Rowan’s two medical schools welcome more than 300 new doctors-in-training for 2021-22 academic year

Camden and Stratford, NJ -- The academic year began over the summer at Rowan University’s two medical schools, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University (CMSRU) and Rowan School of Osteopathic Medicine (RowanSOM).

RowanSOM welcomed its students in mid-July, and CMSRU students began during the second week of August. Both schools held a series of Orientation activities that were designed to not only give students a sense of what’s to come throughout the course of their medical education, but to also provide an opportunity to meet fellow classmates, faculty and staff. Third and fourth year students, who are in the clinical phase of their education, began their academic year in July at both schools.

One hundred eleven (111) new medical students joined the 333 students already enrolled at CMSRU. They hail from 32 states around the country, including 80 students (72 percent) from New Jersey.

At RowanSOM, 221 students are part of the Class of 2025, bringing enrollment at RowanSOM to 850. Sixty-nine percent of the new class is from New Jersey, including 25 percent who call South Jersey home.

Unlike last year, student orientation was live and in-person at both medical schools. Classes and lectures will be in person, with virtual options only implemented if dictated by the pandemic. Facemasks have been required at both schools since the academic year started.

“We are so happy that our building is once again a bustling with students, faculty and staff,” said Annette C. Reboli, MD, dean of CMSRU. “While the pandemic is not yet behind us, I am confident that the high vaccination rate at our school – with 100 percent of our students vaccinated -- coupled with the safety measures we’ve put in place, like mask mandates, will allow us to continue to educate our students in person throughout the year.”

Thomas Cavalieri, DO, dean of RowanSOM, shares Dean Reboli’s enthusiasm about holding in-person classes, events and activities.  “It’s been more than a year since the campus had this level of activity, and we are happy that our students have the opportunity to enjoy the campus, and connect with one another and the faculty and sta­ff in-person,” he said.

Rowan is one of the only schools in the nation that has two medical schools. By educating the next generation of doctors, these two medical schools are helping to significantly repopulate the physician workforce in the state, the region and the nation.