Internal Medicine Residency Program

About Us

Welcome to the Internal Medicine Residency Program at NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull! Our program offers trainees the opportunity to practice medicine with some of the nation’s most diverse and clinically complex patients. Our unique program blends the close-knit, personal training environment of a community setting with the robust infrastructure of a major health system.

Prospective Applicants

We are so glad you are interested in our Program! Our residents graduate equipped to confidently deliver high-quality, independent care to patients facing complex medical and social challenges. We would love for you to join us!

We accept applications exclusively via ERAS and participate in the NRMP Match. You will find our Program listed under “Woodhull Medical and Mental Health Center.” We offer two tracks:

• Categorical Internal Medicine (NRMP Code: 3116140C1)
• Internal Medicine – Primary Care (NRMP Code: 3116140M0)

Both tracks qualify graduates to take the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) certification exam.

Frequently Asked Questions

Application Requirements

Completed applications are due by the date ERAS opens to programs. The application in ERAS includes:

1. ERAS Application
2. USMLE or COMLEX-USA Transcript
3. Medical School Performance Evaluation (MSPE) or its equivalent
4. Medical school transcript
5. Three letters of recommendation
6. Personal statement
7. International Medical Graduates must have ECFMG certification at the time of application.
8. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States or be eligible for a J-1 visa. H-1B visa sponsorship is considered on an individual, case-by-case basis.

About Our Program

We are part of NYC Health + Hospitals, the nation’s largest municipal health care delivery system in the United States. We are dedicated to providing the highest quality health care services to all New Yorkers with compassion, dignity and respect, and regardless of immigration status or ability to pay. Our 310-bed hospital is located in North Brooklyn, at the intersection of three Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs). We facilitate about 90,000 ED visits annually and over 400,000 outpatient visits.

Founded in 1982, our ACGME-accredited program has 78 residents and over 50 dedicated faculty members. We are an academic affiliate of the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. Our 3-year program is designed to prepare residents with the knowledge, skills, and values for any career in Internal Medicine. About half of our residents pursue careers as general internists, while the other half specialize in internal medicine subspecialties through fellowship programs. All rotations take place at Woodhull, our primary training site, with the exception of our Cardiac Care Unit rotation, which takes place at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue in the third year of training.

Categorical Internal Medicine Track

Our Categorical Track is our traditional Internal Medicine residency program and follows a “4+2” schedule: four weeks of inpatient, elective, or other rotations, followed by two weeks of longitudinal training in our primary care practice. The categorical track offers more time on inpatient services and subspecialty medicine services.

Internal Medicine – Primary Care Track

Our Primary Care Track follows a “4+4” schedule: four weeks of inpatient, elective, or other rotations, followed by four weeks of longitudinal training in our primary care practice. Inpatient rotations are identical to those done by residents in the Categorical Track, but outpatient time is expanded and gives a greater focus on chronic disease management, population health, and quality improvement. Residents in the Primary Care Track also have more clinical experience in practices dedicated to lifestyle medicine, addiction medicine, geriatric medicine, and care for patients who are homeless. The Primary Care track adds the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) Residency Curriculum, qualifying graduates for ABIM certification and American Board of Lifestyle Medicine (ABLM) certification.

Floor Rotations

Medicine floor rotations include telemetry units, non-telemetry units, and specialized admitting teams. Resident teams may be composed of a senior resident paired with two interns or a senior resident collaborating directly with an attending physician in a junior hospitalist role. Overnight coverage for floor patients is provided by a dedicated night-float team, with attending hospitalists present on site at all times.

Critical Care

Critical care exposure is centered in a 12-bed Intensive Care Unit (ICU) alongside a 9-bed step-down unit. Trainees deliver patient care across separate daytime and nighttime shifts, eliminating traditional 24-hour rotating call schedules. Attending hospitalists remain on-site around the clock, while intensivists are on-site during day shifts, during select night shifts and are otherwise reachable by phone.

Outpatient Training

In our clinics, residents serve as the primary care physician for their own panel of patients over the course of three years. Residents are part of a dedicated Patient-Centered Medical Home team, allowing for a clinic experience tailored to their needs and continuity with the same group of nurses and support staff throughout residency. Additionally, residents will participate in various outpatient subspecialty practices of their choice during their outpatient time.

Elective Rotations

During their elective rotations, residents may choose from a wide variety of medicine and non-medicine subspecialties. Available electives include:

Academics

Our program offers regular, protected educational sessions throughout the week, including:

• Morning Report: Every Monday through Thursday, our Morning Report includes topics such as case presentations, case-based discussions, team-based learning, and board review.
• Grand Rounds: Every Friday the Department of Medicine hosts Grand Rounds. Expert speakers present on a broad range of topics, including medical science and innovative treatments relevant to Internal Medicine.
• Departmental Conference: Each week, our residents join the rest of the Department for a noon conference which rotates between Department Case Review, Journal Club, Quality Improvement, and Morbidity & Mortality conferences.
• Academic Half-Day: Each week, residents in inpatient, outpatient, and elective rotations have three consecutive hours of protected teaching time. PGY1 residents have their half-day on Wednesday afternoons, while PGY2 and PGY3 residents have theirs on Thursday afternoons.
• Simulation and POCUS Sessions: Throughout the year, our critical care faculty provide small-group teaching on procedures, diagnostic point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS), and management of urgent clinical situations using simulation and ultrasound.
• Primary Care Didactic: Residents on outpatient rotations participate in a second academic half-day session each week on Fridays. These sessions, led by Primary Care faculty, focus on the management of common symptoms and chronic diseases, communication skills, and core principles of medicine.

