Valley Health System has named Dr. Reham Shaaban as its new chief academic officer. In this position, she will oversee the Office of Academic Affairs, which includes several Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-accredited programs sponsored by the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. These programs cover residency training in internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, and surgery.
Dr. Shaaban will continue her current responsibilities as program director for the Internal Medicine Residency Program and serve as Valley’s Designated Institutional Official, ensuring all medical education programs meet accreditation standards. Additionally, she will join academic governance committees at the Icahn School of Medicine to support joint strategic, educational, and research projects.
“Dr. Shaaban’s appointment to chief academic officer marks an important moment in Valley’s organizational growth,” said Robert Brenner, MD, MMM, FACHE, president and CEO of Valley Health System. “Her nationally recognized expertise in medical education and her ability to build strong academic frameworks will help position Valley for long-term success as we expand our teaching and research enterprise and further integrate these programs into our delivery of care.”
With over 17 years in academic medicine leadership roles, Dr. Shaaban joined Valley Health System in 2022. Since then, she has contributed to developing the organization’s status as an emerging academic medical center by leading the creation and accreditation of its educational programs.
“The creation of this new role reflects Valley’s continued commitment to advancing and scaling its academic mission, and I am honored to have been appointed to it,” said Dr. Shaaban. “I look forward to advancing medical education, supporting faculty, and accelerating meaningful research across Valley Health System that aligns with our clinical mission, quality, and safety priorities.”
Dr. Shaaban received her medical degree from Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine in Missouri. She completed her internal medicine residency and served as associate chief resident at UMass Chan Medical School – Baystate in Massachusetts when it was affiliated with Tufts University School of Medicine.
She is known for her work in medical education and has earned several awards such as the Society of General Internal Medicine New England Clinician-Educator Award, the American Medical Association Inspiration Award, recognition among the American College of Physicians Hospitalist’s Top 10 Hospitalists of the Year, along with other teaching honors. Dr. Shaaban has also presented at national and international conferences and led peer-reviewed research projects approved by Institutional Review Boards.
