The Psychiatry Residency Program at Saint Clare’s Denville Hospital & St. Mary’s General Hospital

Fully Accredited by Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education

I. Mission and Aims

The mission of our community based psychiatry residency program is to provide exceptional resident training using a robust array of mental health clinical experiences combined with a comprehensive didactic curriculum. We are committed to prepare residents to succeed at the forefront of the evolving role of Psychiatry in the delivery of health care for the diverse patient populations that we serve. In accordance with Prime Health Care, we share a commitment to train residents to become psychiatrists that deliver compassionate, quality care to patients and better mental healthcare services to our communities.

Our psychiatry residency program aims to train psychiatrists to function as exemplary clinicians, capable teachers, and knowledgeable managers of health care resources. Our fundamental educational objective is for our graduates to become competent and ethical professionals possessing sound clinical judgment, requisite skills, and a high order of knowledge about the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of all psychiatric disorders, as well as the medical and neurological illnesses that relate to the practice of psychiatry.

Our psychiatry residents are expected to provide patient care that is compassionate, appropriate, and effective for both the treatment of health problems and the promotion of health. Upon completion of training, our residents are expected to have consistently demonstrated sufficient competence in rendering effective professional care to psychiatric patients without direct supervision. Through clinical and educational experiences, the residency training program is to provide a solid educational background to adequately prepare residents for the certification examination in psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. Our graduates are also expected to have a keen awareness of their own strengths and limitations and recognize the necessity for a commitment to lifelong self-evaluation, practice based learning, and professional development.

II. Program Director’s Welcome

Dr. Sarabjit Singh, MD

It is an honor to have an opportunity to be the program director for the Prime Health Saint Clare’s Hospital Psychiatry Residency. I welcome you and thank you for your interest in the Program. We are a newly ACGME accredited program, we currently have our PGY-1 to PGY-3 classes filled. We are looking for highly talented and motivated individuals like your self who have a true heart and interest for Psychiatry. Being a new program, we have a tremendous opportunity to tweak the structure of the program based on feedback both from faculty members and as well as residents. Our faculty participates in monthly faculty development meetings where we explore new and innovative ideas to educate and train our residents.

Dr. Singh is a Board-Certified psychiatrist in both Adult Psychiatry and Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. He currently is the Corporate Medical Director Psychiatric Services & Programs for New Jersey Prime Healthcare Hospitals. After completion of his training at Columbia University Medical Center, he joined the faculty at the university and served as a faculty member for 12 years. During his tenure at Columbia University he served at various leadership positions and was a recipient of numerous awards and recognitions. He joined Saint Clare’s in November 2014 and since then has been key in not only bringing in innovative ideas but also has been instrumental in spearheading numerous projects with the goal of bringing in state of the art evidence-based treatments to the community. Dr. Singh specializes in the psychopharmacological management of psychiatric disorders with expertise in medication management of psychiatric disorder, notably Depressions and other mood disorders.

Associate Program Directors

Dr. Domenick Sportelli, DO

​Welcome to the Prime Health Psychiatry training program. I am honored to have the opportunity to be Associate Program Director at Prime Health. It is my goal to help cultivate an outstanding ACGME accredited psychiatric training program through substantial clinical experience, passionate teaching & didactics, hospital & community behavioral health research and most importantly fostering the growth and education of the next generation of board certified psychiatrists. 

Dr. Domenick J. Sportelli is Board Certified in both Adult General Psychiatry as well as Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. He began his journey with a Bachelors degree in Biology as well as a Masters of Science degree in Biology from Montclair State University. After receiving his Undergraduate degree and Graduate degree with Honors from MSU, he knew that he wanted to pursue a medical education as he was incredibly drawn to understanding the functioning of the human body and mind. 

Upon graduation from NYIT School of Osteopathic Medicine, and graduating with Honors in clinical science, Dr. Sportelli pursued an internship year in General Family Medicine, which allowed him to explore various areas of medicine including Surgery, Pediatrics, Obstetrics, Gynecology, Emergency Medicine as well as caring for individuals on the general medical floors and intensive care units. After Dr. Sportelli successfully completed this ACGME intern year, he felt a true calling to master the intricacies of the human mind, behavior, understanding the complexity of mental illness and its modern life-changing treatment options. He then began his four-year Residency Training in General Psychiatry and fellowship in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. 

