Hematology & Oncology

Program Details
Division Chief	Moro Salifu, MD, Acting
Program Director	Carol Luhrs, MD
Address	450 Clarkson Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11203
Telephone	718 613-8678
Number of First year Fellows	4–5 per year. Total 14
Number of Faculty MD & PhD	10 Clinical and 1 Research
Hospitals Fellows Rotate to	Kings County Hospital Center; University Hospital at Downstate; Brooklyn campus of VA-New York Harbor Healthcare System
Sample Schedule of Assignment	PGY 4: 5 months each of Clinical Hematology and Clinical Medical Oncology; Continuity clinic PGY 5: 5 months each of Clinical Hematology and Oncology, One month of Research elective and 2 week rotation in multiple myeloma at MSKCC; Continuity clinic PGY 6: One month Stem Cell Transplant at MSKCC; One month each of Clinical Hematology and Clinical Medical Oncology; 8 months of Research in Clinical or Basic Science; Continuity clinic
Research Interests of The Division	Health Disparities and Clinical Research in Breast Cancer, Adult T Cell Leukemia and Lymphoma, plasma cell neoplasm, diffuse large b cell lymphoma and multiple primary malignant tumors.
Conference Schedule	Weekly clinical Grand Rounds (2 hours); Weekly Multidisciplinary Tumor Boards; Weekly Journal Club alternating with Board Review; Weekly Hematopathology Conference; Weekly Morning conferences with topics on Patient Safety, Case of the Month and FDA Updates.
Description of the Educational Aspects and Advantages of the Program	The program has both clinical and research strengths. The diversity of the patient population in the three hospitals provides an exceptional clinical experience which covers a broad spectrum of diseases encountered in inner city, minority, medically underserved and immigrant populations together with the usual hematologic and malignant disorders seen in adults. Extensive ambulatory care training is provided in the outpatient clinics which include general hematology, general medical oncology, and specialized clinics for breast cancer and hematologic malignancies. Each institution has a special chemotherapy unit staffed by specially trained oncology nurses. This clinical program is augmented with weekly conferences in hematology and medical oncology, multidisciplinary conferences with radiology, surgery, radiation oncology and pathology. Histology reviews of all cases are held weekly and led by a member of the Department of Pathology. The fellows are encouraged to participate in on-going clinical studies with a faculty mentor.
Application Information	The program participates in the National Resident Matching Program.
Time frame for Interviews	September-October of year preceeding start of fellowship. Board eligibility for American Board of Internal Medicine required.
Contact	Ms. Lois Cooper
Address	SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University MSC 20 Room B5-495 450 Clarkson Avenue Brooklyn N.Y. 11203
Telephone	718 613-8678
Fax	718 270-1578
Email	lois.cooper@downstate.edu

Current Fellows

Zakaria Alameddine, MD

Undergraduate School: Lebanese University Faculty of Medical Science

Medical School: Lebanese University Faculty of Medical Science

Residency: Staten Island University Hospital

Why did I choose Suny Downstate for Fellowship? I chose to pursue a Hematology & Oncology fellowship at SUNY Downstate because of its strong emphasis on serving a diverse patient population, its renowned faculty, and its commitment to cutting-edge research. SUNY Downstate's focus on providing comprehensive, compassionate care to underserved communities aligns with my passion for health equity. The opportunity to learn in a dynamic clinical environment, combined with the mentorship from leading experts in the field, makes it an ideal place to further my training and contribute meaningfully to patient outcomes and advancements in cancer and blood disorder treatments.

Hobbies: Table tennis.

Micha Gooden, MD

Undergraduate School: Stony Brook University, NY

Medical School: Jacobs School of Medicine, University of Buffalo, NY

Residency: SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University

Why did I choose Suny Downstate for Fellowship?

I chose Downstate because Brooklyn is home. I enjoy working with this unique patient population and wanted to give back to this community.

Hobbies:

Dancing, reading, exploring new cities.

Farish Maraikayar Mohamed Maraikayar, MD

Medical School: Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Center, Bangalore, India

Residency: SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY

Why did I choose Suny Downstate for Fellowship? I chose my fellowship program because of its strong clinical training, diverse patient population and a growing emphasis on research. The program offers exceptional mentorship and opportunities to collaborate impactful projects, especially underserved communities.

Hobbies: I enjoy playing volleyball, cricket. I also love spending some good quality time with my family and friends going out for movies and restaurants.

Parima Saxena, MD

Undergraduate School: Western University, Ontario, Canada

Medical School: St. Georges University, Grenada

Residency: SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY

Why did I choose Suny Downstate for Fellowship? Our program has a supportive environment that fosters professional and personal growth. I really love that Downstate is so close knit despite being at 3 different hospitals. The faculty are very dedicated to education and supporting the fellows.

Hobbies: Barry’s Bootcamp, wine tasting, and hanging out with my amazing co-fellows!

Imad Karam, MD

Undergraduate School: University of Balamand, Lebanon

Medical School: University of Balamand, Lebanon

Residency: St. Luke's Hospital, Chesterfield, Missouri

Why did I choose Suny Downstate for Fellowship?

It truly was a gut feeling that led me to choose the Suny Downstate Fellowship program. Looking back, I couldn't have been more right. The sense of belonging, the support and the growth I have experienced confirmed that my intuition had guided me to the perfect place to cultivate my aspirations and thrive as a physician.

