John A. Handal, recieved a B.A. in philosophy and Biology from New York University. The son of a surgeon, he gravitated toward medicine as a profession and received his Medical Doctorate from the Medical College of Pennsylvania in 1979 where he first became interested in the field of orthopaedics. As an intern in general surgery at SUNY-Downstate in Brooklyn New York he applied for and was accepted for an orthopaedic residency position at Albert Einstein Medical Center. His mentors as a resident, Robert E. Liebenberg, MD, Anthony S. Puglisi, MD and John T. Williams, Sr, MD still work with him today as nonoperative surgeons within the orthopaedic department. While a resident, an interest in sports medicine was formed and upon completion of residency training in 1984, he accepted a fellowship position at the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center/Penn State in Hershey Pennsylvania. Dr. Handal’s fellowship Director and mentor, Robert E. Greer, MD noted Dr. Handal’s burgeoning interest in orthopaedic trauma and advised him to pursue further subspecialty training at the Maryland Institute of Emergency Medical Services and Systems and Grant Medical Center in Ohio in orthopaedic traumatology. He has particular expertise in the correction of pelvic fractures and life-threatening traumatic injuries such as trauma to the spine and long bones.

Over the course of his medical career, Dr. Handal gravitated to the treatment of spine disorders and in 1998 returned to the site of his residency training, Albert Einstein Medical Center, as Chairman, Residency Program Director and Director of the Spine Program in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. Dr. Handal utilizes advanced surgical techniques such as minimally invasive surgery of the spine and specializes in patients with scoliosis, fractures, failed back surgery, deformity and cervical spine (neck) disorders.

Dr. Handal is a member of the American Orthopaedic Association (AOA) and serves on the AOA Leadership Development Committee. He is an active member in various local and national medical, orthopaedic and spine societies. He is a frequent invited reviewer for the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. Until recently, Dr. Handal served as an orthopaedic specialist site visitor for the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and is currently an Oral Board examiner for the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery. Having retired his title of Residency Program Director, Dr. Handal is currently Chairman and Director of the Spine Program for the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and a Clinical Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at Jefferson Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University.

Dr. Handal spearheaded the development of the Orthopedic Bioengineering Laboratory, a fully equipped basic science laboratory, located in the Korman Research Pavilion. Since its conception in 2006 and as a direct result of laboratory research the department has been awarded five grants, had multiple publications in peer-reviewed journals and numerous abstracts accepted at local and national meetings.

Dr. Handal’s current research interests include osteonecrosis of the hip, chemotherapeutic bone cements and stem cell therapies for bone fractures and cartilage repair. He studies the effect of statins to prevent osteonecrosis of the hip and has obtained some interesting results in rabbits. His most recent interest includes designing surgical instrumentation for use in spine surgery.

 

Sue Y. Lee, MD, is a local graduate of Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, and Temple University Hospital's orthopaedic residency training program. Dr. Lee completed a hand surgery fellowship at the Philadelphia Hand Center, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. Dr. Lee is Board Certified and a member of the teaching faculty of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Albert Einstein Medical Center and holds specialized clinical and research experience in the surgical treatment of the hand and upper extremity conditions. Dr. Lee is a member of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand, American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons and various national and local orthopaedic and medical societies.     

Robert Liebenberg, MD has 27 years of orthopaedic experience and is a member of the teaching faculty in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. Dr. Liebenberg specializes in non-operative general orthopaedics. A valued member of the teaching program, Dr. Liebenberg is part of the didactic teaching program and participates in the conference schedule. Dr. Liebenberg assists with the departmental research and curriculum program development and oversight. Dr. Liebenberg received his medical degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, DC and completed his residency training in orthopaedic surgery at the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond, Virginia. He is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at Jefferson Medical College and is Board certified in Orthopaedic Surgery.

 Douglas A. Palma, MD is an alumnus of the Albert Einstein Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Program and received subspecialty fellowship training in sports medicine at the American Sports Medicine Institute in Birmingham, Alabama. A member of our voluntary faculty, Einstein orthopaedic residents do their sports medicine rotations with Dr. Palma at his private practice in Delaware. Residents assist Dr. Palma in his surgery center and at Christiana Care Hospital. Dr. Palma participates in the didactic teaching program at Einstein by annually presenting at Grand Rounds on a sports medicine related topic. Dr. Palma is Board Certified in Orthopaedic Surgery and is an active member of local and national medical, orthopaedic and specialty organizations.

 

 

Anthony Puglisi, MD, is board certified in orthopaedic surgery and currently serves as a nonoperative general orthopaedist. Dr. Puglisi works closely with the residents in the orthopaedic resident fracture clinic. In this capacity, he offers many years of knowledge particularly in joint replacement and reconstruction, neuromuscular diseases and disorders, foot deformities and foot and ankle trauma. The orthopaedic surgery bioengineering laboratory benefits from Dr. Puglisi's mechanical background. He works with residents and faculty to design and build mechanical devices for resident research projects. Dr. Puglisi is an active member of numerous local and national medical and orthopaedic associations and is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgery. He is a graduate of Hahnemann Medical College, Philadelphia and a past graduate of the Albert Einstein Medical Center Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Program.

In 2008, Minn H. Saing, MD graduated from the Albert Einstein Medical Center Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Program and was accepted for subspecialty training in sports medicine with the Atlanta Sports Medicine and Cartilage Reconstruction Fellowship under the direction of Scott D. Gillogly, MD. With his fellowship training now complete, Dr. Saing has returned to Einstein as an attending faculty member specializing in sports medicine. Dr. Saing is a graduate of Drexel University School of Medicine in Philadelphia.

