After graduating from the Syracuse public school system and Syracuse University, Dr. Merola followed in his father’s footsteps and pursued a medical career. He received his Doctor of Medicine with Honors from the University of California Irvine and completed his postgraduate medical training at UCLA and St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center in Syracuse, N.Y.

Dr. Merola is board certified in family medicine, is associate clinical professor of family medicine at Upstate Medical University and senior attending physician at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Syracuse, NY. After practicing family medicine for several years in North Syracuse with his mentor and friend Dr. Carl E. Marlow, his awareness of the need for a more sophisticated facility in the northern suburbs led to the first North Medical Center in Liverpool in 1971. In the 1980’s Dr. Merola began recruiting the very best family physicians from around the area to meet the growing needs of the northern suburbs. Dr. Merola expanded North Medical Center at its current location in 1989 to respond to ever-changing patient needs and advancing technology in healthcare. Dr. Merola’s daughter, Susan Merola-McConn, M.D., and her husband, Mark McConn, M.D., also joined the practice that year.

As the leader of NMPC and AJM Management Services, Inc., Dr. Merola opened the Northeast Medical Center in Fayetteville in 1998. NEMC was explicitly designed to be a patient-driven medical complex that provides comfort and reduces patient anxiety. He was careful to create a blend of medical services under a single roof that is anchored in primary care medicine and results in an integrated health care delivery system for patients.

Dr. Merola remains active in several medical associations and local organizations. He was president of St. Mary’s Hospital in Syracuse, NY 1973-1974 and St. Joseph’s Hospital 1985-1986. He is a recipient of a Community Service Award from the Onondaga County Medical Society and the St. Joseph’s the Worker Award from St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center.