See our residents in action

Maegan Boulerice Cabrera, MD
State University of NY
Upstate Medical University

I come from a small town in upstate NY, just a mile from the Canadian border.  There I have many, many relatives and from them learned the importance of family at an early age.  Because of our location in/near the Adirondacks I also developed an avid interest in hiking, camping, swimming and just enjoying the outdoors and all nature has to offer. 

Also taking advantage of my location, I did my undergraduate studies in Physiology at McGill University in Quebec, Canada.  Immediately following my time there I began my first 2 years of medical school at SUNY Upstate's Syracuse campus.  I then relocated to Binghamton (with my now husband Chris and dog Graham) for my clinical years, getting to experience and explore yet another part of New York State.

I am very much looking forward to starting a new chapter of my life in the Albany area, both as a new physician and a new wife.             

Jonathan Goldstein, MD
Sackler School of Medicine

Dr. Goldstein was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.  He earned his BS in biology at York University in Toronto.  Following completion of undergraduate studies, Dr. Goldstein attended Sackler School of Medicine, where he earned his doctorate in medicine. His personal interests include basketball, softball, jogging and reading.

Huy Duc  Nguyen, MD
Ross University School of Medicine

I was born in Da-Nang, Viet Nam.  My father was a police officer in the South Vietnamese Army and spent 7 years in the reeducation camp following the fall of Saigon in 1975.  In 1993, the United States government gave my family the opportunity of a life time to immigrate to America.  We carried with us a hope for a brighter future.

I graduated from UCLA in 2006 with a degree in Biochemistry and a minor in Gerontology.  Thereafter, I worked as a technical support chemist before entering Ross University to pursue my dream of becoming a physician.  During medical school I met my fiancée, Phuong, who is currently a pediatrics resident here at AMC.

To me, family medicine is not only an essential branch of medicine but a delicate art form that requires great dedication to master.  I love the idea of family medicine in regards to education and preventive care, which I believe are two of the most important services in the health-care profession.  I also adore the idea of being able to follow a group of patients for a life-time in order to understand and manage their health as a whole person, beyond mere laboratory values, but as friends, neighbors, and human beings.  My interests within family medicine include sports medicine, geriatric medicine, preventive medicine, women’s and international health, medical education, and learning procedures such as acupuncture and OMT.

My hobbies include working out, playing basketball, tennis and soccer.  I recently picked up golf and hopefully will get good at it one day.  My favorite sports teams are the UCLA Bruins and LA Lakers.  I enjoy spending quality time with my family and my dog, Lulu, an 8 year-old Shih-Tzu.  During my free time, I love to cook, watch movies, listen to music, paint and enjoy the outdoors.  Growing up in the warm weather of California, I truly look forward to experiencing the distinct seasons and discover a new part of the country with my fiancée.

Ria L. Parcellano, MD
Ross University School of Medicine

I grew up in Chicago, and attended the University of Illinois at Chicago for undergrad where I obtained my Bachelors of Science in Nursing.  I have two younger brothers who decided to pursue a career in Graphic Design, therefore I’m the odd one out in the family (or I tell myself anyway).  I have always loved my hometown and never thought that I would leave until my dream of becoming a physician brought me to Ross University, in Dominica. 

Ever since then, I have always been traveling!  I love meeting people and learning about different communities in small towns, and the inner cities.  So during my clinical years I opted to do my rotations in different parts of the country such as Miami, FL, Atlanta, GA, Saginaw, MI, NYC and Chicago.  In Fall 2011 I had the opportunity to do a rotation in upstate NY and fell in love with the area. 

I am very excited to be back in Upstate New York once more, and be a part of Albany Medical Center’s Family Medicine program. I chose Albany because it is one of the few programs that integrate rural, urban and international Medicine.

In my spare time I love to cook, read fiction, and take long walks.  I also enjoy trying new restaurants, and spending time with my family and friends.  When time permits I love going on road trips, and travel abroad…nonetheless I’m always up for a new adventure. 

I’m very excited to be a part of the Albany Family Medicine program, and I am looking forward to meeting my colleagues, making new friends, exploring and experiencing life in the northeastern part of the country. 

Lindsey Brooke Wilhelm, DO
University of New England 
College of Osteopathic Medicine

I was born and raised in Jamestown, NY where I attended Jamestown Community College.  I then transferred to the College of Charleston in South Carolina where I graduated with a B.A. in Biology.  

Following college, I worked several different jobs.  I did environmental education with kids, was a kayak guide in Charleston, worked with at-risk boys in Albany doing outdoor recreation, and did biomedical research at Trudeau Institute in Saranac Lake.   After traveling around Central America and seeing the need for medical care and improved public health infrastructure, I was inspired to apply to medical school and to the Master in Public Health program at the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine in Maine. 

During medical school I found that I enjoyed all of my rotations, especially family practice, obstetrics and gynecology, and pediatrics.  I am thrilled to be a part of the family medicine residency program at Albany Medical Center where I will be able to take care of people of all ages while at the same time pursuing a track in obstetrics. 

