Alum Becomes Medical Society of New Jersey President

Dr. Ruth Schulze

Ruth Schulze, MD, who received her medical degree at Stony Brook University School of Medicine, was installed as the 221st president of the Medical Society of New Jersey (MSNJ) at its annual meeting in May. She is the fourth woman to hold the title since the organization was established in 1766. Dr. Schulze joined the MSNJ Board of Trustees in 2004 and has served six years as secretary, followed by vice-president and president-elect positions. She is a past officer and president of the Bergen County Medical Society.

Dr. Schulze practices at Women’s Total Health of Woodcliff Lake with Dr. Gail Sobel. Her gynecology practice focuses on adolescent, perimenopausal and senior women’s health and surgical needs. In addition, Dr. Schulze serves as director of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department for Valley Hospital in Ridgewood. She was the first female president of the medical staff at Valley Hospital from 2010 to 2012.

During her inaugural speech, Dr. Schulze presented a number of initiatives for her term, focusing on expanding membership to include physicians from all types of practice and employment settings, as well as representation from all subspecialty organizations. She is particularly interested in partnering with physicians-in-training along with community groups and business organizations to encourage healthcare forums or town hall discussions to focus needed healthcare changes on quality medicine and patient safety.

“Ralph Waldo Emerson said it best, ‘Nothing worthwhile in life is accomplished without passion,’” said Schulze. “I am passionate about medicine and I am passionate about the Medical Society of New Jersey. With all of us working together, I firmly believe we are ready to create a new revitalized MSNJ speaking as the united voice of medicine.”

Dr. Schulze, a Phi Beta Kappa scholar, graduated from Union College in Schenectady, New York, summa cum laude with a BS in biology. After earning her medical degree at Stony Brook, she completed her residency at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Massachusetts.

“Ruth’s passion and commitment to organized medicine and her vision for her term as president of MSNJ will result in new initiatives and an energized and diverse membership base,” said MSNJ CEO Larry Downs. “We welcome her as president and look forward to putting into action MSNJ’s aggressive agenda to improve healthcare in New Jersey.”