Meet the Residents
Meet Our Residents
2024-2025
PGY-1s
Bhavana Aitha, DO (she/her)
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM)
Academic Interests: outpatient psychiatry, sleep medicine, forensic psychiatry, women’s mental health, psychotherapy, community psychiatry, medical education, college mental health
Personal Interests: food, lifting, traveling, acting, tennis, music, writing, hiking
Why UMass: When my family and I first immigrated to America, we moved to Acton, MA for a couple years before settling in Delaware for most of my life. It’s good to be back! What I was looking for most when applying to psychiatry residencies was a supportive learning environment. I found that within UMass and am looking forward to expanding my knowledge and honing my skills in a positive atmosphere.
What I like about Central Mass: I’m a big foodie so I like that there’s a lot of diversity in cuisine around the area. I also enjoy hiking and there’s a plethora of trails to choose from. Whenever I miss city life, I can easily take the train into Boston. The people here are also very nice!
Mina Botros, MD (he/him)
University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School
Academic/Clinical Interests: Neuropsychiatry, Psychedelic Psychiatry, Stroke Rehab, Mood Disorders and Psychosis Following Brain Injury, Suicide Prevention, Community Interventions
Personal Interests: I enjoy reading, writing and art of all sorts. I play video games, guitar, and am learning to play drums. I spend as much time as I can outdoors, whether it’s playing tennis/pickleball, hiking, trail running, or snowboarding.
Why UMass: I was initially drawn to UMass for medical school because of all of the wonderful things I heard about the community here. Throughout medical school I worked with so many incredible providers and teachers while getting to contribute to opportunities to create a lasting impact on the greater Worcester area. My family and closest friends are also in Massachusetts so being at UMass means I have an incredible support system both in and out of residency. On top of that, UMass offers a unique combined neurology and psychiatry training program in a large academic medical center with top tier research and a commitment to underserved populations – a dream come true for me as I hope to leave no stone unturned to help people with disorders of the brain and mind.
What I like about Central Mass: Central Mass has so much to offer! My favorite part of being in this area is just how many city and state parks are in the area fill with trails to explore. Worcester itself has a number of great places to check out – including restaurants, museums, and more – but what’s nice about Central Mass is that everything you could want is within driving distance. Whether you want to spend the day in the mountains of New Hampshire, Vermont, or Maine, or hang out in Boston, Providence, or NYC, everything is in reach!
Paige Comerford, MD (she/her)
UMass Chan Medical School
Academic Interests: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Clinical Bioethics
Personal Interests: Listening to podcasts, curating music playlists, DIY/crafts, tending to my houseplants, and snuggling with my kitten.
Why UMass: Having attended college in Worcester and medical school at UMass, I can unequivocally say that the people and community are our greatest strengths.
What I like about Central Mass: So many fun activities in and around Worcester: cafes, bookshops, museums, the Woo Sox, & more! There are lots of local hiking/nature walks and breweries. Plus, we’re not too far from Boston, Providence, the Cape, or NH.
Pooja Dutta, MD (she/her/hers)
UMass Chan Medical School
Academic Interests: Reproductive Psychiatry, Community Psychiatry, Consult-Liaison Psychiatry, Medical Education
Personal Interests: Cooking, mixology, any dancing (particularly Bollywood fusion!), board games, old cheesy sitcoms
Why UMass: Having attended UMass for medical school, I was drawn to its emphasis on hands-on clinical education and addressing the health disparities of the diverse yet marginalized communities in the area. It was appealing to be in a centrally located area where there are number of community stakeholders and resources I could offer to my patients. In addition, being at an academic center that had a strong women’s mental health and C/L focus was of particular interest to me. During my interview trail, I really enjoyed how warm and welcoming residents and faculty were! For more personal reasons, my husband was planning to move to New England so it was really important to live together while continuing my training!
What I like about Central Mass: After living in NYC for most of my life, I really enjoyed the ample amounts of space and serenity in Central Mass, while still being conveniently close to NYC, Boston, and Providence! I especially love the fall foliage here and the variety of things to do in the summer. As someone who is a huge foodie, I’ve loved exploring the evolving restaurant scene in Worcester and currently eating my way through Providence while living here. I also love being by the water so having spots like Cape Cod, MA and Newport, RI are great to visit during the summer!
