Sibel Akyol Klimstra, M.D.
Sibel Akyol Klimstra, M.D.
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About Sibel Akyol Klimstra, M.D.
Sibel Klimstra, MD is the Ehrenkranz Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College and Associate Attending Psychiatrist at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital.
Dr. Klimstra graduated summa cum laude from Barnard College, Columbia University with a BA degree, majoring in Biopsychology. She received her MD degree from Yale University School of Medicine in 1988, and stayed at Yale for her adult psychiatry residency, becoming Chief Resident and receiving the Laughlin Fellow Merit Award in 1992. She also completed a PGY-V fellowship year in geriatric psychiatry at Yale University with J. Craig Nelson, MD. After training, she came to the Department of Psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College (WCMC) and New York-Presbyterian Hospital (NYPH)/ Westchester Division due to its renowned geriatric psychiatry program, headed by George S. Alexopoulos, MD. She has remained here ever since, establishing clinical research interests in geriatric psychopharmacology, depression, and cognitive dysfunction while expanding her expertise in clinical geriatric psychiatry and her role and expertise in undergraduate and graduate medical education.
Dr. Klimstra has taught extensively in WCMC’s pre-clinical and clinical psychiatry courses. She has local, national and international leadership experience in undergraduate and graduate medical education and curricular development.
Dr. Klimstra has served as WCMC’s Director of Medical Student Education in Psychiatry and Psychiatry Clerkship Director. She has also served as NYPH’s Associate Vice Chair for Graduate Medical Education, Cornell Campus/ Westchester Division, and Director of Residency Training in Geriatric Psychiatry.
She is an author of papers published in the prestigious geriatric psychiatry journals, the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. She has also authored several book chapters on geriatric mood disorders and inpatient geriatric psychiatry. She has served as an oral board examiner for the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) and currently serves as a committee member for the ABPN's Geriatric Psychiatry subspecialty examination. Dr. Klimstra is very active in the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry (AAGP); she is a member of the Teaching and Training Committee, a Geriatric Mental Health Foundation mentor to medical students and residents and has served as the Chair of the National Training Directors' Workshop.
Dr. Klimstra has received multiple national and local medical student, resident and geriatric fellow teaching awards including: Faculty Teacher of the Year Award from the NYPH psychiatry residents in 2001, the Excellence in Teaching Award from WCMC in 2002 and 2011, Teacher of the Year Award from the NYPH geriatric psychiatry fellows in 2005, Educator of the Year Award from the AAGP in 2008, a Mentorship Award from the NYPH geriatric psychiatry fellows in 2011 and 2013, selection to the WCMC Senior List in 2012, the American Psychiatric Association’s Nancy C.A. Roeske, M.D. Certificate of Recognition for Excellence in Medical Student Education in 2013 and WCMC’s Charles L. Bardes, MD Teaching Prize in 2013
Please note Dr. Klimstra is not accepting new patients. For referrals, please call (888) 694-2255.
2013 The Charles L. Bardes, MD Teaching Prize, for the outstanding faculty teacher who demonstrates leadership, dedication and concern for the students, Weill Cornell Medical College
2013 Nancy C.A. Roeske, M.D. Certificate of Recognition
for Excellence in Medical Student Education, for outstanding and sustaining contributions to medical student education, American Psychiatric Association
2013 Mentorship Award, recognizing commitment to education and career development Presented by the graduating geriatric psychiatry fellows, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Cornell Campus/Westchester Division
2012 Senior List, selected by the medical student graduating class to recognize 16 faculty members who have made a commitment to and demonstrated excellence in teaching, Weill Cornell Medical College
2011 Mentorship Award, recognizing commitment to education and career development, presented by the graduating geriatric psychiatry fellows, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Cornell Campus/Westchester Division
2011 Excellence in Teaching Award, recognizing Outstanding Teachers of Weill Cornell Medical College 2010-2011,Weill Cornell Medical College
2008 Educator of the Year Award, American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry
2005 Faculty Teacher of the Year, presented by the geriatric psychiatry residents, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, Cornell Campus/Westchester Division
2002 Excellence in Teaching Award, recognizing Outstanding Teachers of Weill Cornell Medical College 2001-2002, Weill Cornell Medical College
2001 Faculty Teacher of the Year, presented by the adult psychiatry residents, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Westchester Division
1992 Laughlin Fellow Merit Award Department of Psychiatry
Yale University School of Medicine
1984 Helen R. Downes Prize
awarded to the graduate with greatest promise of distinction in medicine/medical sciences, Barnard College, Columbia University
1984, summa cum laude, Barnard College, Columbia University
1983 Phi Beta Kappa Barnard College, Columbia University
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M.D.Yale University School of Medicine1988
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B.A.Barnard College - Columbia University1984
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Professor Emerita of Clinical PsychiatryWeill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University
External Relationships
Relationships and collaborations with for-profit and not-for profit organizations are of vital importance to our faculty because these exchanges of scientific information foster innovation. As experts in their fields, WCM physicians and scientists are sought after by many organizations to consult and educate. WCM and its faculty make this information available to the public, thus creating a transparent environment.