Wayne J. Riley: Nurturing Caring Professionalism in Medicine
The presence of Wayne J. Riley, M.D., is one of calm knowledge and experience. He is tenacious, hardworking, and determined, and he thrives when interacting with people. His calm demeanor belies a fierce resolve to serve the people to the best of his abilities. The complex organizations he has headed have become more efficient, stronger, better able to affect people’s lives, and more involved in the local community because of his leadership. Dr. Riley has taken his leadership skills, academic acumen, and organizational qualities to his current position as president of SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University (Downstate).
Dr. Riley, who comes from a family of doctors, served in the government for a total of five years. Despite his fondness for public service, at age 26 he opted to leave his position as executive assistant to the Mayor of New Orleans, his birthplace. He intended to pursue more training in the medical field. So, he waited five years after finishing college before returning to school full-time to take more classes, prepare for the MCATs, and become a doctor. Dr. Riley took a major gamble by leaving a secure government job for the uncertain future of the medical field. He considered it a “sacrifice” that would help him become the kind of doctor who puts his patients’ needs before his own.
A Bold Step
Dr. Riley calls his choice to leave a “promising career in government and politics” a “risky” and “gutsy move.” But he doesn’t regret his decision at all. He undoubtedly breathed a sigh of sorrow today for a choice he did not make at the time. At the time, I was certain that I didn’t want to be in a position where I was regretting not going back into the medical field. Dr. Riley regrets not pursuing a career in medicine. To avoid the regret of “I should have gone back and got those degrees, should have taken the MCATs and applied to medical schools” down the road, “that was a big motivating factor for me.”
Dr. Riley’s life was profoundly altered by a choice he made while in his twenties. He now advises young professionals to avoid uttering the phrases “I wish, I could, or I should have” too often. He doesn’t want children to avoid challenges in life for that reason either.
Altruistic commitment to aiding others
Healthcare, according to Dr. Riley, who also serves as Board Chairman of the New York Academy of Medicine, is the people’s business. Serving people and having a positive impact on their lives is at the heart of our endeavor. His father was a “tremendous” servant leader and a major influence on him, and he has been driven to serve others ever since he was a youngster. His father’s blue-collar New Orleans family was quite modest. Dr. Riley adds that his father’s education was the key to a prosperous future for his family. “He was a brilliant, very humble, and accomplished physician,” he reflects. But he never lost touch with his roots and was always eager to provide a hand to those in need.
Dr. Riley reflects about the 1970s, when he would sometimes accompany his father on home visits. “When he went inside houses to check on patients, I could see how much respect they had for him as a physician and a person,” Dr. Riley adds. “I attribute the development of my service ethic to that experience.” And his schooling just served to cement that belief. The students at his New Orleans, Louisiana, Catholic all-boys high school were often reminded to put their faith into action by serving others. While attending Yale, Morehouse School of Medicine, Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and Rice University’s Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business, he never lost his drive to help others via education. Dr. Riley reflects on his education thusly: “I learned that pursuing degrees is not just for oneself; it is to make a difference in the lives of people in your profession, in your community, and in the world.” He is opposed to letting technology take over in healthcare and losing touch with humans in the process.
Dr. Riley was one of three physicians to receive the National Humanism in Medicine Medal from the Arnold P. Gold Foundation in June 2021. The other two honorees were Drs. Anthony Fauci and Eric Topol. The prize was given to Dr. Riley because of his “exceptional medical and business expertise and heartfelt testimony that have bent organizational and personal trajectories toward health equity and social justice.” Dr. Riley has said that he holds this honor in the highest regard.
Explore SUNY Downstate Medical Center with Us!
Dr. Riley became Downstate University’s 17th president in April 2017. He has taught at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, Tennessee, as a clinical professor of medicine and health policy, and as an adjunct professor of management at the Owen Graduate School of Management, before coming to this academic medical institution in Brooklyn. Dr. Riley served as the 10th president, CEO, and professor of medicine at Nashville’s Meharry Medical College.
Dr. Riley is in charge of Downstate’s 5,000 staff members, 2,000 students, and $1 billion budget. He claims that the University, which is the sole academic health sciences center in Brooklyn, is a historic and venerable institution in New York City’s biggest and most diversified borough. Students at Downstate may major in a variety of health care fields, including medicine, nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, occasional therapy, diagnostic ultrasound, medical informatics, and physician assistant studies. According to Dr. Riley, “it has a wonderful range of academic programs that directly contribute to the workforce of New York City, New York State, the country, and globally.” He also mentions University Hospital of Brooklyn, the safety net teaching hospital in Downstate, and how it treats a large number of Medicaid and uninsured patients. “We work with a population that has limited resources, both financially and in terms of access to healthcare.”
