Pediatric Residency
The Pediatric Residency Program at Good Samaritan University Hospital offers a balanced approach to professional training and personal well-being. We offer diverse clinical experiences, extraordinary teaching and wide range of patient services. Through the program, you acquire the training needed to provide the finest medical care to pediatric patients, while exploring your career interests.
Development of Knowledge and Skills
As a resident, you will develop the knowledge and skills necessary to become an expert and versatile pediatrician. You and your colleagues work under the direct supervision of attending physicians in general pediatrics, as well as those in various pediatric subspecialties.
The curriculum offers a balance between primary care and the subspecialty education. You can choose from a number of electives, allowing you to explore your areas of interest. You will learn and train in an environment that includes:
- Level III NICU
- Newborn nursery
- Pediatric critical care
- Pediatric Emergency Department with a Clinical Observation Unit, a Fast Track/Super Track treatment area, and a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Program
- Pediatric floor with 26 beds
- Pediatric specialty center with 11 subspecialties
- Phlebotomy services
- PICU with 4-6 beds
- Real-time radiology reading reports
Your educational enrichment goes beyond the walls of Good Samaritan University Hospital. You will participate in continuity of care at the Sun River Health Martin Luther King Jr. Health Center (formerly HRHCare). Here, you will care for underserved patients. You work closely with attendings to ensure each patient encounter is a teaching opportunity that encompasses both medical and social issues.
Accreditation
The Pediatric Residency Program at Good Samaritan University Hospital is accredited by Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).
Program Leadership
Vindhya Kamath, DO
Program Director
Rajesh Savargaonkar, MD, MRCP (UK)
Associate Program Director
Jo-Ann Hughes
Residency Coordinator
Contact the Department of Medical Education for additional information on the Pediatric Residency Program at Good Samaritan University Hospital. Jo-Ann Hughes |
Program Features
Good Samaritan University Hospital offers our residents a competitive salary and benefits package. Some residency programs offer additional perks to help you as you learn.
Salaries
July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025
- PGY 1 $77,500
- PGY 2 $79,500
- PGY 3 $82,500
- PGY 4 $87,772
- PGY 5 $89,500
- PGY 6 $91,500
Benefits
- Housing stipend; $3,500
- CME annual:
- PGY 1: $1,000
- PGY 2: $1,500
- PGY 3: $2,500
- PGY 4: $2,500
- PGY 5: $2,500
- PGY 6: $2,500
- Meals: annual meal stipend $3,000. No free meals provided.
- Cell phone stipend: $500
- Education stipend:
- PGY 1: $1,000
- PGY 2: $1,500
- PGY 3: $1,500
- PGY 4: $2,000
- PGY 5: $2,000
- PGY 6: $2,000
- Chief resident stipend (will identify senior chief for programs once selected) additional stipend
PGY 1
Inpatient Pediatric |
3 blocks |
NICU |
1 block |
Newborn Nursery |
1 block |
Ambulatory Medicine |
2 blocks |
Emergency Medicine |
1 block |
Neurology |
1 block |
Behavioral/Developmental Medicine |
1 block |
Elective |
2 blocks |
Vacation |
4 weeks (one 2-week; two 1-week) |
PGY 2
Inpatient Pediatrics |
2 blocks |
PICU |
1 block |
Newborn Nursery |
2 weeks |
Ambulatory Medicine |
1 block |
Emergency Medicine |
1 block |
Endocrinology |
Selective requirement |
Cardiology |
Selective requirement |
Adolescents, Stony Brook University Hospital - Long Island |
1 block |
Elective |
2 blocks |
Vacation |
4 weeks (one 2-week; two 1-week) |
PGY 3
Inpatient Pediatrics |
2 blocks |
PICU |
1 block |
Ambulatory Medicine |
1 block |
Emergency Medicine |
1 block |
Pulmonary Medicine |
Selective requirement |
Gastroenterology |
Selective requirement |
Infectious Diseases |
Selective requirement |
Hematology-Oncology - Stony Brook University Hospital - Long Island |
1 block |
Elective |
4 blocks |
Vacations |
4 weeks (one 2-week; two 1-week) |
Affiliated Sites
To ensure a diverse and well-rounded experience, the program has affiliations with:
- Sun River Health Martin Luther King Jr. (formerly HRHCare Martin Luther King Jr. Health Center)
- Stony Brook University Hospital - Long Island
Possible electives include:
- Allergy/Immunology
- Cardiology
- Concussion Management Program
- Dermatology
- Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT)
- Gastroenterology
- Genetic Counseling
- Hematology-Oncology
- Infectious Diseases
- Nephrology
- Neurology
- Pediatric Anesthesia/Sedation
- Pediatric Ophthalmology
- Pediatric Orthopedics
- Pediatric Radiology
- Pediatric Rehab Medicine
- PM Pediatrics Urgent Care Center
- Private Practice Ambulatory Pediatrics
- Pulmonary
- Teaching/PI/Research
- Toxicology
Didactic needs are met through:
- Board review
- Case presentations
- Clinical teaching rounds
- Core competency lectures
- Grand rounds
- Journal clubs
- Lectures
- PI presentations
- Research and statistics lectures
Through research, you will broaden your skills in data collection and analysis, in preparation for presenting at various venues and competitions.