Hobbies:

Cooking; Exploring diverse cuisines; hiking; swimming, traveling, and singing

Harshasree Seelam, MD

Undergraduate school: Manipal University

Medical School: American University of Antigua

Residency: Richmond University Medical Center

Why I chose SUNY Downstate for fellowship: Strong clinical program with emphasis on academics and dedicated faculty who are committed to teaching. We have the opportunity to work with a diverse patient population and rotate at multiple hospitals which offer their own unique experiences. I was also impressed by the camaraderie between the fellows and the supportive work environment.

Hobbies:

Long distance running, hiking, watching documentaries and cooking shows

Gaudy Vanegas, MD

Medical School: Universidad Americana (UAM)

Residency:

St. John's Episcopal Hospital

Why I chose SUNY Downstate for fellowship?

During my rotation at SUNY Downstate Medical Center, I found a fantastic opportunity that matches my career goals perfectly: pursuing a Hematology-Oncology Fellowship. What really stood out were the fellows' strong sense of ethics, their dedication to research, and their responsibility in patient care. But what truly impressed me was the commitment of the Attending Physicians, especially the Program Director. She not only teaches but also cares about ethics and humanity. In short, I found the opportunity I've been looking for, and I'm ready to make the most of it.

Hobbies: cooking

Armine Bagdasaryan, MD

Undergraduate School: University of Southern California

Medical School:

Yerevan State Medical University

Residency:

One Brooklyn Health, Brookdale Medical Center

Why I chose SUNY Downstate for fellowship?

SUNY Downstate, located in the heart of Brooklyn, serves a largely diverse patient population allowing us to serve a community from different corners of the world, exposing us to a spectrum of pathologies. However, it goes without saying that the main reason are the people… from the welcoming staff, to helpful faculty with impressive professional backgrounds, to our patients who grant us purpose for all we do.

Hobbies:

Learning art history, playing the piano and spending time with friends and family

Rachele Hamadi, MD

Undergraduate School:

Universite Saint Joseph

Medical School:

Universite Saint Joseph, Beirut, Lebanon

Residency:

Staten Island University Hospital

Why I chose SUNY Downstate for fellowship?

I am delighted to have chosen SUNY Downstate for my hematology/oncology fellowship, a decision driven by numerous compelling factors that align perfectly with my professional aspirations. The program's esteemed reputation in the field is a testament to its commitment to excellence and innovation, assuring me of the high-quality education and mentorship I will receive. The patient population's diversity, encompassing the VA, Kings County Hospital, and SUNY Downstate Hospital, will offer me exposure to a wide spectrum of cases. This exposure not only enriches my learning but also perfectly dovetails with my vision to integrate geriatric oncology into my future career. The program's location in the heart of New York City is the icing on the cake.

Hobbies: Rock climbing, hiking, pilates, yoga, reading, tennis

Junjing Guo, MD, PhD

Medical School: Harbin Medical University

Residency: SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University

Why I chose SUNY Downstate for fellowship? I had a great training experience here as a resident. Love the diverse physician and patient population; Having opportunities to provide medical care for historically underserved populations; Dedicated faculty committed to excellence of training and mentoring next generation oncologist; Constantly evolving to deliver cutting edge clinical management of neoplastic diseases to patients and high quality translational research experience at multiple centers; I believe that I will have all the support I need from our dedicated faculty, senior trainees and rapidly evolving program to achieve my career goals of excellence and leadership as a clinical and investigational oncologist.

Hobbies: Swimming, running, ice skating.

Leen Khoury, MD

Medical School: Tishreen University Faculty of Medicine

Residency: SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University

Why I chose SUNY Downstate for fellowship? During my residency at SUNY Downstate, I immediately recognized the strong commitment to teaching from the program director and Hematology/Oncology faculty. We are a high-volume center with rotation at multiple centers, including SUNY Downstate, Kings County Hospital, Brooklyn VA and Memorial Sloan Kettering Center (MSKCC). During my three-year fellowship, I will have the opportunity to work with outstanding faculty and manage cases from all oncologic specialties.

Hobbies: Walking, dancing and Pilates.

Ramtin Moradi, MD

Medical School: Azad University Mashhad Branch

Residency: Richmond University Medical Center

Why I chose SUNY Downstate for fellowship? Vibrant academic environment with excellent faculties dedicated to teaching.

Hobbies: Netflixing

Aye Mon Thida, MD

Undergraduate School: No. 2, Basic Education High School, Kamayut, Myanmar

Medical School: University of Medicine (1), Yangon, Myanmar

Residency: NYCHHC/Woodhull

Why I chose SUNY Downstate for fellowship? I had an opportunity to do an elective rotation at SUNY Downstate when I was a resident, and it was clear to me that this is an environment where fellows feel supported and are all happy with the training. I found the program a perfect balance of strong clinical training and ample research opportunities. The fellowship program and faculty are genuinely invested in the growth and success of fellows, and I knew that this is the place that would help me build the skills I need to provide the best possible care for my patients. Finally, the fellows are a fantastic group of talented and supportive people whom I am very thrilled to have as my peers.

Hobbies: Cooking, trying out new food, traveling.

Kafi Thomas,MD

Undergraduate school: Queen’s University, Kingston, ON

Medical School: St. George’s University, School of Medicine

Residency: Internal Medicine, Harlem Hospital affiliated with Columbia University

Fellowship: Hospice & Palliative Medicine, Wright State University, Boonshoft School of Medicine

Why I chose SUNY Downstate for fellowship? Strong clinical program. Opportunity to care for the underserved.

Hobbies: Swimming, tennis, mystery novels and spending time with my dogs.