Outside of the hospital I enjoy spending time with my fiancé, playing with our daughter, gardening, hiking, camping and being outdoors as much as possible.

Verona M. Bazeley, M.D.
W. Virginia School of Medicine

When people ask me where I am from, they get a long answer. Born in Connecticut, I spent most of my growing up years in Germany and then England. I came to West Virginia in 2002 where I completed an undergraduate degree in biology and went to medical school at West Virginia University. My decision to become a family doctor grew out of my interests in obstetrics, pediatrics and general medicine. I am happy to train in Albany and to discover a part of the country in which I have never lived before.

I enjoy being outdoors, hiking, horse-back riding, gardening, reading, sewing, singing and spending time with my family and friends.

Sonja B. Borgstrom, M.D.
Albany Medical College

I was born in Santa Barbara, California, raised in the Washington D.C. area, and then attended boarding school at Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire. I returned to D. C. to attend college at Georgetown University, where I majored in “Science and Technology in International Affairs” and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service in 2002. During this time as an undergraduate student at Georgetown I trained to become -- and later volunteered regularly as – an EMT-Basic for a campus student-run ambulance service. This was really my first “taste” of the medical field and the experience seeded my interest in a life in medicine. I went on to obtain a Master in Public Health degree from George Washington University, focusing my studies on Global Health Policy, and more specifically on reproductive health policies. Subsequently, I spent a year completing pre-medical course requirements at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania, then enrolled at Albany Medical College in 2006. As a medical student, I was very involved with activities sponsored by the Family Medicine department and participated in their summer preceptorship program, attended regional and national family practice conferences, and joined some of their clinicians on a 2 week medical mission to Engeye Clinic in Uganda. Because of a strong interest in reproductive health, upon receipt of my M.D. degree in 2010, I joined the Obstetrics and Gynecology residency program at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, New York. Now, I am joining the family medicine because it will provide a broad and versatile scope of medical training which will continue to feed my interest in women’s health – but from a different perspective. Well, that was almost true. More true would be that I respect and am inspired by the kind of physicians and human beings that I know to exist in Albany. I am so honored to join them.

My non-professional interests and pursuits are varied. Loving animals is not just an “interest” for me, it is a way of life. I have been a vegetarian since the age of 5 and rescue strays when I find them. I am also devoted to my dog, Hayley, a border collie mix who is 10 years old and who’s special talent is to sing “Danny Boy” along with accompaniment on the harmonica. She is an “old girl” and her voice cracks a bit, but she’s great! I enjoy gardening . . . although I am certainly no expert at it. I’m also an avid reader. (Book club, anyone?) When I can fit it in my schedule, I love to travel. What constitutes “travel” to me may be as simple as local exploration and day trips, or as exotic as domestic and international travel. In terms of sports: I love to swim, kayak, ice skate and ski.

I am so pleased to be both returning to the Albany Med Community and to become a part of the Albany Family Practice residency program.

Ian T. Daly, M.D.
SUNY Upstate

I grew up hearing stories about my great-grandfather, a physician in the North Country. He was a country doctor who often traded farm goods for his services. When I was 5 years old I would go on home visits with my own father in the middle-of-nowhere, Florida. These stories and experiences at a young age defined what being a physician is to me – practicing full scope medicine to the best of one’s ability with sometimes limited resources.

I spent high school and college enjoying math and science, but concentrated mostly on skiing, mountain biking, hiking, backpacking, triathlons and being on the water. That is why I went to St. Michael’s College in Burlington, Vermont – a great venue for everything outdoors. In medical school at Upstate Medical University, I met Caroline, now my wife, who is an anesthesiology resident here at AMC. Through all of my studies, I have prided myself on maintaining a well-rounded lifestyle by making time for myself, friends and family. I am excited to begin my training here at AMC, and to pursue my goal of practicing traditional family medicine.

Cole Hillebrandt, MD
American University of the Caribbean
School of Medicine

Dr. Hillebrandt grew up in Sulphur, LA and continued on to complete his undergraduate degree in biological sciences at McNesse State University, and his Doctorate of medicine at American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine.  He was inducted into Alpha Omega Phi Honors and Service Society for his accomplishments in the first two years of medical school.  Dr. Hillebrandt completed a transitional residency year at Columbus Regional Medical Center before joining the Family Medicine residency program here at Albany Medical Center.

Karthik Karibandi, M.D.
Albany Medical College 

After growing up in places like Orange NJ, the Ridgewood section of Queens NYC, and Morristown NJ, and going to college in Cleveland OH and medical school in Albany, I am now ready to start my career with Albany Family Medicine! I have always had an appreciation for the family physician growing up and recognized how important primary care medicine is for the health of our population. I enjoy the exposure to patients in the inpatient and outpatient setting, and the continuity of care our field offers. We gain training in a variety of fields, offering us great flexibility in our future practices. My interests within family medicine include preventative medicine, learning special procedures, and sports medicine. Personally, family medicine reminds me of the importance of teamwork…with our patients, office staff, and other physicians involved in our patients’ care. I kind of equate the family physician to a point guard of a basketball team: we need to make sure everyone in our healthcare team is in the right position to best take care of our patients.

