Our Expert Team

Chiefs 

Pradyumna Phatak, MD
Chief, Medical Oncology/Hematology
Director, Oncology Strategic Service Unit

Medical School: Christian Medical College, Vellore, India
Residency: St. Mary’s Hospital, Rochester, NY Internal Medicine
Fellowship: Strong Memorial Hospital, Rochester, NY Hematology and Oncology
Board Certifications: Internal Medicine, Hematology, Medical Oncology
Medical Staff Appointments: RGH Attending Physician Department of Medicine, Roswell Park Cancer Institute Adjunct Staff Department of Medicine
Membership in Professional Organizations: American College of Physicians, American Society of Clinical Oncology, American Federation of Clinical Research, American Society of Hematology, Hemophilia Research Society, World Hemophilia Federation
Clinical Interest & Expertise: Iron overload, Anemia, Hematologic malignancies

Meri Atanas, MD
Chief, Department of Radiation Oncology

College: SUNY Binghamton (Binghamton, NY)
Medical School: Tufts University (Boston, MA)
Internship: Strong Memorial Hospital (Rochester, NY), Primary Care
Residency: SUNY Health Science Center (Syracuse, NY), Radiation Oncology
Board Certifications: Radiation Oncology
Medical Staff Appointments: RGH Attending Physician Department of Radiation Oncology; NWCH Attending Physician, Department of Radiology; Lakeside Memorial Hospital Consulting Physician, Department of Radiology; Unity Hospital Attending Physician, Department of Radiology; Past President of Medical Staff, Unity Health System
Membership in Professional Organizations: American Medical Association, American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, New York State Medical Society, Monroe County Medical Society, Breast Cancer Coalition Advisory Council
Awards/Honors: Gilda's Club of Rochester, NY, Gitleman Award 2010; Nominee, Father George Norton Physician Excellence Award, Rochester General Hospital, 2009, 2010
Special Interests: General Radiation Oncology, Head and Neck Cancers, Breast Cancer, Prostate Cancer

Stephen E. Ettinghausen, MD, FACS
Medical Director, Surgical Oncology

College: Amherst College, Amherst, MA
Medical School: Cornell University Medical College, New York, NY
Intern & Residency: Intern & Assistant Resident, Department of Medicine, Hospital of University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA; Assistant Resident, Department of Pathology, The New York Hospital – Cornell Medical Center, New York, NY; Intern & Assistant, Senior & Chief Resident, Department of Surgery, The New York Hospital – Cornell Medical Center, New York, NY
Fellowship: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY; National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD.
Board Certifications: American Board of Surgery
Medical Staff Appointments: RGH Attending Surgeon; Associate Professor of Surgery, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry
Membership in Professional Organizations: Association for Academic Surgery, Society of Surgical Oncology, American College of Surgeons (Fellow), American Society of Clinical Oncology, Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract, American Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association
Clinical Interest & Expertise: Hepato-biliary and pancreatic cancer; Upper and lower gastrointestinal tract cancers including recurrent rectal cancer; Retroperitoneal and visceral sarcomas; Melanoma; Breast Cancer

Oncologists / Hematologists & Radiation Oncologists

Peter Bushunow, MD
Director of Oncology Research

College: Washington University, St. Louis, MO, BA, Philosophy
Medical School:Washington University, St. Louis, MO, MD
Residency; SUNY Health Science Center, Syracuse, NY, Internal Medicine
Fellowship: SUNY Health Science Center, Syracuse, NY, Medical Oncology/Hematology
Board Certifications: Internal Medicine, Medical Oncology
Medical Staff Appointments: RGH Attending Physician Department of Medicine, Roswell Park Cancer Institute Adjunct Staff Department of Medicine
Membership in Professional Organizations: American College of Physicians; American Society of Clinical Oncology; Society for Neuro-Oncology; CALGB investigator, institutional responsible investigator; University of Rochester Community Clinical Oncology Program Research Base co-investigator, institutional principal investigator.
Clinical Interest & Expertise: General medical oncology, neuro-oncology, quality of life and symptom management.