Dr Sportelli continues to maintain a passion for medical education on the Consultation Liaison Service, has established the ECT service at Prime Health, is heavily involved in the our Psychiatric Grand Rounds program as well as public education of defeating stigma and prioritizing mental healthcare as a media contributor.

Dr. Suzanne Lind, MD

Suzanne Lind, MD is excited to be an associate program director for Prime Health.  She has dual board certifications in both general psychiatry as well as child and adolescent psychiatry.  Dr. Lind first got involved in teaching medical students when she was the chair of the Department of Psychiatry of St. Peter’s Medical Center in New Brunswick, NJ and provided a third year clerkship rotation for Drexel Medical School.  She has supervised many medical students, residents (both in and out of psychiatry), psychiatry fellows, APNs and social workers.  Dr. Lind brings a plethora of knowledge from having worked in many diverse places: in-patient, outpatient, consult-liaison, day hospital, long-term care and forensic facilities.  Her goal is to help residents become excellent clinicians, help them determine what direction they would like to take their future psychiatric careers and achieve those goals as well as mentoring the residents to develop work/life balances.

Dr. Lind majored in neuroscience at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA and then attended Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in Piscataway, NJ.  After spending her PGY 1 year also at Robert Wood Johnson, Dr. Lind completed her PGY2 and 3 years at Thomas Jefferson University Medical Hospital in Philadelphia.  She then completed a 2-year Fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at NYU. 

III. Residents

PGY-4 Residents

Rassam Khan, MD (Chief Resident)

I am a local New Jerseyian and I am excited to be part of the Saint Clare’s psychiatry residency program. I have enormous passion for psychiatry and have participated in various Psychiatric research projects and publications at Mount Sinai, Rutgers NJMS, New Bridge Medical Center, Trinitas and NYU. I have been part of 9 poster presentations presented at World Psychiatric Associations (WPA) and American Psychiatric Associations (APA). Since joining the team at Saint Clare’s, it has been a family structured program, we all work as a team and learn. The faculty has been there for each one of us at every moment needed. There is one on one exposure with dedicated faculty and that helps learning be efficient and fun. Weekly informative didactics, case reports and journal clubs adds to the experience. I am grateful for the opportunity given to me in joining this residency team and look forward to continue my journey with passion for mental wellness. Having rotations at 3 different facilities has given me a chance to deal with diverse populations and variability in psychopathology. We are an exponentially growing residency program and I am fortunate to be part of that academic and clinical growth. Our feedback is greatly appreciated in structuring the program. In my free time I like watching movies, trying different restaurants and hanging out with friends.

John Amoroso, MD (Chief Resident)

John was born and raised in the Tri-State Region, graduated cum lade with a BA in psychology from the University of Rhode Island. With an interest in psychiatry went on to obtain a medical degree from Ross University School of Medicine (RUSM). With a passion for behavioral health, John has been active in multiple roles. Professionally with EMS responding to behavioral emergencies. As a volunteer board member of NAMI Rockland with a focus on advocacy and legislative agendas to meet the demand for ongoing access to community-based mental health care. And academically as a board member of the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at Nathan Kline Institute & Rockland Psychiatric Center. St. Clare’s behavioral health system would be a natural fit and a place I already call home. With a reputation, as individuals and families regularly put it, as “better than the rest,” Prime Healthcare was my first choice for residency and the right choice.

Sruthi Madhava, MD

I was born in India, but raised in Pittsburgh, PA (go Steelers!). I got my medical degree from M.S. Ramaiah Medical College in India. During medical school I realized the importance of mental health and the growing need for psychiatrists all over the world especially in underserved areas. I hope to go into women’s health or child and adolescent psychiatry in the future. There are various aspects I love about this program the main one being the amazing co-residents and staff that are here to support me. Though it’s a new program the behavioral hospitals have been around for a long time and there is always a great patient load to learn from. As a new resident I loved the independence I was allowed early on. I got to learn a lot from the faculty and co-residents even though it’s only been a short time.
Hobbies: you can find me strolling though instagram to find a new recipe to bake during my downtime. Apart from that I love watching crime documentaries!

