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Our Fellows

Neonatology Fellows

Current Fellows

Danielle AckleyDanielle Ackley, M.D.
Third Year Fellow
Hometown:
Oswego, NY
Undergraduate: Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY
Medical School: State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY
Residency Program: University of Rochester Medical School, Golisano Children’s Hospital, Rochester, NY
Research Project: Daily Macronutrient Variability in Human Milk Based Feeds of Infants <30 weeks (Primary Mentor: Bridget Young, PhD)
Past Time Activities: Being outside and on the water, ice hockey, Crossfit, making memories with my husband, son, and daughter.
Favorite Spot in Rochester: Wickham Farms
One Word to Describe Our Program: Rewarding 

Cassandra DreesCassandra Drees, M.D., M.B.A.
Third Year Fellow

Hometown: Rochester, NY
Undergraduate: Elmira College, Elmira, NY
Medical School: Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University of Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
Residency Program: Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI
Research Project: Identification of parents at high risk of insufficient milk supply in very low birth weight infants.
Past Time Activities: Singing/dance parties with my son, trying new cocktail recipes, watching the Bills!
Favorite Spot in Rochester: Restaurant - Verns on Park Ave; Family Activity - Fairy Trail at Mendon Ponds Park
One Word to Describe Our Program: Family

Hera RagnheidurRagnheidur Hera Sigurdardottir, M.D.
Third Year Fellow

Hometown: Hafnarfjordur, Iceland
Undergraduate: Hjukrunarfraedi Haskoli Islands, Reykjavik, Iceland
Medical School: University of Debrecen Medical School and Health Science Centre, Hungary
Residency Program: University of Connecticut, Hartford, CT
Research Project: Impact of IVH and apnea of prematurity on neurodevelopmental outcomes in infants born < 28 weeks' GA.
Past Time Activities: Catching up on sleep, reading, listening to music, hiking, trying different cuisines.
Favorite Spot in Rochester: Ontario beach park, where I get some vitamin D and catch up on my books.
One Word to Describe Our Program: Family

Mashfiq HasanMashfiq Hasan, M.D.
Second Year Fellow
Hometown:
Providence, RI
Undergraduate: Brown University, Providence, RI
Medical School: New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York
Residency Program: Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI  
Areas of Research Interest: Clinical informatics, medical education, neonatal outcomes
Past Time Activities: Reading fantasy novels, working out, eating out
Why I Chose Rochester: I was looking for a warm program that was supportive of its fellows, had a full range of neonatal pathology (including cardiac surgery), and had faculty working on clinical informatics research and medical education, and gladly found all of the above at URMC's neonatology program!

Rachel Kitt, M.D. Rachel Kitt
Second Year Fellow
Hometown:
Akron, NY
Undergraduate: University of Rochester, Rochester, NY
Medical School: St. George's University School of Medicine, Grenada
Residency Program: St. Peter's University Hospital, New Brunswick, NJ
Research Project: Multivariable Prediction of Neurodevelopmental Outcomes in Extremely Premature Infants 
Past Time Activities: Anything outdoors! Beach, hiking, wineries, farms, ice skating, tubing, etc.
Favorite Spot in Rochester: Park Ave - there's so many great food options!
One Word to Describe Our Program: Cultivating 

Elizabeth MasottiElizabeth Masotti, M.D.
Second Year Fellow
Hometown:
Pittsford, NY
Undergraduate: Canisius College, Buffalo, NY
Medical School: State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY
Residency: Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, St. Petersburg, FL
Research Project: Delayed Cord Clamping: Another Immunologic Benefit for Premature Infants? (Primary Mentor: Dr. Joe Bliss) 
Past Time Activities: Anything to do with water, spending time at my cottage on Keuka Lake, and being outdoors with my terrier puppy Maggie.
Favorite Spot in Rochester: Canandaigua Lake 
One Word to Describe Our Program: All-Inclusive

Morgan CashMorgan Cash, M.D.
First Year Fellow
Hometown:
 Union, KY
Medical School: University of Kentucky College of Medicine
Residency Program: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center 
Past Time Activities: Traveling, hiking, discovering new wineries and breweries, attending/watching sporting events (especially football, baseball, basketball), going to concerts and goat yoga.

 

Uzma Iqbal, M.B.B.S.Uzma Iqbal
First Year Fellow
Hometown:
 Gujrat, Pakistan
Medical School: Allama Iqbal Medical College, Lahore, Pakistan
Residency Program: University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston
Areas of Research Interest: POCUS and hemodynamics
Past Time Activities: Hiking with my husband, couching (i.e. sitting on my couch) with my cats and hanging out with my best friend and her toddler.
Why I Chose Rochester: Great people, lots of outdoor activities and no hurricanes.  

Yasmina SamahaYasmina Samaha, M.D.
First Year Fellow
Hometown:
Newton, MA
Undergraduate: Boston University, Boston, MA
Medical School: Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
Residency: Rutgers/Newark Beth Israel Medical Center
Areas of Research Interest: Nutrition and growth
Past Time Activities: Baking, dance, roller skating (and falling) 
Why I Chose Rochester: Everyone at Rochester is incredibly welcoming and invested in teaching and growth, both clinical and non-clinical, making it feel like family! The strong mentoring combined with the wide range of neonatal pathology, including the opportunity to learn ECMO and care for complex cardiac patients, was exactly what I was looking for.