Each class (PGY 1, 2, 3) is expected to participate in a group project. This project is either retrospective or prospective and uses data gathered from inpatient or outpatient facilities. The data is analyzed with the help of a statistician.
By the end of your Pediatric Residency, you will be required to complete and submit a project or case presentation to a local, regional or national journal for publication.
Research Case Presentations
In addition to the following case presentations, our residents have also had research published in prestigious medical journals.
A Case of Focal Myocarditis with Ventricular Tachycardia Associated with Elevated Mycoplasma with Viral Titers
Christine Robles, DO, Howard Balni, MD, Marion Rose, MD, Catherine G. Caronia, MD
Enzyme Replacement Therapy for Pompe Disease
Chistine Navarro, DO, Rohit Talwar, MD, Laura Nimkoff, MD, Catherine G. Caronia, MD
Giant Cell Hepatitis in an Infant with Septo-Optic Dysplasia
Beatrice Clodomir, DO, Michael Pugliese, MD, Rolando Guevarra, MD, Catherine G. Caronia, MD
Not Always a Simple Gastroenteritis
Maria Valencia, DO, Laura Nimkoff, MD, Neil Kutin, MD, Reethamma Daniel, MD
The Tropics Come to Long Island
Wayne Chen, DO, Howard Balbi, MD, Catherine G. Caronia, MD
Vagally Mediated Atrial Fibrillation in an Adolescent
Erika Lorig-Wolf, DO, Barry Goldberg, MD, Anthony Rosalia, Jr., MD
Cor Triatriatum Found in an Adolescent Patient
Sarah Volz, DO, Cynthia Rosenthal, DO, Rohit Talwar, MD
Pericardial Tamponade in a Newborn from Umbilical Venous Catheterization: Are Current Methods of Catheter Monitoring and Placement Effective?
John Bishara, DO, Prabhu Mehta, MD, Branda Shrivastava, MD, Roa Bodapati, MD, Marion Rose, MD
Mycoplasma … Seriously? An Overlooked Cause of Paralysis
Ritchelle Dubrovskiy, DO, Howard Balbi, MD
Pneumocystis Jiroveci: Pneumonia as a Presenting Manifestation of X-Linked Agammagloblimia
Jacquelina Bober, DO, Titchelle Dubrovskiy, DO, Cynthia Rosenthal, DO, Filippo DiCarmine, MD
Carcinoid Tumor of the Appendix in a Pediatric Patient
Momin, Zafree, DO, Menon, Meera, MD
Unseen Complication of Necrotizing Enterocolitis
Meshva Akwalia, DO
Hypernatremic Dehydration in a Breastfed Infant
Stephanie Be, DO, Cynthia Rosenthal, DO
Practice Improvement Project: Asthma Action Plan Upon Discharge
Stephanie Be, DO, Ronald Marino, DO, Pauline Fani, DO
Practice Improvement: High Rate of Discordance Between Rapid Strep Test and Antigen Testing
Stephanie Be, DO, Rajesh Savargaonkar, MD
Improving Asthma Care in a Pediatric Teaching Hospital
Meshva Akwalia DO, Stephanie Be, DO, Naima Elahi, DO, Soo Lee, DO, Zafreen Momin, DO
Submissions and Publications
A Twist in the Abdomen: Torsion of an Accessory Spleen
Submitted to Applied Radiology
John Bihara, DO, Steen Henesh, MD, Martin Winick, MD, Catherine G, Caronia, MD, Filippo DiCarmine, MD
Pneumomediastinum in Children, Belching-Related Pneumomediastinum
Submitted to Consultant for Pediatricians
John Bihara, DO, Catherine G. Caronia, MD, Rejesh Savargaonkar, MD
Third and fourth-year medical student can participate in pediatric rotations.
