Residency Program Director, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School/JFK Medical Center
Director, JFK Consult Service

Dr. Sara Cuccurullo received her medical degree from SUNY Downstate and completed her residency at UMDNJ-RWJ/JFK Medical Center. She was board certified in 1992.

Dr. Cuccurullo joined the staff at UMDNJ-RWJ/JFK Medical Center in 1991 and has served as the Residency Program Director since 1998. She is dedicated to resident education and has taught the Board Review Course for physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) residents since 1991. She has received the Teacher of the Year Award four times and the UMDNJ/RWJ Volunteer Faculty Award several times. She also initiated and currently oversees the Resident Education Fund at JFK which supports and is committed to maximizing the educational experience of the JFK/RWJ Rehab Residents.

In 2002, Dr. Cuccurullo published a book, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Board Review (Demos Publishing). She is Editor in Chief of the textbook. She has also authored or co-authored several articles and 36 abstracts regarding resident education and clinical issues concerning the consult service.

Dr. Cuccurullo heads the PM&R Residency Competency Committee at JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute and, with other members of the competency committee, has developed a competency model that has been presented nationally at the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. She also oversees and assists in teaching the Self Assessment Review Course annually. Dr. Cuccurullo is actively involved with the Robert Wood Johnson University medical students and runs a course for third year medical students addressing LCME requirements: cancer pain and end-of-life issues. She is also a Medical Student Advisor and sits on the GME Committee.

Dr. Cuccurullo also serves as Director of the JFK Medical Center Consult Service, where she has assisted in developing the Total Joint Protocols and Stroke Protocols used in the acute care hospital. She is committed to assessing and caring for patients in the acute care hospital that ultimately will be transferred to home or facilities that will attend to their rehab needs.

For more than 15 years, Dr. Cuccurullo has been an active member of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, where she sits on the Program Committee and has lectured nationally. She also peer reviews posters and papers to be presented at the AAP National Meetings.