Internal Medicine Residency Program

Research Opportunities

Cooper Research Institute

Through basic and clinical research, faculty at Cooper University Hospital are bringing scientific discoveries to life with access to cutting-edge treatments in fields such as cancer, cardiology, critical care, diabetes, and gene therapy.Cooper faculty members currently conduct about 340 National Institutes of Health (NIH) and industry-sponsored clinical trials each year. In South Jersey, many of these are only available in South Jersey at Cooper. The campus now holds about 46 NIH and federal grants and nearly $30,000,000 in aggregate research funding, making it number one among the regional medical campuses in the country. Past research by Cooper faculty has led to new standards of care and novel therapies in fields such as cancer, cardiology, surgery, and orthopaedics.

Coriell Institute of Medical Research

The Coriell Institute for Medical Research is an independent, not-for-profit research organization dedicated to understanding human genetic diseases and providing the highest quality genetic resources. Its affiliation with Cooper University Hospital provides an excellent opportunity to our residents to participate in a variety of basic science research. For more information, click here.

Publications, Abstracts and Presentations

National & Regional Level Research Presentations/Publications

Chaaya A, Kupersmith E, and Comerci T. “Diabetic Myonecrosis: An uncommon complication of a common disease.” (Poster presented in Society of Hospital Medicine 2007)
Chaaya A, Nehme O, Abou Zgheib W, Kannan R, and Surkis W. “PICC line fracture and embolization: An unusual cause of chest pain.” (Poster presented in ACP NJ 2007 and Society of Hospital Medicine 2007)
Pillai A, Yen A, Verma, V, Milcarek B, Kasama, R, and Iliadis, E. “Impact of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors on progression of coronary atherosclerosis in chronic kidney disease.” Poster Presentation: American College of Cardiology 56th Annual Scientific Session. 3/2007. Abstract Publication: Journal of the American College of Cardiology 2007;49: 318A.
Pillai A, Varga P, and Kovacs J. “Detection of congenital coronary artery anomalies with multi-detector computed tomography.” Poster Presentation: 1st Annual Scientific Meeting, Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography and 7th International Conference on Cardiac CT. Abstract Publication: The International Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging. 2006; 22:23.
Shah A, Rider N, Gibbs J, Chegini S, and Craig T. “Perioperative management of hereditary angioedema for coronary artery bypass surgery.” Poster Presentation, American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA, November 9-15, 2006.
Shah A, Shats D, and Rajput V. “Angioedema from angiotensin I-converting enzyme inhibitors may have a genetic basis in African-American families.” Poster Presentation, American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA, February 23-27, 2007.
Shats D, Shah A, and Rajput V. “Angioedema from angiotensin I-converting enzyme inhibitors may have a genetic basis.” Poster Presentation and Clinical Vignette Finalist at the American College of Physicians National Meeting, San Diego, CA, April 19-21, 2007.
Nehme, O, Rachoin, JS, Azar M, Bastien A, Bartter T, and Gross R. “Glycemic control during in-hospital corticosteroid treatment for exacerbation of obstructive airway disease.” Poster Presentation, CHEST Meeting, Salt Lake City, UT, October 2006.
Rachoin, JS, Milcarek, B, Schorr C, Abou-Assi, W and Weisberg L. “Masked impact of kidney injury on outcomes in older critically-ill patients.” Poster Presentation, 39th American Society of Nephrology M, San Diego, CA, November 2006
Lichaa H, Rachoin JS, Rajput V, and Surkis W. “Cefepime: an under-recognized cause of change in mental status.” Poster Presentation, American College of Physician, New Jersey Chapter Scientific Meeting, Iselin, NJ – February 2007 and Poster Presentation, Society of Hospital Medicine’s Annual Meeting, Dallas, TX, May 2007.
Chaaya, A, Rachoin, JS, Cerceo, E, Kupersmith, E, and Newell, G. “Cellulits or DVT: Do any clinical features help differentiate?” Society of Hospital Medicine’s Annual Meeting, Dallas, TX, May 2007.
Gandhi S, Rachoin JS, Cerceo E, Jarbrink-Sehgal ME, Rajput V, and Kupersmith E. “An electronic sign-out system for patients in the hospital: Cumbersome system or effective communication tool?” Society of Hospital Medicine’s Annual Meeting, Dallas, TX, May 2007
Goldfarb RD, Gandhi S, Cinel I, Levine M, Wang Q, Brooks A, and Parrillo JE, “Altered cardiac gene expression during e. coli porcine peritonitis”, Experimental Biology Annual Meeting, 2006.
Lichaa H, Rachoin JS, Rajput V, and Surkis W. “Cefepime: An under-recognized cause of change in mental status.” Winner, First Prize, Clinical Vignette Competition , Society of Hospitalist Medicine National Meeting (SHM), Dallas, TX, May 2007.
Lichaa H, Rachoin JS, Rajput V, and Surkis W. “Cefepime: An under-recognized cause of change in mental status.” Society of General Internal Medicine (SGIM) National Meeting, Bethesda, MD, March 2007.
Lichaa H, Rachoin JS, Rajput V, and Surkis W. “Cefepime: An under-recognized cause of change in mental status.” American College of Physicians (ACP) New Jersey Regional Meeting, Iselin, NJ, February 2007.
Skaff Z, Hannigan K, Hughes S, Atabek U, Shum M, Kankipati S, El-Khoury M and Hageboutros A. “Improved survival in patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer utilizing a multidisciplinary approach.” Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2006 ASCO Annual Meeting Proceedings Part I. Vol 24, No. 18S (June 20 Supplement), 2006: 14130.
Shum M, Bodofsky E, Skaff Z, El-Khoury M, Kankipati S, Dalsania C, Khemka V, Parra R, DiBiase S, and Somer R. “The incidence of prostate cancer in patients under the age of 60 from an urban setting.” Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2006 ASCO Annual Meeting Proceedings Part I, 2006; 24(June 20 Supplement): 14622.

