Internal Medicine Residency
Trinitas Regional Medical Center
The Residents Program at Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth, NJ is sponsored by Rutgers Health with ACGME programs in Internal Medicine and General Psychiatry, as well as a Podiatry residency. Trinitas residencies combine the family feeling and individual attention of a smaller community hospital program with the resources of a large system that encompasses both Rutgers Medical Schools. This descriptive video presents information to prospective residents so they can make an informed decision about the internal medicine residency program at Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth, NJ.
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Leadership
Raja Pullatt, MD, FACC, FASNC
Program Director
A graduate of JJM Medical College in India, Dr. Pullatt completed his Internal Medicine Residency at University of Connecticut and his Cardiology Fellowship at University of Connecticut - Hartford Hospital. He was selected to serve as Chief Medical Resident and Chief Cardiovascular Fellow and received the Ralph F. Reinfrank Award for Excellence in Teaching. Dr. Pullatt joined the Internal Medicine residency program as Associate Program Director in 2016. He is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology and the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology. Dr. Pullatt is also board certified in Internal Medicine, Cardiology, Echocardiography, Nuclear Cardiology, Cardiovascular CT and Vascular Ultrasound. He also serves as faculty for the Cardiology fellows rotating at Trinitas Regional Medical Center.
Michelle Cholankeril, MD
Associate Program Director
Michelle Cholankeril, MD is currently the Division Chief of Medical Oncology at the Trinitas Comprehensive Cancer Center. She is a medical graduate of SRMC-RI, Chennai, India. She completed Internal Medicine Residency at UMDNJ-Newark, where she also served as Chief Medical Resident. She completed her hematology oncology fellowship training at North Shore-LIJ health care system, and was selected as Chief Fellow. Her interest in clinical research is evident by her vast publications in various journals and presentations at ASCO and Miami Breast Conference. Her awards include Castle Connolly, Jersey’s Best-Top Doctor for Women’s Health and Cancer. Her board certifications include: Internal Medicine, Medical Oncology and Hematology.
Muniba Naqi, MD, MBA, CHCQM, CPE, FACP
Vice President, Chief Clinical Officer,
Associate Program Director of Internal Medicine Residency
Dr. Naqi earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from Cornell University. She subsequently graduated from the University of Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and completed her Internal Medicine residency at Staten Island University Hospital, North-Shore LIJ Health System. She has been the Medical Director of the Trinitas Hospitalists’ department since it’s inception in 2015. She earned a Masters of Business Administration with a concentration in health care from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in 2018. She has been an active faculty member of the Trinitas Internal Medicine Residency Program and was the recipient of the Faculty of the Year Award in 2021. She is Board Certified in Internal Medicine as well as Board Certified in Health Care Qualify and Management. She is also a Certified Physician Executive, a distinguished designation in leadership from the Certifying Commission in Medical Management. She is the Division Chief of Internal Medicine for 2020-2021. Dr. Naqi is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and a member of the American Medical Association, Society of Hospitalist Medicine, and American College of Health Care Executives.
Frequently-Asked Questions
Q. How do I submit an application?
A. All residents must apply through the Electronic Residency Applications(ERAS).
Applications submitted in any other form will not be reviewed. Both Allopathic
and Osteopathic graduates may apply.
Q. How Many Categorical Positions are there?
A. We take 10 PGY-1 residents each year.
Q. Does your program Accept applicants who need a Visa?
A. Program will sponsor J-1 visas.
Q. Is there a "cut off" year of Graduation?
A. We prefer applicants who have graduated in the last 5-6 years.
Q. Is there a USMLE cut off? Do I have to have my CS to apply?
A. We prefer scores of 225 and above on USMLE steps 1 and 2 on the first
attempt. You do not have to have CS to apply but must have passed it on
the first attempt or meet one of the ECFMG 5 pathways in order to participate
in the match. For Osteopathic school graduates, we prefer scores of at
least 500 on each COMLEX step and it must be in the first attempt. It
is not required to have both USMLE and Comlex.
Q. What are some of the facilities of the hospitals?
- State of the Art EMR (Allscripts' Sunrise Clinical Manager), virtually paperless as of summer 2015
- Fully stocked library and extensive on-line services such as UpToDate, EBSCO Host, and Access Medicine
- Free Parking
- Resident On-Call Rooms
- Resident Lounge
- Trinitas Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Extensive Cardiology services, including elective and emergency angioplasty
- Trinitas Wound Healing Center
- New state-of-tehe-art Emergency Department
- New ICU beds
- New POCUS curriculum
Q. Does the program work with any medical students?
A. We have many medical students from St George's, Touro, and NY College
of Osteopathic Medicine throughout the hospital. As a resident on the
floors or in the unit you will supervise these students.
Q. Do I get to see my own panel of clinic patients?
A. Starting in July of your first year you are assigned your own clinic
day where you will be seeing your own clinic patients under the supervision
of our clinic preceptors.
Q. Is there an opportunity to do research?
A. All residents are required to complete one form of scholarly activity
throughout their three years of residency. Each year, Trinitas Regional
Medical Center sponsors a Residents Research Day. In addition, residents
participate in the Rutgers NJ Medical School Internal Medicine Research
Day. Residents are encouraged to submit their research for publications.
many residents have had their work published in Journals such as CHEST,
Journal of Community Hospital Medicine, and Clinical Infection in Practice.
In addition, many residents have presented at conferences such as Annual
Miami Breast Cancer Conference (virtual conference).
Q. If I need help in a certain area during residency what do I do?
A. Our residency program is a very friendly environment and the faculty
are readily available. In your PGY I you are assigned a faculty mentor.
Your mentor will be meeting with you at least quarterly and more if needed
if you would like to concentrate on a certain area.
Q. Does your program allow observerships?
A. The Internal Medicine Program does not sponsor any oberserverships.
Q. What will my salary be as a resident?
The salaries are as follows:
PGY I- $61, 479
PGY II- $65,934
PGY III- $69, 970
PGY IV- $74,056
Q. Will I receive other benefits?
A. Yes as a resident you will receive the following benefits:
- Meal Cards while on call
- Lab Coats
- Scrubs
- Malpractice
- Medical and Dental Insurance
- Book Allowance
- MKSAP
Q. Will I need a NJ Medical License before I can start my residency?
A. NJ does not require residents to have a license.
Q. What Fellowship opportunities does your program have?
A. At this time, Trinitas is part of an integrated Cardiology fellowship
under the directorship of Dr. Fayez Shamoon, who is based at TRMC. Residents
have the opportunity to do electives in all sub-specialties at Rutgers
Health University Hospital and Hem/Onc and GI at St Joseph's Medical Center.
Q. Do I get to Interact with other residents or fellows in my training?
A. Yes. Trinitas also has a Psychiatry residency and a Podiatry residency,
all of whom do 1-4 months of Internal Medicine. There are also always
three Cardiology fellows rotating at Trinitas. In addition, we have four
surgical residents and three OB/GYN residents from St John's Episcopal.
There are multiple disciplinary conferences on a regular basis.