Dr. Riley was attracted to Downstate by the prospect of leading a “very storied” and “very impactful” institution. He also notes that there were difficulties in terms of both money and reputation. For me, working Downstate was a fantastic chance to make a difference. Dr. Riley claims that he has “always used his leadership and managerial expertise to be of service in academia and the healthcare industry.”
Plans for the Suburbs
Dr. Riley is against Downstate coasting on its past successes. He warns that Downstate should be on watch against the relative complacency that may affect even the most historic and venerable institutions. When explaining his goal, Dr. Riley frequently says, “We are very proud of what has happened in the past, but we have to keep working to create a brighter future for Downstate and the institution in New York City.”
Dr. Riley and his administration have a grand scheme to revitalize Downstate’s infrastructure. Capital investment projects have been completed at the University, ranging from the hospital to the teaching and learning environment. “People usually do not think that an organization is making progress unless they can see it, touch it, or sit in it,” Dr. Riley adds. Dr. Riley also reveals that Downstate intends to expand its clinical operation in order to provide patients with better access to ambulatory care facilities. The investment in the clinical business will aid in adjusting to the new reality, in which most outpatient treatment is provided in ambulatory settings. Dr. Riley explains, “We want to be very consumer responsive, too.” To that aim, “We also try to be more patient-consumer friendly.”
More efficient use of technology is another goal. Dr. Riley has shown interest in new digital tools that would facilitate online appointment and lab result checking. We are employing technology now, he says, but it must be improved upon in the future.
The future of an organization in the mind the leader
Dr. Riley asserts that effective executives should focus on the organization’s trajectory five, 10, and fifteen years from now. To ensure their companies have a bright future, they consider what steps they can take right now. Dr. Riley elaborates by saying that a leader’s primary responsibility is to provide the groundwork for the realization of their vision, even if they themselves will not be there to enjoy its fruition. “I take it seriously,” Dr. Riley says of his obligation to help build the infrastructure of a new age.
Dr. Riley defines success as the effort to inspire and guide others toward a common objective on behalf of a service organization. Particularly in healthcare, he finds it rewarding to appeal to people’s sense of mission and purpose as they join the field with the expectation that they would be able to serve and assist others. “When you overlay leading a healthcare organization or academic health sciences center, it is really to tap into that whole service of ethics that drove us all into healthcare,” Dr. Riley explains. So, as a leader, I must endeavor to invigorate, revive, and summon “better angels” to propel a people-caring company forward.
Day of Graduation Is Most Cherished
Dr. Riley looks forward to graduation every year. “When you sit up on stage, you see those young men and women walk across the stage to pick up their hard-earned degrees as physicians, nurses, physical therapists, and occupational therapists,” Dr. Riley adds. “You already know how much of an effect these alterations would have on them and their loved ones.
Dr. Riley always enjoys attending graduation ceremonies because of the emotional young people that attend. When several of the kids shake his hand, he leaves them with a message., “Hey, relax and take it easy. Imagine a still image of your graduation day. The exhilaration of walking across the stage with your diploma in hand is one you’ll never forget.
Dr. Riley finds enormous joy and fulfillment on this “finest” day of the year in hearing about the successes and contributions of the people he has taught, mentored, and led across four different institutions.
Long Way to Go Before I Crash
Dr. Riley is the proud parent of two young ladies, both of whom he hopes to emulate. He also aspires to excel as a physician and a leader in the medical community. And he hopes to provide a hand to other like-minded groups like the New York Academy of Medicine. Dr. Riley has worked in the healthcare industry for over 25 years and considers himself just getting started. He used a line from Robert Frost’s poem “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening,” “I’ve miles to go before I sleep,” to emphasize his point.
Dr. Riley is excited to keep contributing to the important work being done at Downstate. In addition, he hopes to have an impact on policy and pioneer innovative methods for enhancing higher education. Dr. Riley’s remarkable and motivational leadership comes from his genuine enthusiasm for his work.
“I enjoy every day of my life from the time I put my feet down at four in the morning,” he adds. Being a doctor, working in healthcare, or serving as president of a university is an incredible honor. That is not something I just accept. I know that I am really lucky to be living the life that I am.