Sheema Chawla, MD
Radiation Oncologist

Medical School: University College of Medical Sciences (Delhi, India)
Residency: University of Rochester (Rochester, NY)
Fellowship: Radiation Oncology, University of Rochester (Rochester, NY)
Board Certification: Board Certified, Radiation Oncology
Medical Staff Appointments: RGH Attending Physician, Department of Radiation Oncology; NWCH Telehealth Physician, Department of Radiology
Special Interests: General Radiation Oncology, Lung Cancer, Stereotactic Radiosurgery
Membership in Professional Organizations: American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, American Society of Clinical Oncology, Radiological Society of North America

Shivaji M Deore, PhD, DABMP
Director, Medical Physics, Department of Radiation Oncology

Education: Ph.D. Biophysics, B. Atomic Research Center, University of Bombay, Bombay, India
Board Certification: American Board of Medical Physics (ABMP), Radiation Oncology Physics. ABR Eqv in Therapeutic Radiological Physics
Membership in Professional Organizations: American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM), American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO), Radiological and Medical Physics Society of New York, American Radium Society

Jeffrey Haynes, MD
Radiation Oncologist

College: Rutgers College (New Brunswick, NJ)
Medical School: University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA)
Intern & Residency: Internship - Graduate Hospital, Philadelphia; Residency - Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA)
Board Certification: Radiation Oncology
Medical Staff Appointments: Rochester General Hospital Attending Physician, Department of Radiation Oncology; NWCH Telehealth Physician, Department of Radiology
Membership in Professional Organizations: American Medical Association, American Society of Clinical Oncology, Radiological Society of North America, American College of Radiology, American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology
Special Interests: General Radiation Oncology, Colorectal Cancer, GYN Oncology

Saad Jamshed, MD
Medical Oncologist / Hematologist

Medical School: University of Karachi, Dow Medical College, Pakistan
Intern & Residency: Internal Medicine, Rochester General Hospital, Affiliate of the University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, NY
Fellowship: Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Georgetown University Hospital, Washington DC
Board Certifications: Internal Medicine, Hematology, Medical Oncology
Membership in Professional Organizations: American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO); American Society of Hematology (ASH)

Peter A. Kouides, MD
Research Director, Mary M. Gooley Hemophilia Center

College: Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, Chemistry
Medical School: SUNY at Syracuse, Syracuse, NY
Residency: New England Medical Center of Tufts University, Boston MA, Internal Medicine
Fellowship: University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, Medical Oncology, Hematology/Bone Marrow Transplant
Board Certifications: Internal Medicine, Hematology, Medical Oncology
Medical Staff Appointments: RGH Attending Physician Department of Medicine, Roswell Park Cancer Institute Adjunct Staff Department of Medicine, Associate Professor of Medicine-University of Rochester School of Medicine
Membership in Professional Organizations: American College of Physicians, American Society of Hematology, American Thrombosis Association, Alpha Omega Medical Honorary Society, Hemophilia Research Society of North America, International Society of Thrombosis and Hemostasis, National Hemophilia Foundation, Phi Beta Kappa Honorary Society
Clinical Interest & Expertise: benign and malignant hematology; disorders of clotting and bleeding particularly studies in von Willebrand disease and menstrual bleeding

Zachary B. Kramer, MD
Medical Oncologist / Hematologist

College: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, Biology
Medical School: Albany Medical College, Albany, NY
Residency: University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, Internal Medicine
Fellowship: University of Rochester, Rochester, NY. Hematology, Medical Oncology
Board Certifications: Internal Medicine, Medical Oncology, Hematology
Medical Staff Appointments: RGH Attending Physician Department of Medicine, Roswell Park Cancer Institute Adjunct Staff Department of Medicine
Membership in Professional Organizations: American College of Physicians, American Society of Clinical Oncology, American Society of Hematology
Clinical Interest & Expertise: All malignancies in Adults