Sample Schedule

Schedules vary slightly among residents. A sample schedule for both tracks can be viewed by clicking the image below.

Our Residents

We are extremely proud of our diverse and friendly group of residents, each with a wide range of medical interests, hobbies, and life experiences. Most of our residents are International Medical Graduates, coming from countries around the world. Our current residents attended the following medical schools:

Resident Life

Living in Brooklyn offers a dynamic and vibrant lifestyle! Situated at the intersection of several distinct neighborhoods, Woodhull gives residents convenient access to a rich diversity of dining options and local attractions. New York City features amazing cultural diversity, iconic landmarks, picturesque parks, renowned Broadway theater, and world-class museums. A comprehensive public transit network of buses and subways ensures straightforward commutes to the hospital, travel throughout the city, and simple connections to major international airports.

To support resident well-being, the Program organizes a variety of wellness activities both on and off campus, scheduled during work hours as well as after hours. On-site amenities for house staff include complimentary coffee and snacks, designated break areas, an employee fitness center, dedicated wellness spaces, and quiet resident workspaces.

Every resident at Woodhull gains membership in the Committee of Interns and Residents/Service Employees International Union (CIR/SEIU), unlocking extra support and benefits for educational expenses, healthcare coverage, and personal needs. For more information about these benefits, visit https://www.cirseiu.org/woodhull-hospital/.

Program Leadership

Jonna Mercado, MD, MPH, FACP
Chair, Department of Medicine
jonna.mercado@nychhc.org

Dr. Jonna Mercado completed her Internal Medicine residency at New York Medical College (NYMC) – Metropolitan Hospital, where she also served as Chief Resident. She has been involved in the education of medical students at NYMC since 2010. From 2011 to 2021, Dr. Mercado was the Associate Program Director for the Internal Medicine program at Metropolitan Hospital and served as the Director of the Medicine Clinic from 2013 to 2021. With a strong interest in health policy, management, and health services administration, Dr. Mercado earned her Master’s in Public Health from NYMC in 2017. She joined Woodhull in June 2021 as Chief of Ambulatory Care and was appointed Chair of the Department of Medicine in February 2022. In this role, she leads the department’s administrative functions, quality of care initiatives, clinical activities, and operations. As Chair and Designated Institutional Official (DIO), Dr. Mercado also oversees the residency program administration, which is led by Dr. Michael Malone. In her free time, Dr. Mercado enjoys traveling and exploring new places with family and friends. She has a passion for the arts, including music, theater, and museums, and loves attending Broadway shows and ballet performances.

Michael Malone, MD
Program Director
malonem2@nychhc.org

Dr. Michael Malone graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with degrees in Molecular Biology and History/History of Science. He earned his medical degree from the New York University Grossman School of Medicine in 2013 and completed his training in the NYU Internal Medicine Primary Care Residency Program in 2016. Afterward, Dr. Malone worked as a primary care physician and Clinician Educator at NYC Health + Hospitals/Gouverneur. He joined Woodhull Medical and Mental Health Center in 2019 as a primary care physician and Associate Program Director, later becoming the Program Director in 2021. Dr. Malone pursued a career in public health to promote health equity and serve underserved populations. He strives to improve patient care and clinical outcomes by teaching evidence-based medicine, training high-quality physicians, and improving patient care at Woodhull. In his free time, he enjoys drawing, traveling to new places, and SCUBA.

Sajan Acharya, MD
Associate Program Director
acharyas@nychhc.org

Dr. Sajan Acharya graduated from the Patan Academy of Health Sciences in Nepal and completed his Internal Medicine residency at NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan. He is passionate about teaching and medical education. As a hospitalist at Woodhull Medical Center, Dr. Acharya cares for patients with complex medical and sociocultural needs. He takes pride in mentoring medical residents during rounds and didactic sessions. His interests include FOAMed, artificial intelligence, listening to science fiction audiobooks and blogging.

Angelina Gomes, MD
Associate Program Director
gomesa1@nychhc.org

Dr. Angelina Gomes earned her Bachelor’s degree from Haverford College before returning to her home in NYC to attend Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. In medical school, she conducted research on HIV and sexually transmitted infections in the Dominican Republic. She completed her residency in the NYU Internal Medicine Primary Care Program in 2019 and subsequently worked at NYC Health + Hospitals/Gouverneur as a Clinician Educator and Primary Care Physician, providing both general adult and HIV primary care. In 2024, Dr. Gomes joined NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull as a Primary Care Physician and Associate Program Director. As the daughter of immigrants, she has witnessed firsthand how cultural differences shape experiences within the healthcare system and impact health outcomes. This perspective drives her commitment to delivering high-quality, patient-centered care to diverse and underserved communities, with a particular focus on reducing health inequities. Outside of her clinical and teaching responsibilities, Dr. Gomes enjoys hiking, dancing, traveling, and spending time with her family.

