Pediatrics Residency
About the Program
The Pediatrics Residency Program at Monmouth Medical Center combines the advantages of a close-knit community hospital with the educational resources of Rutgers Health and RWJBarnabas Health. Our mission is to develop compassionate, confident pediatricians who provide outstanding care while becoming leaders in clinical medicine, education, quality improvement, advocacy, and scholarship.
With only 16 residents, every trainee is known personally by our faculty. Residents receive individualized mentorship, early leadership opportunities, and progressive autonomy while caring for a diverse pediatric population throughout Monmouth County and the surrounding region.
Whether your career goal is primary care, hospital medicine, or pediatric subspecialty training, our curriculum provides the clinical experience, mentorship, and professional development needed to succeed.
Why Choose Monmouth?
Personalized Education
Our small program size allows residents to build meaningful relationships with faculty mentors who are invested in each resident's professional growth. Faculty know every resident well and provide individualized coaching throughout residency.
Outstanding Clinical Training
Residents care for newborns through adolescents in inpatient, outpatient, newborn nursery, NICU, emergency department, and subspecialty settings. Our residents play a central role in patient management and are encouraged to develop clinical reasoning and decision-making skills from the beginning of training.
We believe residents learn best by caring for patients with appropriate autonomy and strong faculty support. Our educational philosophy emphasizes:
- Progressive independence and graduated responsibility
- Clinical reasoning
- Constructive feedback and coaching
- Collaborative teamwork
- Lifelong learning
- Compassionate, family-centered care
Graduates leave Monmouth not only clinically prepared but also confident educators, advocates, and leaders.
Teaching Opportunities
Monmouth residents are educators from day one.
Residents supervise and teach Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School students during inpatient and continuity clinic rotations, helping develop the teaching and leadership skills essential for future pediatricians.
Quality Improvement and Scholarship
Residents actively participate in quality improvement, patient safety, advocacy, and educational research. Faculty provide close mentorship throughout each scholarly project.
Projects have resulted in presentations at regional and national meetings and include work in:
- General pediatrics and pediatric subspecialty clinical research
- Health equity and social determinants of health
- Patient safety and quality improvement
- Medical education
- Advocacy and community outreach
Advocacy and Community Engagement
Advocacy is an integral part of our residency culture.
Residents participate in community outreach, legislative advocacy, and partnerships with organizations throughout New Jersey. Through the New Jersey Pediatric Residency Advocacy Collaborative (NJPRAC), residents develop practical advocacy skills while working to improve child health at the community and state levels.
Our residents regularly participate in educational outreach events, legislative advocacy training, and projects addressing health disparities affecting children in our community.
Leadership Development
Residents develop leadership skills throughout training by:
- supervising interns and medical students
- leading multidisciplinary teams
- participating in resident committees
- presenting conferences and Grand Rounds
- mentoring junior residents
PGY-3 residents can be selected to serve as chief residents.
Wellness and Support
We believe excellent physicians thrive in supportive learning environments.
Our program emphasizes psychological safety, teamwork, mentorship, and resident well-being. Faculty maintain an open-door policy, and residents benefit from individualized mentoring, wellness initiatives, and a collaborative culture where every resident's voice is valued.
Career Preparation
Graduates of our program pursue successful careers in general pediatrics and pediatric subspecialties. Residents receive individualized career advising beginning early in residency, including mentorship for fellowship applications, scholarly work, interview preparation, and career planning.
Faculty Members
Kristin Pyne, MD
Residency Program Director
Kristin Pyne, MD joined the Department of Pediatrics at Monmouth Medical
Center and the Monmouth Family Health Center as a general pediatrician
and core faculty member in February 2021. She became Program Director
of the Pediatrics Residency Program in July 2024, succeeding the esteemed
Renuka Verma, MD.
A lifelong Monmouth County resident, Dr. Pyne was born at Monmouth Medical
Center and is honored to care for children in the community where she
was raised. She earned her medical degree from Columbia University Vagelos
College of Physicians and Surgeons and completed her pediatric residency
at the Children's Hospital at Montefiore. Following residency, she served
as a pediatrician at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center
before joining PM Pediatrics, where she served as Director of Resident
Education.
