Seema Malkana, DO

Affiliations and Leadership

• Core Faculty Member, RWJMS Rheumatology Fellowship, 2021-present
• Graduate Medical Education Advisory Committee to Rutgers Health, 2022-present
• Treasurer, New Jersey Rheumatology Association 2022-2024
• Vice President, New Jersey Rheumatology Association, 2024-present
• Board Member, Arthritis Foundation-New Jersey, 2024-present

Education and Training

• Undergraduate: Cornell University, 2004
• Medical School: Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine, 2015
• Internal Medicine Residency: Temple University Hospital, 2018
• Rheumatology Fellowship: Mount Sinai Hospital, 2020

Honors and Awards

• Educator of the Year Award, Department of Medicine, RWJMS, 2021
• I.W. Ginsberg Award for Outstanding Housestaff Educator, Temple University Hospital, 2018
• Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award, Gold Humanism Honor Society, 2015

Biography

Dr. Seema Malkana received her Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Psychology from Cornell University in 2004. She had a career in internal consulting before pursuing her medical degree from the Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine, where she was the inaugural recipient of the Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine award “in recognition of exemplary compassion, competence, and respect in the delivery of care.” She completed her Internal Medicine Residency training at Temple University Hospital and her Rheumatology Fellowship at the Mount Sinai Hospital. Dr. Malkana joined Rutgers RWJMS and the Division of Rheumatology in 2020. She is Associate Program Director of the Rheumatology Fellowship at Rutgers and also teaches a cohort of medical students each year in their foundational Physicianship course.

Clinical Interests and Description

Dr. Malkana’s clinical expertise includes diagnosis and management of a wide range of rheumatologic conditions, including giant cell arteritis, polymyalgia rheumatica, medium and small vessel vasculitis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren’s syndrome, myositis, spondyloarthropathies, systemic sclerosis, gout, and IgG4-related disease.

Research Interests and Description

Seeking therapeutic options for her patients with severe multi-system disease including lupus and vasculitis, Dr. Malkana has become site co-investigator for large national trials of new medications with rheumatologic indications.

Publications

• Thomas R. Nucatola, Eric D. Freeman, Leslie Bagay, David P. Brown, Faraz Jamal, Seema Malkana (Ed). (2024). "Rheumatology." In Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Board Review, 5th edition [In press]. Springer.
• Malkana S, Joki J, Hsu V. (2024) “Rheumatologic Issues in Women and Rehabilitation.” Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America. [Accepted]. Elsevier.
• Banks S, Jayatilleke A, Malkana S.  Determining Faculty vs. Fellow Preferences for ROSCE Milestone Assessments; is it Time for a Change in Needs Assessment? Presented at American College of Rheumatology for ACR Convergence 2021; Abstract # 1064700

• Malkana S, Kerr L.D. (Dec 2021). “Systemic and Localized Inflammatory Diseases of Older Adults.” Rheumatology for Primary Care Providers – A Clinical Casebook. Ed. Yousaf Ali: Springer.