Usama Ahmed Ali, MD, PHD

Dr. Schrope joined the faculty of the Department of Surgery in July of 2001 as a Clinical instructor after completing her residency with NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. She is currently a Professor of Clinical Surgery. She graduated with an M.D. degree from Temple University in 1996. Prior to joining the profession of medicine, she completed a Ph. D. in Biomedical Engineering at Drexel University in 1992, and won numerous federal grants as principle investigator for research work in medical ultrasound. She is the author of numerous publications in the fields of bariatric surgery, medical ultrasound and GI surgery. She is the sole editor of a new textbook on Surgical and Interventional Ultrasound. Her research interests include novel applications of autologous pancreatic islet cell transplantation, pancreatic cysts and pancreatitis. She also employs minimally invasive surgical techniques for benign and malignant conditions of the stomach. Dr. Schrope is an active member of the American College of Surgeons, the American HepatoPancreaticoBiliary Association, and Society of Surgery of the Alimentary Tract. She is currently serving as Regional Medical Director of the Southern New York chapter of the National Pancreas Foundation.

Dr. Mark E. Ginsburg is an associate Professor of Surgery at Columbia University Medical Center and surgical director of the Diaphragm Program and the Lung Volume Reduction program. Dr. Ginsburg received his MD from Tufts University School of Medicine in 1980, completed his General Surgery residency in 1985 and Thoracic and Cardiovascular Residency in 1987 both at the University of Rochester Medical Center. He is renown for his surgical work in patients with disorders of the Diaphragm, and is one of few surgeons in the country to perform pacing of the diaphragm. Dr. Ginsburg has lectured and published extensively on this subject, and recently addressed the 95th AATS Annual Meeting in 2015, presenting ten-year data on lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS). The results, based primarily on surgical experience in the Division of Thoracic Surgery at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia, showed durable benefits that should promote wider adoption of LVRS in patients with severe emphysema. Dr. Ginsburg has been an invited speaker and principal and co-investigator of numerous clinical trials, author of numerous publications in renown journals such as the Journal of The American College of Cardiology, Annals of Thoracic Surgery, and the Journal of Heart and Lung Transplant, among many others, including co-author of the book, Lung Volume Reduction Surgery published by Humana Press. He’s also currently on the department of surgery QA committee and is a member of numerous professional societies including, the American College of Surgeons, New York State Medical Society, New York Society of Thoracic Surgeons, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons and the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation.

Dr. Esther Kim is an Assistant Professor of Dermatology and Associate Program Director of the Dermatology Residency Program at Columbia University Medical Center. Dr. Kim received her undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania and her medical degree from the University of Central Florida. She completed her Transitional Year internship at the University of Central Florida, Osceola Regional Medical Center and completed her Dermatology residency at the University of Chicago where she was selected as Chief Resident.Dr. Kim is an active member of the American Academy of Dermatology and the Women’s Dermatologic Society. She has authored numerous publications and presented research at national and local conferences. She has a strong interest in medical dermatology and graduate medical education. Dr. Kim is committed to providing evidence-based care and the utmost compassion for her patients of all backgrounds.