Sasank Isola, MD

Sasank was raised in New Jersey and went to college at Penn State University. He earned his medical degree from the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine. Apart from his psychiatry rotations in medical school, Sasank fell in love with psychiatry after publishing papers on mental health issues and working as a Crisis Intervention Specialist at crisis hotlines in California and Missouri. During this period, he learned how to de-escalate acute mental health crises, providing him with crucial exposure to many mentally ill populations from all over the world, and an intimate glimpse into emotional pain at its most raw, unfiltered, and uncompromising, solidifying his commitment to mental health. His published work includes investigations into the viability of medical cannabis, the connection between schizophrenia and smoking, and the relationship between long-acting antipsychotics and recidivism rates in inpatient psychiatric patients. His areas of interest in psychiatry include interventional psychiatry, addiction psychiatry, and forensic psychiatry. He selected the St. Mary’s and St. Clare’s Psychiatry Residency program due to the friendliness and erudition of its faculty, its emphasis on resident wellness, and its commitment to raising public awareness about mental health and providing mental health care to underserved populations in the community. Sasank enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time with his family.

PGY-3 Residents

Preeth Elango, MD

Hello, My name is Preeth Elango, I grew up in Southern California so I’m a Lakers fan! Also a passionate and dedicated PGY-3 Psychiatry resident. I made the deliberate choice to pursue my medical education in India, reconnecting with my roots in the process. My commitment to psychiatry stems from a profound belief in the importance of mental well-being. I am dedicated to providing compassionate and evidence-based care to my patients, with the ultimate goal of improving their quality of life. As a mom and a woman of color, I am particularly drawn to the field of psychiatry with a focus on women’s mental health, as well as child and adolescent psychiatry. These passions complement my medical practice, allowing me to approach patient care from a holistic perspective. I believe that every person deserves the opportunity to lead a fulfilling and mentally healthy life. St. Clare’s Behavioral is an ideal launching pad for my residency journey, boasting a caring and highly knowledgeable faculty, as well as a welcoming community of experienced upperclassmen. I look forward to making a positive impact on the lives of my patients and the field of Psychiatry as a whole.
Hobbies: Zumba workouts, Indian classical dance and watching crime TV shows.

India Braver, MD

I grew up in New Jersey and attended college at The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia where I majored in economics and government. I went on to do a post-baccalaureate program in premedical studies at the University of Pennsylvania. I graduated medical school with my MD from the California University of Science and Medicine in 2023. I am excited to come home to New Jersey, this time with my husband and co-resident Jake, and our two adorable doggies. In my free time, when I’m not visiting national parks (Jake & I have been to 24 together!) I love performing improvisational comedy. Professionally, I dream of combining improvisational skills with psychotherapy techniques to create my own unique method of treatment for children and adolescents that combines both therapy and play. I am very grateful to have program leadership that supports and encourages me to pursue my goals.

Jacob Denning, MD

Medical School: California University of Science and Medicine

Professional Interests: Developmental and inpatient Psychiatry, I also love learning about psychotherapy.

Favorite thing about the program: It is not a “resident run” program, and the primary goal is resident learning/development. I love that we get a lot of 1:1 time with the attending psychiatrists, they care about my mental/physical health, and there is time after shifts to study cases more.

Hobbies: Sports, swimming with sharks/other marine life. Birding, herpetology, hiking, photography of wild animals. Taylor Swift.

