Dr Cortell obtained his undergraduate education in biology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he was elected to Sigma Xi and his Doctor of Medicine with Research Honors from Tufts University. He earned a Masters Degree in Public Health from Columbia University.

Dr. Cortell completed his internship at the University of Chicago Clinics, a residency in psychiatry at Boston University and Medical residency at University of Wisconsin and Tufts Medical Center where he was Chief Resident. He spent 2 years as a Research Internist at Walter Reed Medical Center.

His career in Nephrology began with a fellowship at Tufts Medical Center in the Department of William B. Schwartz, MD. Following fellowship he remained on the attending staff at Tufts Medical Center before joining the staff at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital and Columbia University.

He has served as Chief of the Division of Nephrology continuously since 1975. In addition to his role as Division Chief, he served as Director of the Medical Service at St. Luke’s for 5 years.

Dr. Cortell has published more than 70 papers in professional journals, lectured to doctors and hospitals throughout the country, served as a consultant to the Food and Drug Administration in new drug development and helped develop several models of home health care. Dr. Cortell is now currently involved in developing a new approach to an ambulatory dialysis system.