Code Blue and Gold

The quarterly newsletter of the University of Pittsburgh Department of Medicine

Summertime means new Clinical Fellows! The following fellows entered their respective programs in July 2025.

Division of Cardiology

Cardiovascular Fellowship Training Program

Michael Brett Bowling, MD
Medical School: University of Mississippi
Residency: Vanderbilt University

Sean Dooley, MD
Medical School: University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Residency: Beth Israel Deaconess

Anamaria Dragan, MD
Medical School: McGovern Medical School University of Texas
Residency: Emory University

Sarah Falta, MD
Medical School: Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
Residency: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

Liyan Fan, MD
Medical School: Case Western Reserve
Residency: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

James Johnston, MD
Medical School: Yale School of Medicine
Residency: Brigham and Women’s Hospital

Shafik Mutaawe, MD
Medical School: University of Massachusetts T.H. Chan School of Medicine
Residency: Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

Anisha Reddy, MD
Medical School: Drexel University College of Medicine
Residency: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

Interventional Fellowship

Francheska Castro, MD
Medical School: Ross University
Residency: UCF/HCA GME Consortium of Greater Orlando
Fellowship: University of South Florida

Sebastian Estrada, MD
Medical School: University of Virginia School of Medicine
Residency: Duke University Hospital
Fellowship: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

Electrophysiology Fellowship

Shalini Allam, MD
Medical School: University of Central Florida
Residency: Georgetown University
Cardiology Fellowship: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

Ashish Patel, MD
Medical School: Northwestern University
Residency: University of Pittsburgh
Cardiology Fellowship: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

Aakash Sheth, MD
Medical School: Smt. NHL Municipal Medical College
Residency: Louisiana State University
Cardiology Fellowship: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center – Harrisburg

Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology Fellowship PUH

Tracy-Ann Poyser, MD
Medical School: Windsor University COM
Residency: Unity Health White County Medical Center

Advanced Cardiac Imaging Fellowship

Sharanya Mohanty, MD
Medical School: Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (RWJMS)
Residency: Tufts Medical Center
Fellowship: Tufts Medical Center

Amyloidosis Fellowship

Timothy Kim, MD
Medical School: Weill Cornell Medicine
Residency: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Fellowship: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

Division of Classical Hematology

ASH-Hematology Fellowship

Junaid Wali, MD
Medical School: King Edward Medical College
Residency: Mayo-Rochester

Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism

Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism Fellowship

Sneha Ajit, MD
Medical School: Kasturba Medical College Manipal, India
Residency: Houston Methodist Hospital

Sad Alquadan, MD
Medical School: Hashemite University Faculty of Medicine, Jordan
Residency: University of Central Florida

Avica Atri, MD
Medical School: Christian Medical College, Vellore, India
Residency: Jefferson Einstein Hospital

Pamela Henriquez Feliz, MD
Medical School: Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE), Santo Domingo
Residency: Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center

Anjani Patel, DO
Medical School: Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency: Thomas Jefferson University Hospital

Obesity Medicine Fellowship

Thiago Bosco Mendes, MD
Medical School: Santa Casa de Sao Paulo Medical School
Residency: University of Sao Paulo and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition

Gastroenterology Fellowship

Olufunso Agbalajobi, MD
Medical School: University of Laos
Residency: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

Yen Nan Lin, MD, PhD
Medical School: Texas A&M University
Residency: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

Sarah Mann, MD
Medical School: University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine
Residency: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

Samarth Shrivastava, MD
Medical School: University of Texas Southwestern
Residency: University of Texas Southwestern

Jordan Villars, MD, MPA
Medical School: Thomas Jefferson University
Residency: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

Austin Von Axelson, MD
Medical School: University of Louisville
Residency: University of Cincinnati

Advanced Transplant Hepatology Fellowship

Cierra Smith, DO
Medical School: Oklahoma State University
Residency: Riverside Methodist Hospital

Division of General Internal Medicine

Academic Clinician-Educator Scholars (ACES) Fellows

Joanna Kilbane Myers, MD
Medical School: The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences
Residency: University of Pittsburgh Medical School

Vanessa Murray, MD
Medical School: University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Residency: University of Pennsylvania Health System

Rujuta Patil, MD
Medical School: Wayne State University School of Medicine
Residency: University of Washington

Fellowship in Hospice and Palliative Medicine

Molly Mack, MD             
Medical School: McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas
Residency: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Pediatrics Chief
Fellowship: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Pediatrics Hematology-Oncology

Hayley Malkin, MD
Medical School: University of North Carolina School of Medicine at Chapel Hill
Residency: Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, University of Maryland Medical Center and Children’s Hospital

Christopher Marino, MD
Medical School: University of Toledo
Residency: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

Ashley McLenithan, DO                      
Medical School: Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency: Albany Medical Center Emergency Medicine Chief

Jordana Yahr, DO
Medical School: Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency: Cleveland Clinic Internal Medicine
Fellowship: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Renal-Electrolyte Chief

Addiction Medicine Fellowship

Mark Bucsek, MD, PhD
Medical School: SUNY University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
Residency: Mercy Health – St. Elizabeth Boardman Hospital Family Medicine

