Editorial Board

Worcester Medicine: Official Publication of the Worcester District Medical Society

This high-profile medical journal, published quarterly, explores medical topics of social and political importance.

Article inquiries contact:

Martha Wright, MBA, Managing Editor
Worcester Medicine
Mechanics Hall
321 Main Street
Worcester, MA 01608
Tel. (508) 753-1579
Fax (508) 754-6246
E-mail address MWright@wdms.org

For advertising information contact the district at the number above.

About Our Editorial Board

Lisa Beittel

LISA BEITTEL, MBA

Ms. Beittel is an administrator and educator in health care and academic medicine. Retired from the position of Assistant Dean for Administration and Chief of Staff at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Ms. Beittel is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry. She currently consults providing strategic leadership, new program development and mentoring at the executive and leadership levels. She is active in the community and serves on the board of directors of the Family Health Center Worcester and as a mentor for the African Community Education Program.

OLIVIA BUCKLE

A medical student studying at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Olivia Buckle serves as the Board’s student representative. Having graduated from the University of Virginia with a BA in Chinese Language and Literature, she has always been fascinated by the intersection between medicine and the humanities. She has a special interest in how gender and cultural upbringing influence how we receive and provide medical care. While still early in her medical school career, Olivia has developed a passion for the primary care of sexual and gender minorities as well as women’s health. She fosters those burgeoning interests through her work with the Women’s Health Optional Enrichment Elective, Mentors for Young Mothers, and the Worcester Free Care Collaborative. Olivia regards the opportunity to serve as the student representative for the Board as a great privilege and is thankful for the outlet to create and collaborate with fellow community members.

Anthony Espositio, MD

ANTHONY ESPOSITO, MD

Dr. Esposito is Chief of the Department of Medicine and the Director of Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine at St. Vincent Hospital. A Professor of Medicine at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Dr. Esposito has numerous scientific publications, and he has been the recipient of the John J. McKeever Medical Education Award from internal medicine residents at Saint Vincent Hospital, an Outstanding Medical Educator Award from students at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, and a Career Achievement Award from peers in the Worcester District Medical Society.

REBECCA KOWALOFF, DO

Dr. Kowaloff received her BA in the History of Science and Medicine from the University of Rochester and her Doctor of Osteopathy degree from Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine in Harlem in New York City. She is a native of the Worcester area and spent a summer in college chronicling the Annual Orations of the WDMS going back to the 19th century which culminated in her senior thesis project “Changes in American Medicine: Worcester’s Perspective”. She completed a residency in Internal Medicine followed by a fellowship in Hospice and Palliative Medicine, both at Maine Medical Center. She has worked in primary care since finishing fellowship. She currently works as a geriatrician with Fallon Healthcare’s Summit Eldercare PACE program in Leominster where she is also working on integrating palliative care principles and practice into the PACE structure. She enjoys teaching laypeople and medical professionals about palliative care and communication skills and advocating for a more mainstream conversation about advance care planning, palliative care, and end of life. She is happy to be part of the editorial board where she can again exercise her writing skills from her undergraduate days.

Anna Morin, PharmD

ANNA MORIN, PharmD

Dr. Morin is the Dean for the School of Pharmacy-Worcester/Manchester at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) and a Professor of Pharmacy Practice. She has contributed significantly to advancing the mission and goals of the School of Pharmacy, while also contributing to teaching, service, and research as a faculty member. Dr. Morin has been a strong advocate of interprofessional and interdisciplinary initiatives within the University. Her teaching, scholarship, and clinical activities have focused on psychiatric illnesses, women’s health, drug interactions, and herbal and complementary alternative medicine.

Nancy Morris, PhD

NANCY MORRIS, PhD, ANP

Dr. Morris is a Professor and Director of the Nursing PhD Program in the Graduate School of Nursing at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School here in Worcester. Her primary teaching responsibilities are in the Nursing PhD Program and she also participates in courses for nurse practitioners and 1st year medical students. Nancy is a certified adults nurse practitioner and works with patients and their families in the UMMHC Geriatric Medicine Clinic and the UMMHC Diabetes Center of Excellence. While having broad interests in many aspect of health care, Nancy’s current research inquiry focuses on health literacy, health communication, and facilitating self-care among adults with chronic health conditions.

Alex Newbury, BA

ALEX NEWBURY, MD

Dr. Newbury graduated from College of the Holy Cross with a BA in music, from Boston University with a MS in biomedical sciences, from UMass Medical School in 2019, and is currently a Diagnostic Radiology resident at UMass with interests in Interventional Radiology, artificial intelligence, and medical education. He served as the WDMS student representative from 2015-2019 before heading into intern year. He lives with his wife, two boys, and tiny Chihuahua rescue in Grafton. He is deeply grateful for the opportunity to return to the editorial board as the UMass resident representative.

