Two Research Studies Emerges as Overall Best Among Monmouth Medical Center Resident Physicians

Two studies by resident physicians at Monmouth Medical Center received top honors in the 2014 Ellen M. Cosgrove, M.D., Housestaff Research Awards competition.

The annual review rewards excellence in scholarly activity in 14 categories among Monmouth’s 107 physicians-in-training.

“The research competition provides an opportunity for our resident and attending physicians to work together to develop habits of inquiry, learn to evaluate research findings and gain new knowledge in a wide range of medical and surgical areas,”” says Joseph Jaeger, chief academic officer at Monmouth, which is a major regional medical campus of Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia. “The awards recognize the fact that we’re all dedicated to enhancing this collaborative environment among our physicians, which promotes both academic and clinical growth.”

Sharing the coveted Award for Overall Excellence were: Orthopedic surgery residents Adil Samad, M.D., and Alexander Willis, M.D., for “Radiographic Fusion of Mulit-Level Anterior Cervical Decompression and Fusion with PEEK Interbody Implants and Local Autograft,”” — a study that also was honored with the F&J Orthopaedic Award. Mentoring and co-authoring the study were spine surgeons Steve J. Paragioudakis, M.D., program director for Orthopaedic Surgery, and Jason D. Cohen, M.D., chairman of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, and radiologist Andrew Kwak, M.D.

Pediatrics resident Jigar Chauhan, M.D., for “Improvement in the Timing of Administration of Antibiotics to Neonates with Suspected Sepsis.” Mentoring and co-authoring the study was pediatrician Richard DeGroote, M.D., director of pediatric inpatient services for The Unterberg Children’s Hospital.

About Monmouth Medical Center 
Located in Long Branch, N.J., Monmouth Medical Center, a Barnabas Health facility, along with The Unterberg Children’s Hospital at Monmouth Medical Center, is one of New Jersey's largest teaching hospitals and has been an affiliate of Philadelphia’s Drexel University College of Medicine for more than 40 years. From its earliest days, Monmouth Medical Center has been a leader in surgical advancement and has introduced many technological firsts to the region, including robotic surgery and other minimally invasive techniques. The hospital is routinely recognized by HealthGrades, the nation’s largest premier independent health care quality company, for excellence in both emergency medicine and maternity care. U.S. News & World Report has recognized Monmouth as a regional leader in cancer, geriatrics, gynecology, neurology and neurosurgery. For more information on Monmouth Medical Center, visitwww.barnabashealth.org/monmouth.