Our residents
PGY3
Michael Falcone, DO
Hometown: Hudson, NH
Undergrad: Keene State College
Medical School: University of New England
Michael is originally from southern New Hampshire and graduated from Keene State College with a BS in athletic training. He worked as an associate business development executive at a medical staffing company before attending the University of Vermont to complete a postbaccalaureate pre-medical program. There, he worked on sports medicine research to further our understanding of rehabilitation techniques post-ACL reconstruction. For medical school, he attended the University of New England. Professionally, he hopes to practice Internal Medicine and/or Sports Medicine. In his free time, Michael likes to fly fishing, hiking, traveling, and finding new places to eat.
Marques Johnson, MD
Hometown: West Hartford, CT
Undergrad: Worcester State College
Medical School: University of Connecticut School of Medicine
Marques is originally from Connecticut and graduated from Worcester State University with a BS in Biology. He worked as an emergency department medical scribe before attending the UCONN School of Medicine for medical school. While at UCONN, he piloted a community outreach program with a local barbershop that provided blood pressure readings to customers of the shop. This is where his passion for preventative medicine and primary care was born. Marques looks forward to a future career in primary care. In his free time, he enjoys kickboxing, distance running, and playing video games with his friends.
Rima Patel, DO, MEd
Hometown: Lowell, MA
Undergrad: Massachusetts College of Pharmacy
Medical School: Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
Rima is a Massachusetts native who was born and raised in Lowell, Massachusetts, and then later moved to Burlington, Massachusetts. She went to medical school at LECOM, where she discovered her passion for academic medicine and received her master's in medical education. She has a keen interest in addiction medicine and is aspiring to gain more experience during residency. She hopes to ultimately pursue a career in primary care. During her free time, Rima enjoys traveling, skiing, spending time with her family and friends, cooking, and trying new restaurants.
Ryan Sullivan, MD
Hometown: Coventry, CT
Undergrad: University of Connecticut
Medical School: University of Connecticut
Ryan grew up in Coventry, CT, and went to UConn for undergrad, where he majored in Molecular and Cell Biology. After graduating, he worked as an EMT for three years and joined the Peace Corps, serving as a Public Health Volunteer in Guinea. He then went back to UConn for medical school, and is excited to join UMass! In his free time, he likes to play video games, especially Legend of Zelda, spend time outside with his dog Pyro, and visit local breweries!
Sherry Yan, DO
Hometown: North Attleboro, MA
Undergrad: Boston University
Medical School: University of New England
Sherry is a native of southeastern Massachusetts. She earned her undergraduate degree in biomedical engineering at Boston University. During college, she volunteered in a clinical biomechanics lab that developed non-operative therapies for young adults with hip impingement. She continued her research there after graduation while also working as its lab manager before attending medical school at the University of New England. Sherry firmly believes in a proactive, rather than reactive, approach to healthcare and patient education about disease prevention. In her spare time, she enjoys staying active, discovering new music, and sampling local cuisines with friends.
PGY2
Eliza McDermott, MD
Hometown: Quincy, MA
Undergrad: Saint Michael's College
Medical School: Loyola University, Chicago Stritch School of Medicine
Eliza was born and raised in Quincy, Massachusetts, and, despite a fun four years spent in Chicago for medical school, is a diehard New Englander. She graduated from Saint Michael’s College in Burlington, Vermont, with a major in Biology and minors in both Chemistry and Religious Studies. After college, Eliza worked at both Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital before beginning medical school in 2020. While at Stritch, she served as a class board member and was extensively involved in mentorship and peer advising. Eliza was thrilled to join the Internal Medicine residency program at UMass Chan as well as the Primary Care Track. Her professional interests include metabolic health and cardiovascular risk reduction in the primary care setting. Outside of the hospital, she serves as a regular guest speaker and alumnae mentor for her all-girls’ high school medical interest group. In her other free time, she can be found reading a good book, trying a new type of workout, or spending time with her family and husband Matt.
