Meet Our Residents
Categorical Interns (Class of 2028)
Sundiata (Sunny) Annacius, DO
Dr. Sundiata Annacius is a proud New Jersey native and first-generation Jamaican-American. She completed her undergraduate degree in Biology with a minor in African-American Studies at Montclair State University and earned a Master’s in Biomedical Sciences at Rutgers University in Newark, NJ. She attended the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine for medical school. Dr. Annacius is a dedicated leader, advocate, and mentor who is excited about creating opportunities in anesthesiology for underrepresented pre-medical and medical students. Outside of the hospital, she enjoys spending quality time with family and friends, exploring new restaurants, leisurely bike rides with her husband, and binge-watching the latest thriller series.
Salman Ashraf, MD, MBA
Dr. Salman Ashraf took a nontraditional path to medicine. He completed his BBA in Finance with a minor in Japanese at Baruch College. Soon thereafter, Salman started his career as an Associate at BlackRock, where he was responsible for institutional 401(k) plans exceeding $500M. After deciding to pursue medicine, he completed his post-baccalaureate at SUNY Old Westbury. Upon acceptance to medical school, he wrote and published From Premed to Med Student to help prospective medical students. Salman completed his MD and MBA at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and the Leeds School of Business, respectively. Salman aims to merge his background in business with his knowledge of medicine to help solve the healthcare challenges of the 21st century. In his spare time, he enjoys watching K-Dramas with his fiancée, writing, cooking, and tinkering with computers.
Kacey Dearing, MD
Dr. Kacey Dearing was born and raised in southeast Ohio. He completed his undergraduate degree as well as medical school at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. After medical school, he completed a transitional year at Inspira Health in South Jersey before joining Temple University for anesthesia training. Outside of medicine, Kacey enjoys playing guitar, playing video games, and spending time with his wife, his three-year-old son, and his newborn baby girl.
Brittany Galuppo, DO
Dr. Brittany Galuppo grew up in the coastal town of Milford, CT. She went to college at the University of Connecticut where she completed a Bachelor’s Degree in Physiology and Neurobiology. After college, she worked in clinical research at Yale School of Medicine studying the mechanisms that lead to the development of obesity and diabetes in childhood. For medical school, she attended Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine in NY. She completed her internship in Internal Medicine at Temple University Hospital. Outside of medicine, she enjoys visiting new coffee shops and museums, cooking, traveling, skiing, yoga, and being a plant mom.
Michael (Mike) Guardado-Montesino, MD
Dr. Michael Guardado-Montesino was born in Fairfax, Virginia, and raised in northern Virginia. He attended Northern Virginia Community College and Radford University for his undergraduate studies. After obtaining his Bachelor’s in Biology, he took three gap years during which he spent his time working and volunteering before starting medical school at the VCU School of Medicine. He is passionate about health literacy, mentorship, and promoting health equity. Outside the hospital, he enjoys spending time with family and friends, being outdoors, watching soccer (he is a big Chelsea fan!), and listening to podcasts.
Kimberly (Kim) McFarland, MD
Dr. Kim McFarland grew up in Richmond, Virginia. She completed her Bachelor's Degree in Biology at the University of Mary Washington, and then received her medical degree from Virginia Commonwealth University. Her clinical interests include research, medical education, point-of-care ultrasound, and learning to manage complex patients while honoring each patient's individual humanity and journey. Outside of the hospital, Dr. McFarland enjoys finding new coffee shops, hiking in the mountains, reading, and spending time with family, friends, and pets.
Jeena Mistry, MBChB, MPH
Dr. Jeena Mistry, hailing from Leicester, England, excelled in her first year of Neuroscience (BSc), ranking in the top 5% of her peers. She transitioned into Medicine at the University of Leicester via a competitive pathway. During her tenure, Jeena advocated for students as Academic Officer for Medicine, Course Representative, and as a society representative. She consistently committed to enhancing the education and experience of her peers. Jeena went on to pursue a Master’s in Public Health at Harvard University, fortifying her commitment to patient advocacy and health equity. With experience in the National Health Service as a physician, Jeena is excited to begin her next chapter as an Anesthesiology Resident at Temple University. Beyond her professional endeavors, Jeena finds solace in spending time with her family and friends, is an avid Leicester City Football Club supporter, and enjoys friendly billiards matches.
Kyle Perezous, MD
Dr. Kyle Perezous was born and raised in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He completed his undergraduate degree in chemistry with a minor in mathematics at Franklin and Marshall College, during which he worked as a tutor. He then went on to complete medical school at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University. Outside of the hospital, he enjoys watching sports, weight lifting, biking, and spending time with family.
