Current Residents
PGY-4 — 2021 Residency Class
Dick Batka, MD
Hometown
Highland, Indiana
Medical School
Indiana University School of Medicine
Undergraduate: Indiana University
Favorite thing about NYC area: No matter what you enjoy, there are *always* other people who enjoy the same thing
Favorite physical exam maneuver: Hawkins(-Kennedy) because it’s reminiscent of my favorite Kung Fu joint lock
Personal interests: Music, photography, poetry/creative writing, dance, statistics, history and philosophy of science
Matthew Erby, MD
Hometown
East Greenbush, New York
Medical School
Stony Brook School of Medicine
Undergraduate: University of Rochester
Spirit animal: Rhinoceros
Favorite thing about NYC area: Live sports, concerts, and musicals
Personal interests: Running, cooking, football, skateboarding, video games (Overwatch), and Arsenal FC
Samantha Erosa, MD
Hometown
Bronx, New York
Medical School
New York Medical College
Undergraduate: University of Pennsylvania
Favorite muscle: Plantaris
Favorite thing about NYC area: City Island!
Personal interests: Open firing cooking, pain medicine
Lucas First, MD
Hometown
Albany, New York
Medical School
Drexel University College of Medicine
Undergraduate: Union College
Favorite NYC restaurant: Misi
Favorite bone: L1
Personal interests: New York Jets, sushi, all things Harry Potter, golf
Daniel Oh, MD
Hometown
Seattle, Washington
Medical School
University of Washington School of Medicine
Undergraduate: Johns Hopkins University
Favorite nerve: Sciatic nerve
Favorite restaurant: Lucali. Best pizza in the world!
Personal interests: Anything soccer-related, exploring restaurants, hiking
Eugene Palatulan, MD
Hometown
Davao, Philippines & Bronx, NY
Medical School
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Undergraduate: Swarthmore College
Favorite muscle: Sartorius & supinator
Favorite thing about NYC area: THE BRONX, only borough to have "the" while the other 4 will sound silly with it. Largest park space among the 5 boroughs, NY Botanical garden, Bronx Zoo, Yankee stadium, Arthur Ave., A Bronx Tale, City Island seafood and birthplace of Hip Hop 1520 Sedgwick Avenue with DJ Kool Herc
Personal interests: Sports Medicine (and some spine), being a father to Elise and Emma, basketball (trying to start a NY Urban team), beach or indoor volleyball, soccer, FIFA, travel
Katherine Rief, MD
Hometown
Katy, Texas
Medical School
University of Texas-Southwestern
Undergraduate: Duke University
Favorite muscle: Latissimus dorsi
Spirit animal: Red panda
Personal interests: Point of Care ultrasound, flying trapeze, hiking, travel, aerial arts
Frank Schirripa, DO
Hometown
Staten Island, New York
Medical School
Edward Via College of Oseopathic Medicine
Undergraduate: Quinnipiac Univeristy
Favorite restaurant: Wolfgang's Steakhouse
Favorite muscle: Tricep
Personal interests: History, outdoors, gardening, finance, spending time with family and friends, musculoskeletal medicine, ultrasound, cancer pain, neuromodulation, and teaching
PGY-3 — 2022 Residency Class
Heidi Chen, MD
Hometown
Morganville, New Jersey
Medical School
Drexel University
Undergraduate: Rutgers University – New Brunswick
Spirit animal: Sea otter
Favorite thing about NYC area: Sheer diversity in food, culture, activities that are all easily accessible
Personal interests: Hiking, yoga, running, photography, cooking/eating all food
Joseph Chin, MD
Hometown
Brooklyn, New York
Medical School
SUNY Upstate Medical University
Undergraduate: NYU Stern School of Business
Favorite exam maneuver: Apley’s grind maneuver
Spirit animal: Red panda
Personal interests: Mixed Martial Arts, NYC crowds, restaurant exploring, country music, combat sports
Gerard D’Onofrio, MD
Hometown
Chatham, New Jersey
Medical School
Rutgers, New Jersey Medical School
Undergraduate: University of Scranton
Spirit animal: Grey Wolf
Favorite thing about NYC area: Great food, nightlife, arts, meetups across a range of fields
Personal interests: Functional and longevity medicine, medical education, healthcare policy, app creation, reading nonfiction, cooking, fitness (resistance training), meditation, archery, philosophy, and entrepreneurship
Ankur Patel, DO
Hometown
Laurel, Maryland
Medical School
Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM)
Undergraduate: University of Maryland – College Park
Favorite physical exam maneuver: Spurling maneuver
Favorite thing about NYC area: Diverse cultures
Personal interests: Carpentry/DIY Projects, cooking, and traveling the world with my wife
Jeremy Roberts, MD
Hometown
Bellmore, New York
Medical School
Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell
Undergraduate: Cornell University
Spirit animal: Seahorse
Favorite NYC restaurants:Uva for Italian, The Smith for brunch, Beyoglu for Mediterranean
Personals interests: Mets/Jets/Knicks/Islanders/Cornell Hockey, WWE, Karaoke, sports, running, weightlifting, Dream Theater, Assassins’ Creed, Survivor
Jordan Stumph, MD
Hometown
Columbus, Ohio
Medical School
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Undergraduate: University of Notre Dame
Favorite muscle: Triceps brachii
Favorite thing about NYC area: NYC is an incredible place to live. There is always a new restaurant or type of cuisine to try. Whenever you have free time and want to do something, there will be endless options to choose from. Additionally, you will meet people/patients from all over the country and the world. Finally, there is a spirit among NYC residents that is difficult to put into words but is truly amazing to experience.
