Brigid Carlson, MD, is a clinician and assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine who sees inpatient and outpatient populations in the UMass Memorial Health system. Her inpatient work focuses on cardiac critical care, and in her outpatient cardiology clinics, she sees a full spectrum of patients on the University campus and at Shrewsbury Internal Medicine. We recently had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Carlson, learn more about her work as a cardiologist, and, in alignment with February’s American Heart Health Month, pick up some important tips for improving heart health for ourselves and our families. 

“I think that a lot of times with diet and healthy food choices, [physicians] talk about things to avoid. I tell my patients to try to have five fruits or vegetables in a day, so rather than thinking, ‘I can't have that’ which can be discouraging and hard to maintain, I ask them to make sure that they’ve prioritized healthy foods first.” 

In this month’s Fellowship Spotlight, we highlight Qadija Qadri, MD, an Infectious Diseases and Immunology fellow. Here, Dr. Qadri describes her clinical and research interests, why she chose UMass for her fellowship, and why New England is her favorite vacation spot!  

"UMass is a leading institution providing fellows with an opportunity for outstanding experiences. Training at the medical center offers exposure to a diverse patient population and helps build a solid foundation in knowledge and clinical expertise."

In this month’s Resident Spotlight, we highlight Anna Gubala, MD, a third-year Internal Medicine resident on the research track. Here, Dr. Gubala describes her research interests, her involvement with different groups and activities at UMass Chan, and her favorite activities in the Worcester area.  

"UMass Chan is a great place to train for residency because of the supportive and wonderful community of residents and physicians, as well as the high clinical volume and sick patients."

Linsey Barker Embraces Role as New APL in Geriatric Medicine 

In late 2023, Geriatric Medicine welcomed its first ambulatory physician lead (APL), Linsey Barker, DO, to help guide the geriatric clinic as its team continues to grow. Dr. Barker, a clinician and assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Geriatric Medicine, enthusiastically took on this new role, and aims to help strengthen processes by thinking creatively and working collaboratively with all members of the clinic.  

“[The geriatrics clinic] is very much a team-based model. We recognize that when we are caring for older adult patients who may have more medical complexity and other things that need to be taken into consideration, we need to take a team-based approach,” said Dr. Barker. “Having just started recently at UMass, I am still figuring out processes, but I am excited. I work [in the clinic] regularly and get to see what works well and maybe areas where we could continue to improve upon, especially as our group is growing.” 

Dr. Barker also recognizes and is appreciative of the wealth of knowledge and experience that surrounds her as she establishes herself in her practice and as the clinic’s first APL. “A lot of my colleagues have been here for a while and really know what's worked before and what hasn't, so it is great to be able to have conversations with them and get their feedback.”  

Dr. Barker’s passion for her work as a geriatrician and team-based care was seeded early in her medical training and flourished during her internal medicine residency at UMass Chan. Although her intention was always to pursue a career in geriatric medicine, Dr. Barker’s interests grew while rotating with the geriatrics group. In the clinic, she spent time learning from and working with Dr. Erika Zimmons. She was also able to work with Dr. Jerry Gurwitz on various research projects. “[Dr. Gurwitz] was a great mentor and strongly advocated for me to pursue a career in geriatrics,” said Dr. Barker.  

After Dr. Barker completed her chief residency, she chose to pursue her fellowship training at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston so that she could experience how geriatric medicine was practiced in an environment with a different patient population. Her training there enriched her learning and broadened her perspectives, which she hopes to incorporate as she establishes her practice in Worcester. As Dr. Barker embarks upon her career and new role as APL, she is excited for what the future holds. “I'm always trying to think about ways that we could think differently or get creative, so I’m very excited to be in this role.” 

Dr. Barker earned her medical degree at the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed her internal medicine residency and chief residency in internal medicine at UMass Chan Medical School and her fellowship in geriatric medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Dr. Barker joined the faculty at UMass Chan/UMass Memorial Health in August 2023.   

