Pediatric Residency

The Pediatric Residency Program at Good Samaritan University Hospital offers a balanced approach to professional training and personal well-being. We offer diverse clinical experiences, extraordinary teaching and wide range of patient services. Through the program, you acquire the training needed to provide the finest medical care to pediatric patients, while exploring your career interests.

Development of Knowledge and Skills

As a resident, you will develop the knowledge and skills necessary to become an expert and versatile pediatrician. You and your colleagues work under the direct supervision of attending physicians in general pediatrics, as well as those in various pediatric subspecialties.

The curriculum offers a balance between primary care and the subspecialty education. You can choose from a number of electives, allowing you to explore your areas of interest. You will learn and train in an environment that includes:

  • Level III NICU
  • Newborn nursery
  • Pediatric critical care
  • Pediatric Emergency Department with a Clinical Observation Unit, a Fast Track/Super Track treatment area, and a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Program
  • Pediatric floor with 26 beds
  • Pediatric specialty center with 11 subspecialties
  • Phlebotomy services
  • PICU with 4-6 beds
  • Real-time radiology reading reports

Your educational enrichment goes beyond the walls of Good Samaritan University Hospital. You will participate in continuity of care at the Sun River Health Martin Luther King Jr. Health Center (formerly HRHCare). Here, you will care for underserved patients. You work closely with attendings to ensure each patient encounter is a teaching opportunity that encompasses both medical and social issues.

Accreditation

The Pediatric Residency Program at Good Samaritan University Hospital is accredited by Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).

Program Leadership

Laura Nimkoff

Laura Nimkoff, MD
Program Director

Rajesh Savargaonkar

Rajesh Savargaonkar, MD, MRCP (UK)
Associate Program Director

Jo-Ann Hughes
Residency Coordinator

Contact the Department of Medical Education for additional information on the Pediatric Residency Program at Good Samaritan University Hospital.

Jo-Ann Hughes
Jo-Ann.Hughes@chsli.org
Phone: 631-376-4163

 

Program Features

Good Samaritan Hospital offers our residents a competitive salary and benefits package. Some residency programs offer additional perks to help you as you learn.

Salaries

  • PGY 1 $69,275
  • PGY 2 $72,365
  • PGY 3 $75,455
  • PGY 3 Chief $77,955
  • PGY 4 $78,545
  • PGY 4 Chief $81,045
  • PGY 5 $80,605
  • PGY 6 $82,665

Benefits 

  • Health and dental insurance
  • Life and disability insurance
  • Medical malpractice insurance
  • Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)
  • Basic Life Support (BLS)
  • Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP)
  • Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)
  • $900 CME conference stipend annually; increases to $1,900 CME conference stipend in final year of primary residency training
  • $2,400 meal stipend*
  • $3,000 housing stipend*
  • $1,000 travel stipend*
  • Free parking
  • Lab coats

*Included in salary

PGY 1

Inpatient Pediatric

3 blocks

NICU

1 block

Newborn Nursery

1 block

Ambulatory Medicine

2 blocks

Emergency Medicine

1 block

Neurology

1 block

Behavioral/Developmental Medicine

1 block

Elective          

2 blocks

Vacation         

4 weeks (one 2-week; two 1-week)

 

PGY 2

Inpatient Pediatrics

2 blocks

PICU

1 block

NICU, NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island

1 block

Newborn Nursery, NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island

2 weeks

Ambulatory Medicine

1 block 

Emergency Medicine, NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island

1 block

Endocrinology

Selective requirement

Cardiology

Selective requirement

Adolescents, Stony Brook University Hospital - Long Island

1 block

Elective

2 blocks

Vacation

4 weeks (one 2-week; two 1-week)

 

PGY 3

Inpatient Pediatrics

2 blocks

PICU

1 block

NICU

1 block

Ambulatory Medicine

1 block

Emergency Medicine

1 block

Pulmonary Medicine

Selective requirement

Gastroenterology

Selective requirement

Infectious Diseases

Selective requirement

Hematology-Oncology - Stony Brook University Hospital - Long Island

1 block

Elective

3 blocks

Vacations

4 weeks (one 2-week; two 1-week)

 

Affiliated Sites

To ensure a diverse and well-rounded experience, the program has affiliations with:

  • NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island (formerly NYU Winthrop University Hospital)
  • Sun River Health Martin Luther King Jr. (formerly HRHCare Martin Luther King Jr. Health Center)
  • Stony Brook University Hospital - Long Island

Possible electives include:

  • Allergy/Immunology
  • Cardiology
  • Concussion Management Program
  • Dermatology
  • Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT)
  • Gastroenterology
  • Genetic Counseling
  • Hematology-Oncology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Nephrology
  • Neurology
  • Pediatric Anesthesia/Sedation
  • Pediatric Ophthalmology
  • Pediatric Orthopedics
  • Pediatric Radiology
  • Pediatric Rehab Medicine
  • PM Pediatrics Urgent Care Center
  • Private Practice Ambulatory Pediatrics
  • Pulmonary
  • Teaching/PI/Research
  • Toxicology

Didactic needs are met through:

  • Board review
  • Case presentations
  • Clinical teaching rounds
  • Core competency lectures
  • Grand rounds
  • Journal clubs
  • Lectures
  • PI presentations
  • Research and statistics lectures

Through research, you will broaden your skills in data collection and analysis, in preparation for presenting at various venues and competitions.

Each class (PGY 1, 2, 3) is expected to participate in a group project. This project is either retrospective or prospective and uses data gathered from inpatient or outpatient facilities. The data is analyzed with the help of a statistician.

By the end of your Pediatric Residency, you will  be required to complete and submit a project or case presentation to a local, regional or national journal for publication.

 

Research Case Presentations

In addition to the following case presentations, our residents have also had research published in prestigious medical journals.

A Case of Focal Myocarditis with Ventricular Tachycardia Associated with Elevated Mycoplasma with Viral Titers

Christine Robles, DO, Howard Balni, MD, Marion Rose, MD, Catherine G. Caronia, MD

 

Enzyme Replacement Therapy for Pompe Disease

Chistine Navarro, DO, Rohit Talwar, MD, Laura Nimkoff, MD, Catherine G. Caronia, MD

 

Giant Cell Hepatitis in an Infant with Septo-Optic Dysplasia

Beatrice Clodomir, DO, Michael Pugliese, MD, Rolando Guevarra, MD, Catherine G. Caronia, MD

 

Not Always a Simple Gastroenteritis

Maria Valencia, DO, Laura Nimkoff, MD, Neil Kutin, MD, Reethamma Daniel, MD

 

The Tropics Come to Long Island

Wayne Chen, DO, Howard Balbi, MD, Catherine G. Caronia, MD

 

Vagally Mediated Atrial Fibrillation in an Adolescent

Erika Lorig-Wolf, DO, Barry Goldberg, MD, Anthony Rosalia, Jr., MD
 

Cor Triatriatum Found in an Adolescent Patient

Sarah Volz, DO, Cynthia Rosenthal, DO, Rohit Talwar, MD

 

Pericardial Tamponade in a Newborn from Umbilical Venous Catheterization: Are Current Methods of Catheter Monitoring and Placement Effective?

John Bishara, DO, Prabhu Mehta, MD, Branda Shrivastava, MD, Roa Bodapati, MD, Marion Rose, MD

 

Mycoplasma … Seriously? An Overlooked Cause of Paralysis

Ritchelle Dubrovskiy, DO, Howard Balbi, MD
 

Pneumocystis Jiroveci: Pneumonia as a Presenting Manifestation of X-Linked Agammagloblimia

Jacquelina Bober, DO, Titchelle Dubrovskiy, DO, Cynthia Rosenthal, DO, Filippo DiCarmine, MD

 

Carcinoid Tumor of the Appendix in a Pediatric Patient

Momin, Zafree, DO, Menon, Meera, MD

 

Unseen Complication of Necrotizing Enterocolitis

Meshva Akwalia, DO

 

Hypernatremic Dehydration in a Breastfed Infant

Stephanie Be, DO, Cynthia Rosenthal, DO

 

Practice Improvement Project: Asthma Action Plan Upon Discharge

Stephanie Be, DO, Ronald Marino, DO, Pauline Fani, DO

 

Practice Improvement: High Rate of Discordance Between Rapid Strep Test and Antigen Testing

