Chief Residents Firm 1 Chief Resident - Matt Atienza : Matt was born in Amarillo, Texas, where his dad was working for the local VA. He grew up in Suffolk, Virginia, a rural area of the Tidewater region, with his parents and two younger sisters. In his free time, he enjoys reading, playing and watching soccer, walking around the city, and spending time with his wonderful partner, Caitie, and their two cats, Beans and Socks. He studied English and Biology at the University of Virginia before earning his medical degree at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. He was drawn to Montefiore because of its excellent clinical training and role in caring for the underserved populations of the Bronx. As chief, he is excited to give back to the program and improve the experiences of the interns and residents. He is planning to complete a fellowship in cardiology after his chief year. Firm 2 Chief Resident - Christina Tsai : Christina was born and raised in sunny Los Angeles, CA. She then switched coasts for Yale where she majored in Ethnicity, Race, & Migration. She first came to New York after college, working as a medical assistant for two years before going to medical school at Dartmouth. While the hiking and slopes were restorative, she missed the diversity of city life and wanted to train in a culture that got creative in caring for an underserved population, drawing her to Montefiore. She is interested in medical education and gastroenterology, and hopes to provide support for the chaos that work/life balance can be during residency. In her free time, she likes to hang out with friends, wander around art exhibits, and explore the always-changing NYC restaurant scene. Firm 3 Chief Resident Alexander Spring: Alex is a native New Yorker born and raised in Manhattan. He completed his undergraduate degree at Tufts University where he graduated cum laude with a B.S. in Cognitive and Brain Sciences. After his four years outside of the state he returned and attended the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. As a city boy who attended NYC public school, and as a third-generation physician who’s grandfather and great-grandfather both worked in the Bronx, Montefiore was the perfect fit. He is currently applying to cardiology fellowship and is interested in a career in academic heart failure and medical leadership. Outside of the hospital you can find Alex running in central park, at a dinner with friends, cooking an original recipe, or at a late-night electronic music concert (or even DJing one of his own). Most of all he is excited to be the Firm 3 chief this year #Firm3BestFirm. PC/SIM Chief Resident - Sejal Shah : Sejal was born and raised in Queens, NY. She graduated from Cornell University with a B.S. in Biological Sciences and minors in Global Health and Business, worked at Weill Cornell Medicine for two years developing global/public health curricula for medical students, and then earned her M.D. from SUNY Downstate Medical Center. Montefiore PC/SIM was the right program for her, combining strong medical training with a supportive community that works to understand healthcare and the systems at play with a critical lens. After her chief year, Sejal is interested in pursuing a career in GIM/primary care with a focus on medical education and curriculum development. In her free time, she enjoys listening to podcasts, gardening, exploring NYC's restaurant and art scene, and traveling with friends and family. Ambulatory Chief Resident - Hillary Weisleder : Hillary was born and raised in Toronto, Canada. She completed a BSc in anatomy and cell biology at McGill University followed by a graduate diploma in clinical research. She obtained her MD at New York Medical College, and chose to continue her training at Montefiore for its wide breadth of clinical pathology and underserved patient population. As ambulatory chief, she is excited to foster her passion for teaching and support the collaborative and warm resident community that makes Montefiore so special. In her free time, Hillary enjoys trying new restaurants in NYC, and walks with her mini-Australian Shepherd named Simba. Following residency, she is interested in pursuing a career in rheumatology.
