Thinking of someone to nominate for next year's EJI Awards?: - Nominate Your Star

Thank you to all who attended and made the event such a success!

An extra big thank you also goes out to all of our donors and Honor Roll sponsors—because of your generosity, we can continue to impact the lives of medical students and the future of New Jersey’s healthcare community.

We had a wonderful time celebrating with you and we look forward to doing it again next year on May 7th 2025!

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Stay informed and receive email reminders and updates as we near our event date.

Introducing our Hosts

We’re excited to announce our hosts for this year’s event! Guiding us through the evening will be:

Steve Adubato, PhD

Emmy Award-winning Anchor
Author, “Lessons in Leadership”

Patricia A. Costante

President and Vice Chair
EJI Excellence in Medicine Fund

Thank You for Funding the Future of Healthcare

We are so thankful for your continued generosity. With the help of our donors and Honor Roll Scholarship sponsors, EJI Excellence in Medicine is able to provide scholarships to medical, dental, pharmacy and physician assistant students in New Jersey schools.

Shining a Light on New Jersey’s Leaders in Healthcare

Year after year, residents of New Jersey visit doctors and healthcare professionals, receiving vital care. For many, it’s a part of the routine–but what about those providing the care? This year, we are shining a light on individuals who are changing lives on the daily. Our honorees and scholarship recipients have made invaluable contributions to the community, and we are proud to celebrate them at the 2024 EJI Excellence in Medicine Awards™.

Since 1939, the EJI Excellence in Medicine Awards™ have honored physicians and leaders whose contributions to the community have impacted the delivery of healthcare in New Jersey and across the world. By providing scholarships to healthcare students, we seek to promote excellence in healthcare and foster the future of New Jersey’s healthcare community.

Get Involved, Give Back

We rely on your help to aid the students of today in reaching their goals to become the healthcare leaders of tomorrow. Please consider making a donation and help make a difference in New Jersey medical students’ lives.

Make a Donation

Perspectives from the 2024 Honorees & Scholarship Students

Watch this year’s honorees and scholarship recipients engage in discussion on healthcare in New Jersey, how the industry continues to change, how to celebrate success, and more.

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Illuminating Healthcare

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Industry, Enlightened

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Bright Futures: 2024 & Beyond

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Healthcare: A Celebration

2024 EJI Award Recipients

Congratulations to all of our honorees! We are honored for you all to be a part of the history of EJI Excellence in Medicine.

You can learn more about each of our honorees below.

Andy Anderson, MD, MBA

Outstanding Healthcare Executive Award

Bart Oates

Peter W. Rodino, Jr. Citizen’s Award®

Carmela Rocchetti, MD

Outstanding Medical Educator Award

Marc Klapholz, MD, MBA, FACC, FAHA

EJI Physician’s Award®

Martin Blaser, MD

Outstanding Scientist Award

Matthew Neiditch, PhD

Outstanding Scientist Award

Watch the Interviews with Our 2024 Honorees

We love speaking with our honorees each year—these interviews allow us to better understand their thoughts on the healthcare industry and what issues are specifically impacting New Jersey’s healthcare leaders.

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Andy Anderson, MD, MBA

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Bart Oates

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Carmela Rocchetti, MD

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Marc Klapholz, MD, MBA, FACC, FAHA

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Martin Blaser, MD

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Matthew Neiditch, PhD

2024 EJI Scholarship Recipients

A big congratulations to all of our scholarship recipients! We look forward to seeing you continue to evolve and grow.

You can read about each of our scholarship recipients below.

Boladale Ashiru

Cooper Medical School of Rowan University,
Class of 2024

Philip Meyer

Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine,
Class of 2024

Joy Chang

Rutgers School of Dental Medicine,
Class of 2024

Allie Davanzo

Rutgers School of Health Professions, Physician Assistant Program,
Class of 2024

Medha Rao

Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School,
Class of 2024

Tracy Tauro

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine,
Class of 2024

Amanda Azer

Rutgers New Jersey Medical School,
Class of 2024

Madison Debbie

Seton Hall University School of Health and Medical Sciences, Physician Assistant Program,
Class of 2024

Kathryn DeStefano

Rutgers Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy,
Class of 2024

FAQs

Check to be made out to: New Jersey Health Foundation
Mail to:
EJI Excellence in Medicine Scholarship Fund
New Jersey Health Foundation
155 Village Blvd., Suite 130
Princeton, NJ 08540

New Jersey Health Foundation is proud to assume the management of the EJI Excellence in Medicine Awards™ and related scholarship fund beginning in late 2023 expanding its commitment to support advances in health research, innovation and education in New Jersey.

