Dr. Charles Rothberg Elected Treasurer of State Medical Society

WESTBURY, NY (04/23/2012)(readMedia)-- Saratoga Springs, NY (4/23/2012) – Charles Rothberg, MD, a board-certified ophthalmologist from Suffolk County, was elected Treasurer of the Medical Society of the State of New York (MSSNY) at its 206th annual House of Delegates meeting in Saratoga Springs, NY, on April 21. In his new position, Dr. Rothberg will be helping to oversee the finances of the state's primary professional organization for physicians. He will continue to maintain his active private practice in Patchogue. However, he will remain Chief of Ophthalmology at Brookhaven Memorial Hospital, where he previously served as President of the Hospital Medical Staff.

Dr. Rothberg earned his bachelor of science degree from Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA, and his medical degree from the State University of New York, Brooklyn. He received his internship training in internal medicine at Nassau County Medical Center and his residency training in ophthalmology at Kings County Hospital. Dr. Rothberg is certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. He is a member of the Suffolk Ophthalmology Society as well as the New York State Ophthalmology Society.

Dr. Rothberg has been actively involved in the work of organized medicine for all specialties ever since he first sought guidance from his county medical society on starting a practice. He has been president of the Suffolk County Medical Society, the Suffolk Academy of Medicine, and the District 2 (Nassau/Suffolk) Medical Society. He has represented his county as MSSNY Councilor for seven years and has been a delegate to AMA meetings for the past six years. For his dedicated work as advisor to MSSNY's Medical Student Section, he was honored with the Charles Sherman Award.

Dr. Rothberg has been particularly vocal in matters related to medical liability reform and abuses of the health insurance industry. He was appointed commissioner of MSSNY's Governmental Affairs Division in 2009 and has been co-chair of its MSSNYPAC since 2008, having been an active participant since 1998. He revitalized MSSNYPAC's Speakers Bureau and has been its chair since 2009. This year, Dr. Rothberg was instrumental in initiating an institutional membership, which has increased the number of physicians supporting MSSNY's agenda.

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