Doctors in the PICU

From left: Jake Deines, Jill Cholette, Natalie Wilson, Michele Smith, Myke García, Briana Scott, Steven Bondi, Elizabeth Nocera, Adam Dziorny, Kathryn Palumbo. Not shown, Andrea Hinkle and Jeffrey Rubenstein.

The medical, nursing, and ancillary staff are specifically trained to provide continuous observation and comprehensive care for children with serious or life-threatening medical conditions. The highest level of care is provided by pediatric intensivists working closely with other pediatric subspecialists and surgeons and specially trained nurses.

Steven Bondi, J.D., M.D.

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Steve Bondi is a graduate of the College of William and Mary, Harvard Law School and the University of Rochester School of Medicine. He completed Pediatric Residency at Madigan Army Medical Center followed by Fellowship in Pediatric Critical Care at Vanderbilt University. Dr. Bondi is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Medical Liability and Risk Management and is a frequent contributor to the AAP News column “Pediatricians and the Law.” He writes and speaks on topics regarding law, malpractice, finance and pediatrics.

Jill Cholette, M.D., Chief

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Jill Cholette received her undergraduate degree from Mount Holyoke College and completed medical school and Internal Medicine/Pediatric Residency at the University of Rochester. She is a double-boarded pediatric cardiac intensivist who completed her Pediatric Cardiology and Pediatric Critical Care Fellowships at the University of Rochester. Her primary clinical research interests are in patient blood management, blood conservation and modification, and coagulation and hemostasis. She is on the executive committee of the PALISI BloodNet subgroup and on the Society for the Advancement of Blood Management (SABM) research committee. She is the medical director of the PICU and is the Chief of the Division of Pediatric Critical Care.

Jake J. Deines, M.D.

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Jake Deines received his undergraduate degree from the University of Utah and graduated from the George Washington School of Medicine. He completed his Pediatric and Chief Residency at the University of Florida, and a Pediatric Critical Care Fellowship at Duke University. He is currently the Pediatric Sub-Internship Director. He completed a fellowship in Pediatric Neurocritical Care at The University of Rochester in 2021 and is now co-program director for the Pediatric Neurocritical Care fellowship. Dr. Deines' interests include pediatric neurocritical care, traumatic brain injury, and medical education from medical students to fellows. His research has focused on transcranial ultrasound in the assessment of children with TBI and optimizing the fourth year of medical school for students matching in Pediatrics. Outside the hospital he is the happy father of four children.

Adam Dziorny, M.D., Ph.D.

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Adam received his B.S. in Biomedical Engineering and Computer Science at Johns Hopkins University. He earned his M.D. Ph.D. from the University of Rochester and a certificate in Clinical Informatics at the Oregon Health and Science University. He completed his Pediatric residency at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia where he also was a Chief Resident and stayed on for his dual subspecialty training in Pediatric Critical Care and Clinical Informatics. His research interests lie at the intersection of data science and pediatric clinical care. He has developed a data-driven software platform to automatically attribute patients to trainees and has received several foundation grants to support this multi-institutional program to enhance graduate medical education. Additionally he is interested in effective clinical decision support in the critical care environment and has ongoing collaborations to understand the current state as well as test improved decision support methods.

Mykael García, M.D., M.S. Ed.

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Myke García is a native of Rochester, NY. He received his B.S. in Biochemistry from Boston College, and his M.D. from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. Myke went on to complete his Pediatric Residency and Pediatric Chief Residency at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children in Philadelphia, PA. He returned to Rochester where he completed his Pediatric Critical Care Fellowship at Golisano Children’s’ Hospital, and his M.S. in Health Professions Education from the University of Rochester Warner School of Education and Human Development. Myke is the Assistant Program Director of the Critical Care fellowship program. Myke’s academic interests are focused on improving medical education through adult learning preferences, education theory, and the incorporation of innovative teaching methods.

Andrea Hinkle, M.D.

