Dr. Alwyn Cohall is a Professor of Public Health and Pediatrics at the Columbia University Medical Center and the Mailman School of Public Health. Dr. Cohall's main areas of research interest include adolescent health; sexual and reproductive health; access to healthcare, particularly for young men of color; using media/technology to enhance health communication/health promotion; and, integrating trauma-informed care into clinical practice. In addition to his research interests, Dr. Cohall is board-certified in both pediatrics and adolescent medicine and has a private practice in adolescent health.
Dr. Cohall serves as the director of the Harlem Health Promotion Center which is devoted to reducing health disparities in the Harlem community. He is also the director of Project Stay (Services to Assist Youth), which is a New York State Department of Health funded program that provides confidential health services to young people affected by or infected with HIV/AIDS. Further, he is the medical director of the NYC CDC STD Prevention Training Center which focuses on enhancing the skills of primary care providers to manage patients with sexually-transmitted diseases. Additionally, in his role as Co-Principal Investigator at the New York Presbyterian site, he is involved with an NIH funded research project called “Link2Care” which designed to improve screening for STIs/HIV and substance use and subsequent linkages to health care services for Justice Involved Youth at high-risk for HIV.
Dr. Cohall is Co-Director of the Washington Heights/Inwood Youth Opportunity HUB – a program funded by the NYC District Attorney’s office to reduce youth involvement in the justice system. Finally, he is also Co-Director of BeWell, a health and wellness initiative for youth attending an afterschool academic enrichment and youth development program at 5 New York Public Library sites