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, MD
Program Director

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

Salaries & Benefits

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

Salaries

July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024

*Includes $1,000 for required rotational travel expenses

Benefits

Housing stipend; $3,000
CME annual: $1000
CME in final year of training $2,000 (total)
Meals: annual meal stipend $2,400. No free meals provided.
Cell phone stipend: $500
Education stipend: $500
Chief resident stipend (will identify senior chief for programs once selected) additional stipend $3,000

Curriculum

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
Newborn Nursery	2 weeks
Ambulatory Medicine	1 block
Emergency Medicine	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
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	4 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:

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

Electives

Possible electives include:

Academics

Didactic needs are met through:

Research

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

Medical Student Rotations

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
Newborn Nursery	1 week
Pediatric ED	1 week

4th Year Students: Pediatric Sub-Internship

Pediatric Floor	2 weeks
Sun River Health Center	1 week
Center for Pediatric Specialty Care	1 week

Ambulatory Pediatrics

Sun River Health Center	2 weeks
Pediatric Floor	1 week
Center for Pediatric Specialty Care	1 week

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I choose this program?

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.

What makes Good Samaritan University Hospital special?

Ask any of our residents, and they will tell you that the camaraderie between the residents is what makes Good Samaritan University 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.

Why should I train at a smaller program?

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.

How about didactics?

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.

What is the patient population?

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.

What is the level of resident autonomy?

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.

What is the ancillary staff like?

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.

What are the teaching opportunities?

Good Samaritan University 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.

Can residents rotate outside the hospital or outside the country?

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.

What is the work-life balance?

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.

What matches do you participate in?

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

Where do your residents go after graduation?

It varies by graduates.

What is your accreditation status?

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.

Do residents have input into the program?

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.

Swipe to view more

Meet Our Leaders and Faculty

Administrative Leadership

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

Teaching Faculty

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 children

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

Chief, 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

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

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

PGY 3

Sneha Aidasani, DO; Chief Resident

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; Chief Resident

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.

PGY 2

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

PGY 1

Swatsi Deshpande, MD

Medical School: Smt. Kashibai Navale Medical College and Hospital
Hometown: Pune, India
Hobbies: Coming from a family that loves to sing, I like to do karaoke. I'm also trained in Indian Classical Music. I like to be amidst nature. Capturing nature with my camera and also my brush are two of my favorite hobbies. I am currently learning night sky photography. I am interested in learning new languages and am trying my hand at American Sign Language (ASL). I'm a sweet tooth and I like to bake different desserts. Lastly, I enjoy watching documentaries on Netflix.

Ridda Manzoor, MD

Medical School: Khalifa University College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Hobbies: In my free time I love completing 1000+ piece puzzles. I enjoy the challenge and the amount of planning that goes into finishing one! I also enjoy skincare because I struggled with adult onset acne and it helped me maintain confidence throughout the journey. During my time in college, I travelled to several countries and I hope to continue doing so now that the pandemic is coming to an end. I also enjoy reading, particularly historical fiction.

Danya Orzechowski, MD

Medical School: Imperial College of London Faculty of Medicine
Hometown: Hughesville, London
Hobbies: Arts and crafts, watching movies, dining out and going traveling

Kaanan Shah, MD

Medical School: St. George’s University School of Medicine
Hometown: Huntington, NY
Hobbies: Marathon runner, french fry connoisseur, coffee sommelier, sunset enthusiast, avid story teller, dog lover.

Farrah Tygra, MD

Medical School: Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Faculty of Health Sciences
Hometown: Delray Beach, FL
Hobbies: I enjoy various crafts and creative pursuits, for example, cold process soap making, yarn arts, quilting, cooking, and baking.

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.

Class of 2020

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

Class of 2022

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

Class of 2023

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.

What can we help you find?

Pediatric Residency