Robert Viviano, DO
Emergency Medicine, Westchester Medical Center

Quality improvement and patient safety are cornerstones of my interest in CIR. CIR has been integral in inspiring, funding, and expanding my projects to improve patient care at my own hospitals. Additionally any time there are concerns about how we are treated or where our rights as both employees and learners fall, my fellow residents come to me and I have the opportunity to personally fix the issues quite often.

In my time as a CIR member I have learned about the complexity of actually running such an organization. The difference between a year ago when I thought anything was possible and now when I know *how to* make anything possible and the effort and resources required is immense. A year ago I could tell you what I wanted to do and encourage you to get excited about what you want to do. Now I can actually sit down with you and figure out how to make what you dream into a reality.

My main passion will always be in advocacy both for our fellow residents and for our patients. I will always bring my deep outside, and pre-residency, experience with US politics to help the union further its goals throughout our individual states and on a national level. If CIR needs a political wonk, it will continue to have one in me.

I have already given this organization my time, my expertise, my thoughts, and sometimes even my work hours. I like to believe I have distinguished myself already within CIR for my dedication to both advocacy (both within our hospitals and nationally) and patient safety. I have lead the quality improvement subcommittee and been deeply involved in multiple advocacy- related issues that CIR has been involved with. I have no intention to stop being dedicated to these CIR priorities, and I intend to continue to give back to this organization that has given much to me.