New Jersey Health Foundation (NJHF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 2002. Through its Annual Grant Program NJHF supports research, community health and social service programs. NJHF also manages over 300 endowments providing annual funding to support health related research, educational programs and health related scholarships through donor directed distributions.

You will receive a confirmation once you make a purchase for the event. You will not receive an actual ticket, but rather your name will be held at the door.

The address is: 678 Cranbury Road, East Brunswick, NJ 08816. More detailed travel directions based on location can be found here.

Hotel accommodations are available at the Château Grande Hotel, located right next door to the Park Château, at 670 Cranbury Rd, East Brunswick, NJ. Reserve online here or call 732-724-4600.

Proudly sponsored by

Matthew Neiditch, PhD

Outstanding Scientist Award

Matthew Neiditch, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry, and Molecular Genetics at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. He earned his PhD in 2002 from Baylor College of Medicine, where he studied the molecular mechanisms of VDJ recombination, the cellular process that generates T-cell receptors and antibodies. During this work, he discovered a reaction responsible for genomic instability in lymphocytes. He completed his postdoctoral work at Princeton University in 2007, using X-ray crystallography, biochemistry, and molecular genetics to study the mechanistic basis of bacterial cell-cell signaling, also known as quorum sensing. Quorum sensing enables communities of bacteria to coordinate their gene expression and, in turn, phenotypes such as virulence and antibiotic resistance. Dr. Neiditch’s work revealed, at the atomic level, how secreted quorum-sensing signals are detected by receptors at the bacterial surface and transduced across the cell membrane to regulate gene expression.

At Rutgers University, Dr. Neiditch’s lab employs a powerful combination of diverse methods, including biochemical, genetic, computational, and biophysical techniques (mainly X-ray crystallographic and cryo-EM), to study fundamentally important and broadly conserved cellular processes in bacteria. Areas of investigation in his lab include, among others, quorum sensing in Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria; bacterial phage immunity; mechanisms of horizontal gene transfer, including natural transformation; and the development of drugs targeting Mycobacterium tuberculosis, non-tuberculous mycobacteria, and Vibrio cholerae. He holds patents in the areas of bacterial anti-infectives and antibiotics. His work is primarily funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health. In addition to his service as a reviewer for journals and study sections, he routinely lectures to medical and graduate students and has trained numerous successful postdoctoral fellows, as well as PhD and MD students.

Martin Blaser, MD

Outstanding Scientist Award

Martin J. Blaser, MD, holds the Henry Rutgers Chair of the Human Microbiome, Professor of Medicine and Pathology & Laboratory Medicine at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Director of the Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine at Rutgers University. A physician and microbiologist, he studies the relationships we have with our persistently colonizing bacteria and made important contributions to understanding Campylobacter and Helicobacter pylori, and the relationship of the human microbiome with health and important diseases including asthma, obesity, diabetes, cancer and COVID-19.

Dr. Blaser received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania and medical degree from New York University. He was President of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, Chair of the Board of Scientific Counselors of the National Cancer Institute, Chair of the Advisory Board for Clinical Research of the National Institutes of Health, and on the Scientific Advisory Board of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. He is Chair of the Presidential Advisory Council for Combating Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria. He was elected to the National Academy of Medicine and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and is recipient of the Alexander Fleming Award for lifetime achievement from the Infectious Diseases Society of America, the Robert Koch Medal, and the Prize Medal from the Microbiology Society of Great Britain. He holds 28 patents related to his research, and published over 660 scientific articles. He authored Missing Microbes: How the Overuse of Antibiotics is Fueling Our Modern Plagues, a book targeted to general audiences translated into 20 languages.

