Excellence in Psychiatry

The Psychiatry Residency Program at Catholic Health’s St. Catherine of Siena Hospital (Smithtown, NY) provides a comprehensive and immersive experience in all aspects of psychiatry. You will acquire a comprehensive and robust skill set to diagnose and treat a wide range of psychiatric disorders, with a lifelong foundation for excellence in any practice setting. 

Our ACGME-accredited program will expose you to a diverse and rich clinical experience, serving patients from various socio-economic and cultural backgrounds, across all age groups and clinical domains. St. Catherine of Siena Hospital is a community hospital that offers the resources, volume, acuity, and faculty of a top-tier academic institution. You will have the opportunity to learn from board-certified experts in Addiction Psychiatry, Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Consultation & Liaison Psychiatry, and Geriatric Psychiatry. You will also have the flexibility to tailor your training to your specific interests, such as Inpatient Psychiatry, Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Forensic Psychiatry, Geriatric Psychiatry, Outpatient Psychiatry, and Consult-Liaison Psychiatry, and more. 

Highlights of the program include:

  • A large and diverse inpatient psychiatry unit where you will encounter a wide range of psychiatric conditions and learn from experienced faculty and staff.
  • Hands-on exposure to elceECT,  where you will gain valuable skills in administering this effective treatment modality for various psychiatric disorders.
  • A one-year continuous outpatient psychiatry training at Catholic Health’s Mercy Hospital Behavioral Health Outpatient Clinic, where you will provide therapy, medication management, and other services to patients with various levels of need and complexity. 
  • Opportunity to learn about PHP and TMS, two innovative and evidence-based interventions for psychiatric conditions.

Our program is committed to promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in every aspect of our work. We have a DEI committee that involves faculty and residents from different specialties, who work together to address structural racism, injustice and inequalities in our system and in our society. We strive to provide culturally competent and compassionate care to our patients, who come from diverse, underrepresented and disadvantaged backgrounds in medicine.

About the Program

Total Annual Salaries

July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025

  • PGY 1 $77,500
  • PGY 2 $79,500
  • PGY 3 $82,500
  • PGY 4 $87,500
  • PGY 5 $89,500
  • PGY 6 $91,500

*Includes $1,000 for required rotational travel expenses

 

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

Uniform 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 $3,000.

PGY 1 Block Schedule

Rotation Weeks
Inpatient Psychiatry 20
Medicine 16
Neurology 8
Vacation 4

 

PGY 2 Block Schedule

Rotation Weeks
Inpatient Psychiatry 8
Consultation & Liaison 8
Emergency Psychiatry 4
Personalized Recovery Oriented Services 8
Addiction Psychiatry 4
Child & Adolescent Psychiatry 8
Forensic Psychiatry 4
Geriatric Psychiatry 4
Vacation 4

 

PGY 3 Block Schedule

Rotation Weeks
Outpatient Psychiatry 48
Vacation 4

PGY 4 Block Schedule

Rotation Weeks
Junior Attending / Inpatient Psychiatry 8
Junior Attending / Consultation & Liaison 8
Academic Psychiatry 8
Administrative Psychiatry 8
Elective 16
Vacation 4
  • Dedicated Protected Conference Time
  • Intern Orientation – We ease you in to working at our health system and our department with important preliminary topics
  • Board Review Sessions
  • Attendance at regional and national conference
  • Case Based Learning
  • Grand rounds – Groundbreaking and thought-provoking discussions with experts from other departments/residencies
  • PI/ QI
  • Journal club – Quarterly review of practice-defining literature
  • Annual “Mock” CSV/CSE exams based on curriculum
  • PRITE
  • Structured reading program
  • Wellness retreats
  • Elective time – Residents complete dedicated electives based on their area of interest. They may choose from the “classic” electives, but are offered the opportunity to submit a proposal for a “custom” elective to meet their needs.

St. Catherine of Siena Hospital offers a limited number of third and fourth year Psychiatry clerkship rotations each year.

The Psychiatry program provides students with extensive exposure to a broad spectrum of pathology on our inpatient psychiatric units, ER and medical floors. Students will focus on the practical application of their knowledge for all chief complaints in the inpatient unit and will learn the stabilization of acutely ill patients.

While completing the rotation, students are treated as if they are part of the residency program and will participate in departmental activities such as resident conference, journal clubs, and social events. There are also medical student focused didactics, student case presentations.

