Intertwining Medicine and Management

Chiya Abramowitz (D.O./M.B.A. ’24) grew up watching his mother, a primary care physician with her own internal medicine practice, provide services to members of their local community in Brooklyn, N.Y. He frequently heard from those patients how appreciative they were of her efforts—expressions of gratitude that would set Abramowitz’s future in motion.

“I saw the benefits of being an altruistic individual, treating others and helping them heal,” he says of his inspiration to pursue medicine.

With a bachelor’s degree in economics, music theory, and public health from Yeshiva University and a master’s degree in biotechnology management and entrepreneurship from that university’s Katz School of Science and Health, Abramowitz furthered his graduate studies at New York Tech, earning his D.O. and M.B.A. in May.

However, before obtaining his medical license, he must successfully complete a residency. Abramowitz gathered with his fellow medical students on March 15, known as Match Day, to learn where he would perform this critical work. This summer, he will complete a transitional year internship at Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx. Then, he will spend the next four years at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn for diagnostic radiology training.

“I have dreamt of contributing to clinical medicine, but I also have immense passion for innovation and creativity,” says Abramowitz, who sings and plays multiple instruments in his spare time. “I always wondered if there was a way that innovation and medicine may intertwine.”

To answer this question, the former high school biology and chemistry teacher asked his medical school faculty and hospital physicians about the unmet needs, or what they felt was missing, in medicine, as well as their challenges in navigating the healthcare system. These conversations sparked his decision to pursue an M.B.A. along with his D.O., giving him the skills to bridge the gap between patient care and management.

Having learned in his management courses about the value of diversifying a portfolio, Abramowitz sought to diversify his medical research opportunities as well. He has collaborated with students and residents from multiple hospitals and universities to research and participate in finding solutions to medical issues in fields like otolaryngology, dermatology, cardiology, gastroenterology, ophthalmology, urology, and oncology.

Most recently, during his last year at the College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYITCOM), Abramowitz received guidance from M.B.A. Program Director William Ninehan, Ed.S., Associate Professor Rakesh Mittal, Ph.D., and NYITCOM Assistant Dean of Educational Operations Claire Bryant, and partnered with Vancouver campus Professor Frank Lorne, Ph.D., to conceptualize a non-invasive continuous glucose monitoring wearable for diabetes patients.

Leveraging artificial intelligence (AI), sensor-based technology, and data transmission via smartphone, the proposed wearable would remove the need for constant skin pricks, reduce long-term complication risk, and improve the wearer’s quality of life. According to Abramowitz, such wearables could be used not only by those with Type 1 diabetes but also by the general population for overall wellness and lifestyle purposes.

“AI-powered wearables offer a promising future for more accurate, user-friendly glucose monitoring that empowers better diabetes management,” he says. “There is a need for more accurate and less intrusive monitoring methods to understand and manage blood sugar fluctuations.”

For students looking to make strides on projects of their own, or for those who simply want better test scores, Abramowitz and Ethan Shamsian (D.O. ’24) founded MedDuo, which provides personalized one-on-one advising, tutoring, and mentoring sessions for medical and pre-medical students. His platform provides career-specific guidance to help students excel academically and professionally, recognizing that every student has unique needs and goals.

His many long days working toward his academic and extracurricular endeavors have been worth it. Abramowitz has received multiple awards for his commitment to the field, including the Student Osteopathic Medical Association Research Spotlight Award, the 2021 Tylenol Future Care Scholarship, the NYITCOM Positive STRIDES award, and the NYITCOM Alumni Association Award. As he continues his residency, Abramowitz cautions students aspiring to a similar future that “the path for medical training may be long and demanding.” But, he says, “it is important to celebrate progress and milestones along the way.”