Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan will step down from his position as the city’s top doctor on Friday, Oct. 18, months earlier than expected.

Last month, Vasan said his last day would be in “early January 2025,” without providing an exact date.

“As noted in the initial announcement of my resignation, it is time for the needs of my family to take precedence, despite how much I love this job, this work, and this agency,” Vasan said in a statement on Tuesday. “Those needs have taken on greater urgency, and so I have decided to move up my departure date to this Friday, October 18th.”

Dr. Michelle Morse will assume the role of interim health commissioner while the city conducts a national search for Vasan’s permanent replacement, Mayor Eric Adams said in his own statement Tuesday.

“While we are sorry to see him leave, we wholeheartedly respect his decision to prioritize the needs of his family and the greater urgency that those needs demand,” Adams said.

Morse was appointed the city’s chief medical officer in early 2021. She is also deputy commissioner of the health department’s Center for Health Equity and Community Wellness.