UNIVERSITY OF
MEDICINE AND DENTISTRY
OF NEW JERSEY
SCHOOL OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE
July 2006
Report for the Commission on Osteopathic College
Accreditation
1
UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE AND DENTISTRY
OF NEW JERSEY
SCHOOL OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE
SELF-STUDY
April 2006
Report for the Council on Osteopathic College Accreditation
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page(s)
Table of Contents
i
A Note of Thanks
ii
Listing of Appendices
iii
Good to Great Self-Study Committees
iv - v
Accreditation Standards Location Table
vi - vii
Exhibit Listings Table
viii - x
Chapter I:
EXCELLENCE IN MEETING OUR MISSION
MISSION, GOALS AND PLANNING
1-13
Chapter II: RESOURCES TO MEET OUR MISSION
GOVERNANCE, ADMINISTRATION, FINANCE, FACILITIES
14-22
Chapter III: FACULTY
DRIVING THE MISSION
23-29
Chapter IV: EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION
STUDENTS & CURRICULUM
30-44
Chapter V: EXCELLENCE IN RESEARCH
SCHOLARLY ACTIVITIES
45-50
i
A Note of Thanks
The following self-study document outlines the University of Medicine and Dentistry of
New Jersey-School of Osteopathic Medicine’s continued adherence to the educational
standards set forth by the American Osteopathic Association.
Within the UMDNJ-SOM community, faculty, staff, administration and students actively
share the responsibility for the achievement of the mission of the school. We would like to
thank those members of our community who dedicated their hard work to making the selfstudy a richer document by contributing to the process. We want to acknowledge those
resource people who gave of their time and expertise to make the document live on
paper—especially the student, academic affairs and educational media support staff.
R. Michael Gallagher, D.O., FACOFP dist.
Dean
UMDNJ-SOM
Paul M. Krueger, D.O., FACOOG dist.
Assistant Dean for Education and Curriculum
Chair, Self-Study Steering Committee
Marilyn Kimmelman, Ed.D.
Program Administrator, Academic Affairs
Editor, Self-Study Document
Regina Wilmes, M.Ed.
Coordinator, Academic Affairs
Coordinator, Self-Study Documentation
ii
APPENDICES
Self Study Chapter
Appendix Appendix Name
Page(s)
Mission, Goals, Planning
Mission, Goals, Planning;
Research
1
UMDNJ-SOM New Strategic Goals
3
2
NIH Ranking
6, 11, 45
Mission, Goals, Planning
3
Organizational Chart UMDNJ-SOM
7
Mission, Goals, Planning
Mission, Goals, Planning;
Students & Curriculum
Governance,
Administration
Governance,
Administration
Governance,
Administration
4
SWOT Analysis of UMDNJ-SOM
8
5
Alumni Survey 2004 Results
13, 33
6
Audited Financial Reports
14
7
Middle States Accreditation
15
8
Health Sciences Library Resources
19
Faculty
9
Faculty Adequacy Model - Current
23
Faculty
10
Faculty Adequacy Model - 3C
23
Faculty
11
Positions Held Outside UMDNJ-SOM
24
Faculty
12
28
Students & Curriculum
13
Code of Ethics- UMDNJ
Executive Summary of Curriculum
Reform at UMDNJ-SOM
Students & Curriculum
14
43
Students & Curriculum
15
Clerkship Adequacy Model
UMDNJ-SOM Learning Assessment
Plan
37
44
Reader’s note: Appendices and Exhibits have been color coded and organized by
standards. The color coding is designed to facilitate the reading of the document and the
retrieval of exhibits on site.
Standard 1 – Green
Standard 2 – Red
Standard 3 – Yellow
Standard 4 – Grey
Standard 5 – Orange
Standard 6 – Blue
Standard 7 – Purple
iii
UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE AND DENTISTRY OF NEW JERSEY
SCHOOL OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE
SELF-STUDY COMMITTEES
Mission, Goals and Planning
Chair:
Committee Members:
Paul M. Krueger, D.O., Assistant Dean for Education and Curriculum/Professor
Thomas Cavalieri, D.O., Director, NJISA/Professor
Allen Clowers, D.O., Family Medicine/Assistant Professor
John Crosbie, Director, Strategic Planning and Program Development
Marilyn Kimmelman, Ed.D., Program Administrator, Academic Affairs
Stephen M. Scheinthal, D.O., NJISA/Assistant Professor
Governance, Administration, and Finance
Chair:
Committee Members:
William Ranieri, D.O., Assistant Dean for Clinical Affairs/Professor
Renee Acconciamessa, Administrator Department of Medicine
Mary Louise Bianco-Smith, Director, Marketing
Carman Ciervo, D.O., Chair, Family Medicine/Associate Professor
Allen Clowers, D.O., Family Medicine/Assistant Professor
John Crosbie, Director, Strategic Planning and Program Development
John Domanski, M.D., NJISA/Assistant Professor
Sandra Rollins, M.A., Associate Director, Financial Aid
Robert J. Schieri, M.B.A., Executive Director for Finance
Larry Wyatt, D.O., Acting Chair, Department of Pathology
Facilities
Chair:
Committee Members:
Robert Prodoehl, M.B.A., Director, Operations
Kathryn Glazer, M.S.Ed., Instructor, Center for Student Academic Resources
Adarsh Gupta, D.O., Family Medicine/Assistant Professor
Michael Henry, Ph.D., Molecular Biology
Robert McBride, M.A., Manager, Education Media and Resources
Janice Skica, M.L.S., Campus Library
Edward Small, Facilities Management
Ismael Tamba, Student
Michael Wright, Executive Housekeeper, Physical Plant and Environmental
Services
Faculty Driving the Mission
Chair:
Committee Members:
T. Peter Stein, Ph.D., Surgery/Professor
Ronald Ayers, D.O., Chair, OB/Gynecology/Associate Professor
Michele Bunnion, Staff Assistant
Martin Finkel, D.O., Director, NJ CARES Institute/Professor
Anne Hanan, Faculty Personnel Coordinator
Carl Mogil, D.O., Chief Medical Officer, OPTI/Associate Professor
Thomas Morley, D.O., Medicine/Professor
Robert Nagele, Ph.D., Molecular Biology/Associate Professor
Andrew Pecora, D.O., Asst. Dean for Edu. and Faculty Dev./Clinical Professor
(continued on next page)
iv
Students
Chair:
Committee Members:
Warren S. Wallace, Ed.D., Sr. Assoc. Dean, Acad. and Student Affairs/Asst.
Professor
Maureen Banafe, Student
John Bertagnolli, D.O., Family Medicine/Assistant Professor
Joann Garwood, Administrative Coordinator, Academic and Student Affairs
Jackie Giacobbe, M.S.Ed. Coordinator, Center for Student Academic Resources
Linda Jensen, Assistant Registrar, Academic and Student Affairs
Rahsha Kothari, M.D., Medicine/Assistant Professor
Karen Miklosey, Staff Assistant, Academic and Student Affairs
Dean Micciche, M.P.A., Program Administrator, Alumni and Student Affairs
Douglas Leonard, D.O., Psychiatry/Assistant Professor
Shaun Quinn, Student
Sandra Rollins, M.A., Associate Director of Financial Aid
Paula Slade Watkins, M.A.S., Director of Enrollment
Curriculum
Chair:
Committee Members:
Paul M. Krueger, D.O., Assistant Dean for Education and Curriculum/Professor
Pamela Basehore, M.P.H., Associate Director for Education, NJISA
Frank Filipetto, D.O., Family Medicine/Assistant Professor
Jackie Giacobbe, M.S.Ed., Coordinator for Student Academic Resources
Russell Griesback, D.O., Medicine/Clinical Associate Professor
Anne Jones, Student
Marilyn Kimmelman, Ed.D., Program Administrator, Academic Affairs
Kai Mon Lee, Ph.D., Molecular Biology/Assistant Professor
David Mason, D.O., Vice-Chair, Osteosciences/Assistant Professor
Claudia Switala, M.Ed., Program Development Specialist I, Family Medicine
Regina Wilmes, M.Ed., Coordinator, Academic Affairs
David deVinck, Student
Research
Chair:
Committee Members:
Carl Hock, Ph.D., Assistant Dean, Grants and Research/Associate Professor
Salvatore Caradonna, Ph.D., Chair, Molecular Biology/Professor
Shaun Carlson, Pharm.D., Director, Clinical Trials Management
Anita Chopra, M.D., Director of Education and Clinical Programs,
NJISA/Professor
Janice Ciesielski, Program Development Specialist, Department of Medicine
Deborah Hill, Grant Analyst, Grants and Contracts
William T. McAllister, Ph.D., Chair, Cell Biology/Professor
Elyse Perweiler, M.P.P., Assoc. Director, Planning, Development and Public
Policy, NJISA
Rachel Pruchno, Ph.D., Director of Research, NJISA
Gilbert Siu, Student (D.O./Ph.D. Candidate)
Gerald Sabawa, Manager Grants and Contracts
Robert Steer, Ph.D., Psychiatry/Professor
Jeong-Sook H. Yoo, Ph.D., Assistant Dean for Research/Assistant Professor
v
ACCREDITATION STANDARDS
LOCATION TABLE
This table lists the location of each COCA Standard by chapter and page within the UMDNJ-SOM SelfStudy document.
Accreditation
Standard
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.3.1
1.4
1.5
1.6
2.1
2.1.1
2.1.2
2.1.3
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
2.5.1
2.5.2
2.5.3
2.6
2.7
2.8
3.1
3.1.1
3.2
3.3
4.1
4.1.1
4.1.2
4.2
4.2.1
4.2.2
4.3
4.4
4.5
4.6
4.6.1
4.7
4.8
4.9
5.1
5.1.1
5.2
5.2.1
5.2.2
Chapter location (s) in
Self-Study document
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
4
4
4
4
4
Page(s)
3
2
10
9, 10
11, 12
13
13
14
14
14
14
14, 16
14, 16
16, 17
15
15
15
15
16
17
18
18, 19, 20, 21
21
19, 20, 21
22
23
23, 24
24
25
25
25
25
25
25
26
26, 27
27
28
28
30
30
31
31
31
(continued on next page)
vi
ACCREDITATION STANDARDS
LOCATION TABLE
Accreditation
Standard
5.3
5.3.1
5.3.2
5.3.3
5.3.4
5.4
5.4.1
5.4.2
5.4.3
5.4.4
5.5
5.6
5.7
5.8
6.1
6.2
6.3
6.4
6.5
6.6
6.7
6.8
6.8.1
6.9
6.10
6.11
6.12
6.13
6.14
7.1
Chapter location (s) in
Self-Study document
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
5
vii
Page(s)
31
32
32
32
32
32
33
33
33
33
34, 35
35, 36
36
36
37, 38
38, 39, 40
40
41
41
42
42
42, 43
42, 43
41, 43
41
44
44
44
44
45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50
EXHIBIT LISTINGS TABLE
Self Study Chapter
Mission, Goals, Planning
Mission, Goals, Planning
Mission, Goals, Planning
Mission, Goals, Planning
Mission, Goals, Planning
Mission, Goals, Planning
Mission, Goals, Planning
Mission, Goals, Planning
Mission, Goals, Planning
Mission, Goals, Planning
Mission, Goals, Planning
Mission, Goals, Planning
Mission, Goals, Planning
Mission, Goals, Planning
Mission, Goals, Planning
Mission, Goals, Planning
Mission, Goals, Planning
Mission, Goals, Planning
Mission, Goals, Planning
Mission, Goals, Planning
Mission, Goals, Planning
Mission, Goals, Planning
Mission, Goals, Planning
Mission, Goals, Planning
Mission, Goals, Planning
Mission, Goals, Planning
Mission, Goals, Planning
Mission, Goals, Planning
Mission, Goals, Planning
Mission, Goals, Planning
Mission, Goals, Planning
Mission, Goals, Planning
Mission, Goals, Planning
Mission, Goals, Planning
Mission, Goals, Planning
Mission, Goals, Planning
Mission, Goals, Planning
Mission, Goals, Planning
Governance, Administration
Governance, Administration
Governance, Administration
Governance, Administration
Governance, Administration
Governance, Administration
Governance, Administration
Exhibit
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
Exhibit Name
UMDNJ-SOM Charter
SOM Strategic Plan - Completed 2004
Community Outreach and Education Services
Centers of Excellence materials
Problem-Based Learning materials
Clinical Education and Assessment Center materials
Project Interact Materials
University Doctors Brochure
Affiliation Agreement - Barnert
Affiliation Agreement - Christ
Affiliation Agreement - Kennedy
Affiliation Agreement - Lourdes
KHS Chiefs of Service
Bylaws for UMDNJ and UMDNJ-SOM
Former President Petillo's Reform Plan for UMDNJ
Strategic Plan for UMDNJ
Strategic Plan Town Meeting video
Strategic Planning Retreat notes
Faculty Practice Plan minutes
Dean's Executive Council minutes
Academic Chairs minutes
Curriculum Committee minutes
Dean's Academic Report
Faculty Evaluation form
Faculty Activity report
COMLEX Scores
NBOME Preparation Plan 2003
Pre-Matriculation Program materials
Education Handbook
Alumni Survey 2004
HRSA Grants
NJISA Chair materials
Osteopathic Heritage Chair materials
Faculty Development for Research
Faculty Publications
Family Medicine Board Review brochures
AROC brochures
OPTI Report 2005
Members of the Board of Trustees
Board of Trustees’ Four-Point Plan
LCME Accreditation statement
ADA Accreditation statement
CV of Dean Gallagher
Members of the Dean's Advisory Board
Chief Financial Officer's materials
(continued on next page)
viii
Page
2
3, 42
3
4
5
5
6
6
6, 25, 38
6, 25, 38
6, 25, 38
6, 25, 38
6
7, 14
7, 15
9
9
9
9
9
9
9, 38
10, 40
10, 25
10, 25
10
10, 33
10
11, 29, 30, 35
11, 33
11
12
12
12
12, 46
12, 50
12, 50
13
14
15
15
15
15
16
16
EXHIBIT LISTINGS TABLE
Self Study Chapter
Governance, Administration
Governance, Administration
Governance, Administration
Governance, Administration
Governance, Administration
Governance, Administration
Governance, Administration
Governance, Administration
Governance, Administration
Governance, Administration
Faculty
Faculty
Faculty
Faculty
Faculty
Faculty
Faculty
Faculty
Students, Curriculum
Students, Curriculum
Students, Curriculum
Students, Curriculum
Students, Curriculum
Students, Curriculum
Students, Curriculum
Students, Curriculum
Students, Curriculum
Students, Curriculum
Students, Curriculum
Students, Curriculum
Students, Curriculum
Students, Curriculum
Students, Curriculum
Students, Curriculum
Students, Curriculum
Students, Curriculum
Students, Curriculum
Students, Curriculum
Students, Curriculum
Students, Curriculum
Students, Curriculum
Students, Curriculum
Students, Curriculum
Students, Curriculum
Students, Curriculum
Students, Curriculum
Research
Research
Exhibit
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
Exhibit Name
Senior Associate Dean's CV and job description
Affirmative Action Fair Employment Practices
UMDNJ-SOM Facilities
UMDNJ-SOM Master Plan 2005
Facilities Monthly Reports
Educational Media Equipment and Services
Information Systems and Technology Services
Public Safety Annual Security Report
Health Science Library Committee minutes
Affiliated Hospital Library Services
Faculty Roster
UMDNJ Policies
Faculty Development materials
Members of Executive Council
Handbook on Appointments and Promotions
Faculty Affairs Committee minutes
CV of Professor of Bioethics – Dr. Erde
AOA Code of Ethics signatures
Admissions Manual
Admissions Recruitment Activities
Articulation Agreements
Criminal Background Check policy
Enrollment Statistics
AACOM Annual Report statistics
Improvement of At Risk Performance
Student Organizations
Financial Aid materials
FERPA
University Records Management policy
Student Affairs Committee minutes
3C Curriculum Task Force Report
DxR Clinician
Curriculum Task Force minutes
Assessment Subcommittee minutes
Curricular Modifications 2003 - 2005
Punchlist for Action
Course Evaluation results
Clerkship Evaluation results
OMM Resources
Courses in the present curriculum
Current First Year schedule
Current Second Year schedule
3C Curriculum Schedule
Current course syllabi
COILS
Competencies for 3C curriculum
Policy on Misconduct in Science
HIPAA Compliance training
(continued on next page)
ix
Page
17
18, 26
18
18
19
20
20
21
22
22
23
25, 28
26
28
28
28
29
29
30
31
31
31
31
31
33
34
35
36
36
37
37
37
38
38
39
39
39
39
40
41
41
41
41
42
43
43
48
49
EXHIBIT LISTINGS TABLE
Self Study Chapter
Research
Research
Research
Research
Research
Research
Exhibit
94
95
96
97
98
99
Exhibit Name
Vivarium accreditation
NIA Funded Student Research Mini-Grants
Summer Student Research Program
Total & Annualized Amounts for Active Funding
Clinical Drug Trials 1998-2005
Education and Training Grants
x
Page
50
50
50
50
50
50
CHAPTER I
EXCELLENCE IN MEETING OUR MISSION
MISSION, GOALS AND PLANNING
During his tenure as Dean and chief operating officer of the University of Medicine and
Dentistry of New Jersey-School of Osteopathic Medicine (UMDNJ-SOM), R. Michael
Gallagher, D.O., FACOFP dist. has professed an overriding theme of a continuous
improvement effort to propel the school from “good to great,” stating his vision is for
UMDNJ-SOM to be the best medical school in the country of our size, allopathic or
osteopathic.
UMDNJ-SOM has been on the path to greatness, improving every year from the last
accreditation visit in 1998 to the present. The heart of the UMDNJ-SOM mission is
embedded in our academic programs, our instruction, our culture and our core values.
UMDNJ-SOM is number one, among all osteopathic colleges of medicine, in NIH
research dollars in the country, having increased the amount of NIH research dollars
nearly 48 percent since 1998. It is a leading HRSA funded osteopathic medical school.
Since 1998, the number of underrepresented minorities in our student population has
increased by over 60 percent, making UMDNJ-SOM the number one osteopathic school
in the country for women and underrepresented minorities. The school has two nationally
recognized institutes, one of the largest paid faculties of any osteopathic medical school in
the country, an innovative national model curriculum that incorporates the AOA
competencies, cultural competency and interdisciplinary training throughout the
educational continuum, and one of the largest osteopathic GME programs in the country.
Our geriatric program has been selected as one of the best in the country, among such top
schools as Johns Hopkins and Harvard, by U.S. News and World Report. Since 1998,
UMDNJ-SOM has added four dual degree programs: a D.O/M.P.A.; a D.O. /J.D.; a D.O.
/M.S. and a D.O. /M.P.H. UMDNJ-SOM has an association with the Kennedy Health
System (KHS) that is unique in the osteopathic profession. As a principal hospital, KHS
provides a large, stable, financially strong hospital for student training with UMDNJSOM having two seats on the KHS Board of Trustees. Under the terms of the expanded
affiliation agreement, the school and the hospital are committed to joint strategic
planning, and the hospital will provide one million dollars annually for joint efforts to
develop and expand clinical programs.
UMDNJ-SOM is committed to training primary care doctors for the state of New Jersey.
Forty-six percent of our alumni practice in a primary care field; half of those in primary
care are practicing Family Medicine; forty-nine percent maintain a practice in New Jersey.
UMDNJ-SOM’s total building space has taken a twenty-six percent leap from 298,000
square feet to 376,000 square feet since 1998. We have added 95,000 square feet of
research space to our Stratford Science Center. UMDNJ-SOM is the only academic
institution in southern New Jersey that has a Ph.D. granting program. We are presently
growing one of the largest continuing medical education programs in the country. Our
students have an early preceptor program that introduces them to OPP, OMM and family
 Collins JC. Good to Great. HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. 2001.
