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Current Internal Medicine Residents


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Current Internal Medicine Residents

Our 2023-24 Internal Medicine residents.

Current Internal Medicine Residents

Chief Resident in Internal Medicine

Gayatri Bondi, M.B.,B.S.
Gayatri Bondi, M.B., B.S. – Andhra Medical College, India

  1. Where are you from?
    • India.
  2. What are your hobbies?
    • Cooking, baking, nail art, crafts, traveling, and meeting friends/family.
  3. What do you like about Bassett and Cooperstown?
    • This is a very friendly and welcoming program. Cooperstown feels like home.

Third Year Chief Residents in Internal Medicine

Muhammad Fayaz, M.B., B.S.
Muhammad Fayaz, M.B., B.S. – Khyber Medical College, Pakistan

  1. Where are you from?
    • Pakistan.
  2. What are your hobbies?
    • Watching soccer, playing cricket, and hiking.
  3. What do you like about Bassett and Cooperstown?
    • The people, the town, and the lake are really great.

Aakriti Mainali, M.B., B.S.
Aakriti Mainali, M.B., B.S. – Nobel Medical College, Nepal

  1. Where are you from?
    • Kathmandu, Nepal.
  2. What are your hobbies?
    • Hiking, kayaking, and swimming.
  3. What do you like about Bassett and Cooperstown?
    • Cooperstown is a peaceful and a happy place. Summer is beautiful and there are many things to do. Bassett provides a very supportive program, the people are amazing and really take care of you. I never feel alone here :)

Amna Shaukat, M.B., B.S.
Amna Shaukat, M.B., B.S. – Services Institute of Medical Sciences, Pakistan

  1. Where are you from?
    • Pakistan.
  2. What are your hobbies?
    • Running, cooking, traveling around the country, and spending time with my family.
  3. What do you like about Bassett and Cooperstown?
    • The beautiful summer of Upstate New York and the friendly people of Cooperstown.

Third Year Residents in Internal Medicine

Sohaib Alkowni, M.D.
Sohaib Alkowni, M.D. – University of Jordan Faculty of Medicine, Jordan

  1. Where are you from?
    • Jordan.
  2. What are your hobbies?
    • Visiting museums and walks.
  3. What do you like about Bassett and Cooperstown?
    • The Bassett faculty & staff are friendly and supportive. Cooperstown is a serene, close-knit community.

Madhav Chittimalla, M.B., B.S.
Madhav Chittimalla, M.B., B.S. – Gandhi Medical College & Hospital, India

  1. Where are you from?
    • Hyderabad, India.
  2. What are your hobbies?
    • Playing soccer and playing piano.
  3. What do you like about Bassett and Cooperstown?
    • There is a strong bond among residents. The attendings are supportive in providing quality medical education and help when needed. Cooperstown is a beautiful village to live in with breathtaking views offering me peace and tranquility.

Cyrus E. De Souza, M.D.
Cyrus E. De Souza, M.D. – St. George’s University School of Medicine, Grenada

  1. Where are you from?
    • Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
  2. What are your hobbies?
    • Playing video games, running, going to the gym, swimming, karaoke, and reading.
  3. What do you like about Bassett and Cooperstown?
    • Everyone is very nice. I enjoy the small community and seeing many of my patients and their families around town.

Parikshya Giri Rijal, M.B., B.S.
Parikshya Giri Rijal, M.B., B.S. – Chitwan Medical College, Nepal

  1. Where are you from?
    • Nepal.
  2. What are your hobbies?
    • Dancing, singing, hanging out with friends, binge-watching shows on Netflix, and going on long drives.
  3. What do you like about Bassett and Cooperstown?
    • Cooperstown is a small and quiet place to live. Summer is quite beautiful here. Bassett offers a closely knit circle of residents with strong camaraderie and who are like family.

Helina Maharjan, M.B., B.S.
Helina Maharjan, M.B., B.S. – International Medical College, Bangladesh

  1. Where are you from?
    • Kathmandu, Nepal.
  2. What are your hobbies?
    • I love spending quality time with loved ones, reading books mostly of the self-help genre, and watching comedy shows. Besides that, I love playing table tennis (ping pong), swimming, running, going to the gym, and watching Formula 1 racing.
  3. What do you like about Bassett and Cooperstown?
    • Cooperstown mostly in summer resembles my hometown and I absolutely love it. Bassett is a great place to work because there are so many supportive, friendly, and motivating people.

