Ana Natale-Pereira, MD
Professor of Medicine
Director, Division of General Internal Medicine
Assistant Dean for Primary Care and Community Engagement
Faculty Profile
Dr. Natale received her MD degree from Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School, and an MPH in Urban Health Administration from the Rutgers-School of Public Health. She completed her residency in internal medicine and served as Chief Resident at University Hospital where she trained. As a general internal medicine doctor and clinical educator for over 25 years, Dr. Natale has devoted her career to caring for vulnerable populations, teaching and mentoring medical students and residents, and promoting cultural humility in patient care. Her interests include health services research and primary care innovation, focusing on strategies to provide high-quality equitable care.
As the Division Director for General Internal Medicine since 2012, Dr. Natale leads a division of more than 25 faculty members, responsible for both inpatient and outpatient clinical services provided at University Hospital. She also leads community and education grants, including the NJCEED-SAVE cancer prevention and screening program for the uninsured.
In her role as the Associate Dean of Primary Care and Community Engagement she leads the strategic integration and expansion of community engaged service-learning activities and health services research at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. She serves as Vice-Chair of the board of the Greater Newark Health Care Coalition, member of the UH-Medical Staff governing council, member of the UH-Community Advisory Council, and co-chair of the JMC Quality sub-committee. She is the recipient of the Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine award, a member of the Gold Humanism Honor Society, and a member of the AOA Honor Medical Society. She practices at the University Hospital Ambulatory Care Center.
General Medicine/Primary Care
Suzanne Atkin, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine
Faculty Profile
A lifelong resident of New Jersey, Dr. Suzanne Atkin graduated from Cornell University, the College of Arts and Sciences, and then attended New Jersey Medical School where she received both her MD degree and completed her residency training in Internal Medicine and became a fulltime faculty member of the New Jersey Medical School. Dr. Atkin has held numerous clinical, administrative and academic leadership positions, both at University Hospital and at New Jersey Medical School, serving as the Chief Medical Officer of University Hospital and Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs at NJMS for 12 years. She has been the chair and active member of many hospital and medical school boards, committees and task forces addressing clinical quality and safety and academic excellence. She was the leadership force steering the implementation and management of the hospital electronic medical record, she created the Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Program at the University Hospital Emergency Department and the University Hospital Clinical Research Program. She was honored by her colleagues in 1999 when she was elected the first woman President of the University Hospital Medical Staff and was re-elected for a second term. In addition, she was the Assistant then Associate Director of the Emergency Department for over 20 years. A highly acclaimed clinician, educator, leader, and mentor and career role model for countless younger faculty members, internal medicine residents and medical students, Dr Atkin has also authored numerous clinical research papers. She continues to see patients regularly in the University Hospital Ambulatory Internal Medicine Practice and teaches internal medicine residents and medical students. She is a fellow in the American College of Physicians and the American College of Emergency Physicians.
Manasa Ayyala, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Director, Humanism Center
Faculty Profile
Manasa S. Ayyala, MD is Associate Professor of Medicine at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School (NJMS), Director of The Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey Center for Humanism and Medicine, and a board-certified general internist. She earned her MD from Temple University School of Medicine, completed her Internal Medicine residency at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, and subsequently completed a General Internal Medicine Fellowship in Medical Education at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. During fellowship, she completed longitudinal faculty development training in curriculum development and teaching skills through the Johns Hopkins Faculty Development Program.
Dr. Ayyala joined the NJMS faculty in 2017 and has made significant contributions to medical education. In 2021, she received the Society of General Internal Medicine (SGIM) Mid-Atlantic Award for Excellence in Clinical Education, recognizing her outstanding contributions to teaching, mentorship, and educational innovation. She has contributed to and helped lead the development and implementation of educational initiatives focused on health equity across the medical education continuum. Her scholarship has been presented internationally and published in leading journals including Medical Teacher, Academic Medicine, and The Journal of General Internal Medicine.
As Director of The Healthcare Foundation of NJ Center for Humanism and Medicine, she leads programs that promote dignity, respect, reflection, and compassionate care. She is also actively involved in initiatives focused on physician well-being, serving as Faculty Champion for the NJMS Faculty Vitality Taskforce and Chair of the Department of Medicine Wellness Committee. Clinically, Dr. Ayyala practices primary care at University Hospital's Ambulatory Care Center and serves as an attending physician on the general medicine inpatient teaching service, where she mentors learners while caring for diverse patient populations. Through her clinical practice, teaching, scholarship, and leadership, she is committed to preparing future physicians who combine clinical excellence with compassion, humility, professionalism, and a commitment to advancing health equity.