1
AOA Standards
medicine in the first year of medical school. Our vibrant and productive medical school is
not dependent solely on tuition dollars; rather there is income from several sources—a
$35 million faculty practice plan, extensive grants and state dollars. In 2004, UMDNJSOM contributed more than $4.2 million of uncompensated care to the community. In
addition, UMDNJ-SOM University Doctors sponsored 184 community health programs
from 2000 to 2004 and over 45,000 people attended these programs.
“The Commission wants to make special mention of the contribution that UMDNJ
has made to its communities across the State…a commitment to responding to
community needs such as low income populations in Stratford and Camden…the
Commission wants to unambiguously recognize and commend UMDNJ for its
significant strides over the past three decades.”
N.J. Commission on Health Science, Education and Training
Final Report – October, 2002
The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey is the largest statewide freestanding health sciences university in the country. Created to consolidate and unify all of
New Jersey’s public programs in medical and dental education, UMDNJ was founded in
1970 by an act of the State Legislature and was granted status as a freestanding university
in 1981, in recognition of its growth and development as a statewide health sciences
educational system.
On February 10, 1975, the State of New Jersey approved the establishment of a medical
school in South Jersey. This legislation passed in the Assembly of the State of New
Jersey on April 7, 1975 and was signed by the governor on April 9, 1975. The State
Board of Higher Education approved the establishment of an osteopathic medical school
in South Jersey on December 17, 1976. UMDNJ-SOM subsequently received full
accreditation by the Bureau of Professional Affairs of the American Osteopathic
Association. UMDNJ-SOM is a member of the American Association of Colleges of
Osteopathic Medicine. UMDNJ is accredited by the Commission of Higher Education of
the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, who last visited the school in
April 2005.
The University’s eight schools are spread over four campuses in Camden, New
Brunswick/Piscataway, Newark and Stratford, with a branch campus in Scotch Plains.
The three medical schools and the dental school are the only institutions in the state that
grant the MD, DO and DMD degrees. The University’s dominant role, as New Jersey’s
health sciences university, is reflected in its four-part mission of education, research,
health care delivery and service to the community. Its organizational structure provides
centralized control through a single Board of Trustees, President and senior management.
It is clear that UMDNJ is a powerful magnet for attracting external funding to healthrelated services and research in New Jersey. The faculty of educators and biomedical
researchers are pioneering advances in health care. Their dedication drives fifteen
statewide centers of excellence, including the Institute for Successful Aging and the
CARES Institute at UMDNJ-SOM. And, last year, over 2.2 million patient visits were
made to UMDNJ health care facilities and physician offices. Many of those receiving care
are underserved and uninsured.
2
Standard 1.2
Exhibit 1
UMDNJ-SOM
Charter
The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey’s School of Osteopathic
Medicine in Stratford, is a vital and dynamic organization that has grown remarkably in
the years since it was founded in 1976. As the only osteopathic medical school in the state
of New Jersey, and the only four-year medical school in southern New Jersey, UMDNJSOM has been committed to quality health care, innovative research and compassionate
community service since its inception. The University has instituted a new strategic
planning cycle this year. The School has, therefore, revisited the mission and developed
new strategic goals and a new mission statement, pending approval by the UMDNJ Board
of Trustees. UMDNJ-SOM‘s clearly defined mission addresses teaching, research and
community service.
UMDNJ-SOM MISSION STATEMENT
Standard 1.1
The UMDNJ-School of Osteopathic Medicine is dedicated to providing excellence in
medical education, research and health care for New Jersey and the nation. An
underlying emphasis on primary health care and community services reflects the
School’s deep ties to its osteopathic philosophy. The School is committed to developing
compassionate and culturally competent physicians from diverse backgrounds, who are
dedicated to becoming leaders in their communities.
UMDNJ-SOM is dedicated to maintaining its position as a national leader in the
education and training of primary care physicians who are devoted to excellence in their
profession. Building on the rich heritage of the osteopathic profession, the school
challenges its students and faculty to pursue new and creative approaches to addressing
the health care needs of the diverse population it serves.
UMDNJ-SOM has made notable progress in strategic planning since the last self-study,
with a sustained effort in institutionalizing planning and assessment. The UMDNJ-SOM
Strategic Plan aligns efforts to promote diversity and cultural competency across all
missions, from recruitment of students to improvement of curriculum to extending care to
underserved populations. It builds on the Centers of Excellence to strengthen the
university’s reputation for excellence and its commitment to caring for the citizens of
New Jersey. The current University strategic plan was a five-year plan, which ran from
1999 to 2004. It was extended for an additional year to allow for the transition in the
University’s leadership and to provide time for the development of the new strategic
plan. The 2005 Strategic Plan is under development, as of this writing, and will be
available for review as an exhibit on site. UMDNJ-SOM’s Strategic Goals for the new
planning cycle include contingency plans for threatened federal funding, partnerships with
community health centers, promoting faculty diversity, an analysis of graduate medical
education, the development of a primary care practice model for state-wide expansion, the
expansion of specialty services, the initiation of a mini medical school and the expansion
of continuing medical education.
UMDNJ-SOM has set its mission to provide medical health services to the people living
in the community. Our Stratford campus also houses programs and degree offerings from
the School of Health Related Professions, the School of Public Health and the School of
Nursing. UMDNJ-SOM provides community outreach programs in Stratford and
Camden, New Jersey and throughout the neighboring region, extending the benefits of the
3
Appendix 1
UMDNJ-SOM
New Strategic
Goals
Exhibit 2
SOM Strategic
Plan
Completed
2004
Exhibit 3
Community
Outreach &
Education
Services
school’s research, education and clinical care skills to citizens in surrounding
communities. UMDNJ-SOM worked with state lawmakers to secure a special
appropriation of $250,000 for the borough of Stratford. The UMDNJ-SOM Executive
Director for Strategic Planning is president of the Stratford Borough Business
Association. The school has reached out to the surrounding community with the
establishment of the Dean’s Advisory Council, consisting of lay leaders in the community
who meet regularly with the Dean, and a similar Dean’s Physicians’ Advisory Committee
that reviews issues and environmental factors of concern to physicians regularly with the
Dean.
Over the years, UMDNJ-SOM has grown tremendously in the form of new buildings, new
programs, and faculty, staff and students. On September 7, 1977, the first class with 24
students began its osteopathic medical training. In 1987, the school opened the Specialty
Care Center, housing primarily specialty medical care offices and programs. At the time
of its founding, a plan was developed to use the basic science facilities at UMDNJRutgers Medical School (now Robert Wood Johnson Medical School) in Piscataway for
the first two years of the curriculum and then to have students rotate at affiliated hospitals
in southern New Jersey for the last two years. In 1989, the School purchased the adjoining
Primary Care Center building. In July of 1990, UMDNJ-SOM completed the first phase
of the Science Center and became a unified four-year campus in Stratford. In the fall of
1993, the new Academic Center was opened offering a state-of-the-art teaching facility.
Clinical departments have established satellite offices in eighteen office building sites in
eleven communities throughout the southern region in order to provide medical services
and patient care. The UMDNJ-SOM centers of excellence are nationally recognized and
provide patient services that meet the diverse needs of the community. The Center for
Children’s Support (now the CARES Institute at UMDNJ-SOM), the Center for Aging
(now the New Jersey Institute for Successful Aging), Wellness Center and University
Headache Center, along with the clinical offices throughout southern New Jersey, address
the region’s health care needs by providing accessibility to primary and specialty health
care services to the diverse members of the community.
The UMDNJ-SOM University Headache Center was founded in Moorestown, New
Jersey in 1978, by R. Michael Gallagher, D.O., FACOFP dist. to improve the lives of
chronic headache sufferers with a multidisciplinary approach including biofeedback and
muscular manipulation. At the Center, patients are encouraged to actively participate in
their own healing. Recently, Philadelphia Magazine chose the University Headache
Center, the CARES Institute at UMDNJ-SOM and the Institute for Successful Aging as
among the brightest centers of excellence for health care services in the Delaware Valley.
In 1988, the Center for Children’s Support, a truly innovative diagnostic and treatment
center for children who have suffered physical or sexual abuse, was created by founding
director Martin A. Finkel, D.O. who directs it today. More than 700 children per year are
treated at the CARES (Child Abuse Research Education and Service) Institute at
UMDNJ-SOM by a staff that understands their unique medical and psychological needs,
and works hard to help them recover from the physical and mental trauma of child abuse.
The Institute’s clinicians also provide more than 2,500 hours of free mental health
services throughout South Jersey. In 2005, New Jersey Department of Human Services
(DHS) committed $1.5 million to UMDNJ-SOM’s Center for Children’s Support to help
4
Exhibit 4
Centers of
Excellence
Materials
establish the CARES Institute at UMDNJ-SOM to create protocols for treating abused
children at four regional diagnostic treatment centers. The Center for Children’s Support
was designated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as one of only
three exemplary programs in the nation for science-based mental health treatment
services.
The decade of the 1990’s brought great growth strides to UMDNJ-SOM. Dr. Thomas
Cavalieri was the founding director of the Center for Aging, which was established in
1987. In 1990, UMDNJ-SOM became one of 47 Geriatric Education Centers (GEC’s)
established nationally through funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services to train faculty and the health care workforce to address the needs of the elderly.
UMDNJ-SOM’s Center for Aging, renamed the Institute for Successful Aging in 2005,
was named among the top 20 Best Graduate Schools nationally for geriatric medical
education by US News and World Report in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005. Development of the
Institute for Successful Aging will draw larger patient populations, bring new talent to
educational programs and provide opportunities to explore new partnerships.
In 1997, the D.O./Ph.D. program was established at UMDNJ-SOM with UMDNJGraduate School of Biomedical Sciences and, that same year, the School became the first
osteopathic medical school in the nation to offer dental medicine in its curriculum. In
1998, UMDNJ-SOM offered a problem-based learning curriculum. The School
purchased the Specialty Care Center in 1999 and, in 2000, established a combined D.O.
/J.D. program with Rutgers University School of Law.
Exhibit 5
PBL Materials
R. Michael Gallagher, D.O., FACOFP dist. was appointed Dean for UMDNJ-SOM in
2002. This same year, the Saturday Student Health Clinic was established in the Camden
community in cooperation with the Department of Family Medicine and UMDNJ-School
of Nursing. In 2003, the addition to the University Doctors Pavilion (UDP) opened on
campus, doubling the size of the original building. UMDNJ-SOM hosts the only full-size
basic science research facility in South Jersey. In 2004, the School renovated the Science
Center to expand laboratory space on the first floor and then created a 21,000 square foot
addition to the Center representing a 27 percent increase over the existing structure.
In 1999, UMDNJ-SOM established a one room Standardized Patient Lab on campus in
the Specialty Care Center. In 2000, the Center was expanded to four examination rooms
and, in 2003, UMDNJ-SOM opened its state-of-the-art ten room Clinical Education and
Assessment Center on the third floor of the new University Doctors Pavilion. The
Center’s examination rooms are specially designed and equipped to allow unobtrusive
monitoring by faculty from the centrally located control room. Student interactions are
digitally recorded and can be viewed immediately in a consultation room. The Center
provides students with the opportunity to practice communications and assessment skills
and doctor-patient interactions by working through challenging and realistic cases. Often
cases are designed to help students learn interdisciplinary care and broaden their cultural
competencies. The center was developed in collaboration with the UMDNJ-School of
Health Related Professions, the UMDNJ-School of Nursing and the Area Health
Education Centers (AHEC).
The UMDNJ-SOM Department of Family Medicine is a leader in programming in
cultural competency and interdisciplinary training in medical education. Its three-year
5
Exhibit 6
Clinical
Education and
Assessment
Center
Materials
grant, funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, entitled Project
Interact, is a collaborative model of cultural and interdisciplinary training. The project is
designed to develop, implement and evaluate cultural and interdisciplinary training
programs throughout the predoctoral curriculum. Project Interact was ranked as the
highest scoring grant of that cycle by HRSA peer reviewers. The interdisciplinary
component prepares students and practitioners to work with each other and the
community, developing basic skills in team collaboration, negotiation, conflict resolution
and cultural competence.
Exhibit 7
Project Interact
Materials
Despite its brief history, UMDNJ-SOM has established an impressive legacy in medical
education and patient care that continues to build through the achievements of the
School’s researchers, faculty, students and alumni. UMDNJ-SOM is deeply committed to
research. Since the COM’s mission is to improve the health of New Jersey’s citizens,
research programs focused on the state’s most urgent health needs provide a clinical
practice focus for our research. The Health Resources and Services Administration,
National Institutes of Health, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, the New Jersey Department of Health, the American Heart
Association, pharmaceutical companies and other state and local agencies support our
researchers.
UMDNJ-SOM has placed great emphasis on increasing its base from sponsored
research, clinical drug studies and educational grants. In the last ten years, UMDNJ-SOM
has more than doubled its funding from outside sponsors. FY2004 rankings for NIH
Extramural Grant awards show UMDNJ-SOM ranked #1 among Osteopathic Schools in
NIH funding. For more than a decade, the school has finished among the top three
osteopathic schools for research funds received from the National Institutes of Health
(NIH).
The University Doctors, the school’s faculty practice program, touches the lives of
thousands of area residents every day and provides a fertile environment where students
experience patient care in all areas of medicine. The University Doctors is an extensive
network of physicians with 60 clinical offices located in 10 communities and five counties
in Southern New Jersey. UMDNJ-SOM is a leader in patient care, treating over 250,000
patients per year.
UMDNJ-SOM has four major teaching affiliate hospitals in New Jersey: Kennedy
Memorial Hospital/University Medical Center – at Stratford, Cherry Hill and Washington
Township; Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center in Camden; Christ Hospital in Jersey
City and, the newest member of the UMDNJ-SOM OPTI, Barnert Hospital in Paterson,
New Jersey. We also have a clinical partnership for Graduate Medical Education with
Cooper Hospital/University Medical Center in Camden.
As a UMDNJ principal hospital, KHS provides a large, stable, financially strong hospital
for student training. In the Fall of 2005, UMDNJ and Kennedy Health System signed an
agreement, harnessing the resources of the two systems to improve health care in the
community. Goals of the affiliation are joint strategic planning, an expanded joint
geriatric care program, a nursing education program and greater involvement with The
Cancer Institute of New Jersey. Many UMDNJ-SOM faculty members are chiefs of
service in the KHS system. Opportunities exist for joint venturing, improvement of
6
Appendix 2
NIH Ranking
Exhibit 8
University
Doctors
Brochure
Exhibits
9,10,11,12
Affiliation
Agreements
Exhibit 13
KHS Chiefs of
Service
clinical rotations, expansion of GME, expansion of CME and the addition of needed
subspecialties.
Organization of UMDNJ-SOM
UMDNJ-SOM is under the umbrella of the Board of Trustees of the University and the
President. The Dean of UMDNJ-SOM serves as the chief executive officer of the school
and the Stratford campus and reports to the President through the Senior Vice President
for Academic Affairs of UMDNJ. UMDNJ-SOM works closely with the Central
Administration of the University to fulfill its statewide mission. See Appendix 3 for the
organizational chart of UMDNJ-SOM.
Both the University and the school have bylaws. The organization of the COM is further
delineated in the Chapter on Governance, Administration and Finance. The Board of
Trustees of the University provides the general supervision over and is vested with the
conduct of the University. It determines the education policies and programs of the
University and approves the educational curricula of the various schools. It determines
policies for the organization, administration, and development of the University,
determines fiscal policy and grants diplomas, degrees and certificates. It appoints the
President, Deans and other members of the academic, administrative and teaching staffs,
and determines compensation and terms of employment.
Appendix 3
Organizational
Chart of
UMDNJ-SOM
Exhibit 14
Bylaws for
UMDNJ and
UMDNJ-SOM
UMDNJ’s organizational structure provides centralized control and coordination through
a single Board of Trustees, President and senior management. The University operates
within a single budget, institutional plan and policy environment. Many infrastructure
services and administrative functions are centralized. However, UMDNJ’s eight school
Deans have a high degree of autonomy and control over the allocation of resources,
administrative operations, and academic and clinical affairs within their schools. In
response to the Middle States self-study, the Deans agreed that this unity of institutionwide direction and control, coupled with significant operational decentralization to the
mission-based schools, promotes the attainment of the University’s mission as a
statewide, freestanding health sciences university. At the same time, the Deans suggested
improvements in the administrative processes, including suggestions on how to foster
collaborations among UMDNJ schools and external partners.
As one of the eight schools of UMDNJ, the School of Osteopathic Medicine is cognizant
of reports that have surfaced in the press and by federal and state officials relative to past
business practices at the university level including the awarding of no-bid contracts,
conflicts of interest within the UMDNJ Board of Trustees and inappropriate Medicare
billing practices at University Hospital in Newark (a UMDNJ hospital but not a UMDNJSOM affiliate). The major concerns were focused on issues that existed within the
University’s central administration in the northern area of the state. A comprehensive plan
for reform has been adopted by the leadership of the University. Ranging from the
tightening of executive perquisites on travel, the enforcement of bidding regulations, and
the end of political contributions from the organization, these reforms were a first, but
important, step. UMDNJ central administration is working with a federal monitor who
provides financial oversight and will work with the university to resolve outstanding
financial issues, particularly the Medicare billing concerns at University Hospital.
7
Exhibit 15
Former
President
Petillo’s
Reform Plan
for UMDNJ
When former Governor Codey issued an executive order eliminating conflict of interest
among the Boards of all state colleges and universities, in December 2005, there were
several resignations on the UMDNJ Board, including the Chair. The University
anticipates that Governor Corzine, who assumed office in January 2006, will appoint
Board members who will not only be free of conflicts but also will possess the prestige
and expertise to move the University forward.
UMDNJ-SOM has also been challenged by the news that Cooper Hospital in Camden,
New Jersey, has, on its agenda, to develop its own four-year medical school. UMDNJ has
publicly stated that current dollars would not be diverted to support a fourth school and
UMDNJ-SOM will not be negatively impacted. However, UMDNJ-SOM has some
concern that future state dollars would have to be apportioned to four medical schools
instead of three and this would reduce resources and funding potential for the three
existing medical schools.
The COCA Self-Study Process began in September 2004 with the Dean’s appointment
of a Steering Committee and subcommittees charged with the analysis of strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities and challenges, and the review of current policies and
procedures. The Steering Committee was charged with the documentation of recent
improvements and developments and the task of making recommendations to improve
program objectives to plan for the future of UMDNJ-SOM. Paul M. Krueger, D.O.,
Assistant Dean for Education and Curriculum, was named to oversee the COCA
inspection process.
The self-study process at UMDNJ-SOM had the following goals:
1. To advance UMDNJ-SOM’s existing goal of continuous improvement in the
quality of educational programs and services through a careful analysis of each
COCA Standard.
2. To analyze the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that impact upon
the school.
3. To obtain broad-based input to inform the design of the next strategic plan for the
COM.
The self-study process involved a Steering Committee, made up of the seven chairs of the
subcommittees, and seven subcommittees, one for each COCA Standard. Membership of
the subcommittees was comprised of a total of approximately seventy-five individuals—
faculty, students, administrators, staff, alumni and members of the community. In April
2005, a Self-Study website was launched, containing information regarding the COCA
working committees and an introduction to the process. The Self-Study website also has
an “E-Learning” section where COCA reviewers can review online course contents. A
request for feedback on the self-study drafts was issued in June of 2005. Chairs and selfstudy committee members are listed on page iv and v of this report. Each committee met
multiple times, reviewed the document in draft form and contributed to the SWOT
analysis. Students, faculty and staff comments on drafts were incorporated into the final
document and the SWOT analysis. See Appendix 4 for the SWOT analysis of UMDNJSOM.
