Fellows
Kenneth Brill
- First Year Fellow
Hometown: Syracuse, NY
Medical School: NYU Grossman School of Medicine
Residency: NYU Grossman School of Medicine
What are your favorite things about the fellowship? "I love the focus on strong clinical training combined with academic inquiry and scholarly research work. I feel I will leave this program with all the skills to be a strong clinician and scientist. I also love how supportive my co-fellows are; I know if I need anything or have any question I’ll have everyone jumping to help. The faculty are all incredible teachers and treat us all as colleagues and equals."
What do you love about New York City? "I love how I can walk a few blocks in any direction and have a very different experience in each neighborhood. It’s also incredible to have access to so many museums, parks, theaters, and restaurants in one place while easily being able to get out of the city to travel both near and far. There’s always something new to do!"
What do you like to do outside of work? "Outside of work I like to read in the parks when the weather is nice or visit The Met for the thousandth time with my wife (we still haven't seen it all!). Also we love to spend time in nature, especially national parks. Most recently we visited Vatnajökull in Iceland!"
Rebecca Krakora
- First Year Fellow
Hometown: Scotch Plains, NJ
Medical School: Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Residency: Weill Cornell Medical Center
What are your favorite things about the fellowship? "My favorite things about the fellowship program are the people and the incredible training experience. My co-fellows are all extremely smart, hard working and clearly dedicated to their patients. As a new fellow, both the faculty and fellows have been unbelievably supportive and welcoming. And I know I am getting exceptional training here! The program offers broad clinical exposure in a high-volume center, taking care of the some of the sickest and most complicated patients in this part of the country. Our faculty are world experts in their field yet completely approachable and committed to fellow training and development. It's truly a privilege to train here."
What do you love about New York City? "New York City is an amazing place to live and work! The city has infinite things to do, things to eat and places to see! I love trying new restaurants, exploring different neighborhoods and meeting new people through sports and activities."
What do you like to do outside of work? "Outside of work you can find me on a run in Central Park, playing in my weeknight soccer league or hanging out a brewery in Brooklyn with friends."
Alexander Smith
- First Year Fellow
Hometown: Great Neck, NY
Medical School: Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell
Residency: Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell
What are your favorite things about the fellowship? "Our fellowship has the perfect combination of incredible clinical training and abundant opportunities to pursue any academic interest. There really is not a single disease entity, or treatment paradigm, in pulmonary and critical care medicine to which we are not exposed as fellows. We manage patients on ECMO, prior to and following lung transplantation, and while receiving the most cutting-edge therapies for interstitial lung disease, asthma, bronchiectasis, cystic lung disease, or pulmonary infections. In addition to treating patients who come from all parts of the world, we are lucky to treat a great community of patients that live in Washington Heights. I am particularly passionate about caring for the Hispanic and Latino communities who live near our hospital. Our division has leaders conducting research in every field imaginable, so the opportunities for scholarly work are endless. In particular, I hope to pursue a career in medical education, and we have several incredible educators in our division. Additionally, every faculty member and co-fellow that I have met is genuinely interested in my individual success."
What do you love about New York City? "I grew up in the New York City suburbs and have lived in the area for most of my life. I feel a very strong sense of community in New York, and it is a privilege to get to live so close to family and friends. I also feel that I could spend a lifetime exploring the city and still never run out of new restaurants, shows, parks, or museums to try."
What do you like to do outside of work? "When the weather is warm, my wife and I like to go to any beach or body of water that we can find. I love to see Broadway shows or sporting events in the area and to try new restaurants. I am also a big Star Wars fan."
Amy Zheng
- First Year Fellow
Hometown: Queens, NY
Medical School: Harvard Medical School
Residency: Massachusetts General Hospital
What are your favorite things about the fellowship? "The breadth and depth of pulmonary medicine and critical care that we see in the hospital - from transplant to interventional pulmonology to ECMO - has been so fascinating to observe and participate in and has been a great learning experience. My co-fellows are also one of my favorite aspects of fellowship so far - everyone has been so kind and willing to help."
