Residents & Faculty
Amirian Brandon, M.D.
Hometown Great Neck, NY
Medical School SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY
Internship NYU Brooklyn
PM&R Interests: General, Interventional Pain, Sports/Spine
Hobbies Travel, Swimming, Football, Video Games
Why Downstate: SUNY Downstate offers multiple sites that expose us to a wide variety of patient populations and pathologies, all while having access to all the perks of living in NYC
Fun Facts
Favorite Movie: My Cousin Vinny
Favorite TV Show: Breaking Bad
Favorite Book: Count of Monte Cristo
Favorite Musician: Avicii
Favorite Meal: Pizza
Favorite App: Spotify
Would Most Like to Visit: Japan
Bucket List: See the Northern Lights
Hidden Talent: Crispy Rice Connoisseur
Benjamin Frederick Drukman M.D.
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
Medical School: SUNY Downstate Medical Center
Internship: NYP Brooklyn Methodist
PM&R Interests: Sports, General
Hobbies: Basketball, Flag football, History, Exploring the city
Why Downstate: Depth and breadth of training in various settings. Rewarding and stimulating patient population to work with. Great alumni network. Get to be in Brooklyn!
Fun Facts: Non-trad, prior career working in buying/planning for Macy’s
Hamaway, Stefan Nicholas, M.D.
Hometown: Glen Cove, NY
Medical School: SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY
Internship: Staten Island University Hospital, Staten Island, NY
PM&R Interests: Pain, sports, general
Hobbies: Running, archery, cycling, exploring NYC
Why Downstate: Downstate offers an outstanding clinical training environment with a breadth of exposure to a diverse patient population.
Fun Facts:
- Favorite Movie: Pulp Fiction
- Favorite TV Show: 90 Day Finance
- Favorite Book: Catch-22
- Favorite Musician: Avicii, Blackpink, Jinjer
- Favorite Meal: Sushi
- Favorite App: Google Maps
Would Most Like to Visit: Hokkaido Japan
Bucket List: Travel to Every Continent
Hidden Talent: Gardening (including mangoes, Bonzai, Orchids)
Kohli Ajit D.O.
Hometown Dallas, TX
Medical School: Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences
Internship: HCA Kendall Florida
PM&R Interests: Pain management, spine, Inpatient rehabilitation, EMGs, palliative care
Hobbies: Hanging with friends and family, kitting, weight lifting
Why Downstate: I’m thrilled about the opportunity to join SUNY Downstate because of its diverse patient population, supportive faculty, and excellent clinical training that will help me grow as a physician. The program’s focus on research and resident wellness excites me. Downstate’s positive, inclusive environment and strong reputation make it the perfect place for me to thrive in PM&R!
Fun Facts: I can play Spotify through my hearing aids!
Eileen Lu D.O.
Hometown: Monterey Park, CA
Medical School: Des Moines University
Internship: Elmhurst Hospital
PM&R Interests: Neuro Rehab, Brain Injury & Stroke
Hobbies: Traveling, Going on walks, Trying new restaurants
Why Downstate: Diverse patient population, supportive faculty, and living in NYC
Fun Facts: I keep a growing list of potential dog names on my phone and I love boba!
Verda Shohail Mirza D.O.
Hometown: Plano, TX and Crown Point, IN
Medical School: Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Internship: Parkview Hospital Fort Wayne IN
PM&R Interests: Interventional pain management
Hobbies: baking, playing tennis, hiking
Why Downstate: supportive faculty. Diverse patient population and pathology.
Fun Facts: I watch the Harry Potter series yearly.
Nikita Desai, DO
Hometown: Old Bridge, NJ
Medical School: Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Erie, PA
Internship: Peconic Bay Medical Center, Riverhead NY
PM&R Interests: Interventional Pain Medicine, Sports/Spine
Hobbies: Cooking, Hiking, Puzzling
Why Downstate: SUNY Downstate offers strong clinical training, diversity in patient population and exposure to procedural skills which is important to me.