3rd Year Students: General Pediatrics
Pediatric Floor |
1 week |
Sun River Health Center |
1 week |
Newborn Nursery |
1 week |
Pediatric ED |
1 week |
4th Year Students: Pediatric Sub-Internship
Pediatric Floor |
2 weeks |
Sun River Health Center |
1 week |
Center for Pediatric Specialty Care |
1 week |
Ambulatory Pediatrics
Sun River Health Center |
2 weeks |
Pediatric Floor |
1 week |
Center for Pediatric Specialty Care |
1 week |
Additional specialty rotations are available by request in Infectious Disease, Neurology, Endocrinology, Gastroenterology, Pulmonary, Cardiology, and Nephrology.
Frequently Asked Questions
The didactics, clinical experience and the attending physicians come to mind first. What we believe separates us from many other programs is our commitment to education.
Ask any of our residents, and they will tell you that the camaraderie between the residents is what makes Good Samaritan University Hospital special. This is a small program, so residents develop a unique bond with other residents in our program, as well as those in other programs at the hospital.
Residents support each other and become like family. They also become close to attendings, who are always available for offer advice, answer questions or just chat. They are often invited to resident weddings, showers and the occasional baseball game.
You will have ample opportunities to interact with other residents and teaching faculty, as well as private attending physicians. We are well respected by nurses and staff for our clinical skills and judgment throughout the hospital.
As a smaller program, we can offer an excellent resident education, while allowing you to form close personal relationships with other residents. The faculty and administration will get to know you, so they can better enhance your strengths and identify areas for improvement. Residents feel they are more than a number, and their individual education is just as important as the performance of the residency as a whole.
We have a strong didactic program that includes five hours of protected lecture time each week. During that time, pediatric attendings, as well as attending from other specialties, give core and research lectures. We also have monthly journal club meetings and monthly board review.
Our patients come from a broad socioeconomic, racial and religious spectrum. Our continuity clinic is the Sun River Health Martin Luther King Jr. Health Center (formerly HRHCare) in Wyandanch, New York. This is a federally qualified health center (FQHC) and patient-centered medical home for the underserved. We see a diverse population, including patients from Latin America and the Caribbean.
Residents obtain increasing levels of autonomy as they progress through their training. However, support is always available by our 24-hour in-house pediatric hospitalists and on-call specialists and intensivists.
Our pediatric nursing staff is regularly recognized for excellence in pediatric nursing. We enjoy working with such dedicated and passionate staff. Our NICU nurses, respiratory therapists and physical therapists, as well as our charge nurses, are outstanding and enjoy having residents in our Level III NICU.
We work as a team with social workers, case managers and pediatric care techs to care for patients. Our child life specialists play an essential role to make the hospital experience more pleasant for our patients. They provide preparation and distraction when procedures are painful, companionship when patients are homesick, and games and activities when patients are restless.
Good Samaritan University Hospital is affiliated with the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYITCOM). Our residents work with third- and fourth-year medical students during the pediatric rotations and sub-internships. Residents also work with medical students on other core rotations. Senior residents teach and guide interns.
There are opportunities to rotate at other hospitals and facilities on Long Island. Rotations off Long Island may be limited due to the call schedule. Residents have also completed the popular Global Medicine Elective in El Salvador.
Like any residency program, our residents work hard. But they also make time for family and fun. We have married residents with kids who find time to spend with their families. We also have single residents who make time to date. The residents participate in annual wellness activities. They spend time together outside the hospital—going to the beach, catching a movie, enjoying a wine-tasting or just hanging out.
This year we will be participating in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP).
It varies by graduates.