8
Appendix 4
SWOT
Analysis of
UMDNJ-SOM
The SOM Strategic Planning Process
The Director of Strategic Planning and Development, under the guidance of the Dean, and
with input from various Chairpersons and Center Directors, compiles the School’s overall
strategic plan. The strategic plan is borne out of an annual retreat where multiple
committees, each with a distinct charge, discuss, prioritize and submit action plans. Their
plans are synthesized into an overall plan intended to reflect the goals and objectives of
the University and the School that are designed to enhance our School’s ability to achieve
its mission. Through the deliberations of these committees, the balancing of multiple
mission objectives and available resources is achieved. The strategic plan is not a plan for
one specific year. Rather it is a plan spanning multiple years, reflecting both long term
planning and a long term vision. At the annual retreat, the long term plan is updated,
taking into account operating constraints or changes in strategic thinking. Each annual
retreat is an opportunity for the planning committee to discuss updates to the mission
statement and reaffirm the mission. Under the direction of the Dean, the Director of
Strategic Planning and Program Development is responsible annually for working with all
Deans, Chairs and Center Directors to perform a status report on the current year’s
strategic plan which segues into the development of the strategic plan for the year ahead.
Exhibit16
Strategic Plan
for UMDNJ
Exhibit 17
Strategic Plan
Town Meeting
Video
With the inauguration of John Petillo, Ph.D. as the University President, the University
undertook a sweeping review of the overall strategic plan and goals adopted by the
UMDNJ Board of Trustees in the spring of 2005. Dr. Petillo initiated a university-wide
planning process that included employees at all levels of the organization. He conducted
three rounds of Town Hall meetings on each campus and publicized the results of each on
the UMDNJ website, requesting feedback in the areas of education, research, clinical
services, community and diversity, the impact on New Jersey, cultural values, resource
allocation and image. The UMDNJ-SOM Dean appointed a new UMDNJ-SOM Planning
Committee, working to link the UMDNJ-SOM plan to the UMDNJ plan in terms of goals
and action plans under development in each area.
The current strategic planning process at UMDNJ-SOM has been assigned to two distinct
planning committees. The Dean appointed one panel that provides cross-representation
of the departments on campus to work with Deans, Chairs and Center Directors to review
the school’s mission statement and addresses all goals and benchmarks set by the
University’s new strategic plan. At the same time, the Director of Strategic Planning,
working with the Dean, and the Associate and Assistant Deans, Chairs and Center
Directors, held a two-day retreat, where all parties reviewed and discussed the mission
and vision for UMDNJ-SOM and the steps necessary for working toward the goals of the
School. The process included a revisiting of the School’s mission statement, with the
broadest campus-wide input. The School’s completed plan will be available for review on
site.
UMDNJ-SOM has several formal planning and review procedures in place to assure
conformance with the School’s mission, goals and objectives. The School annually
prepares a chapter of the University’s strategic plan which includes an environmental
assessment, a discussion of challenges and strengths, a list of specific measurable
objectives for the coming year, and a review of progress toward the prior year’s
objectives. Also, regular reviews of the School’s position are made through its committee
9
Standard 1.3.1
Exhibit 18
Strategic
Planning
Retreat Notes
Exhibits
19,20,21,22
Minutes of
Standing
Committees
Faculty Practice
Plan (19)
Dean’s
Executive
Council (20)
Academic
Chairs (21)
Curriculum
Committee (22)
structure, where substantive discussions occur in an open atmosphere. These committees,
which meet regularly, include: Faculty Practice Plan, Dean’s Executive Council,
Academic (department) Chairpersons, Chairpersons and Curriculum Committee. Student
representatives attend meetings of the Curriculum Committee and Curriculum Task Force
and communicate findings to their constituencies.
Exhibit 23
Dean’s
Academic
Report
Evaluation results for courses are sent to course directors and their department chairs and
a summary report is sent to the Dean each semester. Student issues are communicated at
meetings of the Student Affairs Committee and are attended by faculty and the Senior
Associate Dean of Student and Academic Affairs who communicates to the academic
support skills personnel and Academic Affairs program administrators who attend the
meetings. The Academic Assistant Dean meets bi-weekly with a cross-disciplinary
academic team and academic staff members to relate key findings.
Evaluating Educational Outcomes and the Planning Process
The Deans and faculty create clearly defined goals, plans and objectives against which
educational outcomes can be evaluated. These goals, plans and objectives are reviewed in
terms of their congruence with the university mission. Evaluations are built into the
strategic planning and budget planning processes. The Dean and leadership select periodic
ad hoc groups to re-examine the allocation of resources and re-visit the assumptions
underlying the long-term vision of the school. These sessions frequently provide focused
feedback to the school’s leadership to guide renewal efforts. Statements of desired
educational objectives are created for specific competencies, for courses and for the
degree program.
Chairs and faculty members are evaluated annually on all four areas of the UMDNJ-SOM
mission – education, research, patient care and service. The Assistant Dean for Education
and Curriculum prepares an annual report outlining each department’s educational
accomplishments and issues for the Dean. This report is used by the Dean in preparing
each Chair’s evaluation. Similarly, each Chair uses the report to evaluate the educational
efforts of course directors, clerkship directors and faculty. Raises and bonuses are
distributed based on faculty evaluations. Faculty, along with the Assistant Dean for
Education and Curriculum, choose measures for determining whether students have
achieved agreed upon expectations. These decisions are often made based on the
recommended evaluation tools in the ACGME toolbox. Course directors determine if
each student has achieved the objectives and requirements of each course when they
submit their final course grades. A summative evaluation is made when students take the
National Board of Osteopathic Examiners (NBOME) examinations. When COMLEX
scores were not consistently as high as historical scores, the Dean and the Assistant Dean
of Education and Curriculum, along with the department chairs, implemented an intensive
preparation program for students to participate in during their education at UMDNJ-SOM.
Following the implementation of a COMLEX Preparation Program, scores increased
dramatically. In the June 2005 sitting of COMLEX 1, UMDNJ-SOM students had a 92.3
percent pass rate and scored 24.88 points above the mean. Students scored above the
mean in every discipline. Faculty review sessions and test taking skills, along with other
content remediation, were all part of the concentrated effort to help students. Student
learning assessment information is used to guide development of new curriculum and the
development of focused academic support services to improve testing skills.
10
Standard 1.3
Exhibit 24
Faculty
Evaluation
Form
Exhibit 25
Faculty
Activity Report
Standard 1.3.1
Exhibit 26
COMLEX
Scores
Exhibit 27
NBOME
Preparation
Plan 2003
Exhibit 28
PreMatriculation
Program
Materials
UMDNJ-SOM provides continuous and comprehensive assessment and tracking of
student achievement beginning with students’ first semester of medical school through
licensure and beyond. Before classes begin, accepted students’ previous academic records
are analyzed to determine if incoming students will need additional academic support.
Students identified as needing support are required to attend UMDNJ-SOM’s Prematriculation Program, a five-week introduction to selected medical school disciplines as
a condition of acceptance. Following completion of this program, the academic progress
of participants is tracked closely by the Center for Student Academic Resources (CSAR).
The progress of the entire student population is monitored throughout their four-year
didactic medical training. The ongoing, formative review of academic performance and
achievement is based on students’ individual exam scores, completion of assignments,
performance results on COMLEX Level 1 and 2 exams, standardized shelf exams and
faculty clinical evaluations. Students not achieving at an acceptable level are reviewed by
the Student Affairs Committee and counseled according to the UMDNJ-SOM Academic
Rules and Regulations. An individual achievement plan is often developed.
The assessment of student learning outcomes is used to improve teaching and learning.
Feedback from students on course evaluations, as well as in Curriculum Committee
meetings and through student Curriculum Representatives’ meetings with the Assistant
Dean for Education and Curriculum, is considered an impetus for consideration of change
in the curriculum. Student learning outcomes and the achievement of program objectives
are also assessed by the analysis of the results of the alumni surveys administered. These
results are analyzed and assessed by the Senior Associate Dean for Academic and Student
Affairs and the Assistant Dean for Education and Curriculum. This information is used in
the design of new curricula and to determine necessary changes in the present curriculum
that meet the needs of the profession.
Exhibit 29
Education
Handbook
Exhibit 30
Alumni Survey
2004
Alumni outcomes information, curricular assessment and educational services
assessments at UMDNJ-SOM are evaluated through bi-annual alumni surveys conducted
by the Office of Alumni Affairs. The surveys supply data on alumni, including
information about their residency experiences, post graduate training (internship,
residency and fellowship), practice location, practice type, area of specialty and their
practice in medically-underserved communities. Alumni achievement is also solicited via
mail and email and self-reported by the alumnus, or obtained through the use of media
clips.
Research and Scholarly Pursuits
UMDNJ-SOM has a process that contributes to the advancement of knowledge through
research and scholarly contributions in the fields of the basic biomedical sciences, clinical
medicine and osteopathic principles and practice. UMDNJ-SOM has undertaken, as part
of its strategic plan, the continuous recruitment of respected and highly motivated
research faculty to provide the core of the research leadership for the institution. The
school’s strategic goals are to increase extramural funding for research, as well as
education and training. Its strategic planning efforts are directed at increasing clinical
trials and clinically-related research projects; expanding research training and education;
increasing the number of publications, poster presentations and abstracts; and fostering
the pursuit of training grants by clinical departments. Faculty is actively engaged in
mentoring students and promoting both independent and collaborative interdisciplinary
research.
11
Standard 1.4
Appendix 2
NIH Rankings
Exhibit 31
HRSA Grants
For the past 20 years, UMDNJ-SOM has ranked in the top three (most often first or
second) among all osteopathic medical schools in NIH-funded research. UMDNJ-SOM
strives to create an environment that is intellectually challenging and supports the spirit of
inquiry among its students, creating opportunities to interact with academicians in a
variety of scholarly pursuits, through participation in faculty research/scholarly activities,
teaching, and delivery of health care. In support of its research mission, UMDNJ-SOM
offers several unique options for students seeking to pursue careers in biomedical research
or teaching graduate studies. These programs are outlined in more detail in Chapter V,
entitled Excellence in Research: Scholarly Activities.
The creation of a research infrastructure is providing UMDNJ-SOM with the momentum
to realize its strategic plan for research and is benefiting the osteopathic profession, the
University, the School, its faculty and its students. In July of 2004, a faculty member was
hired at the rank of professor who serves as the Director of Research in the New Jersey
Institute for Successful Aging (NJISA) and holds an endowed chair. She will spearhead
the development of aging-related research through the newly developed New Jersey
Institute for Successful Aging. In addition, the 2005 award of an endowed chair for
primary care research from the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation will foster osteopathic
and aging-related research projects and provide opportunities for faculty and students to
pursue independent and collaborative research interests, within a mentored environment.
Research and scholarly pursuits are identified as faculty goals and are reviewed as part of
the annual performance appraisal process. The creation of “centers of excellence” that
have evolved into statewide Institutes (e.g., the CARES Institute at UMDNJ-SOM and the
NJ Institute for Successful Aging), support the mission of education, research, clinical and
community service, and foster interdisciplinary collaboration and the development of
partnerships for research and education. Ongoing faculty development programs offered
through the Department of Medicine and the Institute for Successful Aging focus on the
development of research skills and serve as research enhancement opportunities for
faculty.
As part of the ongoing effort to encourage faculty research, annual faculty performance
appraisals include research and scholarship productivity and require that research and
scholarship goals are established each year. Overall evaluation of research and
scholarship effectiveness considers both quantitative and qualitative elements, which are
reflected in individual curricula vitae, faculty performance appraisals, monthly
departmental Dean’s Reports, and departmental annual reports. Those faculty who are
successful in obtaining grants that support a portion of their salaries and are both the
principal author and principal investigator on a project, may be eligible for extramural
support incentive awards. Faculty research interests at UMDNJ-SOM are broad, with
special interests defined by departments and/or clinical and academic interests of the
respective faculty member. UMDNJ-SOM faculty are recognized for their expertise in a
variety of areas and are called upon to present locally and nationally at conferences, sit on
committees and boards, participate on grant review panels, and assume leadership
positions in professional organizations.
12
Standard 1.4
Exhibit 32
NJISA Chair
materials
Exhibit 33
Osteopathic
Heritage Chair
materials
Exhibit 34
Faculty
Development
for Research
Exhibit 35
Faculty
Publications,
Exhibit 36
Family
Medicine
Board Review
Brochures
Exhibit 37
AROC
Brochures
UMDNJ-SOM provides distinctive osteopathic health care to the community including
osteopathic manipulative medicine. The physicians and centers at UMDNJ-SOM have
been recognized and acknowledged for the school’s commitment to top quality health
care, groundbreaking research, and compassionate community service. UMDNJ-SOM
provides essential health care for New Jersey residents. Forty-nine percent of our alumni
practice in the state of New Jersey. Half of our graduates practice primary care (family
medicine, general internal medicine, pediatrics or obstetrics and gynecology) and twentyeight percent practice family medicine. Thirteen percent of our alumni report that they
practice more than fifty percent of the time in medically underserved communities. The
University Doctors extend local access to the latest in specialized care, oncology,
psychiatry, critical care, geriatric medicine, orthopedics, and headache care and neurology
specialty services.
UMDNJ-SOM responds to health disparities in underserved communities by providing
care at more than 70 offices and community organizations throughout Southern New
Jersey, including school systems, the New Jersey State Troopers Association, the Camden
County health programs at Lakeland, and the Gloucester County Migrant Health program.
University doctors offer more than 55 free health programs and screenings each year.
Under the direction of David Mason, D.O., there has been an expansion of OMM,
including its use in the Interdisciplinary Pain Center and a new OMM in-hospital
consultant service. One new OMM faculty member has just been hired with plans for a
second hire in the fiscal year 2006. A number of faculty are engaged in research related
to osteopathic principles and practices. These have included studies investigating the
effectiveness of osteopathic manipulative medicine in irritable bowel syndrome,
emphysema and chronic bronchitis, pneumonia, infection, back pain, chronic headache,
carpal tunnel, chronic pain, acute sinusitis, premenstrual syndrome, congestive heart
failure, and falls prevention. In addition, biopsychosocial studies investigating the impact
of osteopathic philosophy on outcomes as well as attitudes and practice patterns have
been conducted in such areas as osteoporosis prevention, health promotion/disease
prevention, hospice and end-of-life care and other ethical issues. This track record of
osteopathic related research, much of which has been extramurally funded, has
precipitated UMDNJ-SOM’s invitation to participate as one of five sites nationally in the
Multi-Center Osteopathic Pneumonia Study in the Elderly (MOPSE) which is regarded in
the profession as a high profile, groundbreaking endeavor.
UMDNJ-SOM has a process that addresses the development and planning for the
appropriate affiliations necessary to provide pre-doctoral clinical experiences sufficient in
scope to accommodate the clinical curriculum for its students, and the development of
postdoctoral relationships through affiliations. Through the UMDNJ-SOM OPTI, the
school has one of the largest osteopathic GME program in the country. The program
includes 77 interns, 153 residents, and 16 fellowship positions in the following areas:
Cardiology, Child/Adolescent Psych, Critical Care, Gastroenterology, Geriatrics,
Infectious Disease, Nephrology, Oncology, Pulmonary, Vascular Surgery. Great emphasis
is placed on primary care programs including family medicine, general internal medicine,
and the pediatric internship. UMDNJ-SOM is developing the new 3C Curriculum based
on the seven competencies which will provide a continuum of education from admission
to medical school through completion of residency training.
13
Appendix 5
Alumni Survey
2004 Results
Standard 1.5
Standard 1.5
Standard 1.6
Exhibit 38
OPTI Report
2005
CHAPTER II
RESOURCES TO MEET OUR MISSION
GOVERNANCE, ADMINISTRATION, FINANCE, FACILITIES
UMDNJ-SOM is one of eight schools within the University of Medicine and Dentistry of
New Jersey (UMDNJ) under the umbrella of the Board of Trustees of the University and
the President. The Dean of UMDNJ-SOM serves as the chief executive officer of the
school and the Stratford campus and reports to the President through the Senior Vice
President for Academic Affairs of UMDNJ. Each school of UMDNJ is required to
develop its mission, goals and objectives and provide programs to carry out the
educational, research and service delivery programs.
AOA Standards
The School has adequate funding resources to support its mission. As an entity within the
UMDNJ state system, UMDNJ-SOM has the advantage of having multiple business
associations with other schools and being a non-tuition dependent school that can leverage
financial resources to obtain grant funding. Few osteopathic schools in the country have
faculty practice plans that produce $35 million annually. The school also has centers for
excellence that are consistently profitable. UMDNJ-SOM has the lowest default rate on
student loans university wide.
Appendix 6
Audited Financial
Reports
Standard 2.3
The control, conduct, management and administration of UMDNJ, including the patient
care facilities owned, leased, or directed by the University, are governed by the Board of
Trustees of the University. Both the University and the school have bylaws. The School
of Osteopathic Medicine’s bylaws for governance were adopted in December 1980 and
amended in 1989; April 1992 and October 2002.
The Board of Trustees of the University provides the general supervision over and is
vested with the conduct of the University. It determines the education policies and
programs of the University and approves the educational curricula of the various schools.
It determines policies for the organization, administration, and development of the
University, determines fiscal policy and grants diplomas, and certificates or degrees. It
appoints the President, Deans and other members of the academic administrative and
teaching staffs and determines their compensation and terms of employment.
The Board of Trustees can enter into contracts and agreements with the State or any of its
political subdivisions or with the United States, or with any public body, department or
other agency of the State or the United States or with any individual, firm or corporation
which are deemed necessary or advisable by the Board for carrying out the duties and
obligations of the Board as provided by law.
The members of the Board of Trustees consist of the New Jersey Commissioner of Health
who serves as ex-officio, without vote, and eleven voting members. The eleven voting
members are appointed for a term of five years by the Governor, with the advice and
consent of the Senate, and serve until his/her successor is appointed and has qualified.
Annually, each member of the UMDNJ Board of Trustees signs a statement indicating
that no conflict of interest would inhibit them from carrying out their duties and
responsibilities as a trustee.
14
Standard 2.1
Exhibit 14
Bylaws for
UMDNJ and
UMDNJ-SOM
Standard 2.1.1
Standard 2.1.2
Standard 2.2
Standard 2.1.3
Exhibit 39
Members of the
Board of Trustees
UMDNJ has been the subject of controversy over the past year. Medicaid billing
irregularities in the UMDNJ operated University Hospital (not an affiliate of the School of
Osteopathic Medicine) and the New Jersey Medical School’s Faculty Practice Plan are
under investigation. Former federal Judge Herbert J. Stern was appointed as a federal
monitor of UMDNJ financial processes as part of a deferred prosecution agreement.
Justice Gary Stein has completed a report on purchasing and procurement. His
recommendations are being reviewed and implemented, as appropriate. President Petillo
resigned in February 2006. Prior to his resignation, he had enacted a detailed reform plan
for UMDNJ that included the suspension of millions of dollars of management incentives,
the review of billing issues, and an inquiry into contractual bidding procedures. The plan
remains in place today. An interim chief operating officer is being appointed and a
nationwide search for a new President will be undertaken. None of these issues, however,
impact on UMDNJ-SOM’s commitment to the delivery of its mission to provide
excellence in education, community service, research and patient care. During this time of
renewal and change, the University will move forward, with vigor, to deliver its mission
to contribute to the welfare of the people of New Jersey.
UMDNJ remains fully accredited by the Middle States Commission on Colleges and
Schools. Also, the Accrediting Council on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), the
American Dental Association (ADA) and the Liaison Committee on Medical Education
(LCME) have all visited and inspected and approved UMDNJ institutions and programs.
What concerns the Dean of UMDNJ-SOM is how media attention to these issues is
overshadowing the important, productive and contributory work being done by UMDNJ.