Personal interests: Working out/fitness classes, baking, food, professional Grouponer
Anthony Tran, MD
Hometown
Fullerton, California
Medical School
Sidney Kimmel Medical College
Undergraduate: University of California, Irvine
Spirit animal: Sea turtle
Favorite muscle: Extensor indicis proprius — I first learned about the existence of this muscle during a lecture as a PGY-2 and thought it was a made up muscle to illustrate a point. It is now my favorite muscle due to the eternal embarrassment I will carry forward.
Personal interests: On weekends, I can be found amongst the 39 other brave souls who regularly band together to traverse through the treacherous depths of Molten Core. Endless food options in NYC!
Vera A. Tsetlina, MD
Hometown
Moscow, Russia
Medical School
Russian State Medical University
Favorite physical exam maneuver: Thomas test
Favorite NYC restaurant: Cyclades in Astoria, Ravagh on Upper East Side
Personal interests: Ballet, yoga, and traveling new places. Pediatric Rehabilitation and more specifically Pediatric Cancer Rehabilitation
PGY-2 — 2023 Residency Class
Jason Chang, MD
Hometown
Orange County, California
Medical School
UCLA
Undergraduate: UCLA
Favorite muscle: Trapezius. Star-shaped muscle behind neck and upper back. I like it because it is an unsung hero, playing a huge role in stabilizing the upper back, shoulders, and maintaining good posture. Truly a “star” muscle!
Favorite thing about NYC area: I spent some time growing up in Taiwan, and the vibe, weather and bustle of NYC reminds me of my time on that beautiful island.
Personal interests: Magic, medical innovation, tech, tennis, hiking, traveling, and trying new foods
Daniel Childs, MD
Hometown
Bronx, New York
Medical School
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Undergraduate: University of Michigan
Favorite physical exam maneuver: Finkelstein’s test — first positive exam finding as a medical student!
Favorite thing about NYC area: Hard to pick just one — the energy, arts, food, sports, parks, NY has it all. Friends and family being here help.
Personal interests: Live music, hanging out with friends, laughing, being outside, playing basketball, Michigan athletics (Go Blue!). Academic: Pediatric rehab, health care policy
Andrea Leyton-Mange, MD
Hometown
New York, New York
Medical School
Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons
Undergraduate: Rice University
Favorite muscle: Cricothyroid
Favorite NYC restaurant: There’s a special place in my heart for Shake Shack
Personal interests: Music, podcasts, jogging, and my cat
Devas Modi, DO
Hometown
South Brunswick, New Jersey
Medical School
Rowan University School of Medicine
Undergraduate: Boston University
Favorite nerve: Anterior interosseous nerve — I guess you can say it’s pretty “OK”
Favorite restaurant: Café Mogador, Rubirosa, Parm, Joe’s Pizza (hard to pick just one)
Personal interests: Basketball, golf, TV/Movies, cooking. Academic interests: pain medicine, regenerative medicine, sports medicine, cancer rehabilitation, pediatrics
Ajay Patel, MD
Hometown
Schaumburg, Illinois
Medical School
University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine
Undergraduate: University of Missouri-Kansas City
Favorite muscle: Triceps brachii
Favorite physical exam maneuver: Simmonds-Thompson test
Personal interests: Soccer, photography, and hiking. Academic include sports medicine, general rehabilitation and regenerative research.
Patrick Siegele, MD
Hometown
Berwyn, Pennsylvania
Medical School
Temple University
Undergraduate: Loyola University-Maryland
Favorite nerve: Olfactory nerve (food would be bland without it!)
Spirit animal: Otter
Personal interests: Basketball
Mani Singh, MD
Hometown
College Station, Texas
Medical School
McGovern Medical School at UT Houston
Undergraduate: The University of Texas at Austin
Favorite muscle: Triceps
Favorite thing about NYC area: Bike riding through Central Park
Personal interests: Basketball, camping/hiking, movies, food
Nicholas Tsitsilianos, MD
Hometown
Worcester, Massachusetts
Medical School
Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine
Undergraduate: Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Favorite nerve: Musculocutaneous nerve
Spirit animal: Cheetah
Personal interests: I enjoy spending time with family and friends, watching movies and always try to fit in consistent workouts and yoga. Professionally, I am interested in sports medicine, adaptive sports medicine, regenerative medicine, ultrasound, spinal cord injury.