Brittany Gilmartin, DO

I grew up in Wappingers Falls, NY and I attended Binghamton University for my Bachelor’s Degree in Biological Sciences. I graduated from Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine in Middletown NY and spent my time there volunteering with Circle K, PsychSIG, and the Crisis Line. My professional interests include Adult Inpatient Psychiatry, Consult Liaison Psychiatry, and Psychosomatic Medicine. This program offers experiences at multiple hospital sites in many different subspecialties which will allow me to explore these interests even further. Another aspect of the program that I appreciate is that the faculty is very approachable and supportive. In my free time I enjoy reading/watching thrillers and spending time with my family.

Akhila Kethireddy, MD

Hi, I’m Akhila! I grew up in sunny Southern California and went to Ramaiah Medical College for medical school. I chose to pursue psychiatry because it is a compelling field which necessitates compassion, meticulous listening skills, patience, and a non-judgmental attitude. It’s the only specialty where you have the privilege of hearing individual experiences and the distinct challenges that people have faced in their lives. My professional interests include women’s health, interventional psychiatry, & forensics. I’m excited to be a part of this program because of the many opportunities to learn and work with accomplished psychiatrists.

My hobbies include modeling, acting, traveling, dancing, and painting.

Ruchika Kapoor, DO

I was born and raised in Princeton, New Jersey. I attended NYIT for undergrad, and graduated from Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, Middletown New York. I first became interested in psychiatry and behavioral health in high school and became sure this field was for me when I began interning for a forensic psychiatrist during my gap year. What I love about this program is that the attendings are extremely approachable and they take every opportunity to teach us. The entire program, from the attendings, to the residents are all very supportive creating a very enjoyable learning experience.

Hobbies: watching Broadway shows and spending time with family.

Joseph Kim, DO

Hey guys! My name is Joe and I’m a PGY-3 psychiatry resident here at St. Clare’s & St. Mary’s. Psychiatry sparked my interest through my own personal journal in mental health. And through medical school, I learned that my favorite aspect of medicine was the patient interaction and the relationship I developed with with my patients. I found that in psychiatry, just talking with patients and lending them an ear had a therapeutic aspect which I thought was profound! Beyond that, I found the novelty of Psychiatry intriguing, with new treatment options and research always coming out. One reason why I chose St. Clare’s & St. Mary’s was due to the potential for me to be closer to family. But beyond that, and keeping with the theme of family, I felt like I found new family at this program. Their emphasis for resident wellbeing and how supportive our attendings were really stuck out to me. Furthermore, the learning potential here is top tier!  In my free time I love hanging out with friends and family, playing basketball, collecting sneakers (hard to do on the resident salary…) and trying my best attempt at being a foodie! 

Hansel M., DO

Medical School: Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine

Professional Interests: Inpatient, General

Favorite thing about the program: The program fosters a close-knit relationship between residents and faculty, offering excellent education and clinical training to prepare the residents.

Hobbies: Traveling, films, fishing, outdoors

Mohini Gadre, MD

Hi, I’m Mohini! I’m a Bay Area transplant who attended the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. During med school I grew interested in advocacy, and this led me to Psychiatry because of the ample opportunities to advocate for our patients’ social needs. After residency I hope to pursue an Addiction Psychiatry fellowship. In my spare time I love reading, writing, birdwatching, traveling, drawing, origami, and baking.

Things I love about the program:

• We have the best of both worlds: we’re a strong community program with academic ties to New York Medical College
• Our faculty are kind and love to teach
• Our Program Coordinator Mary is amazing!
• The leadership is open to feedback and suggestions from residents
• The faculty are supportive of residents starting their own projects or finding electives
• Reasonable call schedule
• We have a good work-life balance here
• You have the option of living in NYC since it’s so close!
• My co-residents are really supportive and fun to hang around with
• We plan loads of social events (but the Finer Things Club is the best!! We read psych-related books or watch films and discuss them once a month)

Ryan Cordero MD

I was born and raised in a military family so naturally I have moved to a new location every 3-4 years throughout my entire life, having lived all over the nation and even the world. I got my undergraduate degree in biological sciences with Arizona State University and earned my MD with St. George’s University School of Medicine. I completed my PGY1 year with a psychiatry residency program in Queens, NY, and was very fortunate to transfer to this amazing psychiatry residency program here in NJ to continue my training. In my free time I enjoy hobbies such as watching/playing sports of all kinds, reading, writing, and of course catching up on different educational topics in the field of psychiatry. I love working at the inpatient level and aspire to broaden my inpatient experiences to the Consult Liaison and Interventional subspecialties. In general, I look forward to making a positive impact on the lives of my patients and the field of psychiatry as a whole, and this residency program is the perfect place to assist with achieving those goals.

