Dr. Lazar is responsible for administrative oversight of the educational program leading to the MD degree, the expansion of the Center for Healthcare Simulation, and the development of a broader array of programs to support faculty in their role as educators.
In 2018, the SUNY Board of Trustees named Dr. Lazar as a SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor, the highest rank bestowed upon professors, and an honor that recognizes and elevates the mastery of teaching. His longstanding commitment to education and mentorship, outstanding service to students, and dedication to their ongoing intellectual growth, scholarship, and professional growth were catalysts for this recognition.
He oversees Career Advising and Mentoring across all four years. In addition, he serves as a Clinical Advisory Deans where he assists medical students with career selection and residency planning.
Dr. Lazar served as a preceptor for the clinical skills component of the Foundations curriculum and continues to conduct bedside rounds, lectures for second-year students, and precepts first and second-year medical students in outpatient clinics. He has served as a mentor and faculty member for Downstate’s Program to Increase Diversity Among Individuals Engaged in Cardiovascular Health-Related Research, as part of a team of multidisciplinary experts that have partnered to provide the didactic training to junior faculty interested in conducting research in health disparities.
Dr. Lazar continuously strives promote a positive learning environment. In 2020, he launched the Learning Environment Committee (LEC). The Learning Environment Committee works to promote a positive and inclusive learning environment. The LEC reaches beyond to support all aspect of student life.