Enhancing Emergency Medicine with Public Health

MPH student Dr. Lou Rotkowitz is an emergency room physician and COVID-19 survivor.

ALBANY, N.Y. (Nov. 3, 2020) – Students and faculty from the School of Public Health have been working nearly around the clock on COVID-19 response, and one MPH student’s commitment to public health didn’t stop even when faced with illness himself.

Dr. Lou Rotkowitz, an emergency medicine physician at NYC Health+Hospitals/Queens, is one of many SPH students who is pursuing a public health degree to enhance a career in medicine. Since March 2020, he has been using his Master of Public Health coursework to help him succeed on the front lines of pandemic response.

“I was actively involved from the beginning of the crisis,” Rotkowitz said, sharing that he diagnosed many cases of COVID-19 while caring for both adults and children within an inner-city emergency room. “I recall vividly the first patient that we suspected of having coronavirus— and the fear that it generated amongst my colleagues. But my journey to obtain my MPH reminded me of the importance of what I do.”

Rotkowitz dove headfirst into his MPH coursework and pandemic response, despite the challenges he faced due to the pandemic, such as increased stress and personal health risks.

“The dedication of students like Lou Rotkowitz is absolutely remarkable as they build on their knowledge and experience, applying course concepts to address today’s most pressing public health issues,” says Brenda Kirkwood, Director of Online Education at the School of Public Health.

Although he contracted COVID-19 from treating a patient and became critically ill mid-semester in Spring 2020, Rotkowitz pushed on with his MPH coursework, channeling his experience into class assignments.

“Johnson Qian’s Public Health Leadership course was monumental in my development as a public health professional,” Rotkowitz notes. “I was able to successfully complete this course and publish two journal articles. These publications were truly a personal milestone facilitated by a faculty member who wanted to see their student thrive. It’s nice to have a colleague and mentor be so proud of you and want to see you succeed.”

Rotkowitz has always recognized the importance of understanding people and communities when it comes to medicine. He attended Spanish language immersion school in Guatemala and completed his first two years of medical school in Belize before returning to the United States to finish his training. He has now worked in emergency medicine across New York for over 10 years, responding to some of the toughest public health problems facing society today, including the current pandemic.

“A growing demand now exists for public health professionals to help deal with the COVID-19 public health crisis,” says Rotkowitz. “With the MPH curriculum from UAlbany, I feel well equipped to make a difference.”

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