This letter - from 200+ people who have trained and worked at Mount Sinai - is adapted from and is in solidarity with a student-led letter to the Mount Sinai Board of Trustees. We are inspired by their leadership, are appreciative of their permission to adapt their letter, and are committed to working together to improve the Mount Sinai community.

Click here to sign this letter, which will be delivered to the Mount Sinai Board of Trustees.

May 8, 2019

To the Mount Sinai Board of Trustees:

Misogyny, discrimination, and bullying are never acceptable in interpersonal and professional settings. As alumni and people who have worked at Mount Sinai, we are deeply disturbed by the allegations of such behavior. We believe that Mount Sinai’s leadership must immediately take steps to investigate these allegations, prevent further perpetuation of an abusive culture that enables these types of behaviors to occur, and empower those who seek justice.

We are compelled to speak now upon learning of the shocking acts of discrimination based upon gender, age, religion, and race as described in the lawsuit filed on April 26, 2019 by former and current employees of Mount Sinai. The lawsuit details how the strong female leaders of the Arnhold Institute of Global Health were systematically denigrated, intimidated, and demeaned to the point of being forced out of the institution. Such actions include discriminatory pay reductions, intimidation tactics that produced a hostile working environment, and the imposition of a culture of silence. Furthermore, these abuses appear to have occurred with the administration’s knowledge, including Dr. Dennis Charney, Dean of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and the Human Resources Office.

We stand in solidarity with the group of predominantly women who are courageously pursuing justice: Dr. Holly Atkinson, Dr. Natasha Anushri Anandaraja, Dr. Stella Safo, Mary Caliendo, Humale Khan, Geraldine Llames, Amanda Misiti, and Emilie Bruzelius. In bringing these traumas to the public forum, they risk exposing themselves to further harm in their personal and professional lives. However, they seek justice not only for themselves but also to improve conditions such that marginalized people at Mount Sinai can learn, labor, and lead in a safe environment.

We admire the commitment of these plaintiffs to empowering medical students, residents, and fellows through direct mentorship and building our curriculum on human rights and health justice. Perhaps most impressively, they established many of these curricula and programs in the face of deep adversity and workplace abuses. Many of us are alumni of these programs, and are better clinicians, researchers, and advocates because of the opportunities we had to learn from and partner with these leaders. Their unwavering stand in support of human rights and equity provides an example of how we can build better institutions that reflect a more diverse, inclusive, and humane future of medicine. We are deeply saddened that future students, residents, and fellows will not have the opportunity to learn from these women who were intimidated to the point of resignation; it is a true disservice to the educational mission of Sinai and to the global health community.

As alumni and people who have worked at Mount Sinai, we pride ourselves on our commitment to equity and social justice. It is vital that we apply this commitment within the institution which we have supported with countless hours spent caring for patients, educating students and trainees, and performing important research. We therefore call on Mount Sinai leadership to live up to their promise, as outlined in the Faculty Hippocratic Oath, to have the “courage to stand up for the oppressed and vulnerable and against prejudice and racism in all that we do.”

In this spirit, we call on the Mount Sinai Board of Trustees to immediately:

Investigate these claims in a more transparent and open process than has occurred to date, including investigation into the culture of harassment perpetuated by school leadership.

Take decisive action to correct these issues and hold appropriate parties responsible. As investigations proceed, Dr. Prabhjot Singh and Bruno Silva cannot be allowed to remain in their roles and continue to represent our institution. As Dean of the school, Dr. Dennis Charney is responsible for enforcing a zero-tolerance policy against harassment and should be held accountable if he is found to have played a role in allowing these events to occur, including perpetuating a culture of discrimination.

Commit to building a culture at Mount Sinai where misogyny, discrimination, and bullying are unacceptable, using the recommendations put forth by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to address and prevent the harassment of women in the workplace.

Conduct a review across the health system that seeks to a) identify and safely allow for reporting of other unacceptable abusive behavior and b) ensure that Human Resources, Ombuds Office, the Department of Labor, and managers have appropriate processes for investigative and corrective actions. These steps are essential as existing mechanisms have failed individuals in this case and in others. We know other cases exist from our own experiences, and because this suit has prompted private and public discussions of mistreatment and discrimination elsewhere within the Mount Sinai Health System. This issue unfortunately appears to be prevalent and unaddressed.

