Daniel Baghdasarian, M.D.
MD: Albert Einstein College
BS: University of California, Los Angeles
Japot Bal, M.D.
MD: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
BA: Wesleyan University
Ravi Desai, M.D.
MD: University of California, San Francisco
BA: Johns Hopkins
Montefiore stood out to me for the opportunity to care for the diverse and vibrant community of the Bronx, the high volume and acuity of cases, and exposure to the full breadth of specialties within OB/GYN. The cohesiveness and sense of mission among the residents and faculty made it clear that this is a place where I can become a compassionate physician ready for any challenge that comes my way. I also appreciated the ability to practice at multiple sites within the Bronx, which gives you exposure to community, academic and NYC public health systems. Lastly, the focus on social medicine brings you closer to the community that you serve through an emphasis on advocacy. I am grateful to be training among such a talented group of changemakers.
Taylor Douglas, M.D., M.S.
MD: University of North Carolina
MS: Wake Forest University
BA: Duke University
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Kelsea Grant, M.D., M.S.
MD: Florida International University
MS: Drexel University
BA: University of Florida, Gainesville
Lauren Jacobowitz, M.D., M.P.H.
MD: NYU
MPH: Dartmouth
BS: Cornell, Ithaca
Chloe Nicolaisen, M.D.
MD: University of California, San Francisco
BA: Stanford University
Savannah Pearson Ayala, M.D.
MD: New York University
BA: University of Arizona
Montefiore stood out to me on the interview trail as a truly mission driven institution. Although the diversity, acuity, and volume of cases at Montefiore reassured me that I would become a confident and competent OB/GYN no matter my chosen area of practice, what really drew me to Monte is its commitment to providing evidence-based medicine to the historically misrepresented residents of the Bronx. At every level of the program, the emphasis on advocacy, from the Social OB/GYN track, to the family planning training, the patient-centered research, creates a culture of social awareness among the residents, fellows, and attendings. I am so thankful to have the opportunity to learn and grow with the support of these dedicated, community-minded surgeons, especially my intern class!
Ruchita Pendse, M.D.
MD: Stanford University
BA: University of Pennsylvania
Pournami Rajeev, M.D.
MD: NYU
BA: University of California, Los Angeles
Dana Robertson, M.D.
MD: Emory University
BA: Washington University, St. Louis
I honestly never thought that the cliche that I would get "that feeling" when I interviewed at the program for me would ring true but there is no doubt that I felt it during my interview. In the throes of interview season, I dreaded waking up early for this interview only to find myself surprised at how easily engaged I was from the very beginning. What struck me most about my interview day was the strong sense of shared values that I felt. The consistent commitment to the underserved patients of the Bronx and beyond as well as the program’s strong advocacy focus were exactly what I was looking for in my residency training. I knew that this was a place that was about action and not just talk, and I could tell I would be well supported as I continued on my journey to do the same.
Arjun Sarkar, M.D.
MD: Northwestern University
BS: University of California, Los Angeles
It was important to me that the place I train at had a purpose beyond churning out doctors. Montefiore serves the people of the Bronx. And despite all of the challenges and inconveniences that come with that, I could tell even from my interview day that each person I talked with felt like they were part of a larger mission. Somewhat hand-in-hand with that, because of the myriad barriers our patients face in their everyday lives, I could see that this residency would give me skills I can be confident in regardless of what situations I face later in my career.
Esther Wu, M.D.
MD: Brown University
BA: Dartmouth
During my interview day, I felt such a strong sense of community from the current residents and faculty--something that I knew I would need to thrive a residency program. That, coupled with the complex and diverse patient population, lead me to believe that I would leave incredibly well-trained and confident in my ability to take on the whole gamut of obstetrical and gynecological pathologies.