CA-1 Residents (Class of 2027)
Elizabeth Cifuentes, MD Dr. Elizabeth Cifuentes was born in Bogota, Colombia and moved to the suburbs of Philadelphia when she was 10 years old. She obtained her undergraduate degree in Neuroscience from Swarthmore College. After working closely with patients and physicians on a clinical research study, she was motivated to veer toward a career in medicine. She completed a post-bac at Thomas Jefferson University and then moved to the other side of PA to attend medical school at the University of Pittsburgh. She is ecstatic to be back in Philadelphia and to be close to family. Outside of medicine, she enjoys running with her dog, climbing, biking, spending time outdoors, and traveling.
Nicolas Ferry, MD (Capt, USAF)
Dr. Nicolas Ferry grew up in Edwardsville, IL. He received his Bachelor's Degree in biology from Eastern Illinois University and his doctorate of medicine at the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine; during his time in medical school, he commissioned into the United States Air Force. After completing medical school and an intern year at Brooke Army Medical Center, Dr. Ferry practiced as a Flight Surgeon at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, NM. During his service, he further explored his professional interest in global medicine completing a deployment to South America, course in Tropical Medicine at the Uniformed Services University and a field mission to Ghana. Outside of work, Nic enjoys spending his time with his wife and sons, traveling, watching sports, and spending time outdoors.
Ted Frederic, DO Dr. Ted Frederic was born in Brooklyn, NY but raised in south Florida for the majority of his childhood. He completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Florida and received a master’s in science at Johns Hopkins University. He then went on to complete his medical degree at Nova Southeastern University. He is potentially interested in regional and chronic pain but is still very open to exploring different fields of anesthesia. In his free time, he enjoys traveling, landscape photography, playing the piano, trying new restaurants, watching movies and hanging out with friends and family in general.
Brogan Galbreath, DO Dr. Brogan Galbreath is from the small town of Lititz, Pennsylvania. He completed an undergraduate degree in biology with a minor in Spanish at Villanova University, during which he worked as an EMT. He continued on to Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine for medical school and is completing an internal medicine intern year at Temple. During his days off, he mostly enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter, but also enjoys playing ice hockey and golf, cooking, and playing the guitar.
Chris Griesser, DO Dr. Chris Griesser was raised in the Philadelphia suburbs. He received his undergraduate degree from West Chester University. Prior to completing medical school at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, he spent several years serving in various roles in emergency services. Outside the hospital, he enjoys sports, travel and time with family.
Alexander (Alec) Jahncke, MD
Dr. Alec Jahncke was born in New York City and raised in Connecticut. He received his undergraduate degree in Economics from Tufts University, where he also completed a post-baccalaureate program. Before attending Tulane University School of Medicine, he spent a year working for an NGO in Rwanda, and well as a year conducting clinical research in Boston. He completed his internship in Emergency Medicine at Naval Medical Center San Diego. He then served as a Flight Surgeon with the US Marine Corps in Hawaii, deploying to Australia and the South Pacific. In his free time, he enjoys skiing, sailing, triathlons, and music festivals.
Sarah Lee, MDDr. Sarah Lee was born and raised in Seattle, Washington. She completed her undergraduate degree in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology at Emory University. She worked as a lab manager at the Emory Genetics Lab before making her way up to Philadelphia for a post-baccalaureate degree at the University of Pennsylvania. Before starting medical school at Drexel College of Medicine, she was a medical scribe at the Scheie Eye Institute and conducted clinical research in strabismus. Outside the hospital, she enjoys the outdoors, whether it's biking, hiking, running or playing tennis. She plans vacations around the coolest dive spots around the world. She is a big foodie and can always find her at different restaurants around Philadelphia during her free time with her family and friends.
Michael McCarthy, DO Dr. Michael McCarthy grew up in East Norriton, Pennsylvania. He attended the University of Scranton for his undergraduate education before returning home for medical school at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. His professional interests include neuraxial anesthesia, healthcare economics, and mentorship. Outside of the hospital, he enjoys playing golf, Philadelphia sports, stand-up comedy, and spending time with friends and family.
Tamika McClean, MD, MS
Dr. Tamika McLean hails from Kingston, Jamaica, where the rich culture and warmth of the Caribbean shaped her upbringing. Moving to the United States for college, she pursued her undergraduate studies at Cornell University. She continued her education with a Master’s degree in Biomedical Sciences from Rutgers University before earning her medical degree at the Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University. Before joining Temple, she completed her intern year in Internal Medicine at the University of Connecticut. Beyond the realm of medicine, Dr. McLean is an avid foodie, always on the hunt for culinary delights and hidden gems in her travels. She finds balance through weight training and trying different forms of physical activity. When she’s not exploring new restaurants or hitting the gym, you’ll often find her reading, shopping or indulging in the guilty pleasure of reality TV.
