When Lou Vilotti received his acceptance into Rowan University’s medical school, he felt immense pride in being able to start studying his interests of sports medicine and orthopedics at a higher ranked institution.
He is no stranger to the area. Vilotti, who grew up and currently lives in Washington Township, was an athlete into his collegiate years. After graduating from Washington Township High School, he went on to receive a scholarship for soccer at Saint Joseph’s University, the next big step into his academic and athletic career.
However, things took a turn after Vilotti’s sports injuries turned severe.
“In my first two years at SJU I underwent four different surgeries on my hips and core muscles, which sidelined me for a large portion of my college career,” Vilotti said. “Though injuries are never fun, they led me to meet the great physicians at the Vincera Institute in South Philadelphia, where Dr. William Meyers, Dr. Alexander Poor and Dr. Struan Coleman helped get me back on the field doing what I love. I will forever be grateful for their help and for piquing my interest and love for medicine.”
This changed Vilotti’s initial academic path of pursuing food marketing, as he planned to work at his family’s business: Liscio’s Italian Bakery in Mantua Township. Even with the change of career plans, the bakery remains an important part of Vilotti’s cultural upbringing and moral compass.
“Seeing just how hard they work to grow the company while also managing to put family and friendship above all else will make me a better physician, person and hopefully father at some point in my life,” he said.
When researching schools, Vilotti landed on Rowan’s medical program for many reasons, including the university’s recent partnership with Virtua Health and the welcoming nature of the staff within the program.
“When I was going through my interview process, everyone that I was in contact with through the school was incredibly welcoming and helpful,” he said. “They really helped me feel comfortable during this stressful time period and sold their program to me, rather than having me try to sell myself to them.”
After being accepted into the program, Vilotti plans to focus on the studies and opportunities he’ll be given at Rowan as he is still unsure of what specializations he will pursue. But one thing is for certain: his love for South Jersey will continue to flourish.
