The SIUH Faculty
Irina Aleshinskaya, DO
Assistant Residency Director
New York College of Osteopathic Medicine
Newark Beth Israel Medical Center
Spending time with family and friends, making memories with my kids
Medical education, emergency medicine, critical care, wellness
of the people that work here. Everyone takes pride in their work and does their best to take care of the community.
Paul Barbara, MD FACEP FAEMS
Director of EMS
St. George's University School of Medicine
The Brooklyn Hospital Center
Northwell Health / FDNY Emergency Medical Services
Cardiac arrest, inter-facility transports, fires and smoke inhalation, shock / airway, resource limited environments, environmental injuries, fishhooks, tasers and ring removal
Coaching hockey, building dance competition props, traveling, movie references, cross country running and driving my lawn tractor ... maybe the occasional softball game.
I work in my hometown with friends at the best hospital in the city.
Joe Basile, MD MBA FACEP
Emergency Department Chair
New York Medical College
SUNY Downstate / Kings County Hospital
Administration at SIUH
Spending time with family, Football, Golf
Change Management, ED Operations, Performance Improvement
We have the best team and I love working in the community where I was born and raised.
Akash Bhatnagar, MD
Director of ED Off-Service Rotation
University of Utah Medical School
Mount Sinai Beth Israel
I moved to NY from Utah. When I'm not in the ED teaching residents, I enjoy spending time with my 2 kids and wife, challenging residents to Call of Duty, and eating Taco Bell.
Emily Bokser, MD
Director of Patient Experience
SUNY Downstate Medical School
Staten Island University Hospital Emergency Medicine
Spending time with my family, traveling, hiking, and cooking
Patient Experience and Education
of the dedicated and supportive team that make the department truly amazing. Our department is continuously striving to improve and willing to adapt to any situation.
Dafina Cahani, MD
CUNY Sophie Davis/ New York Medical College
SIUH
When I’m not working, you can find me spending time with my family, getting my step-count in, or traveling to new countries and exploring their culture- ideally 2-3 new countries a year!
It feels like home. I’ve been here for over 6 years now and not once did I “dread” coming into work. We really have a great team- some of the smartest physicians with the purest hearts.
William Caputo, MD RDMS FACEP
Residency Program Director, Associate Chair of the Emergency Department
SUNY Downstate
SUNY Downstate
Spending time with my wife and 3 children, Vacationing in the sun, NFL football, Fantasy Football, Peloton and Competition
Education, Critical Care, Ultrasound, Professional Development and mentoring, Medical Student talent scouting
everyone here is a family and the department is very open to making changes to make this a better place for us and our patients. I love taking care of the community I grew up with.
Jerel Chacko, MD MBA FACEP
Chief Medical Informatics Officer Clinical Operations
New Jersey Medical School
SIUH
EM Administration, Staten Island University Hospital
Technology, video games
Data analytics and visualization, informatics
Diversity in practice environments between North and Prince’s Bay, good teamwork and leadership at both sites
Teresa Choe, MD
John A. Burns School of Medicine (University of Hawai'i)
SIUH
I love my dog, trolling my husband, traveling the world, karaoke, and beer.
The education/training here is phenomenal and you work with an unbeatable team in the ED. This place made me into the physician I am today and I hope to add to the legacy of SIUH.
Eric Cioe Peña, MD MPH
Director of Global Health
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Kings County
Global Emergency Medicine with MPH, Columbia University
Photography, travel, Spoken word.
Technology and task-shifting to bridge global health equity gaps and expand health access. Running kick-ass global health programs at Northwell.
Lots of acuity with a strong group of faculty, amazing administration and teamwork.
Candice Cruz, MD
University of Michigan
Mount Sinai Hospital
Cooking, exercise, spending time with my family
Wellness, Diversity
I love the people I work with and the community we serve.
Shamyla Farrukh, MD
CUNY Sophie Davis/Dartmouth Medical School
Cohens Children’s Medical Center of NY
Newark Beth Israel Medical Center
Cooking, Frisbee
Education
We are a great ED work family. No matter what is going on in the ED, you know you can go to anyone for help; the nurses, attending, and residents all come together to care of the patient and care of each other. There’s no feeling of hierarchy where you can’t approach someone. We’re all in the trenches together.
Brendan Freeman, DO
Education Fellow, Candidate for Graduation 2025
Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine - California
NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist
SIUH!
Theatre, piano, improv, playing sports badly but enthusiastically
Medical education, emergency medicine wellness
We have strong faculty, world-class residency leadership supportive of various educational endeavors, and an excellent/engaging clinical environment.
