Our Physicians

We carefully select physicians for our practice to assure that every one of our practitioners has the highest level of skill and offers the very best in care.  Our experienced gastroenterologists all have first-rate training and excellent experience.  They have exceptional records in patient care, and they approach every case individually and with leading-edge level of knowledge.

All of the specialists in our practice are active in professional societies and participate in continuing medical education to keep current on the latest strategies for helping their patients.  Each has areas of special interest and expertise while still offering general care for conditions of the digestive system for inpatients and outpatients.  All of our doctors are board-certified in the subspecialty of gastroenterology.  They have been involved in research, serve on editorial boards and a variety of committees, have published in their field, and have taught and been invited speakers at a number of medical centers.

Our physicians:

Harvey B. Lefton, MD, is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh and of the Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University.  He completed his internship, his residency in internal medicine, and a fellowship in gastroenterology at The Cleveland Clinic Hospital.  He served as Chief of Gastroenterology at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois.  Dr. Lefton has been a faculty member at Drexel University College of Medicine (formerly MCP/Hahneman School of Medicine) since 1976.  He currently teaches at the medical school as a Clinical Professor of Medicine.  He is Chief of Gastroenterology at Frankford Hospitals and consults at a number of other hospitals.  He is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, the American Gastroenterologic Association, the American College of Gastroenterology, and the Philadelphia College of Physicians.  He also serves as President of the Pennsylvania Society of Gastroenterology and is the former President of the Medical Staff at Frankford Hospitals.  Dr. Lefton helped to launch GI Specialists in 1976.  As President of GI Specialists, he has senior-management supervision of the practice.  His special interests include inflammatory bowel disease.  Dr. Lefton had the central role in starting a two-day, CME update conference that the practice holds annually for area physicians.

Geoffrey L. Braden, MD, is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati and Ohio State University Medical School.   He did his internship and residency in internal medicine at the University of Chicago Hospitals and Clinics.  He completed a clinical fellowship, followed by a research fellowship, both in gastroenterology, at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School.  He was a staff member in emergency medicine at a number of medical centers and has been a long-time faculty member at Drexel University College of Medicine (formerly MCP/Hahneman School of Medicine), where he is currently a Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine.  Dr. Braden is Chief of Internal Medicine at Frankford Hospitals and consults at a number of other hospitals.  He is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, the American College of Gastroenterology, and the American Gastroenterologic Association.  As a member our practice since 1980, Dr. Braden helped to launch and expand GI Specialists.  He is currently the editor of the GI section of Medscape (www.medscape.com), and his special interests include inflammatory bowel disease.

 

Jeffrey M. Pilchman, MD, is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Maryland and of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey Medical School.  He also has a master’s degree in physiology from Georgetown University.  He did his internship and residency in internal medicine, and completed a fellowship in gastroenterology, at the Medical College of Pennsylvania (later MCP/Hahneman Medical School and now Drexel University College of Medicine.)  He has appointments as an attending physician at a number of area hospitals, as well as teaching responsibilities at Frankford Hospitals and Graduate Hospital.  He also directs the teaching pathways and clinical rotations for medical students and family practice residents who rotate through the Gastroenterology service at Frankford Hospital. Dr. Pilchman is a long-time faculty member and currently clinical associate professor at the Drexel University College of Medicine. Dr. Pilchman has been a member of GI Specialists since 1988, and he is President of the Practice’s Ambulatory Services Center.  His special interests include capsule endoscopy, therapeutic endoscopy, colon cancer, and screening for both colon cancer and Barrett’s esophagus.

 

Alexander J. Harmatz, MD, is a graduate of Emory University and the Medical College of Georgia.  He also has a master’s degree in chemistry from Emory University.  Dr. Harmatz did his internship and residency in internal medicine at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, Md.  He completed his fellowship in gastroenterology at Stanford School of Medicine.  For the past 10 years, Dr. Harmatz has helped to set the standards for biliary endoscopy at Frankford Hospitals.  He is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Drexel University College of Medicine.  His special interests include biliary endoscopy and ERCP.

 

Jamie A. Kasper, MD, is a graduate of the University of Scranton and of the Medical College of Pennsylvania (later MCP/Hahneman Medical School and now Drexel University Medical College).  She completed her residency and internship in internal medicine, and her fellowship in gastroenterology, at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.  Her special interests include gastroenterologic conditions common to women, such as inflammatory bowel disease, gallstones, and pelvic floor conditions.  She has a special role in managing some of the practice’s most challenging cases of irritable bowel syndrome.

 

Gregory D. Schapiro, MD, is a graduate of Duke University and of Jefferson Medical College.  He did his internship and residency at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. He was a Harvard Clinical Fellow in Medicine at New England Deaconess Hospital and he completed a fellowship in gastroenterology at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.  He is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at Drexel University College of Medicine and a Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.  His special interests include biliary and capsule endoscopy, as well as ERCP.  Dr. Schapiro also serves the important role of overseeing the teaching aspects of the gastroenterology and hepatology fellowship program at Frankford Hospitals. His special interests include biliary endoscopy/ERCP.

 

Raynard J. Cheung, MD, is a graduate of Harvard University and of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.  He did his internship and residency in internal medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.  He completed his fellowship in gastroenterology at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.  Dr. Cheung has been with GI Specialists for the past six years.  His areas of interest include inflammatory bowel disease, hepatology, and clinical research.

 

Paul B. Weisberg, MD, is a graduate of Temple University and Temple University Medical School.  He also has a master’s degree in psychology from Temple University.  He did his internship and residency in internal medicine at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and he completed his fellowship in gastroenterology at the Hospital of University of Pennsylvania.  Dr. Weisberg is Chief of the GI Section, and the Director of Endoscopy Services, at Roxborough Memorial Hospital   He has previously held a number of faculty and hospital appointments, including Vice Chairman of the Department of Medicine at Roxborough Memorial Hospital.  Dr. Weisberg is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at Drexel University College of Medicine.

 

Jenifer K. Lehrer, MD, is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Pennsylvania Medical School.  She did her internship and residency at the Hospital of University of Pennsylvania and completed her fellowship in gastroenterology at Graduate Hospital with a third year of concentration in esophageal disorders at Albert Einstein Medical Center.  She joined GI Specialists in 2005 and offers care primarily at the Bala Cynwyd location.  Her areas of interest and special expertise are motility disorders, as well as GI disorders in women, including irritable bowel syndrome and pelvic floor dysfunction.

 

Anthony L. Rosa, MD, joined GI Specialists in July 2006.  He is a graduate of Princeton University and of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.  He did his internship and residency at UMDNJ Robert Wood Johnson Medical Center, where he was Intern of the Year and Chief Resident.  He recently completed his fellowship in gastroenterology and liver diseases at Cooper Hospital/University Medical School.  Dr. Rosa has a special interest in biliary endoscopy. His role with GI Specialists will include both inpatient consults and outpatient office hours primarily at the Torresdale campus.

 

Matthew S. Cohen, MD, joined GI Specialists in July 2006.  He is a graduate of Duke University and of Jefferson Medical College.  He did his internship and residency at Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine.  Dr. Cohen recently completed his fellowship in gastroenterology and hepatology at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. He will offer inpatient consultations and outpatient office hours at both the Torresdale and Bucks County locations.