Ana Diaz, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Faculty Profile
Dr. Diaz completed undergraduate studies at Columbia University, post-baccalaureate studies at CUNY Hunter and SUNY University at Buffalo, and medical school at SUNY Downstate. She completed her Internal Medicine residency training at Rutgers NJMS. She stayed on as faculty due to her love for her patient population and the difference she feels she can make in their lives. She is passionate about preventative medicine, nutrition, obesity and empowering her patients through education.
Dhvani Doshi, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Director, Obesity Medicine Program
Faculty Profile
Dr. Doshi is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Rutgers NJMS and the Director of the University Hospital Weight Management Center. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree from Rutgers University, New Brunswick and her medical degree from Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. She simultaneously completed a master’s in public health from Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. Dr. Doshi completed her Internal Medicine Residency at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, in the well-recognized Primary Care Track.
She established the weight management program in the Ambulatory Center and has been practicing obesity medicine since 2019. She is board certified in Internal Medicine and a diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine.
Alla Fayngersh, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine
Director, Medicine Clerkship
Faculty Profile
Dr. Fayngersh completed her medical degree at University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and moved to New York City for internal medicine training at Mt. Sinai Hospital and Medical Center. Dr. Fayngersh began her career at Englewood Hospital in New Jersey where she worked for 8 years, becoming the Associate Program Director and Site Director for medical student education. Her commitment to academics and teaching led her to join NJMS, where she continues to have many roles including Associate Professor in Medicine, Resident Preceptor in the Ambulatory Care Center, and Medicine Clerkship Director for 3rd and 4th year medical students. As an active member in the medical school at NJMS and nationally through the Association of American Medical Colleges, Dr. Fayngersh is a leader in the development of medical school curricula and student performance assessment using innovative tools. Dr. Fayngersh is a great asset to our institution as she guides trainees in both inpatient and outpatient settings to not only learn from her clinical skills and vast medical knowledge but to synthesize complex medical information in an accurate and concise manner.
Robert Fede, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Faculty Profile
Dr. Fede received his medical degree from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, formerly (UMDNJ) and completed his residency training in Internal Medicine at University Hospital. He joined the faculty of Rutgers New Jersey Medical School in 1989, and has since been working as an assistant professor in the Division of General Internal Medicine. He is active in the medical education of students and residents. Dr. Fede is a native of Newark, NJ.
Mirela Feurdean, MD FACP
Associate Professor of Medicine
Program Director, Internal Medicine-Public Health & General Preventive Medicine Residency
Faculty Profile
Dr. Feurdean has been a clinician educator and a primary care physician for the underserved since 2004. She served as Program Director for the Rutgers NJMS Internal Medicine residency program from 2016 to 2022 and has been recognized by residents with multiple teaching awards. She spearheaded and helped develop and implement the focus tracks in the Internal Medicine residency at NJMS and the POCUS curriculum, and she received the 2022 Department of Medicine Award for Innovations in Medical Education. Dr. Feurdean is the co-founder of the 4-year Combined Internal Medicine-Preventive Medicine residency at NJMS. Dr. Feurdean is a Master of the American College of Physicians. Her clinical interests center on Women's Health.
Emily Gordon, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Director, Urban Health Track Residency Program
Interim Program Director, Addiction Medicine Fellowship
Faculty Profile
Dr. Gordon received her medical degree from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School in 2009 and completed a residency in Social Internal Medicine and Primary Care at Montefiore Medical Center, earning board certification in Internal Medicine. She joined the faculty at New Jersey Medical School in 2012 and currently provides primary care to patients at the clinic affiliated with University Hospital, in addition to precepting Internal Medicine residents in their primary care clinic. She is the director for the Urban Health track within the residency program and is currently interim Program Director for the Addiction Medicine fellowship at New Jersey Medical School. Her professional interests include integrating Addiction Medicine into Primary Care and physician and medical trainee wellness. Dr. Gordon is currently a fellow in the Addiction and Overdose track in the Bloomberg American Health Initiative at Johns Hopkins University, a program which culminates with a Masters in Public Health.
