March 15, 2019
The latest news and updates from Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
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It's a Match! Class of 2019 Celebrates Match Day
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With shouts of excitement and even some tears of joy, the medical school's Class of 2019 tore open the envelopes that held the key to their futures in medicine and learned where they will be spending the next four years of internship and residency training. Today's Match Day celebration marks a milestone for the school, as it will be graduating the largest class in its history; a total of 188 graduating seniors participated in the various Match processes.
Ninety-six percent of this year's graduating class matched to a program of their choice, exceeding the national match rate of 94 percent. Robert Wood Johnson Medical School has met or surpassed the national match rate
for the past 13 years. Thirty-three students matched to programs in New Jersey, with 19 (nearly 10 percent of the class) matching to a Robert Wood Johnson Medical School program.
Eighty-seven students -- 46 percent -- matched to a primary care program (family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics or obstetrics/gynecology). In addition to the primary care programs, 10 or more students matched in each of the following specialties: anesthesiology, emergency medicine and psychiatry.
Congratulations to the Class of 2019. We look forward to awarding your degrees at Convocation on May 20!
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Rutgers-Led Team Receives $29M NIH Grant through CTSA Program
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The medical school is part of a multi-university team led by Rutgers that has been awarded a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant for $29 million over five years for joining the NIH's Clinical and Translational Science Awards Program (CTSA). The program is designed to translate clinical research into patient care and treatment more quickly.
Not only will the grant help bring more evidence-based treatments to patients more quickly, but also, through Rutgers' partnership with RWJBarnabas Health, it will offer a great opportunity to expand our clinical research, connecting basic science research to patient care statewide, notes
Reynold A. Panettieri Jr., MD, vice chancellor for Translational Medicine and Science and director of Rutgers Institute for Translational Medicine and Science, which received the CTSA grant. Dr. Panettieri
(pictured right) is also professor of medicine at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
To be known as NJ ACTS: New Jersey Alliance for Clinical and Translational Science, the clinical and translational program at Rutgers will allow for diversity in clinical trials across Rutgers' five clinical research units, which include the Adult Clinical Research Center and Pediatric Clinical Research Center at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, as well as centers based at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers School of Dental Medicine and Rutgers Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute. The grant also includes Princeton University and New Jersey Institute of Technology.
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Dr. Mark Russo Appointed New Chief of Cardiac Surgery
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Mark J. Russo, MD, MS, is joining the Department of Surgery next week as associate professor and chief of its Division of Cardiac Surgery, and director of Structural Heart Disease at the medical school and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital.
An internationally known expert in the treatment of heart valve disease, Dr. Russo specializes in the treatment of complex and reoperative aortic and valvular disease. To achieve the best possible patient outcomes, he uses leading-edge techniques, including open, minimally invasive, catheter-based and hybrid approaches. He is among the most experienced transcatheter valve surgeons in the United States and taught these novel procedures to hundreds of physicians throughout the world. He is also an experienced transplant surgeon who has participated in more than 500 successful organ transplants.
Dr. Russo has co-authored more than 200 published manuscripts, abstracts and textbook chapters focused on improving health care quality and clinical outcomes for patients with cardiovascular disease. He holds leadership roles for multiple national and international clinical trials exploring novel treatments for heart valve disease and has received awards for his work from leading professional organizations, including being the second recipient of the President's Award from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, the largest organization of thoracic and cardiovascular surgeons in the world.
Prior to joining the medical school, Dr. Russo served as assistant-attending-in-cardiothoracic-surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia in New York and subsequently as director of cardiac surgery research and co-director of the Aortic Center at the University of Chicago.
Welcome, Dr. Russo!
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Congratulations to February's Employee of the Month!
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In recognition of her dedication, hard work and willingness to to go above and beyond to get a job done or solve a problem,
Kate McMahon, RN
(center), was named Employee of the Month for February 2019.
A registered nurse in the Department of Pediatrics' Division of Gastroenterology and Nutrition for the past three years, Kate was nominated for the award by
Soula Koniaris, MD, division chief, who noted that, as the only registered nurse in the division for the past two months, Kate did anything she needed to do to ensure that all phone calls, scheduling, letter-writing, lab tests, etc., were taken care of each day, whether it meant coming in early or leaving later. When a snow storm was predicted, Kate came in on a Sunday to be sure that clinical information was sent to the operating room in time for any scheduled procedures in the event that the snow caused delays. Dr. Koniaris
(pictured left, with Kate and
Robert L. Johnson, MD, FAAP
, interim dean) also cited Kate's profound compassion, exceptional listening skills and ability to "keep her cool" in all situations, while remaining upbeat, professional and patient in the face of a highly stressful work environment. In addition, she has identified areas needing improvement and reorganized and streamlined the workflow to help all members of the division, Dr. Koniaris said.
