Dr DiPasquale with Rowan Residents

By Karen Greenberg, DO, FACOEP, FAAEM
UMDNJ-SOM Emergency Medicine Residency Class of 2007

Son. Husband. Father. Physician. Mentor. Colleague. Friend. Hero. Legend. The Best.

The world of emergency medicine became a little darker early in the morning of Sunday, November 1st as Dr. DiPasquale lost a long, hard-fought battle with cancer.  It was a unique situation as his own former residents, who are now attending physicians, would care for him, sworn to secrecy, as his body failed him, yet his mind stayed sharp.

Affectionately known as “Dr. D,” Dr. Tony DiPasquale graduated from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1977 where he also completed his emergency medicine residency in 1981. He obtained board certification in 1987 and went on to become a Fellow of the American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians.  In 1993, Dr. DiPasquale was the founding program director of the emergency medicine residency program at Rowan SOM/Jefferson South Jersey Hospital  (formerly UMDNJ-SOM/Kennedy Memorial Hospital).

There are too many awards and accolades to mention, but one that needs highlighting is Dr. DiPasquale as the winner of the 2015 Field Mentor of the Year Award.  He was the perfect choice because of his dedication to the medical credo, “see one, do one, teach one.”  He possessed infinite patience to ensure that his program promoted a family atmosphere where residents, medical students, nurses, and healthcare professionals felt comfortable asking questions and learned the whys behind every procedure.  No one was more deserving to win Mentor of the Year.  Those of us who trained with him would argue the award could easily have been Mentor of the Decades instead.

Dr. DiPasquale with Dr. Greenberg

Dr. D was the kind of program director who always had your back, always went to bat for you, and always made sure his graduates were ready for anything.  He taught what the medical textbooks could not.  He attended every Wednesday academic conference for over 20 years and was always the first person in the room.  The opportunity to work side by side with him on shift in the emergency department was always a gift.  He gave his residents independence, yet always kept a watchful eye, and there were always clinical pearls taught from his years of experience.  He often recognized our clinical and leadership potential before we even did.

Tony trained over 200 residents during his esteemed career.  With all the alumni practicing as emergency physicians, both nationally and internationally, his work will continue to touch thousands of patient lives.  He was truly a gift to the specialty of emergency medicine and will be missed each and every day.

Dr. D was kind, patient, humble, gentle, caring, compassionate, and had an amazing sense of humor.  He loved horse racing and could talk for hours about his beloved “ponies.” He was the primary caregiver for his ailing mother for many years, on top of being a revered program director and working full time clinical hours.  He successfully navigated the transition to a combined AOA/AMA ACGME emergency medicine residency program and in his last year as program director he graduated 19 residents.  He was incredibly proud to have graduated his first 3-year, dually-accredited residency program in June of 2020.

In short, Dr. D is irreplaceable.

Tony was an extremely private person and did not want a funeral or even an obituary.  In an effort to honor and memorialize his commitment to the program that he spearheaded, current leadership and alumni have created the Anthony DiPasquale, DOEmergency Medicine Endowed Scholarship at Rowan University School of Osteopathic medicine.  If you would like to make a donation please visit go.rowan.edu/dipasqualescholarship.  All gifts to the fund will be applied to the endowment and will ensure a lasting and true remembrance of our beloved Dr. DiPasquale.

Rest in peace now Tony.  You are loved in so many ways by so many people.