Iris Herrera, MD
Professor of Medicine
CMIO University Hospital
Faculty Profile
Dr. Iris Herrera completed her Internal Medicine Program at Bronx Lebanon Hospital, she is an associate professor of Internal Medicine at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. She is the Chief Medical Information Officer for University Hospital. Born in the Dominican Republic, she immigrated to Newark, NJ at the age of nine. Her experiences growing up in Newark served as a catalyst for working in areas where her cultural background is an asset in better serving the community. It's wonderful to be able to communicate with a patient in their native language.
Riana R. Jumamil, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Associate Program Director, PHGPM & Internal Medicine – Preventive Medicine Residency
Faculty Profile
Riana R. Jumamil, MD, MPH is an Assistant Professor at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, where she practices as a primary care and weight management physician. She also serves as Assistant Program Director of the Public Health and Preventive Medicine Residency and the combined Internal Medicine/Preventive Medicine residency program.
Dr. Jumamil grew up in Hudson County, New Jersey, and is Filipino-American. She graduated cum laude from Harvard University and earned her MD from Albert Einstein College of Medicine. She completed her Primary Care Internal Medicine residency at the University of California, San Francisco, followed by a Preventive Medicine residency and MPH at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
Her work bridges clinical care with quality improvement, population health, and health equity.
Neil Kothari, MD
Professor of Medicine
Vice Chancellor for Graduate Medical Education
DIO
Faculty Profile
Neil Kothari, MD FACP is a Professor of Medicine at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. He earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1996 from Columbia University, and his Medical Degree from UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School in 2000. He completed his internship and residency training at Bellevue Hospital-New York University Medical Center (2000-2003), followed by service as Chief Medical Resident at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (2003-2004).
Over the last two decades, Dr. Kothari has built a nationally recognized career in graduate medical education. His leadership roles have included directing pre-clerkship courses focused on the “art” of medicine – such as interviewing skills, physical diagnosis, ethics, humanism, and cultural sensitivity – as well as serving as Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program. He has also served as Vice Chair of Education for the Department of Medicine and Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education. In 2024, he was appointed Vice Chancellor for GME and Designated Institutional Official for Rutgers Health, overseeing an integrated GME enterprise nearing 1,800 residents & fellows across more than 130 accredited training programs. In addition to his administrative roles, he remains actively engaged as a teaching attending on the inpatient medicine service at University Hospital in Newark, NJ.
Dr. Kothari has been the recipient of multiple teaching honors, including several Golden Apple Awards, induction into the Gold Humanism Honor Society, and membership in the Rutgers Master Educators’ Guild. His research interests include medical education and quality improvement, and he has authored more than 80 peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, and scientific abstracts.
Radhika Malhotra, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Faculty Profile
Dr. Radhika Malhotra is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. A New Jersey native, she graduated from UConn and earned her MD with Thesis and Distinction in Research from Rutgers NJMS. She completed her Internal Medicine and Preventive Medicine residencies at Rutgers NJMS, earning her Master of Public Health from Rutgers School of Public Health, and served as Chief Resident in both Internal Medicine and Preventive Medicine. During training, she helped spearhead clinical initiatives like the Healthy Moms Clinic, an integrated primary care and postpartum program and a dedicated cervical cancer screening clinic within the internal medicine practice. Her work focuses on women’s health, preventive medicine, quality improvement, and improved healthcare access. Beyond clinical care and research, she is a passionate educator and peer advocate. She has been nominated for the student-led Golden Apple Teaching Award in consecutive years and was recognized as the “Champion for Resident Wellness” by the Rutgers NJMS Internal Medicine residency program.
Daniel Matassa, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine
Program Director, Internal Medicine Residency Program
Faculty Profile
Dr. Matassa obtained his medical degree from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School in 2013, stayed for his residency, and served an additional year as Chief Resident at the VA site. He joined our faculty in 2017 as Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine and Associate Program Director for the Internal Medicine Residency equipped with extensive experience in medical education, through his work as a professional tutor for both the USMLE Step Exams and ABIM Internal Medicine Certification Exam.
