Meet the Residents of St. Joseph EM Residency Program
Class of 2027
Jacqueline Bonamassa, MD
Undergraduate: Post University
Medical School: Caribbean Medical University
Hometown: Staten Island, NY
Interests/Hobbies: Going out to eat or for drinks with family/friends, Watching and going to sport games (especially the Yankees!), traveling and watching reality tv!
Bilal Bucak, MD
Medical School: Istanbul University, Cerrahpasa School of Medicine
Hometown: Denizli, Turkey
Interests/Hobbies: I love to play tennis, classic music enthusiasts, and traveler.
Edward Caputo, MD
Undergraduate: Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Medical School: American University of Antigua College of Medicine
Hometown: Cranston, RI
Interests/Hobbies: Cooking, golfing, and spending time with my wife and daughter. I'm also an unapologetic, die-hard New England Patriots fan.
Essence Maita, MD
Undergraduate: UC Davis
Medical School: Saint James School of Medicine
Hometown: San Diego, CA
Interests/Hobbies: All things emergency medicine. Sports - especially basketball. Traveling. Working out. Going to nice restaurants. Creating memories/new traditions with family.
Mirna Shaker, DO
Undergraduate: UCLA
Medical School: Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Interests/Hobbies: Since my childhood I have had a passion for Volleyball and team Handball. I also enjoy hiking, swimming and drawing cartoons in my spare time.
Samantha Skow, MD
Undergraduate: Marymount Manhattan College
Medical School: Saba University School of Medicine
Hometown: Great Neck, NY
Interests/Hobbies: Disney, Broadway, Foodie, Crime Documentaries
Class of 2028
Ahmed Elkhawaga, DO
Undergraduate: Faculty of Medicine and Surgery Alexandria University
Medical School: NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown: Alexandria, Egypt
Interests/Hobbies: Cooking (especially Middle Eastern & Mediterranean cuisine), soccer, tennis, egyptology & ancient history. Traveling- I’ve visited over 20 countries and love exploring new cultures. Spending quality time with my kids.
Brittany Molin, MD
Undergraduate: Marist College
Medical School: American University of Antigua College of Medicine
Hometown: Dix Hills, NY
Interests/Hobbies: Foodie, traveling, reading, tennis, mixology, and volunteering.
Kianna Friesz, MD
Undergraduate: Truman State University
Medical School: American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine
Hometown: Alton, Missouri
Interests/Hobbies: I enjoy geocaching, reading, baking, kayaking, and playing the NYT wordle and mini crossword.
Nicholas Palagonia, MD
Undergraduate: Stony Brook University
Graduate School: LIU-POST
Medical School: American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine
Hometown: Smithtown, NY
Interests/Hobbies: Lifting weights at the gym, walking on trails, hanging out with my dog Buddy, reading and experimenting with cooking “unhealthy meals” and turning them into healthy/high protein meals.
Mark Lerner, DO
Undergraduate: Cornell College
Medical School: Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown: Kinnelon, NJ
Interests/Hobbies: Pokémon Go, building things, grilling outside during the winter.
Michele Schewe-Holi, DO
Undergraduate: Hunter College
Medical School: NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
Interests/Hobbies: Cooking, exercise, yoga, dancing, drawing, and reading.
Class of 2029
Karine Eid, MD
Undergraduate: American University of Beirut
Medical School: American University of Beirut
Hometown: Lebanon
Interests/Hobbies: Rock climbing, outdoor activities and sports
Omar Haggaz, DO
Undergraduate: The University of Texas at Dallas
Medical School: Sam Houston State University of Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown: Houston, TX
Interests/Hobbies: Stand-up Comedy, AI Research, Hiking, UFC
Crystal Hallisey, MD
Undergraduate: SUNY New Paltz
Medical School: Xavier University School of Medicine
Hometown: Newburgh, NY
Interests/Hobbies: Anything outdoors, spending time with my cat kiwi, watching sports games (Go Birds), reading way too many books at once, traveling and being with friends & family.
Can Ozyildirim, MD
Undergraduate: Virginia Commonwealth University
Medical School: Ross University School of Medicine
Hometown: Alexandria, VA
Interests/Hobbies: Golf, video games, being a Patriots fan, and spending time with my wife
Jill Salonga, MD
Undergraduate: Washington State University
Medical School: American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine
Hometown: Portland, OR
Interests/Hobbies: Exploring new cafes/restaurants, Broadway, Disney, cute collectibles, nature walks
Fawaz Syed, DO
Undergraduate: NYIT
Medical School: NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown: Monroe, NJ
Interests/Hobbies: Snowboarding, hiking & BJJ
