Dean Choi Quoted in Forbes on Immigration, American Medical Colleges, and the Future of Medicine


Dr. Augustine M.K. Choi

Dr. Augustine M.K. Choi, the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean, Weill Cornell Medicine, and former Chair of the Weill Department of Medicine, was interviewed in Forbes (June 21, 2018) for an article entitled, “Immigrants and U.S. Healthcare: What One Med School Dean Wants Congress To Know.” Dr. Choi was quoted on the current state of immigration, medical training, and patient care in the United States. He reviewed topics ranging from H1B visas, travel restrictions and the “dreamers,” to a predicted shortfall of 120,000 physicians in the U.S. by 2030.

As the U.S. House of Representatives gathers to vote on immigration policies, Dr. Choi also shared his own personal experiences regarding immigration. Along with his family, he had immigrated to the U.S. during the aftermath of the Korean War. After training at the University of Louisville, he embarked on a long and distinguished career at Harvard, Johns Hopkins and Yale, before joining Weill Cornell Medicine. Today, his ultimate hope is that trainees will have the same opportunities that he experienced: “It’s good for them and it’s good for the United States.”

“Diversity continues to be a major priority at Weill Cornell Medicine, because we recognize that patient care, biomedical discovery, and learning are enriched by the contributions of people with different perspectives, skills, and life experiences," says Dr. Choi.

Dr. Susan Morales, the WDOM’s Vice Chair for Diversity and the Co-Director, Center for Multicultural and Minority Health, states, “I am so proud of Weill Cornell Medicine's commitment to diversity and to the crucial role of immigrants in medicine and science for the future of our country. We are at a pivotal moment where we reflect on our true values, and I am proud that we stand with immigrants, their families, and their children, as we strive for a just and compassionate society.”

Related Links

Article in Forbes Magazine
Weill Cornell Newsroom