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Program Leadership

Program Director

photo of Samy McFarlane

Samy McFarlane, MD, MPH, MBA
Associate Dean for Student Research in the College of Medicine
Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program

Dr. McFarlane is at the rank of Distinguished Teaching Professor of Medicine / Endocrinology who completed his IM residency, Chief residency and endocrinology fellowship at SUNY-Downstate/ Kings County Hospital Center and held several leadership positions including Program Director and Chief of Endocrinology. During his tenure as a PD and chief of Endocrinology, the division obtained full accreditation twice without citations and was transformed into a powerhouse of research and academic output where fellows graduated to hold leadership and academic positions at major institutions including the National Institute of Health. He also served as the Director of the IM Clerkship, where he promoted research and other scholarly activities among our students, edited, and co-authored with his Downstate students the popular review book, The First Aid for Medicine Clerkship, McGraw Hill and co. that has become the recommended clerkship reading at major universities. Dr. McFarlane also holds Professorship in Emergency Medicine and Radiology. He was the founding director of the EM clerkship, and he developed and taught an introductory course on bone densitometry for the Radiology residents and fellows.

He is a prolific researcher and authored over 300 publications including several books in the areas of diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease. He uses research and publications as a way to promote the career of his students, residents and fellows. His funded research by the NIH, ADA and NKF as well as other major institutions was cited over 10,000 times. He is the founding editor of several journals and currently is the Editor-In-Chief for the International Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. Nationally, Dr. McFarlane is a 2- term elected member of NIH-NIDDK and served twice as a Chair at NIH- NIDDK U01 committee. He also served as a Chairman of the clinical sub-committee of the National Kidney Foundation, Kidney Early Evaluation Program (NKF-KEEP). Dr. McFarlane is the past District President of the American College of Physicians and is the recipient of numerous awards including recognitions from the United States Army, the US Congress and the Gold foundation for Humanism in Medicine.

Dr. McFarlane has a broad clinical, academic and leadership experiences as well as credentials including Master in public Health from SUNY-Downstate and Master in Business Administration in Health Care from the George Washington University. He is well- positioned to serve as the Program Director for Internal Medicine Residency Program, and an alumnus with clear understanding of the inner workings of our institutions; he provides leadership and directions to the IM residency program offering the best opportunities to our residents as the next generation of scholarly physicians.

photo of Harjinder Kaur Gill, MD

Harjinder Kaur Gill, MD

Hometown: California, USA

Medical School / Education: St. George's University, Grenada

Residency Program and Year of Graduation: SUNY Downstate, Class of 2014

Why I chose to work at SUNY Downstate: I chose to train and stay at Downstate as it is a place of opportunity, providing an environment that fosters academic excellence and professional growth. Working with our patient population and giving back to the community is also very rewarding.

Career & Research Interests: I truly enjoy being an academic hospitalist with a focus on Palliative Care Medicine, specifically teaching residents and students communication skills surrounding the g end of life discussions. In addition, it is a privilege to work in program leadership, especially as it enables me to provide direct mentorship to our residents to facilitate their professional development.

Hobbies: Dancing and teaching Bhangra (a traditional Punjabi dance form) to children and spending time with my young children!

Email: harjinder.gill@downstate.edu


photo of Patrick Geraghty, PhD

Patrick Geraghty, PhD

Research Assistant Professor

Hometown: Drogheda, Ireland

Medical School / Education: National University of Ireland, Maynooth-PhD

Residency Program and Year of Graduation: Postdoctoral Fellowships: Royal College of Surgeons (2004-2007), Columbia University (2007-2011), St. Luke's Hospital (2011-2014), Mount Sinai West (2014-2015)

Email: Patrick.Geraghty@downstate.edu


photo of Aarti Shenoy, MD

Aarti Shenoy, MD

Hometown: Orchard Park, NY, USA

Name of Medical School/Education: St. George's University, Grenada

Name of Residency Program and Year of Graduation: SUNY Downstate, Class of 2018

Why I chose to work at SUNY Downstate: The wide range of clinical cases

Career & Research Interests: Lifestyle Medicine

Hobbies: Gym/Fitness, running, tennis, yoga, reading

Email: shenoya4@nychhc.org


photo of Christine J. Yun, MD

Christine J. Yun, MD

Hometown: New York, USA

Medical School / Education: St. George’s University, Grenada

Residency Program and Year of Graduation: SUNY Downstate, Class of 2018

Why I chose to work at SUNY Downstate: I chose to work here for the patients and community. I take pride in working here given our ability to care for the underserved population while providing excellent training to residents.

Career & Research Interests: Patient care, patient safety.

Hobbies: Tennis, walks with my dog, reading fiction.