Become a signatory organization to Time’s Up Healthcare, a national organization aiming to end bias, harassment, and discrimination in the workplace.

We sign this letter because we care deeply about the institution in which we have trained or worked, and specifically for our mentors, educators, and co-workers. We are outraged by their mistreatment and the culture of abuse that has flourished at Mount Sinai. We believe in the work these women have dedicated themselves to in the pursuit of health and human rights in our own communities and around the world. More broadly, we believe in and trust women, and stand behind recent overdue calls to address sexual violence in academic global health.

In closing, please know that we are paying attention to how the Board of Trustees responds in this moment. When we are asked what we think of Mount Sinai, we will remember your response. When we are asked if someone should work or train at Mount Sinai, we will remember your response. When we are asked to be research collaborators, we will remember your response. When we are asked to donate, we will remember your response. We will notice whether the Board takes necessary steps forward, finds superficial action sufficient, or fails to act at all. This is a crossroads moment for Mount Sinai, especially in the wake of our institution’s epidemic of trainee suicide and sexual assaults perpetrated by a faculty member. We must be better for our patients, for ourselves, and for society, and we hopefully await your response as the Board of Trustees.

Click here to sign this letter, which will be delivered to the Mount Sinai Board of Trustees.

Andrew Goldstein, MD ‘12

Charlotte Austin, MD ‘18

Agnes Norbury, Postdoctoral Research Fellow 2018 — present

Kristin Swedish, MD ’07, MPH ’11, General Preventive Medicine residency ‘11

Krupa Harishankar, MD ’17, ObGyn Resident ‘21

Daniel Mindlin, MD ‘12

Celine Sparrow, MD ‘14

Kirsten Hawkins, MD, MPH, Pediatric Residency ‘03

Alicia Floyd, MD ‘11

Evan Pulvers, MD ‘15

Ebiere Okah, MD ‘17

Rebecca L LePage MD, Pediatrics Residency ‘05

Jean Yuan, Pediatrics Residency ‘02

Kathryn Mimno MD, MPH, Global Health Teaching Fellowship ‘14

Alexander Peters, MD ‘15

Deborah Steinbaum MPH ’05, Pediatrics Residency ’02, Pediatric Primary Care Research Fellowship ’05, Attending Physician in General Pediatrics and Child Abuse Pediatrics 2005 - 2009

Betsy Clachko, MD, Pediatrics Residency ‘07

Marissa Caan, MD ‘18

N. Seth Trueger MD, MPH, FACEP, Emergency Medicine Residency ’12, Emergency Medicine Chief Resident ‘12

Melissa Kennedy MD, Pediatric Residency ’07, Chief Resident ’08

Margaret Chalson MD, Pediatrics Residency ‘05

Liz Kah, MD ‘11

Gerri Baer MD, Pediatric Residency ’02, Pediatrics Chief Resident ‘03

Rebecca Pellett Madan, MD, MS, Pediatrics Residency ’04, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Fellowship ‘07

Melissa Langhan, Pediatrics Residency ‘03

Amanda Downey, MD ‘15

Susan Laubach MD, Pediatrics Residency ‘05

Samuel Holzman, MD ‘12

Tiffany Chao, MD ’09, MPH ‘07

Jacqueline Sergie (fka Kamrath), MD ‘10

Aneesh Nandam, MD ‘17

Maureen Miller, MD MPH, Research Assistant in the Department of Preventive Medicine ’08 - ’10

Abby Wellington MD, Pediatrics Residency ‘10

Robin Abramowicz MD, Pediatrics Residency ’03, Neonatology Fellowship ’06

Kamini Doobay, MD ’17, MS ’17

Christie Lech, MD ’15, MHPE ’18, EM Residency ’15, EM Chief Resident ‘15

Toni Martello, MD ‘12

Anita Sen, Pediatric Residency ‘01

Marie Anne O’Donnell, Ph.D., Scientist 2003–2015

Diane Olavarria, MBA, CDI Specialist in CDQI Department 2017

Man Piu Wong, MD ‘11

Christina M. Cruz, MD, Associate Program Director for Ambulatory Care, Mount Sinai Beth Israel Internal Medicine Residency Program 2017 — Present

