Robert I. Grossman

Robert I. Grossman is an American physician-researcher. He is the former dean of NYU Grossman School of Medicine (formerly NYU School of Medicine) and chief executive officer of NYU Langone Health (formerly NYU Medical Center). He was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.

Grossman completed an internship at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, two years of a neurosurgery residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a radiology residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, and a neuroradiology fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital. He is board certified in diagnostic radiology. He later served as chief of neuroradiology, associate chairman of the Department of Radiology, and professor of radiology, neurosurgery, and neurology.

In 2007, he was named dean of NYU School of Medicine, later renamed NYU Grossman School of Medicine, and chief executive officer of NYU Medical Center, later renamed NYU Langone Health.

Research Grossman has been awarded over 25 grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The nearly $4 million grant supported his ongoing research on multiple sclerosis.

Milestones In 2008, Grossman launched a decade-long Campus Transformation Plan, an infrastructure modernization program that has expanded NYU Langone's footprint to more than 14 million square feet of clinical, educational, and research space across its campuses in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Long Island.

On October 29, 2012, he oversaw the safe evacuation of 322 patients during Hurricane Sandy, which flooded NYU Langone Health's midtown Manhattan campus with more than 15 million gallons of water from the East River, inflicting more than $1 billion of damage to the institution's infrastructure and forcing a temporary shutdown. Grossman coordinated restoration efforts and NYU Langone Health was able to reopen major clinical units on December 27, 2012. The initiative made NYU School of Medicine the first nationally ranked medical school in the U.S. to enable medical students to graduate in three years, providing a directed pathway into any one of NYU Langone's twenty residency programs and accelerated entry into a variety of medical specialties.

In 2018, the medical school implemented full-tuition scholarships for all current and future students in NYU School of Medicine's MD degree program, making the school the first top-10-ranked medical school in the nation to provide full-tuition scholarships to all of its students. In 2024, NYU Langone's revenue was $14.2 billion, including more than $5 billion in philanthropy since 2007.

Awards and honors In 2004, Grossman was the first recipient of the Outstanding Contributions in Research Award from the Foundation of the American Society of Neuroradiology. He also received the Distinguished Graduate Award from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

In 2013, he was named a "Living Landmark" by the New York Landmarks Conservancy for his leadership during Hurricane Sandy, when he oversaw the safe evacuation of 322 patients from NYU Langone's midtown Manhattan campus.

In 2018, he was named to Time magazine's inaugural "Health Care 50" list of the 50 most influential healthcare leaders who changed the state of healthcare in America.

In 2021, he was an American Society of Neuroradiology Gold Medal Award recipient.

In 2022, he was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

In 2024, he received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Tulane University.

In 2025, Dr. Grossman was recognized with the Award of Distinction from Healthcare Leaders of New York and a Doctor of Science honoris causa degree by New York University.

Professional and scientific societies Grossman is a member of the American Society of Neuroradiology and a fellow of the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Boards Tulane University (2015–present) Greater New York Hospital Association; past chair

Editorial boards American Journal of Neuroradiology; past Editor-in-Chief

Personal life Grossman is married to Elisabeth J. Cohen, a physician-researcher, who serves as vice chair for academic affairs and professor of ophthalmology in the Department of Ophthalmology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. She is the study chair and principal investigator for the Zoster Eye Disease Study, a multicenter, international, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial supported by the National Eye Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health. Grossman and Cohen have two sons.

Grossman RI, Yousem DM (2003) Neuroradiology: The Requisites (second edition), Mosby Yousem DM, Grossman RI, (2010) Neuroradiology: The Requisites (third edition), Mosby Filippi M, Grossman RI, Comi G. (2012) Magnetic Resonance Techniques in Clinical Trials in Multiple Sclerosis, Springer Milan; Filippi M, Grossman RI, Comi G (1999). Magnetization Transfer Imaging in Multiple Sclerosis. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Grossman RI, Yousem DM, C. Arbós (translator) (2013). Neurorradiologia, Marban; In 2024, Grossman penned an op-ed published in The Wall Street Journal encouraging the Liaison Committee on Medical Education to review the way medical schools are evaluated and accredited.

In 2025, Grossman published an article in Radiology on the characteristics of effective leaders and the critical roles they play in successful organizations.