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Andrea Hinkle received her undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College and her medical degree from Brown University. She completed her internship at the Albert Einstein/Montefiore Medical Center, residency at Boston City Hospital, and pediatric hematology/oncology fellowship at Children’s National Medical Center. She is double- board certified in pediatric critical care and hematology/oncology. Dr. Hinkle was a faculty member in the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at the University of Rochester until joining the Critical Care Division upon completion of her fellowship in pediatric critical care at the University of Rochester. Dr. Hinkle’s primary academic interest is in education, and she serves in multiple roles at all levels of medical education including course director in the medical school, divisional education representative for the pediatric residency program, and fellowship director for the pediatric critical care fellowship.

Christopher Monson, M.D.

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Christopher Monson received his undergraduate degree in biochemistry-molecular biology from the University of California at Santa Barbara, completed post-baccalaureate studies at Cornell University, and earned his medical degree from New York Medical College. He completed his pediatrics residency at Spectrum Health/MSU/Helen DeVos Children's Hospital in Grand Rapids, MI followed by a pediatric critical care fellowship at the University of Iowa. Christopher’s academic interests include pediatric advocacy, public health research, community outreach, and pediatric medical transport.

Elizabeth Nocera, D.O.

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Elizabeth Nocera is a native of Western New York. She received her undergraduate degree from Canisius College in Buffalo, NY. After earing her medical degree from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine she completed her Pediatric Residency and Chief Residency at the University of Rochester Medical Center. During that time she took an active role in resident and medical student education, she and her co-chief residents created a noon conference curriculum, and she ran the simulation program for the pediatric residency program. Elizabeth completed her Pediatric Critical Care Fellowship at the University of Rochester Medical Center. She is board certified in General Pediatrics and Pediatric Critical Care. She worked as a Pediatric Intensivist in Indianapolis, IN before joining our faculty this year. Elizabeth’s interests include teaching, transporting critically ill children, and simulation. She is the Medical Director of the Pediatric Critical Care Transport Team.

Kathryn Palumbo, M.D.

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Katie Palumbo received her undergraduate degree from SUNY Geneseo and completed medical school at the University of Texas. She completed her internal medicine/pediatric residency at Brown University and is double-boarded in Pediatrics and Internal Medicine. She completed her Pediatric Critical Care and Palliative Care Fellowships at Columbia University. Katie specializes in chronically ill and technology-dependent children and those with special needs. She is also a member of the Pediatric Palliative Care division and is medical director for the integrated NICU/PICU care unit. Her interests are in compassionate communication, family and patient support and chronic mechanical ventilation.

Jeffrey S. Rubenstein, M.D., M.B.A.

Professor Emeritus - Department of Pediatrics, Critical Care (SMD)

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Jeff Rubenstein received his undergraduate degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and medical degree from Albany Medical College. He completed his Pediatric Residency at Northwestern University and Pediatric Critical Care Fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Rubenstein received his MBA from the University of Rochester. He served as division chief for twenty years expanding the division from three faculty members to our current numbers and expanding the original eight-bed combined unit to the current PICU/PCCC units with 28 -bed capacity. He served on the subboard of Pediatric Critical Care, including chairman where he continues as the Medical Editor.

Briana Scott, M.D.

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Briana Scott earned her B.S., M.S., and M.D. from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. She completed pediatric residency and pediatric critical care medicine fellowship at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. Between residency and fellowship Briana spent time working on an inpatient pediatric transplant and cellular therapy unit and later within a neonatal intensive care unit. Her academic interests include anticoagulation management and blood transfusions among critically ill patients, including those supported by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Michele Smith, M.D.

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Michele Smith received her B.S. in Biology from Siena College and graduated from the University at Buffalo Jacob's School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. She completed her Pediatric Residency and Pediatric Critical Care Medicine Fellowship at New York-Presbyterian Hospital / Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Her clinical research interests involve better defining the role of noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) in disease processes such as asthma and bronchiolitis. Additionally, she is interested in investigating novel interfaces for the delivery of NIPPV to pediatric patients. Her other academic interests include medical education and simulation. Outside of the hospital, Michele enjoys exploring new restaurants, being outdoors, and spending time with her husband and daughter.

Our Fellows

Our fellows are pediatricians who are furthering their medical training as Critical Care specialists.

Meet our Critical Care Fellows