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UMass Emergency Medicine Residents

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First Year Residents (EM-1)

Jonathan Berlowitz

Hometown: Lincoln, MA

Medical School: Boston University

Interests/Hobbies: Boston sports (and the WooSox!), pickup basketball/soccer/tennis/ultimate, strategy board/card games (particularly bridge, if you haven't heard of it ask someone aged 80+), politics (amateur election forecaster), Arsenal FC, backyard games, traveling (or planning future trips!),

Why UMass: Academic 3-year program with enthusiastic faculty specialized in all kinds of different areas of emergency medicine. High acuity, lots of procedures and volume. Staying near friends and family in a fun city with a great food and beer scene. Since getting here, everything has been exactly what I was hoping for and has exceeded all of my expectations!
Brian Brisebois

Hometown: Fitchburg, MA

Medical School: UMass Chan

Interests/Hobbies: Camping, hiking, running, video games, bass guitar, bass clarinet, role playing games, miniature painting, scuba diving, biking,

Why UMass: I've felt at home since I started training here, so staying at UMass was an easy decision. The residents and faculty are kind and supportive, a theme that carries across the entire institution. The training environment is excellent with high acuity and volume. I also love the availability of EM fellowships available, with almost every subspecialty represented. Having access to subspecialty conferences and meetings is a unique learning opportunity that many EM programs don't have. I wanted a three-year program at a major academic center, providing both a focused and well-rounded residency experience. Worcester and the surrounding communities are a great place to raise a family, with good schools and plenty of outdoor activities. Finally, I have many friends that decided to stay here at UMass to complete their residency training, which I think speaks volumes about the quality of the education and culture. I'm so grateful to be able to continue my training here at home.
Lillith Bulawa

Hometown: Greeneville, TN.
Medical School: Quillen College of Medicine (East Tennessee State Univ).

Interests/hobbies: I love traveling, hiking, rock climbing, skiing/snowboarding, spending time with my dog and my loved ones (in that order), watching anime, playing MTG and PC games. Academically, I’m interested in international/rural/austere medicine.

Why UMass: I have an interest in a little bit of everything and UMass offers so many fellowship opportunities. Also, mentorship is really important to me and UMass has so many great people who are not only willing to mentor but also are passionate about it. Regarding Worcester, it is home to an incredibly diverse patient population.
Jon Chastek

Hometown: Pittsburgh PA

Medical School: LECOM

Interests/Hobbies: Whitewater kayaking, playing music, and hanging out with my three dogs

Why UMass: I chose UMass because I wanted to train somewhere with a wide variety of critically ill patients. Also the residents and the staff seemed to genuinely enjoy being around each other in and outside of work.
Emily Cheney

Hometown: Bourne, MA

Medical School: Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine

Interests/Hobbies: Running, biking, reading, breweries, skiing, going to the beach, gardening

Why UMass: Umass has everything I was looking for in a program: location, curriculum, and people. I am so excited to be back home in Mass! Secondly, we see everything from day one, there is a diverse patient population, and we are exposed to many fellowship opportunities. Lastly, feel supported by both faculty and residents in the emergency room and outside.
Sarah Connell

Hometown: Killeen, TX

Medical School: Loma Linda University School of Medicine

Interests/hobbies: hiking, camping, doing anything with my dog Ellie, reading, video games, concerts, learning new classical pieces on the piano

Why UMass: Fellowship exposure, procedure experience, rotation in Hawaii, overall program benefits
Alexander Herr

Hometown: Union, CT

Medical School: Frank H. Netter School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University

Interests/hobbies: Running, fantasy football, golf, disc golf, NFL (Patriots fan), bowhunting, personal finance, pizza, cats, scuba diving.

Why UMass: I chose UMass because of the proximity to family, supportive learning environment and down to earth faculty and residents. On my visiting rotation, I observed that residents were comfortable with managing critically ill patients and adept at procedures (e.g. central lines, intubations, lumbar punctures). I also observed that didactics were excellent, and faculty were highly invested in teaching. Overall, I think UMass offers an extremely well-rounded curriculum with excellent leadership, faculty, and residents.
Annabelle Jordan

Hometown: Kansas City, KS
Medical School: University of Kansas School of Medicine
Interests/hobbies: Photography, Taekwondo, Reading
Why UMass: On my interview day I felt like UMass had a really good culture and that I could see myself getting along well with the residents. UMass also had a great reputation and I was sure that I would learn a lot here!
Teresa Marsinelli

Hometown: Braintree, MA

Medical School: UNECOM

Interests/Hobbies: cooking, dance, yoga

Why UMass: When looking at residencies my husband (who is a police officer in Sharon, MA) and I wanted to stay close to home and I wanted to go to a well established program in a diverse city. UMass checks both those boxes and more! Being from Massachusetts, UMass was always known as one of the best hospitals in the states so being apart of this program is really a dream come true!
Christopher O'Neil

Hometown: Shrewsbury MA

Medical School: SUNY Upstate in Syracuse NY

Interests/Hobbies: I enjoy playing tennis, road bicycling, playing video games, and more recently rock climbing. I also like to dabble in whatever artistic ventures I can get my hands on, and for the last few years have been playing around with silk screening t-shirts and posters.