PGY-2 Residents

Eric Parlin, DO

Medical School: Touro Harlem COM

Professional Interests: Child and Adolescent, Inpatient, ECT, and Psychotherapy

Favorite Thing About the Program: One of the main reasons I chose St Mary’s/ St Clare’s was because of the kind and supportive environment facilitated by attendings, coresidents, and other team members.

Favorite TV Character: Bert from Sesame Street

Sarah Loreck, DO

Medical school: Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine

Professional Interests: Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

Favorite thing about the program: The people!

Favorite TV character: Helga from hey Arnold

Sania Tahir, MD

Medical School: SUNY Downstate College of Medicine

Professional Interests: Perinatal Psychiatry, Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Social Determinants of Health

Favorite Thing About the Program: Attendings who love teaching and kind/supportive co-residents.

Favorite TV Character: Luca Changretta from The Peaky Blinders

Erin Cope, DO

Medical School: Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine- New York

Professional Interests: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Reproductive Psychiatry

Favorite Thing About the Program: The open-door policy amongst attendings and staff

Favorite TV Character: Lorelei and Rory Gilmore

Sofya Oshchepkova, DO

Medical School: Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine – New York

Professional Interests: Emergency Psychiatry, Inpatient Psychiatry

Favorite Thing About the Program: Supportive Faculty

Favorite TV Character: Lori Greiner

Larayeb Wazir, MD

Medical School: Army Medical College, National University of Medical Sciences.

Professional Interests: Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Consultation-Liaison and ECT

Favorite Thing About the Program: Approachability of the teaching staff and the collegial work environment.

Favorite TV Character: Troy and Abed (Community)

Michael Goldberg, DO

Medical School: West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine

Professional Interests: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Forensic Psychiatry

Favorite Thing About the Program: Approachability of attendings and receptiveness to feedback

Favorite TV Character: Tony Soprano

Inbal Raz, MD

Medical School: Ben-Gurion University Medical School, Beer-Sheva, Israel

Professional interests: Child and adolescent psychiatry, perinatal psychiatry, addiction psychiatry, psychiatric psychotherapy.

Favorite thing about the program: Our attendings are great clinicians who are excellent teachers, and the atmosphere is very transparent.

Favorite TV character: Ted Lasso

Ghaneb Javed, DO

Medical School: Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine – Middletown, New York

Professional interests: I enjoy all facets of psychiatry and have an interest in child and adolescent as well as addiction psychiatry. My interest in psychiatry is rooted in working with underserved populations as a mix of inpatient and outpatient work.

Favorite thing about the program: My favorite thing about the program is how much autonomy we have. Residents and faculty are always available to support us in our decision making to help guide us.

Favorite TV character: Hitch

Ariel Jacob, DO

Medical School: TouroCOM

Professional Interests: Education, Animation, and Child Psychiatry

Favorite Thing about the Program: There is always a positive, happy, atmosphere during our get togethers

Favorite TV Character: Peter Griffin

Keisuke Yamamoto, DO

Medical School: Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine – Harlem

Professional Interests: Addiction psychiatry, Neuromodulation

Favorite Thing About the Program: I like that the program has been receptive to changes thus far to start the year

Favorite TV Character: John Michael Dorian

Aiza Zeerak, MD

Medical School: Quaid-e-azam Medical University

Professional Interests: Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry

Favorite Thing About the Program: I like the availability of the faculty and at the same time the right amount of autonomy we have.  So far it has been great being part of the psych residency family.

Favorite TV Character: Harvey Specter

Jayani Patel, MD

Medical School: GMERS Medical College Sola, Ahmedabad

Professional Interests: Combine the clinical knowledge gained during residency with the public health approach of analyzing health through the lens of epidemiology & social determinants to form holistic treatment plans for my patients, and raise awareness about mental health globally.

