Aimee Stanislawski-Zygaj, M.D.

Program Chief Resident, 2005-2006

Medical School: SUNY Buffalo

Awards:

  AADPRT/Ginsberg FellowshipAward, 2005

  UMass Medical Student TeachingAward, 2004

Interests:

 Development of psychiatry residency competencies

 Neuropsychiatry

"I started my residency search by focusing on geography - I wanted to train in the Northeast.   Everyone looked pretty good on paper, but the variety of experiences and breadth of opportunities at UMass caught my attention.  I had never heard of a dedicated psychiatry unit for the deaf, for example, and I was attracted to the neuropsychiatry services in particular.  On interview day, it was clear that the residents were happy, looked rested, and sounded genuinely enthusiastic about the program.  I cancelled my remaining interviews, confident that I wanted to be here.

My psychiatry training at UMass has delivered on its brochure's promises, allowing me to work toward my personal goals.   As an intern, I got a taste of neuropsychiatry during the required rotation, then completed a selective in my second year on the developmental disabilities unit.  Throughout my training I participated in the weekly elective neuropsychiatry seminar.  The fourth year at UMass is very flexible and individually designed, so I was able to work in the outpatient neuropsychiatry clinic and get hands-on training in MRI, PET, SPECT, and EEG.  I lectured regularly to third year medical students, led small group sessions for second year students, and participated in educational committees within our program, the UMass graduate medical education office, and our state psychiatric society.  I also had time to continue my lifelong involvement in music, and performed around Massachusetts throughout residency.  I was very pleased with the entire residency experience . . . I became one of those happy, rested, enthusiastic UMass psychiatry residents, with time for a satisfying personal life, too!"

                                 - Aimee Stanislawski-Zygaj

Jordan Eisenstock, M.D.

PGY-6 Neuropsychiatry Resident 2007-2008

Medical School: University of Massachusetts Medical School

Awards and Committees:

Medical Student Teaching Award 2004

Resident Education Committee 2003-2004

Interests:

Headache, traumatic brain injury, epilepsy and dementias

Academic psychiatry

You can read a feature article about Dr. Eisenstock at:

http://www.umassmed.edu/uploadedfiles/2005UMassannualreport.pdf

in Vitae: The magazine of the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

"UMass appealed to me from the start.  As the main teaching hospital in central Massachusetts , UMass represents an expansive medical system that offers all of the usual general psychiatry experiences plus unique opportunities in my chosen field of neuropsychiatry.  Furthermore, subspecialty training at affiliated hospitals, such as geriatric psychiatry at Clinton Hospital and addiction psychiatry at Adcare Hospital , provide interaction with diverse faculty across disciplines.  The UMass faculty are accessible and expert.  I am looking forward to remaining in the area with my family to pursue a career in academic neuropsychiatry."

                        - Jordan Eisenstock

Nancy Byatt, D.O., M.B.A.

Chief Resident, Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry, 2006-2007 and Chief Resident,Psychopharmacology, 2006-2007

Medical School: New York College of Osteopathic Medicine

Awards:

AAEP (American Association for Emergency Psychiatry)/Janssen Residents Award, 2006

Fellow, American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology & NIMH; Workshop on clinical trials, New York, 2006

Paul F. Briscoli Award for Resident-Faculty Academic Collaboration (with Rasim Arikan, MD, PhD and Debra Pinals, MD) 2006

"I was drawn to the strong emphasis on both biological and psychotherapy training at UMass. The program is known for its supportive and responsive attitude to resident training needs.  At UMass I have been able to pursue Psychosomatic Medicine via clinical work and research.  I plan to pursue a fellowship in this subspecialty because I enjoy the role and challenge of working as a consultant in medical settings.  With help from UMass faculty, I recently published a paper in the journal, Psychosomatics, entitled "Involuntary hospitalization of medical patients who lack decisional capacity: an unresolved issue."  The paper, which grew out of an experience on call, examines the issues encountered when patients who lack decisional capacity secondary to medical illness want to leave the hospital against medical advice.  The ability to turn an on-call issue into an academic project epitomizes the UMass experience."             