In April of 2018, we received our notice of initial accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) for the next two years. At that time, we will apply for continued accreditation for the next 10 years.
We actively solicit our residents' opinions about their training. These opinions can be anonymous or direct. We have a great training program and desire to improve it even more. The best insights often come from our residents. We do have formal lines of communication, but we primarily rely on open dialogue between faculty, residents and support staff. Residents are an integral part of our Program Evaluation Committee where major program changes and development take place.
Meet Our Current Residents
Munmun Aziz, MD
Samantha Bangug, DO
Divya Gandhi, DO – Chief Resident
Sabhya Gupta, DO
Randa Romines, MD – Chief Resident
Swasti Deshpande, MD
Ridda, Manzoor, MD
Kaanan Shah, MD
Farrah Tygar, MD
Neha Dikshit, MD
Medical School: Miraj Medical College
Hometown: Karad, India
Poojitha Jaladi, MD
Medical School: Chalmeda Anand Rao Institute of Medical Sciences
Hometown: Hyderabad, India
Vinson James:
Medical School: St. John’s Medical College
Hometown: Kottayam Kerala, India
Demetra Lalos, MD
Medical School: Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
Hometown: Niagara on the Lake, Ontario, Canada
Shalmali Satpute, MD
Medical School: Government Medical College Kolhapur
Hometown: Pune, India
Harleen Toor:
Medical School: Saint James School of Medicine Anguilla
Hometown: Ottawa, Ontario
Meet Our Graduates
Since 2000 our program has been preparing residents to become skilled leaders in medicine. Like past graduates, our most recent graduates are ready to take the next step.
Ashwini Ajjegowda, DO
Margaret Gaughran, DO
Aileen Gesner, DO
Lukas Martincik, DO
Ravi Uppal, DO
Maxime Bayol, DO
Medical School: Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown : Elmont, NY
Hobbies: Baking, Reading, Crafting, and Nail Art
James Boone, DO
Medical School: Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown: Alexander City, AL
Hobbies: Running, Hiking, Fishing, Rock Climbing and Reading
Jessica Foertsch, DO
Medical School: Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown: Plainville, CT
Hobbies: Baking, Cooking, Reading, Crocheting/Arts and Crafts, Music, Tennis, and Movies
Jacqueline Sun, DO
Medical School: West Virginia School College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Hobbies: Tennis, Photography, Hiking and Traveling
Khang Tran, DO
Medical School: Kansas City University of Medicine & Biosciences College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown: Vietnam
Hobbies: Photography and Travel
David Chen, DO Chief Resident
Medical School: Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine - Middletown
Hometown: Douglaston, NY
Hobbies: Volleyball, Badminton, Swimming, Traveling, Video Games, Traveling
Aparna Kaleeckal Rajalaksmi, MD Chief Resident
Medical School: Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, India
Hometown: Cochin, India
Hobbies: Meditation, reading mostly fiction, watching cooking shows.
Hetal Patel, DO
Medical School: Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown: Mobile, AL
Hobbies: Baking, Painting/Art Projects, Photography, Making cheese boards
Alicia Rego, DO
Medical School: West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown: Fairhaven, MA
Hobbies: Reading, watching movies, hiking, spending time with family and friends and playing with my cats Penelope and Eleanor.
Emily Wassmer, MD
Medical School: St George’s University
Hometown: Islip, NY
Hobbies: Video games, baking, family time, advocacy, concerts.
Sneha Aidasani, DO; Chief Resident
Medical School: University of the Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown: Rego Park, NY
Hobbies: Herbal teas, Moon gazing, Sufi poetry, Peleton lover.
Christopher Ferrari, MD
Medical School: St. George's University
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
Hobbies: Playing guitar, playing sports, going to concerts, sports and movie memorabilia.
Ina Hysko, DO
Medical School: Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine - Middletown
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Hobbies: Quality time with family and friends, books, travel, movies, personal development, dancing.
Cameron Kalin, DO; Chief Resident
Medical School: Midwestern University AZCOM
Hometown: Walnut Creek, CA
Hobbies: Surfing, Skiing, Biking
Zarlakhta Khan, DO
Medical School: NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown: Merrick, NY
Hobbies: Finger style guitar, interior design, music, hanging out with family and friends.