Dr. Pyne is passionate about medical education, mentorship, and developing
the next generation of pediatricians. As Program Director, she is committed
to fostering a supportive learning environment that emphasizes clinical
excellence, resident autonomy, advocacy, scholarship, and physician wellness.
Dr. Pyne lives in Fair Haven, New Jersey, with her husband and three children.
Outside of work, she enjoys running and exploring local parks and beaches
with her family.
Janice Lichtenberger, MD
Associate Residency Program Director
Janice A. Lichtenberger, MD, is board certified in Pediatrics and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. She earned her medical degree from the State University of New York Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY where she was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society. She completed her Pediatrics Residency training at The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. She worked as a pediatrician for three before joining the Unterberg Children’s Hospital in July of 2010. She currently serves as the Associate Program Director for the Pediatrics Residency Program and the Medical Director of the Newborn Nursery. She participates in many statewide initiatives and is currently an Asthma Champion and Pediatric Dental Care Champion for the State of New Jersey. She is an Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. She lives in Middletown, NJ with her husband and 2 sons.
Faculty by Department
Infectious Disease
Renuka Verma, MBBS
Section Chief, Infectious Disease
Medical Education PBM Hospitals & SP Medical College India, India
Residency Monmouth Medical Center, Long Branch, NJ
Fellowship State University of NY, Stonybrook, NY
Nursery
Janice Lichtenberger, MD
Associated Program Director, Pediatric Residency Program
Director, Nursery
Medical Education SUNY Downstate Medical School, Brooklyn, NY
Internship Mt Sinai Hospital, New York
Residency Mt Sinai Hospital, New York
General Pediatrics
Jacqueline Brunetto, MD
Director, Inpatient Services
Medical Education Case Western Reserve Univ School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH
Internship Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, Cleveland, OH
Residency Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital
Sonia Sethi, MD
General Pediatrics/Hospitalist
Medical Education University of Health Sciences, India
Internship Monmouth Medical Center, Long Branch, NJ
Residency Monmouth Medical Center, Long Branch, NJ
Narihan Osman, MD
General Pediatrics/Hospitalist
Medical Education St. George’s University school of Medicine, Grenada
Residency Flushing Hospital Medical Center, Flushing, NY
Neonatology
Meera Kale, MD
Director of Neonatology
Medical Education University of Mumbai, India
Residency Brookdale University Hospital & Medical Center, NY
Fellowship Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, NJ
Tuisha Desai, DO
Neonatologist
Medical Education Armed Forces Medical College, India
Residency State University of New York HSC
Fellowship State University of New York HSC
Cynthia Perez, MD
Neonatologist
Medical Education Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, IL
Residency NY Presbyterian Weill Cornell Komansky Children’s Hospital, NY
Fellowship NY Presbyterian Weill Cornell Komansky Children’s Hospital, NY
Erin Qualter, MD
Neonatologist
Medical Education Albany Medical College, Albany, NY
Residency Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of New York-Presbyterian, NY
Fellowship Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NY
Christina M. Ferrucci-DaSilver, MD
Neonatologist
Medical Education American University of Antigua, College of Medicine
Residency Goryeb Children’s Hospital, New Jersey
Fellowship Rutgers RWJ Hospital, New Jersey
Balaji Sutharsanam, MD
Neonatologist
Medical Education Rutgers School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, NJ
Residency Rutgers School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, NJ
Fellowship Rutgers School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, NJ
Pulmonology
Robert Zanni, MD
Director, Cystic Fibrosis Center
Medical Education Autonomous University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Mexico
Internship United Hospital Medical Center, NJ
Residency Monmouth Medical Center, Long Branch, NJ
Fellowship Hahnemann University, Philadelphia, PA
Eduardo Sembrano, MD
Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine & Cystic Fibrosis Center
Medical Education University of the Philippines
Residency Elmhurst Hospital Center/Mount Sinai Services, NY
Fellowship Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, NY
Gastroenterology
Jonathan Teitelbaum, MD
Chair, Department of Pediatrics
Chief, Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition
Medical Education - University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, PA,
Residency Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
Fellowship Children's Hospital, Boston, MA
Ashwin Agrawal, DO
Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition
Medical Education Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, PA
Residency Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, NY
Fellowship Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, NY
