#Montefiore Medical Center surgeon accused of racism

A pediatric surgeon at Montefiore Medical Center made a racist remark to an operating room nurse, according to a petition demanding that the doc apologize.

Hannah Dorvil alleges that Dr. Mindy Statter called her a “dumb black nurse,” according to the petition being circulated by the New York State Nurses Association, the union representing nurses at the Bronx hospital.

The petition also asks that Statter, 62, take cultural competency classes.

Dorvil, 28, who has worked at the hospital for three years, told The Post that the ugly encounter with Statter happened in July as she was called to relieve another operating room nurse just as a pediatric procedure had finished.

Dorvil said Statter asked for a supply not normally kept in the room and as she tried to find it, the surgeon grew frustrated saying “They always send me incompetent nurses.” She said Statter then sighed and made the racist comment.

Dorvil said she took a break as soon as she could, went to a staff lounge and burst into tears.

“I was absolutely hurt and devastated,” she said. “I just don’t understand what my complexion had to do with anything.”

Statter, who also heads the surgical residency program, did not return a request for comment.

The doctor was the subject of a 2019 federal lawsuit filed by Dr. Ojinika Ikedilo, a former surgical resident of Nigerian descent who said the Statter discriminated against her because of her race and pregnancy. Ikedilo claimed in court papers she was unfairly booted from the residency program because of a poor test score while others who scored similarly were allowed to stay.

The suit, which also named two other doctors and Montefiore, was dismissed in September by Judge Ronnie Abrams who said Ikedilo failed to prove “unlawful discrimination, retaliation, or failure to accommodate.” The judge allowed Ikedilo to amend the complaint, which her lawyer said he was doing.

“We take any allegation of this nature seriously and the matter is currently under investigation,” a Montefiore spokeswoman said.