There is concern that the media have lost sight of how the university continues to fulfill its
mission of improving access to quality health care throughout the state, with a faculty of
educators and biomedical researchers pioneering important advances in health care. The
UMDNJ-SOM Dean has urged that a greater effort be made to ensure that the positive
contributions of thousands of dedicated health care professionals be recognized fairly and
considered appropriately.
UMDNJ-SOM is under the direction and supervision of a chief executive officer titled
Dean. In 2002, R. Michael Gallagher, D.O., FACOFP dist. was named Dean for SOM
following a national search. Dean Gallagher has relevant training and experience and a
proven record of successful leadership in higher education. He holds this position full
time and does not engage in gainful employment outside the institution. Dean Gallagher
received his degree as Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from Philadelphia College of
Osteopathic Medicine. He is certified by the American Osteopathic Board of Family
Physicians, the American Academy of Pain Management and has a certificate of added
qualifications in Headache Management from the National Board for Certification in
Headache Management. He is a graduate of Harvard Medical School’s Leadership
Program for Physician Executives and a Colonel (Ret.) in the United States Air Force
Reserves. He is a tenured professor in the Department of Family Medicine at UMDNJSOM, a clinical professor at the UMDNJ-School of Nursing, the Chief Operating Officer
and Medical Director of the UMDNJ-SOM, P.C.-University Health care Services, and the
Director of the UMDNJ-SOM University Headache Center. Dr. Gallagher has served in
various administrative capacities at UMDNJ-SOM such as: Residency Program Director
in Family Medicine, Acting Chair of Family Medicine, Assistant Dean of Primary Care,
Assistant Dean of Clinical Affairs, Associate Dean of Academic and Clinical Affairs, and
Vice Dean and Acting Dean, during his sixteen-year tenure with UMDNJ-SOM. Dean
15
Exhibit 15
Former President
Petillo’s Reform
Plan for UMDNJ
Exhibit 40
Board of Trustees’
Four-Point Plan
Appendix 7
Middle States
Accreditation
Statement
Exhibit 41
LCME
Accreditation
Statement
Exhibit 42
ADA
Accreditation
Statement
Standard 2.5
Standard 2.5.1
Standard 2.5.2
Standard 2.5.3
Exhibit 43
CV of Dean
Gallagher
Gallagher currently chairs the UMDNJ Finance Committee.
The UMDNJ-SOM Dean has brought together a number of influential residents who share
a strong interest in promoting medical education, research and community-based health
programs serving Southern New Jersey to establish a UMDNJ-SOM Advisory Board. The
new UMDNJ-SOM Dean’s Advisory Board and Physician’s Advisory Board are helping
to support and expand the school’s programs, sustain its leadership in diversity, and
develop new alliances to further its mission. The Dean’s Advisory Board is invited to
periodic roundtable discussions of the school’s progress and development plans and is
helping the academic, research and health care leaders at the school meet with individuals
and groups that share an interest in addressing the needs of the future.
Upon the approval of the faculty and the Executive Council, UMDNJ-SOM confers the
degree of Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) upon those students who have
successfully completed the full course of study and have met the approved requirements
for graduation. UMDNJ-SOM students fully meet the requirements set forth by the
school.
Robert J. Schieri, M.B.A. is the UMDNJ-SOM Executive Director of Finance. He has
served in this capacity since November 2003. He was previously the Director of Finance
for UMDNJ-SOM from 2000 to 2003. Prior to UMDNJ-SOM, he served as Strategic
Financial Planner for University of Pennsylvania Health System.
The Dean has the responsibility and authority for fiscal management of the school.
UMDNJ-SOM submits an annual budget to the University that is reviewed and approved
by the University Board of Trustees. It is combined with the budgets of the other seven
schools and is sent to the State Treasurer in the Office of Management and Budget.
Through this process, the UMDNJ Board of Trustees provides the resources necessary to
achieve and sustain UMDNJ-SOM’s mission, goals and objectives.
The UMDNJ-SOM budget development process begins in early October, with the State
budget submission. This initial budget provides a high level overview of our sources and
uses of funds as well as a comparison among budget and current year projections.
Sources of funds include tuition and fees, indirect cost recovery, affiliation revenue and
state appropriation. The variable components of our sources of funds (tuition and fees
and indirect cost recovery) are projected based on known or anticipated changes in key
variables such as student headcount and extramural awards. In addition, affiliation
revenue is adjusted for general inflation and state appropriation funds are held constant
pending feedback from the University Budget Office.
The uses of funds component provides a high level breakdown among salary and nonsalary line items with accompanying detail provided in a separate schedule by department
cost center. In accordance with the school’s strategic planning goals and objectives, the
sources and uses of funds schedule is intended to reflect, albeit at a high level, the
allocation of financial resources to meet these goals. A complete state budget package,
including a narrative of strategic goals and objectives, is compiled and forwarded to the
University Budget Office at the beginning of January.
Concurrent with the State budget process, a more detailed budget planning process
16
Exhibit 44
Members of the
Dean’s Advisory
Boards
Standard 2.2
Exhibits 45
Chief Financial
Officer’s
materials
Standard 2.6
Standard 2.4
Standard 2.3
extends to the individual departments, centers and institutes. During this phase of budget
development, specific budget goals are refined over the following months during a series
of planning meetings with senior management, including the Assistant Dean for Faculty
Practice Administration, Assistant Dean for Clinical Affairs and the CFO. Non-clinical
areas involve the Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and the Assistant Dean for
Graduate Medical Education. It is the budget department’s responsibility to build the
budget model for each department, train the administrators on its use, assist them with any
issues, adhere to prescribed timelines, and recompile the budgets for consolidated
reporting to the University Budget Office.
As the final budget is intended to reflect strategic goals and objectives, collaboration with
the Director of Strategic Planning & Development is ongoing. Final budgets are submitted
to the Dean for approval, and then to the University Budget Office. The final approved
state budget is reported in late May or early June. In essence, the state budget, developed
in early Fall, provides a high level planning document used to guide the overall
development of specific department budget submissions.
Standard 2.4
In order to ensure that departments remain on target with their budget submissions, a
review process takes place, where senior management meet monthly to assess progress,
identify and resolve issues and review various aspects of financial performance.
Recommendations are discussed with the relevant department leadership and, when
necessary, approved by the Dean. It is through this collaborative process that the School’s
mission, goals and objectives are realized.
The Dean and the Senior Associate Dean provide administrative leadership for UMDNJSOM. Together, They have extensive experience and training in higher education and
medical education. Warren Wallace, Ed.D., LPC is the Senior Associate Dean for
Academic and Student Affairs. Dr. Wallace served as Associate Dean for Academic and
Student Affairs for UMDNJ-SOM from 2003 to 2005 and prior to that as Associate Dean
for Admissions and Student Affairs (1998-2003). Before joining UMDNJ-SOM in 1989,
Dr. Wallace was Director of Rowan University’s Office of Educational Opportunity
Fund/Program and Minority Achievement Program. Dr. Wallace’s curriculum vita is
Exhibit 46. Other senior leaders include: Paul M. Krueger, D.O., FACOOG, Assistant
Dean for Education and Curriculum; Andrew A. Pecora, D.O., Assistant Dean for
Education and Faculty Development; William F. Ranieri, D.O., FACN, Assistant Dean
for Clinical Affairs and Medical Director, Faculty Practice Plan, Yeongsook Yoo, Ph.D.,
Interim Assistant Dean for Research.
The organizational structure of UMDNJ-SOM, as approved by the Board of Trustees, is
attached as Appendix 2. The COM has an Executive Council; the composition and duties
are spelled out in the bylaws. The Dean gives responsibility and authority to Chairs and
Center Directors to oversee their individual departments including clinical services,
academics, research and community service. There are standing committees of the faculty
that include admissions, curriculum, faculty affairs, research and student affairs. In
addition, there are the Faculty Practice Plan Committee and an Academic Chairs
Committee. The Faculty Practice Plan meets monthly and the Academic Chairs
Committee meets six times per year, alternating with the Executive Committee. The
Dean’s Management Team meets weekly and is composed of the Dean, Senior Associate
Dean for Academic and Student Affairs, Assistant Dean for Clinical Affairs, Assistant
17
Exhibit 46
Senior
Associate
Dean’s CV
and job
description
Standard 2.7
Dean for the Faculty Practice Plan, Executive Director for Finance, Director of IS&T, the
Chief Operations Officer and Director of Strategic Planning and Program Development.
In selecting administrative personnel, UMDNJ-SOM does not discriminate on the basis of
race, gender, color, religion, creed, sexual orientation, national origin or disabilities. The
diverse staff provides the rich role models necessary for medical education. UMDNJSOM has some diversity in upper management and a number of high level chairs, deans
and senior managers have a great deal of longevity and stability in the system. Among full
and part-time staff at UMDNJ-SOM in 2003, 70 percent were women, 21 percent were
minorities and 15 percent were underrepresented minorities (URM), which compares
favorably with the national averages for women, minorities and underrepresented
minorities. The percentage of URM students exceeds the percentage of URM faculty and
staff but, with a range of programs that encourage and support diversity, including
affirmative action in admissions as one aspect of a comprehensive approach, evolutionary
change is occurring. UMDNJ-SOM’s student population presently mirror the diversity of
the community the school serves; we continue to work toward the goal of having our
faculty and staff also mirror the diversity of our community.
Standard 2.8
Exhibit 47
Affirmative
Action Fair
Employment
Practices
Facilities, Equipment and Resources
UMDNJ-SOM utilizes facilities belonging to UMDNJ as part of a state authority. The
facilities are located on a 31-acre campus in Stratford, New Jersey in order for students
and faculty to successfully pursue the educational goals and curriculum of the COM. The
four main buildings have a combined total of 376,000 square feet. The main buildings
where the curriculum is delivered are: the Academic Center, the University Doctors’
Pavilion, the University Educational Center and the Science Center.
Within this complex are various educational and student/faculty support areas such as
classrooms and lecture halls, small group teaching rooms, teaching laboratories for
osteopathic manipulative therapy and basic science instruction, an Anatomy laboratory, a
Health Sciences Library, skills enhancement workrooms, student lounges and dining
facilities.
The majority of our classrooms and meeting spaces are designed for multiple purpose use,
allowing a broad range of activities to be held in a limited number of rooms. The
buildings are clean and orderly and maintenance personnel are quick to respond. The
present academic facilities were built and planned to accommodate class size of 100 plus
students. Under the direction of the present Dean, class size has slowly risen. The Class
of 2009 was the first class to reach the 100 students per class goal. Recently, the
American Association of Medical Colleges has called for an increase in class size of 15
percent. The American Osteopathic Association and AACOM have held a workforce
summit to evaluate issues in the osteopathic profession and make recommendations
regarding class size expansion. If expansion of class size is approved, UMDNJ-SOM will
need to reexamine the use of space on campus to accommodate the expansion. UMDNJSOM will make strategic decisions with UMDNJ Central Administration regarding future
class size to seek a greater sense of parity with the two other medical schools.
There is currently a master plan for campus expansion. The CARES Institute at UMDNJSOM and the new New Jersey Institute for Successful Aging are new state wide institutes
18
Standard 3.1
Exhibit 48
UMDNJ-SOM
Facilities
Standard 3.1
Exhibit 49
UMDNJ-SOM
Master Plan
2005
housed within UMDNJ-SOM. To accommodate the expansion of these institutes, and to
accommodate future growth, the UMDNJ Foundation has purchased land contiguous to
the present campus with outlet onto the main artery, Route 30, the White Horse Pike, in
order to provide greater visibility in the community. The State Legislature is working with
UMDNJ-SOM to open this entrance and create a new four-story building. Architects
drawings have been developed and plans for building and fundraising are ongoing. A
new parking facility is planned. Attendance at professional and community meetings and
seminars held on campus occasionally creates parking shortages now in the more
convenient parking lots, resulting in overflow parking in the more remote parking areas of
the campus. There is, however, adequate parking for the present student and faculty and
this will be expanded as the campus grows
The UMDNJ-SOM Health Sciences Library, comprising 13,500 square feet on the ground
floor of the Academic Center, serves faculty, students and staff at the UMDNJ-School of
Osteopathic Medicine. The Library is actively involved in support of all levels of
education at the School of Osteopathic Medicine. The Library houses over 37,000
volumes, including more than 10,000 books and print subscriptions to 461 journals in the
clinical and basic sciences. In addition, electronic resources include approximately 15,000
online journals and 325 electronic books. It has a seating capacity of 120, which includes
twenty-three study carrels. See Appendix 8 for Health Sciences Library Resources.
The Reserve Collection houses resources required or recommended for use by faculty
members in all academic programs. Communication with faculty, regarding updated
resources or course requirements, is constant throughout the year. The Library has also
developed an Academic Resources section on its homepage. The Reserve Reading section
is a secure, password protected area on the website. It incorporates links to online
resources which are required readings, course syllabi, and support materials for a number
of courses.
The Center for Student Academic Resources (CSAR) staff offer peer tutoring and
individualized content reviews by academically qualified teaching assistants. The CSAR
staff offers a variety of services that fully support the curriculum including: a group study
program with student groups and content leaders to build upon the student’s self-directed
and collaborative learning skills; a peer tutoring and group study program, offering a
learning experience for the tutors as well as the students; and workshops outlining study
strategies to improve academic performance. In addition, the Center coordinates a PreMatriculation Summer Program for at-risk students and a science-focused summer
program for educational opportunity students. The Assistant Dean for Education and
Curriculum and the CSAR staff oversee the Fundamentals of Medicine I and II courses in
the curriculum. The goal of the Fundamentals of Medicine I course is to provide a
comprehensive review of the basic sciences and clinical medicine to help students
integrate information in their clinical problem-solving and maximize their preparation for
the COMLEX. The Fundamentals of Medicine II course provides students with an
overview of the knowledge areas tested by COMLEX Level 2, CE and PE. Through the
support of the CSAR and staff, the goal of these programs is to help all involved develop
higher order thinking skills and move toward an in depth learning experience. Student
tutors in the program gain the benefit of advancing their evaluation and presentation skills
through the use of discipline knowledge.
19
Exhibit 50
Facilities
Monthly
Reports
Standard 3.2
Appendix 8
Health Sciences
Library
Resources
Standard 3.2
Standards 3.1,
3.2
The Educational Media and Resources Department maintains a suite of production,
storage and studio space used in support of the school's curriculum. The staff of
Educational Media provides consultation, production and/or support in the areas of
graphics, photography, multimedia and video production, and audiovisual support
including video teleconferencing. Technical staff is available to consult on production
requests and to provide audiovisual support to classrooms and other venues on the
Stratford campus. Staff provides support to events, classes and conferences on evening or
weekend hours, and/or locations off-campus. Through the use of in-house cable, the
media department sends video images to various classrooms, laboratories and meeting
areas throughout the building. This cabling also enables the department to provide an
electronic bulletin board that is available in the Academic Center lobby to keep students
up-to-date on lectures, meetings, and events.
Information Systems & Technologies (IST) supports UMDNJ-SOM’s curriculum with
state-of-the-art technology and innovative instructional design programs. New
technologies allow for improved services including wireless capability throughout the
campus and constant improvements to instructional systems. A clear plan for life cycle
review of equipment and computers and their financing will help meet future needs. IST
issues academic computing accounts to students and faculty that provide access to email
and the Internet. The staff designs and maintains the school Internet presence and SOM
portal (intranet) content. The SOM portal is a new initiative that offers academic
information targeted for students and faculty and group communication tools for use by
student clubs and organizations. IST maintains the Faculty Development Resource Center,
which houses high-end computers and scientific applications. Instructional design staff
provides one-on-one training for faculty. IST conducts faculty development workshops in
the use of WebCT and, for the design of interactive teaching materials, and supports
faculty in transforming traditional lecture material to online formats.
WebCT Campus Edition is licensed by the University and runs on a dedicated server in
the IST Data Center in Newark. This application provides a platform for phased-in
integration of on-line learning at SOM. Benefits of this technology include: enhanced
opportunities for communication among faculty-students and students-students and the
potential for enhancing courses with interactive student activities such as cased-based
learning modules and threaded discussions. Other uses of WebCT at SOM include online
course evaluations, communication tools for forums and committees, and delivery of
continuing education. A new version of WebCT, Vista, has been licensed by the
University and will be installed in the IST data center in Piscataway in 2005. Primary
advantages of the new system include student enrollment management with Banner
integration, and the ability of faculty to share content across courses. The Banner system
is the central repository for student, personnel and financial recordkeeping, the
comprehensive source of authoritative UMDNJ data. Current WebCT CE courses will be
migrated to WebCT Vista by Fall 2007.
Other supported instructional programs include DxR Clincian, a patient simulation
program. The UMDNJ IAIMS Project (part of a grant from the Informatics Institute of
UMDNJ) has purchased a one-year subscription to the library of 100+ DxR Clinician
cases. The program consists of patient interviews, examinations, lab work, and diagnosis
and patient management.
20
Exhibit 51
Educational
Media
Equipment and
Services
Standard 3.1
Exhibit 52
IST Services
Standard 3.2
Standard 3.1
Students receive immediate self-assessment and faculty can access individual student
records for evaluation. DxR Clinician can be employed as a case-based learning, problembased learning, or student-directed practice tool. Faculty and students will access DxR
Clinician via secure log in on the web.
The UMDNJ Department of Human Resources provides proactive approaches to
recruitment, orientation, and retention of staff, interpretation and administration of
benefits, compensation, and labor relations policies. Human resources provide technical
expertise in staff motivation, performance management and employment relations. The
Department has made significant developments in maximizing technology in order to
render more comprehensive and enhanced services for customers, including students,
faculty and staff. Information is available at http://www.umdnj.edu/hrweb/.
Physical Facilities and Equipment at UMDNJ-SOM are continuously monitored for
cleanliness and operability. Cleaning service staff is deployed daily throughout all
buildings on campus. Regular inspections are made to verify that all rooms provide an
efficient, comfortable, and supportive environment for teaching and learning, research and
patient care. The departments of Facilities Management, Physical Plant, and
Environmental Services conduct weekly inspections of all classrooms, teaching
laboratories, computer laboratories and educational support areas to make certain that the
rooms are well maintained and furniture is in good working order. Departments are
regularly solicited for feedback regarding the quality and effectiveness of services
provided by those responsible for the maintenance of physical facilities. With the ongoing
support of Senior Management, maintenance and support requests are given priority status
for these areas. The Public Safety Department has sixteen trained officers that patrol the
campus on a twenty four-hour seven-day a week schedule dedicated to protecting the life
and property of the school. UMDNJ-SOM has one of the lowest crime incident rates of all
of the UMDNJ campuses.
Standard 3.1.1
Exhibit 53
Public Safety
Annual
Security Report
Educational Media and Resources assesses the appropriateness of its resources through
several methods. Student and faculty course evaluations are reviewed with the Assistant
Dean of Academic Affairs to identify potential issues. There is a continuous evaluation of
requests for production and audio-visual support in order to identify needs, shortages or
required upgrades in equipment and services. Communications with other institutions of
higher learning in the South Jersey-Philadelphia region on topics and issues in audiovisual
support and media production often prompt reexamination of inventory and services.
The Library utilizes a variety of assessment and evaluation tools to analyze and improve
the effectiveness of its resources and services. Standard collection development tools are
utilized to ensure that the Library’s collection includes the books, journals, audiovisuals,
and computer software necessary to provide a high level of support to students, faculty,
and staff at the UMDNJ-SOM. Best practices at academic health sciences libraries are
investigated and reviewed through participation in professional associations. In 2005, the
University Library participated in a large scale survey entitled LibQUAL, a nationally
recognized, Web-based survey whose goal is to assist libraries in fostering a culture of
excellence in library service and identify best practices in library services. Information
from the survey will be used to develop a new strategic plan for UMDNJ’s libraries.
