Nizar Bou Diab, M.D., became the first resident to graduate from the Hackensack Meridian Hackensack University Medical Center Department of Urology residency program, marking an important milestone in the residency program’s history.
Dr. Nizar Bou Diab, front center, celebrates his graduation from the Hackensack University Medical Center Department of Urology residency program with faculty and team members.
Accredited since 2017, the Department of Urology residency program provides five years of urology training — including access to state-of-the-art facilities and technology, instructional and mentorship excellence, subspecialty training and research opportunities through its affiliation with Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine. The program consists of 6 months of general surgical training and 4 ½ years of clinical urology training.
Throughout the program, residents have access to one-on-one mentoring by supportive, experienced attending physicians across a variety of subspecialty areas. Residents also benefit from a collaborative learning environment that allows them to not only learn from world-class attending urologists at a high-volume department in a renowned research hospital but also from senior residents and interdisciplinary health care providers.
The Department of Urology received approval from the national Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Review Committee to add a second urology resident position beginning in 2022 — doubling the size of the department’s residency program, which previously recruited one resident per year.
“Our entire team is proud of Dr. Diab and is looking forward to providing best-in-class training for future urologists,” said Michael D. Stifelman, M.D., Chair of Urology and Director of Robotic Surgery at Hackensack University Medical Center and Professor and Founding Chair of Urology at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine. “Our residency program is successful because we value and incorporate resident feedback and provide a range of opportunities that allow residents to select the learning experiences that will best prepare them for their future career.”
“My urology residency program provided a top-quality training experience in a great work environment,” said Dr. Diab. “The program had a diverse faculty from each of the subspecialties, tremendous research opportunities, a culture of inclusion and a collegial environment with emphasis on resident well-being. It was an honor to be part of this program.”
“Our residency program provides an outstanding educational opportunity for tomorrow’s urologists,” said Ihor S. Sawczuk, MD, FACS, the president of Academics, Research and Innovation at Hackensack Meridian Health, and the associate dean of Clinical Integration and professor and Chair Emeritus of Urology at the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine. “We look forward to the contributions Dr. Diab will make in the field of urology, and we hope to continue to grow and enhance our residency program for future residents.”
ABOUT HACKENSACK UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER
Hackensack University Medical Center, a 771-bed nonprofit teaching and research hospital, is the largest provider of inpatient and outpatient services in New Jersey. Founded in 1888 as Bergen County’s first hospital, it was the first hospital in New Jersey and second in the nation to become a Magnet®-recognized hospital for nursing excellence. The academic flagship of Hackensack Meridian Health, Hackensack University Medical Center ranked #1 in New Jersey and #7 in the New York metro area by U.S. News & World Report’s 2021-2022 “Best Hospitals” Honor Roll, making it the only hospital in New Jersey with the #1 adult and children’s hospital rankings. Hackensack University Medical Center is also rated as High Performing in 14 specialties procedures and conditions, and sets the standard for all New Jersey hospitals in several specialties. The campus is home to facilities such as John Theurer Cancer Center, the #1 hospital for cancer care in New Jersey in U.S. News & World Report’s 2021-2022 “Best Hospitals” Honor Roll; the Heart & Vascular Hospital, and the Sarkis and Siran Gabrellian Women’s and Children’s Pavilion, recognized as being in the top 1% of children’s hospitals in the nation and #1 children’s hospital in New Jersey by U.S. News & World Report’s 2021-22 “Best Hospitals” Honor Roll. Hackensack University Medical Center’s comprehensive clinical research portfolio includes studies focused on precision medicine, translational medicine, immunotherapy, cell therapy, and vaccine development.
ABOUT HACKENSACK MERIDIAN HEALTH
Hackensack Meridian Health is a leading not-for-profit health care organization that is the largest, most comprehensive and truly integrated health care network in New Jersey, offering a complete range of medical services, innovative research and life-enhancing care.
Hackensack Meridian Health comprises 17 hospitals from Bergen to Ocean counties, which includes three academic medical centers – Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack, Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune and JFK University Medical Center in Edison; one university teaching hospital – Ocean University Medical Center in Brick; two children’s hospitals – Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital in Hackensack, K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital in Neptune; eight community hospitals – Bayshore Medical Center in Holmdel, Old Bridge Medical Center in Old Bridge, Mountainside Medical Center in Montclair, Palisades Medical Center in North Bergen, Pascack Valley Medical Center in Westwood, Raritan Bay Medical Center in Perth Amboy, Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank, and Southern Ocean Medical Center in Manahawkin; a behavioral health hospital – Carrier Clinic in Belle Mead; and two rehabilitation hospitals – JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute in Edison and Johnson Rehabilitation Institute in Brick.
Additionally, the network has more than 500 patient care locations throughout the state which include ambulatory care centers, surgery centers, home health services, long-term care and assisted living communities, ambulance services, lifesaving air medical transportation, fitness and wellness center, rehabilitation centers, urgent care centers and physician practice locations. Hackensack Meridian Health has more than 36,000 team members, and 7,000 physicians and is a distinguished leader in health care philanthropy, committed to the health and well-being of the communities it serves.
The network’s notable distinctions include having more top-ranked hospitals than anyone in New Jersey, as recognized by U.S. News & World Report, 2021-22. Hackensack University Medical Center is the only hospital in New Jersey with the #1 adult and children’s hospital rankings.
John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center is New Jersey’s best cancer center, as recognized by U.S. News & World Report, 2021-22. This premier cancer center is also the largest and most comprehensive center dedicated to the diagnosis, treatment, management, research, screenings, and preventive care as well as survivorship of patients with all types of cancers. John Theurer Cancer Center is part of Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center.
Additionally, the network partnered with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center to ensure that patients have access to the highest quality, most individualized cancer care when and where they need it.
The Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, the first private medical school in New Jersey in more than 50 years, welcomed its first class of students in 2018 to its campus in Nutley and Clifton. The Hackensack Meridian Center for Discovery and Innovation (CDI), housed in a fully renovated state-of-the-art facility, seeks to translate current innovations in science to improve clinical outcomes for patients with cancer, infectious diseases and other life-threatening and disabling conditions.
Hackensack Meridian Health is a member of AllSpire Health Partners, an interstate consortium of leading health systems, to focus on the sharing of best practices in clinical care and achieving efficiencies. To learn more, visit www.hackensackmeridianhealth.org.
