About the Program
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I’d like to welcome you to Stony Brook Southampton Hospital's Internal Medicine Residency Program and am grateful for your interest in learning more about us. The mission of our program is to create medical leaders with a commitment to both life-long learning, as well as a strong foundation and understanding of the ideals of Social Medicine. We employ the principles of evidence-based medicine and translate this into providing excellent medical care to our patients. We emphasize the role of our physicians as leaders and place a premium on developing thorough approaches to the care of our patients in both the hospital and office setting.
The Internal Medicine Residency Program focuses on comprehensive training in inpatient and outpatient general medicine, intensive care medicine, while also providing exposure to all medicine subspecialties. Further learning opportunities in specialized internal medicine fields are available at Stony Brook University Hospital, which allows for additional educational training in these areas. Outpatient clinic duties include half day sessions once a week as well as an additional 12 weeks of dedicated outpatient general medicine clinic time to ensure that our graduating residents are fully prepared to practice primary care medicine if they choose not to pursue a fellowship. Due to our affiliation with Stony Brook University Hospital, we're able to offer the learning opportunities of a large university-based hospital and level 1 trauma center, while allowing our residents to work in a smaller, close-knit community hospital.
All of our trainees participate in a dedicated Social Medicine rotation during their intern year, though the Social Medicine curriculum spans the entire three years of training. The field of social medicine seeks to teach how social and economic conditions impact health, disease and the practice of medicine and fosters understanding of how this leads to a healthier society. This rotation also focuses on exposing trainees to opportunities for self-reflection, wellness, leadership, and personal growth, and helps trainees broaden their understanding of these processes as they relate to health and disease. Our Social Medicine curriculum additionally provides a basic understanding of a myriad of other topics including addiction medicine,
We see an extremely diverse patient population and pathology at our institution allowing our residents to receive extensive training in both rare and common diseases. Resident autonomy is emphasized. Due to the relatively small class size of residents per year, they quickly become well-known to our faculty and staff and thus their training is highly individualized. Our residents are provided with as much oversight and support as they require and are given as much autonomy as they can comfortably accept based on their individual needs. Attending accessibility is adhered to 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Residents feel well supported and nurtured as they train to be leading physicians in the community. Communication with subspecialists is always available, allowing for additional learning opportunities for house staff. Twelve-hour shifts are implemented in order to eliminate twenty-four hour call for both interns and residents. This allows for continuous medical education and training without interruptions from fatigue and burn-out.
The Program is located on the eastern end of Long Island, close to top-rated beaches, surrounded by natural beauty with easy access to airports and the New York metropolitan area. Southampton is a paradise for those who love the outdoors and watersports. The east end of Long Island is perfect for activities including boating, swimming, windsurfing, waterskiing, fishing, hiking, cycling, and golfing.
Some information about me as Internal Medicine Program Director: I completed my medical school training at MCP-Hahnemann University (now Drexel University College of Medicine). My residency and fellowship training in rheumatology were both completed at Stony Brook University Hospital, where I remained as a faculty member in the Division of Rheumatology. I was Program Director of Rheumatology for five years prior to joining the Stony Brook Southampton family in 2015. I currently practice as a clinical rheumatologist in addition to overseeing the Internal Medicine Residency Program and fulfilling the role of Director of Scholarly Activity at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital.
On a more personal note, I live in Flanders (not far from the Big Duck), and have two sons, Parker and Grady - both avid ice hockey players. I spend most of my leisure time at a hockey rink; I enjoy boating during the summer months, and skiing in the winter. In a former life, before medicine, I made my living as a scenic artist, painting backdrops and sets for the theater, and continue to enjoy practicing the fine arts by painting.
I embrace every opportunity I'm granted to be able to teach and learn and hope all who join us come to love this program and the people in it as much as I do!
Thank-You for your interest in our program.
Kindest Regards,
Heidi Roppelt, MD
Program Director
Heidi Roppelt, MD
Heidi.Roppelt@stonybrookmedicine.edu
Associate Program Director
Kathryn Saxby, DO
Kathryn.Saxby@stonybrookmedicine.edu
Program Coordinator
Jody Romeo
Jody.Romeo@stonybrookmedicine.edu
(631) 726-0409, x126