James S. Raphael, MD , is Associate Chairman of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Director of the Hand Surgery Program at Albert Einstein Medical Center.  Dr. Raphael received his medical degree from the State University of New York Health Science Center at Syracuse.  Dr. Raphael completed orthopaedic residency training at the Mount Sinai Medical Center, NY and a hand surgery fellowship at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia. He is board certified in orthopaedic surgery with added qualifications in hand surgery. Dr. Raphael specializes in the treatment of chronic and traumatic conditions of the hand, wrist and elbow. He is regionally recognized for his proficiency in today’s most advanced orthopaedic surgery procedures, including arthroscopy, microsurgery, replantation, free-tissue transfer, nerve surgery and reconstruction. Dr. Raphael treats conditions ranging from simple fractures to complex traumatic injuries, reconstructing joints, replanting limbs and repairing nerves and tendons. Dr. Raphael co-chairs the Research Program in the Department of Orthopaedics at Albert Einstein Medical Center and is active in a variety of research projects with the orthopaedic residents. He has published numerous articles in peer-reviewed medical journals and is a member of numerous local and national hand, orthopaedic and medical associations. Dr. Raphael is a Clinical Associate Professor of Orthopaedics at Jefferson Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University.

Research Scientist, Solomon Praveen Samuel D. Eng is the Director of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Bioengineering Laboratory located on the AEMC campus in the Korman Research Building. Dr. Samuel oversees all basic science projects and lab development. Dr. Samuel assists Dr. Handal and Dr. Raphael in oversight of clinical research and scholarly activities within the Department and works closely with the resident physicians and faculty, developing, designing and implementing basic science research projects. Since the laboratory’s conception in 2006 and as a direct result of laboratory research the department has been awarded five grants, had multiple publications in peer-reviewed journals and numerous abstracts accepted at local and national meetings. Dr. Samuel has a Doctorate of Engineering in Applied Biomedical Engineering from Cleveland Clinic Foundation/Cleveland State University in Ohio and has two years of postdoctoral experience from Drexel University in Philadelphia in the area of dental composites.

Gene W. Shaffer, MD, is Associate Program Director for the Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Program and specializes in foot and ankle and sports medicine. Dr. Shaffer treats common and complex foot and ankle problems, including arthritis, bunions, congenital disorders and diabetic foot problems as well as evaluation and treatment of patients with traumatic, occupational and athletic injuries. Dr. Shaffer provides sports medicine coverage for university and high school teams in Philadelphia and the surrounding suburban area. Dr. Shaffer received his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania, his orthopaedic surgery residency training at Temple University Hospital and subspecialty fellowship training in foot and ankle surgery at Pennsylvania Hospital, all of which are Philadelphia programs. He is Board certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgeons with added qualifications in Sports Medicine. He is an active member of the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society and Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons as well as various local and national medical, orthopaedic and specialty organizations.

Jack W. Shilling, M.D., is Board certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgeons and fellowship trained in adult reconstructive surgery at the Rothman Institute at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia.  Dr. Shilling has extensive expertise in total joint replacement of the hip and knee including revision joint replacement, minimally invasive surgery and partial knee joint replacement.  Dr. Shilling has special interest in the treatment of patients with arthritis and osteoporosis. Dr. Shilling earned his medical degree from Hahnemann University School of medicine and completed his residency training in orthopaedic surgery at the University of Rochester Strong Memorial Hospital in New York State.  Dr. Shilling is an active member of local and national medical, orthopaedic and specialty organizations.

 

An excellent educator and mentor to the residents, Eric A. Williams, MD became Program Director for the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Albert Einstein Medical Center in 2007 and oversees all aspects of the Orthopaedic Surgery Program. Dr. Williams is Board certified and specializes in spine surgery and is skilled in surgical and non-surgical treatment of spine disorders. Due to his active involvement in research and development of new surgical techniques, Dr. Williams is able to provide advanced treatments for his patients, including minimally invasive surgery of the spine (MIS). Dr. Williams graduated medical school and completed his residency in orthopaedic surgery at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He completed a one-year spine fellowship with Paul C. McAfee at the Scoliosis and Spine Center in Towson, Maryland, afterward joining his teacher and mentor from Temple, John Handal, MD, in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Albert Einstein Medical Center. Dr. Eric Williams is an active member of local and national medical, orthopaedic, and specialty associations.

Brett A. Sweitzer, MD is fellowship trained in sports medicine at the Steadman Hawkins Clinic of the Carolinas and a recent addition to the teaching and surgical faculty at Albert Einstein Medical Center Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. Dr. Sweitzer earned his medical degree from Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia and completed his residency training in orthopaedic surgery at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia.

John T. Williams, Sr, MD is a graduate of Howard University College of Medicine, Washington, DC, and an alumni of the Albert Einstein Medical Center Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Program. He completed a fellowship in hand surgery at New York University. Dr. Williams is certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgeons and is a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. In addition to general orthopaedics, he specializes in joint replacement and reconstruction. Dr. Williams has more than 40 years of experience in the field of orthopaedics and is now non-operative. He works closely with the residents as a teaching faculty member at bi-monthly resident clinics.

John T. Williams, Jr, MD, is Director of the Total Joint Program in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Albert Einstein Medical Center.  Dr. Williams Jr is a graduate of Howard University College of Medicine in Washington, DC, and completed his residency in orthopaedic surgery at Howard University Hospital. Dr. Williams completed his fellowship in adult hip and knee reconstruction at Joint Implant Surgeons, Inc., in Columbus, OH, and specializes in adult reconstruction and joint replacement of the hip and knee, including primary and revision procedures as well as the treatment of all degenerative arthritides. He is actively involved in the research and development of new techniques and technology for total hip and knee replacement. Dr. Williams is board certified in orthopaedic surgery.