By irene maslowski
and Resident of New Brunswick Among Honorees
Lawrenceville, NJ, May 27, 2011 n A group of outstanding New Jerseyans were lauded on May 4, 2011, when the Edward J. Ill Excellence in Medicine Foundation honored physicians and healthcare leaders. These coveted awards are among the highest honors given in New Jersey’s medical community. MDAdvantage, a leading provider of medical professional liability insurance in New Jersey, sponsors the state’s longest-running medical awards program to recognize New Jersey’s healthcare efforts.
In addition to the awards bestowed upon this year’s honorees, the Foundation’s fundraising efforts enabled the donation of $50,000, split among six New Jersey healthcare students, an increase from three scholarships awarded in 2010.
“We are thrilled that profits from the 2011 program, for the second consecutive year, will go directly to the Edward J. Ill Excellence in Medicine Scholarship Fund to help more New Jersey healthcare students pay for their education,” said Patricia A. Costante, chairman and CEO of MDAdvantage. “The fund was created to encourage young people to study healthcare in New Jersey, and to help improve access to healthcare for New Jersey residents.
Among those honored were Masayori Inouye, PhD, Distinguished Professor at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ)nRobert Wood Johnson Medical School, resident faculty member of the Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine and resident of New Brunswick, who received the Outstanding Medical Research Scientist Award for Basic Biomedical Research. The award is presented to an individual who has carried out biomedical research leading to important advances in biotechnology or to the understanding of disease processes.
Other honorees included:
• Edward J. Ill Physician’s Award®: Mark Jay Zucker, MD, JD,
Director, Heart Failure Treatment and Transplant Program, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and Clinical Professor of Medicine at UMDNJn New Jersey Medical School.
• Verice M. Mason Community Service Leader Award:
Deborah M. Spitalnik, PhD, Professor of Pediatrics and Executive Director, The Elizabeth M. Boggs Center on Developmental Disabilities at UMDNJ- Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, on behalf of The Elizabeth M. Boggs Center on Developmental Disabilities.
• Outstanding Medical Executive Award: Judith M. Persichilli, RN, BSN, MA, President & CEO, Catholic Health East.
• Outstanding Medical Research Scientist Award for Clinical Research: Stephen F. Lowry, MD, MBA, Professor, Chairman of the Department of Surgery and Senior Associate Dean for Education, UMDNJ n Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
• Outstanding Medical Educator Award: Sylvia Christakos, PhD,
Professor, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School
The 2011 scholarship recipients are:
• Amanda Ganza, UMDNJ – New Jersey Medical School
• Farhad Modarai, UMDNJ – School of Osteopathic Medicine
• Cara Bergamo, UMDNJ – Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
• John Castronovan UMDNJnNew Jersey Dental School
• Heather Neidlen Seton Hall UniversitynSchool of Health and Medical Sciences
• Shurika Perryn UMDNJnSchool of Health Related Professions
Paul J. Hirsch, MD, Chairman of the Edward J. Ill Excellence in Medicine Foundation, stated, “These exceptional physicians, executives, educators and organizations, whose commitment to health, education and research, have forever changed and markedly improved the delivery of healthcare in New Jersey and around the world.”
This year, the Foundation introduced the Excellence in Medicine Scholarship Honor Roll, and proudly recognizes lead contributor and Excellence in Medicine Society member Kern, Augustine, Conroy & Schoppmann, PC for their support in promoting excellence in medicine.
The Edward J. Ill Excellence in Medicine Foundation is now accepting nominations for the 2012 awards program. The deadline for nominations is August 19, 2011. For more information on the awards program and the nomination process, visit www.EJIawards.org.
To learn more about this year’s honorees and their perspectives on healthcare, see the spring 2011 issue of MDAdvisor: A Journal for the New Jersey Medical Community (www.MDAdvantageonline.com/MDAdvisor).
About MDAdvantage: MDAdvantage Insurance Company of New Jersey is a leading provider of medical professional liability insurance in New Jersey. MDAdvantage is committed to supporting physician initiatives that increase patient safety and minimize the risks of liability, educating the New Jersey healthcare community and investing in the future of our state’s healthcare system (www.MDAdvantageonline.com). For more information about MDAdvantage, call 888-355-5551 or visit www.MDAdvantageonline.com. For more information about MDAdvisor, including subscription and advertisement opportunities, go to www.MDAdvantageonline.com/MDAdvisor.