Retreat for Primary Care Track Residents to Focus on Gender-Affirming Care 

Each year the Primary Care Track of the Internal Medicine Residency holds an off-campus retreat for residents to learn about and discuss a topic of particular importance and relevance to their training. This full-day event is a unique opportunity for them to step outside the clinical setting to engage in meaningful dialogue together and with invited speakers. This year’s retreat, to be held in March, will focus on gender-affirming care. 

Elizabeth Murphy, MD, program director of the Primary Care Track and associate professor of medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine, is organizing the retreat and chose this topic for a variety of reasons. “I've had residents in the past who have told me that [a patient] opened up to them in a visit and said, ‘I want to live my life as a different gender,’ and they were afraid or didn't know what to say or do,” said Dr. Murphy. “We want to make sure that our residents, if presented with this situation, can provide care that is supportive and warm—and even if they don't have all the answers, they know where to go to find them. That’s my main goal.”  

This year’s retreat will feature Stephen Dunn, DO, a graduate of the Internal Medicine Residency at UMass Chan, primary care physician, and director of medical education at Fenway Health in Boston, who will speak about primary care for  LGBTQI patients including health screening for transgender patients and prescribing hormones to transgender patients. Speakers will also include patients and family members, Joy Lee, PhD, a researcher from PQHS, and Nadine Smith, a speech and language pathologist who cares for transgender patients. Dr. Murphy is currently working to finalize additional guest speakers including physicians, researchers, and other members of the UMass Chan/UMMH community. 

As she plans this day, Dr. Murphy is grateful for the support she has received from leadership in the Department of Medicine, in particular, Deborah Blazey-Martin, MD, MPH, vice chair for ambulatory affairs in the Department of Medicine, chief of General Internal Medicine, and associate professor of medicine. “Dr. Blazey-Martin has been incredibly supportive as we build this program into the track,” said Dr. Murphy. 

Dr. Murphy is passionate about gender-affirming care in her roles as a physician, educator, and advocate but, most importantly, in her role as an aunt. “One of the reasons that I'm so interested in this is that I have a transgender niece, and before I experienced her transition, this was extremely foreign to me,” said Dr. Murphy. “I watched my niece be so sad as the little boy that she was born as and always knowing that she was a girl… and [now that she has transitioned] is a spectacularly beautiful person in all aspects. For me, that was the most transformative thing. If I can help other providers who have not experienced the positive impact when someone can safely and effectively transition, then that is an important goal for me.” 

Sunita Puri, MD, MS, associate professor of medicine and program director of the hospice and palliative medicine fellowship, and Stacy E. Potts, MD, MEd, professor of family medicine and community health and senior associate dean for graduate medical education and clinical affairs, will be leading a new pilot training program where residents and fellows can build competence and confidence in discussions of apology and disclosure, to improve patient safety. The new training program is one of the six recipients of the 2024 Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation Catalyst Award for Transformation in Graduate Medical Education and is expected to start in May 2024. 

Mitch Gitkind to Serve as Interim Advisor for Health Systems Science Education and Quality Scholarship 



The Division of Health Systems Science is pleased to announce that as of January 1, 2024, Mitch Gitkind, MD, professor of medicine and surgery, and assistant dean for GME quality and patient safety education, will be serving in the role of Interim Advisor for Health Systems Science Education and Quality Scholarship.

Through this role, Dr. Gitkind will assist in expanding Health Systems Science education-related opportunities at the undergraduate, graduate, and faculty levels at UMass Chan. 

Dr. Gitkind received his medical degree from UMass Chan Medical School and completed his internship and residency at the Memorial Campus of UMass Memorial Medical Center (UMMMC) (formerly known as Worcester Memorial Hospital). He completed a fellowship in gastroenterology through Tufts University School of Medicine. His current clinical focus is obesity medicine and bariatric surgery.  

