Clinical & research fellows in programs from New York to California & points between recognized
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Each year, the ACR honors up to 10 clinical and research fellows who have performed meritoriously. Meet this year’s Distinguished Fellows, who are bridging the gap between research and patient care and who were recognized at ACR Convergence 2024 in November. We asked: What does recognition as an ACR Distinguished Fellow mean to you?
Dr. Bayefsky
Sarah Bayefsky, MD
Adult and Pediatric (Med-Peds) Rheumatologist, Hackensack Meridian Health, New Jersey; Assistant Professor, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, New Jersey
“I am incredibly honored to be among the recipients of the 2024 ACR Distinguished Fellow Award,” says Dr. Bayefsky. “I’m grateful to my mentors, colleagues, friends and family, who have supported my dual missions to care for patients of all ages with rheumatic disease and to pursue a career in medical education. Thank you also to my patients, who are my greatest source of inspiration.”
Dr. Bracken
Sonali J. Bracken, MD, PhD
Research Fellow, Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, Duke University, Durham, N.C.
“I am deeply honored to receive the ACR Distinguished Fellow Award,” says Dr. Bracken. “Earning this award would not have been possible without the resolute dedication of my outstanding mentorship team at Duke. I am particularly grateful to Drs. Stefanie Sarantopoulos, Ankoor Shah, Scott Palmer, Bill St.Clair, David Pisetsky and my program director, Dr. David Leverenz, for their unwavering commitment to my success. Being a physician-scientist is the utmost privilege, and I would especially like to thank my patients for the motivation to continue on this incredibly rewarding career path.”
Dr. Braverman
Genna Braverman, MD, MS
Assistant Attending, Division of Rheumatology, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York; Assistant Professor of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York
“It is a tremendous honor to have been recognized as an ACR Distinguished Fellow,” says Dr. Braverman. “I would like to thank my program and division leaders for their steadfast support throughout my training. I am also incredibly grateful to the Hospital for Special Surgery faculty and my co-fellows; it has been a privilege to work with such an inspiring group of physicians. I am thrilled to be joining the faculty at Hospital for Special Surgery as an academic rheumatologist, where I look forward to advancing the mission of excellence in patient care, research and education.”
