Deborah M. Swiderski

Deborah M. Swiderski, MD, is a Professor in the Department of Medicine and Family and Social Medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and an attending physician at Montefiore Medical Center. With over 25 years as a clinician-educator, her expertise spans primary care internal medicine, medical ethics, and patient-physician communication. She co-leads the psychosocial curriculum for Social Medicine residents and actively mentors residents in clinical practice.

Education and Training:

• Bachelor of Arts from Barnard College
• Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Pre-Medical Studies (Columbia University)
• Doctor of Medicine (Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons)
• Internship and Residency in Internal Medicine (Albert Einstein College of Medicine)
• Certificates in Bioethics (New York University/Montefiore) and EPEC Palliative Care Training (Northwestern University)

Research and Professional Work: Dr. Swiderski’s research focuses on improving communication in healthcare, addressing end-of-life care challenges, and reducing health disparities through ethical frameworks. She leads Montefiore’s Serious Illness Conversation Project, which integrates her work on bioethics and patient advocacy. Her contributions include peer-reviewed publications and national/international presentations on topics like physician-patient relationships and professional development.

Awards and Recognition:

• 2007 Leo M. Davidoff Society Award for Teaching Excellence
• Peer reviewer for Journal of General Internal Medicine and Annals of Internal Medicine

Advising and Grants: Dr. Swiderski has secured funding as Principal Investigator and Co-Principal Investigator for multiple research initiatives. Her teaching roles include co-leading residency curricula and precepting primary care residents, emphasizing practical clinical and ethical decision-making skills.

Labs and Teams: She is affiliated with Montefiore’s Ethics Committee and collaborates with interdisciplinary teams through her leadership in the Serious Illness Conversation Project. Her work bridges clinical practice, education, and research in general internal medicine and social medicine.