Maria Elena Navedo, MD
Hometown: Foxboro, MA
Undergrad: Michigan State University
Medical School: University of Connecticut School of Medicine
Elena spent most of her childhood in Foxboro, Massachusetts. She earned her undergraduate degree in Music and Spanish education at Michigan State University. After college, she taught Spanish and private music lessons in addition to leading her own jazz quartet. She became interested in a career in medicine after witnessing loved ones experience injury and illness. She completed her pre-requisites for medical school at the University of Puerto Rico at Arecibo where she met her husband, Jovany. She was accepted to medical school at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine where she discovered her passion for advocacy and became a leader in the Latino Medical Student Association. Her professional interests include diversity, equity and inclusion, medical education, and palliative care. When she is not at the hospital, Elena can be found with her husband, her daughter, Gianna, and their dog walking around the neighborhood, visiting their local library, or out trying new restaurants.
Renee Zhao, MD
Hometown: Ann Arbor, MI
Undergrad: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Medical School: University of California, Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine
Renee grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and completed her undergraduate degree in Chemistry and Biology at MIT. Following her undergraduate studies, she worked with Professor Sangeeta Bhatia at MIT to design point-of-case diagnostic tools for early detection and monitoring of cancer. While at MIT, Renee discovered her passion for taekwondo and eventually became a member of the U.S. National Team. Inspired by her involvement in sports, she studied sports injury prevention in taekwondo and developed various injury and concussion prevention initiatives. Her interests in medicine include point-of-care ultrasound, sports medicine, and medical education. In her free time, she enjoys exploring new restaurants, drinking boba, and practicing taekwondo.
PGY1
Alexander Bui, MD
Hometown: Inver Grove Heights, MN
Undergrad: University of Minnesota
Medical School: UMass Chan Medical School
Alex grew up in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, and graduated from the University of Minnesota with a BS in biochemistry. During college, he worked as a tutor and medical scribe before attending medical school at UMass Chan. During medical school, he researched Lupus with Professor Kerstin Nündel, and served his local community by volunteering with Worcester free clinics and preparing homes for refugee families. In his spare time, Alex enjoys cooking, skiing, video games, as well as exploring new restaurants and breweries.
Ryann Little, MD
Hometown: La Grange, KY
Undergrad: Transylvania University
Medical School: University of Kentucky College of Medicine
Ryann grew up in La Grange, Kentucky. She earned her undergraduate degree at Transylvania University (go Bats!) before completing her medical education at the University of Kentucky (go Cats!). Prior to attending medical school, Ryann spent several years working as a Dermatology medical assistant and surgical technician. She has a passion for advancing health equity, especially for those in more rural areas. In her free time, Ryann loves exploring the outdoors with her dog, Nori. She enjoys trying new restaurants, breweries, and hobbies with her friends and family.
Veronika Melnik, MD
Hometown: Dedham, MA
Undergrad: Harvard College
Medical School: UMass Chan Medical School
Veronika was born in Ukraine and grew up in Dedham, Massachusetts. She attended Harvard College, where she concentrated in Human Developmental and Regenerative Biology and first developed an interest in diabetes. During medical school at UMass Chan, she deepened this interest through research focused on diabetes care during pregnancy. She also discovered a passion for teaching, mentoring, and medical education. Veronika is drawn to primary care for its emphasis on chronic disease management, patient relationships, and addressing health disparities, and she ultimately hopes to pursue a career in endocrinology. In her free time, she enjoys exploring new restaurants, hosting dinner parties, dancing, and traveling with friends and family.
Nicole Nesto, DO, MMS, MSBE
Hometown: St. Pete Beach, Florida
Undergrad: University of Florida
Medical School: Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM)
Nicole is a Florida native who grew up competing in karate, triathlons, and swimming. She went on to serve as captain of her college swim team (go ospreys!) before pursuing dual master's degrees in medical science and biomedical ethics at LECOM. She is a longtime partner of the Dysautonomia Project, where she works to advance awareness, education, and research for patients with autonomic dysfunction. She is passionate about building a career in primary care with a specialty focus in caring for patients with Dysautonomia/ POTS and EDS. In her free time, Nicole enjoys discovering the perfect cup of coffee, curling up with a good book, and exploring as many national parks as possible. As a New England transplant, she is especially excited about getting to experience seasons for the first time.