Marc Klapholz, MD, MBA, FACC, FAHA

EJI Physician’s Award®

Dr. Marc Klapholz, MD, MBA, FACC, FAHA, Chair of the Department of Medicine at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, has been responsible for the training of thousands of next generation physicians, for pioneering new and innovative healthcare at University Hospital and for leading research and discovery to expand the cutting edge of medicine. He runs the largest Department at New Jersey Medical School and University Hospital with 15 clinical specialty divisions in the department in addition to several institutes and centers. He has created numerous new education and advanced training programs for medical students, residents and fellows and numerous new clinical programs across the spectrum of health care that expand access and quality of care for the city of Newark and surrounding counties. The department co-directs the liver transplant program, the #1 liver transplant program in the US for 3-year survival. It also leads the HIV prevention and treatment program, the largest in NJ. The department recently instituted an interdisciplinary Obesity Medicine program that, in addition to medical treatments, offers same-day bariatric endoscopic services. Finally, it directs the Global TB Institute, one of only four federally funded TB centers in the US. The department has over $55M of grant funded research with multiple discoveries of disease mechanisms leading to new molecular diagnostics and therapeutics that have been internationally recognized. Dr. Klapholz has been the principal investigator on over 100 clinical trials, is the author of over 100 peer reviewed papers and book chapters, and has pioneered new treatments for heart failure and myocardial infarction patients.

Carmela Rocchetti, MD

Outstanding Medical Educator Award

Dr. Carmela Rocchetti, Assistant Dean of Community Engaged Medical Education and Director of the Human Dimension (HD) curriculum at the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine is a clinician educator dedicated to improving health outcomes for historically underserved communities. As a general internist with multiple leadership roles in community health, she focuses on reducing health disparities and facilitating community outreach through community-engaged medical education.

In her medical education role, Dr. Rocchetti develops transformative programs and curricula that not only equip trainees with essential skills but also inspire them with a profound sense of responsibility to address health equity. The innovative Human Dimension course she and her team designed mobilizes medical students to provide impactful support to communities while gaining experiential learning.

Dr. Rocchetti, a first-generation college and medical school graduate, is a graduate of Cornell University, where she was recognized as a Cornell National Scholar. She completed her Internal Medicine training at New York Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell, serving as ambulatory chief resident. Married and the proud mother of three children, her deep commitment to addressing social determinants of health is rooted in her family's hardship and resilience after immigrating from Italy. Dr. Rocchetti is passionate about inspiring the next generation of physician leaders to transform healthcare delivery and promote equitable healthcare access for all.

Bart Oates

Peter W. Rodino, Jr. Citizen’s Award®

Bart S. Oates serves as Executive Director of CIT International, a 501(c) (3) not for profit community training program to improve the lives of those suffering from mental illness and health crises. He previously served for 5 years as President of the NFL Alumni Association, a national organization of retired professional athletes. The NFL Alumni Association has a dual mission that includes “Caring for Kids” and “Caring for our Own.”

Mr. Oates played for the New York Giants from 1985 to 1993 and the San Francisco 49ers from 1994 to 1995. Mr. Oates won three Super Bowls, two with the Giants in 1986 and 1990 and one with the 49ers in 1994. He was selected to five Pro Bowls during his career and to the UPI All-NFC team three times. He also played three seasons with the Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars in the USFL where he won two USFL championships.

Mr. Oates received his bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University and received the degree of Juris Doctor, Magna Cum Laude, from Seton Hall University School of Law. After retiring from football, he practiced law, focusing on litigation and real estate tax appeal work. Mr. Oates is also a licensed real estate broker.

Mr. Oates is very active in a wide range of community services including Boy Scouts of America and the Colleen Giblin Foundation.

Andy Anderson, MD, MBA

Outstanding Healthcare Executive Award

As Executive Vice President, Chief Medical and Quality Officer of RWJBarnabas Health, Andy Anderson, MD, leads the system’s clinical mission to advance and elevate care for the communities it serves. Overseeing 38,000 employees, including 9,000 physicians who treat a service area covering more than five million people, Dr. Anderson is tasked with ensuring top-tier clinical outcomes, the highest quality care, and the safest experience possible for RWJBarnabas Health patients and staff.

An accomplished physician executive, Dr. Anderson joined RWJBarnabas Health in 2018 as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Combined Medical Group of RWJBarnabas Health and Rutgers Health, one of the largest provider consortia in the country. He has over two decades of experience in healthcare leadership, including his tenure as Chief Medical Officer of Aurora Health Care and the President and Board Chair of Aurora University of Wisconsin Medical Group. In this role, he was responsible for Aurora’s strategic direction and operational deployment of critical physician and clinical support functions, including clinical risk management, infection prevention, research, medical education, and medical staff services.

An internist by training, Dr. Anderson is a graduate of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, where he earned his bachelor’s degree and medical degree. He earned a Master of Business Administration degree at Marquette University.