21
Standards 3.1,
3.2
The Library Committee, comprised of students and faculty at UMDNJ-SOM, as well as
other schools on the Stratford Campus, serves as a source of information for current
academic, clinical and research needs. The Library’s hours have been extended during
exam periods as a result of feedback from students on the Committee and support from
faculty.
All hospitals or health systems that are teaching affiliates of UMDNJ-SOM maintain
staffed Library facilities. Print collections of books and journals and microcomputer
resources are available at all sites. The computers provide access to Web-based
information, including links to the UMDNJ Health Sciences Library’s licensed databases
and extensive online book and journal collections. Students, paid, and volunteer faculty
may access these online resources remotely, ensuring that they continue to have access to
all of the scholarly information resources available at the Stratford Campus.
Learning resources at all affiliated teaching sites are identified and monitored for
functionality by the faculty located at those facilities. Support of those facilities is
maintained by the affiliate or UMDNJ-SOM, based on the specific affiliation agreement.
The Kennedy Health System has representation on the UMDNJ-SOM Library Committee.
Currently, teaching affiliations are shared with three divisions of Kennedy HealthStratford, Cherry Hill and Washington Township; Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center
in Camden; Christ Hospital in Jersey City and Barnert Hospital in Patterson, New Jersey.
These affiliates provide students with opportunities to conduct hospital-based clinical
rotations in the third and fourth years of their education. Individual departments may use
the facilities of volunteer faculty and local nursing homes to provide clinical rotation sites
to third and fourth year students. Chairs of departments at UMDNJ-SOM serve as chiefs
of services at several affiliated hospital sites and have resource and facility oversight
through their active roles on Medical Executive Committees at the affiliated sites.
22
Exhibit 54
Health Sciences
Library
Committee
Minutes
Exhibit 55
Affiliated
Hospital
Library
Services
Standard 3.3
CHAPTER III
FACULTY
DRIVING THE MISSION
The current number of faculty at UMDNJ-SOM is more than sufficient to fulfill its
mission and objectives. UMDNJ-SOM currently employees 197 paid faculty members
(184 FTE) and has a total of 365 osteopathic students, creating a student/faculty ratio of
1.85 (1.98 if utilizing FTEs). Of the 197 paid faculty members, 85 are DOs, 46 are MDs
and 40 hold a PhD Others degrees include 20 RNs, three EdDs, one DVM and one PsyD
and one MA. Thirty-three faculty members are basic scientists; 156 are clinicians and
eight are classified as non-clinical faculty.
The large full-time faculty, large number of primary care faculty, along with part time and
volunteer faculty, help insure the fulfillment of the school’s academic, research and
clinical missions. The fulltime faculty cannot have outside employment; therefore, they
direct all their time and energy to the success of the school and its students. The school
utilizes 345 voluntary faculty members who undergo the same faculty appointment
process as the full time faculty. Two hundred twenty seven (66 percent) of the voluntary
faculty are osteopathic physicians. When these voluntary faculty members are considered,
the student to faculty ratio drops to 0.67. Because of the wide breath of faculty expertise
at UMDNJ-SOM, only a limited number of non-affiliated faculty from other institutions is
invited to provide expertise in certain areas not covered by UMDNJ-SOM full time
faculty. In the first two years of the curriculum, less than one percent of instruction is
given by external faculty.
AOA Standards
Standard 4.1
Exhibit 56
Faculty Roster
The majority (79 percent) of our faculty are clinicians. Forty-three percent of the faculty
and fifty-four percent of the clinical faculty are osteopathic physicians. Intermingled in
the clinical faculty are allopathic physicians, many of whom have a long-term
commitment to our school. The teaching programs of UMDNJ-SOM are augmented by
our 345 volunteer faculty members distributed throughout the state of New Jersey. Two
hundred twenty seven (66 percent) of the voluntary faculty are osteopathic physicians, 88
(26 percent) are MDs and 30 (nine percent) hold other degrees.
Academic Affairs has completed a faculty work plan to insure faculty adequacy for both
the present and new curricula. The present preclinical curriculum requires 2727 contact
hours annually. The new 3C Curriculum is estimated to require 2753 contact hours
annually. The existing preclinical curriculum, therefore, requires an average of 14.3
annual contact hours per faculty member; the 3C Curriculum will require an average of
21.6 annual contact hours per faculty member. This difference represents less than one
faculty FTE.
Clinical revenue from the faculty practice plan is a high portion of the operating budget
and, in this time of declining revenue for clinical services, this presents a funding
challenge. With malpractice insurance rates rising and the need for more physicians
continuing, a possible expansion of our class size and opportunities in Graduate Medical
23
Appendices 9,10
Two Faculty
Adequacy Models:
Current Curriculum
New 3C Curriculum
Standard 4.1.1
Education offer opportunities for expansion. The Practice Plan will continue to expand
and add sites and specialty services. The school’s recruitment, in an osteopathic rich state
like New Jersey, will lend itself to acquiring more faculty and students in the future.
Our faculty are recognized as leaders in their fields. Last year they published 105
scholarly papers (http://www3.umdnj.edu/stlibweb/bib/index.html). Members of our
faculty have held numerous prestigious positions in organizations outside the COM since
the last accreditation review.
Appendix 11
Positions Held
Outside the COM by
UMDNJ-SOM
Faculty
The UMDNJ Administration and Board of Trustees expects UMDNJ-SOM to have a
research program on par for an allopathic school of our size and age. UMDNJ-SOM has
greatly expanded our research faculty in order to meet these requirements. Since the last
site visit inspection, the size of the research laboratories has been increased from no
research space in Stratford to 95,000 sq. ft. of research space in the new Stratford Science
Center. This expansion has enabled UMDNJ-SOM to offer a Masters of Biomedical
Sciences program, a DO/PhD dual degree program and a DO/MS program.
Standard 4.1.1
Two clinical areas where there has been major growth are in the Institute for Successful
Aging and NJ Cares Institute. UMDNJ-SOM expects to expand faculty numbers in these
programs still further in the coming years. These are statewide programs with UMDNJSOM being the lead institution. The expansions attest to the high regard in which our
faculty is held by both our peer allopathic institutions and the State of New Jersey.
Expansion of our University Doctor’s Pavilion allows for further growth of the clinical
faculty.
UMDNJ-SOM appoints faculty members in accordance with established University
policy and procedures. The method is consistent with achievement of its educational
mission and objectives. In compliance with Title VI and other applicable laws, UMDNJSOM is committed to a program of Affirmative Action and Equal Employment and
Educational Opportunity and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed,
religion, sex, national origin, handicap or other characteristics. The School works to have
the diversity of the faculty and administration match the increasing diversity of the
student body. However, as senior faculty age and retire, UMDNJ-SOM is challenged to
identify, mentor and train the next generation of leadership. Dean Gallagher’s leadership
training programs, offered regularly for staff and junior faculty, are one part of this
mentoring process.
Requests for permission to recruit faculty are initiated by the department chair and
approved by the Dean. Searches for qualified faculty occur both within and external to the
institution. Special recruitment efforts are undertaken to ensure a diversity of candidates.
Applicant self-identification forms are sent to all qualified applicants for faculty positions.
Positions are advertised in publications that reach diverse ethnic and cultural populations.
Interviews of qualified candidates are conducted by duly constituted faculty committees
that are structured in accordance with the policy of the University and the bylaws of
UMDNJ-SOM.
24
Standard 4.1.2
UMDNJ-SOM has core associated hospitals and secondary affiliated hospitals. The
affiliation agreements with associated institutions require that full time faculty oversee
each program and that faculty be full-time on-site at affiliated hospitals. They are
appointed by the school and faculty members report to the chair of their respective
department for all academic matters. The core affiliation with Kennedy Memorial
Hospital’s University Medical Center includes all full-time clinical faculty members and
also delineates chiefs of service. Major affiliations with Our Lady of Lourdes Medical
Center and Christ Hospital include the appointment of faculty members by the school and
on site supervision by the appropriate Medical Director of Graduate Medical Education.
Evaluation of all full time faculty members occurs on an annual basis according to
procedures established by the university in negotiation with the American Association of
University Professors. In this process, faculty members are evaluated on specific goals
involving all four aspects of the university and school mission - teaching, research and
scholarship, patient care and service. Evaluations are performed by the Chair based on a
faculty data form completed by the faculty member. Each chair and center director is also
evaluated annually by the Dean on the achievements of his/her department on all four
aspects of the school’s mission. This evaluation is based on the department’s annual
report, as well as reports completed for the Dean by the appropriate assistant/associate
deans. Merit based salary increases are distributed based on these evaluations. The
educational contribution of every faculty member is measured and reported to the Chair as
part of the evaluation process utilizing a standard form.
Selection of Department Chairs is preceded by an extensive search, interview and
selection process that includes a review of the nominees experience in teaching and
academic leadership in a medical education setting. The Department Chair must
demonstrate that he/she is certified in their specialty, fully licensed to practice in the State
of New Jersey and has demonstrated the qualities necessary to administer the clinical, as
well as the academic programs, within the department or division.
Exhibits 9,10,11,12
Affiliation
Agreements
Standard 4.2
Exhibit 25
Faculty Activity
Report
Exhibit 24
Faculty Evaluation
Form
Standard 4.2.1
Carman Ciervo D.O., the Chair of the Department of Family Medicine, is certified by the
American Osteopathic Board of General Practitioners. Stephen Burnstein D.O., the Acting
Chair of Department of Internal Medicine, is certified by the American Osteopathic Board
of Internal Medicine and Martin Finkel D.O.,currently the Acting Chair of Pediatrics, is
AOA Board Certified. Jacqueline Kaari D.O., the Vice Chair of Pediatrics, is certified by
the American Osteopathic Board of Pediatrics. David Mason D.O., Vice Chair of
Osteopathic Sciences, holds a certification in Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine. The
Department of Osteopathic Sciences, this year, added one more Neuromusculoskeletal/
Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine Board certified physician to the department. All
chairs and acting chairs of clinical departments are AOA Board-certified or ABMS
certified in one of the disciplines included within the department.
Standard 4.5
Standard 4.2.2
Standard 4.3
UMDNJ-SOM adheres to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; the Age
Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, as amended; The Equal Pay Act of 1963,
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended and 38 U.S.C. 4212 of the
Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974, Americans with Disabilities
Act, and all other federal and state civil rights and anti discrimination statutes. UMDNJ-
Standard 4.4
Exhibit 57
UMDNJ Policies
25
SOM operates under the policies of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New
Jersey. There are prohibitions against discrimination in the University’s Policy Manual in
Section 00-01-20-05:00.
The school has developed and published an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment
Opportunity Fair Employment Practice Guide which fully explains the hiring procedure
for all regular faculty appointments, regardless of full-time equivalency, all temporary
faculty appointments, regardless of full-time equivalency, all academic administrative
appointments and all full-time, part-time, regular and temporary executive, administrative,
professional and other high level staff positions.
In 2002, the Assistant Dean for Education and Faculty Development was charged with
ensuring that faculty had the tools necessary to provide students with an excellent learning
experience at the school. An office for faculty development was established that initially
delivered a three-day program for new faculty that involved Chairs of all departments,
Directors and Deans, presentations on campus technology, media and the library. The
center offered an item-writing workshop presented by a faculty member from Rutgers
University. They offered a four-part program on the Philosophy and Principles of
Osteopathic Medicine, for staff and basic science faculty, and then a series for Doctors of
Osteopathy at UMDNJ-SOM, as well as in the community. The center also offered a
teaching workshop in collaboration with the local Area Health Education Center (AHEC).
Over the past seven years, the Department of Family Medicine, with grant support from
HRSA, has incorporated extensive faculty development training for its more than 20 fulltime faculty and 100 volunteer faculty. Initially, training focused on curriculum
development and assessment, leading to the revision of all family medicine courses and
clerkships. Faculty development is ongoing in cultural competency and interdisciplinary
training with special emphasis on the Standardized Patient Laboratory. UMDNJ-SOM’s
Department of Family Medicine has become a national leader in this realm. The
Department of Family Medicine utilizes community-based physicians for preceptors. All
those physicians must utilize OMM in their practices. Faculty development for these
physicians, including faculty development in OMM, occurs annually during the New
Jersey Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons (NJAOPS) Atlantic Regional
Osteopathic Convention (AROC).
One of the annual faculty development workshops offered focuses on the philosophy and
principles of osteopathic medicine and is targeted towards non-D.O. faculty and staff, to
provide them with an understanding of osteopathic philosophy and principles. Other
workshop topics include the structural examination and diagnosis of systemic
dysfunction; osteopathic manipulative techniques for specific organ systems; and
osteopathic manipulative treatment for the bed-ridden patient.
This year, the Department of Osteopathic Science hosted guest lectures, open to students
and faculty, by Steven Blood, D.O., FAAO and John Capobianco, D.O., FAAO on
“Introduction to Osteopathy in the Cranial Field.” A guest lecture was also offered by
James Lipton, D.O., FAAO on “OMT in Low Back Pain from a Physical Medicine and
Rehabilitation Perspective.” A sponsored CME event hosted at UMDNJ-SOM was done
by Maude Nerman, D.O., FAAO, of the Cranial Academy on “MVA Crash Recovery:
26
Exhibit 47
Affirmative
Action/Fair
Employment
Practices
Standard 4.6
Exhibit 58
Faculty
Development
Materials
Standard 4.6.1
Standard 4.6.1
The long road home.” UMDNJ-SOM faculty members, Drs. Mason, King and Gilliss
were invited table trainers for the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine 40-hour
CME Basic Osteopathy in the Cranial Field Course sponsored by the Cranial Academy in
2005. The Department of Osteopathic Science at UMDNJ-SOM has been meeting
regularly with department chairs and faculty in Family Medicine, Internal Medicine,
Surgery, Geriatrics, Pediatrics, OB-Gyn, Psychiatry, Physical Medicine and
Rehabilitation and Emergency Medicine, to serve as a resource for osteopathic education
and treatment services throughout the school, and to mentor faculty in these specialties to
further the application of osteopathic principles and techniques. UMDNJ-SOM’s
commitment to OMT education has been noted nationally, as demonstrated by the
American Academy of Osteopathy’s request to hold two of its national Continuing
Medical Education events at UMDNJ-SOM in the coming year. In addition, the
Educational Counsel of Osteopathic Principles held their 2005 meeting at UMDNJ-SOM.
Standard 4.6.1
After reviewing feedback from evaluation tools used in its early workshops, the Faculty
Development Center changed its format, offering workshops every three months, with
four workshops being offered simultaneously. Faculty attendance at workshops is a
challenge due to clinical schedules. As is often the case with academic medical centers,
clinical and research financial demands on faculty compete with educational needs.
Faculty development workshops included in-house and outside experts on the topics of:
How to Write a Scientific Paper for Publication, Power Point Trouble Shooting,
Evidence-Based Medicine, Item Writing, Statistics for Medical Writers and Editors,
Cultural Diversity and Curricular Development, and Problem- Based Learning.
Recently, faculty development introduced an intensive program of teaching skills
designed to meet the needs of the new clinical presentation curriculum, organized by body
systems, that utilizes multiple learning formats and teaching techniques. Monthly
workshops dedicated to topics of case-based learning styles and case development
preparation have been introduced. The center for Faculty Development offers biannual
workshops on teaching skills, mandatory for new faculty and for faculty designated by
chairs. Faculty is videotaped and receives feedback on teaching skills and presentations.
These workshops introduce faculty to the standardized patient laboratory and the teaching
of specific physical diagnosis skills.
The Dean has recently challenged leadership to achieve one hundred percent participation
in faculty development. The Senior Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs, the
Assistant Dean for Education and Faculty Development, and the Assistant Dean for
Education and Curriculum, in conjunction with the Chairs, are developing plans to meet
that challenge. An evaluation of departmental faculty development activities and
participation in these events is part of every Chair and Center Director’s annual review
with the Dean. In addition to our ongoing programs, the school plans a departmentally
based faculty developmental program, including faculty development in OMM.
Faculty at UMDNJ-SOM has several forums for the free exchange of ideas and concerns.
These forums include the five committees of the faculty that are charged in the bylaws –
curriculum, student affairs, faculty affairs, research and admissions. These committees
report to the Executive Council. The bylaws of the University outline the organization of
the faculty. Within the structure of each school, individual faculty members are organized
27
Standard 4.7
into departments. The clinical departments are organized along clinical lines while the
basic sciences are organized into two departments, cell biology and molecular biology.
Each department conducts periodic meetings that foster an opportunity for free and open
discussion. The Dean conducts quarterly faculty meetings that are a forum for the
frequent exchange of ideas and provide opportunities to bringing forward issues of
concern.
The Executive Council consists of each department chair, the faculty chairs of Standing
Committees, in addition to the three at-large members elected by the faculty. The
Executive Council meets on alternate months with the Dean and the Assistant Deans. The
Executive Council considers important issues that have come to the attention of the
administration. Reports from the Executive Council are distributed to the full faculty.
Meetings for all full and part-time faculty are held at least four times during an academic
year. This forum serves as the final decision-making authority for issues brought before
the faculty from the Executive Council, the Dean and the departments. It also considers
matters brought from the floor.
Exhibit 59
Members of
Executive Council
Faculty members are unionized at UMDNJ. Each faculty member is represented in
collective bargaining by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP). The
AAUP has, through its leadership, the ability to conduct meetings for the purpose of
expressing ideas and concerns.
All new appointments and promotions to Assistant Professor or higher are reviewed by
the UMDNJ-SOM Faculty Affairs Committee. This Committee is advisory to the Dean.
As part of the multi-campus UMDNJ system, eligible faculty may be awarded tenured
appointments. At present, 21 faculty members are tenured at the school. It is the intent of
administration to substantially increase the number of tenured faculty. Members of the
Faculty Affairs Committee are appointed by the Dean. The Committee consists of a
balanced mixture of senior clinicians and basic scientists. Any faculty member can apply
either through his/her department chair or, independently, for review for promotion. A
Handbook on Appointments and Promotions has been prepared by the Faculty Affairs
Committee, approved through the School’s Executive Council, and ratified by the Faculty.
This handbook, which is given to all new faculty, addresses promotions, conferral of
tenure for clinicians and basic scientists, designation of retiring or retired faculty as
Emeriti, designation of Distinguished Professors, reappointment, terms of appointment
and qualified academic rank.
UMDNJ-SOM has established written policies and procedures that are applied in
conjunction with the policies of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey,
collective bargaining agreements and AA/EEO guidelines. The UMDNJ Bylaws define
issues of faculty employment. A Faculty Handbook is distributed to each new faculty
member as a source of general information addressing policies and procedures, benefits,
faculty privileges and faculty services. These manuals are periodically reviewed and
revised by UMDNJ. A copy of the contract between the University and the AAUP is
provided to all faculty members. All University policies are available to employees on the
Web at: http://www.umdnj.edu/oppmweb/Policies/contents.html.
UMDNJ has an administrative policy titled, “Code of Ethics: General Conduct” that is
28
Standard 4.8
Exhibit 60
Handbook on
Appointments and
Promotions
Exhibit 61
Faculty Affairs
Committee Minutes
Exhibit 57
UMDNJ Policies
Appendix 12
Code of Ethics
Standard 4.9
distributed to all employees, trustees and faculty who must verify receipt on a signature
page. This policy provides faculty, staff and trustee with the code of ethics by which their
conduct will be governed. All D.O. faculty is expected to adhere to the code of Ethics
established by the American Osteopathic Association.
