EASTCENTRAL PA AHEC Preceptors/Sites

A crucial part of our mission involves linking medical students with Medical Preceptors in the community. Our goal is to help facilitate the process that allows the students to become familiar with the issues encountered in rural or underserved communities. The student can also begin to establish relationships that will prove beneficial should he or she decide to practice in a rural or underserved area.

Eastcentral PA AHEC places students with primary care physicians in ambulatory settings in the following counties: Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Northampton and Schuylkill. The list below provides information regarding each site. Eastcentral PA AHEC will also work with the student in becoming affiliated with a physician with whom he or she is interested in doing a rotation. Following the list of preceptors is a listing of links valuable to preceptors and students alike.

Those students interested in placement in the Eastcentral PA AHEC region and subsequent to notification of your AHEC placement, please complete the Clinical Experience Reporting Form (CR 1) by clicking on the link below.

CR1 Form (CR 1)

This form should then be faxed to Eileen Bahler 610.379.2005. If you have a problem faxing the form or wish to verify that we has received it you can email us at ebahler@ecpaahec.org. You will be contacted upon successful placement with a preceptor. Please do not contact any of the preceptors unless directed to do so by Eastcentral PA AHEC.

LIST OF ACTIVE AHEC 2009-2010 PRECEPTORS (subject to change for the 2010-2011 school year, so please read the accompanying information):

Peter J. Baddick, III, D.O.      (Internal Medicine/Ortho fellowship)                Weissport, PA (Carbon Co.)

Ronald Baird, D.O.                 (Family Medicine)                                            

Bangor, PA (Northampton Co.)

John F. Bosi, D.O.                  (Family Medicine)                                             Nesquehoning, PA (Carbon Co.)

Garry Carbone, M.D.              (Internal Medicine/Nephrology)                        Walnutport, PA  (Northampton Co.)

Robert A. DeColli, Jr., D.O.   (Internal Medicine)                               

Pottsville, PA (Schuylkill Co.)

Mary Fabian, M.D.                 (Family Medicine)                                             Allentown, PA (Lehigh Co.)

Ruth E. Frye, D.O.                 (Family Medicine)            

Allentown, PA (Lehigh Co.)

Jeffrey A. Gold, D.O.            (Family Medicine)                                             

Oley, PA (Berks Co.)

Lynda C.S. Graves, M.D.      (Family Medicine)                                      

Minersville, PA (Schuylkill Co.)

James Greenfield, D.O.          (Family Medicine/Urgent Care)                       

Jim Thorpe, PA and other sites (Carbon and Schuylkill Cos.)

Patrick Hanley, M.D.             (Internal Medicine)                                           

Jim Thorpe, PA (Carbon Co.)

Tayyaba Jan, M.D.                 (Pediatrics)                      

Allentown, PA (Lehigh Co.)

Neil Lesitsky, M.D.               (Family Medicine)                                             Albrightsville, PA  (Carbon Co.)

John R. Manzella, D.O.         (Internal Medicine/Peds)                                  

 Jim Thorpe and Palmerton, PA (Carbon Co.)

Ralph D. Mazzochetti, D.O.  (Family Medicine)                 

Minersville, PA (Schuylkill Co.)

Rosalee Rehrig, D.O.             (Family Medicine)                                            Lehighton, PA (Carbon Co.)

Timothy Schmeltzle, D.O.     (Family Medicine)                                          

 Emmaus, PA  (Lehigh Co.)

Mira Slizovsky, M.D.            (Pediatrics)                                                        Palmerton, PA  (Carbon Co.)

Jonathan Warren, M.D.          (Internal Medicine)                                          

Easton, PA  (Northampton Co.)  

There are a very FEW slots available with the Internal Medicine group at The Reading Hospital, Reading, PA (Berks Co.)—and MAYBE none being offered 2010-2011.

Dr. Stanley Yellin, FM with Sacred Heart’s FM Residency in Allentown, PA (Lehigh Co.) will work with us to individually arrange a rotation for a student, particularly if interested in exploring the Family Medicine Residency Program there.  Those interested in Family Medicine and/or this residency program, please note. 

Occasionally, Dr. Michael Baxter and his staff (Family Medicine Department at The Reading Hospital, Reading, PA (Berks Co.)) can help us arrange a rotation for a student in the clinic setting of the hospital and with an outlying affiliated practitioner.

Few, if any, specialists are available presently, as this rotation is usually Primary Care-oriented.

  Above is a list of preceptors whose practices are located within the five county region of the Eastcentral PA Area Health Education Center (ECPA AHEC).  These counties are:  Lehigh, Berks, Northampton, Carbon, and Schuylkill, with most of the placements being in Carbon County, the site of student housing (Palmerton, PA).  OCCASIONALLY, another health system or the preceptor him- or herself will be able to offer housing to the student.