Vivian N. Matubia, M.D.
Vivian N. Matubia, M.D. – St. George’s University School of Medicine, Grenada

  1. Where are you from?
    • Nairobi, Kenya.
  2. What do you like about Bassett and Cooperstown?
    • Picking fruit, spending time on/by Otsego Lake, beautiful seasonal changes, friendly environment.

Meena (FNU), M.B., B.S.
Meena, M.B., B.S. – Liaquat University of Medical & Health Sciences, Pakistan

  1. Where are you from?
    • Pakistan.
  2. What are your hobbies?
    • I enjoy music, cooking, and walking.
  3. What do you like about Bassett and Cooperstown?
    • The residency program is wonderful. Cooperstown is such a beautiful community.

Navalok Sharma Ghimire, M.B., B.S.
Navalok Sharma Ghimire, M.B., B.S. – B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Nepal

  1. Where are you from?
    • Nepal.
  2. What are your hobbies?
    • Exercise, guitar, and singing.
  3. What do you like about Bassett and Cooperstown?
    • The people are welcoming and nice. Otsego Lake. Spring and summer are my favorite seasons.

Second Year Residents in Internal Medicine

Mohamed Abugrin, M.B., B.Ch.
Mohamed Abugrin, M.B., B.Ch. – University of Tripoli, Libya

  1. Where are you from?
    • Tripoli, Libya.
  2. What are your hobbies?
    • Revel in anime. I enjoy the action and story lines that cannot be captured by other media.
  3. What do you like about Bassett and Cooperstown?
    • The program does an amazing job incorporating new interns into residency. I haven’t felt overwhelmed during my time here so far. The staff gets to know each resident on an individual level, and provides a lot of support to help reach individual goals. The faculty and fellow residents are blessing to work with. The scenery and nature around Cooperstown are breathtaking. People are friendly and this is reflected in the patient population. Cooperstown is a very safe community.

Navar Almama, M.D.
Navar Almama, M.D. – Russian ‘People's Friendship University’, Russia

  1. Where are you from?
    • Syria.
  2. What are your hobbies?
    • Social dancing, specifically tango.
  3. What do you like about Bassett and Cooperstown?
    • I like how everything is within a walking distance in Cooperstown. For a person who just recently moved here and still doesn’t have a car, that’s a great benefit! I love how everybody is just chilling and enjoying the lake and nature.
    • What I like the most about Bassett is that everybody knows each other and it feels like a real community. I also love how supportive attendings are of new interns and new moms. Having a lactation room in every building and having the necessary breaks to feed my young baby made life much better, and I think that really promotes resident wellbeing.

Muhammad Bilal, M.B., B.S.
Muhammad Bilal, M.B., B.S. – Punjab Medical College, Pakistan

  1. Where are you from?
    • Punjab, Pakistan.
  2. What are your hobbies?
    • I love to travel and explore nature. I enjoy music, cooking, and spending time with my family and friends.
  3. What do you like about Bassett and Cooperstown?
    • Incredibly friendly, staff, patients, neighbors, and people in general. When I walk my dog in town random people will frequently start friendly conversations. Staff, especially other residents, are very helpful. The program in general cares a lot about residents and their wellness while at the same time teaching as much as possible. We have great up-to-date didactics and conferences and easy access to sim lab.

Rakel Emma-Okah, M.D.
Rakel Emma-Okah, M.D. – Univ. of Debrecen, Medical & Health Sciences Centre, Hungary

  1. Where are you from?
    • Nigeria.
  2. What are your hobbies?
    • Watching movies.
  3. What do you like about Bassett and Cooperstown?
    • At Bassett, you learn and practice medicine in a collegial and friendly environment. If you’re looking for tranquility away from the business of big cities, while still practicing high quality medicine, Bassett & Cooperstown are the place for you.

Rida Fatima, M.B., B.S.
Rida Fatima, M.B., B.S. – Punjab Medical College, Pakistan

  1. Where are you from?
    • Punjab, Pakistan.
  2. What are your hobbies?
    • Creating content and spending time outdoors enjoying nature.
  3. What do you like about Bassett and Cooperstown?
    • I love the calmness and serenity of nature here. Otsego Lake is my favorite go-to place. I find the community to be kind, pleasant, and wonderful. I look forward to exploring more of nature in the area.

