Jerome Abrams: Not Collidge Mateerial

Jerome Abrams is a doctor and a longtime practitioner of family medicine. After graduating from medical school in 1977 he did his residency in family medicine at the Franklin Square Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. After three years as an emergency room doctor he co-founded Dover Family Physicians, and stayed with that practice for thirty years before joining Family Medicine of Smyrna-Clayton.

Before entering medical school, Jerome Abrams received an undergraduate degree in philosophy from Franklin and Marshall College in 1973. So he is no stranger to higher and continuing education, and demonstrated a sense of the whimsical when he and some friends formed a classic rock band and turned off their spell-checkers by naming it Not Collidge Mateerial.

As with so many classic rock bands, Dr Jerry Abrams and Not Collidge Material stuck with the chestnuts from the 1969s and 1970s, with tunes from the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and Led Zepplin, among many others. It was definitely a real-life version of the popular Rock Band video game.

Jerome Abrams was the piano and keyboard player for Not Collidge Material, and most enjoyed those classic rock tunes that are heavy on organ and other keys, like "96 Tears" by ? and the Mysterians, and "Light My Fire" by the Doors. 

Jerome Abrams has also been a licensed private pilot, although he has not kept up with flying in recent years. Other of his hobbies include photography, playing racquetball, reading, and traveling.

Jerome Abrams: Desiderata Fan

Jerome Abrams is a family physician with more than thirty years of experience. He was a founding partner at Dover Family Physicians in 1983 and was with that practice for thirty years, providing a full scope of family medicine services.

In 1973, he earned a degree in philosophy from Franklin and Marshall University, several years before he began studying medicine. But he remains interested in the life of the mind; he says that the famous poem "Desiderata" is a summation of the principles that he tries to live by.

That poem, written by Max Ehrmann in 1927, was relatively obscure at first but became very popular in the 1960s and 1970s. It advises its readers to view the world with compassion, and to see the beauty that is all around them. "Speak your truth quietly and clearly/and listen to others/even the dull and the ignorant;/they too have their story/Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit..."

Legend has it, as Dr Jerry Abrams knows, that Max Ehrmann actually translated "Desiderata" from the text on a stone all of the bell tower of Old Saint Paul's Church in Baltimore, Maryland. Whether that is true or not, they are beautiful words to live by, he says.

Jerome Abrams enrolled in the Temple University Medical School and graduated in 1977. He began a three year residency at Franklin Square Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland that same year, and completed it in 1980. He spent three years working as an emergency room physician before entering private practice. Most recently, he started practicing at Family Medicine of Smyrna-Clayton.

Jerome Abrams: The Importance of Music

It’s safe to say that Jerome Abrams has a deep love for music. As someone who has spent a great deal of time both playing and performing music, he understands how inspirational, even educational, both listening and participating in music can. As he knows, music can even have an amazing effect on the development of a child, something he has been fortunate enough to have witnessed with his own children.

Music, says Jerome Abrams, can play a significant role in brain development, challenging the way a child thinks about his/her environment, improving how they approach and solve complex problems and opening up their creativity and imagination. Playing an instrument or engaging in a music activity can teach a child how to read music, keep time, control pitch and even overcome a sense of stage fright. Engaging in a musical activity can provide an excellent workout for the young brain, as well as to keep the child active in an activity that keeps them out of trouble.

Another side effect of learning and performing music, as Jerome Abrams knows, is the learning of responsibility. Learning music requires a certain level of commitment, practice and dedication, more or less working to increase the child’s sense and understanding of personal responsibility and follow through. 

Though he doesn’t play music professionally, Jerome Abrams still takes time out of his busy schedule to perform. He is currently an active member of a music group affiliated with the Beth Sholom Synagogue, Ruach, and continues to enjoy music as an engaging and stimulating activity.

Jerome Abrams: The Benefits of Community Involvement

Jerome Abrams, a respected and experienced family physician, has spent much of his free time and energy giving back to the local community, demonstrating his commitment to a healthier, stronger and cleaner local area that will be of benefit to generations well into the future. He has been involved in numerous community projects and events over the years, including his role in building a new community playground, providing a decade’s worth of assistance to the Dover Children’s Theater and serving on the Board of Directors for the Dover Interfaith Mission for Housing.

Community involvement, as Jerome Abrams knows, has numerous benefits for the local community, though it also provides the volunteer many personal benefits they may not even be aware of. He provides several of these benefits below.