"All five of the doctors routinely receive accolades from our patients and families about how Kate was so helpful, kind, prompt in handling their requests and able to soothe their concerns," Dr. Koniaris added. "She is truly a vital member of this division; without her, we would not have been able to function."
Developed by the Staff Council, the Employee of the Month initiative recognizes staff who have served the medical school in an exceptional manner by exemplifying outstanding service through his or her work and exhibiting a positive and supportive attitude.
Visit the Staff Council website for a list of nominees and information about how to nominate someone for upcoming awards.
Congratulations, Kate, and all of the February nominees!
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CentraState Ball Supports Family Medicine Residency Program
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The CentraState Healthcare Foundation raised more than $250,000 at its 57th Annual Celebration Ball to benefit the Rutgers Family Medicine Residency Program at CentraState in the new Freehold Family Health Center. The program is overseen by the medical school's
Department of Family Medicine and Community Health. More than 300 guests attended this year's ball, held last month at the South Gate Manor in Freehold, including residents and faculty from the program, as well as
Alfred F. Tallia, MD, MPH, department chair, and
David E. Swee, MD, former chair and associate dean for education at the medical school.
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Pictured, l-r: Robert Gordon, DDS, chair of the CentraState Healthcare System Foundation Board;
David E. Swee, MD
;
Alfred F. Tallia, MD, MPH
; and John Gribbin, president and CEO of CentraState Health System. Drs. Swee and Tallia received commemorative plaques for their "vision and outstanding commitment to excellence in Graduate Medical Education."
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Taking a break during the festivities are (l-r): first-year resident
Tomi Olaniyan, MD
; third-year resident
Alisa Reznikov, MD
; first-year resident
Nicole Castro, MD
;
Maria Ciminelli, MD
, assistant professor and director of the family medicine residency program; first-year resident
Anand Shah, MD
; second-year resident
Arthur Kwok, MD
; and first-year resident
Kevin Ly, MD
.
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Students Implement 'Baby Cuddling' Program in NICU
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Third-year students
Anne Levine and
Anya McDermott and second-year students
Sally Tarabey and
Samantha Freedman started a "baby cuddling" program for babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital.
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Social Media Post of the Week
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Join Us for These Upcoming Events!
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Support our medical students by taking part in the 9th Annual Scholarship Gala, to be held on
Saturday, April 6
, at The Heldrich. This year's honorees are
Carol A. Terregino, MD
, senior associate dean for education and academic affairs (Distinguished Alumni Award);
Suhayl Dhib-Jalbut, MD
, professor and chair of neurology, and
M. Maral Mouradian, MD
, William Dow Lovett Professor of Neurology (both receiving Honorary Alumni Awards); and Robert E. Campbell, retired vice chair of the Johnson & Johnson Board of Directors, chair of the Professional Sector Trustee Emeritus and past chair of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Board (Meritorious Service Award). There's still time to sponsor the event and buy tickets! Funds from the event, sponsored by the medical school and Rutgers University Foundation, go toward providing scholarships to our medical students.
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Wednesday, March 27
2 - 3:30 p.m.
Clinical Academic Building
125 Paterson Street, New Brunswick
Sponsored by the Office of Faculty Development, this event is designed to help facilitate a critical discussion among faculty, staff and students on ways to better support and serve women of color at the medical school. Presented by experts at the medical school, it will help build the capacity to better mentor across racial and ethnic lines. Light refreshments will be served, and participants will receive a certificate of completion.
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Rare Disease Day with Photographer/Author Karen Haberberg
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Join us
March 20 at 6 p.m. in the Clinical Academic Building, Room 1302, for a special event with guest speaker Karen Haberberg, portrait photographer and author of
An Ordinary Day: Kids with Rare Genetic Conditions.
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On April 24, the
Department of Surgery
is launching its "
First Annual Alumni Grand Rounds
" with speaker Christine Laronga, MD, FACS. The event will occur in the Medical Education Building (
MEB 102) from 9 a.m - 10 a.m.
Please save the date for this
new addition
to the department's weekly Grand Round series.
Click
here
to view all upcoming CME activities.
Paul F. Weber, MD, RPh, MBA
, associate dean, Continuing Medical Education
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Dept. of Communications and Public Affairs | Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
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Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
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Copyright (c) 2019. All rights reserved.
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