Sagar Ghimire, M.B., B.S.
Sagar Ghimire, M.B., B.S. – Nepal Medical College, Nepal

  1. Where are you from?
    • Nepal.
  2. What are your hobbies?
    • I’m a sports enthusiast, especially Premier League (Manchester United) soccer, tennis (Nole), NBA (Bucks). I’m also a huge Led Zeppelin fan & enjoy classic movies, poetry, and hiking.
  3. What do you like about Bassett and Cooperstown?
    • Bassett’s culture of helping each other out is something that makes up for a positive learning environment. The attendings are exceedingly approachable. Senior residents are very involved, no matter what rotation you are on. If you need help you can approach anyone and get the help you need. The program is always trying out ways to help residents. Cooperstown, in the center of beautiful upstate NY, is a fairly small town that overlooks beautiful Otsego Lake. If you like to hike, there are plenty of options locally & within just a couple of hours drive. As of my experience so far, summer at Cooperstown has been really beautiful.

Roudabeh Kiani, M.D.
Roudabeh Kiani, M.D. – American Univ. of Antigua College of Medicine, Antigua

  1. Where are you from?
    • Iran & Canada.
  2. What are your hobbies?
    • Playing piano, hiking and camping, reading classical Persian novels, listening to classic jazz, watching classic movies, and also watching Disney.
  3. What do you like about Bassett and Cooperstown?
    • I love the kind and warm-hearted people of Basset and Cooperstown. Cooperstown and the surrounding area have such wonderful natural attractions.

Kunjal Luhadia, M.B., B.S.
Kunjal Luhadia, M.B., B.S. – Geetanjali Medical College and Hospital, India

  1. Where are you from?
    • Brockville, Canada.
  2. What are your hobbies?
    • Dancing, playing basketball, swimming, and reading.
  3. What do you like about Bassett and Cooperstown?
    • I really like the people at Bassett. Everyone is nice and welcoming. I like the small community environment of Bassett and Cooperstown where I’m able to know people and patients on a very personal level.

Timur Otajonov, M.D.
Timur Otajonov, M.D. – Tashkent Medical Academy, Uzbekistan

  1. Where are you from?
    • Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
  2. What are your hobbies?
    • Traveling, singing, football, cooking, watching sci-fi movies and Star Wars.
  3. What do you like about Bassett and Cooperstown?
    • First of all, Bassett is very supportive of residents’ quality of life and families. Besides enormous support from the faculty and residents, Bassett keeps patient care as its universal priority and teaches residents to do the same. I love Cooperstown for being such an authentic place with its scenic views of Otsego Lake and its beautiful landscapes. If you’re an outdoor person who loves walking, biking, and hiking you will immediately fall in love with this place.

Thanmay Sathi, M.B., B.S.
Thanmay Sathi, M.B., B.S. – Andhra Medical College, India

  1. Where are you from?
    • Vizag, India.
  2. What are your hobbies?
    • My hobbies include playing sports like tennis, cricket and soccer, traveling and exploring new places, reading non-fiction books, watching drama movies & shows, trying different cultural cuisines.
  3. What do you like about Bassett and Cooperstown?
    • Bassett is a unique program located in Upstate New York. Out of the many things I like about Bassett, the collegial atmosphere and relationship between everyone working here stands out the most. This type of nurturing environment provides a perfect space for quality patient care, clinical skill development and increasing my medical knowledge. The widespread patient population which the hospital serves provides an opportunity to treat different types of clinical scenarios, which is preparing me to become a more experienced and confident physician. Cooperstown is a lovely, rural town located in central New York. Otsego Lake is a peaceful and serene place to relax after a long, tiring day of work. The Clark Sports Center is a unique and very affordable fitness center which provides standard fitness equipment as well as numerous indoor and outdoor physical activities. There are a decent choice of restaurants to eat at and, out of these, Mel’s should not be missed for a delicious American meal.

