2021 IDR Closing Statements

Nelayda Fonte, D.O., FACOS, FICS Fellowship trained in trauma and surgical critical care at Cooper Hospital in Camden, New Jersey following a surgical residency at Kennedy Memorial Hospital. Dr. Fonte graduated from University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ-SOM), now Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine.

Dr. Fonte practiced full-time trauma and surgical critical care for 23 years as Assistant Director of Trauma and Surgical Critical Care, Past President of Medical Staff, and elected to three terms as Chief of Surgery at Lee Memorial Hospital until January 2019.

Dr. Fonte has served as Chairperson for the In-Depth Review Committee since 2017 and co-chaired the first IDR Board Review Course in 2014. She has also co-chaired the Annual Clinical Assembly General Surgery Section in 2016 and is a Past Secretary/Treasurer of the General Surgery Section of the ACOS and currently serves on The Board of Governors for the ACOS. Interested in trauma prevention, education, and quality improvement, Dr. Fonte continues to provide Critical Care services, expanding into the world of Bariatrics and Robotics.

Dr. Bednarski is a Board Certified General Surgeon who is Fellowship Trained in Breast Oncoplastic Surgery, as well as Hand Surgery. Dr. Bednarski completed her general surgery residency training at many trauma centers including St Joseph’s Hospital in Paterson, New Jersey and Interfaith Hospital/ St John’s in Brooklyn, New York. Once her residency was complete, she subspecialized initially in hand surgery at Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx, where she also trained in many reconstructive surgical procedures in addition to advanced hand surgery--mainly breast reconstruction. After working purely as a hand surgeon in New York for 3 years, she decided to further subspecialize in breast oncoplastic surgery.  She matriculated from exactly such a program in New York.  This means that Dr. Bednarski is a truly comprehensive breast surgeon, performing everything from minimally invasive breast biopsies, to oncologic procedures, to reconstruction of the breast, as well as cosmetic breast procedures. She is facile with treatment of all aspects of breast disease--benign and malignant--in patients of all ages.  Dr. Bednarski also performs cryoablation in the office, and is the only physician to offer this service in the area.

What the patient can expect to experience: Dr. Bednarski has decided to focus on breast surgery, as she feels that it is in this field that she excels. She intensely believes in comprehensive breast care and being with the patient through their entire experience.  She is extremely comfortable in treating patients of all ages, from birth to the elderly. Being compassionate and caring, she strives to project these qualities into everything that she puts her hands on. Dr. Bednarski is very passionate about making sure that her patients get the best care and that they are well-informed and treated with the dignity and respect that they deserve.