As Associate Program Director, Dr. Matassa served as the Director of the Clinician Educator Track and the Chair of the Clinical Competency Committee. He has also co-established a primary care addiction clinic to expand our patients’access to medication-assisted therapies and counseling services.
Dr. Matassa was named Program Director in 2022. His aptitude for teaching and mentorship is well recognized at our institution. He has been given the Best Teaching Attending Award at University Hospital four times, and the medical school has presented him a Golden Apple three times. As Program Director, Dr. Matassa’s will look to optimize resident wellness, innovate novel curricula, and expand educational opportunities across the three training sites.
Rafael Nigri, MD
Assistant Professor
Faculty Profile
Dr. Nigri received his Medical Degree from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO) in Brazil. He then completed an Internal Medicine Residency at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) before applying for a residency position in the United States. Dr. Nigri came to Rutgers NJMS, initially as an Internal Medicine resident in 2019, and then after completion, assumed a position as Clinical Instructor for the Internal Medicine Department. Dr. Nigri has an interest in Academic Internal Medicine and alternates between working as private primary care physician, clinic preceptor, and an attending on the inpatient service. He is interested in all areas of Internal Medicine, reflected by his diverse research publications and compassionate care.
Nicole Reynoso-Vasquez, MD
Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics
Faculty Profile
Dr. Nicole Reynoso-Vasquez completed her undergraduate studies at Rutgers University-New Brunswick and earned her medical degree from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School (NJMS), where she also completed residency training in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics. She is board-certified in both specialties and currently serves as an assistant professor at Rutgers NJMS and an academic advisor in the Office of Student Affairs. She provides care in both outpatient primary care and inpatient settings.
One of her passions is caring for diverse and underserved patient populations. She serves as Chair of the Med-Peds Section of the Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA) and is a member of the National Med-Peds Residents' Association, through which she provides mentorship to medical students. Her professional interests include child development, adolescent medicine, preventive care, medical education, and mentoring residents and medical students
Maria Soto-Greene, MD
Vice Dean and Professor of Medicine
Director, Hispanic Center of Excellence (HCOE)
Faculty Profile
Dr. Maria Soto-Greene is Professor and Executive Vice Dean at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School (NJMS). She has amassed over 30 years of experience in all aspects of medical education. Initially, Dr. Soto-Greene focused on the care of the critically ill patient, honing in on the significance of physician/patient communication, and the impact on vulnerable patients and their loved ones. These experiences, combined with her own life in a family which was uninsured and educationally and economically disadvantaged, influenced her to champion initiatives for individuals from similar backgrounds. Dr. Soto-Greene is committed to advancing the school’s health equity and social justice education with the goal of attaining health equity. Dr. Soto-Greene has been continuously funded by federal and private agencies since the early 1990’s and has passionately worked to create unequaled opportunity for thousands of Hispanic and other individuals under-represented in medicine and science. These programs support individuals beginning at the pre-college level through medical school faculty, contributing to career advancement and cultivating the next generation of champions for social justice. Equally important, she has been a leader in disseminating best practices to other medical schools. Dr. Soto-Greene is a past Chair for the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Group on Diversity and Inclusion and a past President of the Hispanic-Serving Health Professions Schools (HSHPS). She has been the proud recipient of numerous awards recognizing her contributions to advancing diversity in medical education and faculty including being named for the AAMC 2019 Herbert W. Nickens Award. However, her greatest pride is routed in her identity as a Latina (Puerto Rican).
Dr. Soto-Greene received her B.S. degree in Medical Technology from Douglass College. She received her M.D. degree from the New Jersey Medical School, completed her internal medicine training at University Hospital, and her Masters in Health Professions Education at the MGH Institute of Health Professions. She is a board certified internist.
Eric Chyn, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Program Director, Geriatric Medicine Fellowship
Faculty Profile
Dr. Chyn is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine and Director of the Geriatric Medicine Fellowship Program at Rutgers Health/New Jersey Medical School.
He earned his Bachelor of Science from the University of British Columbia in 2009 and his Doctor of Medicine from St. George’s University in 2013. He went on to complete his Internal Medicine residency at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Queens Hospital Center in 2016, followed by a Geriatric Medicine Fellowship at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in 2017.
Since joining NJMS in 2020, Dr. Chyn has been instrumental in expanding geriatric services. He established the first dedicated geriatric care and consultation clinic within the Ambulatory Care Center and partnered with Trauma Surgery to launch the first inpatient geriatrics consultation service at University Hospital.