Why UMass: I had the sense after interviewing and after doing an away rotation here at UMass that this is a program that allows its new interns to dive in headfirst and tackle challenging and complex patients - but that also goes to great lengths to make sure those interns are supported and nurtured.
Joseph Penna

Hometown: Reading MA
Medical school: UNECOM
Interests/hobbies: BJJ/wrestling, video games, coffee, surfing and reading
Why UMass: I wanted to stay close to my family/friends to have a support system near me. Also, I knew Umass would expose me to a lot of different pathologies so I could be better prepared when I am an attending.
Brandon Smalls

Hometown: LaGrange, GA

Medical School: University of South Carolina Greenville

Interest/Hobbies: Filmmaking, writing fantasy fiction novels, weightlifting

Why UMass: I wanted to get back into skiing! In all honesty, though, the educational system in Massachusetts is hard to beat in general and I already had a fantastic support system in the area. Choosing UMass was a no-brainer.
Divya Srinivas

Hometown: Cary, NC

Medical school: East Carolina Brody SOM

Interests/Hobbies: Hiking, Baking, going to the gym, most sitcoms, tea sessions, hosting dinner parties, playing with my German Shepherd

Why UMass: I grew up in Shrewsbury and still had close family in the area and wanted to move back! I loved how strong the program is and how residents graduated with confidence. The people are kind, fun, and always willing to teach!
Julia Via

Hometown: Buffalo, New York

Medical School: Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

Interests/Hobbies: Spending time with my dog Winston, reading, dancing, crafting fun cocktails, trying new restaurants with friends, Mario Kart, and investing my well-being into Buffalo sports teams. Go Bills!

Why UMass: UMass had everything I was looking for in a residency program including being located in diverse city with a high volume of patients and offering a wide variety of pathologies, (Hawaii was also an added perk). But my primary reason for choosing this program was that I could feel the sense of camaraderie between residents and faculty during my interview. I liked that even through the screen of a zoom call, I could appreciate how positive and supportive of an environment UMass is.

Second Year Residents (EM-2)

Jorge Acevedo Herman

Hometown: Cayey, Puerto Rico
Med School: UMass Chan
Interests/Hobbies: Running, Scuba Diving, Traveling, Hiking, Finance and Business Administration, Investing, Aerospace Medicine
Why UMass: The rigor and strength of the 3-year EM curriculum, outstanding residents, and staying close to immediate family.
Nikhil Bhana

Hometown: Cinnaminson, NJ
Med School: Cooper Medical School
Interest/hobbies: Skiing & Snowboarding (started off skiing then taught myself how to snowboard to hit bigger jumps on the slopes), Soccer (former Division 1 athlete), Hiking (absolutely love the breathtaking views from mountain tops), Body Surfing (nothing more exciting than crashing with the waves), Fitness, Team-based Video games (Rocket League, Halo, COD, you name it), DIY Projects, Traveling, Stocks, Harry Potter Fan (repairo!), Pizza enthusiast (number 1 pizza spot is Kate & Als in Columbus, NJ).
Why UMass: Well-rounded training, super friendly faculty, HAWAII, supportive and collaborative learning environment… you join a family when you come here.
Audrey Butler

Hometown: Erie, PA
Med School: SUNY Upstate
Interests/hobbies: Wordle & NYT games, contemporary and hip-hop dance, biking, reading, Netflix, podcasts, discovering local breweries & coffee shops, bar trivia, fantasy football & watching the Patriots.
Why UMass: I wanted to come to UMass because I could tell it was an inclusive and supportive environment. When I visited, I loved that there was a strong camaraderie on shift between the attendings and residents. I wanted a program that emphasized wellness and resident life outside medicine. Im so happy I am here because for all these reasons, UMass has helped create a smooth transition into residency and made working on shift fun and a great place to learn.
Brian Desnoyers

Hometown: Poughquag, NY
Med School: Tufts
Interest/hobbies: swimming, film, cycling, scuba diving, clinical informatics, public health
Why UMass: I choose UMass because it offers a warm and inclusive environment, prioritizes quality improvement and promoting social emergency medicine, and is situated in an ideal setting.
Hayley Kohler

Hometown: Westwood MA
Med school: New York Medical College
Interests/hobbies: kayaking, hiking, traveling
Why UMass: Location being close to home, high acuity and patient volume, Hawaii, many fellowship opportunities and emphasis on health equity with community outreach programs like road to care and WRAP
Thomas Leith

