Our Physicians

A native New Yorker, Dr. Kaufman began his career path when he earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Brooklyn College. He attended Albert Einstein College of Medicine and completed his internship at Montefiore Hospital and Medical Center, both in the Bronx. He earned a fellowship at the University of Miami School of Medicine and is board certified in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology. More recently, in 1997, he became a Certified Nutrition Support physician that acknowledges his specialized training and expertise in clinical nutrition.

Together with his colleagues at AGA, Dr. Kaufman was a co-investigator on over 100 clinical trials, assessing the effectiveness of emerging treatments for digestive and liver diseases. Current clinical trials for which he is the principle investigator include a promising new agent for the treatment of chronic Hepatitis C and new agents for the treatment of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's Disease. He has special interest and knowledge in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease), and was recognized as Physician of the Year by the Delaware Valley Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America. In 2010 Philadelphia Magazine named Dr. Kaufman a “Top Doc” in gastroenterology in southern New Jersey Dr. Kaufman is one of only two physicians in the region who use endoscopic ultrasound for the diagnosis and biopsy of lesions not accessible by routine gastrointestinal endoscopy.

Dr. Kaufman is currently coordinating the development of a Celiac Diagnostic Center at AGA, including organizing a support group for affected individuals.

Active in the medical community, Dr. Kaufman served as Chief of Gastroenterology at AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center for more than 30 years, and is currently an attending physician there. He is also on staff at Betty Bacharach Rehabilitation Hospital.

Dr. Kaufman is the founder and co-owner of ACCESS Surgicenter in Egg Harbor Township, where he performs outpatient endoscopic procedures.

For over two decades, Gary A. Rosman, M.D. has been helping patients get relief from the symptoms of gastrointestinal disease.

He started on his career path with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Emory University and went on to earn his medical degree from New York Medical College. Dr. Rosman completed his residency at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and his fellowship at Temple University Hospital. He is board certified in both internal medicine and gastroenterology.

Dr. Rosman served as chairman of the Department of Medicine of AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center from January 1999 to December 2005.  He was elected president of ARMC’s medical staff in 2010. He was also appointed to AtlantiCare Health System’s board quality committee in 2008. The following year AtlantiCare earned the coveted Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, which was presented to AtlantiCare by Vice President Joe Biden and Commerce Secretary Gary Locke. In 2011, Dr. Rosman was named chairman of the board quality committee.

Like his partners at AGA, Dr. Rosman has done extensive work in clinical trials, testing new therapies for pharmaceutical companies and new methods to diagnose and treat disease. Most recently he has worked on studies to evaluate therapies for active Crohn’s Disease, Active Ulcerative Colitis and Chronic Hepatitis C.

In his spare time Dr. Rosman remains active in the medical community. He is a member of the American Gastroenterological Association, the American Medical Association, the New Jersey State Medical Association, the American College of Gastroenterology, the Atlantic County Medical Society and a consultant in gastroenterology to Bacharach Rehabilitation Hospital.

John J. Santoro, D.O. views the patients at AGA as an extended family, which he calls ‘la famiglia.’ Whether you’ve been here once or a dozen times, Dr. Santoro enjoys getting to know, and helping, you—one of the reasons he became a physician.

He started his career in Philadelphia with a bachelor’s degree cum laude in biology from LaSalle University. He was ranked second in his class at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, where he earned his doctor of osteopathy degree. Dr. Santoro completed his internship at John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital and his residency and fellowship at the University of Medicine & Dentistry.

For the past 28 years, he’s had the role of teacher as well as physician, as Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Medicine & Dentistry, New Jersey School of Osteopathic Medicine. Simultaneously, he has served as Director, Division of Gastroenterology at Shore Memorial Hospital with privileges also at AlantiCare Regional Medical Center and the Bacharach Institute for Rehabilitation, positions he still holds today.

Dr. Santoro also is an avid researcher, with over 100 clinical studies to his credit. Published in medical journals, he is a recognized leader in diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal disorders. South Jersey Magazine named Dr. Santoro one of the top docs.

Joseph L. Spaar, M.D. has dedicated most of his career to studying gastrointestinal disease. He has been with AGA for over 30 years and has completed more than 100 different clinical research studies. Study topics range from Crohn’s Disease to Hepatitis C, erosive esophagitis, heartburn and sleep disturbances. In this way, he remains on the leading edge of these and other disorders.

A graduate of Temple University Medical School, Dr. Spaar did his internship at the Medical College of Pennsylvania. After serving time in the military as Lieutenant Commander for the U.S. Public Health Service, he completed his residency and fellowship at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. Dr. Spaar is board-certified and fellowship trained in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology.

He is an active attending physician at AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center and a consultant in gastroenterology at Shore Memorial Hospital and Betty Bacharach Rehabilitation Hospital.

A gastroenterologist by specialty, Dr. Pecora also is certified in internal medicine.