Reed Nerness, MD, MA
Medical School: Loma Linda University School of Medicine
Residency: Oregon Health & Science University Internal Medicine

Jonathan Weinhold, MD
Medical School: University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Residency: UPMC McKeesport Family Medicine

Clinical Informatics Fellowship

Carlie Hoffman, DO, MS
Medical School: Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency: UPMC McKeesport Family Medicine

Christine Wang, MD
Medical School: Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
Residency: Nationwide Children’s Hospital Pediatric Residency

Division of Geriatric Medicine

Geriatric Medicine Fellowship Program

Kelley Bellia, DO
Medical School: Baptist Memorial Hospital North Mississippi
Residency: VA – Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine

Celestine Christensen, MD
Medical School: SUNY Downstate College of Medicine
Residency: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

Mary Connolly, MD
Medical School: Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine
Residency: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

Minjie (Jessica) Guo, MD
Medical School: He Bei Medical University of Internal Medicine in Peking University Health Science Center
Residency: United Family Healthcare, Peking University Health Science Center

Angela Heysel, MD
Medical School: Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University
Residency: Mountain Area Health Education Center Internal Medicine

Division of Infectious Diseases

Infectious Diseases Fellowship

Robert Bortz, III, MD, PhD
Medical School: Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Residency: University of Pittsburgh Medical Cetner

Daniel Goetschius, MD, PhD
Medical School: Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine
Residency: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

Jessica Hua, MD
Medical School: University of Illinois College of Medicine – Rockford
Residency: University of Illinois Chicago

Division of Malignant Hematology and Medical Oncology

Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Program

Sean Doerfler, MD
Medical School: University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Residency: Duke
Combined Palliative Care and Hematology/Oncology Fellowship: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

John Flickinger, Jr, MD, PhD
Medical School: Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University
Residency: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (Research Pathway)

Allison Gradone, MD
Medical School: Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University
Residency: University of Michigan

Padma Katikaneni, MD
Medical School: MediCiti Institute of Medical Sciences
Residency: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

Ishara Lareef, MD
Medical School: Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth
Residency: Temple

Mariah Ondeck, MD
Medical School: Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
Residency: Cleveland Clinic

Combined Palliative Care and Hematology/Oncology Fellow

Chris Marino, MD
Medical School: The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences
Residency: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Hospitalist: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine

Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine Fellowship

Kristina Collins, MBBS
Medical School: University of the West Indies, Mona
Residency: University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Cindy Xinxin Du, MD
Medical School: Yale University
Residency: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

Joey Hebert, MD
Medical School: Indiana university School of Medicine – Rural Medical Education Program
Residency: University of Louisville

Ramya Kaushik, MD
Medical School: University of Rochester
Residency: Yale University

Erica Talbot, MD
Medical School: Eastern Virgina Medical School
Residency: Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Ashwatha “Ash” Thenappan, MD
Medical School: Wright State University
Residency: The University of Michigan

Ben Zuchelkowski, MD
Medical School: University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Residency: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

Sleep Medicine Fellowship

Shruthi Kumar, MD
Medical School: Bangalore Medical College
Residency: East Carolina University
Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Fellowship: Cook County Health, Chicago

Catie Tarantine, MD, MSc
Medical School: Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine
Residency: The University of Michigan
Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Fellowship: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

Allergy & Immunology Fellowship

Ailaura Donahoe, MD
Medical School: Drexel University College of Medicine
Residency: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

Ashna Jain, MD
Medical School: Northeast Ohio Medical University
Residency: University of Michigan

Renal-Electrolyte Division

Nephrology Fellowship

Keerthana Gangadharan, MD
Medical School: Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore
Residency: Saint Peter’s University Hospital

Mike Haas, DO
Medical School: Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency: Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education

Firas Kadurei, MD
Medical School: Kuwait University
Residency: NYC H&H/South Brooklyn Health

Khushboo Lakhatariya, MD
Medical School: G.C.S. Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre
Residency: Insight Memorial Hospital

Vinay Pulusu, MD
Medical School: Mamata Medical College
Residency: Weiss Memorial Hospital

Heather Rowe, MD
Medical School: Ross University, Barbados
Residency: Springfield Memorial Hospital

Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology

Rheumatology Fellowship

Amira Elgogary, MD, MSc
Medical School: Cairo University
Residency: Cairo University and the National Research Center & NCH Healthcare

Sneha Gupta, MBBS
Medical School: Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi, India
Residency: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center McKeesport

Jonathan Li, MD
Medical School: Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University
Residency: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

Alexandre (Alex) Matar, MD
Medical School: American University of Beirut Medical School
Residency: American University of Beirut & The MetroHealth System/Case Western University

Inflammatory Muscle Disease Fellowship

Alsayed Osman, MD
Medical School: University of Gezira
Residency: AdventHealth Orlando
Rheumatology Fellowship: University of South Florida

Mehmet Hocaoglu, MD
Medical School: Istanbul University School of Medicine
Residency: University of Maryland Medical Center
Rheumatology Fellowship: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center