Tower Health Program
About This Program
Program Length
3 Years
First Year Positions
2 Positions
Program Starts Reviewing Applications
Application service release date
Avg Work Hours
50 Hours/Week
Program Setting
Community/University
Application Service
ERAS
Program Statistics
Types of Graduates
Resident Gender
Contact Information
Program Director
John Frank Altomare, MD, BA, MD
Tower Health-Reading Hosp
Primary Program Contact
Melissa Polanco
Tower Health-Reading Hospital
Survey Received: 6/23/2026
Program ID: 1444114224
Locations
Tower Health-Reading Hosp
Gastroenterology Pgm
420 S 5th Ave
West Reading, PA 19611
Pottstown Hospital-Tower Health
1600 E High St
Pottstown, PA 19464
Reading Hospital
6th Ave & Spruce St
West Reading, PA 19612-6052
Einstein Medical Center Philadelphia
5501 Old York Rd
Philadelphia, PA 19141-3098
Application Information
Applicant Interview Format
Virtual
Interviews Conducted Last Year
35 Interviews
Interviews/First Year Positions
17.6:1
Participates In
NRMP Main Match
--
Doesn't Participate In
- San Francisco Match
- Military Match (i.e., Joint Service Graduate Medical Education Selection Board, Military Selection Board)
- SAU/AU Match (i.e., Urology Match)
- None
Second Look
U.S. MD Applicants
Must Have Passed USMLE Step 1
Yes
Must Have Passed USMLE Step 2 CK
Yes
IMG Applicants
Must Have Passed USMLE Step 1
Yes
Must Have Passed USMLE Step 2 CK
Yes
DO Applicants
Must Have Passed COMLEX Level 1
Yes
Must Have Passed COMLEX Level 2
Yes
Requires the USMLE Step 1 and/or Step 2 CK
No
Specialty-specific standardized letter requirements
No
Total required letters of recommendation (excludes MSPE and Deans letter)
Minimum
3 Letters
Maximum
--
Required Letter Writers
- Letter(s) from someone within the specialty (e.g., faculty, attending)
- Program Director
Requires Previous GME
Yes
Number of previous GME years required
3 year(s)
Required Supplemental Information
No
Osteopathic Recognition
No
Medical School Graduation Timeline
No cap on the number of years.
Gap Experience Requirement
Data not provided by program
Resident / Fellow Characteristics
Three year averages. Medical school type does not include graduates of Canadian schools.
Types of Graduates
Resident Gender
Program Faculty
Faculty/Resident Ratio
3:1
Program Faculty
18
Female Faculty
16.7%
Faculty Distribution
Work Environment
Program Start Dates
July 1
Avg Hours/Week on Duty (During First Year)
50 Hours
Maximum Consecutive Hours on Duty (During First Year)
24 Hours
Avg Number of 24 Hour Off Duty Periods Per Week (During First Year)
1.00
Program Allows Moonlighting (Beyond PGY-1)
Yes
Night Float System
No
Most Taxing Schedule & Frequency Per Year
Beeper or Home Call (Weeks / Year)
Year 1 - N/A
NGO
Year 2 - N/A
NGO
Year 3 - N/A
NGO
NA = Not Applicable
NGO = Negotiable
OTH = Other
Visa Status
This program will consider an appropriately qualified applicant with the following visa or visa status. Contact the program for additional information.
J-1 visa sponsorship through ECFMG
Yes
H-1B visa
Yes
F-1 visa (OPT 1st year)
No
Program Size
6
Current Residents
PGY-1 Positions Not Offered
PGY-2 Positions Not Offered
Key Dates & Timelines
2026 - 2027
Program Starts Reviewing Applications
Application service release date
SEP1
Interview Offer Dates
Sep 1, 2026 - Nov 30, 2026
Average PGY-1 Educational Environment
Structured Didactic Activities
3 Hours
Hospital Outpatient
5%
Non-Hospital Ambulatory Care
N/A
Employment Policies & Benefits
On-site child care
Free parking
On-call meal allowance
iPads, tablets, etc., or technology allowance
Educational Benefits
Resident/fellow retreats
Yes
Off-campus electives
Yes
Research rotation
Optional
Integrative medicine curriculum
No
Curriculum to develop health systems leadership skills (e.g., QI project leadership, community/organizational advocacy)
No
Formal program to foster interprofessional teamwork
No
Instruction in medical Spanish or other non-English language
No
Alternative/complementary medicine curriculum
No
Economics of health care systems curriculum
No
Debt management/financial counseling
No
Academic support for USMLE Step 3 and/or COMLEX-USA Level 3 preparation
No
International experience/global health
No
Hospice/home care experience
No
MPH, MBA, PhD or other advanced degree training
No
Tracks & Educational Features
Data not provided by program
Evaluations
Aggregate resident Milestone achievements
Yes
Graduates board certification pass rates
No
Performance-based assessment scores (e.g. OSCE, patient or computer simulations)
Yes
Patient surveys
Yes
Portfolio system
No
Objective structured clinical examinations (OSCE)
No
Medical Insurance Coverage
- Major medical for residents
- Major medical for dependents
- Major medical for domestic partners
- Outpatient mental health
- Inpatient mental health
- Dental insurance
- Disability insurance
- Group life insurance
Salary Compensation
$76K-$80K
Year 4 through Year 6
Year 4
$75,800
Year 5
$78,074
Year 6
$80,417
Salary paid by a non-profit institution.
Vacation & Sick Days
Residents receive 20 Vacation Days and 5 Sick Days annually to support work-life balance and personal well-being.
Maximum # of paid days
NGO
Maximum # of unpaid days
NGO