Robert K. Abdullah, MD

As an NYU Langone hospitalist, I take care of patients who are admitted to the hospital and those at home who are stable enough to participate in the Home Hospital Program at NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island. I also serve as a medicine consultant, working with surgical, orthopedics, and neurology colleagues to care for patients.

When I’m not caring for patients, I am dedicated to teaching internal medicine residents as one of their associate program directors, and serving as a patient experience champion for other hospitalists. My focus is on driving and fostering patient-centered care and service excellence.

My mom has been a medical-surgical nurse longer than I have been in medicine. Between the stories she brought home and my own experience working in the hospital, I know that those in internal medicine are “my people.” Just like the character J. D. Dorian, MD, on the TV show Scrubs, I originally wanted to be “king of the nerds.” This has since matured into a dedication to fostering trust and building relationships with people who are vulnerable, very sick, and in a state of need.

Hospitalists typically meet patients for the first time when they are admitted to the hospital because they are acutely ill. Our patients may or may not have outpatient primary care, but they find themselves in our care. We commonly identify new diagnoses or deliver unexpected news. Within a short time, it’s important we form trusting relationships with patients and their families.

When I started medical school, I was academically focused. Since then, I have come to also appreciate the importance of interpersonal relationships and communication skills. A professor once told me that every patient you encounter comes to you in a state of need. I believe that more than ever. Because that need may take time to identify, I have learned to feel more comfortable saying “I don’t know” and then following up with “Let’s find out.” There’s power in humility and in decision-making shared between patients and providers.

The cornerstone of my practice is not only drawing upon my medical knowledge but engaging with patients and their families to develop trust and foster a “we” approach to care.