01 Nov Roopa Avula, MD: A 2024 Unsung Hero

Dr. Roopa Avula has socially been a part of Richmond University Medical Center for many years. She is a local Staten Islander and knows many of the faculty and staff who work at the institution. When I speak with her, she shares stories of going to school with some of the attendings she now calls colleagues. A few years ago, we were thrilled to help make this social connection a professional one as she joined the attending staff of our Emergency Department. Being part of the community she serves, Dr. Avula personally sees the benefits of her work on the health of her community. With this perspective and her positive personality, she always shows up to work enthusiastic to treat and happy to help. She approaches each encounter with a passion for helping to improve the health of her community. She is one of our nocturnists and works closely with our nursing staff to create a cohesive unit that best serves our vulnerable patients who present overnight. When we experience a surge, or a callout, she is always the first to respond to the request for help and often shows up to the department within minutes of being asked. She is always the first to offer a helping hand and again does so with a smile regardless of the time of day.

Beyond just working and making a huge effort on shift, Dr. Avula has looked to increase our visibility at institution events. She makes it a point to attend our departmental gatherings, but also all our hospital galas, med staff parties, and med staff meetings. She truly sees herself as Richmond University. Having a positive presence like hers at hospital events does a lot to spread the goodwill of our department. Her presence bridges gaps that might exist between our department and other specialties within the hospital. I have many physicians that work in the department, but I have only a few that call Staten Island home. Dr. Avula proudly wears that title and in her work ethic, attitude, and collaboration, it is apparent that she is working to improve the health of her community by proudly forwarding the mission of our department and our hospital.

Recipient Bio:
Dr. Avula is a graduate of West Virginia University School of Medicine in 2018. She then went on to complete her residency in Emergency Medicine at Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack, NJ, where she served as Chief Resident. After graduating she accepted a position with us at Richmond University Medical Center as an Assistant Professor in Emergency Medicine at Mount Sinai.

– Johnathon C LeBaron, DO MBA FACEP