Hometown: Cambridge, MA
Med school: University of Michigan
Interests/hobbies: Hiking, climbing, SCUBA diving, gardening, folk and bluegrass fiddle music
Why UMass: UMass blew me away from the start by offering an incredible balance of all my personal and professional interests. It’s an established, rigorous academic program with all the resources of a top-tier tertiary care center, while still offering outstanding exposure to and partnership with a wide variety of community sites. It’s located in a fun and diverse (if often underestimated!) city, with lots to do in town, but is also just minutes away from phenomenal outdoor activities. And, cliched as it sounds, the people here truly are fantastic. Within days of starting here, UMass already felt like home. I’m thrilled to get to spend three years training here.
Ryan Lindsay

Hometown: West Boylston, MA
Med School: UMass Chan Medical School
Interest/hobbies: I enjoy hiking and traveling. You can find me on the golf course struggling to keep the ball in play. I enjoy trivia, exploring new restaurants, and backyard games (like volleyball and Spike Ball).
Why UMass: I chose UMass EM for the family culture and the patient complexity. The UMass residents and attendings are excited to teach and are approachable. I appreciated how the residents kept a lighthearted attitude while working extremely hard. I was also drawn to the acuity and complexity of the patients that are treated at UMass Chan. Very strong subspecialty departments, such as the toxicology and ultrasound departments, were also a draw to this program.
Bennett McKinley

Hometown: Raleigh, North Carolina
Med School: University of Louisville School of Medicine
Interests/hobbies: Tennis, Pickleball, Basketball, Football, Traveling, Guitar, Hiking, Trying new things (Food, Games, Recreational activities)
Why UMass: Being close to family was one of the most important factors I considered when choosing a residency program. When I was looking for programs in the New England region, the strong academic background of the University of Massachusetts and the diverse, urban population of Worcester immediately stood out to me. During my away rotation in October, everyone was very down-to-earth and welcoming. The strong culture for learning and feedback, the exposure to the different specialties of Emergency Medicine, and the diversity in patient presentation with excellent didactics to support those learning opportunities confirmed my decision to rank UMass number one.
Olga Neyman

Hometown: Atlanta, GA
Med School: Washington University in St. Louis
Interests/Hobbies: Rock climbing, dancing, cooking, camping, overly complicated board games
Why UMass: Awesome people and opportunities in a new part of the country
Matias Page

Hometown: Newton, MA
Med School: Brown Medical School
Interests/Hobbies: Sailing, windsurfing, biking, skiing, New England sports, drawing
Why UMass: My away rotation at UMass made a great and lasting impression on me, and ultimately was one of the major factors in my decision. The residents I worked with moved through the department like seasoned veterans who were comfortable taking care of very sick patients and had plenty of experience doing a wide variety of procedures. I also appreciated that the residents and faculty were incredibly approachable and invested in teaching. Lastly, I wanted to live close to my family and in an area with outdoor activities nearby. The Worcester area has lots of parks, hiking, and even a sailing center next to the hospital, all of which I am excited to make use of during my residency.
Ryan Silva

Hometown: Johnston, RI
Med School: UConn
Interests/Hobbies: New England sports teams (catch me at Gillette Stadium to watch the Pats play), soccer, flag football, yard games (especially cornhole), music, concerts, Broadway shows, trivia and karaoke nights, ciders, hiking
Why UMass: I chose UMass because it aligned best with my interests and wants when it came to a residency program. The opportunity to train in Emergency Medicine at an academic Level 1 Trauma Center in the second largest city in New England seemed invaluable, especially as someone who was born and raised in New England. It also became evident that residents at UMass are exposed early and often to the management of high acuity level patients and complex procedures, which I especially appreciated. I was additionally drawn to the number of EM fellowship programs at UMass, and the resultant opportunity to garner exposure and expertise from the various fellowship-trained faculty. Everyone I met along the interview trail, from administration to program leadership to the current residents, were extremely friendly and supportive, and I knew they were the people for me. Finally, where else can you find a residency program that sends you to Hawaii for a month? What's better than that?
Walberto Tejada Menjivar

Hometown: Charlotte, NC
Med school: Meharry Medical College
Interests/hobbies: cooking/bread baking and anything food related, making craft cocktails at home, listening to podcasts, watching MMA, and living vicariously through Youtube.
Why UMass: During my interview, I realized that UMass residents get to see the whole spectrum of patients that you would find at a community or county program in a setting with academic resources. Being the only level 1 trauma center in the region allows us to see critical patients from the beginning. Having grown up in the south, getting to explore New England is also exciting!
Charlotte Tisch

Hometown: New York City
Med school: The University of Pennsylvania
Interests/hobbies: cardiac arrest research, being outdoors, cooking, whale watching,
Why UMass: Strong mentorship, opportunities in practically every specialty within EM, departmental culture
Jacob Wood

Hometown: Ogden, Utah
Med School: UT Southwestern
Interests/Hobbies: skiing, mountain biking, hiking with my wife and dog, boating, tennis, running, camping.
Why UMass: I have always had an interest in EMS and life flight, and UMass is one of the few programs that gives residents the opportunity to go out on calls with the local EMS, and even participate in life flight flights. Also the month in Hawaii during third year was pretty enticing!