As evidence of our commitment to emphasizing the importance of ethics and
professionalism, UMDNJ-SOM has a full time Professor of Bioethics and ethics is a
designated part of our curriculum. An extensive professionalism component, with input
from faculty, administration and students, will be integrated throughout the new 3C
Curriculum. The student of osteopathic medicine is expected to observe the same high
standards of self-discipline and ethical conduct as the practicing osteopathic physician. As
future osteopathic physicians, all students agree to follow the Code of Ethics adopted by
the American Osteopathic Association. Therefore, students of the UMDNJ-School of
Osteopathic Medicine must demonstrate the spirit of honor, the conduct, and the personal
integrity their profession expects. Every aspect of student life is considered under the
Code of Ethics, from the most simple laboratory experiment to the relationship between
student doctor and patient.
29
Exhibit 29
Education
Handbook
Exhibit 62
CV of Professor of
Bioethics
Exhibit 63
AOA Code of Ethics
Signatures
CHAPTER IV
EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION
STUDENTS & CURRICULUM
In 2004, the Office of Academic Affairs and the Office of Student Affairs were combined
under the Senior Associate Dean of Academic and Student Affairs. The Office of Student
Affairs serves as a focal point for matters pertaining to students. The mission of the
Office of Academic Affairs is to promote and facilitate academic excellence and lifelong
learning. All students are obligated to comply with University bylaws, policies and
procedures at all times during their enrollment. The Education Handbook is available in
the Department of Student Affairs and is also published on the UMDNJ-SOM web site.
Each student is provided with a copy. Offices represented within the Student Affairs
Department include: Admissions, Alumni Affairs, the Center for Student Academic
Resources, Pre-College and College, Registrar, Student Health and Student Services,
Financial Aid and Counseling and Student Health (Mental/Physical).
The Admissions office maintains a policy and procedural manual that is reviewed and
updated each academic year. All staff of the Admissions Office, along with members of
the Admissions Committee, are given a copy of the manual. The information provided in
the manual contains policies and criteria designed to meet the mission and objectives of
UMDNJ-SOM. An annual training seminar is conducted by the Admissions Director for
Committee members.
AOA Standards
Exhibit 29
Education
Handbook
Standard 5.1
Exhibit 64
Admissions Manual
UMDNJ-SOM carefully considers the academic qualifications of all applicants to be sure
each individual meets the minimum standards. UMDNJ-SOM uses the MCAT and
undergraduate grade point average as two predictors of success, since research has proven
these to be the most reliable. UMDNJ-SOM is proud that the school can maintain
excellent admission GPA and MCAT’s and lead the country in the diversity of the student
body. Our admissions GPA for 2005 is 3.48 and our mean MCAT score is 8.81. Our
retention rates are very high. According to our June 2004 report, our average retention
rate for the most recent cohort is 94.5 percent. Candidates are also evaluated on their
letters of recommendation, interview, essay and the previous schools they attended. Noncognitive factors are based on their school’s ranking in Barron’s Guide and considered
part of the interview process.
Once admitted, students are continually evaluated quantitatively based upon their
performance on individual exams and course requirements and their performance on the
COMLEX. Our COMLEX pass rate is typically in the 90% or more range. Prior to the
initiation of the computerized examination, the majority of our students have taken the
Level 1 and Level 2 exams in June and January respectively. For these administrations,
the UMDNJ-SOM seven-year average pass rate has been 94.54% for Level 1 and 93.17%
for Level 2. Students are also evaluated by the faculty and attending physicians who
complete their clinical evaluations. Their final records are approved by the Board of
Trustees.
Throughout the four-year curriculum, student performance and progress is closely
monitored by our Center for Student Academic Resources (CSAR) and the Student
30
Standard 5.1.1
Affairs Committee. Students who begin to have academic difficulty at any point in the
curriculum are counseled and supported by our academic support staff, a peer-tutoring
program, study groups and weekly reviews, until their performance improves. Generally,
students are able to return to their previous levels of performance within a semester; partly
because we admit students who have the ability to complete the curriculum and, partly,
because of these built-in student supports. In the 2000-2001 cohort, the latest completed
cohort, the School had a 98.7 percent overall retention rate and a 100 percent retention
rate for black and Hispanic students.
The recruitment of a qualified student body is essential for the UMDNJ-SOM and the
medical profession, in general. The quality and diversity of the student population
impacts each component of Academic and Student Affairs. Various recruitment activities
have been developed to insure the enrollment of a qualified diverse student body.
The Admissions Committee of UMDNJ-SOM requires that every applicant submit results
from the Medical College Admissions Test, as well as a premedical committee letter or at
least two science faculty letters if the premedical committee letter is not appropriate. All
accepted students must have earned a baccalaureate degree upon matriculation at
UMDNJ-SOM with the exception of the student who has participated in an articulation
agreement. UMDNJ-SOM does not accept any alternative educational experiences in lieu
of this requirement. In addition, the school requires all perspective students to
successfully complete a criminal background check.
Prerequisites required for admission consideration include the successful completion of
eight hours of biology (changed from 16 hours in August 2005), eight semester hours of
organic chemistry, eight semester hours of inorganic chemistry, and eight semester hours
of physics, all with laboratories. Additionally, three semester hours of English
composition and three additional semester hours from the English department; six
semester hours of college level mathematics, three semester hours of which may be
satisfied by computer science or statistics and six hours of behavioral science
(psychology, sociology or cultural anthropology) are required. All accepted students are
required to furnish official post-secondary transcripts to the Office of Admissions for all
schools attended prior to matriculation at UMDNJ-SOM.
UMDNJ-SOM follows the University’s policy on Human Rights, a policy of equal
opportunity without regard to race, color, sex, religion, creed, national origin, age or
handicap. UMDNJ-SOM wishes to enroll students who present a broad spectrum of
interests, achievements and characteristics. The school is committed to the recruitment
and enrollment of qualified applicants from underrepresented groups and those who have
a cultural or economic disadvantage. As of the 2003 academic year, 54% of all students
at UMDNJ-SOM were women, 49% were minorities, and 24% were historically
underrepresented minorities (Black, Mainland Puerto Rican, Mexican-American, Native
American). The rates of enrollment at UMDNJ-SOM were demonstrably superior to the
national average for all three groups, but especially for URMs, represented at more than
three times the national average. (Figure 1, see next page of this report)
As a state institution, UMDNJ-SOM has an obligation to consider transfers from qualified
New Jersey residents providing that space is available. This transfer policy requires that
the student complete a transfer application and have all official transcripts from each post
31
Exhibit 65
Admissions
Recruitment
Activities
Standard 5.2
Standard 5.2.1
Exhibit 66
Articulation
Agreements
Exhibit 67
Criminal
Background Check
Policy
Standard 5.2.1
Standard 5.2.2
Exhibit 68
Enrollment Statistics
Exhibit 69
AACOM Annual
Report Statistics
Standard 5.3
secondary institution where they have attended forwarded to the Admissions Office.
Transfer requests are considered in the second and third year classes only. The Dean
makes the final determination regarding all transfer applicants.
FIGURE 1
Enrollment of women, minorities, and UnderRepresented Minorities, 2003-2004:
UMDNJ-SOM versus national average.
(AACOM Annual Report, June 2004)
UMDNJ-SOM
60
50
53.8
46.6
National Average
46.7
40
30
23.2
20
25.3
10
7.8
0
Wom en
Minorities
URMs
Credits may be transferred only from medical schools and colleges accredited either by
the COCA or by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME). At least two
years of instruction must be completed at UMDNJ-SOM. When students transfer from an
LCME accredited medical school or college to UMDNJ-SOM, at least two years of
instruction must be completed here and the school requirement for osteopathic
manipulative medicine must be completed prior to graduation.
Standard 5.3.1
Standard 5.3.2
Standard 5.3.3
Standard 5.3.4
In the first two basic science years, students are evaluated based on written examinations,
laboratory exercises, practical skills tests, and participation in small group discussions.
Evaluation methods vary depending upon course goals, objectives, and content and are
described in the course syllabus. See the Curriculum section of this chapter for more
information.
During the clinical years, the COM uses a multifaceted evaluation approach. Three
components of the instructional process include: student performance; didactic and
clinical content; and faculty instruction. Each course has a grading policy based upon the
student performance evaluation criteria established by the COM. Similarly, grades for
each course are determined according to the COM’s criteria and described in each course
syllabus. Grades may be determined on the basis of written exams, practical exams, and
other departmental evaluation instruments deemed appropriate. At the end of each
rotation, student performance is reviewed with the student by the instructors.
Across the four-year program, each student’s individual academic record is monitored by
the Center for Student Academic Resources to ensure sufficient academic progress.
Students that are not achieving satisfactorily are asked to appear before the Student
32
Standard 5.4
Affairs Committee, who provides guidance and decides under what conditions a student
should be permitted to continue in the curriculum. The degree of Doctor of Osteopathic
Medicine is awarded after all criteria have been met and all requirements of academic
performance have been successfully completed. The Student Affairs Committee approves
the records of prospective graduates. Its recommendation for graduation is routed through
the Dean to the Executive Council and finally to the full faculty for recommendation to
the UMDNJ Board of Trustees.
UMDNJ-SOM policy on COMLEX conforms to the COCA standard. Until the recent
change in COCA standards, students at UMDNJ-SOM were required to pass COMLEX
Level 1 and to sit for COMLEX Level 2 prior to graduation. The school changed the
policy to conform to the new standard. Now, all students must take and pass the National
Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners, (NBOME) Comprehensive Osteopathic
Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX) Level 1, prior to graduation. All students
must take COMLEX Level 2 Cognitive Evaluation (CE) and Performance Evaluation
(PE) components, prior to graduation. All students who enter in the 2004-2005 academic
year, and all students who graduate after December 1, 2007, must also pass NBOME
Cognitive Evaluation (CE) and Performance Evaluation (PE) components of COMLEX
Level 2 prior to graduation. Individual and School COMLEX performance are reviewed
regularly and compared against national scores and scores from previous years. These
data are analyzed at the individual, departmental and institutional levels to identify
content areas where students may not be achieving stated educational goals and to address
deficiencies at any level.
The Center for Student Academic Resources (CSAR) continually reviews student
performance on all grading mechanisms, including COMLEX Levels 1 and 2, to ensure
students are making appropriate progress toward degree completion. Following a drop in
COMLEX scores in 2003, the school initiated a COMLEX preparation program that
included, two semester-length courses entitled Fundamentals of Medicine I and II,
designed to help the COM’s second- and fourth- year students maximize their learning
and supplement their individual preparation for their licensing exams. Small study groups;
combined exams in COMLEX format; personalized evaluations plans for at-risk students;
increased resource materials and increased use of COMLEX Shelf Exams during
clerkships were all part of this program. Results of this program were dramatic: not only
were scores increased, but also the gap in performance between the top quartile and atrisk students was decreased. The CSAR provides guidance and academic support on an
individual basis. An individualized study plan and weekly learning consultations with a
CSAR staff member are provided to any student in need.
The Office of Alumni Affairs maintains a comprehensive database of UMDNJ-SOM
alumni. The system includes address, location and track of internship, residencies and
fellowships, area of medicine, name and location of practice/employer and other
information. This information is gained primarily through surveys, alumni
correspondence, the AOA yearbook and directory, the New Jersey Association of
Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons (NJAOPS) directory, and various internet resources.
As needed, the database can be queried to collate information about alumni. A summary
report is furnished to the Dean following each survey cycle. As UMDNJ-SOM alumni
are maturing and giving back to the endowment, an opportunity exists for rapid growth.
The curriculum committee recently appointed an Assessment Subcommittee to develop,
33
Standard 5.4.1
Standard 5.4.1
Standard 5.4.2
Standard 5.4.3
Exhibit 27
NBOME
Preparation Program
2003
Exhibit 70
Improvement of AtRisk Performance
following Prep
Course
Standard 5.4.4
Exhibit 30
Alumni Survey 2004
Appendix 5
Alumni Survey 2004
Results
implement, and continuously review institutional and student assessment. An assessment
plan will include a survey of residency directors to assess performance of graduate PGYI
residents.
The staff in the Department of Academic and Student Affairs has an open door policy in
serving students. If the appropriate individual is not immediately available, students set
an appointment to meet with an individual staff member or Dean. The Associate and
Assistant Deans and faculty members are available to counsel or assist students, by
appointment, on an as needed basis. Faculty members provide students with information
on their availability at the beginning of each class/lecture or course. Opportunities to
consult with the administration are frequent and ongoing. The Senior Associate Dean for
Academic and Student Affairs and the Assistant Dean for Education and Curriculum
maintain an open door policy. The Deans frequently visit students in class, between
classes and at lunch to engage in individual and/or group discussions. Students may walk
in or make an appointment, at their convenience, with any member of the Academic and
Student Affairs staff. Full time staff provides services devoted to student affairs, financial
aid, academic counseling, administrator and faculty access and access to physical and
mental health care. The Dean meets with the student leadership (Student Council) and
various student organizations (STUCCO-Student Council, SOMA-Student Osteopathic
Medical Association, SNMA-Student National Medical Association, etc.) at scheduled
intervals throughout the academic year.
Standard 5.5
The on-campus office of Family Medicine and the University Wellness Center are
equipped to assist students with their physical health needs. Services include an array of
wellness-related assessment activities (screening, dietitian, physicals) and exercise
facilities. UMDNJ-SOM also pays for student memberships at the local YMCA near the
campus. The Department of Family Medicine provides related health care and physician
services to all eligible students. In addition to general counseling, provided by the
Student Affairs staff, the Senior Associate Dean is a Licensed Professional Counselor and
the COM also provides a designated psychiatrist who specializes in treating medical
students.
All students must have health insurance; UMDNJ-SOM provides comprehensive health
insurance to each of its students at a discounted cost. This enables access to primary care,
specialty care and hospital based services. In addition, UMDNJ-SOM Student Health
Services are provided on the Stratford campus for all students and their immediate
families. This center provides both well care and illness care at the Stratford Family
Practice office at designated times. Mental health services are available on campus by
appointment to each UMDNJ-SOM student. The health care services provided to
UMDNJ-SOM students are performed in a confidential manner in accordance with
HIPPA policies. A Director of Student Health and a Director of Student Mental Health
are designated to oversee these areas and they also oversee a committee dedicated to
issues of impaired students.
UMDNJ-SOM recognizes the value of strong relationships among its students and its
administration and faculty. For this reason, UMDNJ-SOM supports numerous programs
that serve to open the lines of communication among all parties. In addition to the
University’s open door policy, UMDNJ-SOM, through the Office of Alumni Affairs, the
Office of Academic and Student Affairs and Student Government, host a variety of
34
Standard 5.5
Exhibit 71
Student
Organizations
informal gatherings in an effort to enhance interaction with and access to faculty and
administration. Such get-togethers include, but are not limited to; alumni sponsored
receptions, Dean’s Hour, The Student-Mentor Dinner, and weekly Grand Rounds. The
UMDNJ-SOM Chapter of SOMA was recognized as Chapter of the Year for the New
Jersey/New York region. This recognition was based on the Chapter’s charitable service
to the medically underserved community in Camden City, New Jersey and the
surrounding southern New Jersey community.
The Office of Student Financial Aid is open five days a week, during regular business
hours, to service students on the Stratford Campus. Extended hours of operation are
added during seasonal peak periods. The office provides multiple service options for
students which include individual counseling sessions, direct e-mail and telephone access
to professional staff members and “walk in” access to financial aid staff. The Student
Financial Aid Office is staffed by two full-time professional members and one support
person. Under the direction of the University Financial Aid Office, the Stratford Office
provides students resources to satisfy their financial needs, in conjunction with legislative
and regulatory requirements. Services are provided using the latest technological
advances in the delivery of financial aid and debt management.
Standard 5.5
Providing students with the necessary tools to conduct financial business during their
tenure at UMDNJ is part of the department’s overall mission. Budgeting Workshops are
offered to incoming and continuing students during their first and second years of study.
A printed record of individual indebtedness is provided on an annual basis. Graduating
students with educational loan debt are required to attend an all-day Exit Program. The
program date is built into the academic calendar, and includes sessions on the regulatory
requirements of their student loans, loan consolidation and a primer on financial planning.
The Student Financial Aid website houses an online library of documents including the
Student Financial Aid Handbook, four years of class specific Exit Handbooks and
multiple web resource links. Students apply for financial aid through the website.
Applicants complete their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and
University Financial Aid Application online, download relevant forms, and complete the
Federal Stafford Loan Master Promissory Note (MPN) using the e-signature process.
Students have access to their financial aid history, including document tracking and award
notification, using our web-based, self-service product. The site can be accessed from the
Student Financial Homepage located at www.umdnj.edu/studentfinancialaid using
multiple kiosks located throughout the campus, including ones located in the Student
Financial Aid Office.
The Office of the Registrar provides the secure and accurate maintenance, preservation
and review of permanent academic records for all students who have attended the
UMDNJ-School of Osteopathic Medicine in compliance with the Family Educational
Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. All appropriate staff are continually trained relative to
FERPA regulations and policy. The Office of the University Registrar provides each
Enrollment Office with directives and standards relative to FERPA regulations to insure
that all responsible parties are in compliance. FERPA regulations are clearly outlined in
the UMDNJ-School of Osteopathic Medicine Education Handbook (pp. 14 – 20) and the
University web site,
http://www.umdnj.edu/oppmweb/Policies/HTML/studentservices/00-01-25-05_00.html
35
Exhibit 72
Financial Aid
Materials
Standard 5.6
Exhibit 29
Education
Handbook
The office utilizes practices recommended by the American Association of Collegiate
Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO). All paper files are locked in fireproof
cabinets in the Records Room, accessed only by enrollment services personnel.
The University implemented new secure academic records systems in both 1988 and
1998. Student records are currently maintained in the Banner Student System, the
University’s integrated administrative computer system. This system is supported by a
Coordinator of Data Services in the University Registrar’s Office and the Student
Information Systems Support department. Students have unlimited access twenty-four
hours a day, seven days a week, to their personal information stored on the Banner
Student System. Both the University Banner Student System and the University network
document imaging system are password protected. UMDNJ-SOM enrollment services
personnel sign a confidentiality agreement. Each individual is authorized to utilize the
system at security levels set by the University Registrar. In order to further secure student
records, UMDNJ-SOM has issued student identification numbers to replace social
security numbers on all documents.
Standard 5.6
The University network document imaging system was developed and implemented in
October of 2000 and presents an opportunity to convert our records. The Department of
Information Technology and UMDNJ Hospital Management Information Systems
coordinated the pilot program with American Management Systems with ongoing
support, maintenance and the upgrade was provided by IS&T. Approximately 15-20
percent completion of record conversion has been accomplished; the project is ongoing.
Conversion of microfilm records has been completed. The UMDNJ-SOM Student Record
Retention/Disposal Guidelines was established in September of 2000 in accordance with
AACRAO reference, Retention of Records—Guide for Retention and Disposal of Student
Records (2000 edition).
The Office of the Registrar maintains summary records for admissions credentials and
student records for all current students, graduates and former students. All student
records include grade rosters from the first and second years and clinical evaluation forms
for the third and fourth years. Student performance is evaluated using UMDNJ-SOM’s
grade legend.
Policies and procedure are detailed in the UMDNJ-SOM Education Handbook. The
Education Handbook is distributed to all students during the first year orientation in a CDROM format. Updates are provided every two years and the Handbook is accessible for
students through the website.
All students are referred to the Education Handbook upon entry as part of the orientation
process. The Senior Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs is the first
recourse for addressing student complaints. Student complaints, based on the significance
of the complaint, may be resolved informally or formally, subject to the process outlined
in the Education Handbook. The adjudication and resolution of student complaints are
recorded and appropriately maintained by Student Affairs in individual student files or in
a general file. Committee minutes from those committees where students are
representatives and action plans created from student feedback, serve as our log of student
complaints. At the end of each semester, student representatives at the Curriculum
Committee present a summary of their curricular feedback and the Assistant Dean of
36
Exhibit 73
Family Educational
Rights and Privacy
Act
Exhibit 74
University Records
Management Policy
Standard 5.7
Standard 5.8
Education and Curriculum creates a “punchlist” of tasks and assigns them to staff and/or
faculty, to address these student concerns.
