East Meadow, NY…….Nassau University Medical Center is proud to announce the inclusion of Leonard Octavius Barrett, MD, FACS, DDG, FABI, Chief, Thoracic Surgery and Director, Surgical Critical Care, in Castle Connolly’s Guide Top Doctors:  New York Metro Area, 11th edition.
While congratulating Dr. Barrett, Arthur A. Gianelli, President/ CEO of the Nassau Health Care Corporation stated:  “This outstanding honor is a testament to Dr. Barrett’s expertise in the field of thoracic surgery, demonstrating NUMC’s commitment to its patients in providing the highest quality of care.  This acclaimed guide to the top 10% of primary specialty care physicians in the tri-state New York area reflects the high esteem and respect accorded to Dr. Barrett by his physician peers.  He has extensive clinical experience, understands the diverse populations that we serve and places a priority on our historical mission.”

After receiving an honorable discharge from the United States Marine Corps in 1974, Dr. Barrett entered and graduated Iona College in New Rochelle with a degree in biology and chemistry.  He graduated from SUNY Downstate in 1983 with a medical degree.  In 1989, he completed his residency in general surgery at SUNY Stony Brook, where he remained an additional year to complete a surgical/critical care fellowship.  He then completed a cardiothoracic fellowship at Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, New Jersey.  Since then, Dr. Barrett has qualified for board certifications in general surgery, surgical critical care, and thoracic surgery.  Only about two percent of the physicians in the United State qualify for triple board certification. 
In 1983, Dr. Barrett began his assignment at NUMC as an attending thoracic surgeon and as a Director of Surgical Critical Care.  Due to his outstanding performance, he was appointed in 1995 as Chief of Thoracic Surgery.  Dr. Barrett operates on all chest trauma patients with excellent outcomes and manages all surgical critical care patients at NUMC. He has also served as interim Medical Director and Senior Vice President for Medical Affairs from 2003-2005.       

He has received numerous awards, including Teacher of the Year, by the surgical residents for the last seven years in a row. His teaching allows our surgical residents to have greater than 95% pass rate on the American Board of Surgery. Dr. Barrett belongs to many professional associations, including the American Medical Association, Fellow of the American College of Surgery, the American Society of Thoracic Surgery and the Society of Critical Care Medicine.  Dr. Barrett is also a fellow of the American Biographical Institute and Deputy Director General of the International Biographical Institute of Cambridge, England.  Dr. Barrett has been including numerous times in the Guide to America’s Top Surgeons and in the Castle Connolly Top Doctors in the New York Metro Area. Dr. Barrett has also received other awards including the American Medal of Honor from the American Biographical Institute and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Biographical Institute. 

Dr. Barrett has been included in the 2005 edition of Great Minds of the 21st Century published by the American Biographical Institute.  He was also included with fifteen other prominent persons in Select Honors of the Men of Achievement Worldwide.  In addition, Dr. Barrett has been listed in Strathmore’s Who’s Who and in the Global Directory of Who’s Who.
The Castle Connolly selection process was a year-long process, with questionnaires sent to 16,000 top physicians in the New York area.  Nominees were sought in almost every specialty, with the emphasis on direct patient care.  Varied criteria were used to determine physician eligibility for inclusion for professional qualifications including education, residency, and board certification fellowships with professional reputation including hospital appointment. 

Mr. Gianelli added:  “Our Board of Directors joins me in expressing pride and admiration for Dr. Barrett’s outstanding achievements, for his dedication and excellence, as demonstrated by the type of quality care that he delivers to our patients every day of the week."