Our Fellows

Third Year Fellow

Maheen Farooq, M.B.B.S.

Hometown: Lahore, Pakistan
Medical School: Allama Iqbal Medical College
Residency: Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell Pediatric Residency Training Program at Staten Island University Hospital
Areas of interest: Advanced endoscopy, necrotizing enterocolitis, medical education
Hobbies: Reading/writing poetry, hiking, watching true crime documentaries with my husband, and playing peekaboo with my son

Second Year Fellow

Sara Taha, M.B.B.S.

Sara is from Sudan originally born and raised there. She went to medical school there and finished residency at SUNY upstate in Syracuse. She is very passionate about pediatric GI, especially hepatology. When not working Sara enjoys spending time with family and her son. She loves music, walking and exploring nature. She also enjoys trying new restaurants and cafés. 

First Year Fellow

Kyra Paticoff, D.O.

Kyra is originally from Commack, NY. She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Public Health Science from University of Maryland and attended medical school at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine in Harlem, NY. She completed her residency training at Goryeb Children’s Hospital in Morristown, NJ. Outside of medicine, she enjoys traveling, cooking, trying new restaurants, pilates, and going for walks with her dog and husband.

Recent Graduates

You know what I love about my time in Rochester?
I got to wake up every day and learn something new about the field that I love in a supportive training environment. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity that allowed me to work directly with faculty who were experts in this field and to subsequently apply this knowledge when caring for patients. The best part was when I was able to share this information with families and empower them in their healthcare. Lastly, this mentorship shaped the framework on how to approach complex scenarios that are foremost centered around empathy and the patient experience. With this unshakable foundation developed in Rochester, I am truly grateful that I can rely on these core skills to confidently navigate unprecedented challenges in order to provide patient care of the highest excellence.

Shehzad Ahmed, M.D.
Assistant Professor, Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Nutrition
University of Rochester Medicine/Golisano Children's

Vipreet Janjua, M.D.
Pediatric Gastroenterologist
Robert Wood Johnson-Barnabas Health, Monmouth Medical Center

Alicia Olave-Pichon, M.D., M.P.H.
Fellow, IBD Fellowship, Pediatric Gastroenterology
Stanford University 

Chavonne Kouassi, M.D., M.P.H.
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition
University of Rochester Medicine/Golisano Children's

Meghan R. Brunswick, D.O.

Nathan "Zev" Minkoff, M.D.
Assistant Professor (Affiliated), Stanford School of Medicine
Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition
Valley Children’s Hospital

Imdad Ullah, M.B.B.S.
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Gastroenterology and Nutrition
University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria

Ayesha Baig, M.D.
Assistant Professor (Affiliated), Stanford School of Medicine
Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition
Valley Children's Hospital

Gracielle Bahia, D.O.
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Pediatric Gastroenterology
University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine
Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, MO

Albert Chan, M.D.
Clinical Assistant Professor
University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

Walaa Elfar, M.B.Ch.B.
Assistant Professor, Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition
Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA

Mariana Middelhof, M.D.
Pediatric Gastroenterologist
Pediatric Gastroenterology/Nutrition
GastroHealth Pediatrics LLC, Wellington, FL

T. Matthew Shields, M.D.
Assistant Professor, Pediatric Gastroenterology/Nutrition
Director of Medical Student and Resident Education
University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worchester, MA

Vibha Sood, M.B.B.S.
Clinical Assistant Professor, Pediatric Gastroenterology/Nutrition
MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC

I absolutely loved my three years in Rochester during my pediatric GI fellowship. I was so fortunate to have worked with Drs. Rossi, Brown, Saubermann, Gabel and Abell and I would not be where I am today without their teaching, guidance, and mentorship. During these three years, I developed confidence in not only the nuts and bolts of pediatric GI but also the once-in-a-career diagnoses. And to say that we worked together as a team is an understatement. Between our weekly fellows' conference, nutrition rounds, pathology rounds, radiology rounds and division meetings, there were ample opportunities to learn from each other. For anyone considering a career in pediatric GI, URMC is second to none.
~ Matthew Shields

Prita H. Mohanty, M.D.
Pediatric Transplant Hepatology Fellowship
Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA

Osama F. Almadhoun, M.D.
Assistant Professor, Pediatric Gastroenterology/Nutrition
University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS

Megan E. Gabel, M.D.
Assistant Professor, Pediatric Gastroenterology/Nutrition
University of Rochester Medicine/Golisano Children's

Husam S. Mallah, M.D.
Pediatric Gastroenterologist
Lutheran Children's Hospital, Fort Wayne, IN

Wahaj M. Zaidi, M.D.
Pediatric Gastroenterologist
Memorial Children's Hospital, South Bend, IN

Cary M. Qualia, M.D.
Assistant Professor, Pediatric Gastroenterology/Nutrition
Albany Medical Center, Albany, NY

Juan Villalona, M.D.
Assistant Professor, Pediatric Gastroenterology/Nutrition and Surgery
Virginia Commonwealth University/Medical College of Virginia, Richmond, VA