Kent Hospital's Fifth Class of Resident Physicians Honored at Graduation Ceremony: Incoming Interns Welcomed, Research Awards Announced

 

Kent Hospital is pleased to announce the graduation of its fifth class of residents who have completed the Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine and Internal Medicine Graduate Medical Education (GME) programs. The graduation ceremony took place Thursday, June 18, 2015, at Quidnesset Country Club.

"I would like to congratulate all of our GME residents on their graduation. Their hard work and dedication is clearly visible by this impressive achievement," said Michael Dacey, MD, MS, FACP, president and COO Kent Hospital. "I would like to wish these physicians well as they embark on this exciting time both personally and professionally."

"Graduate Medical Education at Kent continues to grow and gain national recognition," said Joseph Spinale, DO, FACC, senior vice president, chief medical officer and director of medical education at Kent. "Our program at Kent continues to grow as we welcome in a new class of students and wish our graduates all the success they deserve. Each year we continue to grow and build our program as we prepare these physicians for a successful career."

2015 Graduating Class

The graduates, who comprise the fifth graduating class include:

  • Love Daoud, DO, Emergency Medicine.
  • Anthony DePalma, DO, Emergency Medicine.
  • Elysia Mallon, DO, Emergency Medicine.
  • Kelly McDonough, DO, Emergency Medicine.
  • Vincent Varamo, DO, Emergency Medicine.
  • Khatija Zahiruddin , DO, Emergency Medicine.
  • Amanda Beretta, DO, Family Medicine.
  • C. Tyler Vogt, DO, Family Medicine.
  • Chelsea Michaud, DO, Internal Medicine.
  • Danica Buzniak, DO, Internal Medicine.
  • Todd May, DO, Internal Medicine.

Love Daoud, DO, is from Manalapan, NJ, and graduated from Western University/ College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific. She will be moving to Honolulu HI, to work at Kaiser Moanalua Medical Center as an Emergency Medicine physician.

Anthony DePalma, DO, is from Toms River, NJ, and a graduate of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia, PA. He will be moving to Connecticut to work at MidState Medical Center, Meriden, CT.

Elysia Mallon, DO, is from Flower Mound, TX, and is a graduate of Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine – Bradenton, FL. She will be joining TeamHealth to work at Nash General Hospital in Rocky Mount, NC.

Kelly McDonough, DO, is from Weymouth, MA, and attended the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine and will be working at Carney Hospital, Boston, MA.

Vincent Varamo, DO, is from Lawrenceville, GA, and is a graduate of Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine. He will continue his career at Kent Hospital.

Khatija Zahiruddin, DO, is from Jersey City, NJ, and a graduate of Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. Following graduation, she will enter the Ultrasound Fellowship at the University of Massachusetts.

Amanda Beretta, DO, is from Indian Springs Village, AL, and attended Nova Southeastern College of Osteopathic Medicine, Fort Lauderdale, FL. She completed a Traditional Rotating Internship in Danville Regional Medical Center, Danville, VA, and also trained at University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX. Following graduation she will be moving to Killeen,TX, to work at Baylor Scott and White Medical.

C. Tyler Vogt, DO, is from Belmont, MA, and graduated from University of Pikeville, Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine. He will be relocating to New Hampshire to work at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center.

Chelsea Michaud, DO, of Portsmouth, NH, graduated from University of New England, College of Osteopathic Medicine and will be starting an Allergy and Immunology Fellowship at UH Regional Hospitals in Cleveland, OH.

Danica Buzniak, DO, is from Pheonix, AZ, and graduated from Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine. She will be staying on at Kent Hospital following graduation.

Todd May, DO, is from Cheshire, CT, and a graduate of Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, NY. Following graduation, he will return to Kent as a fellow in the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine Fellowship.

