Simon Lichtiger, MD, began his academic journey at Yeshiva University, where he earned a bachelor of arts. He went on to earn a doctor of medicine from New York University School of Medicine. Simon Lichtiger’s early academic achievements included recognition such as membership in the Alpha Omega Alpha honor society and multiple distinctions during his medical training.
Dr. Lichtiger completed extensive postgraduate training at Bronx Municipal Hospital Center, covering an internship, residency, and a role as chief resident in medicine. He later pursued a fellowship in gastroenterology at Mount Sinai Medical Center.
Dr. Simon Lichtiger served at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine for more than two decades before his appointment as a professor of gastroenterology at Columbia University Medical Center. In these roles, Dr. Lichtiger was responsible for teaching at multiple levels of medical education, organizing academic conferences, and mentoring trainees in clinical and research settings.
In recent years, Dr. Lichtiger expanded his educational focus beyond medicine. He enrolled in the Fisch Center of Yeshiva University to pursue a master’s degree in Holocaust and genocide Studies and began teaching high school students. Currently, he is a teacher at Ateres High School and another high school in New Jersey. He designs coursework, leads classes multiple times per week, and evaluates student work. Dr. Simon Lichtiger also leads weekly teaching sessions on inflammatory bowel disease for gastroenterology fellows, and delivers lectures to medical students at Columbia University in Body in Health and Disease.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
My day starts at 5:00 am with a visit to a local synagogue for morning prayers and a period of study. I return home at 7:00 am, when I usually have coffee while reading the New York Times. Beginning at around 9:00, I take care of chores/errands, which usually lasts for an hour. After that, I practice piano and read something that reflects whatever music I play, e.g. read about Bach in relationship to the piece I am playing. I enjoy gardening, which I am busy with at this time of year. By early afternoon, I head to the gym for an hour and a half, as I am presently training for a marathon. I have coffee with friends who I have known from college, as we have remained a small group who decided years ago that we would live in the same town in New Jersey. Nights are spent preparing the next day’s lessons in both schools that I teach in. I have finished an extensive curriculum, which I review prior to class.
How do you bring ideas to life?
I design my own gardens (flowers, vegetables) and plant with my grandchildren so they can learn how we grow our food. I find it very nurturing and satisfying to fill the void of taking care of patients. Creating a curriculum for my initial year of teaching took me hundreds of hours blending history, literature, cinema, and videos about genocide and Holocaust study. This required a great amount of original organization, yielding 250 PowerPoint slides, maps, videos, and short books that cover the topic. I hope that others will adopt these slides and it becomes the standard.
What’s one trend that excites you?
Artificial intelligence allows me to venture deep into history and remains an amazing thought-provoking exercise. I get creative ideas by using it appropriately and remain perplexed at its power to assist in teaching.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
Never leave things you could do today till the next day. Despite being retired with much more time than in my 40 years of practice, I try to deal with problems head on and quickly.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Delegate wisely. I was and am of the belief that no one can do things the way I want to. This left me unable to delegate well. Over the years, I have learned that this is not strength, rather weakness. Others can do things as well as I can, and I should have implicated this earlier in life.
Tell us something you believe that almost nobody agrees with you on.
I just finished a masters program in graduate school. Although I am 72 and grades did not matter, I worked as hard as I could in order to excel in the program. I have always believed that education is the key to success and wanted my grandchildren to know that despite my grades not being paramount, I was going to give 110% effort in order to succeed.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
Work 110%. Be the best you can be.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
Watch sports. Takes my mind off being overwhelmed.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
Work as hard as one can. Give 110% effort in everything that one does.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
Failed to take in an associate in 40 years of private practice medicine with a lot of clinical research in my career. I was never truly off. Always available to patients who needed me, even on vacation.
What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?
Sent flowers to my daughters, all who live within 10 minutes of our home. Wanted to thank them for always being there for myself and wife.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
“Tuesdays with Morrie” by Mitch Albom—blueprint on life.
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
“Homeland” with Claire Daines. I love psychological thrillers.
Key learnings
- Work hard and give 110% effort in all you do.
- Delegation is a strength, not a weakness.
- Education is the key to success.
- Productivity is based in planning ahead and not putting off what you can do today until tomorrow.