For clarification: our program is a 3-year program, with the current PGY4s being the last class to complete the previous 4-year track.
PGY-IV
Paxton Aung, DO, Chief Resident
Undergraduate: Stony Brook University
Medical School: Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine – Harlem
Hometown: Queens, New York
Hobbies/Interest: Drawing / Sketching, music and playing video games.
Fun Fact: I have over 10,000 hours logged on a video game called DotA 2.
Philip Giarrusso, DO
Undergraduate: Fordham University
Medical School: Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown: Fort Salonga, New York
Hobbies/Interest: Cooking new foods, Playing basketball, Skiing, watching the NY rangers and NY Mets, Traveling, Movies / TV shows, Going to the gym.
Fun Fact: I was born at Good Samaritan Hospital.
Samuel Hoffman, DO
Undergraduate: University of Michigan
Medical School: New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown: Oceanside, New York
Hobbies/Interest: Going to the gym, Anything Sports related, Music, Netflix, Being an uncle.
Fun Fact: I once jumped off a 40 ft. cliff in Jamaica.
Adam Mei, DO
Undergraduate: Binghamton University
Medical School: Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine – Middletown
Hometown: Brooklyn, New York
Hobbies/Interest: Tennis, Weight-Lifting, Video games, Poker, Cooking, Traveling the world and trying new cuisines.
Fun Fact: I have received diplomas in Piano and Music Theory.
Christina Rustscheff, MD, Chief Resident
Undergraduate: Queens University of Charlotte
Medical School: St. George’s University School of Medicine
Hometown: Toronto, Canada
Hobbies/Interest: Tennis, Peloton, and Running.
Fun Fact: Played Tennis for Team Canada at the World University Games in Russia in 2013.
Shoshana Taube, MD
Undergraduate: Yeshiva University: Stern College for Women
Medical School: Technion American Medical School
Hometown: Sharon, MA
Hobbies/Interest: Krav Maga, Horseback riding, and Painting.
Fun Fact: I worked on a farm for a year before starting college.
PGY-III
Ryan Bacchus, MD
Undergraduate: The City College of New York
Medical School: Ross University School of Medicine
Hometown: Hollis, Queens NY
Hobbies/Interest: Sports, Baseball (Pitcher in college), Mets Fan, Religious studies, Cooking.
Fun Fact: I have a fraternal twin sister.
Cari Candas, MD
Undergraduate: Texas State University
Medical School: Ross University School of Medicine
Hometown: Dallas, TX
Hobbies/Interest: Sand volleyball, tennis, painting, and trying out new coffee shops.
Fun Fact: I stumbled into a nest of boa constrictors on a jungle hike in Dominica.
Lauren Choban, DO
Undergraduate: Oberlin College
Medical School: Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown: Westlake, OH
Hobbies/Interest: Yoga, Trying New Food, Baking and Traveling.
Fun Fact: I once swam in the same swim meet as Michael Phelps.
Bryan De La Torre, MD
Undergraduate: Rutgers University
Medical School: St. George’s University
Hometown: Elmwood Park, NJ
Hobbies/Interest: Tennis, NFL (Packers!), NBA (Brooklyn!), traveling, food, video games.
Fun Fact: I never drink coffee!
Stavros Lalos, MD
Medical School: The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI)
Hometown: Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario Canada
Hobbies/Interest: Soccer, fishing, hiking, kayaking, cooking Greek food!
Fun Fact: Growing up in Canada I have become an expert in building backyard ice rinks in the winter.
Crystal Michaelides, DO, Chief Resident
Undergraduate: Boston University
Medical School: New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown: Mount Sinai, NY
Hobbies/Interest: Watching TV shows and movies, knitting, puzzles, being an aunt, spending time with friends/family, anything with my cat and puppy, reruns of Friends.
Fun Fact: I went skydiving after I graduated college!
PGY-II
Eamon Abdullah, MD
Undergraduate: University of Guelph
Medical School: St. George’s University
Hometown: Puslinch, ON, Canada
Hobbies/Interest: Video games, soccer, watching movies, all you can eat sushi
Fun Fact: All my life I’ve wanted to play the violin, so I told my family before my birthday, hint hint. My mom surprised me with a guitar.
