Family Medicine and Community Health Divisions
Message from the Vice-Chair
The mission and vision of the Family Medicine and Community Health Research Division is to develop and sustain a vital and productive research environment that fosters collaborative, trans-disciplinary approaches to promote person centered health by improving quality of care and addressing health-related disparities. Our team of community-engaged, primary care researchers are working with vulnerable populations at the intersections of community health, primary care and specialty care. Input from patients, clinicians and the community is at the heart of our work. There are eight core faculty members in the Research Division with well-developed primary care research portfolios focused on patient centered care and outcomes and understanding barriers and facilitators to dissemination and implementation of evidence based primary care interventions.
Research division faculty have chronic disease expertise in behavioral health (Hudson, O'Malley), cancer (Hudson, Crabtree, Ferrante, O'Malley, King Jensen, Hemler), obesity (Ferrante), diabetes (Crabtree, Ferrante, Hudson), and content foci in health equity, aging (Jiang, Luth), substance use (Miles, O'Malley), housing and income instability, homelessness (Treglia). Affiliated faculty members have expertise in women’s health (Amico, Chen), intimate partner violence (Chen), health literacy and developmental disabilities (Jimenez) and community health (Jimenez, Pellerano).
Our Department of Family Medicine and Community Health’s Research Division has been consistently among the top Family Medicine Departments in the country in NIH funding by the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research. Division research efforts have received major funding through federal and foundation sources, including the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institute on Aging (NIA), Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), and National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS). This funding provides support for a well-established, ongoing line of dissemination and implementation science research that uses mixed methods to examine strategies to enhance quality of care in primary care practices.
Shawna V. Hudson, PhD, FSBM
Professor, Vice Chair of Research and Henry Rutgers Chair of Family Medicine and Community Health
Senior Associate Dean for Population Health Research
Director, RWJMS Center Advancing Research and Evaluation for Person-Centered Care (CARE-PC)
Vice Chancellor for Dissemination and Implementation Science, Rutgers Health
Associate Director, NJ Alliance for Clinical and Translational Science (NJ ACTS)
Faculty
There are eight core faculty members in the Research Division with well-developed primary care research portfolios focused on patient centered care and outcomes and understanding barriers and facilitators to dissemination and implementation of evidence based primary care interventions.
Our Portfolio
The Department of Family Medicine and Community Health has a diverse portfolio of research that focuses on enhancing the quality of care delivered in primary care settings. This portfolio highlights the disciplinary diversity of our research faculty while at the same time underscores the close collaborations and sharing among investigators. Health equity is a strong focus of our faculty intervention research that spans the lifespan – from enhancing pediatric literacy in primary care settings, to building and testing interventions for elder and hospice care patients and their care givers.
Our Division is on the forefront developing and adopting innovative research methods to meet the challenges of studying the unique features of primary care. As well, Division faculty are closely associated with the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey investigating strategies to enhance cancer prevention and early detection, and quality of care for cancer survivors. Behavioral health integration within primary care is a focus. Our team also looks at implementation of health information technology (HIT) and organizational change strategies for successful transformation of practice.
Staff
Marsha Gordon, MPH
Director of Administration, Research Division
303 George Street, Suite 301
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Phone: 848-932-0212
marsha.gordon@rutgers.edu
Toya Simmons, MPH, CHES
Project Manager, Primary Care First
317 George Street
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Phone: 732-235-7362
Fax: 732-235-7380
toya.simmons@rutgers.edu
Contact Us
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Matrix Plaza One, 303 George Street, Suite 301
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
About the Office of Community Health
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School has a clearly stated commitment to the improvement of community health and community service as one of our four core missions. The Office of Community Health has responsibility for the development, implementation, and oversight of many of the school's community health initiatives.
Message from the Chief
The Department of Family Medicine and Community Health’s Hospital Medicine Division encompasses a team of highly skilled board-certified physicians and advanced practice providers, serving a diverse high volume patient population within the hospital on a 24/7 schedule.
