Our Fellows

Why Hospice & Palliative Medicine?
It has been my privilege as a physician to help guide patients and their families through the spectrum of serious illness. I have found great professional and personal satisfaction in this role, and it has also been rewarding to work with colleagues in collaborating fields who also dedicate themselves to these patients.

Why Rochester?
I am excited to return to the community in which my medical career began! The community within the University is welcoming and I look forward to the opportunity to reconnect with close mentors who have shaped my career over the last decade. The City of Rochester is similarly welcoming and is a comfortable environment for training as well as for life beyond the hospital.

Professional Interests?
As a physician trained in Internal Medicine, I am particularly interested in outcomes for patients with conditions like severe COPD and heart failure when palliative care services are offered early. I would also like to play an active role in educating more patients, especially those in under-resourced communities, about the availability of palliative care and hospice services so that the benefits of such care can be more widely reaped.

Where do you see yourself practicing?
An academic setting, like a large University hospital, would be a great environment that could both challenge and support me as I establish myself as a palliative care physician. However, I am also interested to learn about different career paths during the fellowship year.

What do you hope to learn or accomplish during fellowship?
I hope to continue developing excellent communication skills so as to be an effective resource for my patients and colleagues alike. I also hope to gain comfort prescribing the range of therapeutics in the armamentarium of palliative care, both nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic treatments.

Why Hospice & Palliative Medicine?
I have felt a special connection to hospice and palliative medicine since volunteering at Bayada Hospice in Norwich Vermont as a medical student. I remember my special relationship with Wanita, who I followed for over a year from independent living to passing, newly seeing the likes of a good death. Since then I knew palliative medicine always would be part of my future.

Why Rochester?
In my healthcare life, mentors have played an overwhelmingly formative tutelage, from seeing - among so many things - the elegance of Dr. Horowitz's way with conversation, Dr. Quill's presence with families, Dr. Holloway's optimism and foresight, and Dr. Kluger's vision for a better future. I recognize my parental projection I place in these role models, so staying here in Rochester means more than just training to me.

Professional interests?
Neuropalliative care, the biopsychosocial framework, and other philosophical concepts behind palliative care.

Where do you see yourself practicing?
Academia, where I hope to be successful in palliative care research, but will always be happy just being a clinician.

What do you hope to learn or accomplish during fellowship?
I hope to finish transitioning from trainee to attending, to continue the multitude of research projects, and possibly get things together to write a book.

Why Hospice & Palliative Medicine?
There are many things that have inspired and fascinated me in medicine, but nothing has been as incredible as watching patients' expressions brighten when they're given the space to be their unique selves. Helping someone explore their hopes, worries, and values as a person--rather than as a patient--seems more therapeutic to me than any medication or procedure. It is a privilege to be a part of these aspects of patient care for those facing medical challenges. As a fellow with a Pediatrics background, I find it additionally meaningful to support young patients who can't always speak for themselves.

Why Rochester?
Rochester is a new city for me, and I am beyond excited to explore it! So far, I have loved meeting the wonderful doctors and staff I interviewed with, and I look forward to working together.

Professional interests?
Goals of care discussions and perinatal palliative care. Families expecting the birth of a child with congenital illness are often thrown into overwhelming circumstances when they're already feeling vulnerable. I want to help make support for such families as robust and accessible as possible.

Where do you see yourself practicing?
That is a great question! Currently a medical center where I can support children and their families in both the hospital and outpatient settings sounds appealing. Regardless, I'm open to wherever my journey takes me.

What do you hope to learn or accomplish during fellowship?
I hope to continue to practice and improve my ability to guide conversations with patients and families as they face difficult medical decisions. I also look forward to increasing my knowledge of symptom management. I'm excited to learn from an amazing team!

Why Hospice & Palliative Medicine?
My passion in medicine is getting to know patients on a holistic level. Not just to understand their disease but to understand them as a person. Palliative Medicine as a field is dedicated to this principle. I am excited to begin my career in palliative medicine and to help patients and families navigate the difficult decisions, suffering and emotion that arise from acute and chronic illness.

Why Rochester?
I am a Rochester transplant but I have fallen in love with Western NY and the University of Rochester. I am excited to continue on after completing my residency and chief residency here. I truly enjoy working in an environment that supports its trainees as well as cultivating a culture of teamwork and excellent interdisciplinary care.

Professional interests?
I am eager to begin my career and plan to work as both a palliative care physician and in Internal medicine as a generalist, likely in the inpatient setting.

Where do you see yourself practicing?
I would love to continue my career at the University of Rochester in the city where my wife and I plan to raise our family.

What do you hope to learn or accomplish during fellowship?
I hope to gain experience in navigating goals of care conversations especially as it comes to end of life and advanced care planning. I also hope to gain skills in managing both acute and chronic pain.