Alexander Gelfer, MD, FCCP, FCP, FAASM

I was born in Moscow Russia (former Soviet Union) and finished high school (1966) with Honor, Silver Medal, Top 3% of graduates. Later, I attended First Moscow Medical Institute (1966) and graduated in the top 5% of my class. 

I completed my residency in Internal Medicine at the First Moscow Medical Institute. My first research paper was titled "Prognostication of outcome of Myocardial Infarction." As director of a 75-bed Medical Unit at the University-affiliated Hospital, I published my second research paper, "Pulmonary blood flow distribution in a patient with mitral valve disease" while teaching medical students and residents.

In 1981, I immigrated to United Sates (Refugee) with entire family, working as a cardiopulmonary technologist at the Methodist Hospital of Brooklyn until starting my residency in internal medicine in 1983 at the Englewood Hospital in New Jersey. I completed my fellowship in Pulmonary-Critical Care Medicine at the University Of Rochester, Stong Memorial Hospital, after which I worked as Director of Pulmonary Service and Director of Program Development at Newark Wane Hospital in Newark, NY, while also holding a teaching appointment as an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Rochester. 

Later, I completed training in Sleep Medicine at the University of Alabama in Birmingham in 1991. I Accepted position at Sisters of Charity Hospital and teaching position as an Assistant Clinical Professor at the State University of New York Buffalo School of Medicine and relocated to Buffalo.  I have worked as a pulmonary-critical care attending and ran an open sleep laboratory as part of the Sleep Care Program for Catholic Health System. I was the first medical Director of Sleep Care and Sleep laboratories. I have actively participated in Sleep Development in Buffalo and nationally. 

I am a member of President's Advisory Committee on Sleep and Accreditation Committee of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. At CHS, I served as Director of ICU at ST Joseph Hospital until 2020, and also as President Of Medical Staff at St. Joseph Hospital and a Member of CHS Advisory Panel. 

From 2000 until joining or Roswell Park, I was a Managing Partner op Pulmonary Group of Western NY. Currently and Associate Chief of Medicine at Sisters of Charity Hospital (CHS). Coming from the "Medical Family" (grandparents, mother, sister, wife, cousins) I have joined medicine with potion and determination to serve and contribute. Medicine is my life and I am very proud that my daughter follows our family tradition.