- Nancy Byatt

Interests and Committees:

The relationship between Multiple Sclerosis and depression; research project ongoing

Massachusetts Psychiatric Sociey Psychosomatic Medicine Interest Group

At large hospital representative to Medical School Graduate Medical Education Committee

 Education Committee

Psychosomatic Medicine

Yael Dvir, M.D.

PGY-4 Psychiatry Resident (Combined Child/Adult Track) 2007-2008

Medical School: Hadassah Hebrew University Medical School

Interests:

Learning and developmental disabilities

Autistic Spectrum Disorders

Neurobiology of social interaction

"My primary interest in medical school was in pediatrics, but I tended to look at children and families from a psychological and social perspective, and became attracted to child and adolescent psychiatry.  After moving to the USA , I interviewed throughout Massachusetts and was drawn to UMass after my interview experience with the faculty and residents.  I have been able to pursue several projects and electives throughout my training thus far, and the training program has been receptive and supportive to my goals and ideas.  For example, when, as an intern I mentioned an interest in learning disabilities, I was given the opportunity to participate in a child neuropsychology graduate seminar by the renowned neuropsychologist, Edith Kaplan , Ph.D.   I am currently doing an elective in child neuropsychiatry and am starting and co-leading a parenting group for parents of children with disabilities. My interest in Systems of Care in child psychiatry has led me to undertake a research project with our child psychiatry division.  The UMass faculty have encouraged me to shape my career and solidify my professional goals.  Through it all, I have managed to preserve time for a busy family life with my husband and three children."

                                                - Yael Dvir

Sarah Guzofski,M.D.

PGY-4 Program Chief Resident 2007-2008

Medical School: University of Massachusetts Medical School

Awards:

APA Area 1 Member-in-Training

      Deputy Representative

APA Bristol Myers Squibb Fellowship

Interests:

Massachusetts Psychiatric Society

Public Sector Psychiatry Interest Group

Psychiatry and the homeless

NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness

"I was very happy with my education and clinical experience at UMass Medical School . But I thought I would want to try out a new place for residency, to broaden my horizons, so to speak. Once I began interviewing, I had a new appreciation for how approachable the psychiatry faculty are, how balanced this program is, and how faculty seemed invested in fostering each residents career goals.  During the interview process, the residents I spoke with gave numerous examples of ways in which our program director and other faculty had found opportunities specific to their interests, whether these were elective rotations, committees or fellowships. Now, as a PGY-3, I can say that these initial impressions have held true. My clinical experience has been consistently positive, with each rotation being centered around training and gaining independence. With the encouragement of both faculty and other residents, I am pursuing diverse activities, such as committee and volunteer work, specific to my interests.

UMass is also an ideal choice for my particular career goals in public sector psychiatry, specifically working with the homeless population.  As part of this program, residents have the opportunity to work on a team serving homeless patients in addition to undertaking core rotations at local state hospitals. With many UMass faculty invested in advocacy and community mental health, I have several mentors and role models whom I value." 

                                     - Sarah Guzofski

William Meehan, M.D., Ph.D.

PGY-3 Psychiatry Resident 2007-2008

Medical School: Pennsylvania State University

Awards/Committees:

Medical Student Teaching Award,2005

Restraint Reduction Committee, 2005 -

Resident Education Committee, 2005 -

Interests:

Psychotherapies

Academic Psychiatry/Teaching

"I chose UMass psychiatry for its strong academic reputation and faculty that seemed both available and responsive to residents. I have not been disappointed.  My core inpatient psychiatry rotations have featured dedicated attendings who have mentored me in both the art and science of psychiatry. An added bonus has been a talented and committed group of nurses, social workers, and clinicians, all of whom contribute to a team approach to patient care.

I was also attracted to UMass for its dedication to resident psychotherapy training. I am still deciding what my niche in psychiatry will be, so I am looking forward to learning the variety of psychotherapies offered here while simultaneously pursuing psychopharmacologic research.  The department has also given me the opportunity to run a psychiatry book club for residents and faculty, an interest that grew out of my fondness for literature.

In addition, the quality of life in Central Massachusetts is high, with many opportunities for outdoor recreation and family-oriented activities, all within easy reach of cities like Worcester , Boston , and Providence . Thus far, this combination of academic excellence and high quality of life has been very satisfying."

                                      - Bill Meehan