Stephanie Be, DO, Rajesh Savargaonkar, MD

 

Improving Asthma Care in a Pediatric Teaching Hospital

Meshva Akwalia DO, Stephanie Be, DO, Naima Elahi, DO, Soo Lee, DO, Zafreen Momin, DO

 

Submissions and Publications

 

A Twist in the Abdomen: Torsion of an Accessory Spleen

Submitted to Applied Radiology

John Bihara, DO, Steen Henesh, MD, Martin Winick, MD, Catherine G, Caronia, MD, Filippo DiCarmine, MD

 

Pneumomediastinum in Children, Belching-Related Pneumomediastinum

Submitted to Consultant for Pediatricians

John Bihara, DO, Catherine G. Caronia, MD, Rejesh Savargaonkar, MD

Third and fourth-year medical student can participate in pediatric rotations.

 

3rd Year Students: General Pediatrics

Pediatric Floor

1 week

Sun River Health Center

1 week

Center for Pediatric Specialty Care

1 week

Pediatric ED

1 week

 

4th Year Students: Pediatric Sub-Internship

Pediatric Floor

2 weeks

Sun River Health Center

2 weeks

 

Ambulatory Pediatrics

Sun River Health Center

4 weeks

 

Additional specialty rotations are available by request in Infectious Disease, Neurology, Endocrinology, Gastroenterology, Pulmonary, Cardiology, and Nephrology.

Frequently Asked Questions

The didactics, clinical experience and the attending physicians come to mind first. What we believe separates us from many other programs is our commitment to education.

Ask any of our residents, and they will tell you that the camaraderie between the residents is what makes Good Samaritan Hospital special. This is a small program, so residents develop a unique bond with other residents in our program, as well as those in other programs at the hospital.

Residents support each other and become like family. They also become close to attendings, who are always available for offer advice, answer questions or just chat. They are often invited to resident weddings, showers and the occasional baseball game.

You will have ample opportunities to interact with other residents and teaching faculty, as well as private attending physicians. We are well respected by nurses and staff for our clinical skills and judgment throughout the hospital.

As a smaller program, we can offer an excellent resident education, while allowing you to form close personal relationships with other residents. The faculty and administration will get to know you, so they can better enhance your strengths and identify areas for improvement. Residents feel they are more than a number, and their individual education is just as important as the performance of the residency as a whole.

We have a strong didactic program that includes five hours of protected lecture time each week. During that time, pediatric attendings, as well as attending from other specialties, give core and research lectures. We also have monthly journal club meetings and monthly board review.

Our patients come from a broad socioeconomic, racial and religious spectrum. Our continuity clinic is the Sun River Health Martin Luther King Jr. Health Center (formerly HRHCare) in Wyandanch, New York. This is a federally qualified health center (FQHC) and patient-centered medical home for the underserved. We see a diverse population, including patients from Latin America and the Caribbean.

Residents obtain increasing levels of autonomy as they progress through their training. However, support is always available by our 24-hour in-house pediatric hospitalists and on-call specialists and intensivists.

Our pediatric nursing staff is regularly recognized for excellence in pediatric nursing. We enjoy working with such dedicated and passionate staff. Our NICU nurses, respiratory therapists and physical therapists, as well as our charge nurses, are outstanding and enjoy having residents in our Level III NICU.

We work as a team with social workers, case managers and pediatric care techs to care for patients. Our child life specialists play an essential role to make the hospital experience more pleasant for our patients. They provide preparation and distraction when procedures are painful, companionship when patients are homesick, and games and activities when patients are restless.

Good Samaritan Hospital is affiliated with the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYITCOM). Our residents work with third- and fourth-year medical students during the pediatric rotations and sub-internships. Residents also work with medical students on other core rotations. Senior residents teach and guide interns.

There are opportunities to rotate at other hospitals and facilities on Long Island. Rotations off Long Island may be limited due to the call schedule. Residents have also completed the popular Global Medicine Elective in El Salvador.

Like any residency program, our residents work hard. But they also make time for family and fun. We have married residents with kids who find time to spend with their families. We also have single residents who make time to date. The residents participate in annual wellness activities. They spend time together outside the hospital—going to the beach, catching a movie, enjoying a wine-tasting or just hanging out.

