A Note from Dean Cavalieri While it seems like just yesterday that we were lauding our Class of 2022 graduates, as you read this, we’ve already welcomed our newest class of future physicians. The SOM Class of 2026 is historic, with 72 of its members joining us as the inaugural class at our new campus. Together, our Stratford and Sewell first-year students comprise not only the largest class in our school’s history, but also the largest entering class of any New Jersey medical school. Welcome to our new students and residents, welcome back to our returning colleagues, and thank you to all our staff and faculty who are helping to make SOM the premier osteopathic medical school in America. Stay strong and be safe,    Thomas A. Cavalieri, DO, MACOI, FACP Dean

Here We Grow Again! More than 200 faculty, students, staff and guests joined with county, health care and Rowan University officials on July 21 to celebrate the historic opening of the Sewell campus of the Virtua Health College of Health Medicine and Health Sciences of Rowan University’s School of Osteopathic Medicine (SOM). Following remarks to those assembled, the officials welcomed the first class of 72 medical students to the new campus with a traditional ribbon cutting ceremony. Located on the campus of Rowan College of South Jersey (RCSJ), the new Sewell campus represents SOM’s largest expansion since the medical school opened 45 years ago.

SOM Class of 2026 Welcomed to Campus RowanSOM’s new first-year medical students were officially welcomed to campus with a weeklong orientation program July 11-15. The Class of 2026 is the largest entering class at RowanSOM with the inclusion of our new Sewell Campus.   The 288 class members participated in a variety of required and optional activities, including educational programs, small group information sessions, fit-testing, a basic life support and CPR certification course, breakfast and lunch socials, and a welcome back BBQ event. All activities were designed to not only give students a sense of what’s to come throughout the course of their medical education, but provide an opportunity to meet fellow classmates, in addition to faculty and staff.   The Class of 2026 includes a diverse group of the best and brightest from across the state and the country; here are some quick facts: The class is 56 percent female, 44 percent male Three percent of students are GSBS graduates; five percent are Rowan University graduates 74 percent of students are from New Jersey, with 18 percent of them calling South Jersey home   We look forward to officially welcoming the Class of 2026 at their White Coat Ceremony, which is scheduled for later this summer.

Jeff Powers, PhD Named Associate Director for Problem Based Learning We are pleased to welcome Jeff Powers, PhD, as RowanSOM’s Associate Director for Problem Based Learning (PBL). A member of the Department of Molecular Biology since 2019, Dr. Powers has been an active lecturer in the biochemistry portion of the SGL Biomedical Foundations course, and has served as course director of the MBS Biochemistry and Molecular Chemistry course. In addition to being a PBL facilitator, Dr. Powers is also the co-director of the Cardiology/Nephrology block in PBL 1. As Associate Director, Dr. Powers will support Deanna Janora, MD, the Interim Director of PBL, in overseeing the curriculum track on both the Stratford and Sewell campuses.

RowanSOM Faculty Promotions As we begin the new fiscal year, please join in congratulating the faculty members who have met the criteria for promotion through their dedication and efforts to advance our school’s mission. Faculty Promotions Gary Goldberg, PhD promoted to Professor, Department of Biology Kathryn Lambert, DO promoted to Professor, Department of Family Medicine Joanna Petrides, PsyD promoted to Associate Professor, Department of Family Medicine Samantha Plasner, DO promoted to Associate Professor, Department of Family Medicine Paul Bryman, DO promoted to Associate Professor, Department of Geriatrics and Gerontology, NJISA Leonard Powell, DO promoted to Associate Professor, Department of Geriatrics and Gerontology, NJISA Rachel Silliman Cohen, MD promoted to Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, CARES Institute Emeritus Designation Martin Finkel, DO has been designated as Emeritus Professor in recognition of his service and dedication to RowanSOM and his contributions benefiting children worldwide.

AOA President Visits RowanSOM In June, Joseph Giaimo, DO, President of the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), visited the RowanSOM campus. During his day-long visit, Dr. Giaimo visited the new Sewell campus where he met with staff members from the Office of Academic Affairs. He also had an opportunity to meet with new physicians at the SOM Residency program orientation and members of the incoming class of 2026 at the Pre-Matriculation program. He completed the day with a lunch meeting with Department of Medicine leaders, followed by a meet and greet with deans and chairs.   Dr. Joe Giaimo completed his residency and pulmonary medicine fellowship training at SOM. He is AOA board-certified in internal medicine, pulmonary medicine and sleep medicine, a master fellow of the American College of Osteopathic Internists and a fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians.

Dr. Cavalieri Receives Presidential Citation RowanSOM Dean Dr. Thomas Cavalieri was one of six individuals recognized with a 2022 Presidential Citation at the recent AOA House of Delegates meeting. The award recognizes individuals who have dedicated a significant portion of their life’s work to shaping the future of the osteopathic profession by advancing medical education, caring for medically underserved communities and relentlessly advocating for DOs, osteopathic medical students and the patients they serve.

Top Docs for Women List Includes RowanSOM Faculty Our docs are tops! Congratulations to the RowanSOM faculty who were among the 119 physicians named to South Jersey Magazine’s‘Top Physicians for Women’ list in their respective fields. The list appeared in the magazine’s May 2022 issue. Endocrinology Joseph Fallon, MD Obstetrics and Gynecology Anthony Salerno, MD Lauren Spivack, MD Rheumatology Linda Brecher, DO

Congratulations to PROFessionals of the Month Brian Monahan and David Ireland Congratulations are extended to Rowan University’s April PROFessionals of the Month, Brian Monahan and David Ireland. Both Brian and David are members of the Academic Technology – IRT team on the Stratford campus. David and Brian were recognized for the role that they both played in a new pilot project at SOM to add transcripts and captions to lecture recordings, helping to make them compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards, as well as Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles. Brian and David were instrumental in several key aspects of the project, including determining system requirements, developing workflows, and providing progress reports to key stakeholders. According to their nominator, the project would not have been possible or have run as smooth without their guidance. To nominate faculty, staff or a team of professionals for the PROFessional of the Month, send an email of 200 words or less of why your nominee should be recognized to profofthemonth@rowan.edu.

RowanSOM Receives $100,000 from ShopRite LPGA and Wakefern Food Corporation For nearly 25 years, RowanSOM has been a fortunate recipient of an annual grant generated by proceeds from the ShopRite LPGA Classic golf tournament. This year, we are grateful to have received $100,000 to fund a number of important programs for our community and our school. CARES Institute will receive funding for their upcoming annual training seminar series that focuses on the growing issue of human trafficking and internet exploitation.  Rowan Community Health Center, the SOM student-run medical clinic located in the Community Commitment Church in Lindenwold, will receive funds to cover costs for point-of-care lab testing for their patients. Rowan Integrated Special Needs Center (RISN) will use grant money to purchase new equipment to provide better care for patients with sensory and anxiety issues.  Rowan Family Medicine will dedicate funds to two initiatives: implementing patient cervical cancer screenings in all locations and assisting with a weight management program in Hammonton. RowanSOM Center for Student Success will allocate funds to assist at-risk medical students with tutoring and additional study aids. We thank the ShopRite LPGA and the Wakefern Food Corporation for continued generosity.

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