Katherine Fung, DO
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Faculty Profile
Dr. Fung is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine and Associate Program Director of the Geriatric Medicine Fellowship Program at Rutgers Health/New Jersey Medical School.
Before pursuing medicine, Dr. Fung developed an interest in the intersection of healthcare and law, earning a Master of Science in Jurisprudence (MSJ) from Seton Hall University School of Law in 2011. She then received her medical degree from Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine in 2015. Dr. Fung completed her Internal Medicine residency at Bayonne Medical Center/Rowan School of Osteopathic Medicine in 2019, followed by a Geriatric Medicine Fellowship at Hackensack University Medical Center/Rutgers New Jersey Medical School in 2020.
Following her fellowship, Dr. Fung provided care to patients in the New Jersey State prison system, broadening her experience in serving vulnerable and underserved populations. Dr. Fung joined NJMS in 2022 to continue caring for adult and geriatric patients while helping to expand and strengthen the Geriatric Medicine Program.
Eloy Ruiz Mendoza, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Dr. Ruiz Mendoza is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine at Rutgers Health/New Jersey Medical School and Director of the Geriatric Evidence & Research Initiative (GERI-AMAUTA).
He obtained his medical degree from Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia in 2016 and began his career as a primary care physician in a rural community in the Amazon region of Peru, where he developed a deep commitment to patient-centered care in resource-limited settings. He then worked as a research fellow at his alma mater before completing his residency training in Internal Medicine at Rutgers Health/New Jersey Medical School in 2023, and fellowship training in Geriatric Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in 2024.
Since returning to NJMS in 2024, Dr. Ruiz Mendoza has focused on providing comprehensive geriatric care, expanding consultation services at University Hospital, and advancing medical education and research in geriatrics through GERI-AMAUTA.
Luis Alzate-Duque, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics
Faculty Profile
Luis Alzate-Duque received his medical degree from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School in 2014 and completed his medical residency training in combined Internal Medicine/Pediatric at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School in 2018. He completed an Academic Medicine Fellowship through the Hispanic Center of Excellence at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and completed his Master's in Public Health with a focus in Urban Public Health in 2025. He is focusing on cancer care disparity research in Latino communities. His interests include research on health disparities in primary care, community outreach and engagement of underserved populations, and urban public health. He is an Associate Professor of Medicine with Rutgers NJMS.
Leo Kuwama, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics
Faculty Profile
Leo Kuwama, MD, is an assistant professor in the Division of Internal Medicine-Pediatrics.
Dr. Kuwama received a bachelor of science in chemical and biomolecular engineering at Johns Hopkins University, and his medical degree from UMass Chan Medical School.
He joins the Department of Medicine after completing a residency in internal medicine and pediatrics here at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. His medical interests include primary care as well as undergraduate and graduate medical education.
Brent Parris, MD, FAAP
Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics
Faculty Profile
Dr. Parris is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in 2007 from the University of Chicago. He received his medical degree in 2013 from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, and completed a dual residency program in Medicine and Pediatrics at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital in 2017. He is double-board-certified in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics.
In 2018, Dr. Parris joined the NJMS faculty, working as a physician-educator. His clinical responsibilities include outpatient primary care at the Med-Peds Resident Clinic and inpatient teaching service at the University Hospital. He is also currently the Associate Chief Medical Informatics Officer for University Hospital, as well as the Director of Ambulatory Informatics and Technology for NJMS. His academic areas of interest include clinical informatics, medical education, and educational informatics.
Natalie A. Sous, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics
Assistant Director, Ambulatory Care Clerkship
Faculty Profile
Dr. Sous received her medical degree from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, followed by a residency in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics. She joined the faculty of Rutgers New Jersey Medical School in 2021 as an Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics and is Board Certified in both disciplines. Dr. Sous currently serves as the Assistant Director of both the Ambulatory Primary Care Clerkship and the Internal Medicine Clerkship. She practices Primary Care with a special interest in Women’s Health and Mom/Baby care.
