A Note from Dean Cavalieri

The start of the new academic year awakens a sense of excitement on our campus as our arriving classes of

new students bring with them such an exhilarating sense of promise and possibility. That was never more true

than at our annual White Coat Ceremony where we welcomed the Class of 2026 and celebrated the historic importance of their presence and our newly formed partnership with Virtua Health. I know our students and

their guests join me in thanking everyone who worked behind the scenes to make that special day an

extraordinary success.

Stay strong and be safe, 

Thomas A. Cavalieri, DO, MACOI, FACP

Dean

White Coats x Two!

Congratulations to the Class of 2026 on receiving their white coats during SOM's White Coat Ceremonies on Sunday, August 21. That plural of “Ceremony” is intentional. The Class of 2026 is the largest in SOM history, so large, in fact, that Pfleeger Theater on the Glassboro campus was filled twice to accommodate all our students and their guests. 

Although new to SOM, the Class of 2026 already holds the distinction of many ‘firsts’ in the history of our medical school. Given the way their medical careers are beginning, we look forward to many more exciting achievements from our newest generation of physicians. 

The White Coat Ceremony tradition began in 1993 at Columbia University and, in 1996, RowanSOM became the first osteopathic medical school to hold a White Coat Ceremony. You can read more about the 2022 White Coat Ceremony at SOM and view a video of the ceremony here

White Coat Note Campaign Benefits SOM Scholarships

Thank you to our SOM family for your support of this year’s White Coat Note fundraising initiative. You played a vital part in our White Coat Ceremony for our medical students. Members of the class of 2026 received their notes filled with thoughtful words of encouragement from family, friends, faculty and alumni as they took an oath affirming their commitment to patient care. Your inspirational notes have left a lasting impact on our student doctors and provided them with the vote of confidence to pursue their dream of becoming a physician.

Each gift to the White Coat Note Campaign benefits the annual SOM White Coat Recruitment Scholarship, which provides necessary financial assistance to incoming students who demonstrate academic excellence. This year, with your help, we raised $13,500. 

We are truly grateful for your generosity and we thank you for supporting the next generation of SOM physicians.

2022 Gold Student Summer Fellowship Winners Announced

A program by three SOM students has been selected as one of nine summer fellowships funded by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation this year. SOM students David Guadarrama, Brianna Leonardo, and Bijan Roghanchi designed “Pathway Programs 2022” to meet a dire need in the education of high school students in New Jersey’s Salem County around careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics (STEAM). The project will offer various learning, mentorship, and leadership development opportunities focused on health-related careers, provided free-of-cost to participating students. The Student Summer Fellowship award includes a $3,600 stipend to support the Pathway Programs 2022 activities.

Dr. Venkat Venkataraman, an associate professor in the Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, will serve as the faculty mentor for the program. 

HRSA Renews Support for NJ AHEC at SOM

The U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration has awarded a five-year, $4.3 million grant to SOM to continue its support for the NJ AHEC program. The grant continues a 40-year partnership between Southwestern AHEC, Garden AHEC, and Shore AHEC, and the Department of Family Medicine to provide training and education for students seeking careers in health professions within underserved areas. Dr. Kristin Bertsch is the program director at SOM. 

Among other initiatives, the HRSA grant will provide funding for AHEC Scholars, a two-year program that includes inter-professional education, behavioral health integration, cultural competency, virtual learning and telehealth. The Scholars program requires students to establish a youth public health program focusing on high school student recruitment, conduct 10 percent of clinical education within community settings, and develop curricula within community-based accredited primary care residency programs.

Read more information about the grant here.

Dr. Deanna Janora Named Associate Director for Problem Based Learning

We are excited to share the news that Dr. Deanna Janora has been appointed the new Director of Problem Based Learning at RowanSOM. 

Dr. Janora was the first physiatrist hired at SOM and has 20 years of experience as a full-time faculty. She sees clinical outpatients at the Neuromusculoskeletal Institute, providing electrodiagnostic testing; botulinum treatment for torticollis, spasticity and migraine headaches; and outpatient management of conditions including stroke, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, fibromyalgia, chronic pain and amputations.

Dr. Janora has participated in clinical research studies on the effect of OMT on lower back pain, exercise on osteoporosis, use of music therapy for reduction of pain during procedures, use of neurotoxins on lower extremity spasticity, occurrence of nerve disorders in patients with HIV, medication safety and efficacy trials. 

Of all the opportunities she has had in her career, she is most excited about being able to participate in PBL with incoming SOM medical students, saying, “Seeing their motivation, excitement and intelligence is truly amazing and it is a pleasure to see them start off, then grow and flourish in their medical careers!”