Students interested in rotating should submit an application here. For any questions please do not hesitate to reach out to Mrs. Kisha Belez at KishaC.Belez@chsli.org or 631-862-3748.

Our program values inclusion regarding race/ethnicity, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, and background as it fosters a better understanding of the unique human experience in and out of the healthcare setting. We are committed to training culturally sensitive physicians reflective of the diverse population we serve. We strive to graduate residents who demonstrate the importance of inclusion by providing equitable care for all patients. At St. Catherine of Siena Hospital, individual differences are welcomed, valued, and supported. We understand that an inclusive culture fosters a sense of true belonging. We know that we provide better care when our unique backgrounds overlap with the unique backgrounds of our patients. We want you to know that no matter your own demographics, you are welcome here.

Applications to the St. Catherine of Siena Hospital (Good Samaritan University Hospital/St. Catherine of Siena Hospital Program) will be accepted through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) and National Resident Matching Program (NRMP)

ACGME Accredited Program #: 4003500005

NRMP Program Code: 2007400C0

What do you consider a “complete” application?

A complete application consists of your ERAS application, transcript, two letters of recommendation, and Dean’s letter.  We will consider you for interview without USMLE / COMLEX step 2, but you must have taken and passed Step 2 prior to the ERAS closing date to be considered on our match list.

Do you consider foreign graduates?  Which visa(s) is supported by your institution?

Yes, we consider foreign graduates. Our institution will support a J-1 visa.

When is your first class going to start?

  • Our first class will start July 1, 2025.

How many residents will you be accepting for the inaugural class?

  • We will take 6 residents per year.

Why should I / would I train at a smaller program?

  • You will have the opportunity to work one-on-one with Attending Physicians and become integrated into our community. We are able to focus on your needs as you grow as a physician. Here you are not a number, but a member of the team each and every day. Furthermore, you will learn amazing on-the-job problem solving.  We have the appropriate consultants available to us, but you will be directing their medical decision making. Our smaller class allows for residents to learn faster and perform better as a result of more individual attention, increased participation, and better communication between the faculty, mentors, and residents.

How does graduated responsibility work in your program?

  • This is an ongoing process and each resident grows at their own rate. Residents will perform psychiatric evaluations, consults and management of their patients throughout their training. You will be doing the procedures needed and caring for each patient you sign up for throughout residency during your medical and neurology rotations. You will be given the opportunity to see a wide range of psychiatric diagnosis and will be involved in the patient’s treatment and wellbeing from day-1.  During your residency you will work side by side with attending’s. As the residency program grows, residents will work with senior residents and will be paired up with senior residents during their inpatient rotations.  Throughout training focus will be placed on residents capability to practice autonomously and independently. Ultimately, you will be practicing under supervision and guidance when starting, and nearly independently by the end of residency.

Does the ED control its own department?

  • The department of Emergency Medicine is a significant department within the hospital and serves as the face of SCS. Residents will be seeing psychiatric consults in the ER for psychiatric assessment and treatment. They will learn how to manage various psychiatric disorders that present to the ER, make a decision for admission to the psychiatric unit verses discharge with outpatient follow up. They will learn how to assess for suicide risk and aggression.

How are the relationships with other services?

  • As a part of a community hospital, the relationships among departments are very collegial as we work together to provide for the needs of our patients. Residents will work closely with other departments especially during their C&L rotations where they will collaborate with the primary team on medicine or surgery.

What is the relationship between attendings and residents?

  • You are team-mates with your attendings. We view you as a “Psychiatrist in training”. As such, we allow you to grow and develop as an individual based upon your own special interests. We understand that you are learning and we understand that it is our job to foster your growth. Our attendings are dedicated to the program and to your advancement through the post graduate years of training.

Do you have students rotating in your department?

  • Yes, we have a robust student rotation. Residents will have the opportunity to work with and teach medical students. We would love to have you rotate here. If interested in rotating, please visit the medical student rotation section.

What is the workload like?

  • During your Psychiatry training you will work 10 hours shifts Monday through Friday and weekends will be 8 hour shifts every alternate Saturday and Sunday with one weekend off a month. This will change as you go from PGY 1, PGY 2, PGY 3, PGY 4 respectively. There is no additional overnight calls or weekend calls at this time.

Will I be able to go to national conferences?