Boladale Ashiru

Cooper Medical School of Rowan University,
Class of 2024

Growing up in Sicklerville, New Jersey, in a Nigerian household with immigrant parents and an older brother, Boladale Ashiru, known as Bola for short, was immersed in a rich cultural environment from an early age. However, the course of her life took a heartbreaking turn when her mother lost her battle with breast cancer, leaving the family in profound sorrow. Despite this immense loss, Bola's father and aunts became pillars of strength, ensuring that she still experienced the joys and normalcy of childhood amidst the confusion and grief. Their unwavering support and commitment laid the groundwork for who she is today, instilling in her a deep appreciation for love, support, and cultural heritage that was always provided.

During her formative teenage years, Bola harbored aspirations of becoming a chef, fueled by her passion for cooking. However, a pivotal moment arrived when she embarked on her undergraduate journey as a Biology major, seeking clarity and direction. It was during this period that she was introduced to the Premedical Urban Leaders Summer Enrichment (PULSE) program at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University (CMSRU), thanks to the guidance of cherished friends. This immersive experience ignited her passion for medicine, offering a glimpse into the profound impact physicians wield in both individual lives and communities. The program not only crystallized her ambition to pursue a career in medicine but also sparked a desire to mentor and inspire future generations, a commitment that has remained steadfast ever since.

Four years ago, Bola embarked on the transformative journey of medical school at CMSRU, where the supportive community of faculty, staff, and classmates has propelled her growth exponentially. As she navigates towards her goal of becoming an academic anesthesiologist, she is driven by a profound sense of purpose to serve marginalized urban communities and bridge the gap between healthcare providers and those they serve. Drawing from the inspiration of the PULSE program and her own experiences, Bola is committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusivity within the medical field. Beyond medicine, her passions for cooking, basketball, and indulging in reality TV provide her with moments of joy and balance amidst the rigors of her journey.

Philip Meyer

Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine,
Class of 2024

Philip Meyer was born, raised, and currently lives in Teaneck, New Jersey. He first became interested in medicine while volunteering at Hackensack University Medical Center in his freshman year of high school. Although not directly involved in patient care while volunteering, Philip was inspired by the sense of mission that each team member had, regardless of role. At the age of 16, he became an emergency medical technician (EMT), and in his spare time he has been part of multiple volunteer emergency services organizations in different leadership roles globally since 2012. Balancing leadership and direct patient care in these EMS organizations was what ultimately drew Philip to pursue a career in medicine.

Philip received his undergraduate degree in biology from Yeshiva University in New York City, New York as part of the Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein Honors program. He then went on to study Talmudic Law and was ordained as a Rabbi by the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary at Yeshiva University.

Philip is currently a third-year medical student at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine and will be beginning his general surgery residency at Hackensack University Medical Center in July. Upon graduation, Philip plans to apply for a fellowship in surgical critical care, balancing his time between trauma/acute care surgery and the surgical intensive care unit (SICU). Ultimately, Philip would like to become an academic physician in NJ, teaching future medical professionals both the hard and soft skills of being a physician.

Outside of work, Philip is a father of two and his partner is an Obstetrics & Gynecology resident here in New Jersey. Philip enjoys spending time with family, beverage brewing/fermenting foods, and road cycling.

Joy Chang

Rutgers School of Dental Medicine,
Class of 2024

Joy Chang was born and raised in Orange County, California. She is the daughter of Paul and Hyoshin Chang, and older sister to Claire and Kailey, and most recently wife to Alex Chen. Growing up, she spent many weekends following her dad to the free clinic which sparked a love for service. She also spent many hours at the archery range perfecting her shot. Her love for archery and for adventure took her across the country to Columbia University in the City of New York. At Columbia she shot and served as captain for the Columbia Women’s Varsity Archery team, where her and her team won nationals in 2015 and 2017.

Her love for teaching and learning lead her to taking many education-adjacent classes in the sociology department. After graduating with a degree in sociology, she committed to giving a year of service through AmeriCorps. Through this program, she was a teaching fellow in the 6th grade and 7th grade math classrooms. She helped students with remediation and extra support, grade level support and enrichment in mathematics. While she loved being in the classroom, she decided that she wanted to consider other career opportunities. Recalling her love for the sciences and her desire to help, she decided to shadow a dentist. During the summer, she learned from and observed a seasoned dentist do what he loved and changing the lives of those he worked with; from simple fillings, crowns and bridges and implant surgeries, the dentist was able to make a significant difference in these patients’ lives. She loved the hands-on aspect of dentistry, and that dentists can help patients to become pain free and change their perception of themselves. At that point, she applied to Rutgers School of Graduate Studies for the Masters in Biomedical Sciences, graduated in 2020 and was extremely honored to join Rutgers School of Dental Medicine class of 2024.

