Dr. Imundo has 20 years of experience as a pediatric rheumatologist with a busy and complex clinic practice; she is engaged in clinical care, education, and research. Dr. Imundo is the founder and director of the Center for Adolescent Rheumatology, which provides care for children and adolescents with chronic rheumatic disease with a focus on helping teens and young adults become more prepared and independent to successfully transition from pediatric to adult care. Research demonstrates that despite having programs in place at pediatric centers, teens and young adults are not consistent in managing their diseases and have worse outcomes and increased medical complications. At the Center for Adolescent Rheumatology, pediatric and adult providers work together and collect data on effective ways to educate teens and measure teen readiness to become independent. New, innovative, disease-specific collaborative clinics staffed with pediatric and adult rheumatologists will help all families support their children and help them become prepared for transition. Dr. Imundo's mentor Dr. Jerry Jacobs established Pediatric Rheumatology in 1960 at Columbia, under the mentorship of Charles Raean, the Chairman of Medicine, and Charles Christian,the Chairman of Adult Rheumatology. Dr. Jacobs wrote the first textbook in the field, "Pediatric Rheumatology for the Practitioner," and defined new entities which today have genetic, cellular, and molecular foundations. Dr. Jacobs' former fellows, among them Dr. Imundo, wrote the continuing textbook "Arthritis in Children and Adolescents" (I. Szer, ed.). At Columbia University Dr. Imundo was appointed both Division Director and Fellowship Director shortly after completing her Chief Residency and Fellowship. Under her leadership, her Division of Pediatric Rheumatology (1997-2014) expanded to provide care for thousands of children with complex and often mysterious autoimmune and rheumatic diseases, both on the inpatient and on the outpatient service, a record unmatched in the USA. She continues in the footsteps of Dr. Jacobs defining new entities and conducting cutting-edge research in the efficacy of molecularly specific medications. Like Dr. Jacob's before her, Dr. Imundo is available continuously to treat the sick children of the tri-state area, and like Dr. Jacob's before her, Dr. Imundo's patients become part of her family, and she very frequently part of theirs.
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