Participants/Topics Presented at Cooper Research Week

The Division of General Internal Medicine had many residents presenting their research during Cooper Research Week in 2007. The following topics were presented:

Residents Topics/Forums

Douglas Beach, MD “Beyond the Graves': Learning history through thyroid Eponyms.”

Ashwini Bhat, MD “Calciphylaxis,” 2 Case Reports

“A novel approach to Gorlin syndrome: “A patient treated with oral capecitabine.”

“Hypercalcemia in a patient with immunodeficiency associated Burkitts lymphoma.”

“Unusual initial presentation of small cell lung cancer.”

“How satisfied are patients with their doctors? –A comparison survey of patient satisfaction with primary care physicians and oncologists.”

Adib Chaaya, MD “Cellulitis or DVT: Do any clinical features differentiate.”

“Diabetic myonecrosis: An uncommon complication of a common disease.”

“Degree of awareness of obesity and its complications among internal medicine residents.”

“Exercise induced purpura: An overlooked entity.”

Ralph Daher, MD “Recurrent intra-peritoneal and intra-intestinal bleeding after laparoscopic cholecystectomy.”

“What is the correction factor of the anion gap in diabetic ketoacidosis.”

Snehal Gandhi, MD “An electronic sign-out system for patients in the hospital, cumbersome system or effective communication too.”

Hady Ghanem, MD “Adenocarcinoma of unknown primary responding to gemcitabine-erlotinib.”

“An unusual presentation of myeloproliferative disorder- myelodysplastic syndrome.”

“Pleuro-cutaneous fistula complicating chest tube insertion for prevotella empyema.”

Hady Lichaa, MD “Cefepime, An under-recognized cause of change in mental status.”

“Case of atrial septal occluder embolization to the abdominal aorta successfully retrieved percutaneously.”

“Femoral Artery Puncture Revisited.”

“Impact of age on hemodynamics in a murine model of sepsis.”