Bishnu Singh, M.B., B.S.
Bishnu Singh, M.B., B.S. – Kathmandu Medical College, Nepal

  1. Where are you from?
    • Kathmandu, Nepal.
  2. What are your hobbies?
    • Cricket, Table tennis, riding bikes.
  3. What do you like about Bassett and Cooperstown?
    • Bassett covers a large patient population, and I get exposure to a variety of cases with patients from different demographics and backgrounds. Overall, I have found the program to be very supportive of residents in terms of their career choices.

Prejin Upadhyay, M.B., B.S.
Prejin Upadhyay, M.B., B.S. – Kathmandu Medical College, Nepal

  1. Where are you from?
    • Nepal.
  2. What are your hobbies?
    • Singing, playing guitar, table tennis, traveling.
  3. What do you like about Bassett and Cooperstown?
    • It's a small community where you can get to know many people. I find it nice to see attendings and nurses at the grocery store. Beautiful Otsego Lake is relaxing and a great place to unwind. The residency program is very supportive.

First Year Residents in Internal Medicine

Abolfazl Ahmady, M.D.
Abolfazl Ahmady, M.D. – American Univ. of Antigua College of Medicine, Antigua

  1. Where are you from?
    • Canada.
  2. What are your hobbies?
    • Video games, soccer, camping, barbeques, getting together with friends and family.
  3. What do you like about Bassett and Cooperstown?
    • Incredibly friendly, staff, patients, neighbors, and people in general. When I walk my dog in town random people will frequently start friendly conversations. Staff and other residents are very helpful. The program in general cares a lot about residents and their wellness while at the same time teaching as much as possible. We have great up-to-date didactics and conferences and easy access to sim lab.

Pavel Bleik, M.D.
Pavel Bleik, M.D. – North-Western State Medical University, Russia

  1. Where are you from?
    • St Petersburg, Russia.
  2. What are your hobbies?
    • Playing piano and guitar, horseback riding, tennis, chess, martial arts, and basketball.
  3. What aspects of Bassett’s internal medicine residency program helped guide your decision to apply?
    • For me it was the first choice from the very beginning. I loved it here – it’s beautiful and the people are incredibly friendly. I made my ultimate decision after the interview; it was organized perfectly. For these reasons and many more the decision was easy.

Kannate Chotiphansiri, M.D.
Kannate Chotiphansiri, M.D. – Prince of Songkla University, Thailand

  1. Where are you from?
    • Bangkok, Thailand.
  2. What are your hobbies?
    • I love traveling to new places and capturing moments in photography. I’m a big fan of manga, anime and video games. Leaning about stars and night skies, music, beginner level pianist.
  3. What aspects of Bassett’s internal medicine residency program helped guide your decision to apply?
    • People in the residency program seemed very friendly. Cooperstown is located in a very beautiful and peaceful area with a lot of outdoor activities. The program has very good plans about how to introduce residents to the healthcare system in the United States, supports residents during training, and assists with future career path planning. The focus on residents’ well-being and work-life balance was a definite attraction.

Ben Cruci, D.O.
Ben Cruci, D.O. – Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine

  1. Where are you from?
    • Hyde Park, NY.
  2. What are your hobbies?
    • Record collecting, bicycling, hiking, photography, plant collecting, pets, and sports.
  3. What aspects of Bassett’s internal medicine residency program helped guide your decision to apply?
    • I was drawn to the program based on its reputation for providing high-quality care to an extremely large population in a rural setting. The collaboration between Bassett Medical Center and Columbia Medical School also indicated to me that there is an excellent educational standard at the program, which was my top priority as a preliminary resident. After speaking with the current residents, I knew the program maintained a collaborative environment between the residents and attendings which was important to me as well.

Hashim Ejaz, M.B., B.S.
Hashim Ejaz, M.B., B.S. – Army Medical College, Pakistan

  1. Where are you from?
    • Islamabad. Pakistan.
  2. What are your hobbies?
    • I like to eat, travel, play soccer and other exercise.
  3. What aspects of Bassett’s internal medicine residency program helped guide your decision to apply?
    • Bassett and Cooperstown are like a second home for me. I’ve found caring, collegial, compassionate friends/colleagues/mentors from whom I continue to learn.

Panisara Fangsaard, M.D.
Panisara Fangsaard, M.D. – Chulalongkorn University, Thailand

  1. Where are you from?
    • Thailand.
  2. What are your hobbies?
    • Watching movies, traveling with family and friends, hot yoga.
  3. What aspects of Bassett’s internal medicine residency program helped guide your decision to apply?
    • The people at Bassett, friendly colleagues in a very supportive environment during residency!