In May, Joy will be graduating from Rutgers School of Dental Medicine. Throughout her four years, she has made invaluable friendships, built relationships with faculty, and had her first introduction to patient care in the clinic. She has gotten involved on campus with the RSDM Honor Council, student government as the senior class vice president and as the student representative to the Rutgers University Senate. Next year, she will be attending a one-year general practice residency at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick to further grow as a practitioner. While the future beyond that is unclear, she hopes to work every day to benefit her community by providing quality comprehensive care to patients from all aspects of life and meet them where they are coming from.

Allie Davanzo

Rutgers School of Health Professions, Physician Assistant Program,
Class of 2024

Allie Davanzo was born in Livingston, NJ and raised in Parsippany, NJ. She attended The College of New Jersey (TCNJ), studying Public Health and Psychology. At TCNJ, Allie was a Bonner Community Scholar, working with various partners in the Trenton area to address community-identified needs, primarily focusing on environmental, sustainability, and food security projects. Allie attended Kripalu School of Yoga to earn her yoga teacher certification and taught yoga classes to students at TCNJ throughout her undergraduate career. During her junior year, Allie traveled to Bologna, Italy to study abroad in a social-justice based program.
 Her academic work and community involvement solidified Allie’s passion for a multidimensional approach to health. Allie wanted a career that would allow her to blend her curiosity for medicine with serving others, so she applied to PA school and was thrilled to be accepted to Rutgers University School of Health Professions.

Allie is currently a third year PA student at Rutgers, located in Piscataway, NJ. Outside of her studies and clinical rotations, Allie has enjoyed being a program ambassador and volunteering at various recruitment and interview events. She is a member of the Service Learning Committee and works to organize community service events for PA students to get involved with. Community engagement is a cornerstone in Allie’s life, and she is grateful to have been a conduit for service learning for the Rutgers PA program. Allie has also enjoyed volunteering at the Rutgers’ HOPE clinic, a free clinic in Plainfield, NJ serving the uninsured/underinsured population and at Special Olympics of NJ, providing health education and promotion to athletes. She was honored to lead first year PA students in a yoga class during orientation to the program and share meditation and breathing techniques.

In the future, Allie strives to be a voice of advocacy for her patients and to form meaningful connections through precise and conscientious concern. She is interested in the fields of hematology/oncology, emergency medicine, and critical care. In her free time, Allie enjoys being outside hiking or at the beach, trying new ice cream spots, and traveling.

Medha Rao

Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School,
Class of 2024

Medha Rao was born to two hard working immigrant parents and raised in Edison, New Jersey. During her early years, she moved around to different countries and states, embodying resilience and an appreciation for diverse perspectives. Her journey in medicine began during high school, where she served her local community as an emergency medical technician. Drawn to the healthcare field, she matriculated to the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy in 2019. During this time, she held several leadership roles, notably co-chair of Operation Self Care, part of the American Pharmacists Association-Academy of Student Pharmacists. She also gained retail and industry experience working at Walgreens Pharmacy and Celgene respectively. She was inducted to Rho Chi, a pharmaceutical honor society recognizing academic excellence, where she held the role of fundraising chair for the Embrace Kids Foundation. Pharmacy school significantly contributed to her personal and professional development, motivating her to continue her journey in patient education and patient advocacy during medical school.

Medha valued the integral role of health education and took an early interest in promoting it within the local community. As a community healthcare workshop coordinator in medical school, she developed a virtual program to provide continual health education on important medical topics amid the pandemic. She was also involved in the student-run free clinic as a student doctor, providing medical care to the diverse, underserved New Brunswick community. In recognition of her academic achievements and compassionate approach to patient care, she was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha and Gold Humanism Honor society. Interested in the field of dermatology, Medha completed a one-year research fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital, taking care of patients at a safety-net clinic. At this time, she authored several research papers, focusing on health equity research to identify patterns of dermatologic diagnoses in underrepresented populations.