  • Yes, and we will encourage our trainees to attend these conferences which are supported by CME stipends provided to all of our residents.

What criteria will you be looking for when selecting someone for an interview?

  • We want humble, empathetic, intelligent, hard-working people who strive to do the best for their patients while being committed to learning along the way.

How does your program plan to support residents in their professional development? (e.g. mentorship, assistance with job placement after training, etc.)

  • You will have individual supervision throughout your training, didactics/conferences focusing on professional development and process group 1 x week to focus on life after residency. In addition, the PD will have an open door policy for any concerns or needs that you may have as you progress through the residency. With regard to job placement, we have connections throughout the country within departments of all types and fellowships of all kinds.

Given that St. Catherine of Siena Hospital has been working efficiently without residents in the past, how will things change as residents arrive?

  • Things will not change dramatically at all. Attending Physicians will now have more time to go over the cases with you and supervise you.

When is your program application deadline?

  • We do not have a specific deadline, but to be considered, have your application complete and submitted by the New Year.

Will residents have input into the program?

  • This is a new program and we will take feedback and integrate it into the program. Additionally, residents will have the opportunity to contribute to the decision making of the Program Evaluation Committee.

Meet Our Team

Shiby Abraham, MD

Program Director

Medical School: RMC of Pravara Medical Trust

Residency: Jamaica Hospital Medical Center

Fellowship: Mount Sinai Services, Elmhurst Hospital Medical Center – Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Kausar Shamim, MD

Medical School: Universidad Technologica de Santiago

Residency: Maimonides Medical Center

Fellowship: North Shore University Hospital – Addiction Psychiatry

Miguel Calimano, MD

Medical School: Universidad Central del Caribe, School Of Medicine

Residency: Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Elmhurst Hospital Center

Fellowship: Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Beth Israel Medical Center – Addiction Psychiatry

Brenda Marmol, MD

Medical School: St. Matthew’s University School of Medicine

Residency: St. John’s Episcopal Hospital

Fellowship: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center/ Weill Cornell Medical College - Consult-Liaison Psycho-Oncology

Manjummelkudiyil Kuruvilla, MD

Medical School: Kasturba Medical College

Residency: Pilgrim Psychiatric Center

Alexander Gorbatsevich, MD

Medical School: Vitebsk State Medical University

Residency: Brookvale University Hospital

Bruce Mayerson, MD

Medical School: State University of New York – Health Science Center at Brooklyn (Downstate)

Residency: New York University Medical Center

Fellowship: Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine – Clinical Neurophysiology with emphasis on Electromyography and Neuromuscular Disease

Ronald Brenner, MD

Medical School: Facultad de Medicina, University of Valencia

Residency: St. Luke’s Hospital Center, Columbia University

Marina Tsoy-Podesenin, MD, PhD

Medical School: St. Petersburg Pavlov State Medical University

Residency: St. John's Episcopal Hospital

Fellowship: Mount Sinai St. Luke’s-West Program – Addiction Psychiatry

John Osei-Tutu, MD

Medical School: University of Ghana Medical School

Residency: Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center

Kamil Jabhab, MD

Medical School: University of Jordan/ Amman- Jordan

Residency: The New York Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia/ Cornel University

Fellowship: Stony Brook University Hospital - Consultation Pain Medicine / Psychiatry & Psychosomatic Medicine

Constantine Ioannou, MD

Medical School: St. Georges University School of Medicine

Residency: SUNY-SCB/ Kings County Hospital

Sagarika Ray, MD

Medical School: J.N.M. Medical College

Residency: Jamaica Hospital Medical Center  

Fellowship: Mount Sinai School of Medicine – Elmhurst Hospital Center – Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Simarpreet Kaur, MD

Medical School: American University of Antigua College of Medicine

Residency: BronxCare Hospital   

Fellowship: BronxCare Hospital – Child and Adolescent Psychiatry & Albert Einstein – Forensic Psychiatry

Glenn Kalash, DO

Medical School: New York College of Osteopathic Medicine

Residency: Long Island Jewish Medical Center - Hillside Hospital

Fellowship: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center – Consultation-Liaison Psycho-Oncology

Blaine Greenwald, MD

Medical School: New York Medical College

Residency: Mount Sinai Medical Center

Fellowship: Bronx VA Medical Center/Mount Sinai School of Medicine – Geriatric Psychiatry