Student Outcomes
Our physician scientist graduates go on to careers in academia, industry and government. You can find them in private practice, on the faculty of prestigious universities, consulting for leading biomedical companies, and working for government agencies. We are excited to share alumni testimonials to showcase the benefits of a Rowan-Virtua TBES (formerly RowanGSBS) education!
Cristina Padovani, DO/PhD Program
Rowan-Virtua TBES, 2024 (PhD)
Rowan-Virtua SOM, OMS-3 (DO)
One of my future career goals is to not only be a physician-scientist, but to also be an advocate for patient-centered and public health-centered medical care. In my own practice, I hope to utilize evidence-based treatments of diseases, while working in my community to prevent illnesses in innovative ways that focus on the way we provide medical care and how all aspects of patients’ lives may affect their course of care. For these reasons, I knew that I wanted to partake in a PhD research project that was translational – a project that could potentially benefit my future patients directly. I decided to join the cell biology lab of Dr. Kingsley Yin, whose lab focuses on immune cell dysregulation in sepsis. Not only did I acquire technical expertise under Dr. Yin’s mentorship, but I also developed a holistic skill set and mindset that will prepare me for success in my future endeavors as a physician-scientist. I was constantly challenged to present my work, articulate ideas, and engage in discussions with peers and experts in the field. These experiences are instrumental in building confidence and honing my ability to convey complex concepts to different audiences.
I've found the collaborative learning environment within Rowan-Virtua’s DO/PhD program to be particularly valuable. I always feel like there's an abundance of knowledge available to me at all times. I truly enjoy hearing how scientists of all backgrounds approach their research question(s) with evidence-based, hypothesis-driven approaches. I believe that a collaborative environment and team-based approach to healthcare is vital for my future success, and Rowan-Virtua emphasizes this sentiment. In the future, I aim to share my knowledge and experiences with my peers/colleagues/students to improve the skills and knowledge of the health care team. In this way, we can provide the best possible care to the patients in our local health system. As a future physician-scientist, I hope to one day have an impact on public health through my own research or through my efforts to operationalize that research into health care policy, action, and practice.
Rahil Kheirkhah, DO/PhD Program
RowanGSBS, 2020 (PhD)
RowanSOM, 2022 (DO)
Excerpt from Rowan Today
“It was probably the best decision I’ve made in my seven years at Rowan,” she said. “Working with [Dr. Robert Nagele's lab] gave me a chance to not only grow professionally, but also grow personally.”
In Nagele’s program, she learned to perform and analyze research and refine her abilities to take a critical approach to problem-solving. She also assumed leadership roles on projects. “It taught me to feel comfortable about questioning the material that I’m taught, looking for answers and where the answers are coming from, and approaching situations in a very scientific way.”
“It made me more confident that when I am practicing medicine, I’ll be learning skills and reading information that is scientifically sound and making decisions that are objectively beneficial for my patients,” she said.
Nagele’s guidance was invaluable, according to Kheirkhah. “He taught me not to shrink away from a challenge and, more importantly, to become comfortable making big decisions and standing behind them,” she said. “He was an incredible mentor to have, and I feel very grateful to have been able to work with him.”
"I look back on my time [at RowanGSBS] with such fondness, and know that my successes today as a physician scientist are readily credited to the roots firmly planted and generously watered in the GSBS."
Eric Goldwaser, DO/PhD Program
RowanGSBS, 2016 (PhD)
RowanSOM, 2018 (DO)
I entered medical school in 2011 with the intention on continuing to pursue my interest in research I developed as an undergraduate. I quickly found myself volunteering time to hone my skills in molecular genetics, and I felt that my interest in research grew into a passion that I wanted to continue harnessing in a more clinically apparent and translational way.
After entering the Ph.D. portion of the D.O./Ph.D., I joined Dr. Nagele's lab and began a project that would eventually form the seeds for my pursuits as a physician scientist now nearly a decade later. In that time, with his mentorship and the guidance from my committee, colleagues, labmates, and professors, I was able to grow as a student and a researcher.
I was selected among 15 M.D., Ph.D. candidates for the sole spot at University of Maryland / Sheppard Pratt's psychiatry residency, physician-scientist training program, which afforded me protected time and four years of funding for a serious research project and path towards an NIH K-award, and ultimately, as an independent investigator.
It would be easy to talk about the ways in which my time in the D.O./Ph.D. program had bettered my application and options for residency, but I find it equally important to highlight the other aspects of my experience on a more personal level. Unapologetically I say that my favorite time in med school was my time in the lab, but that is truly the case in large part because of the people there, in addition to the satisfaction from the work itself. Partnerships and collegiality went hand in hand with friendship and in many cases has continued to this day. I look back on my time with such fondness, and know that my successes today as a physician scientist are readily credited to the roots firmly planted and generously watered in the GSBS.