Gabriella Gomes Pereira
Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University
Fellowship Location: Westchester Medical Center || Fellowship Dates: May 30, 2022 – July 22, 2022
This summer I was placed at Westchester Medical Center in the legal department. I had the privilege of working alongside General Counsels. During this fellowship I was able to assist several of the attorneys as well as the Labor Relations Specialist in matters pertaining to employment law or insurance regulatory practices and policies. I was tasked with several research projects that involved laws and regulations around Medicare reimbursements with service types like EMG procedures and telehealth services. In relation to the employee workforce, I led and assisted in internal investigations collaboratively with the Office of Corporate Compliance. Throughout the fellowship I was able to write suspension, termination, and FMLA/leave notices to employees, which were results from internal investigations. In working with Corporate Compliance, I focused on the policies and regulations concerning privacy and security; among them were the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 regulatory requirements and policies regarding unauthorized disclosures and breach notifications.
Simultaneously, I assisted in drafting settlement agreements, writing stipulations, and answering EEOC requests for information. I was able to serve on the Health Law and Policy Committee and the Workplace Safety Taskforce. These opportunities allowed me to discover different pathways within the legal healthcare system. It was particularly interesting to see the connection between operational practices and procedures and the law. I was exposed to and became knowledgeable of regulatory laws that govern healthcare professionals and healthcare institutions simply by attending these committees’ meetings.
This upcoming fall semester I am taking a course entitled “Health Law in America.” The knowledge I gained from my experiences at Westchester Medical Center will help me in my studies this semester. Furthermore, I have gained a deeper understanding of the laws and regulations that govern healthcare institutions and healthcare professionals. The fellowship opportunity has confirmed my interests in health law particularly in access to affordable health care. This fellowship has allowed me to gain knowledge and experience regarding health law topics while working alongside esteemed health care professionals and attorneys. I am grateful to have had this opportunity and will continue to educate myself in health law. I plan to support and work with the Health Law Section in their commitments to increase diversity in the health law field.
Jacinda E. Thermidor
St. John’s University School of Law
Michael O. Fraser, MPH
St. John’s University School of Law
Myra Hyder
New York University School of Law
Zoila Sanchez, MPH
J.D. Candidate, 2020
Ms. Sanchez is a second-year student at the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University and a Justice Fellow at the Freedman Institute.
“As the New York State Bar Association’s 2019 Diversity Health Law Fellow, I am most excited to have an opportunity that will equip me to become a Health Law Attorney, and position me to make meaningful contributions in the health care field.” – Zoila Sanchez
Abisha Vijayashanthar
SUNY Buffalo
Abisha Vijayashanthar, 2018 NYSBA Health Law Fellow, just completed her Health Law Fellowship in the legal department of the Mount Sinai Health System. Special thanks go out to Beth Essig, General Counsel and Debi Korzenik, Esq. of the Mount Sinai Health System for sponsoring Ms. Vijayashanthar and for their ongoing support of the Fellowship which provides challenging and rewarding opportunities for law students interested in health law.
Abisha is currently a JD/MPH law student at Buffalo School of Law and SUNY at Buffalo School of Public Health. Upon being selected for the Fellowship this summer, Ms. Vijayahanthar stated the following,
“I aim to pursue a career which will allow me to create and advocate for policy change within the public health field. I wish to facilitate the policy creation and advocacy of medical and public health practices that improve quality of care delivered, reduce health disparities and inequities, and protect healthcare workers. I had first come across this fellowship during orientation week and I knew then that this was where I wanted to start my legal experience. I am now interning at the legal department at Mt. Sinai with a wonderful team of incredibly bright attorneys who have already become so invested in my success. Thank you all for selecting me for this wonderful opportunity. I am grateful for all the opportunities that you and this fellowship have already allowed me to pursue and will continue to provide. The skills and knowledge that I gain here will aid in my success in the future.”
Shandy Abraham
St. John’s University School of Law
Lillian Mosley
Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University
Fellowship Location: Catholic Health Services of Long Island (CHSLI)
Amira Yeiser
Fordham University School of Law
As a first-year student at Fordham Law School, I am genuinely overjoyed to have been chosen to participate in the 2016 Diversity Summer Fellowship in Health Law. It is with great regard that I learned about the fellowship from my wonderful mentor, Ms. Lisa Hayes, and this is truly an amazing opportunity. Placement with NYU Langone Medical Center will allow me to cultivate my earnest desire to become a lawyer in the healthcare industry, and I feel confident that I will contribute significantly to the work of the office while strengthening the skills I’ll need for a career in health law. This fellowship will allow me to provide my service, time, and dedication to a career that helps others in need and sustains one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing industries. It is immeasurably wonderful because I will gain real-world experience, and hopefully one day increase the diversity of the attorneys involved in health law. I will forge relationships that will enable me to grow as a person and increase and expand my professional network. The New York University Langone Medical Center is an extremely reputable organization located in the heart of the city, and sincerely has a medical program that is among the best. I am eternally grateful to all of the people who have helped me achieve this accomplishment, and to all of the people affiliated with the New York Bar Association’s Health Law Section who have helped to create and develop this fellowship.
Omar Mustafa
Brooklyn Law School
Fellowship Location: Montefiore Medical Center
“I am honored to accept the 2016 Diversity Summer Fellowship in Health Law with the New York Bar Foundation. The New York State Bar Associations commitment to increasing representation of lawyers and students from a diverse range of backgrounds in health law is not only admirable but vital to the field of law. I am humbled to take part in such a program and hope to contribute to the field of health law, all the while growing and learning from this invaluable experience. I look forward to being placed at Montefiore Medical Center this summer and have the opportunity to be exposed to the inner workings of the health law community.”
Justine Park
Yeshiva University Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law
Fellowship Location: Montefiore Medical Center
“I am thrilled to be a part of the summer fellowship in Health Law offered by the New York State Bar Association not only in furtherance of my interest in Health Law, but also to have the opportunity to work with experienced health law professionals and attorneys. The program offers the opportunity gain experiences in the sector and understand the inner workings and procedures that go into the process.”
Brian Miguel Salazar
Yeshiva University Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law
Fellowship Location: Mt Sinai Medical Center
“I am very honored and humbled to accept the 2015 New York Bar Foundation Diversity Fellowship and to be the first rising second-year law student to work with the Mount Sinai Medical Center. It is an exciting opportunity to learn from Mount Sinai’s Legal Department, following their consolidation with Continuum Health Partners. I look forward to being part of a relatively new department during a time of exciting transition and change. I was very impressed by the passion and excitement conveyed by the Mount Sinai’s attorneys during my initial visit. Although the position will undoubtedly require hard work and dedication, I am confident that the upcoming summer a time of great learning and growth. The position will afford me the opportunity to be exposed to a wide variety of concentrations and assignments, including contracts, real estate, and litigation. Once again, I am truly grateful to the New York Bar Foundation for allowing me the opportunity to work with such a prestigious and impactful organization.”
Mital Patel
Fordham University
Mital Patel is a first year law student at Fordham University. She has a Masters in Health Administration and has participated in international internship service programs in Ecuador, Mambai, India and Palau National Hospital.
Alysha Sabarwal
Brooklyn Law School
Fellowship Location: New York University Medical Center
Alysha Sabarwal is a second year law student at Brooklyn Law School and is a Dean’s Merit Scholarship recipient. She is a graduate of Rutger’s University in Political Science and Labor Studies and this past semester was a Legal Health Intern at the New York Legal Assistance Group.Both Mital Patel and Alysha Sabarwal will be placed at New York University Medical Center this summer.