A Note from Dean Cavalieri

September brought our academic year into full swing with the introduction of new faculty members, the return of annual events, new programs for students and new awards for faculty and staff. And speaking of ‘full swing,’ many thanks to our hospital partners, students and staff who helped raise $15,000 for scholarships in our Drive for Scholarship golf tournament. Special congratulations go out to nearly two dozen of our faculty for their awards, selections and honors, listed below, and to Ronald Collins and Kyle Truitt, who were selected Rowan’s PROFessionals of the month in July.

Stay strong and be safe, 

Thomas A. Cavalieri, DO, MACOI, FACP

Dean

Drive for Scholarship Returns

On September 18, SOM’s Drive for Scholarship golf outing returned at Ramblewood Country Club in Mt. Laurel. Seventy-two golfers, including alumni, students, faculty and friends, enjoyed perfect weather and course conditions at the event, which was supported by our dedicated volunteers and generous sponsors, including Inspira Health, Virtua Health, and Jefferson Health NJ. Thank you to all that participated in the outing, which raised $15,000 for the Alumni Association’s student scholarship fund!

Fresh Check Day Promotes Suicide Awareness

On September 21, the Office of Student Affairs and Alumni Engagement hosted Fresh Check Day, in partnership with Rowan Healthy Campus Initiatives and the Jordan Porco Foundation. Fresh Check Day is a national suicide prevention event that encourages students to engage in dialogue about mental health and showcases the many resources available for support in an uplifting way. This event was held on both campuses, and included prizes, giveaways, free ice cream from Mister Softee, and  interactive expo booths hosted by SOM student clubs and campus partners. A special thanks to our Office of Public Safety for their support of this event.

Dean Cavalieri Named a NJBiz Top Education Leaders

SOM Dean Dr. Thomas Cavalieri has been included in the annual 2022 Education Power List published this month by NJBIZ magazine. In announcing the list, the magazine’s editors pointed to SOM’s historic growth and achievement under Dr. Cavalieri’s leadership and his continuing role in guiding SOM through the new partnership with Virtua Health. 

Drs. Brolis and Channell Join NBOME Capstone Project Task Force

Dr. Nils Brolis, Medical Director of the Simulation Center, and Dr. Millicent King Channell, Associate Dean for Curriculum, were selected to join the NBOME task force that will provide oversight for the Core Competency for DOs (C3DO) project. Task force members were selected for their expertise and experience developing, administering, and validating performance assessments of osteopathic clinical skills. The task force held its initial meeting earlier this month and will be issuing a guide for schools to apply to participate in the first round of C3DO pilots, anticipated to begin in spring 2023.

Dr. Jennifer LeComte Honored

Dr. Jennifer LeComte, the Medical Director of the Rowan Integrated Special Needs (RISN) Center has been named one of the 2022 Women of Achievement by the Gloucester County Commission for Women. For more than 30 years, Gloucester County women’s organizations have recognized women for their outstanding contributions to their professional field, humanitarianism, volunteerism, and contributions to their communities. Dr. LeComte and the other awardees will be honored at a special ceremony on October 18. Congratulations, Dr. LeComte! 

Rowan Medicine Physicians Tops in SJ Magazine poll

This year nearly two dozen Rowan Medicine physicians can claim credit as one of South Jersey’s Top Docs. The annual poll by SJ Magazine asked physicians to name which other physicians they would recommend to their own family members. The result – 20 physicians, covering 21 medical specialties were selected by their peers throughout South Jersey. 

Bariatric Surgery/Weight Loss:  Adarsh Gupta, DO

Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism:  Joseph Fallon, MD

Family Practice: Jennifer Caudle, DO, and Samantha Plasner, DO 

Geriatric Medicine: Jesse Abesh, DO; Anita Chopra, MD; Terrie Ginsberg, DO; and Leonard Powell, DO 

Geriatric Psychiatry:  Stephen Scheinthal, DO, and Christian White, DO

Infectious Disease:  Judith Lightfoot, DO

Internal Medicine:  Joanne Kaiser-Smith, DO

Obstetrics and Gynecology:  Michele Tartaglia, DO 

Pain Management:  James Bailey, DO, and Deanna Janora, MD

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation:  James Bailey, DO, and Richard Jermyn, DO

Psychiatry:  Rachel Shmuts, DO

Pulmonology:  James Giudice, DO

Rheumatology:  Linda Brecher, DO, and Safia Siddiqui, MD

Environmental Services Staff July’s PROFessionals

Congratulations to Ronald Collins and Kyle Truitt for being selected as the PROFessionals of the Month for July! Ron and Kyle played an instrumental part in preparing the Sewell campus for the July arrival of the first group of students on the Sewell campus. During the weeks leading up to the new medical students’ arrival, their help and commitment to maintaining a welcoming atmosphere for the students did not go unnoticed.

Ron and Kyle never hesitate to assist with any task, no matter how big or small the task is. They are the true definition of team players and many of their colleagues have stated that it is an honor to work with them on a daily basis.

To nominate faculty, staff, or a team of professionals for the PROFessional(s) of the Month, send an email, in 200 words or less, explaining why your nominee(s) should be recognized to profofthemonth@rowan.edu.

Welcome New Faculty

A number of new faces have joined our faculty recently and we want to begin a tradition in this space of welcoming them to Rowan Medicine and the School of Osteopathic Medicine. 

Dr. Altamash Raja, NMI, is a sports medicine physician with extensive experience helping active individuals and elite athletes recover from injuries, including joint, tendon, ligament, spine and muscle disorders.

Dr. Ashley Rowan Coleman joined the Department of Medicine staff in July as the department’s Chief of General Internal Medicine. Along with patient care, she oversees the development of multidisciplinary preventive medicine programs and supervises medical residents at the Sewell clinical office.  

RISN physician Dr. Jeffrey Zlotnick is well known throughout the region for his care and expertise in helping patients with special needs. He developed the MedFest program, a joint initiative between Special Olympics NJ (SONJ) and the NJ Academy of Family Physicians,has been elected to the SONJ “Hall of Fame” and is a recipient of the Special Olympics International’s Galisano Health Leadership Award.