Fun Facts:
- Favorite TV Show: Psych
- Favorite Book: Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
- Favorite Musician: Ed Sheeran, Old Kanye, Frank Ocean
- Favorite Meal: Truffle Fettuccine Alfredo
- Favorite App: Netflix
- Would Most Like to Visit: Zürich, Banff, Kyoto
- Bucket List: Pasta food tour in Italy
- Hidden Talent: I have most of the Harry Potter movie dialogues memorized
Arooj Iqbal, DO
Hometown: Paramus, NJ
Medical School: Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Erie, PA
Internship: SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY
PM&R Interests: Pain, Spine, Sports
Hobbies: Tennis, Traveling, Hiking
Why Downstate: I chose Downstate because of the supportive faculty and comradery among the residents. Also, the diverse patient population to learn from and the multiple research opportunities provided to accomplish my goals in PM&R.
Fun Facts:
- Favorite Movie: Fast and Furious Series
- Favorite TV Show: Friends
- Favorite Book: To Kill a Mockingbird
- Favorite Musician: Ed Sheeran
- Favorite Meal: Lasagna
- Favorite App: Instagram
- Would Most Like to Visit: Peru—Machu Picchu and Rainbow Mountain
- Bucket List: To Zipline across Dubai
- Hidden Talent: Baking
Isha Rao, DO
Hometown: Bucks County, PA
Medical School: New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, NY
Internship: Ocean University Medical Center, Brick Township, NJ
PM&R Interests: Pain, spine, sports
Hobbies: Cooking, summer strolls, podcasts
Why Downstate: Experience the city, diverse patient populations, get to see various pathologies
Fun Facts:
- Favorite Movie: the imitation game
- Favorite TV Show: Gilmore Girls
- Favorite Book: The Silent Patient
- Favorite Musician: Rihanna
- Favorite Meal: tuxedo cake from Costco
- Favorite App: Chipotle
- Would Most Like to Visit: Italy
- Bucket List: skydive
- Hidden Talent: double jointed
Kody Sumida, DO
Hometown: Honolulu, HI
Medical School: Touro University Nevada, Henderson, NV
Internship: St. John's Riverside Hospital, Yonkers, NY
PM&R Interests: Pain, sports, general
Hobbies: Basketball, Football, Cooking, Surfing
Why Downstate: Great program with lots of resources and friendly residents. Also in New York!
Fun Facts:
- Favorite Movie: Finding Nemo
- Favorite TV Show: One piece
- Favorite Book: The Giver
- Favorite Musician: Mariah Carey
- Favorite Meal: Sashimi
- Favorite App: Spotify
- Would Most Like to Visit: Italy
- Bucket List: going to multiple football and basketball games
- Hidden Talent: Disappearing food act
Rebecca Takele, DO
Hometown: Annandale, VA
Medical School: Edward VIA College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM), Blacksburg, VA
Internship: General Surgery at Albany Medical Center, Albany, NY
PM&R Interests: Pain medicine, Spinal cord injury
Hobbies: Hiking, all things related to being by the water, kickboxing, playing my electric guitar
Why Downstate: Here there is an opportunity to treat and learn from a diverse patient population not seen at many other residencies. I was also drawn to the reputation of this PM&R program, the supportive faculty, the strong clinical training I would receive, the opportunities to make the most of my residency, the success of past residents, and the emphasis on the wellness of residents.
Fun Facts:
- Favorite Movie: Pride and Prejudice (2005)
- Favorite TV Show: Criminal Minds
- Favorite Book: Any Nicholas Sparks books
- Favorite Musician: Rascal Flatts and other country musicians
- Favorite Meal: Salmon poke bowl
- Favorite App: Spotify
- Would Most Like to Visit: Greece
- Bucket List: backpack through Europe, skydive, become fluent in Spanish, own a boat for recreational purposes
- Hidden Talent: 3rd degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and former instructor
Miriam Bekhit, MBBCH
Hometown: Cairo, Egypt
Medical School: Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
Internship: Richmond University Medical Centre, Staten Island, NY
PM&R Interests: Neurorehabilitation, Electrodiagnosis
Hobbies: Travelling, hiking, reading
Why Downstate: The residency culture is positive and supportive, I like that the patient population is diverse and challenges you to grow in so many ways. At Downstate I know I would be entirely supported in any endeavors/goal.
