What You Need To Know
Hackensack Meridian Health’s 2026 Resident/Fellow Research Day, virtual symposium with a CME component, was held on May 21, 2026.
The event, themed "Publishing as a Clinical Scientist," provided a dynamic platform for residents and fellows to present their original research.The day of clinical insights celebrated the research achievements of HMH trainees, fostering collaboration with, and contribution to the academic and professional communities.
The day began with insightful opening remarks from David S. Kountz, M.D., MBA, MACP, Hackensack Meridian Health’s chief academic officer, and Ihor S. Sawczuk, M.D., FACS, president of Academics, Research and Innovation. Both leaders emphasized the network's robust commitment to its research and education ecosystem, which trains residents and fellows to become independent physicians and scientists.
Throughout the morning, attendees engaged with a series of impressive oral and poster presentations. Oral presentations were selected based on their strong poster scores from preliminary submissions in advance of the day.
The research spanned a wide array of medical disciplines, showcasing studies on predictors of mechanical ventilation in hepatic encephalopathy, the effectiveness of tumor necrosis factor inhibitors in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis, predictors of stroke readmission, malnutrition in geriatric outpatients, and advances in neurosurgery with stereotactic laser ablation.
Following presentation sessions, the conference featured a keynote address by Andrei V. Alexandrov, M.D., chairman of the Department of Neurology at the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix. His presentation, "Publishing as a Clinical Scientist," offered expert guidance and inspiration on navigating the complex path from clinical research to publication, resonating deeply with the audience of aspiring researchers.
Dr. Alexandrov detailed how to write abstracts, create presentations, and publish research papers, all following is oft-repeated, number-one rule: “Cut the crap!”
The day concluded with an awards ceremony recognizing the top presenters. First-place honors for best research poster were awarded to Riddhi Machchhar, D.O., of Ocean University Medical Center (OUMC). The award for best oral presentation went to Christina Dulla, D.O., at Hackensack University Medical Center (HUMC).
Dr. Kountz closed Resident/Fellow Research Day with congratulations to all participants, underscoring HMH’s dedication to advancing medicine through scholarly inquiry.