Dr. Matthew Garberina MD '89

The now old-fashioned term “Renaissance Man” kept creeping into my brain as I learned about the life and accomplishments of Dr. Matthew Garberina.  During his years on Royal Avenue, Matt was a member of our football, golf, Science Research, and forensics teams, and served as Student Council President, all the while laying a strong academic foundation for what was to follow.

Matt’s undergraduate years as an Air Force ROTC student at the University of Notre Dame and his medical school years at Temple University paved the way for his notable and lauded Orthopedic residency at Duke University.  At Duke, he was honored with the John M. Harrelson Chief Resident Teaching Award and provided orthopedic coverage for both Duke’s and North Carolina Central’s men’s and women’s varsity teams, including Duke’s 2000-2001 national basketball champions.

Matt’s residency was followed by service as a surgeon in the United States Air Force.  He attained the rank of Major and was named Chief of Orthopedics at New Jersey’s Maguire Air Force Base, responsible for the orthopedic care of active, reserve, veteran, and dependent patients.  After his years of active duty, Matt completed a Shoulder and Elbow Fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania and is now Chairman of the Orthopedic Department and a member of the Clinical Governance Board at Summit Health.  He has earned multiple recognitions as one of New Jersey’s top doctors, and he is a noted author and frequent lecturer in top professional circles, as well.  

Matt’s volunteer activities include routine blood pressure and sugar checks in lower-income communities; lectures, guidance, and shadowing opportunities for high school students; and service alongside his family with the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen and for Dance Arts of Yardley.  Matt coaches his daughters’ sports teams, and the family provided their back yard as a primary practice field when indoor facilities were closed during the pandemic.

His lifelong best friend, the Class of 1990’s Ed McLaughlin, observed that, “Along (Matt’s) journey, he has helped and supported fellow soldiers and has (helped) countless numbers of patients to better health.  Under his leadership, he is also helping to improve healthcare outcomes within the Summit system and across the orthopedic community. Matt is a healthcare provider, a teacher within his profession, a healthcare and business leader, and a volunteer’s volunteer.”

With thanks to his nominator, teammate, and best friend Ed McLaughlin, Class of 1990, please join our Alumni Hall of Fame as we welcome the Class of 1989’s Dr. Matthew Garberina.