Amanda Pillsbury Hollenback, ASM Coordinator 2008–2010

Julie Romero, MD ’09, OBGYN Residency ’13, Maternal Fetal Medicine Attending 2016–2018

Manel Silva, MD, MPH, Adolescent Medicine Fellowship ‘09

Rebecca Voaklander, MD ’14, MSBI IM Residency ’17, MSBI IM Chief Resident 2017–2018

Ana Velazquez MD MSc, MSBI Internal Medicine Residency ’17, MSB Internal Medicine Chief Resident 2017–2018

Evan Blank, MD ’15, Internal Medicine Residency ‘18

Kate Gibbs Peds Residency ’04, NICU fellowship ’07, Faculty 2007–2017

Andrew Jensen, MD ‘14

Varun Kejriwal Goel, MD ‘17

Erika Levi MD ’07 MPH

Amalia Kane, MD ‘17

Katharine Peterson MD ‘13

Ian Kwok, MD ’17, Internal Medicine Resident ‘20

Steve Berns, MD ’07, IM residency ’10, HPM Fellowship ’11, Attending 2012–2017

Stephen Merjavy MD ‘12

Chloe Ciccariello, MD ‘15

S. Andrew McCullough, MD ’12, Cardiology fellow ‘15-‘18, Chief Cardiology Fellow ‘17–18

Nikhil Menon, MD ‘16

Nick Meo, MD ‘11

Susan Samuels, MD, Pediatrics/Psychiatry/Child&Adolescent Psychiatry Residency ’08, Attending in Psychiatry/Child&Adolescent Psychiatry 2008–2012

Mariam Khokhar, CDIS at CDQI Department 2017

Jennifer N Petras MD, ’01, Triple Board Residency ’06, Attending Physician Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 2006–2008

Ruyan Rahnama, MD ‘16

Lily Ostrer, MD ‘18

Nicole Mavrides, MD, Triple Board Residency (pediatrics, adult and child psychiatry) ’10, Psychiatry Attending 2010–2011

George Alba, MD ‘11

Helen Zhou, Clinical Research Assistant 2016–2018

Alexis Karlin, MD ‘17

Faith Goronga, MD ‘18

Emily Wessler MD; Pediatric Residency ’02, Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship ‘05

Colin Prensky, MD ‘12

Carolina Miranda, MD ‘17

Jean Kim MD, Psychiatry Residency ’04, Attending 2004–2006

Andrea Edwards, MD ‘11

Geneviève Galarneau, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow 2014–2017

Ann Marie Beddoe MD MPH Director Global Women’s Health

Hilary Wolf, Pediatrics Residency ‘10

Henry Rascoff, MD Pediatrics Residency ‘04

Rachel Stark, MD, MPH, Internal Medicine Residency ‘05, General Internal Medicine Fellowship ‘07, MPH ‘07

Leslie Hsiung, MD, Family Medicine residency ’12, Attending Physician 2012–2014

Elizabeth Gromet, MD ‘18

Suzanne Korn, MD ’01, Pediatric Residency ’04, Pediatric Chief Resident ‘05

Sonia Lazreg, staff at the Clinical Education Initiative in the Institute for Advanced Medicine

Maria Charina Tan Beslin, MD Pediatric ID ‘06

Sudha Rani Kailas, MD, PhD, Triple Board Program ‘11

Eli Sprecher MD ’11 MPP

Beth Hribar, Program Director, 2013–2016

David Kessler MD ’04; Pediatrics Residency ’10; Inaugural Global Health Resident 2009

Anna Goldman MD ‘12

Linda Siegel, MD Pediatric Critical Care Attending 1996–2010

Amreen Rahman MD

Gracie Himmelstein

Azalea Kim MD ’14

Niamh Linehan, PA-C MSH OB/GYN Ambulatory Clinic

Lori Zbar, MD ’05, Pediatric Residency ’08, Attending in Pediatrics and Medical Education

A. Ana Beesen, MD ‘09

John Rozehnal MD ’17, MS ‘17

Joseph Truglio, MD MPH, Chief Resident Internal Medicine and Pediatrics 2011, Program Director, Internal Medicine and Pediatrics Residency 2018-Present

Arielle L Langer, MD MPH Hematology/Oncology Fellow ‘19

Melike Harfouche, MD ‘13

Lucy Schulson MD ‘18

Ine Leus, MD MPH, Internal Medicine and Pediatrics Chief Resident ’10, Clinical Instructor 10–11

