Neonatology and Perinatology

Application Deadline	October 1
Length of Program	3 years
Program Start Date	July 5
Number of Positions Available	5

Tina Leone, MD
- Fellowship Director
- View Full Profile

Overview

The Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine (NPM) Training Program of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Irving Medical Center provides fellows with the comprehensive training they need to become outstanding, compassionate neonatology clinicians, skilled researchers, and confident educators. The program is tailored to each individual’s interests and career goals, offering opportunities for scholarship through a wide range of activities. Graduates of our program go on to advance the field throughout their careers through leadership, research, and education.

Clinical Care

The clinical experiences available to our fellows expose them to a wide variety of neonatal problems and conditions and the full range of severity of illness. Fellows are responsible for all patients on the clinical service and develop expertise in managing neonates with any medical and surgical diagnosis. Our unique Infant Cardiac Intensive Care Unit provides fellows opportunities to manage patients with congenital heart disease throughout their initial hospitalization, both before and after surgical intervention. Through our excellence in neonatal respiratory management, fellows learn to provide care in a manner that leads to minimal long-term complications. For the sickest patients we provide extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support when traditional management is not sufficient. Fellows are integral members of the medical and surgical teams who care for all of our patients.

Research

All fellows develop a substantive individual research project and complete a scholarly product that will add to the general knowledge of their subject area and advance their academic career. Fellows are encouraged to develop a clinical, translational, or basic science research project based on their unique interests and career goals. Each fellow works with a mentor who will guide him or her through the project, and there are many opportunities for fellows to present their research at local and national meetings. The curriculum also includes activities and workshops designed to provide a background understanding of evidence-based medicine, statistical methods, as well as support for manuscript writing, grant preparation, and presentation skills. Through these activities fellows develop the skills needed for a successful academic career and for life-long learning.

Education

Throughout the program fellows have opportunities to teach other healthcare professionals with different levels of experience, and fellows are integral to the training of pediatric residents and medical students who rotate through our NICU. They learn effective communication skills that are useful in interactions with other team members and with the families of our critically ill patients.

Fellows work in multidisciplinary teams to improve our systems of healthcare delivery and ensure a safe practice environment. Every fellow participates in quality improvement projects within the NICU and participates in the patient safety activities of our unit. Fellows also practice and share their own activities that create balance in their lives and promote long-term personal well-being. From the first day of the training program, fellows are critical members of our neonatal intensive care community.

Benefits

Residents are employees of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and affiliated with Columbia University Irving Medical Center. With these affiliations come many benefits!

How to Apply

Applications to our fellowship are processed through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) system. Materials are accepted starting in July for fellowship positions beginning the following year. Those who wish to apply must be board eligible or board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics. Please note that a completed application includes:

Completed ERAS forms
Three letters of recommendation, including one letter from the applicant's department chairman or residency director
Curriculum vitae
Personal statement
Additional information, such as USMLE transcript and photo, are recommended

Acceptances to the fellowship are made through the Pediatric Specialties Fall Match of the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP). Please refer to the NRMP website for details about the match submission deadline.

Columbia University and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital are equal opportunity employers. Please note that Columbia University and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital do not sponsor H1B visa trainees.

Contact

Veronica Bonfante-Luciano
Program Coordinator
212-305-8500
vb2376@cumc.columbia.edu

Current Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellows

Pavani Chitamanni, MD, MBBS
- Third-Year Fellow
Residency: SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University
Dr. Pavani Chitamanni earned her medical degree from Andhra Medical College in Andhra Pradesh, India, and completed her postgraduate training in pediatrics at Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) in Puducherry, India. She later completed her pediatric residency at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University in New York. Her research interests include neonatal resuscitation, with a particular focus on the role of various human factors in neonatal resuscitation. Outside of work, she enjoys skating, indoor gardening and Carnatic music.
Sam Kase, MD
- Third-Year Fellow
Residency: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Dr. Samuel “Sam” Kase grew up in New York City and completed medical school and pediatric residency at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai where he stayed on as chief resident. Dr. Kase is interested in medical education, communication, periviability, and neonatal palliative medicine. When outside of the hospital, he can often be found walking his dog in Central Park!
Sheetal Sriraman, MBBS
- Third-Year Fellow
Residency: Suny Downstate Health Sciences University
Dr. Sheetal Sriraman graduated from Kasturba Medical College at Manipal University in India and completed her pediatric residency at the State University of New York, Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn. She is currently a second-year fellow in Neonatal–Perinatal Medicine at Columbia University Irving Medical Center/NewYork-Presbyterian, where she also serves as Chief fellow of Research and a Silverman Fellow in Healthcare Innovation.