  You must have your own transportation and expect some travel distance to a site, most times less than 20 miles one way, occasionally more.

   As written, this list is subject to change for the 2010-2011 school year, and even if it doesn’t, many of these preceptors offer few slots to the PCOM students each school year.  Also, a lot of these preceptors teach students from other schools, so several schedules have to be coordinated, housing needs must to be known, etc. before any placement can be made.  KNOWING THIS, YOU ARE NOT TO CONTACT ANY PRECEPTOR’S OFFICE DIRECTLY!

  After selecting or being assigned to the ECPA AHEC, you can make initial contact via email to ebahler@ecpaahec.org.  A student file will be started on you, but no placements will be arranged until Student Profiles, part of your Clinical Clerkship Handbook provided to you later, are completed by you and your classmates and received at the ECPA AHEC office (via mail or scanned and emailed).  Obviously, preference will be given to the student who completes information requested of him/her by the ECPA AHEC, once the placement process begins in several months.

  Keep in mind that many health systems and independent medical groups have requirements you must complete in order to do a rotation and/or be housed at a particular site.  These include, but are not limited to, fingerprinting, criminal background checks (some requiring completion of this within the year), health /immunization histories, HIPAA course completion, and the like.  You will be made aware of the need to have these completed at the time an assignment is made.  Failure to complete any of these will jeopardize being able to complete the rotation.

  So, this list is really meant only as a guide.  The goal is to try to help the student, although the student should be aware that eventual placement could be in any of the five counties served by the ECPA AHEC.

IF YOU KNOW OF A PHYSICIAN IN OUR FIVE COUNTY AREA (Schuylkill, Carbon, Northampton, Lehigh, and Berks) WITH WHOM YOU WOULD LIKE TO ARRANGE A ROTATION, CONTACT THE AHEC OFFICE TO DISCUSS THIS MATTER FIRST.

IF YOU ARE ABLE TO SECURE HOUSING IN ONE OF OUR FIVE COUNTIES DURING YOUR ROTATION, PLEASE MAKE NOTE OF THAT WHEN COMPLETING THE STUDENT PROFILE TO BE TURNED INTO OUR OFFICE.                               

 Thank you

Housing:

Housing is available on a limited basis through Eastcentral PA AHEC as needed by student.

** Please note housing is only available in the Palmerton area at this time.

**Please do not contact the Preceptor Physician's directly. Please contact Eileen Bahler at the above email address or phone number to schedule your preceptor program.

EASTCENTRAL PA AHEC Affiliated Preceptors

•  Ronald E. Baird, D.O. Family Medicine

Bangor Medical Center

153 N. 11 th Street

Bangor , PA 18013

Northampton County

Services provided: Prison Health Physician

Practice Characteristics: Geriatrics, Nutrition Counseling, OMM

On-Site Testing and Procedure Capabilities: Casting, Minor Surgical Procedures, Allergy Testing, Flexible Sigmoidoscopy.

“Students will get great procedural experience because many patients treat this office as their ER. The docs still make house calls and visit nursing homes. Good exposure to alternative medicine and lots of OMM experience, too!” – Vanessa Scheffner, PCOM ‘04

•  Joseph J. Blasiol, D.O. Family Medicine

Topton Family Practice Associates

72 E. Washington St .

Topton , PA 19562

Berks County

Services provided: Team physician

Practice characteristics: Geriatrics, Nursing Homecare, Nutrition Counseling OMM, House Calls

On-Site Testing and Procedure Capabilities: Office laboratory, Casting, Minor surgical procedures

•  John F. Bosi, D.O. Family Medicine

Nesquehoning Medical Center

50 E. Locust Street

Nesquehoning , PA 18240

Carbon County

Services provided: School Health Physician, Occupational/Industrial Medicine

Practice Characteristics: Geriatrics, Nursing Home Care, In-hospital care, House calls

On-Site Testing and Procedure Capabilities : Minor surgical procedures

Special areas of interest : Dermatology, Cardiology

“I really enjoyed my experience with Dr. Bosi. He was very eager to teach and even let me borrow some of his books. The patients were also very receptive to me. I will definitely recommend him to other students.” Nsuela Mukana , Penn. State ‘06

“Excellent rotation. Office staff is wonderful. Dr. Bosi shows lots of clinical pearls, lets you do many procedures, and gives you great articles to read.” Evelyn Potochny, PCOM ‘06

