Board-certified pediatrician
I was raised in Saratoga Springs, a small college town in upstate New York. Looking back, a career in pediatrics seems obvious for me, but the path was not a direct one. I grew up with my father, an orthopedic surgeon, my mother, a child psychologist, and two brothers. My older brother was diagnosed with nonverbal autism just before I was born. Throughout my childhood I experienced both sides of the healthcare system, professionally through my parents and personally through my brother, and my parents’ efforts to get care and services for him.
While studying physics and engineering at Tufts University, I developed a passion for teaching and education while tutoring fellow students and volunteering in local elementary schools in Medford and Somerville. This enthusiasm for science and teaching continued beyond graduation, when I moved to New York City. There I worked as a lab technician and an academic tutor. After two years of teaching, I began looking for another career path, which included spending time shadowing an orthopedic surgeon and volunteering at a nearby hospital. I began to see medicine as a perfect blend of my interests in education and science. As I continued along, first completing pre-med coursework at Hunter College in New York then through medical school at Boston University, at every step I felt reaffirmed in my path.
Pediatrics felt like a natural fit as a specialty, first and foremost because I found it to be the most fun and interesting of the medical fields. I had always enjoyed working with children, but through medical school and then residency I found fulfillment in helping children and their families navigate through both significant illness during hospitalizations, as well as through the common questions and concerns that arise throughout a child’s life, from the neonatal period through adolescence. I found pediatrics engaging, with days spent caring for a wide variety of different ages and problems. I also found the pediatric focus on caring for the entire family represented the ideal of what medicine could and should be. While I find all of general pediatrics interesting and engaging, I have particular interests in children with complex medical and developmental needs and pediatric mental health.
As I completed my training and chief resident year at UMass Medical Center in Worcester, my wife and I saw the Pioneer Valley as a perfect place to work and raise our two girls. We were excited to be closer to upstate New York where our families still live, to join the vibrant Jewish community here, and explore the culture and nature of the area. We have already begun to enjoy the beauty of Western Mass and the welcoming community here, and look forward to learning more!
Education
- Undergraduate: Tufts University, B.S. in Applied Physics, 2009
- Medical School: Boston University, M.D., 2017
- Residency: University of Massachusetts Medical School, 2017 – 2020,
Chief Resident 2020 – 2021
Memberships and Certifications
Interests:
- Running, singing, playing piano and guitar, and most importantly, spending time with my family