Jasvindar Kumar, M.B., B.S.
Jasvindar Kumar, M.B., B.S. – Khyber Medical College, Pakistan

  1. Where are you from?
    • Pakistan.
  2. What are your hobbies?
    •  Cooking, traveling, and listening to music.
  3. What aspects of Bassett’s internal medicine residency program helped guide your decision to apply?
    • I was drawn to Bassett because of its excellent didactic curriculum, rigorous hands-on clinical training, and strong attention to resident wellness. Seniors from my medical school who are in Bassett’s internal medicine program spoke very highly about the program and how supportive and approachable the faculty are. Furthermore, Cooperstown has great diversity, with a large geriatric population which I’ve always enjoyed providing care to. While researching Cooperstown, I found it more like my home country village with greenery, peace, and beautification everywhere.

Rupa Pudasaini, M.D.
Rupa Pudasaini, M.D. – Moscow State University, Russia

  1. Where are you from?
    • Kuthmandu, Nepal.
  2. What are your hobbies?
    • Yoga, meditation, dancing, and watching movies.
  3. What aspects of Bassett’s internal medicine residency program helped guide your decision to apply?
    • I always wanted to be in a program which has a tradition of excellence with missions of patient care, teaching, and research. Being a tertiary care system covering thousands of patients seemed like a good platform to brush one's knowledge, and to gain great clinical experience. Also, the excellent support system that Bassett provides to each resident drew me towards the program. Cooperstown is the perfect place to live and raise kids.

Suman Paudel, M.B., B.S.
Suman Paudel, M.B., B.S. – Gandaki Medical College, Nepal

  1. Where are you from?
    • Pokhara, Nepal.
  2. What are your hobbies?
    • Watching and playing cricket, traveling, exploring new places, and spending time with friends and family.
  3. What aspects of Bassett’s internal medicine residency program helped guide your decision to apply?
    • Bassett is a resident-friendly program offering diverse cases and a close-knit community. With attendings and seniors readily available for support, transitioning to the United States healthcare system was seamless. Cooperstown is a charming town surrounded by natural beauty, and nearby Otsego Lake adds to its appeal, creating a fulfilling and picturesque training experience.

Wajeeh Rehman, M.B., B.S.
Wajeeh Rehman, M.B., B.S. – Khyber Medical College, Pakistan

  1. Where are you from?
    • Kohat, Pakistan.
  2. What are your hobbies?
    • Swimming, table tennis, badminton, cooking, and watching movies/shows.
  3. What aspects of Bassett’s internal medicine residency program helped guide your decision to apply?
    • Cooperstown is similar to my hometown so it feels home to me. I like the people of Cooperstown and I feel happiness while interacting with them—also, while serving them in the hospital. I like to go to Otsego Lake to swim and to enjoy the surrounding serenity and calmness. I consider Bassett Hospital as a pearl in a shell and feel very privileged working here.

Suprita Shrestha, M.B., B.S.
Suprita Shrestha, M.B., B.S. – Nepal Medical College, Nepal

  1. Where are you from?
    • Kathmandu Nepal.
  2. What are your hobbies?
    • Hiking, trekking, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.
  3. What aspects of Bassett’s internal medicine residency program helped guide your decision to apply?
    • In my previous experience I enjoyed working in a rural setting so I found this to be a good fit. I’ve always found the people to be so warm and welcoming. I was also looking for a program that would help me to grow as a physician, as well as ensuring a good work-life balance. I found it all in Bassett's internal medicine program.

Egor Zakharchenko, M.D.
Egor Zakharchenko, M.D. – Altai State Medical University, Russia

  1. Where are you from?
    • Barnaul, Russia.
  2. What are your hobbies?
    • Road cycling, running, attending concerts and sports games, traveling, exploring new places, and learning new languages.
  3. What aspects of Bassett’s internal medicine residency program helped guide your decision to apply?
    • The Bassett program is very well-known for its really amazing atmosphere, and the friendly and careful attention of the teaching staff to their residents. I loved the small size of the program where I felt that residents could grow faster and more efficiently as a real team. Cooperstown is a very nice place where I can enjoy the thrilling nature and upstate autumn beauties.