Newly recruited Assistant Professor of Medicine, Dr. Yeon Lee has been named the first Rosanne H. Silbermann Foundation Scholar in Aging. Dr. Lee will direct a new hospital-based Geriatric Medicine Consultation Service intended to bring the art and science of geriatric medicine to inpatients and older adults on other services. In the process, Dr. Lee hopes not only to provide direct care to older people in need of her expertise, but also to teach residents the fundamentals of geriatrics. "Every consultation is an opportunity not only to provide care, but also a 'teachable moment' in which I can try to influence an aspiring surgeon or other specialist to be a bit more 'elder friendly,'" says Dr. Lee. "Over the course of a career, these young physicians will care for thousands of older people, so that my potential ability to make an impact is huge." Dr. Lee will also maintain a panel of primary care patients at the Wright Center (http://www.cornellaging.org/patient/wright.html), so that discharged patients can be followed to prevent re-hospitalization and to encourage continuity of care.

A native of Queens, Dr. Lee attended Hunter High School in New York City and was an undergraduate at Brown University before attending medical school at SUNY Stony Brook and completing a rigorous medical residency at Temple University in Philadelphia. She completed Geriatric Medicine Fellowship training at Weill Cornell (http://www.cornellaging.org/medical/fellowship.html). "Yeon was one of the finest fellows ever to graduate from our program," said Dr. Barrie Raik, Geriatric Medicine Fellowship Director. "She was highly sought after and we are extremely lucky to have recruited her."

The Silbermann family have been ardent supporters of Weill Medical College of Cornell University. "We've been so impressed with the mission and skill of Weill Cornell geriatricians," said Joachim Silbermann," and wanted to make sure that all hospitalized older people have access to the care that we've experienced." New York Presbyterian Hospital has provided additional support for the Geriatric Medicine Consultation Service through its Geriatrics Service Line.

Physicians wishing geriatric medical consultation for their hospitalized patients can call the Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology at (212) 746-1729 and ask for the fellow on call.