Fun Facts:
- Favorite Movie: Gone with the wind
- Favorite TV Show: Friends
- Favorite Book: Any Agatha Christie novel
- Favorite Musician: Josh Groban
- Favorite Meal: Macaroni Bechamel
- Favorite App: Facebook
- Would Most Like to Visit: Lake Como
- Bucket List: Parasailing, Banff National Park
- Hidden Talent: I won a drawing competition
Jason Do, DO
Hometown: Rochester, MI
Medical School: AT Still University - School of Medicine, Mesa, AZ
Internship: Jewish Hospital - Cincinnati, OH
PM&R Interests: Pain, Sports/Spine
Hobbies: Powerlifting, Eating, Cooking, Horror movies
Why Downstate: Getting training at a great program with a diverse population, potential for a plethora of pathology, and the opportunity to live in Brooklyn
Fun Facts:
- Favorite Movie: Boondock Saints
- Favorite TV Show: Bob's Burgers
- Favorite Musician: Chromeo
- Favorite Meal: Sushi
- Favorite App: Yelp
- Would Most Like to Visit: Korea/Japan
- Bucket List: paying off my med school loans
- Hidden Talent: I breakdance
Simron Gill, MD
Hometown: Edmonton Alberta, Canada
Medical School: Ross University School of Medicine
Internship: St. Marys medical center, long beach, CA
PM&R Interests: Sports, Spinal cord injury
Hobbies: Snowboarding, soccer, tennis, hockey, dungeons and dragons, video games, bow hunting, and golf
Why Downstate: I chose Downstate due to its reputation for education, research, and patient care.
Fun Facts:
- Favorite Movie: Star Wars (especially Episode IV- A New Hope)
- Favorite TV Show: One piece
- Favorite Book: Red Rising
- Favorite Musician: Tenacious D
- Favorite Meal: Chicken Wings
- Favorite App: The Score
- Would Most Like to Visit: Singapore
- Bucket List: Bungee jumping and/or scuba diving
- Hidden Talent: I can crochet
Ryan Kim, DO
Hometown: Born in S. Korea, grew up in Ridgewood, NJ
Medical School: Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine
Internship: Garnet Health Medical Center - Transitional Year
PM&R Interests: Pain, Sports
Hobbies: Golf, Weightlifting, Soccer
Why Downstate: Exposure to diverse patient population. Very supportive faculty members. Being close to family.
Fun Facts:
- Favorite Movie: Marvel movies, 007 series, Knives out, Prestige, The Secret life of Walter Mitty.
- Favorite TV Show: Planet Earth
- Favorite Book: When breath becomes air
- Favorite Musician: Maroon 5, Post Malone, Ed Sheeran
- Favorite Meal: Asian food, anything with a side of fries
- Favorite App: Google maps
- Would Most Like to Visit: Banff (Candada), Iceland, Switzerland
- Bucket List: Hole-in-one in golf, running a full marathon
- Hidden Talent: Parallel parking
Raymond Li, DO
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
Medical School: New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, NY
Internship: Nassau University Medical Center, East Meadow, NY
PM&R Interests: Everything
Hobbies: Calisthenics, Ice Skating, Cooking, Karaoke, Talking about exercise and nutrition
Why Downstate: Downstate gives you the opportunity to see how multiple hospitals work, providing valuable experience in how different hospitals function and giving exposure to what kind of environment I want to work in after residency. The volume of patients also provides the opportunity to see and learn as much as I can during residency.
Fun Facts:
- Favorite Movie: The Avengers
- Favorite TV Show: Arcane
- Favorite Book: Enders Game
- Favorite Musician: Ed Sheeran
- Favorite Meal: matcha red bean slush
- Favorite App: Calendar
- Would Most Like to Visit: Greenland
- Bucket List: None. The ups and downs of life is fun enough
- Hidden Talent: Enjoying awkward silences
Anam Purewal-Kossack, MD
Hometown: Holmdel, NJ
Medical School: St. George’s University School of Medicine
Internship: Jersey Shore University Medical Center
PM&R Interests: Cancer Rehab, Pain Medicine
Hobbies: Tennis, exploring NYC, chillin
Why Downstate: Supportive faculty. Wonderful co-residents. Bright and bustling city.
Fun Facts:
- Favorite Movie: 10 Things I Hate About You
- Favorite TV Show: Friends
- Favorite Book: When Women Were Birds: Fifty-four Variations on Voice
- Favorite Musician: 2000s Kanye, or wherever afrobeat and Sam Smith intersect
- Favorite Meal: How many slices of pizza does it take to make a meal?
- Favorite App: Call me old-fashioned, but probably the “phone” app
- Would Most Like to Visit: Sundance Film Festival
- Bucket List: Short list: Open a microbrewery. Didn't make the short-list: Cut my coffee intake
- Hidden Talent: Grip strength–guess my deadhang time!