A. Liam Ness, M.D.
The love of learning propels both the professional and personal interests of A. Liam Ness, M.D., a maternal-fetal medicine specialist who recently came to Saint Peter’s University Hospital from Stanford University in California.
The love of learning propels both the professional and personal interests of A. Liam Ness, M.D., a maternal-fetal medicine specialist who recently came to Saint Peter’s University Hospital from Stanford University in California. Originally from the tri-state area, Dr. Ness studied at Yeshiva University and Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. After his internship at the University of California at Los Angeles and residency at New York’s Cornell University, he practiced as a general obstetrician/gynecologist for 20 years before deciding to study maternal-fetal medicine through a fellowship at Thomas Jefferson Medical Center in Philadelphia. He and his wife, Jocelyn, a social worker, have two grown daughters and a college-age son.
Why make the late switch from ob-gyn to maternal-fetal medicine? I had a feeling I needed to do something new. I have always loved learning, and I needed new challenges. Maternal-fetal medicine gave me an opportunity to provide services I couldn’t offer as a general ob-gyn. There is a big demand for maternal-fetal medicine, and it’s really an extension of obstetrics, which I did, plus more advanced imaging techniques, which I love. I am very happy with the choice I made.
Where does your love of learning come from? Partly it’s because I’m Jewish, and learning is part of practicing Judaism. I always knew I wanted to be a doctor, but along with my pre-med studies I also went to Yeshiva to get a formal education in Judaism.
Have you continued with your Judaic studies? Yes. Wherever I’ve lived i have continued to learn at some level. in California i had a study group. There are more opportunities here in New Jersey, and I am really excited about that.
What else interests you? I love to travel. I enjoy skiing, which we can do more of here in the east, and photography. Mostly, I like learning new things.