Kelly Montgomery, MD Dr. Kelly Montgomery grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia. She completed her medical school degree at Temple University and now is continuing on to become an anesthesiologist. She has a passion for global medicine and goes on medical mission trips every year. She is an avid pickleball player, and enjoys volleyball, swimming, skiing and tennis as well. Also in her free time, Kelly enjoys banh mi with her friends, game nights, and cooking.
Rushi Shah, DODr. Rushi Shah is a native of Connecticut. He studied physiology and healthcare policy at the University of Connecticut. He completed his medical school at the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine and a transitional year internship at Inspira Health Network before joining Temple Anesthesiology. He is clinically interested in Point-of-care ultrasound and regional anesthesia as well as health equity and political advocacy. When not at the hospital, you can find him trying new restaurants in Philadelphia, playing tennis/pickleball with his twin brother, or traveling to one of his favorite beaches.
Jonathan Vayalumkal, MD
Dr. Jonathan Vayalumkal was born and raised in Rockland County, New York. He attended Binghamton University for his undergraduate education before obtaining his medical degree from the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University. Outside of the hospital, he enjoys playing basketball, Philadelphia sports, and exploring new restaurants. His favorite things in Philadelphia are the donuts (Beiler's and Federal Donuts) and the Schuylkill River Trail.
CA-2 Residents (Class of 2026)
Patrick Araya, MD Dr. Patrick Araya was born in Gainesville, Florida but grew up mostly in Ambler, PA. He received his bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh and received his medical degree from Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University. He also completed his intern year at Temple University Hospital. (Temple made!) This year he is most looking forward to getting experience in each of the different fields of anesthesia. In his free time, he enjoys watching the Philadelphia 76ers, the Pittsburgh Steelers, running, history, spending time with friends and family, serving at his church, as well as watching and performing improv comedy.
Danielle Boateng, MD Dr. Danielle Boateng is a Maryland native. She attended the University of Maryland, Baltimore County where she completed her undergraduate degree in Biology with a minor in Dance. She then went on to complete her medical training at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania where she served as president of the Student National Medical Association. She completed her internship in Internal Medicine at Temple University Hospital. She enjoys traveling, attending concerts, trying new restaurants and dancing.
Chidinma Ezeonu, MD Dr. Chidinma Ezeonu was born in Nigeria and came to the United States at the age of 7 with her parents and siblings. She grew up in Northern New Jersey and attended Rutgers University in New Brunswick for her undergraduate degree and during that time transitioned into the joint BA-MD program at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. She then completed an Internal Medicine Residency program at RNJMS in Newark, New Jersey. Following her training, this Jersey girl finally left the state to work as a Locum Tenens Hospitalist in Maine, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Minnesota. Outside of medicine, her interests include spending quality time with her very large family, cooking, exploring restaurants and international travel.
Ashley Haynes, MD Dr. Ashley Haynes was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. She received her bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College where she was also a four-year track & field athlete. She obtained her medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine. Her hobbies include traveling, cooking, playing basketball, watching sports, and spending time with friends and family.
Danick Joseph, MDDr. Danick Joseph is originally from Cap-Haitien, Haiti. He moved to his hometown of Fort Lauderdale, Florida at the age of 8. He attended the University of Miami school of Medicine, and is excited to join the anesthesiology residency program at Temple. Outside of work his hobbies include most sports, but especially football, basketball, martial arts, and cycling. He enjoys reading and writing, and gaming with his friends online.
Candice McCloud, MD Dr. Candice McCloud was born and raised in the diverse Essex County in northern New Jersey. She attended Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio and completed a degree in Nutritional Biochemistry & Metabolism with a minor in music. For medical school, she attended Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C. Dr. McCloud is committed to providing holistic and compassionate patient care and views it as foundational for her training. In her free time, she enjoys listening to music, playing her flute, traveling and spending quality time with friends and family.
Whitney Melvin, MD Dr. Whitney Melvin is from Wilson, North Carolina and obtained a degree in Exercise and Sport Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She then went on and completed medical school at East Carolina University. Outside of work she enjoys trying different restaurants in Philadelphia, reading, dancing, traveling, and spending time with her family.
Aidan Pearigen, MD Dr. Aidan Pearigen was born and raised in San Diego, California. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degree in Bioengineering from the University of California, Los Angeles. He then received his medical degree from the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University. During medical school he also became a commissioned officer in the US Navy through the Health Professions Scholarship Program. His intern year was completed at Temple University Hospital in Internal Medicine. In his free time, he enjoys video games, trying new restaurants, cooking, and spending time with his family and friends.
