Saint Michael’s Medical Center internal medicine residents from the class of 2024 at their graduation celebration at Nanina’s in the Park.
For Dr. Ted Dacosta, it was the character of Saint Michael’s Medical Center residents in the Class of 2024 that stood out for him.
The young doctors started their residencies in internal medicine at the Newark hospital in July 2021, with the pandemic still fresh in everyone’s minds.
“With Covid came fatigue and burnout,” said DaCosta, the program director of Saint Michael’s residency program. “That’s something that can be passed on to your junior residents. So I was nervous with this class, but from day one this class worked so well together. They did so many activities together. They really became great friends and a family.”
The graduates were recognized during Saint Michael’s 60th Annual Certificate and Awards Ceremony held June 17 at Nanina’s in the Park.
Saint Michael’s has long been a teaching hospital, training the next generation of doctors and specialists through an affiliation with New York Medical College. This year, 19 doctors graduated from the three-year residency program. In addition, nine doctors completed their fellowships in medical specialties, including cardiology, gastroenterology, infectious disease, podiatry and pulmonary/critical care.
Dr. Hamid Shaaban, a hematologist at Saint Michael’s who works closely with the residents and fellows, told the young doctors during the commencement speech that the entire medical staff at the hospital was thrilled with this year’s graduating class.
“Each of you has worked tirelessly to reach this moment with years of studying, countless exams and endless hours in the clinic and at the bedside,” Dr. Shaaban said. “You built mountains medical knowledge you’ve honed sharp clinical skills and youy’ve become professionals, self-reliant, confident, committed, honest and compassionate. We set high expectations for each of you and you soared to meet those expectations. We are all very proud of you. When our training program succeeds, we succeed together.”
Receiving certificates for completion of residency in internal medicine were: Chief Residents Mohammad Abushanab, Jenna Bellafiore, and Modupeoluwa Owolabi, along with Ummul Zohra Asfeen, Nayaab Bakshi, Arwa Battah, Paul Bellafiore, Nyan Bethel, Mit Chauhan, Zareh Ekmekjian, Navjot Grewal, Rewanth Katamreddy, Noreen Mirza, Talha Munir, Mohammad Nabil Rayad, Tapan Thaker, Krunal Trivedi, Baris Vefali, Muhammad Waqas.
Receiving certificates for completing fellowships were Asrar Ahmad and Muhammad Nadeem in cardiology, Theodore DaCosta and Sarahi Herrera-Gonzalez in gastroenterology, Amr Al-Ramahi and Sowjanya Kalluri in hematology/oncology, Ala Muhanna in infectious disease, Nishu Desai in podiatric medicine & surgery and Priscilla Chow in pulmonary/critical care.
Several awards were given in honor of Saint Michael’s physicians who were dedicated to teaching residents.
The Philip D’Ambola Memorial Award for Excellence in Teaching was awarded to Dr. Ravnit Singh.
The award was named after Dr. D’Ambola, who cast the deciding vote as a member of the hospital’s executive committee that made Saint Michael’s a teaching hospital more than a half century ago. The award was presented by his great niece, Lesly D’Ambola, MD, who also did her residency at the hospital years ago.
The Dr. Peter Ho Memorial award was given to Dr. Nibras Yar Kahn.
The award was named after Dr. Ho, who was born in Vietnam and served as a surgeon alongside American doctors during the Vietnam War. He was an Infectious Disease fellow at the hospital in 1983. When he was invited by drug reps to dinner, he would only go on the condition that he be allowed to take food and bring it to a homeless shelter. Dr. Ho died in 1985 and the Saint Michael’s HIV/AIDS clinic is named in his honor.
The Dr. George Perez Achievement for Outstanding Medical Teaching was awarded to Dr. Adel Armanious.
The award was named after Dr. Perez, who was chief of Infectious Disease at Saint Michael’s until his death in 2011. Dr. Perez consistently won the best teacher award during his years at the hospital.
View a photo gallery from the graduation.
