Thomas M. Ciesielski, MD

2023 Dean’s Impact Award Recipient

Thomas M. Ciesielski, MD, played an extraordinarily important role in clinical care, clinical operations and education during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ciesielski was engaged in the Incident Command Center (ICC) from Day One, helping ensure that all departments had access to personal protective equipment (PPE) as well as a rational plan for distribution and monitoring. He also worked closely with the Infection Prevention Team to facilitate the operational implementation of the renewal and disinfection of PPE. As a key leader of the ICC’s medical branch, he disseminated information and communicated with residents, fellows and faculty across all divisions of the department. Ciesielski worked tirelessly as he managed clinical operations and rapid changes in policies and procedures for the first two years of COVID-19. He helped devise strategies for clinical operations, surge planning and the constant shifting in medical staff providers, residency teams and bed distribution. Very few medical services were put on hold or stopped during COVID-19 because of the nature of patient care required for chronically and critically ill patients. Ciesielski provided updated surge plans for staffing and backup staffing for all medicine firm teams and the intensive care units (ICUs); engaged fellows and residents from multiple services to cover COVID-19 patients in the ICUs; and worked with the ICC, critical care teams, the EICU and the transfer center to facilitate these operations. He remained calm, organized and thoughtful as he worked with multiple stakeholders to ensure the ongoing efficient operation of the Department of Medicine.