Ira L. Salom

Please describe how your experiences at NYU Wagner prepared you for your career?

As a practitioner of clinical medicine, joining Wagner exposed me to a wide variety of students in several disciplines, which enriched my perspective in my day-to-day practice. The courses in health policy, negotiations, and management principles, among other topics, prepared me for the complex challenges I would tackle in disparate settings over the span of my career. I greatly benefited from what I learned at Wagner in my subsequent roles as a medical director in an NYU-affiliated municipal hospital, as a chief medical officer of Indian Health Service hospitals in South Dakota (Sicangu Lakota - Rosebud Sioux) and New Mexico (Navajo nation), as a member and chair of state and national organizations and policy-making committees, and as a director of medical facilities. My education at Wagner prepared me for this journey in public service.

Can you tell us a bit about your job responsibilities now?

As the chief medical officer at Metro Community Health Centers, I oversee medical, dental, and behavioral health services for a multi-site Federally Qualified Health Center in New York City. Open to all, Metro has a particular focus serving those with intellectual or developmental disabilities. In a separate position, I serve as chief medical officer of Constructive Partnerships Unlimited, formerly known as United Cerebral Palsy Associations of New York State.

Please describe what impact you hope to make through your career and/or organization?

I trained as a physician to serve and help people - usually one at a time. I realized that a systems approach can have a far-reaching impact. Helping groups and populations helps a lot of people. To have an impact, it’s important that service organizations are set up for success and that leadership is sound. I hope to continue to do that, particularly for those really in need, so they can enjoy their best life.