WDOM Announces the Retirement of Dr. Joseph T. Ruggiero: A Remarkably Distinguished Career


Dr. Joseph Ruggiero

On September 22, 2021, a retirement party was held in the Griffis Faculty Club for Dr. Joseph T. Ruggiero, Professor of Clinical Medicine, Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology. Beloved by patients, colleagues, trainees, and staff alike, Dr. Ruggiero is retiring after a 44-year career at Weill Cornell Medicine. The event was hosted by Division Chief, Dr. Manuel Hidalgo Medina, and Dr. Manish A. Shah, Professor of Medicine, and with Dr. Tony Hollenberg, Chair, Weill Department of Medicine, in attendance.

Dr. Ruggiero’s remarkable career was celebrated with highlights including achievements in the areas of patient care, research, and education. Dr. Ruggiero grew up in Brooklyn, NY, and after a brief stint at Harvard University to receive his Bachelor of Arts degree, he returned to New York for medical school at NYU. He came to Cornell as an intern and culminated his house staff training as Chief Medical Resident. After his fellowship in Hematology and Medical Oncology, he started his clinical and academic career taking care of patients with cancer and blood disorders. He soon specialized in gastrointestinal cancer and was a founding physician of the Jay Monahan Center for Gastrointestinal Health and the Center for Advanced Digestive Care at New York Presbyterian Hospital.

At the national level, Dr. Ruggiero has been actively involved with the American Board of Internal Medicine certification and recertification programs and with the American Society of Clinical Oncology as a member of the Professional Development Committee and an Editor for ASCO-SEP. He is a longtime Board Member of the Family Center, an organization dedicated to keeping New York families strong at times of crisis.

As a valued mentor, Dr. Ruggiero has made a major contribution in the training of hundreds of young physicians, both for the house staff and hematology-oncology fellows. He also served on the WDOM’s Medical Ethics Committee for nearly two decades.

Dr. Ruggiero has played a major role in enrolling patients in clinical trials for the treatment of gastrointestinal cancer, while ensuring compliance of trial parameters and collection of clinical data. He also served on the WDOM’s Medical Ethics Committee for nearly two decades and has been continually listed throughout the years in New York Magazine’s Top Doctors and Castle Connolly America’s Top Doctors.

The Weill Department of Medicine and the Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology express their sincerest thanks to Dr. Ruggiero for his outstanding service, wish him well with the transition, and also look forward to his continued participation in Weill Cornell’s educational programs.