Mentorship Program Director
Rachel Maria Brown Talaska, MD, FACC
Chair, New York ACC Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Task Force
Board certifications
Internal Medicine – American Board of Internal Medicine
Cardiovascular Disease – American Board of IM / Cardiovascular Disease
Fellowships
New York Presbyterian Hospital
Residencies
McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University
Education
Tufts University School of Medicine
Mentorship Seminar Recordings
For more videos of past events, visit our youtube channel here
Mentorship Program
As part of its commitment to foster a diverse and inclusive environment within and around the cardiovascular profession, NYACC established a Diversity & Inclusion (“D&I”) Task Force in 2019. The D&I Task Force is aimed at ensuring New York’s cardiology professionals are championed —regardless of race, ethnicity, cultural background, language proficiency, literacy, age, gender/gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, disability or socioeconomic status. After much reflection, the Task Force noticed that an area lacking support at many institutions was mentorship, so in 2020, they launched the Mentorship Program for residents, hospitalists and FITs to be paired up with more seasoned cardiologists in an effort to build stronger pipelines into the cardiovascular profession.
Matches are made in the following areas:
- Content, which includes guidance in scholarly projects, research productivity, academic resume building; and
- Career/Process, which includes guidance in career navigation, coaching, socio-academic support, gender-based career advancement advising.
With this program we hope to attract and retain talented cardiologists who may otherwise choose another field of study.
Mentors:
There is a huge range of personal development benefits that mentors gain from the experience. Register below to become a mentor today!
Mentees
Mentorship has the power to accelerate our career progression, self-development and overall confidence. Being a mentee has innumerable positive impacts, which include: career development; enhancing job performance; learning from other’s experiences; and so many more.
Fill out the application below to apply to the program.
Matches are made throughout the year and is based off of mentor availability. While matches are being made, we encourage you to attend the quarterly Mentorship Seminars.
- The NYACC Mentorship Program will run for one academic year.
- Acceptance into the mentorship program does not guarantee employment or match into any training program.
- The mentorship relationship is primarily for professional growth. Personal views of mentors are not representations of or official positions of the Chapter.
Available Mentors 2024-25
| Mentor Name: | Mentor Bio: | Available to Mentor: |
| Olva Bess, MD | Dr. Olva Olishia Bess is a medical graduate from the University of Guyana, currently completing her residency in Internal Medicine at NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull, affiliated with NYU Grossman School of Medicine (2021-2024). She has a strong focus on community health, patient education, and quality improvement, particularly in cardiology and palliative care. Dr. Bess has presented research at various medical conferences and is involved in mentoring and educational initiatives aimed at improving health literacy and resident wellness. | Content/Research *Available to mentor medical students and/or residents |
| Ronak H. Bharucha, DO | Ronak H. Bharucha is a medical doctor completing an Internal Medicine residency at the University at Buffalo, expected in June 2024. He holds a Doctorate of Osteopathic Medicine from Rowan University and a Master of Biomedical Sciences from Rutgers University. Dr. Bharucha has published multiple peer-reviewed articles in cardiology and has won several research and clinical awards. He is actively involved in leadership, research, and service activities, with particular interest in cardiovascular health, health equity, and resident education. | Content/Research and Career/Process *Available to mentor medical students, residents and/or FITs |
| Cristian Garcia Caraballo, MD | Dr. Cristian Garcia Caraballo is an internal medicine resident at the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, where he also serves as Associate Chief Resident. He earned his M.D. from Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara and holds a B.S. in Biology from the University of Puerto Rico, graduating magna cum laude. Dr. Garcia has conducted research in cardiology and published several papers. He is involved in quality improvement projects related to heart failure and echocardiography. He holds numerous certifications and is a member of various professional cardiology associations. | Content/Research and Career/Process *Available to mentor medical students |
| Sunny Goel, MD, FACC, FSCAI | Dr. Sunny Goel is the Director of Structural Heart Disease at Mount Sinai South Nassau and a Clinical Assistant Professor of Cardiology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. He completed fellowships in Structural Heart and Interventional Cardiology at Mount Sinai and has received numerous awards, including the SCAI “30 in Their 30s” award and the CRT Young Leadership Award. Dr. Goel is actively involved in research, with a focus on transcatheter aortic valve replacement and coronary interventions, and has published extensively in leading cardiovascular journals. | Content/Research and Career/Process *Available to mentor medical students, residents and/or FITs |
| Omar Khalique, MD, FACC, FSCAI | Dr. Omar Khalique is the Director of Cardiovascular Imaging at St. Francis Hospital & Heart Center and oversees fellowships in cardiovascular imaging. He is also an Associate Professor of Medicine (in Radiology) at Columbia University Medical Center. His expertise spans multimodality cardiac imaging, interventional echocardiography, and cardiac MRI. Dr. Khalique has contributed extensively to cardiovascular research and is a Fellow of several prestigious cardiology societies, including the American College of Cardiology and the American Society of Echocardiography. | Content/Research and Career/Process *Available to mentor medical students, residents and/or FITs |
| Maisha Maliha, MD | Maisha Maliha is an ECFMG-certified medical graduate and current medical resident at Jacobi Medical Center, New York, with experience in internal medicine and various subspecialties. She earned her MBBS from Dhaka Medical College, ranking first in merit order and achieving honors in 10 disciplines. Maisha has been involved in multiple clinical observerships and externships across the U.S. and has co-authored several publications and case reports. She is also an advocate for Alzheimer’s awareness and a tutor for underprivileged children. | Content/Research and Career/Process *Available to mentor medical students |
| Giorgio A. Medranda, MD, FACC, FSCAI | Dr. Giorgio A. Medranda, MD, FACC, FSCAI, is a board-certified interventional cardiologist and Clinical Assistant Professor at NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine. He specializes in coronary and structural interventions, with a focus on radiation safety. Dr. Medranda completed his medical training at SUNY Downstate Medical Center, followed by an interventional cardiology fellowship at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. His research interests include transcatheter valve therapies and coronary microvascular disease. | Content/Research and Career/Process *Available to mentor medical students, residents and/or FITs |
| Raymond A. Pashun, MD, FACC | Dr. Raymond A. Pashun, MD, FACC, is an Assistant Professor at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, with expertise in cardiology and critical care medicine. He earned his MD from New York Medical College and completed fellowships in cardiovascular disease and critical care medicine. He has held academic appointments at NYU since 2021 and is a published author of numerous peer-reviewed articles in cardiology and critical care. Dr. Pashun is actively involved in medical education, particularly in simulation-based training and mentoring within professional organizations. | Career/Process *Available to mentor medical students, residents and/or FITs |
| Anjili Srivastava, DO, FACC | Dr. Anjili Srivastava, DO, FACC, is a board-certified cardiologist and Associate Program Director of the Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship at NYU Langone Hospital – Long Island. She completed her medical training at NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine and her fellowship at NYU Langone. Her clinical interests include primary prevention, lipidology, and women’s cardiovascular health. Dr. Srivastava has been involved in various scholarly activities, including presenting at national conferences and contributing to research in cardiovascular disease. | Career/Process *Available to mentor medical students, residents and/or FITs |