Thoru Pederson, PhD

THORU PEDERSON, PhD

Dr. Pederson is the Vitold Arnett Professor of Cell Biology and Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, and the Associate Vice-Provost for Research. He also is the President Emeritus of the Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research which merged with the medical school in 1997. His research concerns the functional design of the cell nucleus with particular emphasis on gene expression and RNA dynamics.

JOEL POPKIN, MD

Following training at St. Vincent Hospital, Dr. Popkin served on the Internal Medicine staffs of the Reliant Medical Group and St. Vincent Hospital from 1977 to retirement from Reliant Medical Group in 2014. He also completed 17 years as Associate, then Program Director at St. Vincent Hospital.

Dr. Popkin is currently Director of Special Services in the St. Vincent Hospital residency program, where he works with medical residents and students to enrich their clinical, research, and writing skills. He also coaches their competitions at state and national competitions. He has had a long time interest in humanism in medicine and hopes to help integrate art and music into residency training.

Alexandra Rabin, BA

ALEXANDRA RABIN, BA

Ms. Rabin graduated from Swarthmore college in 2018 with a BA in Biology and Political Science. She is currently a medical student at UMass Medical School, class of 2022. While she has not selected a future specialty, she is curious about Oncology, having spent many summers participating in small cell lung cancer research at Dana Farber Cancer Institute and NYU Langone Medical Center. She has a strong interest in the medical humanities and hopes she can integrate her interest in writing into her future practice. Aly is extremely grateful for the opportunity to serve as the student representative on the WDMS editorial board.

ALYWN RAPOSE, MD

Dr. Rapose is a Consultant in Infectious Diseases for the Reliant Medical Group in Worcester, Massachusetts. He is Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School. Dr. Rapose originally trained in Mumbai, India where he is board-certified in Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology and he is a life member of the Indian Association of Dermatologists. After emigrating to the US, he completed his Internal Medicine residency training at St. Vincent Hospital followed by Fellowship in Infectious Diseases at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston Texas. In 2008 he returned to Worcester Massachusetts and has been an integral faculty of the Internal Medicine residency program at St. Vincent Hospital. He is board certified in both Infectious Disease as well as internal Medicine. He has been awarded Fellowship of the American College of Physicians as well as the Infectious Diseases Society of America. His special interests include Travel Medicine, Clostridiodes difficile infection, and Infectious Diseases in Critical Care units. He has numerous peer-reviewed publications as well as text book chapters to his credit.

Arunava Saha, MD

Dr. Saha hails from India, and is currently completing his internal medicine residency at St. Vincent Hospital from 2021. After graduating from Christian Medical College, Vellore, India where he was the editor of the Students’ Association and was responsible for publishing the annual college magazine, he ventured into internal medicine in the US, and aspires to make a career in academic medicine in the field of pulmonary and critical care. He is an avid writer, and shares anecdotes of daily life on his blog and on instagram under #rantingsofaterrifiedmind. He is excited to bring his ideas and contribute as an editorial member in the Worcester District Medicine Society. In his leisure time, he loves reading both fiction and nonfiction, and preparing various cuisines from around the world.

PARUL SARWAL, MD

Dr. Sarwal is an internal medicine hospitalist at Saint Vincent Hospital. After graduating from Kasturba Medical College in India in 2015, she completed a research fellowship at Mass General Hospital before moving to Worcester for residency. Taken by the industrial charm of the city, she decided to stay. In her free time, she enjoys birding and is an ardent member of Mass Audubon.

Robert Sorrenti, MD

ROBERT SORRENTI, MD

Dr. Sorrenti graduated from Harvard College in 1969 and received his medical degree from Harvard Medical School in 1973. He trained in pediatrics at Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago. He served as the Chief of Pediatrics at the former Worcester City Hospital and was in private practice in Worcester. He transitioned to health care administration and was an executive for UniCare, a health care company, for many years before retiring in 2020. He served as President of the Worcester District Medical Society from 1993-1995.

S. RAM UPADHYAY, MD

Dr. Upadhyay is a Board-certified EM physician. He has served at all major hospitals in the area. Dr. Upadhyay is now retired from his position as Director of Emergency and Ambulatory care department of Hubbard Regional Hospital Webster and currently serving as a medical Consultant to Social security. For his community services and serving the underserved population here locally as well as abroad, he has received awards by several organizations, including the WDMS Dr. A. Jane Fitzpatrick award. He has also served on editorial board of Vital Signs, a publication of Massachusetts Medical Society.

Peter Zacharia, MD

PETER ZACHARIA, MD

Dr. Zacharia is a board certified ophthalmologist in private practice with Worcester Eye Consultants. He has a subspecialty interest in glaucoma, having completed a glaucoma fellowship at the New England Eye Center, an affiliate of Tufts University School of Medicine where he holds an appointment as Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology. He completed a residency in ophthalmology and medical school both at New York Medical College, and received his B.A from Harvard College in 1983.

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