Hiren Patel, MD “A rare, but a treatable cause of ischemic stroke in the elderly, spontaneous vertebral artery dissection.”

Anand Pillai, MD “Detection of congenital coronary artery anomalies with multi detector computed tomography.”

“Impact of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors on progression of coronary atherosclerosis in subjects with chronic kidney disease.” Third Prize, Award: $300

“Seizure induced neurocardiogenic myocardial stunning.”

“Mini-Maze thoracoscopic isolation of pulmonary veins and left atrial appendage excision for atrial fibrillation.”

Jean-Sebastien Rachion, MD “Masked impact of kidney dysfunction on outcomes in critically-ill patients.” Honorable Mention, Award: $100

“Impact of transfusion on onset of nosocomial infection in critically-ill patients.”

“Impact of diabetes mellitus on acute renal failure in hospitalized patients.” Second Prize, Award: $400

Robert Ramirez, DO “An uncommon tumor at an uncommon site: “Two cases of plasmacytomas involving the clivus.”

Maria Jarbrink-Sehgal, MD “Mucinous neoplasm of the appendix.”

“Pancreatic neoplasm in gastric fundus.”

Amit Shah, MD “Angioedema associated with angiotensin I-converting enzyme inhibitors (AE-ACEi) has a genetic predisposition.”

PGY-3 Medicine Residents’ Research Day Presentations – May 17, 2007

Madona Azar, MD “Impact of medical and nursing staff education on quality of diabetes management in a tertiary center coronary care unit.”

Nonye Enyinna, MD “Is osteonecrosis an extra intestinal manifestation of Crohn's disease?”

Snehal Gandhi, MD “Altered cardiac gene expression during e. Coli porcine peritonitis.”

Elii Jarbrink,, MD “Incidence and impact of new onset atrial fibrillation in critically ill septic patients.”

Marjan Koch, MD “Neoadjuvant treatment in inflammatory breast cancer: a comparison of academic vs. community-based institutions.”

Elizabeth Manyara, MD “Care and outcomes of patients with congestive heart failure hospitalized at cooper university hospital and treated by a cardiologist compared with a hospitalist, and a hospitalist with cardiology consultation.”

Jean-Sebastian Rachoin, MD “Masked impact of kidney dysfunction on outcomes in older critically-ill patients.”

Amit Shah, MD “Perioperative management of hereditary angioedema with fresh frozen plasma for coronary artery bypass surgery.”

“Angioedema from angiotensin i-converting enzyme inhibitors may have a genetic basis in African-American families.”

Ziad Skaff, MD
“Improved survival in patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer utilizing a multidisciplinary approach.”

“Determining the role of tnf in acute myelogenous leukemia.”

Thilagavathi Venkatachalam, MD “Patterns of referral for nephrology care and the impact of law to report GFR3.”

CLICK HERE to view and print the complete Internal Medicine residency brochure

Contact Information

Director: Vijay Rajput, M.D., FACP
Associate Program Directors: Anna Headly, M.D., MFA and Antoinette Spevetz, M.D.
Contact: Laura Chropka or Emily Hartsough, Medical Education Coordinators
Phone: 856 -757-7842
Fax: 856 - 968- 9587
Email: Cooper-med-residency@umdnj.edu
Address: Cooper University Hospital, UMDNJ– Robert Wood Johnson Medical School at Camden, 401 Haddon Avenue, E&R Building, 3rd Floor, Camden, NJ 08103

Residents	Topics/Forums

Douglas Beach, MD	“Beyond the Graves': Learning history through thyroid Eponyms.”

Ashwini Bhat, MD	“Calciphylaxis,” 2 Case Reports

	“A novel approach to Gorlin syndrome: “A patient treated with oral capecitabine.”

	“Hypercalcemia in a patient with immunodeficiency associated Burkitts lymphoma.”

	“Unusual initial presentation of small cell lung cancer.”

	“How satisfied are patients with their doctors? –A comparison survey of patient satisfaction with primary care physicians and oncologists.”