Email: chryun@gmail.com


photo of Mahamadu Zimpa, MD

Mahamadu Zimpa, MD

Hometown: Ghana

Medical School / Education: Ege University, Izmir, Turkey

Residency Program and Year of Graduation: SUNY Downstate, Class of 2007

Why I chose to work at SUNY Downstate: This is a great program to be part of because of the training and opportunities it has offered, the diversity of the workforce, and the wonderful community it serves.

Career & Research Interests: Resident education

Hobbies: Enjoy playing and watching soccer, jogging, and nature walks.

Email: mahamadu.zimpa@nychhc.org


photo of Patricia Castro-Auvet, MD

Patricia Castro-Auvet, MD

Hometown: New York, USA

Medical School / Education: St. George's University, Grenada

Residency Program and Year of Graduation: SUNY Downstate, Class of 2011

Why I chose to work at SUNY Downstate: I get a strong sense of fulfillment in working to provide quality, compassionate, and evidence-based care to our patients. The training you receive in this program will prepare you for anything and provide a strong foundation to achieve your career goals.

Career & Research Interests: Improving patient safety, creating accountability, supporting resident education, spreading kindness, and focusing on quality improvement.

Hobbies: Hanging out with my family, watching travel/food shows

Email: CASTROP1@nychhc.org


photo of Prabash Koneru, MD

Prabash Koneru, MD

Vice Chief of Medicine

Hometown: Mclean, Virginia, USA

Medical School / Education: University of the West Indies, Trinidad

Residency Program and Year of Graduation: SUNY Downstate, Class of 2008

Why I chose to work at SUNY Downstate: SUNY Downstate IM residency program has produced excellent physicians who practice throughout the country.

Career & Research Interests: Quality Improvement

Hobbies: Sports, Traveling

Email: Prabash.Koneru@nychhc.org


photo of Regina Miller, MD

Regina Miller, MD

Hometown: Brooklyn, New York, USA

Medical School / Education: SUNY Downstate College of Medicine

Residency Program and Year of Graduation: SUNY Downstate, Class of 2019

Why I chose to work at SUNY Downstate: We focus on close mentorship of our residents while providing excellent clinical experience in one of the most diverse cities in the world and a rigorous education curriculum that prepares our residents for independent practice after their training.

Career & Research Interests: As an academic Hospitalist and alumna, my focus is providing high-value care while serving as a mentor to residents and students at the outset of their careers.

Hobbies: Traveling, cooking, and tasting different cuisines from around the world.

Email: millerr13@nychhc.org


photo of Richi Chowdhury, MD

Richi Chowdhury, MD

Hometown: Queens, NY, USA

Medical School / Education: Ross University School of Medicine

Residency Program and Year of Graduation: SUNY Downstate, Class of 2020

Why I chose to work at SUNY Downstate: I chose SUNY Downstate / Kings County to help improve the medical care for the NYC population. Enjoy working alongside and teaching medical students and residents.

Career & Research Interests: Preventative medicine. Active involvement in Physicians for Human Rights working with asylum seekers.

Hobbies: Snowboarding. Surfing. Cycling. Traveling

Email: richic@nychhc.org


photo of Ahmed Awwad, MD

Ahmed Awwad, MD

Hometown: Brooklyn, New York, USA

Medical School / Education: SUNY Downstate College of Medicine

Residency Program and Year of Graduation: SUNY Downstate, Class of 2019

Why I chose to work at SUNY Downstate: Its reputation for providing exceptional patient care and its commitment to advancing medical research.

Career & Research Interests: Providing comprehensive and compassionate care to my patients and staying up-to-date with the latest developments in medicine to enhance my clinical practice. I’m also interested in pursuing academic research opportunities at IM. In addition, as an assistant program director at SUNY Downstate, I am committed to and enjoy mentoring and educating future generations of physicians.

Hobbies: Spending time with friends and family, listening to music, playing ping pong, basketball, and soccer, and traveling.

Email: ahmed.awwad@va.gov


photo of Debora Ponce, MD

Debora Ponce, MD

Hometown: Staten Island, NY, USA

Medical School / Education: SUNY Downstate

Residency Program and Year of Graduation: SUNY Downstate, Class of 2011

Why I chose to work at SUNY Downstate: I like being part of a program that promotes educational and career growth. The didactics, publications, and work days reflect the enthusiasm for practicing medicine and learning.

Career & Research Interests: Primary Care

Hobbies: I love doing outdoor activities with my family.

Email: Debora.Ponce@va.gov


photo of Pooja Belligund, MD

Pooja Belligund, MD

Hometown: Mumbai, India

Medical School / Education: Grant Medical College, India

Residency Program and Year of Graduation: SUNY Downstate, Class of 2006

Why I chose to work at SUNY Downstate: Motivated residents who are a joy to teach.

Career & Research Interests: POCUS/ Asthma/ Lung cancer

Hobbies: Running

Email: Pooja.Belligund@va.gov


Daniel Shayowitz, MD

Email: daniel. shayowitz@va.gov 


David Frank, MD, FACP

Email: david.frank4@va.gov