He completed his training at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, followed by Delaware Valley Hospital and the Hospitals of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed a preceptorship in gastroenterology at the University of Pennsylvania and the Veterans Administration Hospital.

With a passion for teaching, Dr. Pecora joined the staff of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and the UMDNJ-SOM. At the latter, he rose through the ranks to become Assistant Dean for Education and Faculty Development, a position he held until 2006. Currently, he is emeritus professor of medicine at that esteemed institution.

While teaching, Dr. Pecora also spent time in private practice and in the hospital setting. He served as chief of the Division of Gastroenterology at Kennedy Memorial Hospital-University Medical Center.

Dr. Pecora was editor in chief for the John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital Scientific Journal. Among his awards and honors is the Distinguished Service Award from the American College of Osteopathic Internists.

Nikhilesh Dhansuklal Mehta chose the Yale School of Medicine for his specialty training in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology. He was an intern and resident in Internal Medicine at the Yale-New Haven Program and completed a fellowship in gastroenterology at the Yale-Danbury Program. He also did a second fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania, Graduate Hospital.

It was a long journey from his home country of India where he began his career. Graduating from the University of Bombay, he went on to earn his M.B.B.S. at the Institute of Medical Sciences. While in India, he served as clinical instructor in Biochemistry at the Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University. He also worked as charge chief medical officer for the Bombay Municipal Hospital Corporation prior to emigrating to the U.S.

After Yale and the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Mehta served as attending physician for Southern Ocean County Hospital (SOCH). During that time, which covered a span of more than two decades, Dr. Mehta was Chief of Gastroenterology, a member of the Patient Care Committee and also chairman of the Committee of Pharmacy and Therapeutics at SOCH.

Currently, Dr. Mehta is a consulting physician for AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center. He remains active in the community, spearheading education programs on topics from hepatitis awareness to colorectal cancer screening. He also takes time out of his busy schedule to counsel high school students on medical careers.

An avid learner, Dr. Mehta keeps up with the latest techniques and research through continuing education. He holds board certifications in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology.

A Philadelphia native, Dr. Lee Rosky trained at the University of Pennsylvania. He did his internship at the Atlantic City Medical Center but returned to center city for his residencies in internal medicine and cardiology at Philadelphia VA Hospital. Dr. Rosky pursued his fellowship in gastroenterology at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. He also served at the U.S. Army Hospital in Fort Carson, Colorado.

When he returned to civilian life, Dr. Rosky remembered his training at the shore with fondness. He returned to the Atlantic City area, securing a position at Shore Memorial Hospital as Chief Attending Physician in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology. He went on to become Chief Attending Physician in Internal Medicine and Section Chief for Gastroenterology at Atlantic City Medical Center. From 1993 to 2003, he returned to Shore Memorial to resume his previous duties.

Dr. Rosky is well published. His clinical research has focused on pharmaceuticals in the treatment of such gastrointestinal disorders as GERD, chronic hepatitis C, chronic constipation, irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn’s disease.

Mohamed A. Abdulla, M.D. brings his special expertise in pathology to Atlantic Gastroenterology Associates. He is a vital member of the medical team, diagnosing disease through blood, fluid and tissue samples.

Licensed in three states — New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania — Dr. Abdulla holds fellowships in cytopathology and obstetrical and gynecological, neonatal and breast pathology from Magee Women's Hospital at the University of Pittsburgh, where he also worked on staff. He has served as Associate Pathologist/Cytopathologist at St. Luke's Hospital in Bethlehem, Pa., and at Trinitas Hospital in Elizabeth, N.J.

Prior to joining the staff of Atlantic Gastroenterology Associates in 2007, Dr. Abdulla worked as Consultant Pathologist and Lab Director for Urologic Consultants of Southeastern Pennsylvania. He also served as Consultant Pathologist and Lab Director for Joseph Motta's Urology in Staten Island, N.Y., as Consultant Pathologist for Lakewood/Plus Dx Lab and Medical Director for Pennje Laboratory Services in Bethlehem, Pa.

He received his training in a residency at Albany Medical College and Affiliated Hospitals. He served as a graduate student and research associate at New York Medical College.

Early in his career, Dr. Abdulla served as a physician in the Ministry of Public Health, Qatar State. He also was a physician for the Ministry of Health in Egypt. He attended medical school at Cairo University.

Dr. Abdulla is active in the industry and holds memberships in the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology, the International Academy of Pathology, the International Society of Breast Pathology and the College of American Pathologists. He also is a member of the Pennsylvania Medical Society and the New Jersey Pathologists Society.

He also is widely published; his studies have appeared in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Medical Principles and Practice, Human Pathology and Experimental and Molecular Pathology, among other publications. Dr. Abdulla is currently co-authoring a book, The Pathophysiological Basis of Nuclear Medicine.