Medha sees her future career built upon patient service and advocacy. She aspires to work towards improving dermatologic access and care through community outreach and applied research. Moreover, she aims to integrate patient care with social determinants of health to provide culturally competent care to the diverse New Jersey community. In her free time, she loves to spend time with her family, do yoga, and cook vegan meals. She also teaches dance, specifically wedding choreography to couples and families that are looking to make their special day more memorable.

Tracy Tauro

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine,
Class of 2024

Tracy Tauro is proudly from the Jersey Shore, where she grew up wakeboarding and doing any kind of outdoor extreme sport she could find with her dad. She started ballet at age 2 and was a proficient dancer for many years, going on to study Dance and Biomedical Sciences with minors in Chemistry and Neuroscience at Marymount Manhattan College. Her love for medicine was inspired by her dad, Joseph Tauro, MD, who is an orthopedic surgeon. From a young age, Tracy enjoyed learning about orthopedic implants and watching arthroscopic surgery videos with her dad. Before beginning medical school, Tracy worked as an Orthopedic Surgery Research Fellow at Midwest Orthopedics at Rush under her mentor, world-renowned cartilage restoration and sports medicine surgery specialist Brian Cole MD, MBA. It was there that her true passion for orthopedic surgery was solidified, and she fell in love with being in the operating room and helping athletes get back to the sports they love. Tracy was elated to return to NJ to pursue her medical education at Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine.

During her time at Rowan-Virtua SOM, Tracy was actively involved in club leadership including FITDocs, various surgical associations, and the Wellness Committee. She also served as Student Council Treasurer during her second year and Student Council Vice President during her third year. Through these roles, Tracy organized a multitude of campus wellness events, including basketball and dodgeball tournaments, field days, and club fairs. She also played a pivotal role in helping student secure funds to travel to conferences and publish and present their research. Tracy is also the proud co-creator and Curriculum Director of the Learning Groups Initiative, a school-run program designed to help new medical students learn how to tackle the rigorous medical school study schedule.

Tracy is pursuing an Orthopedic Surgery Residency and hopes to eventually pursue an Orthopedic Surgery Sports Medicine Fellowship. Her ultimate goal is to be the team doctor for a professional or college sports team. Tracy is extremely passionate about providing holistic care for young athletes and making exercise accessible to patients with special needs. She has volunteered as a running guide for blind runners via the Philly Achilles organization for three years, where she guides blind runners on weekend runs and international half marathons throughout the year. Outside of medicine, Tracy is an avid lover of running, skiing, wakesurfing, and cooking for her Italian family. She would like to thank her loving and hilarious parents for all of their unconditional support, jokes, and love throughout the years. She would also like to thank her brother Joe, who has been her best friend for life and keeps her grounded by never failing to make a joke at her expense. Tracy is extremely grateful for all her mentors who have supported her dream of becoming an orthopedic surgeon.

Amanda Azer

Rutgers New Jersey Medical School,
Class of 2024

Amanda Azer was born in New Brunswick, NJ and raised in Hasbrouck Heights, NJ. She is a proud first-generation Coptic Orthodox Egyptian American. Her family has shaped her into who she is today and is something she values more than anything. She is a proud daughter, sister, cousin, and soon-to-be aunt. Amanda attended New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark, NJ. At NJIT, she pursued her love for advocacy and constant improvement of her community by being part of the student senate throughout all of her years there and eventually being elected president of the organization. Her love for service fueled her to be a Sunday School teacher in her church for many years and lead several service projects in Newark during her time at NJIT. Her choice to pursue medicine was one she made in high school after falling in love with surgery during an externship experience. She then was accepted to the 7-year BA/MD and was awarded the President’s award at her graduation for maintaining a perfect GPA during her undergraduate studies.

Amanda is currently a fourth-year medical student at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. It is also located in Newark NJ, a city Amanda has loved to serve since she was in her undergraduate studies. She continued her love for teaching by being a preceptor in the NJMS MiniMed School in which medical students teach high school students in underserved regions in and around Newark about a variety of medical topics. While mentoring these students, she understood their struggle in accessing resources to be successful on their SATs and thus created and taught an SAT course within the program that was free of charge to the students. In addition, she was a prominent member of her student council, serving all four years of medical school. As the current president, she works closely with the administrators to address and rectify any student concerns on campus. Amanda also pursued memberships in clinical-based organizations including the NJMS Student Family Health Care Clinic and the Orthopaedics interest group. As she fell in love with orthopaedics, she and a group of females founded the NJMS chapter of the Ruth Jackson Orthopaedic Society to give women interested in the field a space to share experiences, provide mentorship, and create opportunities for shadowing and research. With her vast involvement, she was inducted into junior AOA and given the award of Rutgers Rising Star.