He has held multiple positions in hospital administration at UMMMC, including associate chief quality officer and associate chief medical officer. He is an experienced educator, having mentored over 100 quality improvement projects for faculty and trainees, and has developed and delivered curriculum on QI, patient safety, conflict resolution, and clinical topics.  

In 2017, Dr. Gitkind became an assistant dean, and assumed responsibility for the development and support of QI, patient safety, and health care disparities curriculum for the school’s more than 600 residents and fellows in ACGME-approved programs.  

From 2019 through 2023, he was part of the leadership team that oversaw the creation of “Vista,” a new three-pillar undergraduate medical education curriculum that added health systems science to the T.H. Chan School of Medicine’s MD programs.  

Congratulations Dr. Gitkind on this new role!

Samir Malkani, MD, clinical chief and professor of medicine, and Amin Sabet, MD, assistant professor of medicine, of the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, were featured in yesterday’s Boston 25 News report, “Weight-Loss Wonder Drugs: Mass. Doctors Explain Who Should be Really Taking Them.”  

Drs. Malkani and Sabet discussed the growing popularity of medications such as Ozempic, originally introduced for diabetes, but later proven to assist with weight loss. They explained that although taking these drugs can lead to significant weight loss, all of the medications have risks and potential side effects that need to be discussed with patients.  

“I don’t have a hesitation of prescribing it as long as the person really understands what it’s all about and what the effects could be,” said Dr. Sabat. “It’s a very exciting field. People who didn’t have a lot of great options before, we’re seeing great options for them.”

Christopher Marshall Speaks to Everyday Health on the Topic of Heartburn 



Christopher Marshall, MD, clinical chief, and assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology, was featured in an article by Everyday Health titled, “What Should I Cook if I Have Heartburn?” In the article, Dr. Marshall and other contributors discuss ways to adjust eating habits to lower the risk of heartburn. He explains that an important first step to minimize heartburn is identifying individual triggers, as different foods can trigger heartburn for different people. He adds that one common cause of heartburn is fatty foods, as the fat can coax stomach acid into the esophagus, causing discomfort.  



“If someone says they eat a big greasy meal and they get heartburn, the first thing they can do is not do that,” said Dr. Marshall.  

Pulmonary Care Ranked Among Best in Massachusetts



Pulmonary Care at UMass Memorial Health has been ranked as one of the best in their specialty area in a new ranking out last week from Healthgrades. Healthgrades ranked hospitals in 32 states in 18 specialties to determine the Specialty State Rankings. Congratulations to the Pulmonary team! 

The Immunology and Microbiology Program (IMP) is excited to announce that registration for the 2024 IMP Retreat is officially open – and you’re invited!

Join us on April 5, 2024, from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Beechwood Hotel in Worcester, MA. Our 2024 program will include keynote speaker, Donna Farber PhD, as well as showcase the science of new faculty in the program and elevate the work of our trainees.

Please register for the event by Monday, March 4, 2024!

We invite members of the UMass community to join us for the annual Lupus Medical and Educational Symposium, on Thursday, May 9, 2024, from 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., at the Beechwood Hotel in Worcester, MA.

View the event flyer and register by clicking the button below.

The Department of Medicine Grand Rounds series continued in January with presentations from Dr. Hannah Wunsch, titled "From Polio to COVID-19: Learning from the Past," Dr. Mohammad Alhabbal, Dr. James Broadhurst, Dr. Margret Chang, Jillian Joseph, Justin LaPorte, and Dr. Hugh Silk, titled "Navigating the Substance Use Disorder System in Massachusetts - Referrals, Consults, and More," Dr. Anna Mae Diehl, titled "Metabolic Dysfunction Associated Liver Disease & Accelerated Aging," Drs. Elizabeth Eagleson and Kurt Hager, titled "Food Insecurity and Food is Medicine," and from Dr. Diane Meier, titled "Palliative Care Futurist: Matching Care to Our Patient's Needs."

If you missed any of the presentations or would like to view them again, please click the button below.