Favorite Thing About the Program: Warm and friendly faculty and co-residents.

Favorite TV Character: Dr. Cuddy from House MD – an iconic figure of female leadership

PGY-1 Residents

Manvir S. Kehal, DO

Medical School: Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine- Harlem 

Professional Interests: I’m interested in both Child & Adolescent Psychiatry and Interventional Psychiatry. I’m drawn to interventional approaches like ketamine, TMS, and ECT. 

Favorite Thing About the Program: The People! During my 4th yr audition rotation at St. Clare’s, I immediately felt welcomed by both residents and attendings. I was especially impressed by how senior residents organized retreats to the jersey shore and ice cream socials, reflecting the program’s strong commitment to creating a fun, supportive, and close-knit environment.  

Favorite TV Character: Joey from Friends 

Daniel Taylor, DO

Hi, my name is Dan Taylor. I’m from Northeast Philadelphia and a graduate of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.

The NYMC-St. Mary’s & St. Clare’s Psychiatry Residency Program offers a wealth of opportunities in the beautiful region of North Jersey.

From leadership to colleagues, the culture here is warm and collaborative – a great place to call home for any newly budding psychiatrist. Go Birds!

Favorite TV character: John Dutton

Natasha Gill, MD

Medical School: Government Medical College, Patiala

Professional Interests: Consult liaison psychiatry, Child adolescent psychiatry

Favorite Thing About the Program: Supportive co-residents and faculty, strong mentorship

Favorite TV Character: Emily Gilmore

Fatima Khan, DO

Medical School: Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine – Harlem

Professional Interests: Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Perinatal Psychiatry, CL & ECT

Favorite Thing About the Program: The approachable and supportive atmosphere created by the attendings, coresidents, and other wonderful members of the program

Favorite TV Character: Sokka from Avatar the Last Airbender

Angela Matos, MD

Medical School: Iberoamerican Medical School, Dominican Republic (UNIBE)

Professional Interests: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Geriatric Psychiatry

Favorite Thing About the Program: Kind, caring and supportive program leadership and co-residents.

Favorite Hobbies: cuddling with my newborn, volleyball, leisurely reading, movies, cooking/dining/eating, jigsaw puzzles, nail art, flowers/nature

Jahnavi Poothalpet, MD

Medical School: Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, India

Professional Interests: General psychiatry, 
Addiction psychiatry, Forensic psychiatry

Favorite Thing About the Program: Definitely the people!

Favorite Hobbies: Phil Dunphy

Garima Yadav, MD

I am an International Medical Graduate with a medical degree from B.M.C.H, India. Growing up in a military family allowed me to study in various cities, deepening my interest in mental health, particularly after witnessing PTSD in veterans. With experience in under-served communities, I collaborated on launching mental health clinics, which motivated me to pursue a global perspective on Psychiatry and a career in the USA. My areas of expertise include Psychotherapy, PTSD, and Child Psychiatry, and I actively contribute to diverse research projects. I aim to become a compassionate psychiatrist, prioritizing patient advocacy, research, and clinical education.
To relax, I dance, practice mindfulness and meditation for self-connection, and fully embrace life. You’ll often find me in a cozy corner, engrossed in a good book while savoring a hot cup of coffee during my leisure time.

Favorite Thing About the Program: Supportive program with strong faculty, great training, and excellent co-residents.

Nicholas Lozano, MD

Medical School: Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine

Professional Interests: Working in dual diagnosis and ultimately supervising a harm reduction center / safe consumption site

Favorite Thing About the Program: Everyone I’ve met at the program has been great! 

Cats or dogs: Cats.

Juliet Villegas, MD

Medical School: Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine – Harlem

Professional Interests: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Reproductive Psychiatry

Favorite Thing About the Program: The kind and supportive environment at this program truly stands out. The attendings and residents are all very approachable and willing to help. 

Favorite TV Character: Leslie Knope; Love her and her work. Also, I’ve been told by several people that my personality is similar to hers. 