In the future, Amanda hopes to be a skilled, empathetic orthopaedic surgeon. Her love for the field stems from wanting to rectify patient problems to impact their daily lives through advanced surgical techniques. Her love for anatomy and biomechanics initially interested her, paired with shadowing and inspiring mentors who have encouraged her in her pursuit. In her free time, Amanda enjoys working out with her friends, trying new foods in a variety of places, traveling, playing sports, especially spike ball on the beach, and having movie marathons with her sisters. She uses as much of her free time as possible with her friends and family as they are the most important part of her life.

Madison Debbie

Seton Hall University School of Health and Medical Sciences, Physician Assistant Program,
Class of 2024

Madison Debbie is a tenacious and empathetic Physician Assistant (PA) student at Seton Hall University. She began her journey in healthcare with roots in Georgia at Emory University as an AEMT but has now settled in the vibrant community of New Jersey. Her experience as a first responder in one of the nation's most disadvantaged communities fostered a love for medical education and creative solutions in low-resource communities. Committed to addressing healthcare disparities, Madison has partnered with the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) to provide primary care services to the underserved community in the New Brunswick area. This collaboration exemplifies Madison's dedication to making a meaningful impact on the lives of those in need.

In addition to her aspirations in primary care, Madison harbors a passion for linguistic inclusivity, aiming to become fluent in medical Spanish. This linguistic proficiency will enable her to bridge communication gaps and provide more comprehensive care to her diverse patient population. Looking beyond borders, Madison envisions a future where she can travel the world on medical assignments, offering her skills to underserved communities globally and immersing herself in the rich tapestry of various cultures.

Outside the realm of medicine, Madison is a fervent advocate for women's and LGBTQ+ rights, participating in multiple activist groups. Her commitment to social justice extends beyond borders, mirroring her dedication to healthcare. Alongside her husband, Madison nurtures a love for animals and adventure, frequently traveling to scuba dive and explore the beauty the world has to offer. This multifaceted approach to life reflects Madison's holistic perspective, blending a passion for medicine, advocacy, and a zest for experiencing diverse cultures and environments.

Kathryn DeStefano

Rutgers Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy,
Class of 2024

Kathryn DeStefano was born in Hackensack, NJ, and raised in Wayne, NJ. She enrolled in the accelerated PharmD program at Rutgers University's Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy following her education at Wayne Valley High School. Throughout her time on campus, Kathryn was a student leader and academic mentor in organizations such as the Rho Chi Academic Honors Society, Phi Lambda Sigma Leadership Honors Society, and the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy. With an interest in data and clinical trial analysis, Kathryn has been involved with several research opportunities and was proudly awarded the Best Poster Award at AMCP Nexus 2023. She continues to serve her community by volunteering with the Embrace Kids Foundation, which aims to improve the quality of life for families whose children are facing severe health challenges, and the Lustgarten Foundation, an organization dedicated to Pancreatic Cancer research.

With a passion for science and medicine from an early age, her decision to pursue a career in pharmacy stems from a deep interest in chemistry and a desire to play an integral role in patients' lives as an accessible healthcare provider. She has previously worked at a community pharmacy and continues to work as a pharmacy technician at Chilton Medical Center, an Atlantic Health System hospital. During her internship in Dermatology Medical Affairs at Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine (previously Janssen Pharmaceuticals), Kathryn had the opportunity to support various phase 3 trials in psoriasis. After learning through this experience how her pharmacy background could offer unique knowledge within clinical trial teams, interpreting trial subject laboratory values, and protocol development, she solidified her interest in pursuing a career in clinical development.

Kathryn will complete a Post-Doctoral Clinical Development Fellowship at Takeda Pharmaceuticals, working on the Gastrointestinal and Inflammation team. In addition to her fellowship role, she is looking forward to becoming a licensed pharmacist to continue to work within the hospital system and offer hands-on support to patients. Kathryn has a deep passion for the outdoors and loves to hike and kayak in her free time. She hopes to one day visit all 63 National Parks. Kathryn also loves to travel and cherishes time with her parents, whose support and encouragement have continued to help her dreams come true.