My hobbies includes working out (p90x!!), playing basketball and football, hanging out with friends, watching the Knicks, Yankees, and Giants (the best teams ever), and of course studying medicine! Oh yeah, I am also pretty good at trivia…just ask Ian and Jessica.

Mary A. Wojtyk, M.D.
Albany Medical College

I come from the wonderful Great White North, where 50% of doctors are Family Practitioners, and universal health care is the norm. As a non-traditional med student, I first graduated from Canada's Queen’s University in 2000 with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering. After working on several international engineering projects, including development work in Bolivia, imprinted polymers in the UK, and an exchange program in Buenos Aires, Argentina, I went on to work in biotech in Cambridge, MA. The first job that brought me to the U.S. was for Acambis (now Sanofi-Pasteur), where I was fortunate enough to work on the new smallpox vaccine for the U.S. government. I then moved on to working at Biogen Idec, on various drugs against Multiple Sclerosis and cancer. Biogen partially sponsored me to go back to graduate school, to get a Master’s from the Harvard University's Extension School in Biotechnology, and I became brave enough to apply to medical school in 2007.

I  loved being at AMC for medical school - it is geographically perfect for my family and I - and have been most impressed at how the FM program is dedicated to community service and to helping our fellow man. I'm  very to have stayed here for residency!

Jennifer Lynn Donovan, D.O.
New York College of Osteopathic Medicine

I am originally from the Albany area, born at St. Peter’s Hospital actually (in an ice storm)! I grew up just a few towns over in Rotterdam NY, and did my undergraduate work at Siena college, earning a Bachelor’s in Biology with a Psychology minor. Then I packed it all up and moved straight to Long Island to train at NYCOM. I have since done my clinical rotations all over New York State and just about all five boroughs of NYC. I came back to join the team at Albany Medical Center due in large part to the wonderful experiences that I had here while doing my Women’s Health rotation. In my free time, I love to cook, spend time with family and friends, travel, swim, listen to live music and watch movies. I am looking forward to coming back to the area and working with some great people, both familiar and unfamiliar, and I am sure it will be a challenging but rewarding experience!

Michael Gumuka, M.D.
SUNY @ Syracuse College of Medicine

They say a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. I took my first step down the road to medicine in high school, doing a program called New Visions. From there I went to Clarkson University, studying science and a little history. I went to medical school at SUNY Upstate, in the Land of a Thousand Clouds (labeled ‘Syracuse’ on the NY state map). During my last year in school, I was able to return home and spend nine months training in Glens Falls as part of a rural medicine program. I have enjoyed martial arts almost as long as I can remember, and have recently started ballroom dancing. I came to Albany for several reasons, including the atmosphere. People seem generally happy here, and I look forward to becoming a part of the team.

Mia Hosaka, D.O.
Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine

Greetings. I am a native Californian, both Northern and Southern. Before starting medical school I worked as a biochemist. Following that, I worked at an Osteopathic Clinic as a receptionist. It was there that I became very clear about my intention to pursue medicine and employ Osteopathic Manipulative Therapy in my practice. I have always been open and interested in various modalities of medicine and found the ideal blend of health, science and nature through Osteopathic Medicine. These days, I seem to enjoy almost any activity that does not involve sitting at my desk with text books in front of me. Honestly though, it seems that as of late, I can find the reward in any activity, whether it be grocery shopping, cycling, hiking or taking out the garbage. With that said, I am really looking forward to being a part of this community and experiencing Albany, NY.

Jessica Mary Premo, D.O.
New York College of Osteopathic Medicine 

I was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado, but was raised in Rome, New York. During high school I was introduced to medicine and knew that it was my calling to be a physician at an early age. I went to the State University of New York College at Geneseo and majored in Political Science with a minor in Psychology and a concentration in pre-medical studies. I realized before entering college that practicing medicine in a global age would require me to pursue more diverse interests than just science. My psychology courses focusing on biopsychosocial medicine opened my eyes to the fact that the human body and overall health would require a multifaceted approach. It was at this time that I was introduced to Osteopathic Medicine and I was excited to pursue a field that recognized the body as a synchronous unit. I entered the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine in order to achieve the tools I would need to treat my patients dynamically. During medical school I was introduced to primary care and family medicine. Since then, it has become my passion. I think that family medicine affords the physician the unique ability to take care of patients throughout all their stages of life. The bond between the family medicine physician and patient is special and like nothing I have seen in any other field of medicine. My specific interests in family medicine include obstetrics, women’s health, and preventative medicine. I am very eager to return to upstate New York and start my training at Albany Medical Center. I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else!