Old Westbury, NY – The Nassau Physicians' Foundation will honor New York Institute of Technology Vice President for Health Sciences and Medical Affairs Barbara Ross-Lee, D.O., as a "Physician of Distinction" at its 2013 annual dinner on April 27.

Ross-Lee is the first osteopathic physician to be presented with the award in the foundation's 10-year history.

"The osteopathic and allopathic medical communities have the same responsibilities and goals," said Dr. David Levine, NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine Assistant Dean of Clinical Education and a member of the foundation board. "We're recognizing Dr. Ross-Lee for her lifetime achievement as a physician, educator, and policymaker and for her vision of collaborative care among all of the healthcare fields."

Proceeds from the dinner, to be held at the Tiro a Segno Club in Greenwich Village, will support scholarships for medical students at NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine and Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine. Hofstra's Dr. David Battinelli is also receiving a "Physician of Distinction" award from the foundation, whose 50 members donate time and expertise to educational and charitable causes.

Ross-Lee is the first African-American female to serve as dean of a United States medical school and the first osteopathic physician to participate in the Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellowship program. She has extensive background in health policy issues, and serves as an advisor on primary care, medical and health professional education, minority health, women's health, and rural healthcare issues on the federal and state levels.

Ross-Lee has served in her current position since February 2001. As vice president, she is responsible for all health and medical-related programs at NYIT, including the College of Osteopathic Medicine and the School of Health Professions. She also serves on the Institute of Medicine's committee studying the governance and financing of graduate medical education.

NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine is the third-largest medical school in the country and the second-largest osteopathic medical school. Each year, the school admits approximately 300 students. Clinical clerkships and residencies following graduation include local, regional, and national hospitals and medical centers. The school is home to the Center for the Future of the Health Care Workforce and the new Center for Sports Medicine and Performance Sciences. It also operates two clinical facilities, one of which houses the Adele Smithers Parkinson's Disease Treatment Center.

Prior to NYIT, Ross-Lee served as the dean of the Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine and the associate dean for Health Policy and Chairperson of the Department of Family Medicine at Michigan State University.

For information about the Nassau Physicians' Foundation annual dinner, please contact Harriet Paradis at 914-966-3180 x127 or hparadis@cinn.com.

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About NYIT

New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) offers 90 degree programs, including undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees, in more than 50 fields of study, including architecture and design; arts and sciences; education; engineering and computing sciences; health professions; management; and osteopathic medicine. A non-profit independent, private institution of higher education, NYIT has 14,000 students attending campuses on Long Island and Manhattan, online, and at its global campuses. NYIT sponsors 11 NCAA Division II programs and one Division I team.

Led by President Edward Guiliano, NYIT is guided by its mission to provide career-oriented professional education, offer access to opportunity to all qualified students, and support applications-oriented research that benefits the larger world. To date, 92,000 graduates have received degrees from NYIT. For more information, visit nyit.edu.

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