•  Robert A. DeColli, D.O. Family Medicine

Marshall-Rismiller and Associates

205 E. Laurel Blvd.

Pottsville , PA 17901

Schuylkill County

Services provided: Local Health Office

Practice Characteristics: Geriatrics, Nursing Home Care, In-hospital Care

On-Site Testing and Procedure Capabilities: Office laboratory, Treadmill Testing, Minor surgical procedures, pacemaker interrogations, EKG’s, Pulse Oximetry, OMT, Bone Marrow Aspirations, Holter monitor, Echocardiograms

Special areas of interest: Internal Medicine, Pacing

“Dr. DeColli and Dr. Pompella are excellent clinical educators. Very busy rotation with hospital rounds, outpatient hours, Journal Club, Lectures and call. Excellent month.” Matthew Grove, PCOM ‘05

•  Ruth E. Frye, D.O. , Family Medicine

Emaus Avenue Family Practice

1101 W. Emaus Ave.

   Allentown , PA 18103

   Lehigh County

   Services Provided : School Health Physician

   Practice Characteristics: Geriatrics, House Calls

On-Site Testing and Procedure Capabilities: Minor surgical procedures

Spanish Helpful

“It was very beneficial to have a large amount of 1 on 1 time with my attending. I really appreciated Tuesday Academic Day at St. Luke’s every Tuesday”. Jennifer Malsbury, PCOM ‘05

•  Stanley J. Gorski, D.O. Family Medicine

Integrated Medical Group

8 Oak Grove Road

Pine Grove , PA 17963

Schuylkill County

Services Provided: School Health Physician

Practice Characteristics: Geriatrics, OMM, House Calls

On-Site Testing and Procedure Capabilities: Office laboratory, Minor surgical procedures, X-ray

•  Lynda C.S. Graves, MD Family Medicine

Integrated Medical Group

1851 W. End Avenue

Pottsville , PA 17901

Schuylkill County

Practice Characteristics: Geriatrics, Nursing Home Care, Nutrition Counseling, Alcohol Counseling, House Calls

On-Site Testing and Procedure Capabilities : Office laboratory

•  Elizabeth Khan , MD Family Medicine

Tilghman Medical Center

4825 Tilghman St .

Allentown , PA 18104

Lehigh County

Services Provided: Sports Medicine, Occupational/Industrial Medicine

Practice Characteristics: All ages, acute care/walk in

On-Site Testing and Procedure Capabilities: Office laboratory, Minor surgical procedures, PFT’s, X-ray

Special areas of interest: Pain management

“Dr. Khan and her office staff were extremely nice and professional, a great educational experience. I highly recommend this site and Dr. Khan.” Mark Evans, PCOM ‘05

“This rotation is very good. You get to do many histories, physicals and practice for the P.F. exam. The physicians are very good.” Hussam Yacaub, PCOM ‘06

•  Neil Lesitsky, MD Family Medicine

Penn Kidder Medical Center

Route 903

Albrightsville , PA 18210

Carbon County

Practice Characteristics: House Calls

“I thoroughly enjoyed my rotation with Dr. Lesitsky. It provided an excellent opportunity to apply clinical knowledge in an outpatient setting. Dr. Lesitsky is an excellent mentor wh greatly fosters the development of medical students.” Ernest Sully, PCOM 2003

“Dr. Lesitsky was a great preceptor, he treated me like a colleague, was open to my thoughts and opinions and was a good teacher.” Michael Kuczmarski, PCOM ‘05

•  Patrick J. Hanley, DO Internal Medicine

1580 Center Avenue

Jim Thorpe , PA 18229

Carbon County

Practice Characteristics: Geriatrics, Nursing Home Care, In-hospital care, House Calls, Pediatrics

On-Site Testing and Procedure Capabilities: Office laboratory, Minor surgical procedures

Special areas of interest: Emergency medicine

‘This was a great rotation with the perfect combination of inpatient and outpatient Internal Medicine. Dr. Hanley is a fabulous teacher and excellent physician who knows how to improve and bring out the best in his student. He was a pleasure to work for and to learn from. I highly recommend Dr. Hanley as a rotation preceptor!” Maura Watson, PCOM ‘06

•  Manzella Family Healthcare

John Manzella, D.O. Family Medicine

Edward Manzella, MD Internal Medicine

Vincent Manzella, MD Family Medicine

Route 903, Jim Thorpe , PA 18229

211 E. Broad St. , Tamaqua , PA 18252

217 Delaware Ave. , Palmeron , PA 18071

Carbon and Schuylkill Counties

Services provided: Local Health Office, Prison Health Physician, Farm-related Medicine

Practice Characteristics: Geriatrics, Nursing Home Care, Nutrition Counseling, In-hospital care, House Calls

