L E T T E R F R O M T H E D E A N Dear Friends, ur spring/summer issue comes to you at an exciting time for Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. The 134 members of the Class of 2017 matched with top residencies nationwide, 48 percent with primary care programs. These students received their diplomas at convocation where we were honored to have Barry Ostrowsky, president and CEO, RWJBarnabas Health, as our speaker. We are extremely proud of our newest alumni. Congratulations to you all! Our cover story, “The Intersection of Art and Medicine,” describes a momentous afternoon at the medical school, combining teaching and art. Actress Julia Udine, fresh from her starring role in The Phantom of the Opera, performed excerpts from the show. Each was analyzed by Anthony Tobia, MD, associate professor of psychiatry, to illustrate his didactic method: teaching through the lens of popular culture. “Green Beret’s Journey” tells of Kevin Fitzpatrick ’19, who was inspired by military doctors in Afghanistan to pursue a career in medicine. Kevin is joined at Rutgers by his wife, Amber, a physician assistant student at the School of Public Health and fellow Army veteran. “Building the Global Health Institute at Rutgers” introduces Richard G. Marlink, MD, a new faculty member at the medical school and the inaugural Henry Rutgers Professor of Global Health. Dr. Marlink, a pioneer and world leader in AIDS prevention and care, joined the faculty of Rutgers to develop an institute that will unite the university’s multiple efforts in global health while driving its evolution as a leading global health center. “Arthritis at 14: Angela’s Journey” describes the onset of juvenile idiopathic arthritis in a teenage girl. Her family’s search for a top specialist led to L. Nandini Moorthy, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics and chief, division of pediatric rheumatology, whose knowledgeable and empathetic care has restored Angela’s quality of life. “Overseeing an Evolution” is not only a profile of Robert M. Eisenstein, MD, associate professor and chair, Department of Emergency Medicine. It also describes the phenomenal growth of the emergency department under his leadership: a muchexpanded faculty, a new residency and fellowship, academic growth, and the addition of multiple specialties—these are the tip of the iceberg, as the department undergoes a major expansion. The American Association for the Advancement of Science recently named three faculty members as fellows: Terri Goss Kinzy, PhD, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology and pediatrics and vice president for research, Office of Research and Economic Development, Rutgers University; Peter Lobel, PhD, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology; and Monica Roth, PhD, professor of pharmacology. “International Scientific Acclaim Hits Home” describes their research and the clinical significance of their work. The remarkable career of Kenneth R. Kaufman, MD, professor of psychiatry, neurology, and anesthesiology, is the subject of “A Triple Threat in the Psychiatric Aspects of Epilepsy.” Dr. Kaufman is not only a renowned researcher, teacher, and clinician, he is also a widely published scholar and longtime advocate for people with epilepsy. I hope you will enjoy this issue of Robert Wood Johnson Medicine and the insights it provides not only into the work we do today, but also into our future. JOHN O’BOYLE O Sincerely, Sherine E. Gabriel, MD, MSc Dean Robert Wood Johnson I MEDICINE 1