A Note from Dean Cavalieri

March has been a fruitful month at SOM. We celebrated Match Day in person with a 99 percent match rate, which was significantly higher than the national average. Special congratulations go out to Dr. Joshua Coren and to Kelsey Hayes for their awards announced this month. With strong participation, we had another successful Day of Giving, meeting our goals to help support our students and funding. We also opened our hearts and stood strong in democracy and support of Ukraine with donated supplies for residents and refugees during a vigil held on our campus.  

Stay strong and be safe, 
 
Thomas A. Cavalieri, DO, MACOI, FACP
Dean
SOM Students Celebrate Match Day Success

Just before noon on March 18, the nearly 200 students who comprise the RowanSOM Class of 2022 anxiously awaited the moment that they ripped open the envelopes to reveal the residency program to which they matched. While always a special day in a medical student’s career, Match Day may have felt a bit more special this year. After having watched graduating peers’ virtual celebrations for the past two years, the RowanSOM Class of 2022 was the first class of this decade to enjoy a “live and in-person” Match Day event.
 
With 99 percent of the the Class of 2022 matching to a program, SOM continues to boast a higher match rate than the national average. A little more than half of the class will train in medical residency programs in New Jersey, with nearly just as many students pursuing primary care disciplines. SOM students also secured positions in such specialties as anesthesiology, dermatology, urology, orthopedic surgery and radiology, with some matching in competitive programs as far away as California and Hawaii.
 
Joshua Coren, DO Named ACOFP Educator of the Year

Dr. Joshua Coren, associate dean of clinical affairs and professor of Family Medicine, was named the 2022 Osteopathic Family Medicine Educator of the Year by the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians (ACOFP). Dr. Coren received the honor while attending the organization’s 59th Annual Convention & Scientific Seminars on March 19.
 
Dr. Coren was nominated by ACOFP Past President Dr. Steven R. Rubin, who noted that Dr. Coren is “an active and engaged osteopathic physician, scholar and advocate for our osteopathic community.” Dr. Coren was recognized as being a mentor and leader for students and fellow faculty, alike, in addition to his role in establishing RowanSOM’s COVID-19 vaccination center.
 
We congratulate Dr. Coren on this well-deserved honor. 
SOM Students Organize Vigil, Donation Drive for Ukraine

SOM students called upon the campus community stand in solidarity for the Ukrainian people’s right to democracy at a solemn vigil the evening of March 16. Many of the more than 50 attendees dressed in blue and listened to statements from those in Ukraine who are impacted by the invasion, including that of a Ukrainian couple who drove refugees from the Polish border to other European countries.
 
The event was sponsored by the RowanSOM IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Action) Council. The group also collected donations of first aid and wound care supplies, infant formula and personal hygiene products to directly support Ukrainian residents and refugees. Items are being collected through Friday, April 8. Please look for collection bins in the AC Atrium and UEC first floor lobby.
Kelsey Hayes Selected PROFessional of the Month

Department of Family Medicine certified medical assistant Kelsey Hayes was named Rowan University’s PROFessional of the Month for February. Kelsey has shown a commitment to excellence and exemplary customer service, even with the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. Her cheerful demeanor and steadfast dedication to patient care is recognized and appreciated by both her patients and colleagues alike.

The focus of the PROFessionals of the Month program is to recognize, on a monthly basis, exemplary Rowan employees as nominated by fellow members of the University community. The program is for faculty, staff, or employee groups at any level across all University campuses.

You can read more about Kelsey’s award here.
RowanSOM Day of Giving Yields Unprecedented Results

The 2022 RowanSOM Day of Giving was a success thanks to the participation of the SOM community. We are grateful for all who joined the celebration on March 9 either by making a gift, participating in social media challenges, or taking part in various games and chatting with student club representatives. Your participation and support enabled us to meet all of our giving and social media challenges, unlocking more than $20,000 in additional funds for a grand total in excess of $50,000. SOM remained on the University’s Giving Dollars Leaderboard, as well as the Provost’s Leaderboard, with additional prize money to be awarded for important school initiatives.
 
We wish to extend our gratitude to generous donors whose challenge gifts helped inspire an outpouring of support.
 
  • RowanSOM Alumni Association Board members for a $10,000 matching gift in support of student scholarships.
  • RowanSOM Leadership for a $5,300 challenge gift.
  • James George, MD and Karen Greenberg, DO for a $5,000 challenge gift for the naming of the Dr. DiPasquale Conference Room.
  • Dr. Gary and Janis Grover for a $500 challenge gift to support a RowanSOM student club.
 
Thank you again for making a difference in the lives of our student doctors and future of osteopathic medicine.