After high school, he moved to Philadelphia to attend Saint Joseph’s University on an academic scholarship. He graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. in Chemistry and a minor in Health Care Ethics. During his time at St. Joe’s, he also worked in the Service-Learning Department, where he developed a commitment to serving others, and participated in multiple service immersion trips to impoverished regions of Appalachia, a Native American reservation in New Mexico, and the Dominican Republic.

The loss of a loved one enlightened him with the awareness that life was short, and he wanted to use his abilities to pursue a purpose that would provide others with the ability to live the best life they could.

Thus, he decided to stay in Philadelphia to pursue his medical degree at Jefferson Medical College.

He received his training in general surgery at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, CA. During residency, Dr. Pozzessere received the top score on the American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination in 3 out of 5 years in his program. He was chosen by his fellow residents to receive the Resident Teaching Award as a chief resident and was honored by the ICU nursing staff for two consecutive years as the top surgical resident. In addition to his surgical duties, Dr. Pozzessere volunteered as clinician staff for Doctors Without Walls, Santa Barbara’s street clinic, caring for its homeless and underserved population.

After residency, Dr. Pozzessere completed fellowship training in Advanced Gastrointestinal Surgery at The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, NJ.
In fellowship, he gained extensive training in laparoscopy and robotic surgery, treating benign and malignant diseases of the esophagus, stomach, pancreas, gallbladder, bile ducts, and intestines, as well as repair and reconstruction of abdominal wall and inguinal hernias. In addition to his surgical practice, Dr. Pozzessere has remained committed to educating young surgeons, currently serving as the Assistant Program Director for the Advanced Gastrointestinal Surgery Fellowship at The Valley Hospital.

Dr. Pozzessere performs surgery at The Valley Hospital, Hackensack Meridian Health Pascack Valley Medical Center, and Chilton Medical Center. He is a Board Certified General Surgeon, and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, Surgicare of Ridgewood, and Surgical Valley Center.