Yvonne Giunta, MD
Director of Pediatric Emergency Medicine
St Georges Univ School of Medicine
Downstate/Kings County, Pediatric Residency
Cohen Children's Medical Center, Pediatric Emergency Medicine
Spending time with family, going to the beach, gardening, cooking, running, spinning, Pilates, barre, yoga
Education
I have worked at SIUH since 2002 and what keeps me here are the people. I have seen the ED evolve over the years, but the one constant has been the outstanding group of colleagues we work with. Through my training I have worked at many hospitals, but nothing compares to the dedication of our staff at SIUH, specifically in the ED.
Josh Greenstein, MD
Assistant Medical Director, Associate Research Director
Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University
SIUH
Ultrasound, SIUH
Yankees, cycling
Ultrasound, research, wellness
We have a fantastic group of individuals who always work together as a team.
Barry Hahn, MD
Director of Research
SUNY Downstate
Kings County
Spending time with my wife and kids, photography, travel
Research!
We are one big happy family
Shorok Hassan, DO
Assistant Residency Director
Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine
SIUH
On my free time, bedsides spending time with my big family, I love drawing/the arts, cooking (and eating), and playing the keyboard, as well as running, rollerblading, and playing most sports. I also love to travel whenever I get the chance; immersing myself in different cultures and trying all the wonderful foods they have to offer! My secret lifelong goal is to find the absolute best steak in the world, starting with NYC!
Education and taking things to a creative level Designing presentations and lecturing at both a local, regional, and national level Mentoring Being part and contributing to the "Women in Medicine Committee" Critical Care Overall, to take part in an academic environment where I can educate and help residents and medical students grow into influential physicians is something I am truly passionate about.
SIUH continues to be the cornerstone of my professional growth. I went from a SIUH volunteer, to rotating medical student, to resident, to attending, to director of medical students, and to now my current role as assistant residency director. The environment here allows each staff member to perform at their best and fulfill their potential. More than this, SIUH is nothing short of a big family looking to serve the community and has truly been a second home for me.
Abbas Husain, MD FACEP
Associate Residency Director, Medical Education Fellowship Director
Drexel University College of Medicine
Drexel University
Traveling Abroad, Numismatics, Exploring Brooklyn
Digital Scholarship and Social Media in Medical education, Balancing operations and education in academic emergency departments
we have a supportive family environment with passionate educators
James F. Kenny, MD MBA FACEP
Associate Chair
City College of New York
New York Medical College
Hunting, fishing, long range shooting, hiking, mixed martial arts, gardening, classical music, and hosting traditional Sunday dinner.
Improving physician engagement in order to improve awareness of the excellent and far reaching clinical care we delivery at SIUH and Northwell. Development of future physician leaders via our Fellowship in Emergency Medicine Management and Administration. Developing ED team competency. ED airway management.
It allows me to provide a leadership role in providing the finest quality and customer friendly emergency care to my family, friends, and neighbors.
James F. Kenny Jr, MD
Director of Quality
Albany Medical College
Northwestern
Spending time with family, watching baseball, hiking, cooking
Quality, PI, Clinical Operations, Geriatrics
It is rewarding to take care of the community I grew up in.
Rodrigo Kong, MD
Director of Patient Safety Institute
SUNY Downstate
SUNY Downstate
Spending time with my family, Japanese Koryu, Travel
Resuscitation, Medical Education, Simulation
At SIUH we have a fantastic team committed to clinical, educational, and administrative excellence. It's a great place to work and to continue to grow.
Danielle Langan, DO
NYIT-COM
SIUH
Twinning and hanging out with my sibling, going to concerts, and trying new restaurants.
Medical education, critical care, podcasting, lecture development
Once a Staten Islander, always a Staten Islander. I never thought I would be able to give back to the community I was raised in, but having the opportunity to has been nothing short of amazing. I am surrounded by the most incredible colleagues who constantly inspire me to be better person and physician every day.
Eric Levy, DO
ED Director of Simulation
New York College of Osteopathic Medicine
Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital
Spending time with my wife and kids, the stock market, baseball, piano, creative writing.
Simulation, Resident/Medical Student Education, Critical Care
The camaraderie and teamwork at this hospital is unmatched. We function seamlessly as a team and the education here is also top-notch. I could not have asked for a better group of people to call my colleagues.
Ida Li, MD
Temple University SOM
SIUH
Hiking, netflix-ing, video games, rock climbing, and I guess parenting my new babies
I like working at SIUH because it's made me the doctor I am today. Joining the ranks of the awesome attending that have trained me and having the chance to shape the new residents is such a privilege. Having such a great team and environment to work in is so huge, and I knew I couldn't leave after residency!
Nima Majlesi, DO
Director of Toxicology
University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Morristown Medical Center
North Shore University
Golf, NFL, soccer, my puppy, my kids, beach
all drug use disorders, all toxicology related issues, Medication safety
we have a great team of physicians
Amin Mohamadi, MD, MPH
Associate Director of Research
Tehran University in Iran.