What do you love about New York City? "The diversity of people, culture, and food!"
What do you like to do outside of work? "Trying out new restaurants, taking long walks around the city with a coffee in hand, getting dim sum with my family in Queens."
Dallas Argueso
- Second Year Fellow
Hometown: Elmhurst (Queens), New York
Medical School: University of Pennsylvania
Residency: University of Pennsylvania
What are your favorite things about the fellowship? "I've really enjoyed the breadth of pathology we see in the MICU and on consults. The attendings and fellows have been very supportive and helpful in the transition to the first year of fellowship. We get great procedural draining and have so many opportunities to learn from experts in the fields of pulmonology and critical care."
What do you love about New York City? "New York City feels like its own world. You can get to know your neighborhood well, but you will never run out of places to go or things to try. Days off can be spent exploring a new neighborhood, learning at a new museum, or seeing a show. Also, the food. There really is no better city for food. "
What do you like to do outside of work? " I enjoy working out, walking around my neighborhood, exploring New York City, and seeing my friends and family in the area. I also enjoy cooking when I feel motivated feeling motivated. My wife and I have a cat we take pictures of/with nearly every day."
Mikiyas Desta
- Second Year Fellow
Hometown: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Medical School: University of Kentucky
Residency: NYP/Weill Cornell
What are your favorite things about the fellowship? "My favorite thing is working with and getting to learn from leaders in the field of transplant pulmonology, ILD, asthma and cystic fibrosis, and many others. We have great procedural training as well. And on top of all of that the very supportive and friendly culture makes everything enjoyable."
What do you love about New York City? "My favorite thing about the city is probably the food - it’s impossible to get bored! I enjoy going to NBA games and exploring different breweries. The city just has so much to offer and almost every neighborhood is easily accessible with public transportation. Just so many things I could go on and on about."
What do you like to do outside of work? "I love watching sports and staying active. I’m a big Chelsea soccer fan. I enjoy trying new restaurants."
Mary Raddawi
- Second Year Fellow
Medical School: Columbia University
Residency: Massachusetts General Hospital
What are your favorite things about the fellowship? "The people and the wide range of experiences we get in pulmonary/critical care medicine. The pulmonary department here is truly special. Each attending I have worked with thus far takes a strong interest not only in my learning, but in my wellness. I feel very supported by the faculty and by my co-fellows. Secondly, the breadth of experiences we get in this fellowship is fantastic. We get strong procedural training and exposure to the full range of pulmonary medicine, from ILD to lung transplant to CF. We also get the opportunity to teach and work with residents in the ICU and step-down unit, which has been incredibly fun."
What do you love about New York City? "I love everything about this city! There is so much to do. We have access to every type of show, concert, and restaurant. I also love having access to Central Park for picnics and bike rides. And because NYC is such an epicenter for travel, I have also had the chance to see friends from all walks of life – so many people are constantly passing through the city."
What do you like to do outside of work? "I love spending time with friends and my family exploring restaurants and museums in New York. I am a huge foodie and love to explore every type of cuisine the city has to offer. I also love riding my bike around the city and around central park."
Daniel Yee
- Second Year Fellow
Hometown: Davis, California
Medical School: New York Medical College
Residency: Brown University
What are your favorite things about the fellowship? "The people and opportunities here are incredible! I love hanging out with my co-fellows, and everyone is so supportive. There are innumerable research opportunities, and our clinical and procedural training is top notch - it's the best of both worlds."
What do you love about New York City? "There is always something to do here, and the diversity and pathology of patients is amazing. It's a great place to live and train!"
What do you like to do outside of work? "My wife and I enjoy taking our Chihuahua-German shepherd mix on long walks and are trying new restaurants all the time. And when we feel like getting away, there's a lot of nearby hikes and beaches in Long Island and New Jersey to venture out to."
Quincy Brown
- Third Year Fellow
Hometown: New Rochelle, NY
Medical School: Albany Medical College
Residency: Brown University
What are your favorite things about the fellowship? "My favorite thing is the culture. Fellows uplift one another and are super supportive and willing to help out whenever someone is in need. The same goes for our faculty who treat us as equals and all demand we call them by their first names!"