Lori Medeiros, MD, CM, FRCSC, FACS
Medical Director, Rochester General Breast Center

College: McGill University, 1992
Medical School: McGill University, 1997
Residency: McGill University, 2002
Board Certifications: General Surgery, American Board of Surgeons; General Surgery, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada; Breast Ultrasound, American Society of Breast Surgeons
Medical Staff Appointments: Faculty Practice RGH, Faculty Practice Newark-Wayne
Membership in Professional Organizations: American Society of Breast Surgeons, Mastery of Breast Surgery Continuing Quality Initiative, American College of Physicians and Surgeons, Royal Canadian College of Physicians and Surgeons, RGH Cancer Committee, American Medical Association, Monroe Medical Society, Surgical Executive Commitee, RGH Medical Board
Clinical Interests & Expertise: Frequent presenter to community, media and professional groups on breast cancer, Breast Cancer, Diseases of the Breast, Breast Surgery

Mehul Patel, MD
Medical Oncologist / Hematologist

Medical School: Padmashree Dr. D.Y. Patil Medical College, Navi Mumbai, India
Residency: McLaren Regional Medical Center/Michigan State University, Flint, Michigan
Fellowship: Roswell Park Cancer Institute / SUNY at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
Board Certifications: Internal Medicine, Hematology and Medical Oncology
Medical Staff Appointments: RGH Attending Physician / Department of Medicine, Roswell Park Cancer Institute Adjunct Staff/Department of Medicine
Membership in Professional Organizations: American Society of Clinical Oncology, American Society of Hematology
Clinical Interest & Expertise: General Oncology, particularly Lung Cancer, Benign and Malignant Hematology, particularly Multiple Myeloma and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Maria Sbenghe, MD
Medical Oncologist / Hematologist

Medical School: Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania
Residency: Internal Medicine, Interfaith Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY; Dermatology, Colentina Hospital, Bucharest Romania
Fellowship: Hematology/Medical Oncology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA
Board Certifications: Internal Medicine, Hematology and Medical Oncology
Membership in Professional Organizations: American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO); American Society of Hematology (ASH)

Ronald L. Sham, MD, FACP
Hematology, Medical Director Mary M. Gooley Hemophilia Center
Medical Director RGH Anticoagulation Unit

College: Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, Biophysics
Medical School: Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine
Residency: Strong Memorial Hospital, University of Rochester Medical Center, Internal Medicine
Fellowship: University of Rochester Medical Center, Hematology
Board Certifications: Internal Medicine, Hematology
Medical Staff Appointments: RGH Attending Physician Department of Medicine, University of Rochester Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine, Roswell Park Cancer Institute Adjunct Staff Department of Medicine
Membership in Professional Organizations: American College of Physicians, American Society of Hematology, Hemophilia Research Society of North America.
Clinical Interest & Expertise: Benign and malignant hematology, disorders of hemostasis and thrombosis, iron overload disorders, medical education

Julia L. Smith, MD
Medical Oncologist / Hospice and Palliative Medicine

College: Smith College, Northampton, MA; BA Biochemistry
Medical School: New York Medical College, New York, NY
Internship: New York Medical College, Medicine
Residency: Rochester General Hospital, Medicine
Fellowship: University of Rochester Cancer Center, Medical Oncology
Board Certifications: Internal Medicine, Medical Oncology, Hospice & Palliative Medicine
Medical Staff Appointments: RGH Attending Physician Department of Medicine; Roswell Park Cancer Institute Adjunct Staff Department of Medicine; Medical Director, Hospice of Rochester
Membership in Professional Organizations: American College of Physicians; American Society of Clinical Oncology; Fellow, American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine.
Clinical Interest & Expertise: Breast cancer; palliative care/symptom management