Third Year Residents (EM-3)

Michael Bernazzani

Hometown: Peabody, MA
Undergrad: Northeastern Univ
Medical School: Loyola Univ
Interests: Recreational Basketball, Soccer, Golf, Wood working, Photography, Skiing
Hunter Bolin

Hometown: Natick, MA
Undergrad: UMass Amherst
Medical School: Stony Brook
Interests: Miniature Painting (some of the board games I play have small plastic miniatures that require painting), Table Top Games (board games such as Coup, Codenames, Ticket to Ride, etc), Rock Climbing, Fantasy Novels
Patrick Bonson

Hometown: Burlington, VT
Undergrad: Univ of Vermont
Medical School: Virginia Tech
Interests: Paragliding (P2-Solo Pilot, Easily my most involved interest), Cross County Skiing (I began nordic racing in high school and have kept CC skiing as a hobby since then), Rock Climbing (indoor and outdoor bouldering and top-roping have been a staple of mine for years), Banjo (the newest addition to the interest section, I took up clawhammer banjo after moving to Roanoke in 2018)
Christopher DiTullio

Hometown: Hanover, MA
Undergrad: UMass Amherst
Medical School: UMass Chan
Interests: Golf, Boston Pro Sports Teams (Go Pats!!), Personal finance, Watching documentaries, Trivia, Board Games, Cooking, Traveling, Spending time outdoors
Jacob Garrell

Hometown: Fairfield, CT
Undergrad: Tufts
Medical School: UConn
Interests: Sustainable cooking: I have been actively learning how to cook with fresh and local ingredients during my time as a medical student. I have recently been focusing on plant-based diets. Outdoor Activities: I have grown up golfing, fishing, snowboarding, and hiking and spend my free time exploring the outdoors and exercising
Julian Goding

Hometown: Southborough, MA
Undergrad: Holy Cross
Medical School: UMass Chan
Interests: Running, beer and whiskey connoisseur, audiophile, cooking, tennis, golf, hiking, pickleball, politics, the US legal system, video games, traveling
Neel Gupta

Hometown: Marlborough, MA
Undergrad: Union College
Medical School: Albany Med
Interests: Baseball, football, Golf, movies, 3D printing, Programming, computer building
Sean McHugh

Hometown: Chatham, NJ
Undergrad: Amherst College
Medical School: Cooper Medical School
Interests: I am a very active person who loves making or fixing things and generally working with my hands. I often come up with projects or jobbies that will help me learn new skills, such as fixing a decrepit sailboat to teach myself how to sail. My hobbies include hiking, mountain biking, camping, backpacking, canoeing, sailing, woodworking, drawing, painting, sewing, weightlifting, running, swimming, cooking and baking.
Corey Michelson

Hometown: Needham, MA
Undergrad: University of Maryland
Medical School: Tufts
Interests: Golfing (often you will find 3 generations of Michelson's enjoying a round!), Hiking and city walks, avid Boston sports fan, adaptive sports, cooking (hopefully future omelet food truck owner), Music DJ/Playlist curator
Ruairi O'Connor

Hometown: Sligo, Ireland
Undergrad: National University of Ireland, Galway
Medical School: University of Limerick
Interests: Competitive open water swimming, surfing and surf life saving, alpine skiing, photography
Aaron Prugar

Hometown: York, ME
Undergrad: Boston College
Medical School: Tufts
Interests: Hiking, board games, homebrewing, Star Wars, weightlifting, Pittsburgh Steelers, reading
Duncan Robertson

Hometown: Holliston, MA
Undergrad: UMass Amherst
Medical School: New York Medical College
Interests: Hobbies include live music, hiking with my dog and wife, basketball, swimming, biking, disc sports, soccer, food (eating it not cooking it), craft beers, running, camping, beaching and billiards/pool. Interests include medical education, mindfulness, medical toxicology, sports and rural medicine.
Gretta Steigauf-Regan

Hometown: Oakdale, MN
Undergrad: Notre Dame
Medical School: University of Minnesota
Interests: Ice hockey, Water skiing/Slalom water skiing, reading, softball, golf, running, traveling, hiking, baking, Global Health, Ultrasound
Frank Wu

Hometown:
Undergrad: Stanford
Medical School: Univ of Southern California
Interests: Aviation enthusiast, fostering cats, Building custom computers, Trekking in Himalayas