Rachel Jenkins, MD (she/her)
UMass Chan Medical School
Academic Interests: Child and adolescent psychiatry, social determinants of health, psychotherapy, mindfulness
Personal Interests: Art projects, baking, gardening, and anything involving my dog Moose
Why UMass: I attended medical school at UMass and was delighted to match for both residency and fellowship in the combined adult and child/adolescent psychiatry track. UMass has a strong emphasis on public-sector psychiatry and robust child and adolescent training program. I admire many of the colleagues and patients that I’ve encountered here in Worcester and am thrilled to continue serving this community.
What I like about Central Mass: This corner of New England is brimming with hidden gems! The greater Worcester area has lots of parks, restaurants, breweries, and charming small town main streets. I especially love exploring vintage and thrift stores in the area. The close proximity to Boston and Rhode Island is an added plus!
Kiana Malta, MD (she/hers)
Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
Academic Interests: Consult Liaison Psychiatry, Addiction Psychiatry, Medical Education
Personal Interests: searching for the perfect pastry, brunch, travel, spending time with family and friends, podcasts, baking, reading Wirecutter/CR reviews
Why UMass: I could tell there was a warm culture that embraced education and supported the resident experience. I knew I would be encouraged to grow as a clinician through diverse experiences and be joining a wonderful community at the same time.
What I like about Central Mass: It’s a very accessible area and has lots of different opportunities to get involved, whatever your special interest might be. As an out of state person, I have already been given an endless list of fun new food options to try and I can’t wait to explore more of Central Mass!
Julio C Mantero-Munoz, MD (He/Him/His)
Universidad Central del Caribe School of Medicine
Academic interests: Addiction psychiatry, Children and Adolescent psychiatry, Hispanic/Latinx mental health
Personal Interests: Spending time with my wife and son. Playing soccer, cooking.
Why UMass: I was very impressed by the UMass program on interview day. Despite it being my first interview, no other program left such a significant impression. The educational and mentorship opportunities, the diverse patient population, and my interactions with the faculty, program coordinator, and residents all solidified my decision. Additionally, the location is perfect for me. Having lived in Massachusetts for almost 10 years, it offered me the chance to return to the place I consider my second home.
What I like about Central Mass: So far, I love the access to beautiful trails, the proximity to Boston, and the excellent brewery scene.
PGY-2s
Eoin Becan Gaj, MD (He/Him/His)
Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah
Clinical Interests: Child and adolescent psychiatry, population health, social determinants of health, healthcare legislation.
Other Interests and Hobbies: Spending time with my family/chasing my kids around, hiking, cycling, road trips, podcasts.
Why UMass: I was excited about residency at UMass for a number of reasons, including the focus on public-sector psychiatry and caring for underserved populations. I also liked the strong training in child and adolescent psychiatry, the large variety of clinical sites, and the emphasis on personalizing the residency experience. Additionally, both my wife and I grew up in Massachusetts, and especially with young children, it is nice to move back east and be close to family.
What You Like About Central Mass: There are lots of nice places nearby to go hiking and lakes to swim in, and tons of delicious farmstand ice cream shops!
Kristen Jorgenson, MD
Louisanna State University School of Medicine
University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry
Clinical Interests: Child/adolescent psychiatry, community psychiatry, psychotherapy and family therapy, women's mental health
Other Interests and Hobbies: Family time with my husband, baby, and black lab, art projects, sewing and embroidery, going for walks, podcasts, writing poetry and non-fiction
Why UMass: I was thrilled to match at UMass after being here for med school! Throughout my UMass years, I've come to appreciate the sense of community on campus and the diversity of my colleagues. I have seen that UMass self-selects for clinicians who are not only passionate about their work, but who also have varied interests beyond medicine that enrich our shared learning environment. Finally, the clinical opportunities at UMass are hugely varied and the patient population is quite diverse, making it an ideal place to train and explore new interests.
What You Like About Central Mass: Central MA is great because there is a little bit of everything -- good restaurants and breweries, fun hiking and other outdoor activities, and an easy distance to bigger cities like Boston and Providence.
Clinical interests: Child/Adolescent psychiatry, PTSD, interplay between mental health and chronic illnesses, psychotherapy, integrative psychiatry
Other interests/hobbies: Reading, taking naps with my dog, running, hiking, puzzles, concerts (just listening to music in general…if I’m walking anywhere you will see headphones in my ears!)
Why UMass: I grew up in New England and after being away for almost 15 years it was time to come back! UMass has such a warm and welcoming group of residents and faculty that was palpable even through the virtual interview. It is such a supportive environment that is critical for success during residency and I feel that I will be supported in pursuing my unique interests. I also really like that UMass emphasizes the important role of neurology within psychiatry- a rare find amongst psychiatry residencies!
