Faces of Saint Peters: October
Rashmi Acharya, M.D. and Francine E. Sinofsky, M.D.
Rashmi Acharya, M.D.
A native of India, obstetrician-gynecologist Rashmi Acharya, M.D., 44, moved to the United States with her husband, Subhash, in 1997. Though she had a medical degree, she didn’t plan to work here at first. But she changed her mind and began studies that led to a residency in internal medicine at Saint Vincent’s Hospital in Staten Island, New York, and later a residency in Ob/Gyn at Mount Sinai Hospital. She has a practice, which her husband helps manage, with offices in Plainsboro and North Brunswick.
Q: How was your transition from India to America?
It was tough. We came when my husband, an engineer, got a job here. In India I had worked and been very social, but here I didn’t know anyone and was home alone. I quickly realized I could help a lot of people rather than stay at home.
Q: Tell us about your family.
Our daughter, Komal, is 11, and our sons are Ganesh, 8, and Omkar, 7. We adopted three siblings from an orphanage in India. They had never been to school and did not speak a word of English. I stayed there with them for four months so we could get to know and understand each other. We came home to the U.S. in April 2006. They adjusted quickly and are doing very well.
Q: Why did you switch from internal medicine?
I was not satisfied with what I was doing. Remembering the women in India who had little or no access to health care, I decided to focus on women’s health.
Q: What brings you joy?
My children have brought a lot of joy to my life. And I love music. I used to sing in public in India, but now I occasionally sing at parties, usually Bollywood and native Indian songs.
Fancine E. Sinofsky, M.D.
“I came to New Brunswick more than 30 years ago and just never left,” says obstetriciangynecologist Francine E. Sinofsky, M.D., with a laugh. The native of Wayne attended Rutgers University and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ)–Rutgers Medical School. She has had privileges at Saint Peter’s for 25 years. Now living in Highland Park, Dr. Sinofsky, 54, has offices in East Brunswick and Manalapan. Her family includes her mother, four siblings and eight nieces and nephews.
Q: Are you surprised that your career has remained rooted here?
When I first came here as an undergraduate, I never planned on staying. But then I was accepted into medical school and did my residency here. After that, I became a full-time faculty member at the medical school—now UMDNJ–Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
Q: Do you still teach?
I continue to enjoy teaching medical students and residents when I am at Saint Peter’s. It’s satisfying to pass on what you’ve learned to the next generation of physicians. But for me it’s mostly practicing now. I find it very rewarding to help patients bring a baby home. I also love providing continuity of care. I see women from their teen years through delivering their kids to menopausal issues. Some have been with me almost 25 years. Some of the kids I delivered are now my patients, and one recently had a baby of her own!