This year we will be participating in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP).

It varies by graduates.

In April of 2018, we received our notice of initial accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) for the next two years. At that time, we will apply for continued accreditation for the next 10 years.

We actively solicit our residents' opinions about their training. These opinions can be anonymous or direct. We have a great training program and desire to improve it even more. The best insights often come from our residents. We do have formal lines of communication, but we primarily rely on open dialogue between faculty, residents and support staff. Residents are an integral part of our Program Evaluation Committee where major program changes and development take place.

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Meet Our Leaders and Faculty

Catherine G. Caronia, MD

Chairman, Department of Medical Education
Chairman, Department of Pediatrics
Chief, Pediatric Critical Care
Associate Dean, Mount Sinai School of Medicine

Undergraduate: Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
Medical School: New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY
Residency Training Specialty/Location: Pediatrics/Cohen Children’s Medical Center (formerly known as Schneider Children’s Hospital) - Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park, NY
Fellowship Training/Location: Pediatric Critical Care/Cohen Children’s Medical Center (formerly known as Schneider Children’s Hospital) - Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park, NY

Board Certifications:

  • Pediatrics
  • Pediatric Critical Care

Hobbies: Crafting

Laura Nimkoff, MD

Program Director, Pediatric Residency
Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics, New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine

Undergraduate: Cornell University, New York, NY
Medical School: SUNY at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY
Residency Training Specialty/Location: Pediatrics /Cohen Children’s Medical Center (formerly known as Schneider Children’s Hospital) - Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park, NY
Fellowship Training/Location: Pediatric Critical Care/Cohen Children’s Medical Center (formerly known as Schneider Children’s Hospital) - Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park, NY

Board Certifications:

  • Pediatrics
  • Pediatric Critical Care

Hobbies: Theater, Travel, Reading, and Cooking

Rajesh Savargaonkar, MD, MRCP (UK)

Associate Program Director, Pediatric Residency

Undergraduate/Medical School: MBBS Bombay University, Bombay, India
Residency Training Specialty/Location: Pediatrics/Bombay University, Bombay, India; Pediatrics/Cohen Children’s Medical Center (formerly known as Schneider Children’s Hospital) - Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park, NY

Board Certifications:

  • Pediatrics

Hobbies: Reading and Watching movies

Howard Balbi, MD

Chief, Pediatric Infectious Disease

Undergraduate: Fordham University, Fordham, NY
Medical School: Universidad Central del Este, San Pedro de Macor-s, Dominican Republic
Residency Training Specialty/Location: Pediatrics/Nassau University Medical Center, East Meadow, NY; Pathology/Montefiore Medical Center, New York, NY
Fellowship Training/Location: Pediatric Infectious Diseases/ Nassau University Medical Center, East Meadow, NY

Board Certifications:

  • Pediatrics
  • Pediatric Infectious Disease

Hobbies: Traveling, Photography and Spending time with my grandchildren

Kelly Bethune, DO

Newborn Nursery

Undergraduate: University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Medical School:Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency Training Specialty/Location: Pediatrics/Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center, West Islip, NY; Winthrop University Hospital, Mineola, NY

Hobbies: Spending time with my son

Rao Bodapati, MD

Neonatology

Undergraduate: S.G. College, Tirupati (AP) India
Medical School: S.V. Medical College, Tirupati (AP) INDIA
Residency Training Specialty/Location:Pediatrics/Maimonides Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York
Fellowship Training/Location: Neonatology/Maimonides Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York

Board Certifications:

  • Pediatrics
  • Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine

Hobbies: Music (Indian) and watching, listening and critiquing sports, mostly cricket

Keith Chu Cheong, MD

Pediatric Neurology

Undergraduate: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Medical School: MBBS, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad, WI
Residency Training Specialty/Location: Pediatrics/Brooklyn Hospital Center, Brooklyn, NY
Fellowship Training/Location: Pediatric Neurology/Cohen Children’s Medical Center (formerly known as Schneider Children’s Hospital) - Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park, NY

Board Certifications:

  • Pediatrics
  • Psychiatry and Neurology

Reethamma Daniel, MD

Director, Pediatric Emergency Medicine

Undergraduate/Medical School: Medical College, Calicut, India
Residency Training Specialty/Location: Pediatrics/St. Luke's, New York, NY
Fellowship Training/Location: Pediatric Emergency Medicine/St. Luke's, New York, NY

