The prestigious award honors a seasoned practitioner who combines a passion for medicine with the skills and compassion needed to provide award-winning service to their patients
Brooklyn, NY — Today, Maimonides Health (“Maimonides”) is pleased to announce that Dr. Kadirawel Iswara is the recipient of the 2023 Distinguished Clinician Award in Private Practice from the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA). At a special reception last night in Chicago, Dr. Iswara accepted this national recognition amongst top leaders in the gastroenterological field.
The AGA awards ceremony and cocktail reception was held on Sunday, May 7th at the Intercontinental Hotel in Chicago. The event was followed by an inaugural Maimonides GI alumni and award reception on Monday, May 8th at the Hilton Garden Inn and the AGA Institute President’s reception at the Chicago Field Museum. In addition to receiving the prestigious AGA award, Maimonides has also dedicated the Maimonides Ambulatory Surgical Center reception lobby in Dr. Iswara’s name following a generous legacy gift to benefit the gastroenterology department he has led for so many years.
“I am deeply honored to receive this recognition from the American Gastroenterological Association and stand alongside some of the most accomplished practitioners in my field,” said Dr. Kadirawel Iswara. “It has been a privilege to provide the highest level of care to my patients, and I am committed to improving health outcomes through continued clinical practice and ongoing education. This award is a testament to the dedication of our entire health care team at Maimonides, and I share this honor with them today.”
“Dr. Iswara is a true pioneer in his field, and his receiving of the Distinguished Clinician Award is a testament to his decades of clinical excellence and his commitment to providing top tier care,” said Kenneth D. Gibbs, President & CEO of Maimonides Health. “In addition to the numerous prestigious awards, accolades, and scientific publications he has achieved, Dr. Iswara is known for his compassion and the personal touch he brings to his practice, prioritizing the care of his patients above all else.”
Dr. Iswara has been with Maimonides for over 40 years, completing his gastroenterology fellowship at Maimonides Medical Center and eventually becoming the Director of Maimonides’ Gastroenterology Division. While providing the highest standard of care to patients in his busy practice, Dr. Iswara simultaneously trained multiple generations of budding gastroenterologists and helped guide their future careers. He also faithfully served New York’s Finest and was certified as an Honorary Police Surgeon in 2015.
Dr. Iswara immigrated to the United States from Sri Lanka in 1970. A U.S. Army Veteran, he was a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves prior to serving in Operation Desert Storm, during which he served actively with the 82nd Airborne in Fort Bragg, NC where he received a National Defense Service Medal, among other commendations. When the 2004 tsunami devastated Sri Lanka, Dr. Iswara returned to his home country to lead a medical delegation comprised of clinicians from across the U.S. to save as many lives as possible.
In congratulating Dr. Iswara on his well-deserved national recognition, and to celebrate his legacy, Maimonides is accepting contributions to the Iswara Fund for Gastroenterology education and training at Maimonides in his honor. Donations can be made at maimo.org/honoring-dr-kadirawel-iswara
To learn more about Maimonides Gastroenterology Department, please visit maimo.org/treatments-care/gastroenterology.
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Maimonides Health is Brooklyn’s largest healthcare system, serving over 320,000 patients each year through the system’s 3 hospitals, 1,800+ physicians and more than 80 community-based practices and outpatient centers. The system is anchored by Maimonides Medical Center, one of the nation’s largest independent teaching hospitals and home to centers of excellence in numerous specialties and Maimonides Midwood Community Hospital (formerly New York Community Hospital), a 130-bed adult medical-surgical hospital; and Maimonides Children’s Hospital, Brooklyn’s only children’s hospital and only pediatric trauma center.
Maimonides’ clinical programs rank among the best in the country for patient outcomes, including its Heart and Vascular Institute, Neurosciences Institute, Bone and Joint Center, and Cancer Center. Maimonides is an affiliate of Northwell Health and a major clinical training site for SUNY Downstate College of Medicine. For additional information, please visit www.maimo.org and follow us on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.