Samantha (Sam) Pharo, DO Dr. Samantha (Sam) Pharo was born and raised in South Jersey. She completed her undergraduate degree in Chemistry at Loyola University in Baltimore, MD and then went on to medical school at Rowan School of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed her intern year in Internal Medicine before joining the Temple Anesthesiology Department to finish her residency training. In her free time, she enjoys taking on home-improvement projects, building furniture, exercising, exploring different restaurants, trying new food, and playing with her two puppies, Rosie and Poppy.
Michael Stelmach, MD Dr. Michael Stelmach grew up in Reading, PA. He went to school at the University of Pittsburgh for his undergraduate degree in Biology and obtained his Doctorate of Medicine at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine. He completed his intern year at Inspira Mullica Hill. Dr. Stelmach enjoys spending time with family, golfing, cooking, and rooting for Philadelphia sports teams.
Dhruv Vasant, MD Dr. Dhruv Vasant was born in Bronx, NY but was raised in Central Jersey. He completed his undergraduate degree in Biomedical Engineering at Rutgers University in New Brunswick. He then went on to complete his medical education at Saint George’s University in True Blue, Grenada. Dr. Vasant pursued a career in Internal Medicine and completed his residency at RWJ Barnabas Jersey City Medical Center. He then worked as a critical care hospitalist at Brown University; he also served as Clinical Assistant Professor for the Warren Alpert School of Medicine for a few years during which time he decided that his true passion lay in Anesthesiology. He worked as a hospitalist and was clinical faculty at Thomas Hospital in Mobile, Alabama for a year before returning to Philadelphia to complete his Anesthesia training at Temple University. Outside of work he enjoys cooking, traveling, watching movies and TV shows, and reading.
Nebiyat (Nebi) Zewdie, MD Dr. Nebiyat (Nebi) Zewdie was born and raised in Maryland. He attended University of Maryland, Baltimore County for his undergraduate education and Howard University for medical school. He completed my intern year in Internal Medicine at Temple. He likes to play basketball and soccer in his downtime. He is also a big gamer and anime fan.
CA-3 Residents (Class of 2025)
Nisha Branch, MDDr. Nisha Branch, is a dedicated professional providing compassionate care, with a goal to facilitate a positive operative experience for patients. She completed her undergraduate degree at The University of Virginia, and received a Masters of Public Health in Epidemiology from the George Washington University. She then went on to complete her medical degree at Howard University College of Medicine where she was also the National President of the Student National Medical Association. Dr. Branch completed two years of General Surgery training at Howard University Hospital, and before joining Temple, she worked in Orthopaedic Surgery at New York Presbyterian. Raised in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Dr. Branch has returned home to complete her Anesthesia training at Temple. She enjoys carpentry projects, traveling, watching movies, and spending time with friends, family, and her dog, BJ.
Jil Decker, MDDr. Jil Decker is a New Jersey native who has taken the scenic route to their home in the Anesthesiology department at Temple. Jil spent almost a decade in Newark, New Jersey, where they attended college at New Jersey Institute of Technology and medical school at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. There, they were inspired by their patients and mentors to pursue research and advocacy in healthcare and education for underserved and minority populations. They spent a year pursuing a Distinction in Research at University of Minnesota, where they concentrated their efforts on the care of transgender youth. They completed an intern year in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, followed by two years in General Surgery at University of Connecticut. They couldn't be more excited to be finishing their residency journey at Temple University, where they've now finished an intern year in Internal Medicine and look forward to completing their training in Anesthesiology. Outside of work, they enjoy spending time with friends, family, and their cat, Snoop.
Pefecto Galido, DODr. Perfecto Guinto Galido III was born in Northeast Philadelphia and raised in North Wales, PA. He completed his undergraduate degree in biology at Drexel University in West Philadelphia. Before starting medical school at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Greensburg, PA, he worked as a medical scribe at an outpatient Hematology-Oncology clinic in Abington, PA while also working as an ER technician at level 1 trauma center at St. Mary’s Medical Center in Bucks County, PA. He completed his internship/transitional year with Rowan’s School of Medicine in New Jersey. He has joined Temple University Hospital this year to complete his three year anesthesiology training. Outside of the hospital he enjoys being with his family, traveling with his fiancee and dog, playing basketball, playing video games, going for hikes, watching anime, and working out. Fun fact: Temple University Hospital runs in his family! His father, Dr. Perfecto Galido Jr. completed his anesthesiology residency at Temple in 2002. His mother, Perla Galido, is a Temple PACU nurse that has been with the hospital for 20+ years. His aunt, Janet Guinto, is a Temple Pre-op nurse.
