NOTES What’s New? Your fellow alumni want to know! Written with the nonphysician in mind, the book is designed as a resource for residents, medical students, front office staff, and patients. ed my career,” she says. “I enjoy teaching, and I want to give back.” Dr. Chen has been active in Jefferson’s comprehensive curriculum redesign, which currently focuses on the Year-4 musculoskeletal track. It will allow fourth-year students interested in musculoskeletal medicine to do specific rotations that provide more relevant exposure to the field. The new curriculum may make some students eligible to graduate in December, begin their internships immediately, and shorten their medical training by a year. Through the University of Delaware–based Perry Initiative, Dr. Chen also works with women undergraduates and medical students who are interested in a career in engineering and/or orthopedics. In addition to offering hands-on experience, this innovative program provides a professional network in areas of science where women role models can be difficult to find. While still a resident in orthopedics, Dr. Chen received the Arnold P. Gold Foundation Humanism and Excellence in Teaching Award, recognizing her commitment to teaching and compassionate treatment of patients and their families, as well as students and colleagues. These same qualities inspired Dr. Chen to seek her MBA, says Dr. Rothman, and they continue to energize her today. “Not only does she have a spectacular intellect,” he says. “She is also a humanitarian leader, who is devoted to people of all social strata and wants to improve health care access for everyone.” M Please send your professional and personal news and photos to: Jillian Prior, manager of alumni affairs, at jillian.prior@rwjms.rutgers.edu. In addition to updates we receive from alumni, we also use public news information and stories to share in our class notes section. C L A S S An MBA Provides Valuable Insights into 21st-Century Medical Practice A s an applicant to Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Dr. Chen was attracted by the opportunity to earn a dual degree: a master’s in business administration in addition to a medical degree. “Health care was going in new directions at the time—including better regulation of drug prices and a shift toward an increasing number of physician leaders on the administrative side of hospitals and health care systems,” she says. She was accepted into the MBA program during her first year, and the following summer, she began taking courses at the Rutgers School of Business, the first phase of the 15month program. “By the end of the program, we definitely returned to our medical training with a more balanced appreciation for the field,” says Dr. Chen, who was elected to Beta Gamma Sigma, the leading honor society in business education. 1 9 7 4 Robert Eidus, founding president of the Vanguard Medical Group in Cranford, was presented with the New Jersey Academy of Family Physicians Chair Award. The Chair Award is presented to a person who has dedicated a lifetime of service to both the academy and the specialty of family medicine. 1 9 8 2 Richard Friedman is the director of psychopharmacology and a professor of clinical psychiatry at New York Weill Cornell Medical Center. Dr. Friedman has also served as a writer for the Science Times section of the New York Times since 2002 and recently became a contributing opinion writer. 1 9 8 6 Joseph Costabile, a general and vascular surgeon at the Virtua Surgical Group, was elected as the 224th president of the Medical Society of New Jersey (MSNJ). He has served as a member of MSNJ’s Board of Trustees since 2009. A Humanist in Academic Medicine 1 9 8 7 General and vascular surgeon Peter Pappas will oversee the newest office, in Union, of the Center for Vein Restoration, the nation’s largest physician-led medical organization for vein treatment. He also oversees the Basking Ridge office. —Continued on page 48 A t the Rothman Institute, Dr. Chen teaches medical students, residents, and fellows, doing half of the instruction hands-on in the operating room. “I had thoughtful teachers who provided me with a fantastic education and mentors who support- Robert Wood Johnson I MEDICINE 47