Metropolitan/Harlem EM Residency Program, New York Medical College
Norman Ng, DO MBA
Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine
SIUH
Elzbieta Pilat, MD
SUNY Downstate
SUNY Downstate
Resident education
I love art history, archeology and zoology. One of my favorite things in life is traveling with my husband and spending time in a company of good friends.
The best asset of SIUH are people I work with , great friends one can always rely on and have fun with.
Charlotte Reich, MD FACEP
Rutgers (formerly UMDNJ)-New Jersey Medical School
SUNY Downstate/Kings County Hospital Center
Surfing, travel, spoiling my nephews
Interfacility transfers
We have and excellent group of doctors and PAs. Our department leadership is strong, and the residency isn't too bad either.
Elaine Rodriguez, MD MPH
Director of Community Outreach
State University of New York at Upstate Medical Center
Jacobi/Montefiore Medical Center
baking, brunch, time with my family, and traveling
Medical Education, Critical Care, Diversity and Inclusion, and LGBTQIA+ medical care
At SIUH, I have been fortunate to have the support of my peers and colleagues. In addition, I have been granted the opportunity to focus on my passion for DEI and Community Outreach within Staten Island.
Carly Rosen, MD
Administrative Fellow
University of Maryland
Mount Sinai Morningside-West
Simone Rudnin, DO
Director of Medical Student Education and Co-Director of Emergency Medicine Ultrasound
Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine- Harlem
SIUH
Ultrasound, SIUH
Working out (Peleton), cooking, traveling, spending time with family and friends
Medical education, ultrasound, critical care, mentorship
Every time I come to work, it feels like I'm coming home. There is a sense of family and comradery that is unique to SIUH.
Lea Salazar, MD
Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
NYP-Queens
NYP-Queens, ultrasound
spending time with family and friends and my pup, singing karaoke, many things BravoTV, trying eggs benedicts, beach vacations, Disney fan
Emergency Ultrasound, physician wellness
the camaraderie amongst the physicians and staff. I also feel supported by the ED administration which can help me support other physicians, residents, PAs and staff. SIUH has a diverse patient population that presents many interesting cases of varying acuity.
Anand Swaminathan, MD MPH
Medical Education Fellowship Director
UMDNJ-NJMS (now Rutgers-NJMS)
Bellevue/NYU EM Residency
Running, Baking Bread, Bourbon When not working I'm either running or taking a kid (Matt 14, Maya 11 and Luke 7) to some sports or music practice.
Medical Education, Resuscitation, Knowledge Translation. I am the managing editor and host for EM: RAP as well as an associate editor for REBEL EM and REBELCast and a regular contributor to the EM Cases Quick Hits podcast. I am a big believer in the FOAMed movement and breaking down barriers to accessing the best information to care for our patients.
Because the residents, Docs, nurses and PAs are amazing!
Arsalan Shawl, DO
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
St. Joseph's University Medical Center
EM Administration - Staten Island University Hospital
Spending time with family, basketball, jet skiing, snowboarding, snorkeling, traveling, desserts
Bedside teaching, chaos control, procedural excellence, anything to help my colleagues
It is a great place to learn and hone your skills. Everyone has each other's back. The ED culture is unmatched.
Amanda Smith, MD
SUNY Downstate
SUNY Downstate/Kings County Hospital Center
TBD
TBD
Maria Tama, MD
Co-Director of Emergency Medicine Ultrasound
Ross University SOM
Staten Island Univ Hospital Northwell - Peds
Ultrasound - SIUH & Pediatric Emergency Medicine- Jacobi Medical Center Bronx, NY
Spending time with my family, day trips, and being outdoors.
POCUS, Resident education
I always knew I would come back to work at SIUH after my fellowship. It has turned into my second home; a place where many mentors have become friends. This ED is such a special place and I cannot imagine being anywhere else.
Anna Van Tuyl, MD
Director of Emergency Critical Care and Associate Chair of the Emergency Department
SUNY Downstate
North Shore-Manhasset
My favorite hobby is spending time with my son, having adventures and getting ourselves in good trouble. I also enjoy running (whenever I can find the time) and have completed a few half-marathons. Whenever possible, I like to get away and go scuba diving. My last dive was a wreck dive and I can’t wait for my next trip.
My passion is EM critical care.
The people! We have the most supportive and collegial staff that makes me excited to come to work.
Tucker Woods, DO
Associate Chair of the Emergency Department
Nova Southeastern University (Florida)
St. Barnabas Hospital (Bronx, NY)
Addiction Medicine
Traveling, hanging out with friends, beekeeping, spending time with family
Anything related to addiction medicine, LGBTQ+ healthcare, quality improvement, ED administration
It’s obvious from day 1 that the team here is amazing. The fact that there are physicians that have been here for 10 or even 20 years really speaks volume about this Department.