Andrew Harrison, MD, PhDDr. Andrew Harrison was born and raised in central New Jersey. He went to college at Rutgers University New Brunswick in New Jersey where he majored in physics and genetics. He then attended a joint MD-PhD program at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. His PhD was in clinical research. The subject of his doctoral dissertation was automated sepsis detection and intervention. This research was performed with Critical Care at Mayo Clinic. He then went on to continue clinical informatics research with Critical Care at Mayo Clinic in a postdoc. After this he worked in the biomedical device industry. His hobbies include reading, massive road trips, and submission grappling.
Eileen Jin, MDDr. Eileen Jin grew up in Albany, New York. She went to Dartmouth College for her undergraduate degree in chemistry and completed medical school at Georgetown University. She did her preliminary internship at Temple. In her free time, Eileen enjoys brunch with her friends, working out, and her cat, Whiskers.
Francis Navarra, MDDr. Francis Navarra is a Los Angeles native, non-traditional, and first-generation in every sense. He had previous aspirations of pursuing a career as a skateboarder but got his act together and attended several community colleges prior to transferring to the University of California at Irvine majoring in Molecular Biology & Biochemistry. He packed up his flip flops, board shorts, and skateboards and attended medical school at Georgetown where he was involved in the mentorship of students coming from a similar background. He enjoys the technical and molecular aspects of anesthesia and is interested in academia. He enjoys exploring the many restaurants and parks in Philadelphia with his wife and toddler-aged daughter.
Louise Ngo, MDDr. Louise Ngo was born and raised in Philadelphia, PA. She received her bachelor’s degree in Biology from Drexel University. She also completed the post-baccalaureate program Drexel Pathway to Medical School and, subsequently, received her medical degree at Drexel University College of Medicine. Her internship year was completed at Temple University Hospital in Internal Medicine. She enjoys playing video games, dancing, exploring new places and restaurants, as well as spending time with her family and two kitties.
Justin Penny, MD, MBADr. Justin Penny is a native of Trinidad & Tobago and has lived most of his life in Indianapolis, Indiana. He earned a M.D.-M.B.A. dual degree at the University of Louisville in Kentucky. He completed his Internship in Internal Medicine at Temple University Hospital. His interests include Academic Medicine, Business Administration and Population Health. He enjoys problem-solving, financial derivatives, entrepreneurship, spending time with family, and travelling.
Hasan Rashid, MDDr. Hasan Rashid is a native of Chicago, Illinois. He attended Benedictine University for his undergraduate education and obtained his medical degree from Rush University Medical Center. He completed his intern year in General Surgery at Rush University Medical Center and John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County prior to beginning his training at Temple. His hobbies include video games, music, and cooking.
Faith Robinson, MDDr. Faith Robinson is a New York City native, raised in the diverse immigrant community of Queens, NY. She attended New York University, where she obtained her undergraduate degree in Global Public Health/Health Sciences before going on to pursue her medical degree at Virginia Tech Carillon School of Medicine. There she completed a robust 4 year clinical research project exploring the novel application of ultrasound for minimally invasive treatment of fibroids entitled “Histotripsy for the Treatment of Uterine Leiomyomas: A Feasibility Study in Ex Vivo Uterine Fibroids.” Most recently she completed her preliminary year in Internal Medicine at Temple University Hospital. Throughout her medical training, Dr. Robinson has maintained a keen interest in exploring the intersection between population health, epigenetics and healthcare utilization among underserved minority communities. When she is not thinking of ways to improve modern healthcare systems, she enjoys international travel, Pilates, aerial yoga, cooking and quality time with her miniature poodle.
Wilton Robinson, MDDr. Wilton Robinson, Jr. is a native of Atlanta, Georgia. After receiving his undergraduate degree in Psychology at Morehouse College and Masters in Public Health at Columbia University, he completed his medical degree at Georgetown University School of Medicine. Before joining us at Temple, he completed his preliminary internship year in Internal Medicine at Morehouse School of Medicine. In his free time, he enjoys quality time with his family, sports, and exploring restaurants around Philadelphia.
Sohan Warusha, MDDr. Sohan Warusha was born and raised in Sri Lanka and migrated to the US at age 12. His early exposure to poor healthcare in Sri Lanka motivated him to become a physician. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Maryland and completed his medical education at Georgetown University. Dr. Warusha loves growing orchids, maintains an aquarium, and runs a fantasy football league during his free time.
