Boards & Committees
Medical Advisory Board
Board Chair: Mark J. Lema ’71 MD, PhD
Chair, Anesthesiology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute/University at Buffalo
Vice Chair: James L. Budny '70 MD
Neurosurgeon, Millard Fillmore Hospital
Secretary: Dianna Civello - Ex-Officio
Associate Vice President for Institutional Advancement
Allyson D. Backstrom, PhD - Ex-Officio
Director, The Dr. George E. Schreiner ’43 Pre-Med Center
| Philip J. Aliotta ’76, MD, MSHA WNYUA-Main Urology Associates Division |
Peter F. Kowalski ’82, MD UB Family Medicine |
| Paul M. Anain ’88, MD, FACS Vascular & Endovascular Center of WNY |
Lisa C. Kozlowski, ’84 MD Buffalo Cardiology & Pulmonary Associates |
| E. Kelly Bartels ’76, MD Bartels, Powalski and Weissman |
Joseph P. Leberer ’77, MD Buffalo Medical Group PC, Dept. of Colon & Rectal Surgery |
| Christopher J. Bartolone ’85, MD Gastroenterology Associates |
Kathleen A. Lillis ’82, MD Pediatric and Adolescent Urgent Care of WNY |
| Owen G. Bossman MBA ’98, MD (Retired) |
Raquel G. Martin, DO, FACEP Chief, Emergency Medicine Kenmore Mercy Hospital |
| Salvatore M. Calandra ’80, MD Cardiology Group of WNY |
Paul C. Nasca ’78, DPM Office of Paul C. Nasca DPM |
| Gregory J. Castiglia, MD Buffalo Neurosurgery Group |
Roseanne Oliverio ’80, MD Seton Imaging |
| John C. Corbelli ’75, MD Buffalo Cardiology & Pulmonary Associates PC |
Richard M. Peer ’65, MD Immediate Past President, Medical Society of the State of New York Buffalo Medical Group PC, Dept. of Vascular Surgery |
| Margaret M. Eberl ’95, MD, MPH Lifetime Health Medical Group |
Thomas A. Raab ’73, MD Chair, Department of Medicine Mercy Hospital of Buffalo |
| David Ewing, PhD Ex-Officio Canisius College Dean, College of Arts and Sciences |
Mary Elizabeth Roehmholdt ’71, MD Medical Offices of Mary Elizabeth Roehmholdt, MD |
| Megan O’Shea Farrell, MD Hospice Buffalo |
Ethelyn A. Rusnak ’81, MD Veterans Administration Medical Center, Dept. of Anesthesiology |
| Thomas J. Foels ’77, MD Chief Medical Officer Independent Health Association |
Peter E. Shields ’75, MD Excelsior Orthopaedics |
| James M. T. Foster MBA ’05, MBBS, FRCPC Chief Medical Officer Women and Children’s Hospital of Buffalo |
Lynn M. Steinbrenner ’76, MD Chief, Hematology and Oncology Veterans Administration Medical Center |
| Karen F. Giardino ’81, MD Meadowlands Endocrinology |
Jeffrey P. Steinig ’84, MD, FACS Southtowns Surgical Associates |
| Richard N. Gilbert Jr. ’84, MD WNY Urology Assoc. LLC |
Keith C. Stube, MD Knee Center of Western New York |
| James M. Hassett Jr. ’66, MD Program Director, General Surgery Residence Program; Kaleida Health- Buffalo General Hospital Site. Chief, Surgical Services; Kaleida Health |
Mary Turkiewicz ’80, MD President Southtowns Radiology Associates, LLC |
| Paul C. Holmwood ’82, MD Eye Care and Vision Associates LLP |
Anthony T. Vetrano ’81, MD Chair, Department of Pediatrics Mercy Hospital of Buffalo |
| Christine C. Ignaszak-Nadolny Consultant Executive Director Medical Society of Erie County |
Jean Wactawski-Wende ’81, PhD Professor & Assoc. Chair, Dept. of Social & Preventive Medicine; School of Public Health & Health Professions; Professor of Gynecology-Obstetrics, School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences; Vice Provost for Strategic Initiatives; University at Buffalo |
| Ann Marie Jobes ’97, MD Wheatfield Pediatrics |
Anthony J. Winkowski, MD Abbott Anesthesiologist Associates |
| Gregory A. Jobes ’96, MD Buffalo Medical Group PC, Dept. of Internal Medicine |
Paul B. Wirth ’84, MD Buffalo Medical Group PC, Dept. of Dermatology |
| Edward J. Kikta Jr. MS ’72, PhD Research Fellow/Manager Analytical Chemistry, Bio-Analytical and Pre-Formulations; FMC Corporation; Ewing, NJ |
The Health Science Advisory and Recommendation Committee (HSARC)
- Susan M. Aronica, PhD, associate professor of biology
- Richard H. Escobales Jr., PhD, professor of mathematics
- Terry Mangione, PhD, dean of student affairs
- James C. Lauffenburger, PhD, professor of physics
- Mary C. O'Sullivan, PhD, professor of organic chemistry
- Susan K. Putnam, PhD, professor of psychology
- Allyson D. Backtrom, PhD, director, pre-med/pre-health program; chair, HSARC
- Cynthia M. Travers, program coordinator, pre-med/pre-health program;
Most members have taught and observed the candidates. Additional information is solicited from science and non-science faculty and committee members carefully examine the applicants’ permanent records in order to give as complete and as balanced a report as possible.
The Committee gives a detailed analysis of the factors which determine the category of recommendation offered for each of its candidates in its letters of recommendation. The categories used by HSARC are:
- Exceptional
- Very Highly Recommended
- Highly Recommended
- Recommended
- Not Recommended
The recommendation categories, while relying heavily on scholastic achievement in the undergraduate program, also take into consideration factors which are somewhat more difficult to measure, such as motivation, academic potential, leadership qualities, social adjustment and general character make-up. The committee offers favorable recommendations only for those candidates deemed academically and emotionally capable of succeeding in a health science professional school and ultimately being a credit to their chosen profession.
The recommendation category assigned a given applicant represents the best collective judgment of the committee. For many years, comparisons have been made of the outcomes of our health profession alumni with their recommendations upon leaving Canisius. As a result of these studies, the category, "Exceptional" is reserved for the student from whom we expect an exceptional performance in professional school. On the other hand, the category, "Recommended" means that the candidate is compared with other students from Canisius who have succeeded in graduating from professional school, but in some cases, with irregular progress.