Board Certifications:

  • Pediatrics
  • Pediatric Emergency Medicine

Hobbies: Cooking

Filippo DiCarmine, MD

Pediatric Critical Care Medicine

Undergraduate: The City College of New York, New York, NY
Medical School: Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY
Residency Training Specialty/Location: Pediatrics/The Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA
Fellowship Training/Location: Pediatric Critical Care/Cohen Children’s Medical Center (formerly known as Schneider Children’s Hospital) - Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park, NY

Board Certifications:

  • Pediatrics Critical Care

Hobbies: New York Yankees

Herold Doroseau, MD

Pediatric Hematology and Oncology

Undergraduate: College Catts Pressoir, Port-au-Price, Haiti
Medical School: Universidad De Sevilla, Facultad De Medicina, Spain
Residency Training Specialty/Location: Pediatrics/Interfaith Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY
Fellowship Training/Location: Pediatric Hematology/Cohen Children’s Medical Center (formerly known as Schneider Children’s Hospital) - Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park, NY

Board Certification:

  • Pediatrics

Sarita Duchatelier, MD

Chief, Pediatric Neurology

Undergraduate: Cornell University/Columbia University, New York, NY
Medical School: SUNY Health Science Center, Brooklyn, NY
Residency Training Specialty/Location: Pediatrics/North Shore University Hospital, Manhasset, NY
Fellowship Training/Location: Pediatric Neurology/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY

Hobbies: Photography and Dancing

Pauline Fani, MD

Pediatric Allergy and Immunology

Undergraduate: Barnard College, New York, NY
Medical School: St. George’s University, Grenada, West Indies
Residency Training Specialty/Location:Pediatrics/Maimonides Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY
Fellowship Training/Location: Pediatric Pulmonology/Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital - Columbia Presbyterian, New York, NY; Allergy and Immunology/Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital -Stanford University, Palo Alto, California

Board Certifications:
Pediatric Pulmonology

  • Pediatric Allergy and Immunology

David Gold, MD

Pediatric Gastroenterology

Undergraduate: Clark University, Worcester, Ma
Medical School: Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY
Residency Training Specialty/Location: Pediatrics/Cohen Children’s Medical Center (formerly known as Schneider Children’s Hospital) - Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park, NY
Fellowship Training/Location: Pediatric Gastroenterology/Cohen Children’s Medical Center (formerly known as Schneider Children’s Hospital) - Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park, NY

Board Certification:
Pediatric Gastroenterology

Hobbies: I play electric guitar in a band, tennis, golf and enjoy bicycle riding.

Oleg Goloubenko, MD

Pediatric Hospitalist

Undergraduate/Medical School: Kiev Medical School, Ukraine
Residency Training Specialty/Location: Pediatrics/Brooklyn Hospital Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY

Board Certification:
Pediatrics

Hobbies: Reading Books

Maria Guevarra, MD

Pediatric Endocrinology

Undergraduate: Ateneo de Naga University, Naga City, Philippines
Medical School: University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines
Residency Training Specialty/Location: Pediatrics/Flushing Hospital Medical Center, Flushing NY
Fellowship Training/Location: Pediatric Endocrinology/Winthrop University Hospital, Mineola NY

Hobbies: The outdoors

Rolando Guevarra, MD

Pediatric Gastroenterology

Undergraduate: CW Post College/Long Island Univesity Brookville, NY
Medical School: Far Eastern University, Nicanor Reyes Medical Foundation, Manila, Philippines
Residency Training Specialty/Location:Pediatrics/Westchester Medical Center, Valhalla, NY
Fellowship Training/Location: Pediatric Gastroenterology/Westchester Medical Center, Valhalla, NY

Board Certification:
Pediatrics

Isaac Gyasi, MD


Undergraduate: Free University, [West] Berlin Germany
Medical School: Free University, [West] Berlin, Germany
Residency Training Speciality/ Location: Harlem Hospital Center, New York, NY
Fellowship Training/ Location: North Shore University Hospital, Manhasset, NY
Board Certifications:
Peds

