Our Providers
Experienced medical professionals who provide patient-centered care and who listen closely when you speak.
Thomas A. Schwartzer
MD, Ph.D
Dr. Schwartzer is a Board-Certified Internist and one of our founding partners. His special interests include chronic disease management, clinical nutrition, personalized medicine, and the provision of comprehensive care across the adult life spectrum.
Dr. Schwartzer received his undergraduate training at Thomas A. Edison College and Rutgers University. He obtained a Master’s degree at Wagner College in Medical Bacteriology and Ph.D. at UMDNJ-Rutgers University in Immunology/Virology. He studied Medicine at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and completed his residency training at St. Peter’s University Hospital.
He has published over 35 medical research papers and has been an Associate Professor of Medicine at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, and Clinical Assistant Professor in Medicine at Drexel Medical School. He is a member of the American College of Physicians and the American Board of Medicine.
Deepak K. Jain
MD
Dr. Jain is a Board-Certified Internist and clinical assistant professor of Drexel Medical School. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Stony Brook University and medical education at Saint George’s Medical School. He completed his residency at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. Dr. Jain speaks English and Hindi.
Christina Wang-Epstein
MD, PhD
Dr. Wang-Epstein, who is board-certified in Internal Medicine, has been with our practice since 2007. She received her medical degree from Beijing Medical University in China (currently named Peking University Health Science Center). She then earned her Ph.D. in Anatomy and Cell Biology from the State University of New York, Health Science Center at Brooklyn.
Dr. Wang-Epstein completed her internship at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center and her residency at Jersey City Medical Center. She is fluent in both English and Mandarin.
Abigail Lore
MD
Dr. Lore is a Board-Certified Internist and graduate of Drexel University’s College of Medicine. Born and raised in Bridgewater, NJ, she is excited to start new relationships with patients that will last for many years.
Dr. Lore received her Bachelor of Science from Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison, NJ, and then received her Medical degree from Ross University Medical School. Dr. Lore’s interests outside of medicine include lacrosse and running and she was a member of the Fairleigh Dickinson University women’s lacrosse team and continues to play in alumni games each year. She is also an avid runner and often participates in local races.
Manan Pandya
DO
Dr. Pandya is a dedicated primary care physician with over 10 years of experience in internal medicine. He has worked across a variety of healthcare settings including hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, and hospice care.
Dr. Pandya has a strong interest in obesity and preventive medicine, with a focus on helping patients take proactive steps toward better health and wellness. He is fluent in English, Gujarati, and Hindi, and speaks basic Spanish, allowing him to connect with a diverse patient population.
Outside of medicine, Dr. Pandya is a competitive USTA tennis player and an avid sports fan who enjoys watching football and basketball. He also loves to travel and explore different cultures through their food, always on the lookout for new and unique ethnic cuisines to try.
Hiran Patel
MD
Dr. Hiran Patel, MD is a board-certified internal medicine physician committed to providing comprehensive, evidence-based care in both inpatient and outpatient settings. He earned his medical degree with cum laude honors, reflecting his strong academic foundation and dedication to clinical excellence. Dr. Patel completed his internal medicine residency at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, where he played an active role in critical care management, antimicrobial stewardship, and clinical teaching. He has led quality improvement initiatives in ICU protocols and antibiotic use and has presented clinical research at national medical conferences.
Since completing residency, Dr. Patel has practiced in a variety of settings—including hospital medicine, urgent care, and primary care—enabling him to deliver versatile, well-rounded care across the continuum of health. He is recognized for his compassionate bedside manner, thoughtful approach to care, and commitment to staying current with evolving medical advancements.
Dr. Patel is fluent in English and Gujarati, which allows him to effectively communicate with a diverse patient population. Outside of medicine, he enjoys playing golf and tennis as part of a balanced and active lifestyle.
Adriana Ackerman
MSN, APN
Ms. Ackerman is an Advanced Practice Nurse in Adult Health with a BSN from Wagner College. She also earned her MSN as an Adult Nurse Practitioner from Seton Hall University in 2006.
Adriana has practiced as an APN at CJIMA since 2006 and is affiliated with St. Peter’s University Hospital and Willow Creek Rehabilitation and Care Center. She lives in Somerset County with her husband and two sons and enjoys spending time with her family, organic gardening, cooking, and volunteering at her son’s school.
Mary Elizabeth Schwartzer
RDN, CDCES
Mary Elizabeth holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Nutritional Sciences from Rutgers University. She completed her dietetic internship at the University of Medicine and Dentistry-New Jersey, where she was trained in clinical and community dietetics. In addition to being a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), she is a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES), focusing on diabetes prevention, pre-diabetes and diabetes management.
In addition to diabetes care, Mary Elizabeth works closely with our medical team in the nutrition management of conditions including overweight/obesity, underweight/unintentional weight loss, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, polycystic ovarian syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, gastroesophageal reflux disease, osteoporosis, gout, and kidney disease. She provides individual nutrition counseling to help patients identify and meet their nutrition goals.
Lauren Ferges
DNP, APN
Ms. Ferges is an Advanced Practice Nurse certified in Adult-Gerontology Primary Care by the AANP. Lauren started her career as a Registered Nurse at Saint Peter's University Hospital where she earned two DAISY Awards for excellence in patient care as well as the Nursing Research Award. She later decided to pursue an advanced degree and earned her Doctorate in Nursing Practice at Rutgers University in 2018. She has been a nurse practitioner with CJIMA since 2019.
Kinjel Patel
MSN, APN
Ms. Patel is an Advanced Practice Nurse certified in Family Medicine by the AANP. Kinjel earned her BSN at Drexel University in 2012. She had worked at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick as a RN on a telemetry/step down ICU unit for 8 years. She then earned her MSN at Monmouth University in 2021. She has been a Nurse Practitioner with CIJMA since 2021. Kinjel is fluent in both English and Gujurati.
Allison Favale
PA
Ms. Favale is a newly certified Physician Assistant and a graduate of the Marist University PA program. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Integrative Neuroscience from Binghamton University, graduating Magna Cum Laude and receiving the Provost Scholarship. Prior to PA school, Allison worked at CJIMA as a medical assistant, gaining valuable hands-on experience and building a strong clinical foundation. During her training, she completed rotations across multiple specialties, including internal medicine, urgent care, hematology/oncology, general surgery, emergency medicine, and women’s health, and developed a strong interest in primary care. We are excited to welcome her back to CJIMA in her new role as a provider.
Our doctors have a shared objective
It is to provide compassionate, comprehensive, and personalized care to all our patients that exceeds other clinics and hospitals in not only treating diseases, but also preventing and diagnosing them.