History of Hofstra University, North Shore-LIJ Health System & the School of Medicine
Hofstra University and North Shore-LIJ Health System are partners in the establishment and operation of the Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine. The School of Medicine is built upon the strong clinical and graduate medical education programs of the Health System and the robust research and academic programs of Hofstra University and the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research at North Shore-LIJ Health System. A brief history of each of the partners and of the School’s development is included below.
History of Hofstra University and the History of the North Shore-LIJ Health System
History of Hofstra University
History of NSLIJ
Development of the Medical School:
In 2006, the Association of American Medical Colleges, citing population increases, a doubling between 2000 and 2030 of the number of citizens over the age of 65, and an aging physician workforce, recommended that medical school enrollment be increased by 30 percent by 2015. By this time, the University and the Health System each had reached a rapid-growth stage of development at which collaborating to develop a nationally renowned medical school became a highly attractive and advantageous endeavor. Aligned in their visions for their institutions, Hofstra University President Stuart Rabinowitz and North Shore-LIJ Health System President/CEO Michael Dowling began to discuss the advantages of collaborating to create an innovative school of medicine.
The two institutions established the Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine to reflect the true partnership between the two entities, which was initially referred to as the Hofstra University School of Medicine in partnership with North Shore-LIJ Health System. This unique partnership brought together two outstanding institutions, ensuring that the medical school, from the outset, would have excellent clinical training opportunities, research opportunities, and academic infrastructure. Hofstra, with its distinguished schools of law, business, liberal arts and sciences, communication, education, and health and human services, provides its accomplished faculty, several of whom hold joint appointments in the medical school and in another school in the University, and an existing admissions and student services infrastructure, as well as the campus on which the medical education building is located. The Health System provides a first-class group of hospitals, healthcare facilities, and research institutions, and some of the nation’s most respected physicians and researchers.
On March 27, 2008, with the approval of their respective boards, Hofstra University and North Shore-LIJ Health System entered into a formal agreement that established the School of Medicine, the first allopathic medical school in Nassau County and the first new medical school in the New York metropolitan area in more than 35 years. After a formal search, Dr. Lawrence Smith, nationally recognized for his leadership in medicine and medical education, was appointed as Founding Dean of the School of Medicine. Dr. Smith had served as the Chief Medical Officer of the North Shore-LIJ Health System since September 1, 2006, and has continued, as Dean, in the position of Physician-in-Chief and Executive Vice President. By holding a leadership role in both the University and the Health System, Dr. Smith facilitates a unified approach to creating a successful partnership, providing innovative leadership, and ensuring the seamless integration of classroom and clinical experiences
In June 2010, the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) granted Preliminary Accreditation to the School of Medicine. Also, in June 2010, the School of Medicine officially opened its initial building and on August 1, 2011, the School welcomed its inaugural class. In 2013, the School of Medicine will break ground on the expansion of the campus of its medical education center. The new facility will increase the size of the main education site by over 60,000 square feet.