A Teaching Moment

Community involvement, particularly when undertaken as family, can provide numerous important life lessons, including the need for involvement itself, recognition of less fortunate or in-need populations and the development of empathy. 

Building Relationships

Working alongside fellow volunteers in support of the greater good, says Jerome Abrams, can help the individual strengthen bonds, make friends and cultivate relationships that can potentially last a lifetime. Getting to know other members of the local community in a volunteering environment also helps to create and strengthen community ties and neighborhoods.

Academic and Career Advantages

Community service looks great on both college applications and resumes, and can help you become a stand-out candidate for acceptance into a university, or for the position you need to get your foot in the door. Many potential employers take note of your volunteer experience and may perhaps pay extra attention to it when considering you as a candidate.

Jerome Abrams: Preparing for Medical School

If you’re an undergraduate, and are considering entry into the medical field, it’s important to be prepared, focused and to have the right guidance and advice on your side. A practicing family physician with over three decades of experience, Jerome Abrams understands that entering a medical school program is often the biggest move in a young person’s life, and that careful consideration, attention and preparation need to be taken before and during the process to ensure the student has everything they need to succeed.

Jerome Abrams works to help aspiring medical students adequately prepare for the challenges that lie ahead.

Consult Your Academic Counselor

So you’re in the midst of your Bachelor’s-level program, and you have begun to consider medicine as your field and profession of interest. Consult with your academic counselor and/or mentor as to the steps you will need to take to effectively apply for a medical school program. Counselors and professors often have the insight, expertise and experience needed to provide the best guidance and direction to those seeking a professional medical career.

Prepare, Study, Commit

Since you’ve chosen med school as the next step in your academic career, it now becomes more important than ever to fully apply and commit yourself to your studies and to preparation. No matter the grades you’re getting, or the internships or programs you’re currently involved in, says Jerome Abrams, the MCATS are now in your future, and need to be taken seriously in order to make your way into medical school.

Jerome Abrams: Surviving Your Medical Residency

The residency may often be the most difficult part of an aspiring doctor’s medical education, putting the prospective professional through a significant test of their mental, physical and emotional limitations, and perhaps even presenting challenges that make them reevaluate their intellectual and professional pursuit. Jerome Abrams, an accomplished family physician with many years of practice experience, understands how often daunting the medical residency can be, though he also knows the best ways to be prepared and to survive the potential challenges of these crucial final years of one’s medical education.

Maintain Your Focus

As you begin your residency, says Jerome Abrams, you may have noticed that class and books have gone by the wayside. Though this may feel as if a burden has been lifted, it’s important to know that you are entering perhaps one of the most demanding phases of your training, making it absolutely crucial to stay focused and prepared. Do your best, he says to maintain the same commitment to hard work and studying that got you through the classroom setting, and to constantly stay prepared for whatever is next.

Find an Outlet for Stress

Stress can often have the effect of hurting concentration, focus and the ability to perform properly throughout one’s residency. As Jerome Abrams knows, it’s vital to find an outlet for the stresses one often incurs throughout the course of a residency; a way to alleviate this potentially insurmountable obstacle and keep your focus on the ultimate goal. Do your best to limit the impact of stress on your performance and your success. These last stages of your education will make all the difference.

More than a Doctor: Jerome Abrams

There are many ways to define a person. Many times, a person is defined by their career. For Jerome Abrams, this means defining him by his thirty-plus years as a family physician. However, there is more to Jerome Abrams than his medical responsibilities. He is also a family man and a community participant.

Professional achievements aside, Jerome Abrams is a remarkable man with endless love for his wife and children. He and his wife share a love for helping others, and both work in the medical industry. Jerome Abrams and his wife married 35 years ago. They had three children whom they raised to be respectful and successful. Their sons are all eagle scouts and college graduates.

Jerome Abrams is also a strong community participant. He is devout in his religion and a congregation member of Beth Sholom synagogue. He is a member of Ruach, which is an instrumental musical group associated with Beth Shalom congregation.

As a father, Jerome Abrams cherishes children. He spearheaded the building of a community playground called Picadilly Castle. He participated in the project’s fundraising, design, and construction. He was also active in the Dover Children’s Theater for more than ten years. He worked as the theater’s lighting director for 30+ productions, assistant director for 4 productions, and was the director for The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

Jerome Abrams’ community care extends beyond local children to the homeless. He volunteered for Dover Interfaith Mission for Housing. He also played an important leadership role as a board member. Under his leadership, a bicycle repair shop and day resource center were organized.