First-Year Fellows (Class of 2027)

James Alzate (he/him)

Undergrad: Millersville University/Scripps College

Medical School: Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell

Residency: Massachusetts General Hospital

Awards:
Judith Hibel Weaver Award for Nursing Excellence, Dean's Recognition Award for Clinical Excellence, AOA, Newton Wellesley Hospital Chief Resident

Career Interests:
I am interested in the intersection of cardiovascular disease treatment and prevention with transgender and gender-diverse communities. Clinically, I enjoy echocardiography, critical care medicine, and heart failure management.

Why Mount Sinai:
Mount Sinai is internationally known as one of the most balanced fellowship programs, offering top-notch clinical skills training and access to world-class researchers. It also was one of the first institutions in NYC to establish a comprehensive healthcare center for transgender and non-binary people—a population I hope to connect with and serve in my future career.

Hobbies:
I enjoy discovering new restaurants, going to the theater with my partner, an aviation enthusiast, and collecting vinyl records to listen to with a cup of tea on a rainy day.

Neel Koyawala (he/him)

Undergraduate: University of Pennsylvania (College of Arts and Science, Wharton)

Medical School: Johns Hopkins School of Medicine

Residency: Osler Medical Residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital

List any honors, awards, and distinctions throughout your medical studies/training:
Medical school student graduation speaker, Dean's Award for Service to Penn and the Philadelphia Community, National Finalist at the Young Epidemiology Scholars Competitions, Charlie Wiener Award for Excellence in Bedside Education

Please provide one sentence on your career, educational, and/or research interests:
Clinical epidemiology, general cardiology, heart failure, prevention

Why did you choose Mount Sinai for your fellowship training?
Clinical rigor and excellence, mentorship from renowned clinical and research leaders, diversity, location

Briefly list your interests and hobbies outside of the hospital:
Dance (especially Bhangra and Raas), running, golf, exploring new cities and restaurants

Varsha Subramaniam (she/her)

Undergraduate: Smith College

Medical School: Mount Sinai Hospital

Residency: Mount Sinai Hospital

List any honors, awards, and distinctions throughout your medical studies/training:
Magna Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa

Please provide one sentence on your career, educational, and/or research interests:
Cardiac critical care, noninvasive imaging, medical education

Why did you choose Mount Sinai for your fellowship training?
exceptional clinical training, premier research opportunities, access to world-renowned faculty, and a collaborative atmosphere that nurtures both professional and personal growth

Briefly list your interests and hobbies outside of the hospital:
running in central park, attending operas and classical music concerts at Lincoln Center, painting, yoga

Marcos Ortiz-Rios (he/him)

Undergraduate: University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus

Medical School: University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus

Residency: Brigham and Women's Hospital/Boston Children's Hospital

List any honors, awards, and distinctions throughout your medical studies/training:
Alpha Omega Alpha, Gold Humanism Honor Society, Leadership Award - University of Puerto Rico, Jaime Benitez Faculty Award - University of Puerto Rico, Academic Excellence Award - University of Puerto Rico.

Please provide one sentence on your career, educational, and/or research interests:
Interested in adult congenital heart disease, transition of care, and medical education.

Why did you choose Mount Sinai for your fellowship training?
Incredible clinical training with renowned clinicians and researchers in one of the most diverse cities in the US.

Briefly list your interests and hobbies outside of the hospital: Huge baseball fan, traveling, watching sitcoms, biking, spending time with my fiancée and my dog.

Ian Sigal (he/him)

Undergraduate: Cornell University

Medical School: University of Pennsylvania

Residency: University of Pennsylvania

List any honors, awards, and distinctions throughout your medical studies/training:

Please provide one sentence on your career, educational, and/or research interests:
I am most interested in pursuing a career in advanced heart failure and critical care cardiology; as a cardiologist I hope to explore how health policy can impact equity and patient outcomes in patients with advanced heart disease.

Why did you choose Mount Sinai for your fellowship training?
I chose to complete my cardiology training at Mount Sinai because it offers incredible training in all areas of clinical cardiology while also providing trainees with incredible mentorship to help them pursue their academic interests. Moreover, I am excited for the opportunity to explore the greatest city in the world!

Briefly list your interests and hobbies outside of the hospital:
I am an active runner and am looking forward to spending every afternoon I can in Central Park. I also love playing board games with friends and exploring new restaurants with my fiancée.

Michael Andrew Vavuranakis (he/him)

Undergraduate: NA

Medical School: University of Patras School of Health Sciences, Greece

Residency: Emory University

List any honors, awards, and distinctions throughout your medical studies/training:
T32 research Cardiology research fellow. Ruth L. Kirschstein Institutional Research Training Program; T32HL007227 training grant-Pathophysiology of Myocardial Disease. Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology.

Distinction in Medical Innovation, Emory University Internal Medicine Residency Program

Please provide one sentence on your career, educational, and/or research interests:
I am interested in interventional and structural cardiology.

Why did you choose Mount Sinai for your fellowship training?
Amazingly balanced program with very strong clinical training and abundance of clinical research opportunities. Great opportunity to learn from amazing faculty who are leaders in all fields of Cardiology.

Briefly list your interests and hobbies outside of the hospital:
Cooking and exploring new restaurants and cuisines.