Student concerns/complaints are reviewed as part of the ongoing planning process and are
normally addressed by student representatives at the monthly meetings of the Student
Affairs Committee. The Committee contains a student representative from each class
who has the responsibility to bring general concerns expressed by the class to the
Committee. The Committee is chaired by a faculty member and the Senior Associate
Dean for Academic and Student Affairs serves as an ex-officio member.
Exhibit 75
Student Affairs
Committee Minutes
Curriculum
UMDNJ-SOM is currently moving from good to great in its curriculum. A restructuring
of the curriculum to a case-based learning format, with the implementation of the new 3C
Curriculum, will utilize multiple learning systems, evidence based learning, medical
informatics and the integration of AOA competencies that will present new opportunities
for student learning. The new curriculum will change the educational culture, better
prepare students and will provide educational excellence and a national model. It will
allow us to integrate OMM into every case scenario throughout the new curriculum. An
expanding academic and research oriented Department of Osteopathic Sciences may bring
the development of an OMM Fellowship. The integration of cultural competencies and
interdisciplinary training into the curriculum will enrich student learning. An integral part
of the new curricular effort will be the expanded utilization of UMDNJ-SOM’s state-ofthe-art Clinical Education and Assessment Center. The Center is used for teaching and
assessment in coursework and clerkships, including casework in interpersonal and
communications skills, ethical dilemmas, palliative care, physical diagnosis skills and
COMLEX-PE preparation. The Clinical Education and Assessment Center offers
students and faculty a unique live demonstration and feedback process for the assessment
of student learning outcomes.
Standard 6.1
Appendix 13
Executive Summary
of 3C Curriculum
Exhibit 76
3C Curriculum Task
Force Report
In support of its research mission, UMDNJ-SOM offers several unique options for
students seeking to pursue careers in biomedical research or teaching graduate studies.
The Graduate School at UMDNJ-SOM offers 31 independent graduate level courses
leading to the Masters of Science, plus a multidisciplinary Masters of Biomedical
Sciences, a Ph.D. and a combined D.O. /Ph.D. degree program. The number of students
enrolled in these programs has increased from 14 in 2003 to 74 in 2005. In conjunction
with the UMDNJ-School of Public Health, UMDNJ-SOM offers a program leading to a
dual degree of DO with a Masters in Public Health, a degree program that can be
completed in five years. A joint DO/PhD degree is offered through an interdepartmental
program in the Departments of Cell Biology and Molecular Biology. Students are
required to complete 40 credit hours of coursework and 40 credit hours of thesis research,
including a written dissertation, public defense and final oral examination, and are under
the direction of a faculty research mentor. UMDNJ-SOM anticipates a DO/MBA
program, in cooperation with Rowan University, to be implemented in July 2006.
Students will be able to complete both degrees in five years.
A new campus-wide wireless network is now available for student, staff and faculty use.
WebCT and DxR Clinician will be used to supplement classroom teaching, quizzes,
tutorials, case studies, assignments and learning resources and retention of lecture
37
Exhibit 77
DxR Clinician
material. While limited technological support for curricular innovation had existed at
UMDNJ-SOM in the past, preventing rapid growth in distance and online learning
modules, additional staffing in IST in academic computing has boosted online offerings
and raised awareness of online options for faculty and students. Students will now be
provided with a feedback tool and self-directed tracking, a valuable addition to classroom
learning. The Department of Family Medicine has developed three WebCT courses,
focusing on Mental Health, Cultural Competency and Palliative Care with support from
HRSA funding. WebCT accessibility anytime/anywhere is an enhancement to the new
curriculum. Student feedback has already been highly positive on the use of this
methodology as a teaching tool.
UMDNJ-SOM is a national leader in the development of a model geriatric and
ethnogeriatric curriculum. UMDNJ-SOM is currently the national leader in the provision
of dedicated curriculum time to geriatrics, with the national mean at 14.42 hours devoted
to geriatrics while SOM provides an 18-hour course, a one-month required rotation and a
one-month elective. UMDNJ-SOM is also a leader in geriatric fellowship training. With
a total of seven fellowships offered nationally, SOM offers three of these and is one of
two osteopathic programs that are federally funded to prepare geriatric fellows in a twoyear program.
The school is consistently and conscientiously responsive to student feedback regarding
the curriculum and students are represented at each phase of the curricular review process.
Students serve as voting members of the Curriculum Committee, on the Assessment
Subcommittee and the Curriculum Task Force. Academic issues raised by students are
considered carefully by administration and faculty, and formative and summative
assessment is handled in a fair and confidential manner. Academic issues raised in student
challenges are weighed carefully and responsively by course directors. Every student
knows that academic support services from the Center for Student Academic Resources
(CSAR) are available to enhance their studies. Increasing utilization of student support
office services has resulted in the adding of staff to the CSAR office to meet student
needs.
UMDNJ-SOM functions like a traditional academic medical center. SOM has one of the
largest local affiliate osteopathic teaching hospital systems, in close proximity to campus,
at Kennedy and Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Centers, with over 1000 beds. With the
strength of our affiliate system, all core clerkship training is completed at our own
affiliate sites. Distant or regional campuses are not used for required rotations. All
directors of core clerkships are UMDNJ-SOM full-time faculty. Because of its
relationships with multi-hospital affiliates, UMDNJ has adequate training opportunities
within our affiliate system to accommodate all UMDNJ-SOM students for their core
rotations. Volunteer faculty members who serve as directors for selective rotations are
accountable to the UMDNJ-SOM department chair for their discipline. Thus, we are able
to function as a true academic medical center.
The Curriculum Committee and its 3C Curriculum Task Force and Assessment
Committee, consisting of faculty, deans, students and interested observers, meet monthly
to consider issues, problems, improvements, and new trends the curriculum may take in
order to strengthen and expand the school’s educational direction. All recommendations
of the Task Force regarding the new curriculum are reviewed by the Curriculum
38
Standard 6.1
Standard 6.2
Exhibits 9,10,11,12
Affiliation
Agreements
Standard 6.1
Exhibit 22
Minutes of
Curriculum
Committee
Exhibit 78
Curriculum Task
Force Minutes
Exhibit 79
Assessment
Subcommittee
Minutes
Committee. The Assistant Dean for Education and Curriculum and the Curriculum
Committee Chair meet with student representatives prior to every Curriculum Meeting to
discuss curricular issues to be raised.
Decisions regarding instructional change are made by the Curriculum Committee which
has a faculty representative from every department and four student representatives.
Committee members discuss and vote on recommendations that are then sent on to the
Dean’s Executive Council for consideration. Substantive changes to the curriculum are
also approved by a vote of the faculty. The Curriculum Committee is consistently
assessing the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for students graduating from the
institution to possess in order to practice excellent patient care.
Each class elects a voting student member to the Curriculum Committee who gives
continuing feedback relative to curriculum design, curriculum implementation and
curriculum evaluation. These student members also give an annual report to the
Curriculum Committee, including recommendations for improvement. Student
representatives communicate findings to their constituencies. Student feedback offered
by student curricular representatives is assessed and then assigned to an academic team
member for follow-up. A sample of this “Punchlist for Action” is available for on-site
review in the documentation files.
Evaluation results for courses are sent to course directors and department chairs and a
summary report is sent to the Dean each semester. Student issues are communicated at
meetings of the Student Affairs Committee and are also attended by faculty and the Senior
Associate Dean of Student and Academic Affairs, who communicates to the Center for
Academic Resources support personnel and the Academic Affairs Program Administrator,
who attend the meetings. The Assistant Dean for Education and Curriculum regularly
reports to Executive Council and Department Chairs meetings and visits Departmental
Meetings to communicate detailed curricular issues. The Assistant Dean for Education
and Curriculum meets regularly to brief the Dean and the Assistant Dean for Education
and Faculty Development on key findings on issues in Academic Affairs. The Academic
Assistant Dean meets bi-weekly with a cross disciplinary academic team and academic
staff members to relate key findings.
The evaluation of didactic courses in the curriculum takes place each semester with
student completion of an online evaluation tool designed to measure student response to
the course, the instructors, the learning tools employed, the laboratory, when applicable,
and the textbook. Students are asked to assess the redundancy of the material presented,
as related to other courses in the curriculum. Each semester these results are tallied and
presented to the department chair and the Assistant Dean for Education and Curriculum.
Results of course evaluations are used by the Assistant Dean for Education and
Curriculum to change or alter course content or prompt the replacement of a course
director or faculty lecturer. Successive course evaluations on a specific issue may prompt
discussion at Curriculum Committee meetings or Executive Council. In addition, the
Assistant Dean for Education and Curriculum prepares an annual report to the Dean
summarizing these evaluations by department. The Dean utilizes the results in this report
for the annual evaluation of each Chair.
39
Standard 6.2
Exhibit 80
Curricular
Modifications
2003 - 2005
Exhibit 81
Punchlist for Action
Standard 6.14
Standard 6.2
Exhibit 82
Course Evaluation
Results
Standard 6.2
Exhibit 83
Clerkship
Evaluation Results
UMDNJ-SOM performs periodic evaluation of the effectiveness of curricular and extracurricular experiences of students by implementing alumni surveys and cognitive skills
and clinical simulations. Alumni surveys are conducted every two to three years. The
results of the alumni survey are forwarded to the Assistant Dean for Education and
Curriculum to provide input into curriculum design and evaluation. Student experiences
with tutors in the academic support services area are evaluated each semester, measuring
tutors’ ease of understanding, patience, and knowledge of subject areas and this
information is shared with the Assistant Dean for Education and Curriculum.
The assessment of student learning outcomes is used to improve teaching and learning.
Results are shared with department chairpersons and course directors and are used to plan
and implement faculty development interventions and, to make changes to the current
curriculum. Feedback from students on course evaluations as well as in Curriculum
Committee meetings and through student Curriculum Representatives’ meetings with the
Assistant Dean are considered as an impetus for consideration of change in the
curriculum. UMDNJ has an annual faculty evaluation program, performed by the
department chairs. Each faculty member is evaluated on their educational contributions.
UMDNJ-SOM’s Office of Academic Affairs produces reports on courses and clerkships
that include student evaluations and COMLEX scores. These reports are utilized for the
evaluation of course and clerkship directors. In addition, evaluation results are built into
the strategic planning and budget planning processes. The Dean and leadership select
periodic ad hoc groups to examine the allocation of resources and revisit the assumptions
underlying the long-term vision of the school. These sessions provide focused feedback
to the school’s leadership to guide renewal efforts.
Osteopathic principles and practices are integrated throughout the present curriculum in
all course work at UMDNJ-SOM. It is the responsibility of the course director and
clerkship director to ensure the osteopathic principles and practices are integrated
throughout each course.
In the History of Osteopathic Medicine course in the first year, students learn the history
of osteopathic medicine, the meaning of osteopathic medicine and the roles of osteopathic
physicians. In the first year Functional Anatomy course, osteopathic sciences faculty
introduce anatomical and physiologic concepts necessary to understand osteopathic
principles. The course is focused on the introduction of the biomechanics of the human
body, kinematics and the relationship of form and function. In Osteopathic Manipulative
Medicine I, through 30 hours of lecture and 90 hours of psychomotor skills, students learn
the diagnosis of somatic dysfunction by developing history, physical and palpatory skills
as they apply to biomechanics. Students are introduced to examples of direct and indirect
treatment systems. In Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine II, through 15 lecture hours
and 30 psychomotor lab hours, students learn treatment models and apply osteopathic
principles and practice to special populations. In the second year, in the Osteopathic
Manipulative Medicine III course (15 lecture hours and 30 psychomotor skills lab hours),
students demonstrate the diagnosis and application of osteopathic manipulative treatment,
the ability to write exercise prescriptions, physical therapy consults, and the use of
osteopathic principles and practices in office and hospital settings.
This year, a student OMM clinic was opened and a hospital OMM consultation service
was successfully initiated. A dedicated OMM lab was opened, fitted with height
40
Exhibit 23
Dean’s Academic
Report
Standard 6.2
Standard 6.3
Exhibit 84
OMM Resources
adjustable tables, anatomic models and educational tools. The OMM Lab will be fitted
with video equipment and monitors in this academic year. In 2004-2005, a two-week
OMM rotation was instituted in the family medicine specialty month in the fourth year.
For 2005-6, this rotation was moved to the year three Family Medicine clerkship. It
included clinical and didactic sessions focusing on osteopathic screening examinations
and the diagnosis and application of osteopathic manipulative treatment. Third and fourth
year students may choose a two or four-week elective rotation in osteopathic manipulative
medicine, concentrating on the clinical, the family medicine office and the hospital
settings. UMDNJ-SOM has purchased library materials for OMM review and distributed
those materials to students. A program of standardized patient encounters is in
development for fourth year students to prepare for the COMLEX PE examination.
The existing four-year medical school curriculum spans 179 weeks: year one is 40 weeks;
year two is 42 weeks; year three is 49 weeks and year four is 48 weeks. The new
curriculum includes 42 weeks in year one and 43 weeks in year two. Scheduling for years
three and four will remain essentially unchanged.
In the current UMDNJ-SOM curriculum, students are exposed to the latest knowledge
base in research, basic sciences and clinical medicine. The first year of the curriculum
stresses the basic sciences, including clinical instruction and community experiences. The
foundation has been carried forward into the second clinically oriented year, including an
increase in primary care ambulatory training and community-based experiences. A full
description of each course is published in the Education Handbook.
In the new curriculum, the integration of the basic, biological, behavioral, and clinical
sciences into the first two years will be integral to the process. Some lecture time will be
reserved for the basic sciences; for example, the steroid biochemistry lecture will be
preserved in teaching reproduction. Each clinical case will be edited by basic science
faculty so basic science questions can be integrated into the cases. In the past, we have
taught the sciences and sought out clinical examples to illustrate concepts. In the new
curriculum, the clinical presentations will drive the basic sciences. If a patient presents
with lower back pain, the student will learn the basic science that relates to the pain issue.
We are also converting basic science material to online formats, as another way to
supplement teaching.
Affiliation agreements have been secured with Kennedy Memorial Hospitals-University
Medical Center at Stratford, Cherry Hill and Washington Township; Our Lady of Lourdes
Medical Center in Camden; Christ Hospital in Jersey City and Barnert Hospital in
Paterson, New Jersey, in accordance with established UMDNJ policies. The course
director of each clinical course taught at clinical affiliates is a full-time, part-time, or
volunteer faculty member of UMDNJ-SOM.
The UMDNJ-SOM clerkship directors are affiliated with the Kennedy Health System,
which is comprised of three hospitals and numerous ambulatory health centers and
services throughout southern New Jersey. Most third year rotations include one or more
segments at a Kennedy Health System hospital and/or center. Students are directly
supervised by UMDNJ-SOM faculty, or by preceptors affiliated with the hospital. Many
of these preceptors are voluntary faculty members. The Department of Family Medicine
oversees a preceptor program which begins in the first year and continues into the third
41
Standard 6.4
Exhibit 85
Courses in the
present curriculum
Exhibit 86
Current First Year
Schedule
Exhibit 87
Current Second
Year Schedule
Standard 6.5
Exhibit 88
3C Curriculum
Schedule
Standard 6.9
Standard 6.10
year clerkship. This group of preceptors includes both full-time and community-based
faculty members who have been specially trained for this program.
Third-year students also spend time in ambulatory settings. Some are based at UMDNJSOM sites, such as the New Jersey Institute for Successful Aging and the CARES
Institute at UMDNJ-SOM. Others may be community based, at individual physicians’
offices, the Camden County Health Services Center or one of New Jersey’s Area Health
Education Centers. Students may complete their Radiology rotation at an out-of-system
site. Third year students complete rotations in Family Medicine, Geriatrics, Internal
Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, Radiology and Surgery.
Most rotations require students to spend a portion of their time in a hospital setting and
the other part in an ambulatory setting. Fourth year students are required to complete two
rotations in Family Medicine, one in Emergency Medicine, and two rotations in Medicine,
Family Medicine or Surgical Specialty. They also complete five elective rotations.
The responsibility for developing learning objectives in the present curriculum has been
delegated by the Curriculum Committee to the course and clerkship directors. Substantive
changes are reviewed by the Curriculum Committee. These goals are articulated to the
faculty, house staff and students via the student handbook and materials are distributed to
the students at the beginning of courses and clerkships.
The Deans and faculty create clearly defined goals, plans and objectives against which
educational outcomes can be evaluated. These goals, plans and objectives are reviewed in
terms of their congruence with the university mission. Statements of desired educational
objectives are created for specific competencies, for courses and for the degree program.
Faculty, along with the Assistant Dean for Education and Curriculum, choose measures
for determining whether students have achieved agreed upon expectations. These
decisions are often made based on the recommended evaluation tools in the ACGME
toolbox.
Standard 6.6
Standard 6.7
Exhibit 89
Current
Course Syllabi
Exhibit 2
UMDNJ Strategic
Plan Completed
2004
Each course is developed by a course director who works with department members to
write objectives consistent with the mission of UMDNJ-SOM. The course director is
responsible for the successful delivery of the course. Course objectives are approved by
the department chair of the course and the academic dean. The objectives are presented in
the Student Handbook which each student receives. At the beginning of each course, the
course director presents students with a copy of the course objectives, the evaluation
procedures and the syllabus. The syllabus contains course requirements, reading
assignments, textbooks, lab assignments, evaluation criteria, clinical responsibilities, core
clinical skills to be learned, presentation and report assignments, and community service
requirements.
The School utilizes the following methods of assessment of student learning outcomes:
course and clinical evaluation forms; written examinations, lab exercises, practical skills
tests, small group discussions; NBOME subject Exams-administered regularly throughout
the curriculum; formative essays and class presentations; extensive use of a state-of-the
art Standardized Patient Laboratory and formative evaluation through this medium;
summative clinical skills examinations in the Standardized Patient Laboratory;
standardized patient assessment of students in the SP lab; completion of a final
examination in the SP Lab that must be passed before students begin hospital rotations;
42
Standard 6.8, 6.8.1
and practical examinations by direct faculty observation of manual medicine techniques.
The Assessment Subcommittee is reviewing assessment tools currently used in clinical
and preclinical training. With continued faculty development, faculty members will fine
tune their skills in classroom assessment techniques and formative evaluation.
Comprehensive Osteopathic Integrated Learning Scenarios (COILS) have been developed
by faculty to integrate manual manipulation into third and fourth year clerkships. Alumni
surveys have been administered every other year beginning in 2000 to assess how
graduates rate the training they received at UMDNJ-SOM to prepare them for their
current level of practice and to address the health needs of their patients. Alumni are also
asked to list major strengths and weaknesses of the four-year medical school program.
UMDNJ-SOM has developed the new, competency based 3C Curriculum for the class
entering in August 2005. The curriculum is based on the Seven Competencies of the
American Osteopathic Association. Seven subcommittees of the faculty, one for each
competency, have developed the learning objectives in each competency domain. Ninetysix people, the vast majority faculty members, participated in the process. These learning
objectives were distributed to the entire faculty for comment.
UMDNJ-SOM is utilizing a two year implementation program for these new
competencies. The OMM curriculum is switching to a competency-based format in
academic year 2005-2006. Medical knowledge, Interpersonal Communication, Practice
Based Learning, & Patient Care Competencies began in August 2005 (Class of 2009)
within the structure of the existing curriculum. Practice Based Learning is being
implemented in Community Medicine (Year One), Interpersonal Communication in
Introduction to Patient Dynamics (Year Two) and Patient Care in Physical Diagnosis
(Year Two). The Professionalism and Systems Based Practice competencies are being
implemented in the entire 3C Curriculum.