Xunyi Xu, MS
Senior Medical Physicist, Department of Radiation Oncology

Education: Master of Science in Medical Physics, Rush University (Chicago, IL); Master of Science in Physics, Bowling Green State University (Bowling Green, OH); Bachelor of Science in Applied Physics, Hua Quao Universit (Fujian, China)
Board Certification: American Board of Medical Physics (ABMP), Radiation Oncology Physics. ABR Eqv in Therapeutic Radiological Physics
Membership in Professional Organizations: American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAP)

Lan Luo, MS
Medical Physicist, Department of Radiation Oncology

Education: Master of Science in Medical Physics, Columbia University (New York, NY); Bachelor of Science in Clinical Medicine, Hubei Medical University (Wuhan, P.R. China)
Certification: American Board of Radiology in Therapeutic Medical Physics
Membership in Professional Organizations: American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM)

Midlevel Providers

Maria Czymmek, RN, MSN, ANP, AOCNP
Nurse Practitioner

Education: Master of Science in Nursing, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY; Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Summa Cum Laude, St. John Fisher College, Rochester, NY.
Certification: Advanced Oncology Certified Nurse Practitioner
Membership in Professional Organizations: Oncology Nursing Society, Genesee Valley Oncology Nursing Society

Dottie Chilton, RN, MSN, AOCN
Nurse Practitioner

Education: Master of Science in Nursing, Acute Care Oncology Nurse Practitioner with Honors, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY; Bachelor of Science in Nursing Summa Cum Laude, SUNY Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
Certification: Advanced Oncology Certified Nurse; Advanced Practice Hospice and Palliative Care
Membership in Professional Organizations: Oncology Nursing Society, Genesee Valley Oncology Nursing Society (Past President)
Clinical Interest: Palliative Care/Symptom Management

Laura Dennison, RN, MSN, AOCNP
Nurse Practitioner

Education: Master of Science in Nursing, Nurse Practitioner in Adult Health, Magna Cum Laude, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY; Bachelor of Science in Nursing, SUNY Brockport, Brockport, NY
Certification: Advanced Oncology Certified Nurse Practitioner
Membership in Professional Organizations: Oncology Nursing Society, Genesee Valley Oncology Nursing Society

Elizabeth Elmore, RN, MSN, AOCNP
Nurse Practitioner

Education: Master of Science in Nursing Degree, Family Nurse Practitioner, Lienhard School of Nursing, Pace University
Certification: Advanced Oncology Certified Nurse Practioner, Family Nurse Practioner
Membership in Professional Organizations: Oncology Nursing Society

Michelle Faulkner, PA
Physician Assistant

Education: Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies; Bachelor of Science, Summa Cum Laude, Daemen College, Amherst, NY
Certification: Physician Assistant, New York State Registration
Membership in Professional Organizations: Rochester Regional PA Association, American Academy of Physician Assistants, Western New York Physician Assistant Association

Adrienne Hanvey, RPA-C
Physician Assistant

Education: Master of Science in Physician Assistant studies, Bachelor of Science, Summa Cum Laude, Daemen College, Amherst, NY
Certification: Physician Assistant-Certified, Registered in New York State
Membership in Professional Organizations: American Academy of Physician Assistants, Western New York Physician Assistant Association

Debra Kosko, RN, MS, NP, AOCN
Nurse Practitioner

Education: Master of Science in Nursing,Acute Care Nurse Practitioner/Oncology University of Rochester, Rochester, NY; Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Summa Cum Laude, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY
Certification: Advanced Oncology Certified Nurse
Membership in Professional Organizations: Oncology Nursing Society, Genesee Valley Oncology Nursing Society

Kimberly Provenzano, RN, MSN, AOCN, APNG
Nurse Practitioner

Education: Master of Science in Nursing, Acute Care Oncology Nurse Practitioner, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY; Bachelor of Science in Nursing, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY
Certification: Advanced Oncology Certified Nurse; Advanced Practice Nurse in Genetics
Membership in Professional Organizations: Oncology Nursing Society, Genesee Valley Oncology Nursing Society, International Society of Nurses in Genetics