent to both the referring physicians and the patient.






PULMONARY/CRITICAL CARE
Acting Division Chief
Spiro Demetis (718) 245-3814
Main Practice Location: 470 Clarkson Ave., Suite A

The Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine offers consultative diagnostic and therapeutic services for acute and chronic diseases of the lung, including cancer, tuberculosis, emphysema, asthma and sarcoidosis, for both ambulatory and hospital patients. Additionally, consultation or primary care for critically ill hospitalized patients is available.

The pulmonary function and physiology laboratory of the division provides routine and specialized pulmonary function tests, including exercise testing, evaluation for sleep disordered breathing, and respiratory muscle function.






RENAL DISEASES
Division Chief
Eli A. Friedman, M..D. (718) 270-1585 Fax: (718) 270-3327
Main Practice Location: 470 Clarkson Ave., Suite A

The Division of Renal Diseases offers evaluation and management of patients with renal disease, including acute and chronic renal failure and inherited kidney disease. The faculty has a special interest in the kidney problems of diabetes. The division supervises a full range of renal replacement therapies, including acute and chronic hemodialysis, acute and chronic peritoneal dialysis, continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis, and home hemodialysis. The division also collaborates in the evaluation of patients who request renal transplantation at University Hospital of Brooklyn. A key concern is the construction of a “Life Plan” for every patient in which probable future events in therapy are discussed, explained, and planned.






RHEUMATOLOGY
Division Chief
Ellen M. Ginzler, M.D. (718) 270-1662
Main Practice Address: 470 Clarkson Ave.

The Division of Rheumatology offers treatment for patients with all rheumatic disorders, including a special interest in systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic vasculitis, scleroderma and osteoarthritis. Comprehensive care for patients with these disorders is available through a regularly scheduled program of consultations with other subspecialists, including orthopedic surgeons, physiatrists and dermatologists. Referrals for chronic pain management are also offered.