WMCHealth and New York Medical College name new head of Urology

VALHALLA, N.Y. (January 28, 2025) – John Phillips, M.D., FACS, has been named Chair of the Department of Urology at New York Medical College (NYMC) School of Medicine (SOM) and Director of the Department of Urology at Westchester Medical Center. He succeeds Muhammad Choudhury, M.D., who has led the department as Chair at NYMC since 2001 and the Director of the Department of Urology at Westchester Medical Center since 1989. Dr. Phillips is a resident of Sleepy Hollow, NY.

"We are thrilled to welcome Dr. John Phillips to his new role as Chair of the Department of Urology at NYMC," said Neil W. Schluger, M.D., Dean of the NYMC SOM. "Dr. Phillips' extraordinary expertise in robotic surgery and dedication to advancing urologic care, combined with his commitment to enriching the educational experience for our medical students, ensures that the next generation of physicians will benefit from his leadership and innovation."

"Dr. Phillips' appointment is a testament to his exceptional skills and dedication to the field of urology," said Renee Garrick, M.D., Chief Medical Officer for the Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth). "Having worked closely with Dr. Phillips over the years, I have witnessed firsthand his innovative approach to patient care and his commitment to advancing medical education. His leadership will undoubtedly continue to elevate the quality of urological services we provide and inspire our medical community."

A national leader in robotic surgery, residency training, and the basic science of urologic diseases, Dr. Phillips joined the Westchester Medical Center medical staff as Section Chief of Urologic Oncology and Robotic and Laparoscopic Surgery, and the NYMC faculty in 2007. In addition to his continued role as Section Chief, he currently serves as Program Director for the Westchester Medical Center Residency Training Program in Urology as well as Professor of Urology and Executive Vice Chair of the NYMC Department of Urology.

An expert in kidney cancer and minimally invasive 'kidney-preserving' surgery for small renal masses, Dr. Phillips has performed over 2,000 Da Vinci robotic surgeries and is a pioneer in MRI-based fusion prostate biopsy, which has markedly lowered infectious complication rates of prostate biopsies.

With a strong background in 'neo-bladder' reconstruction after bladder removal (cystectomy), Dr. Phillips has performed total intracorporeal neobladder surgeries since 2015. In 2020, Dr. Phillip’s lab was selected as a three-year award recipient in the Empire State Clinical Research Training Program, which has led to the pre-clinical evaluation of nanoparticle therapy in bladder cancer.

Dr. Phillips has been widely published and presented on a range of urological topics. He is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Urologic History, a past member of the Leadership Class of the American Urological Association, and a past president of the New York State Urologic Society. In 2024, he began a three-year term as the historian of the American Urologic Association.

Board-certified in urology, Dr. Phillips received his medical degree from Yale University School of Medicine. He completed a residency in general surgery and urology at Yale-New Haven Hospital and a fellowship in urologic oncology at the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health.

Dr. Phillips succeeds Dr. Choudhury whose academic and clinical leadership has been marked by significant advancements in urological care and education. His dedication to patient care, innovative research, and mentoring future urologists has left a lasting legacy. Dr. Choudhury's contributions have set a high standard for the department and he will continue to inspire all as a staff member at NYMC and Westchester Medical Center.

About New York Medical College

Founded in 1860, New York Medical College (NYMC) is one of the oldest and largest health sciences colleges in the country with nearly 2,000 students and 475 residents and clinical fellows, more than 2,100 faculty members and 26,280 living alumni. The College, which joined Touro University in 2011, is located in Westchester County, New York, and offers degrees from the School of Medicine, the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, the School of Health Sciences and Practice, the Touro College of Dental Medicine at NYMC and the Touro College School of Health Sciences’ nursing program at NYMC. NYMC provides a wide variety of clinical training opportunities for students, residents and practitioners. For more information, visit www.nymc.edu.

About Westchester Medical Center Health Network

The Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth) is a 1,700-bed healthcare system headquartered in Valhalla, New York, with nine hospitals on seven campuses spanning 6,200 square miles of the Hudson Valley. WMCHealth employs more than 12,000 people and has nearly 3,000 attending physicians. The Network has Level I (adult and pediatric), Level II and Level III trauma centers, the region’s only acute care children’s hospital, an academic medical center, several community hospitals, dozens of specialized institutes and centers, Comprehensive and Primary Stroke Centers, skilled nursing facilities, home-care services and one of the largest mental health systems in New York State. Today, WMCHealth is the pre-eminent provider of integrated health care in the Hudson Valley. For more information about WMCHealth, visit WMCHealth.org or follow WMCHealth on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, and X.