Houman Mirtorabi, MD
Associate Program Director
mirtorah@nychhc.org

Dr. Houman Mirtorabi graduated from St. George’s University School of Medicine and completed his Internal Medicine residency at The Brooklyn Hospital Center in New York. In 2023, he joined NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull as a Hospitalist. Dr. Mirtorabi believes in leading by example, continuously learning, and fostering a culture of feedback and collaboration. His interests include sports, traveling, dining, and, of course, more sports.

Patrik Mlodzianowska, MD
Associate Program Director
mlodziap@nychhc.org

Dr. Patrik Mlodzianowska grew up in suburban Chicago and earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Loyola University Chicago. He then moved to Poland to study medicine at the Poznan University of Medical Sciences and subsequently completed his Internal Medicine residency at NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull in 2023, where he now works as a hospitalist. He takes pride in caring for patients with complex medical conditions and in supporting residents as they develop into confident, independent physicians. Teaching is a core aspect of his role and he finds great fulfillment in mentoring residents and medical students on the wards. Outside the hospital, Dr. Mlodzianowska enjoys snowboarding, hiking, playing soccer, and traveling.

Minh Thu Nguyen, MD
Associate Program Director
nguyenm21@nychhc.org

Dr. Minh Thu Nguyen is a primary care physician with a deep commitment to health equity, innovative patient care, and medical education. She earned her medical degree from the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and completed her residency in New York University’s Primary Care Internal Medicine program in 2024.

Following completion of her medical training, Dr. Nguyen served as a primary care physician at NYC Health + Hospitals/Gouverneur, a federally qualified health center on the Lower East Side. She stayed on at NYU as a clinical assistant professor where she taught and mentored medical students in the doctoring class and residents in the primary care track.

Beyond direct patient care and medical education, Dr. Nguyen is interested in population health and primary care innovation, especially around colon cancer screening and prevention. Outside of work, Dr. Nguyen enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, hiking, skiing, yoga and pilates.

Kalan King, MPH
Senior Program Coordinator
kingk27@nychhc.org

Kalan is from Charleston, WV and completed her Masters of Public Health with an Emphasis on Epidemiology and Biostatistics at WVU. Across her roles, she has combined frontline healthcare experience with program administration, analytics, and cross-functional project management. Additionally, she has led and contributed to initiatives focused on improving care coordination, reducing barriers to healthcare access, and evaluating patient outcomes. She is committed to continued growth within healthcare leadership and administration with the goal of advancing initiatives that improve operation performance and delivery of care across health systems. She enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time with family and friends.

Alma Lang-Patrice, MA
Program Coordinator
alma.lang-patrice@nychhc.org

Alma Lang-Patrice brings more than 20 years of healthcare administration experience with expertise in operations, process improvement, training, and program support. She holds a Master of Arts in Urban Affairs and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. Known for her calm, organized and collaborative approach, Alma is passionate about creating structure, anticipating needs, solving problems, and ensuring that the people and programs she supports have the resources they need to succeed. She believes that impactful leadership is best demonstrated through presence, thoughtful listening, and consistent follow-through. Alma is committed to supporting residents and faculty while helping advance a culture of excellence, professionalism, and continuous growth within the Internal Medicine Residency Program.

Key Faculty

Cardiology

Ronny Cohen, MD
ronny.cohen@nychhc.org

Critical Care

Ashvin Butala, MBBS, Chief of Critical Care
ashvin.butala@nychhc.org

Endocrinology

Gül Bahtiyar, MD, Chief of Endocrinology
gul.bahtiyar@nychhc.org

Gastroenterology

Dalia Mahmoud Hassan Elamin, MD, Chief of Gastroenterology
mahmoudd@nychhc.org

Hematology and Oncology

Maria Nieto, MD, Chief of Hematology and Oncology
nietom@nychhc.org

Hospitalist Medicine

Elizabeth Jalkut, MD, Vice Chair and Co-Chief of Hospitalist Medicine
elizabeth.jalkut@nychhc.org

Yaw-Ling Chen, MD, Vice Chair and Co-Chief of Hospitalist Medicine
yawling.chen@nychhc.org

Infectious Disease

Alexander Chow, MD
chowa1@nychhc.org

Nephrology

Chawmay Aye, MD
ayec@nychhc.org

Neurology

Edward Lee, MD
leee27@nychhc.org

Palliative Care

Jose DeLeon, MD
deleonj5@nychhc.org

Primary Care

Daniel Mays, MD, Director of Primary Care
maysd@nychhc.org

Pulmonology
Nader Ishak Gabra, MD, Chief of Pulmonology
gabran@nychhc.org

Rheumatology

Konstantin Brodetskiy, MD
brodetsk2@nychhc.org

Primary Care – Safety Net Clinic for those experiencing homelessness

Surabhi Nirkhe, MD, Director of Safety Net
nirkhes@nychhc.org