  • Neonatal/Perinatal

Vinci Jones, MD

Chief, Division of Pediatric Surgery

Undergraduate/Medical School: Jimper, Pondicherry University, India
Residency Training Specialty/Location: Pediatrics/Jimper, Pondicherry University, India
Fellowship Training/Location: Children’s Hospital at Westmead/Sydney, Australia
Senior Fellowship Training/Location : University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA

Shelda Kalloo, MD

Pediatric Hospitalist

Undergraduate: Long Island University, Brooklyn, NY
Graduate: Masters in Microbiology, New York University, New York, NY
Medical School: St. George's University School of Medicine
Residency Training Specialty/Location: Pediatrics/ Nassau University Medical Center (NUMC), East Meadow, NY.

Board Certification:

  • Pediatrics

Hobbies: Writing, Traveling, and Medical Missions

Vindhya Kamath, MD

Pediatric Hospitalist

Undergraduate: BA in Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TC
Medical School: Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Vallejo, California
Residency Training Specialty/Location: Pediatrics/Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center, West Islip, NY; Winthrop University Hospital, Mineola, NY

Board Certifications:
Pediatrics

Hobbies: Avid Foodie and Baking with my children

Bradley Kessler, MD

Chief, Pediatric Gastroenterologist

Undergraduate: Union College, Schenectady, NY
Medical School: Downstate-SUNY, Brooklyn, NY
Residency Training Specialty/Location: Pediatrics/North Shore University Hospital, Manhasset, NY
Fellowship Training/Location: Pediatric Gastroenterology/Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, Texas

Board Certifications:
Pediatrics

  • Pediatric Gastroenterology

Hobbies: Music and Sports

Roger Li, MD

Neonatal-Perinatal

Undergraduate: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Medical School: Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Residency Training Specialty/Location: Pediatrics/Cohen Children’s Medical
Center, New Hyde Park NY
Fellowship Training/Location: Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine/Cohen Children’s Medical Center, New Hyde Park NY

Board Certification:

  • Pediatrics

Hobbies: Rocking Climbing and Kissing my newborn baby

Prabhu Mehta, MD

Chief, Neonatology

Undergraduate: Banaras University, Varanasi ,India
Medical School: Institute of Medical Sciences, Varanasi, India
Residency Training Specialty/Location:Pediatrics/Maimonides Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY
Fellowship Training/Location: Neonatology/Temple University School of Medicine/St Christopher’s Hospital for Children, Philadelphia, PA

Board Certification:
Neonatal–Perinatal Medicine

Hobbies: Music and travel

Michael Pugliese, MD

Chief, Pediatric Endocrinology

Undergraduate: Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
Medical School: Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
Residency Training Specialty/Location: Pediatrics/North Shore University Hospital, Manhasset, NY
Fellowship Training/Location: Pediatric Endocrinology/North Shore University Hospital, Manhasset, NY

Board Certifications:
Pediatrics

  • Pediatric Endocrinology

Hobbies: Model trains and oriental cooking

Branda Shrivastava, MD

Neonatology

Undergraduate: Sagar University, Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, India
Medical School: Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal, India
Internship: Gandhi Medical College; Hamidia Hospital, Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India
Residency Training Specialty/Location: Pediatrics/Brooklyn Jewish Hospital, Brooklyn, NY
Fellowship Training/Location: Neonatology/Westchester Medical Center/Valhalla, NY

Board Certifications:
Pediatrics

  • Neonatal–Perinatal Medicine

Marci Silverman, MD

Behavioral and Developmental Pediatrics

Undergraduate: SUNY at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY
Medical School: The Albert Einstein College of Medicine of The Yeshiva University, Bronx, NY
Residency Training Specialty/Location: Pediatrics/North Shore University Hospital, Manhasset, NY
Fellowship Training/Location: Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics/University of Medicine and Dentistry at New Jersey and Hackensack Medical Center

Board Certifications:
Pediatrics

  • Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics
  • Neurodevelopmental Disabilities

Hobbies: Broadway shows

Dmitriy Vaysman, MD

Chief, Pediatric Pulmonology

Undergraduate/Medical School: Minsk State Medical School, Republic of Belarus
Residency Training Specialty/Location: Pediatrics/Nassau University Medical Center, East Meadow, NY
Fellowship Training/Location: Pediatric Pulmonology/Winthrop University Hospital, Mineola, NY