We are based at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick, an academic medical center that serves as a flagship for the RWJ Barnabas healthcare system and Rutgers Health. This tertiary-quaternary care facility provides advanced, comprehensive services for complex medical conditions in which our team plays a major role. Our strong commitment to deliver patient-centered high-quality care in an academic institution through innovative research and strategies has been serving our diverse community for almost two decades.
Our Hospital Medicine Division faculty and staff provide inpatient management services for a variety of specialties including cardiothoracic surgery, renal transplant, gastroenterology, vascular, neurology, among many others. We also care for oncology patients who are affiliated with the National Cancer Institute designated Rutgers Cancer Institute and the Jack and Sheryl Morris Cancer Center. These services primarily include hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, hematology malignancies, solid tumors, and clinical research trials.
Our goal is to continually raise the standard of care to achieve excellent patient outcomes including patient satisfaction scores, safe disposition for discharge to home and reduced hospital length of stays for our high acuity patients. Our collaborative team-based approach interfaces with multi-disciplinary care providers, which include but are not limited to social workers, case managers, nurses, physical therapists, and other specialty consultants during daily rounds.
We welcome you to our Hospital Medicine Division services at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital where patient care is our top priority!
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much” - Helen Keller
Maria Espinar Ho, MD
, FAAFP
Assistant Professor and Division Chief
Leadership
Maria Elena Espinar Ho, MD
Division Chief
me365@rwjms.rutgers.edu
Vacant
Supervisor of APNs
Faculty
Explore the list of accomplished faculty comprising the Division of Hospital Medicine.
Advanced Practice Nurse (APNs)
Accordion Content
-
Vanessa Almeida
almeidvi@rwjms.rutgers.eduNatalia Diaz
diazna@rwjms.rutgers.eduCrystal Hardie
cnubian@rwjms.rutgers.eduNana Langworthy
nl290@rwjms.rutgers.eduIrina Payne
payneir@rwjms.rutgers.eduJulie Sakaria
js2295@rwjms.rutgers.eduMarjan Salehi
ms3196@rwjms.rutgers.eduArchana Sharma
sharmaa6@rwjms.rutgers.eduBonifacio Tanchingco
tanchibs@rwjms.rutgers.eduStacey Webb
swebbrn@rwjms.rutgers.edu
Contact Us
Message from the Chief
The Division of Sports Medicine specializes in the evaluation of musculoskeletal pain and disorders in patients of all ages and athletic backgrounds. From the young athlete to the elder patient with osteoarthritis, we customize a detailed nonoperative treatment plan to improve our patients’ function and pain. Our faculty serve as Team Physicians for the Rutgers Athletics sports programs providing office and sideline coverage to care for the needs of these elite athletes. In addition to our collegiate responsibilities, we provide sports medicine care to multiple local high schools in Middlesex county. Through medications, detailed physical therapy prescription, musculoskeletal ultrasound, and injection therapy including cortisone, hyaluronic acid, nerve hydro-dissection and platelet-rich plasma (PRP), we strive to provide the most cutting edge and evidence-based treatments to our patients.
Beyond clinical care, the Division of Sports Medicine is committed to improving and expanding knowledge in musculoskeletal medicine at all levels of medical education. The Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship sponsors two fellows each year to be trained to not only become proficient physicians but leaders in the field of sports medicine. Faculty are highly involved in the musculoskeletal training of residents across many disciplines and are charged with musculoskeletal education of medical students.
Please take time to explore the Division of Sports Medicine through our web pages and if you would like to take advantage of our clinical services or educational opportunities, don’t hesitate to contact us.
Jason Womack, MD
Division Chief
Faculty
Explore the list of accomplished faculty comprising the Division of Sports Medicine
Jason Womack, MD
Dr. Womack is an Associate Professor of Family Medicine at Rutgers – Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. He serves as Chief to the Division of Sports Medicine and Head Team Physician for Rutgers University Athletics. He has been on faculty in the department of family medicine since 2008. He graduated from Rutgers University and attended medical school at Rutgers - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School where he was a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honors Society. Dr. Womack pursued a residency in family medicine at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, PA, and was elected chief resident. He returned to Rutgers - Robert Wood Johnson for fellowship in sports medicine prior to being recruited as faculty. He currently educates leaners at all levels of medical education and is involved in sports medicine research including but not limited to concussion and cardiac issues in sport. Clinically he provides primary and sports medicine care for patients of all ages specializing in musculoskeletal ultrasound and advanced therapeutic injections.