Kimberly Bloom-Feshbach, MD ‘14

Jiana Menendez, MD ‘16

Marie Oliva Hennelly, MD ‘15

Janine Rethy, MD ’00, MPH ’06, Pediatrics Residency ’03, General Preventive Medicine ‘06,

Nishant Goyal, MD ‘12

Rennie Negron, MPH ’09 — Research Project Manager ‘09-’14

Jackie Hsieh, MD ‘14

Zoe Kiefer, MD ‘11

Joanne Marolda Hojsak, MD ’85, Pediatrics Residency and Chief Resident ’89, Pediatric Critical Care Attending ’93 — present

Carolina Bernabe MD ’16 Internal Medicine Residency

April Johnson Castillo, MD ‘13

Alexa M. Mieses, MD ’16 MPH ‘16

Rebecca Bak MD ’11 MPH ‘11

Stephen Supoyo, MD ‘18

Elizabeth Ruel Matern, MD Pediatrics/Psychiatry/Child & Adolescent Psychiatry combined residency ‘09

Mai-Khanh Bui-Duy, MD ‘10

Dena Reiter MD, EM residency ‘12

Allison Chatalbash, MD Internal Medicine Residency ‘12

Meredith Wepner Grossman, MD ’06, Pediatrics Residency and Chief Resident ’10, Pediatric Attending 2010 — Present

Kristen Munnelly, staff at Corporate Office, 2013-present

Molly Bilick, LCSW, Adolescent Health Center Health Educator/Rape Crisis Outreach Coordinator 2011–2013

Sharon M. Edwards, MD Adolescent Medicine Fellowship ’92, Pediatric Attending 1993-Present

Jacqueline Johnson

Jessica Kremen, MD ‘12

Ijah Mondesire-Crump, MD ‘11

William B. Jordan, MD, MPH ’09, Preventive Medicine Residency ‘09

Jonathan Eisen, MD ‘15

Joshua Oppenheimer MD ‘16

Alexa Gips, MD ‘15

Ariana Witkin, MD ‘15

Elizabeth Zhu, MD ‘15

Victor Galson, MD ‘15

Erin Li, MD ‘16

Isabella Morton, MD ‘16

William C. Chen, MD ‘15

David Fogelman, MD ‘09

Sonia Jarrett, MD ‘16

Hayley Teich, MD, Pediatric Global Health Resident ’10

Salina Bakshi, MD ‘15

Ine Leus, MD MPH, Internal Medicine and Pediatrics Chief Resident ’10, Clinical Instructor 2010–2011

Jessica Cohen MD ’09, Internal Medicine Residency ‘12

Rebecca Blank MD ’16, PhD

Alina Fomovska, MD ‘15

Anjali Gupta, MD ’95, IM residency ’99, Attending in Internal Medicine Asscociates 2013–2015

Anne Stey MD ’09, General Surgery ‘16

Rachael Bedard, MD ’10; Geri-Pall Care fellowship ‘16

Michael Posencheg, M.D., Pediatric Residency ‘02

Jonathan Giftos, MD ‘12

Susanna O’Kula, MD ‘15

Ben Shanker, MD ‘11

Temitope Awosogba, MD ‘14

Munazza Javid MPH ‘14

Oscar A. Marcilla, MD ’94, MSBIB Associate Director Emergency Medicine 2014–2015

Prasad Shirvalkar MD, PHD ‘12

Stephanie Ellis, MD ‘17

Andrew Pearson, MD, Triple Board Residency ’05

Aradhana Srinagesh MPH ‘17

Jessica Taylor, MD ‘12

Fareedat Oluyadi

Donna Jin, MD ‘18

Andrew Chow, PhD ’12, MD ’14, Internal Medicine Residency ‘16

Anne Armstrong Fallon MD ‘14

Claire Lewis, MD ‘15

Brian Nicholas, MD ‘09

Yue Li, MD ‘11

Jarone Lee, MD ‘07

Rebekah Diamond, MD ‘15

Sumintra Wood, MD ’13, Emergency Medicine Residency ‘17

Sharmila Shetty, MD ‘96

Alexander Gomez, MD ‘17

Taryn Baer-Shalev MD MPH ’08 Pediatrics Residency ’06, Preventive Medicine Residency ‘08