Board Certifications:
Pediatrics

  • Pediatric Pulmonology
  • Pediatric Sleep Medicine

Hobbies: Running and Traveling

Dilys Whyte, MD

Pediatric Nephrology

Medical School: SUNY-Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
Residency Training Specialty/Location: Pediatrics/Children's Hospital of Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
Fellowship Training/Location: Pediatric Nephrology/Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT

Hobbies: Chauffeuring my youngest son to his sporting events, Cooking Jamaican Food, Participating in my church and Rooting for the NY Mets

Meet Our Current Residents

David Chen, DO Chief Resident

Medical School: Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine - Middletown
Hometown: Douglaston, NY
Hobbies: Volleyball, Badminton, Swimming, Traveling, Video Games, Traveling

Aparna Kaleeckal Rajalaksmi, MD Chief Resident

Medical School: Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, India
Hometown: Cochin, India
Hobbies: Meditation, reading mostly fiction, watching cooking shows.

Hetal Patel, DO

Medical School: Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown: Mobile, AL
Hobbies: Baking, Painting/Art Projects, Photography, Making cheese boards

Alicia Rego, DO

Medical School: West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown: Fairhaven, MA
Hobbies: Reading, watching movies, hiking, spending time with family and friends and playing with my cats Penelope and Eleanor.

Emily Wassmer, MD

Medical School: St George’s University
Hometown: Islip, NY
Hobbies: Video games, baking, family time, advocacy, concerts.

Sneha Aidasani, DO

Medical School: University of the Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown: Rego Park, NY
Hobbies: Herbal teas, Moon gazing, Sufi poetry, Peleton lover.

Christopher Ferrari, MD

Medical School: St. George's University
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
Hobbies: Playing guitar, playing sports, going to concerts, sports and movie memorabilia.

Ina Hysko, DO

Medical School: Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine - Middletown
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Hobbies: Quality time with family and friends, books, travel, movies, personal development, dancing.

Cameron Kalin, DO

Medical School: Midwestern University AZCOM
Hometown: Walnut Creek, CA
Hobbies: Surfing, Skiing, Biking

Zarlakhta Khan, DO

Medical School: NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown: Merrick, NY
Hobbies: Finger style guitar, interior design, music, hanging out with family and friends.

Sabhya Gupta, DO

Medical School: Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown: West Windsor
Hobbies: Dancing, reading, yoga, dinner with friends, phone calls to family

Randa Romines, MD

Medical School: Universidad Latina de Panamá Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud Dr. William C. Gorgas
Hometown: San Antonio, TX​​​​​​​
Hobbies: Piano, Karaoke Sports: Cycling, Padel, Taekwando, Golf, Soccer and Spend time with family, friends and my dogs

Divya Gandi, DO

Medical School: Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine – Bradenton, FL​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
Hometown: Hudson, FL​​​​​​​
Hobbies: Hiking, traveling, exercising

Samantha Bangug, DO

Medical School: West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine​​​​​​​
Hometown: New Hyde Park, NY​​​​​​​
Hobbies: playing piano and violin, running

Munmun Aziz, MD

Meet Our Graduates

Since 2000 our program has been preparing residents to become skilled leaders in medicine. Like past graduates, our most recent graduates are ready to take the next step.

Ashwini Ajjegowda, DO
Margaret Gaughran, DO
Aileen Gesner, DO
Lukas Martincik, DO
Ravi Uppal, DO

Maxime Bayol, DO

Medical School: Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown : Elmont, NY
Hobbies: Baking, Reading, Crafting, and Nail Art
 

James Boone, DO   

Medical School: Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown: Alexander City, AL
Hobbies: Running, Hiking, Fishing, Rock Climbing and Reading
 

Jessica Foertsch, DO

Medical School: Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown: Plainville, CT
Hobbies: Baking, Cooking, Reading, Crocheting/Arts and Crafts, Music, Tennis, and Movies
 

Jacqueline Sun, DO

Medical School: West Virginia School College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Hobbies: Tennis, Photography, Hiking and Traveling
 

Khang Tran, DO

Medical School: Kansas City University of Medicine & Biosciences College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown: Vietnam
Hobbies: Photography and Travel