Our Fellows

Why Hospice & Palliative Medicine?
I was lucky to find a great mentor during medical school that exposed me to palliative care. I was hooked from day one!  

Why Rochester?
I grew up in Rochester and my family still lives here. Excited to be in the same city as them again!I grew up in Rochester and my family still lives here. Excited to be in the same city as them again!

Professional interests?
My favorite part of hospice and palliative medicine is facilitating goals of care discussions. I hope to have more exposure to hospice and outpatient palliative care during fellowship.

Where do you see yourself practicing?
Hard to answer this question at the moment. I'm open to many possibilities, including outpatient, hospice, inpatient consults, and even possibly splitting time with being a hospitalist. While my family has been established in Rochester for many years, it's possible we'll all move and resettle elsewhere.

What do you hope to learn or accomplish during fellowship?I hope to gain more practice with communication skills to strengthen my ability to facilitate goals of care discussions, especially in challenging situations.

Why Hospice & Palliative Medicine?
During my surgical residency and critical care fellowship, I admired the ability of the Hospice and Palliative Care team to navigate difficult conversations with compassion and support.   Family centered care that maintains the patient’s goals and values is a core belief and I am eager develop my skills to honor that.

Why Rochester?
Upstate New York is my home and community.  I am extremely fortunate Rochester is one of the leading providers and educators in Hospice and Palliative Care Medicine and am excited to continue my training here.

Professional interests?
As an Acute Care Surgeon, I take care of critically ill trauma and surgical patients of all ages.  I hope to explore all non-surgical options that may benefit my patients and their families with a focus on symptom management and quality of life.  In addition, I recognize medical professionals caring for the severely injured patient may experience moral distress potentially leading to burnout.  I want to explore ways to support my colleagues through these difficult situations so they can continue to provide excellent care.

Where do you see yourself practicing?
I ultimately plan to integrate my palliative care knowledge and skills into my academic surgical career to provide the best possible care for my patients and their families.

What do you hope to learn or accomplish during fellowship?
I hope to foster my communication skills and work to dispel any myths that palliative care cannot be provided concurrently with curative treatments. 

Other interests?
I enjoy reading, going to concerts and spending time with family.

Why Hospice & Palliative Medicine?
I chose to pursue this fellowship because I have found the most meaning in guiding patients through the medical system to find a treatment plan that is in line with their values and in getting to know patients in a unique way through that process. Palliative Care allows me to focus on the bigger picture of a person's care.

Why Rochester?
I completed my Medicine-Pediatrics residency at URMC so knew what an amazing opportunity it would be to learn from the faculty that make up this program and the unique experience that 412 offers. 

Professional interests?
I am interested in the role of Palliative Care in both advanced heart failure and end stage liver disease.

Where do you see yourself practicing?
I likely will end up practicing in the Southeast (either North Carolina or Tennessee) to be closer to family.

What do you hope to learn or accomplish during fellowship?
I am still open to many possibilities for my career so am interested in learning about what being a Hospice Medical Director entails and am also interested in advanced heart failure and end stage liver disease. I am hoping to learn about newer therapies in the field of Palliative Medicine such as ketamine, cannabis, and buprenorphine.

Other interests?
First and foremost I am a mom to my two little ones. I also love board games, reading, spending time with friends and family, and a competitive game of pickleball.

Why Hospice & Palliative Medicine?
Conversations regarding end of life and quality of life have been a part of my practice for many years. These conversations can be difficult, but very rewarding. I would like to expand my understanding, abilities, and experience in this area as I move forward with my medical career. 

Why Rochester?
The University of Rochester Medical Center offers a wealth of opportunities. I was seeking a larger campus experience that includes research and teaching. Additionally, I have personal ties to the area.

Professional interests?
Patient centered care, symptom/pain management, humanities/ethics, research, teaching

Where do you see yourself practicing?
I see myself seeking opportunities that include a mix of surgical practice and hospice/palliative care. I am passionate about teaching as well as patient care and would love to be able to share my palliative experience with staff and trainees in the surgical department. 

What do you hope to learn or accomplish during fellowship?
Overall, I am looking for a broad experience – wide-ranging patient populations, different professional settings, and new and challenging medical problems. I also hope to hone my communication skills.

Other interests?
I enjoy spending time with my wife and children. We try to spend time outside as much as possible, whether that’s a walk around the neighborhood, working in our garden, or going out for hikes. I also enjoy reading and cooking and try to exercise regularly.