What I like about Central Mass: I love the proximity to Boston (without having to pay Boston prices or deal with the hustle and bustle of the city) as well as the many hiking opportunities around Worcester. One weekend I’ll spend exploring a nearby park and then next weekend I’ll hop on the commuter rail (10 bucks for unlimited trips on the weekends!) to spend the day in Boston. Also you can’t beat the autumn leaves in Central Mass!
Karuna Sandra Thomas, MD
Amrita School of Medicine
CMC Vellore, India
Academic Interests: Addiction psychiatry, Global psychiatry
Personal Interests: Travelling, cooking, Spending time with my family and friends, Painting
Why UMass: I came to UMass from India, to pursue an addiction psychiatry fellowship but loved the department and academia here and decided to stay on, and do residency.
What I like about Central Mass: The natural beauty, the weather and how everything is so accessible.
University of Massachusetts T.H. Chan School of Medicine
PGY-3s
UMass Chan Medical School
Other interests/hobbies: Hiking, paddle boarding (SUP), martial arts training, playing dungeons and dragons, woodworking, and spending time with family, pets, and all the wildlife my mom feeds.
What I like about Central Mass: It’s a nature lover’s dream! There’s great hiking both locally and within a day trip’s distance.
Academic Interests: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Attachment and Trauma disorders
Personal Interests: Spending time with my husband and two daughters, anything outdoors, eating meals with friends, reading science fiction or magical realism
Why UMass: I attended medical school at UMass and enjoyed my experience so much I decided to stay for residency and fellowship in the combined Adult and Child/Adolescent Psychiatry Track. In many ways I consider psychiatry and especially child psychiatry to be an important component of primary care. I love the focus UMass as an institution has on providing excellent primary care and training future clinicians to provide holistic, patient-centered care.
What I Like About Central Mass: Though originally native to the Midwest, I have been living in Massachusetts for the past 8 years and have come to prefer the New England area with its abundant natural beauty and varied cultural experiences
Academic Interests: Addiction psychiatry, community/public psychiatry, street psychiatry, cultural psychiatry
Personal Interests: Getting outside (running, hiking, paddleboarding, etc!), watching comedy shows, reading, and playing with my cat
Why UMass: I grew up in the greater Boston area and knew I wanted to stay in the northeast to be close to family and friends for residency. I sought a program that was welcoming, focused on community development, had all the benefits of a large academic medical center (research, teaching, etc.), as well as a diverse patient population. UMass has far exceeded my expectations in a residency program! The teaching environment is truly collaborative and there are many opportunities to get involved in one’s interests.
What I like about Central Mass: Central Massachusetts is a beautiful place year-round! There is plenty of access to outdoor activities during any season, yet there is also an abundance of restaurants and bars to explore. Some of my favorites include Wooden Bar, Volturno's, as well as Redemption Rock Brewing Company, which hosts stand-up comedy nights and other fun events!
Clinical interests: TBI, dementias, Parkinson's, movement disorders, personality disorders, mood disorders
Research interests: clinical ethics, neuroethics, ethics education and curriculum development
Other interests/hobbies: hiking, kayaking, cooking, farmers markets, spending the entire day at the beach, traveling, breweries and board games!
Why UMass: I chose UMass because of the amazing and unique opportunity to complete a double board in Neurology and Psychiatry. The program and the mentors within it felt like the best fit for me, and the opportunities for research and diving deep into my intellectual curiosities seemed endless. I am so happy to get to become a physician in the two specialties I love so much.
What I like about Central Mass: My favorite part of Central Mass is all of the greenery! The nature is quite beautiful and it is much sunnier here than the Midwest.
Academic interests: geriatric psychiatry, the intersection between end-of-life and psychiatry, ethics
Personal interests: Disc golf, skiing, biking, tabletop roleplaying games (Dungeons and Dragons), video games (BG3, Stardew Valley, League of Legends), anime, reading (mostly fantasy genre), fishkeeping, spending time with my partner/family and my leopard gecko (named Loki)
Why UMass: I was here at UMass for medical school, and I have been thrilled to be able to continue caring for and learning from the incredibly diverse patients that come to this hospital system. What’s more, I love working with the residents, fellows, and attendings here, as they are incredibly knowledgeable and supportive, and every layer of this program is geared toward providing culturally-sensitive, patient-centered care. I remember how appreciative I was of the teaching residents did for me when I was a student, and I continue to love to work with medical students and hope to contribute to their learning whenever the opportunity arises!