Alexander J. Schosheim, MD
Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition
Medical Education St George’s University Medical School, Grenada
Residency St. Peter’s University Hospital, New Brunswick, NJ
Fellowship Stony Brook University Hospital, Stony Brook, NJ
Endocrinology
Frank Barrows, DO
Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes
Medical Education UMDNJ School of Osteopathic Medicine, NJ,
Residency Jersey Shore University Medical Center, NJ,
Fellowship Schneider Children’s Hospital/North Shore Univ., NY, 2004, UNC-Chapel
Hill School of Medicine, NC
Laura Novello, MD
Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes
Medical Education Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
Residency Cohen Children’s Medical Center of New York, NY
Fellowship Cohen Children’s Medical Center of New York, NY
Deepa Mathew, DO
Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes
Medical Education New York College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, NY
Residency NYU Langone Hospital, Long Island, Mineola, NY
Fellowship Cohen Children’s Medical Center of New York, NY
Hematology/Oncology
Tamara J. Hagoel, DO
Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
Medical Education New York College of Osteopathic Medicine, NY
Residency Maimonides Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY
Fellowship University at Buffalo Oisheri Children’s Hospital, NY
Christeen Azmy, DO
Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
Medical Education Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY
Fellowship Westchester Medical Center, NY
Critical Care
Sirisha Yalamanchi, MD
Director, Pediatric Critical Care Medicine
Medical Education St. George University, Grenada
Residency University of South Florida, FL
Fellowship University of Miami, FL
Joseph Dellassio, MD
Pediatric Critical Care Medicine
Medical Education St. George University, Grenada
Residency University of South Florida, FL
Fellowship University of Miami, FL
Christopher Festa, MD
Pediatric Critical Care Medicine
Medical Education Hahnemann College of Medicine
Residency Cooper Medical School of Rowan University/Cooper University Hospital
Fellowship UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, NJ
Cardiology
Nakul Chandra, MD
Pediatric Cardiologist
Medical Education
Residency
Roosevelt Hospital, NY
Fellowship Tufts New England Medical Center, MA
Monica Chugh, MD
Pediatric Cardiologist
Medical Education UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, NJ
Residency New York University School of Medicine, NY
Fellowship Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NY
Robert Manduley, MD
Pediatric Cardiologist
Medical Education Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York NJ
Residency General Pediatrics Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York NJ
Fellowship Columbia University College of Physician, New York
Loyda Rivera, MD
Pediatric Cardiologist
Medical Education University Central Del Caribe School of Medicine, Puerto Rico
Residency San Juan City Hospital, Puerto Rico
Fellowship Long Island Jewish Hospital, New Hyde Park, NY
Nephrology
Anup Singh, MD
Pediatric Nephrologist
St. Peter’s University Hospital
Medical Education De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines
Residency SUNY-Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY
Fellowship SUNY-Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY
Emergency Medicine
Cecilia Jacome, MD
Director, Pediatric Emergency Medicine
Medical Education Universidad Central Del Ecuador School of Medicine
Residency Mount Sinai School of Medicine, NY
Fellowship Mount Sinai School of Medicine, NY
Danielle Denise Amona, MD
Pediatric Emergency Medicine
Medical Education St. George’s University School of Medicine, Grenada
Residency Children’s Hospital of NJ at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, NJ
Fellowship Children’s Hospital of NJ at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, NJ
Neurology
Shirley Fisch, MD
Child Neurologist
Medical Education Albert Einstein College of Medicine, NY
Residency Pediatric -Babies Hospital – Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, NY
Fellowship The Neurological Institute – New York Presbyterian Hospital
Rina Goldberg, MD
Section Chief, Child Neurologist
Medical Education Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Residency Internship Columbia Presbyterian Hospital
Fellowship Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Aviva Bojko, MD
Child Neurologist
Medical Education University of Rome, Italy
Residency Internship Cornell University Medical Center/NY Presbyterian
Fellowship Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University
Pediatric Urology
Charles W. Concodora, MD
Pediatric Urology
Medical Education Rutgers – New Jersey Medical School, NJ
Residency Temple University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA
Fellowship Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, OH
Residency and fellowship programs training at RWJBarnabas Health benefit from the resources and interprofessional opportunities available through the Rutgers institutional sponsorship. Learn more about all of the Rutgers sponsored graduate medical education programs on our sponsoring institution webpage.