What do you love about New York City? "Where do I start!? It’s truly a mix of a bunch of smaller neighborhoods and communities, each with their own vibe, and each rich in history and culture. It's easy to navigate and very ’walkable’ which makes it easy to access and transition between these neighborhoods. It offers an endless amount of opportunities and activities to learn, grow, play, relax. For a city that’s known for its hustle and bustle, it is underrated in the opportunities it offers for a more calm, easy-going lifestyle."
What do you like to do outside of work? "I like to stay active with a mix of running, CrossFit, and flag football. I’m always down for a drink with friends. And I will never say no to checking out a good museum!"
Kevin Guzman
- Third Year Fellow
Hometown: Vancouver, WA
Medical School: UCLA
Residency: UCSF
What are your favorite things about the fellowship? "My co-fellows and the faculty. Everyone is so kind and willing to help. Even though we are busy, it always feels that people are willing to talk through difficulty situations or help out with procedures."
What do you love about New York City? "There is always something to do. From the long walks exploring the city to the last-minute tickets to concerts, it has been a blast living in the city."
What do you like to do outside of work? "I like to run and cycle outside (or inside if it is too cold). My partner and I frequently like playing board games with friends and spending time with family in NYC and Connecticut."
Ansa Razzaq
- Third Year Fellow
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
Medical School: SUNY Downstate
Residency: CUIMC
Joseph Westrich
- Third Year Fellow
Hometown: St. Louis, MO
Medical School: Loyola University - Chicago
Residency: University of Chicago
What are your favorite things about the fellowship? "My favorite aspects of fellowship are the people. The camaraderie amongst the fellows has been crucial for my clinical and procedural training. Similarly, the faculty are always willing to teach and prioritize our learning, while also fostering our research interests. Additionally, training in New York ensures a broad range of pathology and diversity in patient care. Overall, the program provides broad clinical, procedural, and research training with diverse exposure to many sub-specialties within pulmonary and critical care."
What do you love about New York City? "I enjoy the energy of New York City and the wide range of things to do in the city. There is no better restaurant and bar scene in the world, the public transport is second to none, and each neighborhood has its own history and unique culture to explore. Getting to spend my weekends in the NYC has been one of the best aspects of fellowship thus far!"
What do you like to do outside of work? "Outside of work, I enjoy trying new restaurants and wine bars, and spending time with friends and family. There are also many great wine shops in the city, which are fun to explore, purchase wine, and try new wine varietals. I also love Central Park, and working at a fellowship in the city means that I can live right off Central Park and experience all that it has to offer."
Richard Greendyk
- Fourth Year Research Fellow
Hometown: West Milford, NJ
Medical School: Northwestern University
Residency: CUIMC
What are your favorite things about the fellowship? "There are so many things to love! The clinical exposure is unparalleled, and we all value the balance of critical care exposure (with a phenomenal team of critical care specialists coupled with ECMO experience and a robust critical care procedural curriculum) along with the depth of opportunities in pulmonary medicine. The importance of working with Lung Transplant and Interventional Pulmonologists cannot be overstated! The patient population at Columbia is incredibly diverse, and this carries through from the ICUs to consult services to our own fellows' clinics. The faculty are amazing mentors and teachers. My co-fellows have become like family. As I've transitioned into the third and fourth year of fellowship, it's also been really amazing to see the amount of support and guidance from faculty and program leadership in navigating the research and investigation space."
What do you love about New York City? "There's something for everyone. This is definitely a runner's city, and Central Park is only the beginning of the running options. The restaurant scene is so good."
What do you like to do outside of work? "Running in Fort Tryon Park or along the Hudson River Greenway, trying new restaurants, and hanging out with my co-fellows."
Scarlett Murphy
- Fourth Year Research Fellow
Medical School: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Residency: NYU
Jesse Ross
- Fourth Year Research Fellow
Medical School: University of Alabama, Birmingham
Residency: University of California, Los Angeles