Tracie Dang, DO
Undergraduate: Pepperdine University
Medical School: Western University of Health Sciences – COMP
Hometown: Alhambra, CA
Hobbies/Interest: Traveling (currently at 55 countries), trying new restaurants and coffee shops, cooking, health/fitness
Fun Fact: I’ve snorkeled between two tectonic plates in Iceland, the only place in the world you can do that, and it was COLD!
Nicholas Frangella, DO
Undergraduate: Syracuse University
Medical School: New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown: Bellerose, New York
Hobbies/Interest: Drawing, reading, exercising, eating food (not so much cooking it), playing handball
Fun Fact: I’m a big music fan, favorite bands are the Strokes, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Black Sabbath
Kristen Politi, DO
Undergraduate: Hofstra University
Medical School: New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown: Wantagh, NY
Hobbies/Interest: Exercising, skiing, traveling, cooking, scuba diving
Fun Fact: I have a white Labrador retriever named Maddie
Alexander Pong, DO
Undergraduate: Creighton University
Medical School: New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State
Hometown: Libertyville, IL
Hobbies/Interest: Hockey, golf, cooking
Fun Fact: I was Billy Bluejay, Creighton’s mascot, for one basketball game
Naveen Sharma, DO
Undergraduate: Stony Brook University
Medical School: New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown: Woodside, NY
Hobbies/Interest: watching NBA and NFL, playing basketball, weight lifting, tropical vacations, trying new bars/restaurants and barbering
Fun Fact: I shook Future’s hand at a concert
PGY-I
Vanessa Crain, MD
Undergraduate: University of Vermont (UVM)
Medical School: Jagiellonian University Medical College (JUMC)
Hometown: Kensington, MD
Hobbies/Interest: Skiing, skating, snowboarding, playing in the snow! My husband and I have a dog back in Norway named Torkild.
Fun Fact: I led a dog sledding team through the mountains in Norway and didn’t tip over once (though we almost ran into several trees)
Ariel Halevy, MD
Undergraduate: Yeshiva University
Medical School: Technion American Medical School
Hometown: San Diego, California
Hobbies/Interest: Technology, golfing, jet skiing, crazy roller coasters, and spending quality time with family
Fun Fact: Every place I have lived has been near the ocean/sea – I prefer the pool (there are less sharks)!
Bryan Montes, MD
Medical School: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua – UNAN León
Hometown: Somoto, Madriz
Hobbies/Interest: Going to the gym, running, anime, classic movies, spending time with friends and family
Fun Fact: In high school during a trip, I was riding a zip line and it broke
Joseph Ruggiero, DO
Undergraduate: SUNY Oswego
Medical School: Lincoln Memorial University-DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown: Holbrook, NY
Hobbies/Interest: Getting outdoors, sports, and exercise.
Fun Fact: Goldendoodle and German Shepherd Dad!
Sunil Shah, MD
Undergraduate: SUNY University of Buffalo
Medical School: American University of the Caribbean
Hometown: Staten Island, NY
Hobbies/Interest: Working out, watching sports and traveling
Fun Fact: I learned how to surf in Costa Rica
Sherif Shehata, MD
Undergraduate: University of Western Ontario
Medical School: Saint James School of Medicine
Hometown: Cairo, Egypt
Hobbies/Interest: Playing and watching soccer, exercising, watching movies, eating at new restaurants, traveling
Fun Fact: I wanted to be an air force pilot growing up, but my mom said no
Ravinder Singh, MD
Undergraduate: Brock University
Medical School: Saint James School of Medicine
Hometown: Brampton, ON
Hobbies/Interest: Travelling, NBA, NFL, MMA, and BBQs/cookouts
Fun Fact: I have a black belt in martial arts
Marco Vezza, MD
Undergraduate: University of Connecticut (UConn)
Medical School: Ross University School of Medicine
Hometown: Glen Head, NY
Hobbies/Interest: College basketball, NY Yankees and NY Rangers, cooking, running, hiking
Fun Fact: I have a twin sister
Tina Zheng, DO
Undergraduate: Stony Brook University
Medical School: Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM)
Hometown: Bethpage, NY
Hobbies/Interest: Traveling, Trying McFlurrys in different countries, Skiing, Hot Pot & Sushi
Fun Fact: I have a husky who was kicked out of dog camp TWICE for opening the gate and letting all the dogs out