For me, NYU Grossman School of Medicine is more than an alma mater—it’s family, a bridge to the greater New York community, and a network of amazing mentors, friends, and colleagues who continue to inspire me.
NYU has always been a part of my life.
My mother, Dr. Cheryl S. Kaufmann, MD ’72, gave birth to me at the NYU hospital while she was an intern there in ophthalmology, and years later, I followed in my mom’s footsteps and attended the school myself. When I began medical school at NYU, I became engaged in my studies in a way I had never experienced before. Sitting in the front row, I was enthralled and discovered a passion for medicine.
Our professors were extremely dedicated to helping us prepare for our careers.
I met my husband, Dr. James Hale, in anatomy lab in med school, and we once missed a lecture to attend my grandmother’s birthday party in Florida. Having never been absent from a class, we were upset to miss just one day with the professors and classmates whom we valued so much.
When we returned to New York, our professor, Bill Slater, MD, literally took us to a diner across from Bellevue Hospital and repeated the entire lecture for us. That kind of dedication defined my education. There were so many incredible clinicians teaching our courses, and I learned so much from them and the way they understand medicine and communicate with patients.
Learning at Bellevue was a one-of-a-kind experience: the diversity of patients and the complexity of cases provided real-world medical challenges that shaped my training and truly prepared me to be a doctor. That experience carried me into my dermatology residency and my fellowship in Mohs micrographic surgery and lasers at NYU as well.
The school has remained part of my DNA throughout my career.
After training, I became a full-time faculty member before joining a big group private practice and eventually opened CompleteSkinMD in Manhattan with my sister Dr. Julie K. Karen, also an NYU-trained dermatologist. Teaching NYU residents remains a passion of mine, and receiving a teaching award last year was especially meaningful after being part of this community for so long.
It was an honor when Anthony Grieco, MD, asked me to serve as alumni president.
Last year we connected at my class’s 25th reunion, which was also his retirement celebration. The class of ’98 really showed up and stayed on the dance floor until the event was over.
We had so much fun celebrating him at the reunion, and soon after he offered me the role. I could never say no to Dr. Grieco!
Like so many people at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, Dr. Grieco is an enduring role model for me. He is among the most brilliant clinicians I have ever known. I’ll never forget my internship, when a patient with a complex electrolyte imbalance left everyone stumped. Dr. Grieco left a dinner party, arrived at the hospital close to midnight still in his suit, and swiftly diagnosed the problem and saved the patient’s life.
As alumni president, I see myself as a connector. I really just love people.
I’ve been so fortunate to know so many world-class practitioners, feel a part of the best hospital system in the world, and be able to recommend doctors to friends and their family here in New York or recommend alumni based somewhere else.
Being a physician and a part of NYU Grossman School of Medicine is the perfect extension of my family-oriented way of life.
My sister and I both specialize in the detection and treatment of skin cancer and sun damage and are active in the Skin Cancer Foundation, offering free public skin cancer screenings as part of our commitment to prevention and education
Every day I’m inspired by my best friend and fellow alumna, Dr. Amy Rosenblatt Solomon, who passed away at age 38.
NYUGSOM Graduation, May 1998: Elizabeth K. Hale, MD; Harris B. Solomon, MD (’97); Amy Rosenblatt Solomon, MD; James J. Hale, MD
We began medical school together, and she became a beloved pediatrician. Her sudden passing left three young children and changed my perspective on life forever. Amy taught me the importance of gratitude, and I carry her spirit with me in everything I do. I’m still super close with Amy’s husband, Dr. Harrison Solomon, who is also an NYU alum. We literally went on their honeymoon with them, and we had all of our kids around the same time. All three of my kids were, like me, born at NYU.
After Amy’s death, I realized how grateful I am to have the privilege of being a mother and a busy, hard-working physician.
I really practice gratitude now and cherish my relationships. Every 4th of July, my family has Amy’s parents, kids, brothers, and nephews all to our home.
Amy’s influence, along with the extraordinary relationships I’ve built through NYU, continues to shape my life. Being part of the NYU Grossman School of Medicine community is not just my history, it is my ongoing inspiration and purpose.