Kinshasa Morton, MD
Kinshasa Morton is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health. Dr. Morton pursued his medical education at Howard University College of Medicine, earning his M.D. in 2003. He then completed his residency in Family Medicine at tRutgers-RWJMS from 2003 to 2006. Following his residency, Dr. Morton undertook a fellowship in Sports Medicine at Rutgers-RWJMS, specializing in primary care sports medicine, which he completed in 2007. He then joined the faculty in 2007
Since joining the faculty, he has helped to transform the sports medicine education for the residents and medical students. He helps organize sports medicine electives for residents and students as well. He is a regular preceptor for the residents for both outpatient and inpatient family medicine at our Family Medicine at Monument Square office and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital.
Jill Kropa, MD
Dr. Jill Kropa is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at Rutgers - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and the program director of the primary care sports medicine fellowship.
Dr. Kropa completed her undergraduate studies at Villanova University, earning a BS in Biology. She then pursued her medical degree at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Following medical school, Dr. Kropa completed her residency in Family Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, where she also pursued a fellowship in Sports Medicine.
She is board-certified by the American Board of Family Medicine and holds a Certificate of Added Qualification (CAQ) in Sports Medicine.
Aixa Navia, MD
Dr. Aixa Navia is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. She is board certified in family medicine with a Certificate of Added Qualifications in Sports Medicine, and serves as a team physician for Rutgers Athletics. She is the associate program director of the primary care sports medicine fellowship.She directs medical student elective rotations in sports medicine, advises the Sports Medicine Interest Group, and has published on topics including COVID-19 and return to play in Division I athletes
Clinical Services
Accordion Content
-
The Division provides care to patients of all ages from the pediatric age group to the elderly. Our scope of care includes, but not limited to the following:
- Muscle and ligament strains and sprain
- Osteoarthritis
- Joint and Back pain
- Bone fractures
- Stress fractures
- Concussion
- Exercise prescription
- Nerve Entrapments
-
To help diagnosis and management of the conditions we encounter, we employ the following treatments:
- Physical therapy prescription
- Biomechanical evaluation
- Corticosteroid injections
- Hyaluronic Acid Injection
- Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Injections
- Nerve Hydro-Dissection
- Musculoskeletal ultrasound
- Trigger point injections
Education
The Division of Sports Medicine is highly committed to education of fellows, residents from all specialties, and medical students.
Robert Wood Johnson medical students are eligible to take a two-week elective in the third and fourth year. The elective is available through the registrar’s office.
Residents from any specialty are welcome to rotate with our program throughout the year to increase their musculoskeletal knowledge. Residents from outside RWJ are encouraged to inquire about elective as early as possible as approval from our GME office is required.
Contact Us
About the Division of Geriatrics
The Department of Family Medicine and Community Health has been fortunate to receive a $18.8 million dollar gift from the Parker Health Group to establish the Parker Health Group Division of Geriatrics. This gift allows us to expand our 35-year collaborative activities with Parker to establish a national center for excellence in geriatrics education, research, and clinical care for seniors. Parker Health, 100-plus years old, is one of the country’s leading nonprofit aging services organizations, offering the full spectrum of care in communities throughout New Jersey.
The gift is allowing us to elevate our departmental activities to include fellowship-level geriatrics training, action-oriented effectiveness research, and clinical care in a variety of settings and communities. The department will bring the strengths of Rutgers, one of the country’s leading research universities with its multidisciplinary resources, to help solve contemporary problems of aging.
The department is currently recruiting research and clinical faculty (individuals with PhD, MD, MD/PhD, DNP or equivalent degrees) and staff (Master's or Advanced Practice degrees) for the division.
Those interested in being a part of this exciting new venture should please contact the department at:
Department of Family Medicine and Community Health
303 George Street,
Matrix Plaza 1, Room 614
New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901
Attention: Parker Geriatrics Division
Email to chair: tallia@rwjms.rutgers.edu
Phone: 732-235-6029