Her academic interests center on quality improvement science, point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) education, and the use of data and informatics to strengthen systems-based care for critically ill newborns. Through these efforts, she aims to enhance healthcare delivery with a focus on health equity. Outside of work, Sheetal finds joy in experimenting with different recipes, or hiking.
Nicholas Santaniello, MD
- Third-Year Fellow
Residency: Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Dr. Nick Santaniello completed medical school at SUNY Downstate College of Medicine and did his pediatric residency and chief residency at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. He is interested in hospital systems and operations, Quality Improvement work, and medical education. Outside the hospital, he loves living on the Upper West Side with his wife and enjoys cooking and playing tennis
Faith Williams, MD
- Third-Year Fellow
Residency: NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Irving Medical Center
Dr. Faith Williams completed medical school at Washington University in St. Louis and pediatric residency at New York Presbyterian/Columbia. She is interested in ethical decision-making for peri-viable infants and infants with congenital heart disease. Outside of the hospital, she is an avid reader and ballet dancer.
Arden Marin, MD
- Second-Year Fellow
Residency: NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Irving Medical Center
Dr. Arden Marin completed medical school at University of Massachusetts Medical School followed by pediatric residency at New York Presbyterian - Columbia. She is interested in quality improvement work, family engagement, and harnessing the electronic health record for better care. When not working, Arden enjoys spending time reading in Riverside Park and exploring the NYC restaurant scene.
Bryn Seltzer, MD
- Second-Year Fellow
Residency: NYU Langone
Dr. Bryn Seltzer is a lifelong New Yorker. She completed medical school at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and pediatric residency at Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone Medical Center. She is passionate about improving neurodevelopmental outcomes for neonates with cardiorespiratory pathophysiology and is particularly interested in neonatal hemodynamics and point-of-care ultrasound. Outside of the hospital, you can find her growing citrus trees and hydroponic chilis in her Manhattan apartment.
Gagandeep Dhugga, MD
- Second-Year Fellow
Residency: UC Davis
Dr. Gagandeep (Gagan) Dhugga completed both medical school and pediatric residency at the University of California, Davis. He is excited to continue his training in neonatology, with clinical and research interests in neurodevelopmental outcomes, early physiologic markers in infants with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, and medical education.

Outside of medicine, Gagan enjoys road trips with his wife and dog, skiing, working on computers, and maintaining a saltwater aquarium.
Mallika Rajamani, MD
- Second-Year Fellow
Residency: Johns Hopkins Hospital
Dr. Mallika Rajamani completed medical school at Upstate Medical University in Syracuse where she was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha society. She then went on to do pediatric residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. She is interested in congenital heart disease, neonatal hemodynamics, and global health. Outside the hospital, she enjoys spending time outdoors, either running or hiking, and trying new restaurants.
Rachel Wilkinson, MD
- Second-Year Fellow
Residency: Kravis Children’s Hospital at Mount Sinai
Dr. Rachel Wilkinson is originally from Milwaukee, WI, completed her undergraduate degree at Yale University, and her medical degree, pediatrics residency, and chief resident year at Mount Sinai. Dr. Wilkinson is interested in medical education and health disparities research. Outside of work, she loves going for walks in Central Park, trying new restaurants, reading, and spending time with her husband and son.
Rachel Dokko, MD
- First-Year Fellow
Residency: New York Presbyterian Hospital – Columbia
Dr. Rachel Dokko grew up in the Los Angeles area where she graduated medical school at the Keck School of Medicine of USC followed by pediatric residency at NewYork Presbyterian – Columbia. She is interested in pediatric ethics, palliative care, and medical education. Outside of work, she spends time reading and walking her dog in Central Park.
Abigail O’Rourke, MD
- First-Year Fellow
Residency: Cohen Children’s Medical Center
Dr. Abigail O'Rourke was born and raised in Michigan and earned her medical degree from Wayne State University. She completed her pediatric residency and chief residency at Cohen Children's Medical Center. Her professional interests include neonatal kidney health, with a focus on improving outcomes for critically ill newborns. Outside of the hospital, she enjoys playing golf with her husband, reading, and exploring Central Park.
Daisy Reinoso, MD
- First-Year Fellow
Residency: Mount Sinai
Dr. Daisy Reinoso completed medical school at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School before completing her pediatric residency at The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. Her clinical interests include neonatal hemodynamics and improving outcomes for neonates with cardiorespiratory disease, with a strong commitment to advancing equitable healthcare and addressing health disparities. Outside of medicine, she enjoys walking her dog, indoor gardening, and trying new restaurants.
Sara Wiener, MD
- First-Year Fellow
Residency: CHOP
Dr. Sara Wiener completed medical school at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. She completed her pediatric residency at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Her professional interests include clinical and translational research surrounding the maternal-neonate dyad. Outside of work, she can be found hiking in national parks with her family.
Emily Zlotnick, MD
- First-Year Fellow
Residency: New York Presbyterian Hospital – Columbia
Dr. Zlotnick is originally from Tenafly, NJ and completed her undergraduate studies at Colgate University and MD/MPH at Tulane University. She completed pediatrics residency at NYP-Columbia. She is interested in outcomes related to social determinants of health, quality improvement, and medical education. Outside of work, she loves to bake, read, and do yoga.