A Note from Dean Jermyn



This month, we wrapped up Commencement week with an amazing ceremony celebrating our SOM and GSBS graduates. My thanks go out to all our SOM and GSBS colleagues who volunteered to make the week a special one for graduates and their guests.

This has been a great end to our academic year. Along with our graduates, many of our students, staff and faculty were singled out for individual and group honors this month, including Dr. Cavalieri, the COVID Vaccine Center Leadership Team, Dr. LeComte, Student Doctor Sahil Parikh, and 19 of our Rowan Medicine physicians whose peers voted them among South Jersey’s best.

With all that has happened over the past few months, I hope you take time to pause and recharge a bit before we head into what is certain to be another remarkable academic year. Even eNews will pause, skipping a June issue in favor of a combined one for June and July.. 

My best regards, 

Richard T. Jermyn, D.O., FAAPMR

Dean

SOM and GSBS Class of 2023 Feted at Commencement

Two hundred School of Osteopathic Medicine (SOM) and 52 Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS) graduates gathered on University Green in Glassboro to celebrate the culmination of their Rowan-Virtua academic journeys, and the beginning of their next chapters on May 11. The annual Commencement Ceremony saw the largest graduating SOM class yet, and a host of milestones achieved by members of both schools.

Notable highlights:

• Members of this class – both SOM and GSBS – supported operation efforts for the Rowan Medicine Vaccination Center dubbed “Operation Save Lives” that administered more than 60,000 COVID-19 vaccines for our community during the pandemic. 
• Many also participated in volunteer efforts supporting pop-up clinics to administer COVID vaccines and flu shots to underserved communities throughout South Jersey.
• We commend our SOM graduates who achieved a 100 percent match rate, gaining entrance to competitive GME programs in disciplines throughout NJ and our nation.
• In this class, several student leaders helped to bring about transformational change at SOM in diversity, equity and inclusion, and we are grateful for their many contributions.
• We also applaud the many students in the Rowan-Virtua SOM and GSBS Class of 2023 who were first in their family to graduate from college. These students faced unique challenges to not only graduate from college, but now have gone on to earn their Master’s degree, Doctoral degree in Philosophy (PhD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree.

Finally, in this class, seven military graduates will soon be promoted as a result of earning their DO degrees, four of whom are pursuing residencies at military medical centers. We applaud our graduates for this remarkable accomplishment and for their service to our country.

View the recorded ceremony >>>

Thomas Cavalieri, DO Receives AACOM Dale S. Dodson Award

Dr. Thomas Cavalieri received the Dale S. Dodson Award at the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine’s (AACOM) annual conference last month. Dr. Cavalieri is Senior Vice Provost of Virtua Health College of Medicine and Life Sciences at Rowan University and Chief Academic Officer of Virtua Health. 

Created in memory of American Osteopathic Association past president and osteopathic medical education innovator Dale S. Dodson, DO, this annual award recognizes a current or past CEO or CAO of an osteopathic medical college who has made significant contributions to the advancement and support of osteopathic medical education.

Student Doctor Places First at SAAO Competition

Congratulations to Student Doctor Sahil Parikh ’24 for receiving first-place honors in the Student American Academy of Osteopathy’s (SAAO) National A. Hollis Wolf Case Presentation competition.

The competition was held in conjunction with the American Academy of Osteopathy Convocation in Colorado Springs, CO this past March. Several SOM students, faculty and staff attended the annual event.

Rowan Medicine Physicians Named Top Female Docs for 2023

Congratulations to the following Rowan Medicine physicians named to SJ Magazine’s Top Female Doctors list. We are proud of the impact these amazing women have in our community as representatives of Rowan Medicine.

The entire list of South Jersey’s Top Female Docs for 2023 is available here.

Adolescent Medicine

Meagan Vermeulen, MD

Nicole Leopardi, MD

Child Abuse

Laura Brennan, MD

Stephanie Lanese, MD

Developmental/Behavioral

Jennifer LeComte, DO

Family Practice

Jennifer Caudle, DO

Kathryn Lambert, DO

Samantha Plasner, DO

Geriatric Medicine

Jesse Abesh, DO

Anita Chopra, MD

Terrie Ginsberg, DO

Infectious Disease

Judith Lightfoot, DO

Internal Medicine

Joanne Kaiser-Smith, DO

Obstetrics and Gynecology

Michele Tartaglia, DO

Pain Management

Deanna Janora, MD

Pediatrics

Nicole Streeks-Wooden, MD

Psychiatry

Rachel Shmuts, DO

Rheumatology

Linda Brecher, DO

Safia Siddiqui, MD

Jennifer LeComte, DO Recognized at "Night of Hope"

Dr. Jennifer LeComte, Medical Director of the Rowan-Virtua Regional Integrated Special Needs Center, received an award for her work with the autism community at Autism New Jersey’s “Night of Hope” event on April 26. The event was attended by autism advocates, state and local officials, health care professionals, as well as members of the autism community.

