This institution opened in 1955 and developed rapidly into one of the nation’s premier academic medical centers. Consistently ranking in the top tier of medical schools with respect to NIH funding for basic biomedical research, we currently have NIH funded research centers in cancer, AIDS, diabetes, liver disease and women’s health. We are a Howard Hughes Medical Institute site for tuberculosis vaccine development, and we have a Hispanic Center of Excellence that addresses health care disparities in socio-economically disadvantaged populations. A state-of-the art Magnetic Imaging Research Center was recently completed, and construction of the Center for Genetic and Translational Medicine has begun.

We are affiliated with major voluntary and public hospitals located in three boroughs of New York City and in Long Island, serving the health care needs of a large population of wide socioeconomic and ethnic diversity. These institutions provide extraordinary opportunities to learn state-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment practices in virtually all medical and surgical specialties while also providing students with a firm grounding in generalist medicine. Our clinical sites provide opportunities to acquire experiences and deep understanding of problems and issues in social medicine that are unmatched anywhere. 

Most Einstein students conduct biomedical, clinical, translational or population health research, or participate in community based or global health projects. They represent a wide range of backgrounds, talents and interests, have demonstrated evidence of interesting academic and non-academic activities prior to medical school, and many continue to nurture their interests during their tenure at Einstein. Thus, we have the student edited Einstein Journal of Biology and Medicine, a student-planned course in Social Medicine and a student-run periodical, Ad Libitum, devoted to literature and art. 

Our curriculum is always on the move, and we continue to implement modern educational strategies even as we retain what is best of the traditional. We offer significant patient-centered experiences within a few weeks after matriculation. The case based, small group conference is a dominant feature of  pre-clerkship courses , and didactic teaching hours have been reduced substantially.  A new and innovative third year program deals with issues such as prevention, ethics, professionalism, cultural competency and alternative/complementary medicine in small group settings. We have an extraordinary program in Medical Spanish, entirely elective, but taken by most students in the class. A new program in Personal Wellness is meant not only to promote health and reduce stress, but also to expand students’ views of what they, as future physicians, can provide for their patients.   

High-speed wired internet access is available in students’ housing and at every seat in the lecture halls; wireless access is available in most teaching and study areas. As the use of information technology extends to all aspects of academic and health care activities, we are challenged to maintain an appropriate balance between electronic and personal communication and between electronic and traditional methods of teaching and learning. The effectiveness of our education programs should not be judged primarily by the quality and quantity of PowerPoint presentations and Web sites. In the teaching and practice of medicine, human interaction must still rule the day.

Our medical school’s namesake was alive while the buildings were under construction, and this is the only institution in the world to which Einstein agreed to give his name. In addition to his stature as a scientist, Einstein’s moral and compassionate views on human affairs place him clearly in the camp of philosopher and humanist as well as scientist. Our students and faculty- indeed, all members of our community- continue to honor his legacy.