Vincent Marcucci, MD ’21, a graduate of St. George’s University School of Medicine, is nearing the finish line of his general surgery residency at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, NJ. The journey, filled with long hours and rewarding moments, has been, in his words, “the most challenging experience of my life.”
Throughout residency, Dr. Marcucci has earned the hospital’s resident research award three times for his publishing and conference presentations. But what he values most, he said, isn’t the accolades—it’s the opportunities he’s had to mentor his peers and help them publish their own research.
“Seeing the growth as a physician and surgeon in myself and my co-residents throughout residency has been extremely rewarding,” he reflected.
Following residency, Dr. Marcucci will take the next bold step in his career: a competitive two-year fellowship in multi-organ abdominal transplant at the University of Southern California, which will begin in the summer of 2026. Preparing for this next chapter as an MD, Dr. Marcucci still feels the same sense of awe that first drew him to surgery.
“It is a privilege every time I can walk into an operating room to develop my surgical skills while being a part of a team with the same goal in mind,” he said.
Learn how Dr. Marcucci’s journey has been shaped by persistence, teamwork, and a deep commitment to growth.
SGU: What gets you up in the morning to go to work?
Dr. Marcucci: My alarm clock gets me up every morning—I have a rule to never hit snooze! Once the alarm goes off, it is time to go. Residency consists of long hours filled with difficult tasks and conversations, all while constantly trying to attain a healthy work-life balance.
But the most rewarding part of surgical residency is the ability to treat patients and potentially cure them of their illness or disease. When you realize you are not just treating an individual patient, but also the patient’s family and friends who have been a part of their journey, it makes all the long hours worth the sacrifice.
SGU: What are your long-term career goals?
Dr. Marcucci: I am starting my last year of general surgery residency. I will continue my training in a two-year multi-organ abdominal transplant fellowship. One of the primary goals of my career is to continue to push the boundaries of what we can accomplish as physicians and surgeons.
Within the transplant community, some of our goals are to make organ availability more accessible to underserved populations, continue to advance xenotransplantation [the transplantation of living cells, tissues, or organs from one species to another], improving our immunological management, and develop more surgical techniques utilizing minimally invasive and robotic procedures.
SGU: What made you pursue medicine? Why do you love the field of surgery?
Dr. Marcucci: I was always fascinated with how the body functions. I never thought I would pursue a career in medicine until the end of my undergraduate education when I took a biology class with a professor who was an MD. She became a mentor to me and encouraged me to shadow different physicians.
When I made the commitment to pursue a career in medicine, I never thought of any other specialty except surgery. For me, surgery is an incredible arena encompassing blood, tools, and discipline. Surgical intervention is a way to make a direct impact on patients’ lives, combining the science of medicine with incredible technology and an adventure that tests both mental and physical fortitude.
SGU: Why did you choose SGU?
Dr. Marcucci: SGU gave me a chance to pursue a career in medicine when nobody else would. I was told that I had been out of school for too long and to be accepted for a position at a US medical school would be too much of a risk. I saw the opportunity SGU provided, and I felt that the competitive Match results of its students each year compared similarly to US medical graduates.
SGU: Which support services did you take advantage of at SGU?
Dr. Marcucci: The tutoring services provided by SGU and the ability to seek advice and mentorship from alumni were invaluable. Being able to connect with such a large alumni group to hear different perspectives and individuals’ experiences through their training gave me confidence and hope that I too could reach the goals I set for myself.
SGU: How did SGU help you achieve your dream of becoming a doctor?
Dr. Marcucci: First, it provided me with the opportunity. Throughout my time on the island, SGU had every resource I needed to succeed. One of the most valuable parts during Basic Sciences was tutoring incoming students. To understand the information and prepare it in a way to explain and teach someone else is an invaluable tool in learning for yourself. There are plenty of clinical training sites that allow students to work directly with surgical residents, fellows, and attendings to prepare for residency.
SGU: Why would you recommend SGU to an aspiring med student?
Dr. Marcucci: I recommend it because you will receive an education that is tailored to help you succeed. More importantly, you will make connections, friendships, and share experiences that will last a lifetime.
— Published July 2025