Dr. LeComte was praised for her tireless work and dedication to providing disability-centric health care, in addition to a model education for new providers.

SNMA Senior Send Off

The Student National Medical Association (SNMA) held its annual Senior Send Off on April 28. The event recognizes and celebrates graduating seniors within the Rowan-Virtua SNMA chapter. Many of the soon-to-be graduates shared memories and words of advice and encouragement with fellow underclassmen.

Graduate Awards Dinner Celebrates Class of 2023

Rowan-Virtua SOM and GSBS hosted the Graduate Awards Dinner at Lucien’s in Berlin on May 4. 

The annual event featured the presentation of academic and service awards to members of the Class of 2023, as well as special honors and presentations, including the Golden Apple Awards, Distinguished Alumnus Award, and Donna Jones Moritsugu Award, as well as a military commissioning ceremony.

Edward J. Ill Award Goes to Vaccine Leadership Team

The COVID-19 Vaccine Center Leadership Team received the prestigious Peter W. Rodino, Jr., Citizen’s Award during this year’s Edward J. Ill Award ceremony held on May 3. Dr. Joshua Coren, who served as co-founder and medical director of the Center, accepted the award on behalf of the team. The Leadership Team was cited for their dedication and endless hours of combined efforts that coalesced hundreds of volunteers who supported “Operation Save Lives” in delivering more than 60,000 vaccinations that protected New Jersey’s citizens from COVID-19.

Joining Dr. Coren as co-founder of the Center were Dr. Richard Jermyn, who also led special initiatives to provide mobile vaccine projects that reached communities of need throughout the state, and Dr. Danielle Cooley, who was the Center’s liaison with the New Jersey Immunization Information System. Other Leadership Team members were”

• Dr. Kanad Mukherjee, the on-site physician
• Anne Tomasello, project manager
• Mike Mowery, Vaccine Center administrator
• Dr. Carl Hock and Tom Boyle, Cold Team members
• Dr. Renee Demarest, vaccine prep coordinator
• Tiruayer Battle, hired-staff manager
• Louis Evangelista, PPE equipment supply coordinator
• Amanda Coltri, online scheduling services specialist
• Chrissy Beswick, operations coordinator

Many thanks to the Leadership Team and the hundreds of volunteers who helped steer area residents through this dangerous pandemic.

SOM Unites for Earth Day Clean-up Effort

In honor of Earth Day (April 22), the offices of Environmental Health & Safety, Environmental Services, Facilities Operations, and Student Affairs & Alumni Engagement sponsored the annual campus clean-up day on Friday, April 21. Staff and students worked together to remove litter from the pond behind the Academic Center parking lot and surrounding area.

Thank you to Student Doctors Stephen Poos (OMS-IV) and Ayesha Gurnani (OMS-II) for their assistance coordinating this event.

Rowan-Virtua SOM Team Supports Run for Rowan 5K

The Rowan-Virtua SOM team yielded impressive results at the Run for Rowan 5K last month. Besides winning the competition for the most registrants (23), two team members celebrated individual accomplishments. Student Doctor Sandra Wilson ’25 won the overall female division with a chip time of 21:39, and Dr. Jim Bailey came in sixth overall and won his age division with a chip time of 20:15. Thank you to all who participated in support of the University’s Flying First program.

Your Wellness Reminder

Joanna Petrides, MBS, Psy.D. from the Departments of Family Medicine and Psychology and chair of the Rowan-Virtua SOM Wellness Committee, shares this month’s tip for improving wellbeing.

Did you know your breath is a powerful coping tool you carry with you at all times? Our breathing responds to our context, and sometimes the signals are misinterpreted. If you find yourself feeling on edge about a situation that isn’t alarming, pause and engage in four-square breathing (breath in deeply for four seconds; hold for four seconds; exhale slowly for four seconds; hold for four seconds; repeat as necessary). Our breathing pattern sends a strong message to the brain, letting it know to speed up or slow down. Slow breaths equal calm response.

Be sure to check back next month for another wellness reminder.