What I like about Central Mass: Worcester itself is a very dear place to me and I love to explore the city. The Woo Sox baseball team in particular is a more recent addition and the games are affordable and so fun to attend! A recent discovery of mine is an eSports bar called All Systems Go where you can play various PC and Nintendo Switch games. I will also add that Worcester’s proximity to Boston, Providence, Cape Cod, and the Berkshires is incredibly helpful in terms of having relatively quick access to a seemingly endless variety of activities, events, and restaurants!
Alexandra Ruuska, DO
Clinical Interests: Psychotherapy, anxiety and mood disorders, existential and relational problems, personality, suicide, end-of-life care, underserved populations and public psychiatry, outpatient and integrated care models, psychodynamic psychopharmacology
Research Interests: Technology and mental health, trauma, substance use disorders, LGBTQ+ health, psychedelics, ethics
Personal Interests: Comedy, indie music, poetry, guitar, home recording, live music, film, art, literature (especially classic novels and absurdist fiction), philosophy, racquet sports, craft beer, board games, and video games
Why UMass: I visited loved ones in New England during medical school and felt the regional culture was compatible with my values and interests, so I completed audition rotations in the area. I was particularly impressed with the Massachusetts healthcare system due to the quality of care and the emphasis on access. I applied to UMass for these reasons as well as my gut feeling that it was an excellent fit. The biopsychosocial-cultural perspective, caliber of instruction, and supportive program culture at UMass were praised during interview season and have been echoed in my experience. I couldn’t be happier with my training.
What I like about Central Mass: I find the people in this area to be generally very friendly, collegial, and open-minded. There are beautiful nature trails just a few minutes away from me and plenty of vintage shops, coffee shops, and breweries to enjoy in the area, as well as concerts, festivals, and creative groups in Boston.
Clinical Interest: Child and Adolescent, Addiction, Technology in Psychiatry, Interventional Psychiatry
Personal interests: I enjoy fishing, hiking, camping and pretty much every other activity out in nature - I am currently trying to hone my pickleball, snowboarding, and bouldering skills! I love to cook and enjoy trying new recipes. I prioritize physical fitness, friends, family, girlfriend, and my most recent time vacuum- my adorable Bernedoodle, Mochi!
Why apply to umass: I applied to Umass because of its excellent child and adolescent psychiatry training. I originally grew up in California and completed medical school in Chicago, so figured it was time to experience the east coast for residency. I enjoyed every single interaction with Umass faculty on interview day and knew this would be where I would complete my training!
What I like about Central Mass: I absolutely love the beauty of central mass! There are so many bodies of water to fish, trails to hike, and new places to explore. I am extremely excited to soak in the beautiful colors of fall with the changing of the leaves. I enjoy the drivable distance to so many fun areas, including Boston which is only 45 minutes away. There is a great sense of community here, and I am extremely excited to continue exploring what the East Coast has to offer while training at Umass.
PGY-4s
Program Chief Resident
Academic Interests: Perinatal and reproductive psychiatry, psychotic disorders, caregiver and family support, medical student education
Personal Interests: Hiking and nature walks in New England, baking (and sharing the results), playing tennis, gardening, Boston Celtics
Why UMass: A few things I love about UMass Psychiatry are the supportive faculty and leadership’s responsiveness to resident feedback. The program offers a healthy balance of supervision and independence, and values resident education as demonstrated by one full day of didactics each week. I also get to work with some of the kindest, thoughtful coresidents.
What I like about Central Mass: Central MA is a great location for me because I can easily visit my family and friends who live in Boston and RI. I love exploring the outdoors and there are plenty of beautiful parks, lakes, and hiking trails within 30 minutes of Worcester. Worcester itself also has tons of great restaurants, breweries, comedy shows, a public marketplace, and the new Woo-Sox baseball park, which is fun even if you’re not a huge baseball fan!
Ponce Health Sciences University
Academic Interests: Geriatric Psychiatry, Therapy and Neuromodulation
Personal Interests: watching movies/series, road trips, crafting, interior design and my dog: kiwi :)
Why UMass: I ranked UMass because the program offers a lot of opportunities for residents to explore and expose themselves to different areas of psychiatry. I wanted to train in a program where residents have the opportunity to treat and learn about a variety of diagnosis and a diversity of patients. Also, co-residents and staff are very friendly, motivated and ready to help and teach.
What I like about Central Mass: What I like about Central Mass is the lake views, the many hiking trails and the food! Also it’s just an hour away from Boston!!
PGY-4s
PGY-6s