UMDNJ-SOM does not require affiliation agreements when students complete elective
rotations at out-of-system sites. When other sites require an affiliation agreement in order
for our students to complete a rotation, we complete a “Memorandum of Understanding,”
which identifies the mutual responsibilities and expectations of UMDNJ and the outside
educational site. The Memorandum of Understanding is signed by administrators from
both institutions.
The UMDNJ-SOM Curriculum Committee reviews the training criteria for clinical
clerkships to ensure that the school’s mission and objectives are met. Since all core
rotations are offered in-system, there is close departmental supervision of each clerkship’s
curriculum. Each clerkship has goals and objectives that are regularly reviewed by the
department. The Education Handbook contains a description of each of the clerkship’s
goals and objectives. A great strength of UMDNJ-SOM is that all core clerkship directors
and department chairs are full-time faculty members who teach at our affiliate sites. Any
volunteer faculty members report to the clerkship directors and/or department chairs.
Since the UMDNJ-SOM students are able to be accommodated for their core clerkship
training at our affiliated institutions, their education is supervised by UMDNJ-SOM fulltime, paid faculty.
43
Exhibit 90
COILS
Standard 6.8
Standard 6.8.1
Exhibit 91
Competencies for
3C Curriculum
Standard 6.9
Appendix 14
Clerkship Adequacy
Model
Because of the strength and depth of the affiliate system, UMDNJ-SOM is able to offer
clinical instruction at our own affiliate sites. Distant or regional campuses are not used
for core rotations. The faculty members who teach the students during their core
clerkships are either employees of UMDNJ-SOM, or report to UMDNJ-SOM faculty.
Thus, planning and implementation is conducted by approved faculty.
Standard 6.10
To enable students to evaluate clinical rotations and classroom courses, UMDNJ-SOM
now uses an online evaluation form. To insure anonymity, students are given code
numbers instead of names on the forms and the identity of the code numbers are known
only to Academic Affairs staff. As of Spring 2004, these forms can be completed by
students from any computer station.
Standard 6.11
All core clerkships have added validated assessment tools to the clinical evaluation forms.
These tools include NBOME shelf examinations, multiple choice examinations, essays,
case presentations or structured oral examinations. Preceptors, attending physicians or
residents, complete the evaluation forms. In addition, an exit interview with the clerkship
director and student is expected for all core rotations. A process for student challenges of
clinical evaluations and the clinical evaluation forms are outlined in the Student Education
Handbook.
Standard 6.13
Standard 6.12
UMDNJ-SOM has always done a great amount of assessment of both students and
programs. It became evident during this self-study and the recent Middle States self-study
that the school did not have a formal, written assessment plan, although the components
of such a plan are in place. At its May 19, 2005 meeting, the UMDNJ-SOM Curriculum
Committee approved the formation of an Assessment Subcommittee with the following
charge: to find evidence for congruence between the institution's stated mission, goals and
objectives and the actual outcomes of its programs and activities and to assemble and
analyze the information in order to improve teaching and learning.
It was decided that the Assessment Subcommittee would assess the current status of
student and institutional academic assessment, write the UMDNJ-SOM Assessment Plan,
develop tools to feedback results to the faculty, apply techniques of continuous quality
improvement to assessment efforts at UMDNJ-SOM, report Monthly to the Curriculum
Committee and complete an annual report on Student and Institutional Assessment. The
recently completed first draft of the UMDNJ-SOM Assessment Plan is Appendix 15.
Results from student evaluations of clerkships are shared with both the Clerkship
Directors and the Department Chairs at the end of each academic year. Information from
the evaluations is used annually to adjust and improve the clerkships. The Assistant Dean
for Education and Curriculum prepares an annual report for the Dean about the
educational contributions of each department. This report includes these clerkship
evaluations and reports on COMLEX scores by discipline. The report is used by the Dean
and Chairs to measure the educational contributions of faculty members on the annual
performance appraisal.
44
Appendix 15
UMDNJ-SOM
Assessment Plan
Standard 6.14
CHAPTER V
EXCELLENCE IN RESEARCH
SCHOLARLY ACTIVITIES
“The UMDNJ-School of Osteopathic Medicine is among the top osteopathic schools
in the country in terms of their research enterprise and federal funding …its main
contribution has been training physicians for Southern New Jersey…this is a critical
contribution to the health care needs of the state.”
New Jersey Commission on Health Science, Education and Training
Final Report—October 2002
UMDNJ-SOM is committed to the advancement of knowledge through research and
education and to the ongoing development of osteopathic medicine through scientific
research. Towards this end, UMDNJ-SOM has undertaken, as part of its strategic plan,
the continuous recruitment of respected and highly motivated research faculty to provide
the core of the research leadership for the institution. The school’s strategic goals are to
increase extramural funding for research as well as to increase funding for education and
training.
AOA Standards
Standard 7.1
Consistent with research goals outlined by NIH, UMDNJ-SOM seeks to translate research
into practice and encourages collaborations and partnerships at all levels. Its strategic
planning efforts are directed at increasing clinical trials and clinically-related research
projects; expanding research training and education; increasing the number of
publications, poster presentations and abstracts; and fostering the pursuit of training grants
by clinical departments. Faculty is actively engaged in mentoring students and promoting
both independent and collaborative interdisciplinary research.
Research has been identified as an institutional priority for the school. Over the past ten
years, UMDNJ-SOM has developed a solid research presence. Current faculty has
approximately 93 extramurally funded projects totaling more than 11 million dollars
annually. UMDNJ-SOM faculty has competed successfully for extramural funding from
federal, state, volunteer health agencies and foundations. UMDNJ-SOM is the leader,
among all osteopathic colleges of medicine, in NIH research dollars, having increased its
research dollars from NIH nearly 48 percent since 1998. Over the past 20 years, UMDNJSOM has never ranked lower than third among osteopathic medical schools in NIHfunded research. The School does a large amount of scholarly research as well.
SOM has committed to filling vacant research faculty lines; increasing extramural grant
support; increasing participation in clinical drug trials; and developing a plan for utilizing
tenured faculty to further research, education and training initiatives. A plan to identify
and implement opportunities for research training and education by clinicians and house
staff was implemented and is ongoing. Research and scholarly pursuits are identified as
faculty goals and are reviewed as part of the annual performance appraisal process. As
with all academic medical centers, clinical and research financial demands on faculty
compete with educational needs. Ongoing faculty development programs offered through
the Department of Medicine and the New Jersey Institute for Successful Aging, focus on
the development of research skills and serve as research enhancement opportunities for
faculty.
45
Appendix 2
NIH Ranking
The creation of “centers of excellence” that have evolved into statewide Institutes (e.g.,
the CARES Institute at UMDNJ-SOM and the evolving NJ Institute for Successful
Aging), support the mission of education, research, clinical and community service, and
foster interdisciplinary collaboration and development of partnerships for research and
education. In 2005, the New Jersey Department of Human Services (DHS) committed
$1.5 million to UMDNJ-SOM’s Center for Children’s Support to help establish the
CARES (Child Abuse Research Education and Service) Institute of UMDNJ-SOM to
create protocols for treating abused children at four regional diagnostic treatment centers.
The CARES Institute at UMDNJ-SOM was designated by the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services as one of only three exemplary programs in the nation for sciencebased mental health treatment services. Philadelphia Magazine chose the University
Headache Center, the Center for Children’s Support, now the CARES Institute at
UMDNJ-SOM, and the NJ Institute for Successful Aging as among the brightest centers
of excellence for health care services in the Delaware Valley.
UMDNJ-SOM faculty members from all clinical departments and centers, students,
residents, and fellows, are actively involved in a broad spectrum of clinical research. A
number of faculty are engaged in research related to osteopathic principles and practices.
These have included studies investigating the effectiveness of osteopathic manipulative
medicine in irritable bowel syndrome, emphysema and chronic bronchitis, pneumonia,
infection, back pain, chronic headache, carpal tunnel, chronic pain, acute sinusitis,
premenstrual syndrome, congestive heart failure, and falls prevention. In addition,
biopsychosocial studies investigating the impact of osteopathic philosophy on outcomes as
well as attitudes and practice patterns have been conducted in such areas as osteoporosis
prevention, health promotion/disease prevention, hospice and end of life care, physician
assisted suicide and other ethical issues. This track record of osteopathic related research,
many of which have been extramurally funded, has precipitated UMDNJ-SOM’s invitation
to participate as one of five sites nationally in the Multi-Center Osteopathic Pneumonia
Study in the Elderly (MOPSE), which is regarded in the profession as a high profile,
groundbreaking endeavor.
UMDNJ-SOM offers several unique options for students seeking to pursue careers in
biomedical research or teaching graduate studies. The Graduate School at UMDNJ-SOM
offers 31 independent graduate level courses leading to the Masters of Science, plus a
multidisciplinary Masters of Biomedical Sciences, a Ph.D. and a combined D.O. /Ph.D.
degree program. The joint DO/PhD degree is offered through an interdepartmental
program in the Departments of Cell Biology and Molecular Biology. Students are
required to complete 40 credit hours of coursework and 40 credit hours of thesis research,
including a written dissertation, public defense and final oral examination, and are under
the direction of a faculty research mentor.
These programs endeavor to build a cadre of osteopathic faculty with backgrounds in
research who can advance scientific research in the profession and they provide students
with opportunities to interact with those carrying out research and exposure to rapidly
changing advances in their fields, since one of UMDNJ-SOM’s current challenges is that
there is no biometrics department to support statistical analysis and methodological
design.
46
Exhibit 35
Faculty
Publications
Standard 7.1
UMDNJ-SOM is one of only eight medical schools in the country to win a “Caring for
Community” grant award in June 2004 from the Association of American Medical
Colleges (AAMC), in collaboration with the Pfizer Medical Humanities Initiative for the
student run free Camden Saturday Health Clinic (CSHC). The primary goal of the clinic,
which was founded by UMDNJ-SOM students, is to provide urgent, primary and
preventative health care, as well as health education to the medically underserved
population in Camden, New Jersey.
From 1998 to 2005, UMDNJ-SOM demonstrated an increasing commitment to
strengthening its research component. A new science center addition of 21,000 square
feet was completed in 2004, expanding clinical laboratories and basic science research
space to a total of 95,000 square feet. These facilities support faculty and student research
and are a key feature used in recruitment of research faculty to the SOM campus. In 2004,
an endowed Chair was directed to aging research to spearhead the development of
research through the NJ Institute for Successful Aging. In addition, the 2005 award of an
endowed chair for primary care research, from the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation, will
foster osteopathic and aging-related research projects and provide opportunities for
faculty and students to pursue independent and collaborative research interests within a
mentored environment. The creation of this research infrastructure will provide UMDNJSOM with the momentum to realize its strategic goal for research and will benefit the
osteopathic profession, the university, UMDNJ-SOM, its faculty and its students.
The UMDNJ strategic plan indicates the institutional commitment to the conduct of
biomedical, psychosocial, clinical and public health research. There are good support
systems in the University system including IST, statistical software packages, library
electronic journal selection with broad spectrum access across disciplines, access to
faculty and resources in other schools for presentations and involvement by various
disciplines in research. The UMDNJ Office of Research, created by action of the Board of
Trustees in late 1998, is charged with expanding and developing research at UMDNJ to
its full potential by creating a research-friendly environment at UMDNJ; assisting faculty
in identifying internal and external sources of support for research; marketing the clinical
and basic research capabilities to appropriate industrial partners; and working with the
Research Deans of the eight schools to create competitive new research programs and
initiatives across departments and schools.
Recent completion of a 21,000 square foot laboratory addition to the Science Center, the
recruitment of a permanent Chairman of Cell Biology, the recruitment of a University
Professor as Director of Research for the NJ Institute for Successful Aging and the current
and future recruitment of both basic science and other research faculty, will significantly
strengthen our existing research faculty and programs. UMDNJ-SOM’s Director of
Clinical Trials has been working with clinicians and industry to expand opportunities for
clinical drug trials. Relationships with pharmaceutical companies present opportunities to
yield increased clinical trial activity. Ongoing New Jersey legal issues regarding research
consent in cognitively impaired individuals across settings impedes the school’s ability to
engage in research or pursue opportunities for research with this population.
Opportunities do, however, exist to increase resource sharing and collaboration among
universities to support research. The Dean and other school leaders are working with
legislators to promote reasonable human subjects protections policies in NJ for
47
Standard 7.1
individuals who are incapacitated to enable them to participate in research. Educational
research on competencies and outcomes may be driven by the new curriculum and
education and training grants. Federal grant funding currently supports faculty
development in research; however, continuing threats to Title VII funding and the general
volatility of federal funding for research projects, make higher education institutions, such
as UMDNJ-SOM, currently funded, vulnerable and subject to these shifts.
The New Jersey Institute for Successful Aging will promote collaborative research and
form educational and research partnerships to advance the research mission in a vibrant,
interdisciplinary environment. These investments in the research enterprise will establish
a critical mass of funded scientists that will enable us to significantly advance the school’s
research and teaching missions. New faculty will bring new research programs,
complement and expand already existing programs, energize the growth of the graduate
school and enhance the collaborative research opportunities for clinical faculty and
students.
UMDNJ-SOM was recently invited by Rutgers University to collaborate on a proposal to
the Federal Economic Development Administration to create a high technology business
incubator in Camden, New Jersey, with an emphasis on small biotech startups that will
stimulate the development of new business, jobs and economic development in the
Camden and the Southern New Jersey region. UMDNJ-SOM is the partner for the wet
labs floor designed to support biomedical and life sciences research. The wet lab research
space will be managed by UMDNJ-SOM’s Department of Research.
UMDNJ-SOM strives to create an environment that is intellectually challenging and
supports the spirit of inquiry among its students, creating opportunities for students to
interact with academicians in a variety of scholarly pursuits. This occurs through
participation in faculty research/scholarly activities, through teaching, and through the
delivery of health care. A healthy research environment requires standards and guidelines
to maintain ethical and responsible conduct and business and research integrity. A
university-wide Compliance Program for HIPAA defines and governs the conduct of all
employees. Guidelines for Scientific Research are in place and serve to reinforce
principles of academic scholarship and research and educate students and new
researchers. The University’s Policy on Misconduct in Science maintains the integrity of
the research process and practices, serving established researchers by providing a
framework for tailoring department-specific guidelines and supporting them in their roles
as mentors.
To fulfill the mandate of a Federal Wide Assurance filed with the federal Office of
Human Research Protections, UMDNJ has pledged to ensure that the conduct of human
subjects’ research, under the auspices of the University, shall meet all Federal and
Institutional requirements for human subject protection. UMDNJ and UMDNJ-SOM
adhere to the highest ethical standards, through established policies and procedures
governing compliance and training in protection of human subjects. Under the direction
of the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Deans of all UMDNJ schools, Vice
Presidents of patient care units, and all Research Deans are required to implement and
ensure compliance with University policy on human subjects’ research. To maintain
organizational ethics and integrity, all applications for funds for research, educational and
service grants, subgrants, contracts, subcontracts and cooperative agreements must be
48
Standard 7.1
Exhibit 92
Policy on
Misconduct in
Science
accompanied by a Financial Disclosure Form signed by all participating faculty, declaring
any real or potential financial conflict of interest.
In the fall of 2000, UMDNJ instituted a Human Subjects Protections Program, as part of
its ongoing commitment to the protection of subject volunteers enrolled in research
studies conducted by faculty, students and staff. The program was implemented in
January of 2001 and designed as a tertiary program of education and training, Institutional
Review Board (IRB) review and continued monitoring and observation of ongoing
research studies. The University Office of Human Subjects Protections currently resides
within the UMDNJ Office of Academic Affairs/Office of the Vice President for Research.
Services provided by the three campus IRB systems (Newark, New Brunswick, Stratford)
include campus education, pre-review of research protocols involving human subjects,
advisement of new programs at the planning phase, program review and review of
potential collaborative relationships by faculty.
Standard 7.1
The Office of Human Subjects Protections has the responsibility to assure that UMDNJ
fulfills its institutional responsibilities for the conduct of research involving human
participants, as required by the campus assurances filed with the Federal Health and
Human Services’ Office for Human Research Protection(OHRP), as well as our
regulatory responsibilities with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), New Jersey
State law and sponsor requirements. The Executive Director of the Office of Human
Subjects Protections acts as the primary educator for all faculty, students, staff and IRB
members in the principles and ethics of human subject protections. This individual also
acts as the liaison with federal regulatory officials, university administration, the Dean of
each school or oversight unit, the hospital bioethics committees and a resource for our
affiliates.
Mandatory education in the ethics and practical application of the principles of human
subjects’ protection was implemented in July of 2001 and is monitored via the IRB
approval process. UMDNJ also maintains an Office of Business Conduct that has an
established Compliance Program to define and govern conduct expected of employees, to
provide guidance on resolution of questions related to business conduct and ethical issues,
and to establish a mechanism for employees to report possible violations. Ethical
principles and integrity apply to all levels of University involvement, including basic and
clinical research and day-to-day business. Staff and faculty are required to complete
compliance training and human subjects’ protection training programs that are offered
online through the WebCT program. These include training in the following: HIPAA
and HIPAA Security; Compliance Education Program (corporate compliance); EMTALA
(Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act); Documentation Guidelines for Teaching
Physicians; and Research Training and Education (RITE).
Additional trainings (e.g., IRB Facts and FAQs; Investigators and the IRB: Partners in
Research; Communicating with the IRB: Forms, Forms, Forms; Expedited and Exempt
IRB Review; Boot Camp for Clinical Researchers on industry-sponsored clinical drug
trials; and Writing and Editing Informed Consent Documents) are conducted periodically
throughout the year.
The Research Animal Facility at UMDNJ-SOM is organized and maintained as a centrally
operated and controlled facility for animal husbandry, research and surgery. The facility is
49
Exhibit 93
HIPAA
Compliance
Training
located on the first floor of the Science Center and occupies approximately 8,000 square
feet comprising rooms for animal housing, isolation and quarantine, necropsy/laboratory,
cage washing, surgical prep, scrub and operating rooms. The Research Animal Facility is
USDA approved and fully accredited by the Association for Assessment and
Accreditation for Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC), International. The Research
Animal Facility is under the administration of a Director holding a D.V.M degree. He has
specific training in laboratory medicine and has acted as the Attending Veterinarian at
SOM for fifteen years.
Research infrastructure moves beyond the physical facilities to include a comprehensive
administrative and committee structure to monitor and review all research activities and
provide the support needed to faculty and students engaged in research endeavors.
Summary
UMDNJ-SOM strives for excellence in its daily work, continuously improving from
intrinsic goodness to overall greatness in all of its endeavors. Building on the rich heritage
of the osteopathic profession, the school challenges its students and faculty to pursue new
and creative approaches to addressing the health care needs of the diverse population it
serves. UMDNJ-SOM continues to be a national leader in the education and training of
primary care physicians devoted to excellence in their profession. As a comprehensive
educational, clinical resource and training center for students, faculty, physicians and
health service providers in the region, its research is of national and international
significance. In fulfilling its mission, to educate physicians who practice in the state, it
contributes significant economic and social benefits to the citizens of New Jersey.
UMDNJ-SOM takes great pride in its accomplishments, its contributions to New Jersey,
and its ability to meet and exceed the standards put forth by the Council on Osteopathic
College Accreditation for full reaccreditation.
50
Exhibit 94
Vivarium
Accreditation
Standard 7.1
Exhibit 95
NIA-Funded
Student Research
Mini-Grants
Exhibit 96
Summer Student
Research Program
Exhibit 97
Total and
Annualized
Amounts for
Active Funding
Exhibit 98
Clinical Drug
Trials 1998-2005
Exhibit 99
Education and
Training Grants
Exhibit 37
AROC brochures
Exhibit 36
Family Medicine
Board Review
Brochures