Alan Y Tso, MD, MA
Associate Professor of Medicine
Director, Ambulatory Care Clerkship
Faculty Profile
Dr. Tso graduated from SUNY Upstate Medical Center at Syracuse and completed his combined internal medicine and pediatrics residency in Baystate Medical Center in Springfield Mass. Currently, Dr. Tso is the Director of the Family Medicine Primary Care Clerkship at Rutgers, NJMS in Newark. Prior to this role, he was the Medical Director in the Charles B Wang Community Health Center and the Associate Director of Primary Care with the New York University Student Health Center. Before joining Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Dr. Tso was the lead physician in Mt. Sinai Beth Israel in Internal Medicine Residency Program. In 2017, Dr. Tso received the Cullman Family Award ranking in the top 1% nationally in provider communication.
Kristin Wong, MD
Vice Chair of Education for the Department of Medicine
Section Chief of Medicine - Pediatrics
Associate Professor of Medicine & Pediatrics
Faculty Profile
Originally born and raised in Kansas by immigrant parents from Hong Kong, Dr. Kristin Wong earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Duke University and Medical Doctorate from the University of Kansas. She then completed a Combined Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Residency and an additional year as Internal Medicine Chief Resident at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. She continued at Rutgers, finding her passion for teaching and serving the Newark community as an Associate Professor, Program Director for the Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Residency from 2017-2026, Section Leader for Medicine-Pediatrics, and now as Vice Chair of Education for the Department of Medicine beginning in 2024. She practices as a hospitalist and primary care physician to both adults and children and serves various graduate education and hospital committees focused on improving medical education and patient care throughout University Hospital. Some of her most impactful work has been serving on various local and national committees, contributing to the educational agenda for the AAP’s Section on Medicine-Pediatrics and Rutgers GME as the chair of the Policies and Procedures Subcommittee.
Occupational and Preventive Medicine
Shaun Shahani, DO, MPH
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Director, Occupational Medicine Service
Program Director, Public Health and General Preventive Medicine Residency
Faculty Profile
Dr. Shaun Shahani is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine and Director of Occupational Medicine at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School (NJMS). He also serves as Program Director of the Public Health and General Preventive Medicine Residency at Rutgers NJMS. He is double board certified in both Preventive Medicine and Occupational Medicine. Originally from California, Dr. Shahani completed a dual degree program at Touro University California, where he obtained his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine and Master of Public Health degrees. After graduating from the Preventive Medicine Residency at Rutgers NJMS, Dr. Shahani worked for four years in Ocean County, New Jersey as an Occupational Medicine Physician for Hackensack Meridian Health. His clinical and research interests include the Workers' Compensation system, Tobacco Cessation, and Aerospace / Aviation Medicine.
Pauline Thomas, MD
Professor of Medicine
Faculty Profile
Dr. Polly Thomas has practiced public health, pediatrics, and preventive medicine in NYC and in NJ for over 40 years. She started as an EIS officer with CDC, then researched the epidemiology of pediatric HIV, supervised HIV surveillance and the establishment of the World Trade Center Health Registry with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and now oversees preventive medicine training at NJMS. Until mid-2023 she maintained a part time practice in Pediatrics. She received her medical degree from Yale Medical School. She is board certified in Pediatrics and Preventive Medicine. Her areas of interest include Public Health, Public Health Practice, Preventive Medicine, Lifestyle Medicine, Pediatrics, Climate and Health, HIV.
Roberto M. Droz Rosario, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Faculty Profile
Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Dr. Roberto Droz Rosario began his academic journey with a bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus. Driven by a deep interest in molecular mechanisms of disease, he went on to earn a PhD in Cancer Biology at Rutgers University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences in New Brunswick, NJ focusing on DNA repair pathways in mouse models. Following graduate training, Dr. Droz Rosario worked in the biopharmaceutical industry as a Quality Control Specialist, where he collaborated on product trending and process improvement initiatives. Volunteering in community health outreach programs sparked a renewed passion for service and human connection, leading to a career shift into medicine.
Dr. Droz Rosario earned his MD from the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine and completed residency training in Internal Medicine at Morristown Medical Center. There, he developed a strong interest in Palliative Care, which led to fellowship training in Hospice and Palliative Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. His professional interests include delivery of high-quality palliative care, transdisciplinary collaboration, and addressing barriers to care in underserved populations. Dr. Droz Rosario is particularly interested in how language and cultural nuances shape perceptions of Palliative and End-of-Life care.
