Two Northwell Leaders Named to the National Academy of Medicine

Drs. Karina Davidson and Said Ibrahim are recognized for their contributions to health, medicine and research.

The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) has elected Karina Davidson, PhD, Northwell Health’s senior vice president of research, and Said Ibrahim, MD, MPH, MBA, senior vice president of Northwell’s Medicine Service Line, in recognition of their breakthrough achievements in research and internal medicine respectively. The new members were announced publicly on October 9, during NAM’s annual meeting which included the election of 90 regular members and 10 international members.

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Dr. Karina Davidson, left, and Dr. Said Ibrahim, right, were recently elected to the National Academy of Medicine. (Credit: Northwell Health)

According to NAM, memberships reflect the height of professional achievement and commitment to service for those at the top of their field. NAM is one of three academies that make up the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (the National Academies) in the United States, which dates to 1863 when President Abraham Lincoln signed a congressional charter forming the private, nonprofit institution aimed to provide insight to the federal government and other organizations. NAM memberships reflect the height of professional achievement and commitment to service for those at the top of their field.

For nearly three decades, Dr. Davidson, who also serves as the director of the Institute of Health System Science at The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, has held numerous leadership roles for teams focused on the advancement of scientific, educational and patient care missions through both the ideation and implementation of evidence-based practices. Dr. Davidson has authored more than 400 peer-reviewed articles and has served as the principal investigator (PI) for over 30 federally funded grants. Her current research focuses on innovations in personalized trials (N of 1) to manage chronic disease and patient symptoms by incorporating patient preferences and values.

“It is an honor to be elected to the National Academy of Medicine and to be recognized among so many other esteemed researchers, clinicians and clinical leaders,” said Dr. Davidson, who is also dean of academic affairs at the Feinstein Institutes and the Zucker Endowed Professor in Health Outcomes, in the departments of medicine, psychiatry and cardiology at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. “Together, we will pioneer innovative approaches to improving patient outcomes and quality of life and care.”

Recently, Dr. Davidson was named PI by The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) to participate in its Health Systems Implementation Initiative (HSII), which will use clinical excellence and research expertise to help develop and implement viable strategies that will ultimately improve patient care and outcomes. Dr. Davidson is also past chair of the United States Preventive Services Task Force. She has a PhD in clinical health psychology and a MASc in industrial/organizational psychology.

“This incredible honor for Dr. Davidson is well deserved,” said Kevin J. Tracey, MD, president and CEO of the Feinstein Institutes. “Membership to the National Academy of Medicine is a testament to Dr. Davidson’s pioneering research and her leadership to advance scientific, educational and patient\care missions through both the generation and implementation of evidence-based practices.”

Dr. Ibrahim is a respected clinician-investigator with a focus on closing the health disparities gap. He was appointed senior vice president of Northwell Health’s Medicine Service Line in 2021. He serves as chair of the Department of Medicine at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset and the Donald & Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. For research, Dr. Ibrahim has studied health equity and disparities, particularly osteoarthritis care, and for more than 25 years, the NIH funded his research understanding and intervening of disparities in care, particularly in access to surgical care for advanced osteoarthritis of the knees and hips.

Before joining Northwell, Dr. Ibrahim came to the health system from Weill Cornell Medicine, where he was a professor of Healthcare Policy and Research, and the founding chief of the Division of Healthcare Delivery Science and Innovation at the Department of Healthcare Policy and Research. He also was Weill Cornell’s inaugural senior associate dean for Diversity and Inclusion.

“I am grateful to join a select group of individuals who have been recognized for their achievements and impact on health care worldwide,” said Dr. Ibrahim. “Through our collective efforts, we will be able to implement new ways to deliver equitable care for everyone across the country.”

Dr. Ibrahim was at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and served as chief of medicine at the Philadelphia VA Medical Center, where he led all medical subspecialties, primary care, emergency department, nursing home and geriatrics and the internal medicine residency program. He received his bachelor’s degree from Oberlin College in Ohio and his medical degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine (OH). Dr. Ibrahim also holds a master’s degree in public health from Harvard University’s School of Public Health and a master’s degree in business administration from the MIT Sloan School of Management. He completed his internship and residency training in internal medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (MA), a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School.

“Both Drs. Davidson and Ibrahim have proven excellence in clinical care and research,” said Michael Dowling, Northwell's president and CEO. “We congratulate them and are excited to add them to Northwell Health’s growing list of Academy electees.”

About Northwell Health

Northwell Health is New York State’s largest health care provider and private employer, with 21 hospitals, about 900 outpatient facilities and more than 12,000 affiliated physicians. We care for over two million people annually in the New York metro area and beyond, thanks to philanthropic support from our communities. Our 85,000 employees – 18,900 nurses and 4,900 employed doctors, including members of Northwell Health Physician Partners – are working to change health care for the better. We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We're training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies. For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

About the Feinstein Institutes

The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research is the home of the research institutes of Northwell Health, the largest health care provider and private employer in New York State. Encompassing 50 research labs, 3,000 clinical research studies and 5,000 researchers and staff, the Feinstein Institutes raises the standard of medical innovation through its five institutes of behavioral science, bioelectronic medicine, cancer, health system science, and molecular medicine. We make breakthroughs in genetics, oncology, brain research, mental health, autoimmunity, and are the global scientific leader in bioelectronic medicine – a new field of science that has the potential to revolutionize medicine. For more information about how we produce knowledge to cure disease, visit http://feinstein.northwell.edu and follow us on LinkedIn.

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