Interns - Kent Hospital is also welcoming 13 incoming interns to the GME Program Emergency Medicine:

James Chapman, DO, Midwestern University, Chicago, Hometown: Orem, UT;

Bryn Dekosky, DO, Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, Hometown: Overland Park, KS;

Matt MacAskill, DO, University of New England, Hometown: Londonderry, NH;

James McKee, DO, NOVA Southeastern University, Hometown: Malone, NY;

Joseph Pepe, DO, Lake Erie, Bradenton, Hometown: Bedford, NH;

Reece Wilson, DO, Virginia, Hometown: Winston-Salem, NC;

Internal Medicine

Ryan Allen, DO, Lake Erie, Bradenton, Hometown: Glen Falls, NY;

Ed Medeiros, DO, University of New England, Hometown: Seekonk, MA;

William Stoutt, DO, University of North Texas–Texas, Hometown: Dallas, TX;

Kylie Swearingen, DO, University of New England, general surgery prelim year – University of Florida Hometown: Barrington, RI.

Family Medicine:

Yumi Aikawa, Western University of Health Sciences of the Pacific Hometown: Sendai, Japan;

Kara Kopaczewski, Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, Hometown: Dartmouth , MA;

Christopher Lonegan, University of New England, Hometown: North Yarmouth , ME.

Incoming Fellows Gastroenterology Fellowship

Elizabeth Decker, DO, University of New England, Residency – Sacred Heart Hospital – Internal Medicine, Hometown: West Greenwich, RI

Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine Fellowship

Todd May, DO, Touro University, New York Residency- Kent Internal Medicine, Hometown: Cheshire, CT.

Kent Hospital is a major teaching affiliate of the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine. Graduate medical education at Kent started in 2008 and currently has 46 residents and four fellows enrolled. Kent Hospital is proud to provide physician residents from across the country with the clinical expertise they will need to carry on their careers in medicine.

Research Recognition

Residents at Kent Hospital participated in the Fourth Annual Research Forum at Kent Hospital on April 27, 2015. Five residents and one student were asked to present their research or cases during the program. The event was attended by residents and attending physicians from Kent. Medical students had their own research assembly on April 23, 2015.

In addition to the research events at Kent, the following residents were accepted to regional and national research symposiums:

February 2015 American Academy of Emergency Medicine 21st Annual Scientific Assembly

  • Elysia Mallon, DO.
  • Gianna Petrone, DO.
  • Anil Tahiliani, DO.
  • Stacy Page, DO.
  • Adam Levin, DO.

April 2015 American College of Osteopathic Emergency Medicine Spring Conference

  • Adam Levin, DO.
  • Andrew Bergeson, DO.
  • Vincent Varamo, DO.

October 2014 American College of Osteopathic Internists Fall Conference

Desirae Budi, DO.

May 2015 American College of Physicians

Colin Woodard, DO, won 1st place for research. All internal medicine residents accepted to display.

Family Medicine March 2015 Rhode Island Academy of Family Physicians

All family medicine residents accepted to display. Jamie Weissberger, DO, First Place

Case Presentation The 14th Annual NEOMEN Research and Scholarship Forum at the University of New England in Biddeford, ME.

Almost all residents were accepted and attended the event.

Monetary prizes were awarded and winners from Kent were:

1st Place Resident Original Research Clinicians' Smart Phones in the Emergency Department: Functional or Fomite?

  • Khatija Zahiruddin, DO.
  • Kelly McDonough, DO.
  • Nick Billings, DO.
  • Victoria Leytin, MD.

1st Place Resident Case Reports Case of Irregular Wide Complex Tachycardia

  • Vincent Varamo, DO.
  • Nicole Durfey, MD.

3rd Place Student Case Presentation. Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome: A Forgotten Diagnosis for Fever

  • Alison Dengos, MSIII.
  • Alisa Merolli, MD.

 

About Kent Hospital

Kent Hospital, a Care New England Hospital, is a 359-bed, acute care hospital. It is Rhode Island’s second largest hospital, serving approximately 300,000 residents of central Rhode Island.

A teaching affiliate of The University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine, Kent offers programs in Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine, Internal Medicine and an Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine Fellowship. Kent’s redesigned Emergency Department (ED) sees approximately 70,000 patients a year and ranks Kent’s ED volume among the top 10-percent nationally. It was the first hospital in the state to eliminate the practice of ambulance diversion.