Johnathan Hilbert, MD 

Medical School: UNC Chapel Hill School of Medicine 

Professional Interests: Psychotherapy, Addiction Psychiatry, Interventional Psychiatry

Favorite Thing About the Program: I’m impressed by the program’s supportive and collegial atmosphere. The teaching faculty work closely with residents to nurture intellectual curiosity and encourage compassionate care. It is abundantly clear that the program is fully invested in all of our success. 

Hobbies: Endurance sports, plant-based nutrition, home-improvement fiascos, shenanigans

Kyle Rich, MD 

Medical School: Drexel University College of Medicine

Professional Interests: Consultation Liaison, Inpatient

Favorite Thing About the Program: From the very first day, things felt natural here. The leadership and co-residents have been incredibly welcoming and approachable, and I feel very well supported. The program strikes a good balance by having interesting rotations already in place while still being new enough to allow for some flexibility. Most importantly, the psychiatry chiefs and administration truly care about residents’ input.

Hobbies: Cars/motorsports, and mixology (just not at the same time).

Favorite TV Character: Totoro

Ali Jafary, MD 

Professional Interests: Child/Adolescent Psychiatry, Forensic Psychiatry

Favorite Thing About the Program: supportive environment and faculty and a broad exposure to various facets of psychiatry

Favorite TV Character: Dennis Reynolds from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia

Chukwubueze Obiajunwa (Chibu), MD 

About Me: I was born and raised within a beautiful college campus in southwest Nigeria, the last of five kids to a pediatrician and a nuclear physicist. This early exposure to medicine and academia was a key influence in my decision to become a doctor. I attended medical school at the College of Health Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria, during which I knew for certain that I wanted to become a psychiatrist. I’m really interested in minority mental health, interventional psychiatry, and psychotherapy.

Favorite Thing About the Program: Everyone is so warm and supportive. It’s a great environment to nurture your professional interests.

Hobbies: DJing, hiking, group activities with friends

Favorite TV Show: It’s a toss-up between Please Like Me and The Leftovers.

List of Faculty

• Sarabjit Singh, MD
• Suzanne Melissa Lind, MD
• Domenick J Sportelli, DO
• Trevor Forbes, MD
• James Varrell, MD
• Suman Jalan, MD
• Michelle Thorpe, MD
• Michael Bell, MD
• Mehtab Khan, MD
• Padmavathy Kurra, MD
• Gaurav Vishnoi, MD
• Nwayieze Ndukwe, MD
• Michael Stewart, MD
• Infanta Stephen, MD
• Marcie Dover, MD

IV. Curriculum

The Psychiatry curriculum provides general care and subspecialty experience through lectures, conferences, and a mix of experience with primary and tertiary patients. This residency provides multiple didactic conferences to fulfill the recommendations of the ACGME. Our curriculum responds to the dynamic mental healthcare needs of patients and society. Here is an outlook of the 4 years of residency:

PGY-1: Inpatient Psychiatry = 6 months; Neurology = 2 months; Internal Medicine = 4 months

PGY-2: Subspecialties = Child and Adolescent, Psychiatric Emergency Services (PES), Addiction, Geriatrics, Forensics, Inpatient Psychiatry (PICU)

PGY-3: Outpatient Psychiatry

PGY-4: Wide array of Electives including but not limited to Administrative Psychiatry, Telehealth, Advocacy etc Research, Outpatient

V. Mentorship

We have an advisory and mentoring program headed by Dr. Singh, Dr. Sportelli and Dr. Lind. Every intern receives a program advisor and mentor to serve as his/her advocate. We meet monthly for wellness checks and discussions of the rotations. This faculty member will assist in your learning and development as a psychiatrist. The mentorship program nurtures both personal and professional growth. Its goal is to strike the ideal balance between clinical autonomy and structural learning for each resident.

VI. Committees

Active participation of residents in: wellness committee, peer review committee, quality assurance committee, clinical competency committee, and program evaluation committee.

VII. Frequently Asked Questions