Adib Chaaya, MD	“Cellulitis or DVT: Do any clinical features differentiate.”

	“Diabetic myonecrosis: An uncommon complication of a common disease.”

	“Degree of awareness of obesity and its complications among internal medicine residents.”

	“Exercise induced purpura: An overlooked entity.”

Ralph Daher, MD	“Recurrent intra-peritoneal and intra-intestinal bleeding after laparoscopic cholecystectomy.”

	“What is the correction factor of the anion gap in diabetic ketoacidosis.”

Snehal Gandhi, MD	“An electronic sign-out system for patients in the hospital, cumbersome system or effective communication too.”

Hady Ghanem, MD	“Adenocarcinoma of unknown primary responding to gemcitabine-erlotinib.”

	“An unusual presentation of myeloproliferative disorder- myelodysplastic syndrome.”

	“Pleuro-cutaneous fistula complicating chest tube insertion for prevotella empyema.”


Hady Lichaa, MD	“Cefepime, An under-recognized cause of change in mental status.”

	“Case of atrial septal occluder embolization to the abdominal aorta successfully retrieved percutaneously.”

	“Femoral Artery Puncture Revisited.”

	“Impact of age on hemodynamics in a murine model of sepsis.”

Hiren Patel, MD	“A rare, but a treatable cause of ischemic stroke in the elderly, spontaneous vertebral artery dissection.”

Anand Pillai, MD	“Detection of congenital coronary artery anomalies with multi detector computed tomography.”

	“Impact of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors on progression of coronary atherosclerosis in subjects with chronic kidney disease.” Third Prize, Award: $300

	“Seizure induced neurocardiogenic myocardial stunning.”

	“Mini-Maze thoracoscopic isolation of pulmonary veins and left atrial appendage excision for atrial fibrillation.”

Jean-Sebastien Rachion, MD	“Masked impact of kidney dysfunction on outcomes in critically-ill patients.” Honorable Mention, Award: $100

	“Impact of transfusion on onset of nosocomial infection in critically-ill patients.”

	“Impact of diabetes mellitus on acute renal failure in hospitalized patients.” Second Prize, Award: $400

Robert Ramirez, DO	“An uncommon tumor at an uncommon site: “Two cases of plasmacytomas involving the clivus.”

Maria Jarbrink-Sehgal, MD	“Mucinous neoplasm of the appendix.”

	“Pancreatic neoplasm in gastric fundus.”

Amit Shah, MD	“Angioedema associated with angiotensin I-converting enzyme inhibitors (AE-ACEi) has a genetic predisposition.”

Madona Azar, MD	“Impact of medical and nursing staff education on quality of diabetes management in a tertiary center coronary care unit.”

Nonye Enyinna, MD	“Is osteonecrosis an extra intestinal manifestation of Crohn's disease?”

Snehal Gandhi, MD	“Altered cardiac gene expression during e. Coli porcine peritonitis.”

Elii Jarbrink,, MD	“Incidence and impact of new onset atrial fibrillation in critically ill septic patients.”

Marjan Koch, MD	“Neoadjuvant treatment in inflammatory breast cancer: a comparison of academic vs. community-based institutions.”

Elizabeth Manyara, MD	“Care and outcomes of patients with congestive heart failure hospitalized at cooper university hospital and treated by a cardiologist compared with a hospitalist, and a hospitalist with cardiology consultation.”
Jean-Sebastian Rachoin, MD	“Masked impact of kidney dysfunction on outcomes in older critically-ill patients.”

Amit Shah, MD	“Perioperative management of hereditary angioedema with fresh frozen plasma for coronary artery bypass surgery.”

	“Angioedema from angiotensin i-converting enzyme inhibitors may have a genetic basis in African-American families.”

Ziad Skaff, MD	“Improved survival in patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer utilizing a multidisciplinary approach.”

	“Determining the role of tnf in acute myelogenous leukemia.”

Thilagavathi Venkatachalam, MD	“Patterns of referral for nephrology care and the impact of law to report GFR3.”