2005 Examination Dates and Test Centers, 2004 Pisacano Scholars

2004 PISACANO SCHOLARS

The Pisacano Leadership Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the American Board of Family Medicine, recently selected its Pisacano Scholars “Class of 2004.” These 5 medical students follow in the footsteps of 46 scholar alumni who are practicing physicians and 20 current scholars who are attending medical school or are enrolled in family medicine residencies across the country. Since its founding 1993, the Pisacano Leadership Foundation has selected students who exhibit the qualities that typify the vision and legacy of Nicholas J. Pisacano, MD, the ABFM’s founder and first executive director. Each Pisacano Scholar has demonstrated the highest level of scholarship, leadership, character, interpersonal skills and community service.

Molly Cohen, a 2004 Pisacano Scholar, is a fourth-year medical student at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (UMDNJ). She received her BA in Biology at Rutgers College, graduating with highest honors from the General Honors Program. Molly was one of 11 Rutgers sophomores accepted into a 7-year joint BA/MD program through Rutgers University and Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, completing her first year of medical school during her junior and senior years of college. She was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Eta Sigma national honor societies and was a member of the dean’s list all 8 semesters at Rutgers. Upon graduation, Molly was awarded the S. Oakley Van Der Poel Award. During medical school, as the Homeless Project Coordinator for the Homeless and Indigent Population Healthcare Outreach Project (HIPHOP), Molly founded “Project HIPHOP,” a program that provides medical students and physician assistant students with general volunteer opportunities in the New Brunswick community. In 2003, Molly was elected to the position of Student Director of the Healthcare Outreach Project (HOP) Clinic at UMDNJ, overseeing 47 student doctors who are the primary service providers for the clinic’s uninsured patients, and helped obtain full coverage for the clinic’s patients. In recognition of her work at the clinic, Molly received the AAFP Student Community Outreach Award at the 2004 National Convention. Molly looks forward to opening her own practice in an urban underserved area to combine physical healing with psychological and social care as a means of providing holistic treatment for her patients.

Jessica Dingman, a 2004 Pisacano Scholar, is a fourth-year medical student at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. She graduated magna cum laude from the University of Notre Dame with a BA in Anthropology. Jessica was named a Notre Dame Scholar during her freshman year and was a member of the dean’s honor list all semesters in college. Jessica also volunteered in her community at a hospital and health clinic as a patient advocate. She was awarded the John R. Tobin Scholarship earlier this year and was also recently inducted into Alpha Sigma Nu, a National Jesuit Honor Society, reserved for no more than 4% of the class. Jessica is currently the student president of the Illinois Academy of Family Physicians, serving on 2 of its committees. She is also the student membership liaison for the American Academy of Family Physicians and the secretary for Loyola’s class of 2005. During the summer between her first and second year of medical school, Jessica participated in a medical mission trip to Haiti. As a family physician, Jessica envisions herself practicing the full spectrum of patient care while continuing to volunteer time at free clinics, or incorporating care for the underinsured into her own practice.

James Dolan, a 2004 Pisacano Scholar, is a fourth-year medical student at the University of Michigan (UM) Medical School. He also completed his undergraduate studies at UM, graduating with a double major in history and French. James has been accepted into an MPH program at UM’s School of Public Health. Before beginning medical school, James traveled internationally for 11 years as a teacher and as a volunteer and employee for Habitat for Humanity and served as a coach for a number of high school and youth soccer teams. He has led 3 Habitat for Humanity work teams on international service projects. James most recently worked in Costa Rica for 2 years as a community development consultant for Habitat for Humanity. As a medical student, James cochaired the La Mesa Redonda, which is a group of medical students interested in furthering their spoken Spanish abilities. In addition, James volunteered with 2 migrant clinics. He participated in a mission trip to a hospital in Haiti, winning the inaugural Midwest Medwar with his team. Most recently, James started a wilderness medicine student interest group. As a family physician, James envisions working internationally in a capacity that will allow him to fulfill his humanitarian mission.

Oswaldo Grenardo, a 2004 Pisacano Scholar, is a fourth-year medical student at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Oswaldo graduated from Stanford University with a BA in Human Biology, where he also earned a full football scholarship. He received a master’s degree in Health Administration and an MBA from the University of Colorado. Immediately after college, Oswaldo and a partner started their own business, managing more than 30 employees. Oswaldo also created an annual alumni basketball tournament, providing scholarship money to underprivileged high school students. As the president of the Colorado Minority Health Forum, Oswaldo helped the Forum position itself to be the state leader in terms of promoting diversity in health care. In recognition of these efforts, he was named to 2 prestigious committees that were chosen by the governor of Colorado and the executive director of the Colorado Department of Health and Environment: the State Tobacco Education and Prevention Partnership Advisory Board and the Colorado Turning Point Initiative. Oswaldo currently works as an independent consultant, analyzing and negotiating managed care contracts for several medical providers. He was named by the dean of the medical school as the first Dean’s Diversity Scholar, based on his interests in collaborative planning and utilization of resources toward racial and ethnic student recruitment and retention efforts. He is a member of the Student National Medical Association, the Colorado Medical Society Student Chapter, and Colorado’s Family Medicine Interest Group. As a family physician, Oswaldo hopes to have a small practice and to be engaged in activities that encompass all aspects of a patient’s care.

Eleni Spartos O’Donovan, a 2004 Pisacano Scholar, is a fourth-year medical student at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. She graduated magna cum laude with a BA in Medieval and Renaissance Studies from New York University (NYU). She was a 3-year member of the Dean’s Scholars Program, a scholarship program focused on cross-cultural awareness and community service. Eleni was awarded the NYU Marco Polo Club Award for Excellence in Medieval Studies and NYU’s Schuchard Anniversary Prize in German Literature. In addition, Eleni was the captain of NYU’s Women’s Varsity Fencing Team and received an NYU Scholar-Athlete Award at graduation. After graduating from NYU, Eleni taught high school English for 4 years, where she was the girls’ varsity head track coach and wrote a grant to obtain funding from a local organization to start a health and wellness resource center at the high school. Her efforts led to the foundation of the Swampscott High Prevention Center. Before beginning medical school, Eleni received her master’s degree in Maternal and Child Health from the Harvard School of Public Health. She became a Boston Schweitzer Fellow during her second year of graduate school and completed a year-long service project for the fellowship with the Youth Outreach Program of the Sierra Club. As a second-year medical student, Eleni started a new elective course in teen pregnancy. She was elected to UMass’ 4-year Pathways Program. Her contributions were recognized by her peers last year when she received a student body Committee Leadership Award. Most recently, Eleni completed a 6-week health policy elective in the health committee office of Senator Edward Kennedy. As a National Health Service Corps Scholar, and through her previous experiences, Eleni plans on making her future professional home in a community health center.