College Advising Program

CAP’s major events focus on introducing students to different fields in medicine through the involvement of faculty and alumni in the program. Other events help students prepare for examinations through the mentoring of older students. Finally, many events are designed to make medical school more enjoyable through extracurricular competitions and events.

Our CAP events are focused on three themes: community, advising and wellness. Some of our annual events include Clash of the Colleges (held during Orientation), Penny Wars, and Miles of Thanks Competition during which college members compete to earn points for the college cup. Mixer nights with faculty and alumni provide great opportunities to meet and greet with mentors. Lastly, wellness activities such as meditation, movie nights and puppy breaks provide balance and opportunities for relaxation within the lives of our students.

Through CAP, students, faculty and alumni are separated into one of three colleges. Each advising college is led by one Student Affairs Dean and at least five faculty members, including Patient Centered Medicine facilitators. The colleges are structured around the Patient Centered Medicine Groups assigned in the M1 year, which persist through all four years of medical school.

The colleges within CAP are named in honor and memory of three outstanding faculty members who were formative in our medical school’s history: Pamela C. Champe, PhD; Robert L. Trelstad, MD; and Parvin Saidi,MD. Each college has a color, mascot and motto that symbolize the virtues of their eponymous faculty.

Pamela C. Champe, PhD

After completing her undergraduate degree at Stanford University and her master’s degree in microbiology at Perdue, Pam Champe came to Rutgers University in Piscataway in 1969 to study for a doctorate in microbiology. Read More

Robert L. Trelstad, MD

For more than 30 years, Robert L. Trelstad, MD, was a physician and academician who focused his research on cell biology, developmental biology, and innovation in medical education. Dr. Trelstad earned his undergraduate Read More

Parvin Saidi, MD

Parvin Saidi, MD, was a veteran member of our faculty, having joined then Rutgers Medical School as an assistant professor of medicine in 1968. Dr. Saidi was an outstanding physician, recognized nationally and internationally Read More