In-Site Testing and Procedure Capabilities: Treadmill Testing, Minor surgical procedures, Flexible Sigmoidoscopy, Carotid Duplex, Echocardiogram, 24 hour Holter

“This was by far the best rotation I have ever done. The people in this area are wonderful. The doctors will keep you learning and laughing all day.” Julie Reznicek, PCOM 2004

“This rotation is packed with knowledge in a relaxed and fun environment. I really enjoyed it! The practice was very busy but I always felt like Dr. Jack made time for teaching”. Maren Archer, PCOM-PA ‘06

•  Frank P. Matrone, D.O. Family Medicine

2428 Walbert Avenue

Allentown , PA 18104

Lehigh County

Services provided: Sports Medicine, Occupational/Industrial Medicine

Practice Characteristics: Geriatrics, Nursing Home Care, Nutrition Counseling, OMM, Alcohol Counseling

On-Site Testing and Procedure Capabilities: Casting, Minor surgical procedures

Special areas of interest: Aviation Medicine

“Dr. Matrone is a very student-friendly physician. He takes the time to teach and get to know his students.” Marykatharine Barbalace, PCOM ‘05

“Dr. Matrone was extremely courteous to students. Always listened to student’s input and plan for treatment. Flexible as to scheduling. Would go back for another rotation.” Jack Basile, PCOM ‘06

•  Ralph D. Mazzochetti, D.O. Family Medicine

Integrated Medical Group

232 Sunbury Street

Minersville , PA 17954

Schuylkill County

Practice Characteristics: Nursing Home Care, OMM, House Calls

On-Site Testing and Procedure Capabilities: Minor surgical procedures

•  RPS Internal Medicine

1991 State Street

Wyomissing , PA 19610

Berks County

Services provided: Travel Immunization Service

Practice Characteristics: Geriatrics, In-hospital care, House Calls

On-Site Testing and Procedure Capabilities: Flexible Sigmoidoscopy

“Excellent preceptor/site. Nothing but a great experience.” Gregory Emkey, Penn. St. ‘05

“wonderful site to do a rotation at – supportive preceptors who are truly vested in students’ learning experience.” Jelena Pavlovic, Penn. St. ‘06

•  Rosalee K. Rehrig, D.O. Family Medicine

Gnadden Huetten Health Center-Mahoning Valley

2175 Blakeslee Blvd. W.

Lehighton , PA 18235

Carbon County

Practice Characteristics: Geriatrics, Nursing Home Care, OMM, Alcohol Counseling, In-hospital Care, House Calls, Pediatrics

On-Site Testing and Procedure Capabilities: Office laboratory, Minor surgical procedures

“Dr. Rehrig’s office is an excellent place to learn about rural medicine. She is a very good teacher who allows students the freedom to apply their knowledge in a constructive manner.’ Timothy Doyle, PCOM ‘05

“Dr. Rehrig was an excellent preceptor. She made a point of teaching throughout the day. Furthermore, she took the time to discuss the patients and why we would prescribe each treatment. A truly great rotation.” Paul Rutkowski, PCOM ‘06

•  Timothy C. Schmeltzle, D.O. Family Medicine

Dr. Bub and Associates Family Medical Center

619 Dalton Street

Emmaus , PA 18049

Lehigh County

Services provided: Occupational/Industrial Medicine

Practice Characteristics: Geriatrics, Nutrition Counseling, OMM, Alcohol Counseling, Pediatrics

On-Site Testing and Procedure Capabilities : Office laboratory, Minor surgical procedures, Rigid Sigmoidoscopy, EKG

Special areas of interest: Osteopathic Manipulation Treatment

“Dr. Schmeltzle is a very knowledgeable physician. He is a joy to work for – funny, down to earth, & will teach you a lot about medicine itself, the economics of medicine/red tape of HMO’s, and how to deal with all types of patients.” Janine Rose LoBello, PCOM ‘03

“Dr. Schmeltzle is an incredibly supportive, generous and entertaining physician. He is a wonderful teacher and I learned as much from his teachings as I did from his honesty in patient care and in managing a family practice in these hard times.” Vaishali Vora, PCOM ‘05

•  Mira Slizovsky, MD Pediatrics

Palmerton Pediatrics

217 Franklin Avenue

Palmerton, PA 18071

Carbon County

Services provided: Local Health Office

Practice Characteristics: In-hospital care

On-Site Testing and Procedure Capabilities: Office laboratory, Minor surgical procedures, Allergy testing

Special areas of interest: General Pediatrics

Please note Dr. Slizovsky does not accept students during the summer months of June, July and August.