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I am pleased to share the news that A. Reema Kar, MD, has been appointed to the newly created position of associate dean for the Office of Professional Fulfillment, Engagement and Belonging (ProBE), dedicated to advancing a culture where faculty, staff and trainees feel valued, supported, and empowered to thrive.
In this new position, Dr. Kar will lead strategic initiatives that promote professional fulfillment, resilience, and belonging across the academic, clinical, research, and educational missions of the medical school.
A member of the medical school faculty since 2021, Dr. Kar serves as an associate professor of surgery in the Division of Acute Care Surgery and devotes her clinical time to the surgical critical care, trauma, and emergency general surgery services at the medical school and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. Her interest in this field stems from her experiences caring for victims of a school shooting. She is deeply committed to delivering emergency care to critically ill and injured patients, while striving to help their families navigate the complexities of a hospital course often involving multiple surgeries and long ICU stays.
Passionate about improving medical education and surgical training, Dr. Kar is dedicated to supporting the next generation of surgeons, fostering a nurturing environment for learners that is conducive to growth and development as clinicians and professionals. She has earned numerous awards and recognition for her teaching and mentorship. She currently serves as co-director of the medical school's Advanced Selective in Critical Care for fourth-year medical students and as the New Brunswick site director for the surgery clerkship for third-year medical students. She also serves on the medical school's Curriculum Committee and the M3/M4 Advanced Clerkship Planning Committee.
A strong advocate for equity and inclusion in surgery and surgical education, Dr. Kar founded the Women in Surgery Experience at Rutgers (WISER), a mentoring forum for female surgical residents, fellows, and faculty that promotes camaraderie, collaboration, and mutual support. This year, she expanded WISER to include medical students at both New Jersey Medical School and Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and launched a multilevel mentorship program for Rutgers undergraduates interested in surgical careers, the WISER Introduction to Surgical Careers program. She is a faculty STEM Mentor for high school students in the Rutgers STEM Ambassadors program, a science camp for underrepresented students from across the state. Her research focuses on surgical education topics, from the development of confidence in surgeons to gender disparities, implicit bias, and cultural humility in academic surgery.
Double board certified in general surgery and surgical critical care, Dr. Kar received her medical degree from Pennsylvania State University's College of Medicine, followed by general surgery residency training at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, and dual fellowship training in Burn Surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital and Surgical Critical Care at Yale University. She is a member of Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society, the American College of Surgeons, the Association of Women Surgeons, and the Association for Surgical Education.
Please join me in congratulating Dr. Kar and wishing her success in her new role.
Sincerely,
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