Talia H. Swartz, MD ’08, PhD ’06, Internal Medicine Resident ’10, Infectious Diseases Fellow ’13, ID Attending 2013 — Present

Caroline Cromwell MD, Assistant Professor

Roberto Posada MD, Faculty Pediatrics and Medical Education, 2001-present

Janeen Marshall, MD, Internal Medicine Residency ’15, Geriatrics Fellowship ’16, Geri Pallcare Attending 2016-present

Alicia Hurtado, MD ‘05

Victoria Cespedes, Emergency Medicine Residency ‘04

Rosanne M Leipzig MD, PhD Vice Chair, Education, Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, 1997- present

Sar Medoff, MD ‘15

Karen Sauvigne, MA, Former Director of Education, Geri and Pall Care

A. Yasmine Kirkorian MD ‘09

Gabriel Silversmith, MD, MS, Department of General Internal Medicine Attending 2015–2017

Benjamin Chadwick, Ph.D. ‘17

Rana Elkholi, MS’09, PhD ‘16

Aarti Patil, MD ‘11

Daniela Iribarne, Internal Medicine Residency ‘17

Sarah Levy, MD ’18, Neurology Residency ‘22

Denise Gaughan, SD

Daniel Mays, MD, MSc, Internal Medicine Residency ‘19

Alexandra Leader, MD ’10, MPH, ISMMS Pediatric Residency ’13, Chief Residency ’14; volunteer lecturer 2014-present

Erika Bauml, MD ’07, Pediatric Resident ’10, Pediatric Chief Resident 2010–2011

Jessica (Kobil) Batista, MD ’07, MPH ‘07

Crissaris Sarnelli, MD, Family Medicine Physician, Ryan Health Center

Lucille Torres-Deas, MD ‘11

Les James, MD ‘18

David Chiang, MD ’18, PhD ‘16

Aryeh Stock, MD ‘18

Sheila Antony, MD ’12, MHCDS

David Dayan-Rosenman, MD, Addiction Medicine Fellowship ‘15

Caitlin Hansen MD, Pediatrics Residency ‘12

Alex Rubinsteyn, PhD, Instructor, Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences

Wilhelm Kackebart MD ‘11

Jessica Freedman, MD, Emergency Medicine Faculty and Associate Program Director 1999–2007

Emily (Thomas) Slopnick, MD ‘12

John Chiosi, MD ‘15

Robert Accordino, MD ’11, Pediatrics Internship ‘12

David Luo, MD ‘13

Fiona Danaher, MD ’12, MPH ‘12

Masha Slavin, MD ‘16

Meghana Karande, MD PMR ’04, Pain Medicine ‘05

Shannon McNamara, MD, Emergency Medicine Simulation Fellowship ’15, EM attending 2015–2018

Alice Chang, MD ‘08

Suzanne Bentley MD, MPH ’11, EM Residency ’11, Faculty 2011 — Present

Julie Cheung, senior research associate 2014–2017

Rodney Canete, MD

Margee Louisias MD, MPH, Internal Medicine-Pediatrics residency ‘12

Tracy Kwon, RN

Erin Hogan, RN

PJ Maglione, MD, PhD, internal medicine residency ’11, allergy/immunology fellowship ’14, clinical immunology attending 2014–2019

Adam Schwartz, MD ‘12

Benjamin Schnapp, MD MEd, Emergency Medicine ‘15

Stephanie Seremetis MD, Internal Medicine Resident ’81; Hematology Fellow ’84; on faculty last title Associate Professor of Medicine and Geriatrics, through 2002. Director of Women’s Health Program 1994–2002; Director of Hemophilia omprehensive Treatment Center 1993–2002.

Michelle Y. O’Connor, MD ‘18

Tess Veuthey, Associate Researcher II 2010–2012

Lauren Stossel, MD ‘12

Uma Tadepalli, MD ‘13

Lilliana Aponte-Yap, MD ’04, Surgery Prelim ’05, Psychiatry Residency ’09, MSBI Attending 2018–19

James Yoon, MD ‘17

Rachel J Bystritsky, MD ‘12

Aaron Stern, MD ‘18

Ann Crawford-Roberts, MD ‘18

Click here to sign this letter, which will be delivered to the Mount Sinai Board of Trustees.