Program Director’s Welcome

Welcome to the Rutgers New Jersey Medical School Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Residency Program! Here at Rutgers, we take pride in being a Med-Peds family who continues to educate, mentor, support and guide each other through the journey of residency. Our program’s culture would best be described in 3 words: Education, Diversity, and Family.

The ACGME in the Common Program Requirements enacted July 1, 2013 (and reaffirmed 2017) writes: "Residency is an essential dimension of the transformation of the medical student to the independent practitioner along the continuum of medical education. It is physically, emotionally, and intellectually demanding, and requires longitudinally-concentrated effort on the part of the resident". We take this statement very seriously and believe that a superior education in clinical care is of the utmost importance to foster the best physicians in Medicine and Pediatrics. Our combined clinic is our bedrock of care and education and we ensure continuity and integration with our community. We also provide hands-on learning and a wealth of unique pathology.

Our community, faculty, and residents are exceptionally diverse. This allows us to continually grow and learn with our colleagues and patients. Connecting with our local community is one of the major rewards of working in Newark, NJ. Our local population consists of 49.7% black or African American and 36.4% Latinx or Hispanic, and it is a true privilege to be able to provide comprehensive care and services for our patients. Uniquely situated in New Jersey, our residents rotate through 4 very different institutions: University Hospital, The Children’s Hospital of NJ, East Orange Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and St. Barnabas Medical Center. All 4 institutions provide distinct healthcare environments and patient populations, providing residents a breadth of learning and engagement.

Lastly, our program is our family – while each resident and faculty member are unique in their own way, we treat and support each other inside and outside of the hospital like family. We are also exceptionally integrated within the categorical programs as well. Our residents not only help each other, but they bolster all of their colleagues and are frequently recognized for teaching awards and chosen as Chief Residents in both departments. We share our professional and personal triumphs, lend moral support during stressful times, and enjoy many social gatherings and celebrations throughout the year, leading to lifelong friendships and professional bonds.

As residents in this program, you will care for patients and their families, read, study, practice, be intellectually stimulated, emotionally fulfilled, and create lifelong friendships. You will also experience loss, fatigue, frustration, and failure. Your faculty and peers stand ready to celebrate and support you through all of these milestones in training. As a Med-Peds family, we will always take care of you, nurture your growth, and remind you of your responsibilities. You must endeavor every day to give your absolute best to the care of your patients and advancement of your medical education. I look forward to working with every one of you and am eager to see the physician you will grow to be.

Kristin Wong, MD, FACP, FAAP
Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Residency Program Director
Associate Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics
Section Leader of Medicine-Pediatrics in the Division of General Medicine

Biography

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 Assistant Professor and the Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Residency Program Director. She practices as a hospitalist and primary care physician to both adults and children and serves on 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, driving the educational agenda for the Section on Medicine-Pediatrics and Rutgers’ GME Grand Rounds as a member of the Faculty, Coordinator, and Resident Development Subcommittee, as well as revamping the Med-Peds residency curriculum, including the development of an integrated Transitional Care curriculum to teach the importance of achieving adolescent and young adult healthcare independence.