Ambulatory Care Chief Resident, Internal Medicine, VA Medical Center
Patricio.Castillo@NYULangone.org

Patricio grew up in Inwood, New York, surrounded by a tight-knit Dominican community that taught him the value of compassion and the importance of accessible care. He attended Fordham University and then completed a post-baccalaureate program at Hunter College, where he deepened his passion for medicine. Before medical school, he conducted community-based research at NYU focused on hypertension, colorectal cancer, and organ donation, work that solidified his dedication to health equity and eventually led to a role as a lab manager.

Patricio earned his medical degree at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and pursued his internal medicine residency at NYU Langone, drawn by its exceptional clinical training and the opportunity to care for patients across the city’s diverse communities and practice settings. During residency, he developed a love for cardiology, captivated by the specialty’s unique balance of acute interventions and longitudinal care. He will be applying for a cardiology fellowship in 2025, with the aim of pursuing a career in general cardiology.

As the VA Ambulatory Care chief resident, Patricio is committed to fostering a collaborative, growth-oriented environment for residents. He enjoys teaching clinical reasoning, encouraging curiosity, and fostering a culture of continuous learning that contributes to excellent patient care.

Outside the hospital, Patricio enjoys spending time with his family and friends, usually exploring the city, finding the best barbecue spots, or catching as many NBA games as he can. His son keeps him joyfully busy and always brings a fresh perspective to every adventure.

Ambulatory Care Chief Resident, Internal Medicine, Bellevue Hospital Center
Kripali.Gautam@NYULangone.org

Kripali grew up in Tennessee, until her family moved to Yonkers, New York, when she was in high school. Since then, she’s claimed her title as a New Yorker, attending Stony Brook University, where she majored in sociology, and then Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Growing up, she often visited her relatives in Nepal, where she developed a passion for global health, education, and advocacy. This continued through her undergraduate years, when she served as president of her university’s chapter of Global Medical Brigades, and in medical school, where she joined the board of ECHO, a student-run free clinic in the Bronx. Her experiences brought her to NYU Langone for her residency and her current role as ambulatory chief at Bellevue’s primary care clinic. Kripali will be applying for a gastroenterology fellowship and is particularly interested in colorectal cancer prevention and hepatology.

In her free time, Kripali loves playing pickleball with friends, going to concerts, and touring NYC’s restaurant scene.

Quality and Safety Chief Resident, Internal Medicine, VA Medical Center
Aaron.Tabibzadeh@NYULangone.org

Aaron was born and raised on Long Island, New York, and studied neuroscience at Binghamton University, where he served as president of the meditation club, developed a passion for preventive medicine, and formed many lasting connections, including with his now fiancée. He went on to attend the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, where he quickly realized that his calling was in internal medicine, the kind of medicine he always imagined practicing. When it came time to choose a residency, NYU Langone was a clear choice, with its commitment to addressing healthcare disparities and pioneering clinical research. Aaron’s own research has focused on authorship trends in gastroenterology and identifying barriers to inflammatory bowel disease care. He plans to specialize in gastroenterology, aiming for a career that combines clinical practice with quality improvement research. He currently serves as the quality improvement/patient safety chief resident, a role that aligns perfectly with his dedication to enhancing patient care.

Outside of the hospital, Aaron enjoys crafting the perfect New York–style pizza, hiking scenic trails, and learning new songs on guitar. Practicing in NYC is a dream come true; Aaron loves the city’s diversity and energy and feels incredibly grateful to be so close to his friends and family.

Chief Resident, Inpatient, NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue
Malavikalakshmi.attur@NYULangone.org

Malavikalakshmi (Mala) was born and raised in Queens, New York. She attended the Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College, where she graduated summa cum laude, with a major in biology and a minor in environmental science. During her time there, she was awarded the Theodora Salmon Award for Excellence in Biological Sciences. Her interest in medicine deepened as she worked on research focused on parental health literacy and how it influences both understanding and adherence to inpatient discharge instructions—an experience that underscored the critical role of effective communication in clinical care and medical education.

After graduation, Mala spent a gap year working as a research coordinator in a psoriatic arthritis research group before pursuing her medical degree at Drexel University College of Medicine. She completed her clerkship years at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She was excited to return to New York for residency and was drawn to NYU Grossman School of Medicine for its commitment to serving a diverse patient population and the unique training experience offered by its three-hospital system. As a chief resident, Mala looks forward to contributing to curriculum development and supporting her co-residents through mentorship and teaching. She is also eager to explore how communication influences learning, patient care, and professional development. After her chief year, she plans to pursue a fellowship in Rheumatology.

In her free time, Mala enjoys discovering hidden gems around the city—whether that’s trying new restaurants, vintage thrift shopping, or exploring the latest museum exhibits.

Executive Chief Resident, Internal Medicine, Bellevue Hospital Center
Stephanie.Rasmussen@NYULangone.org

Stephanie (Steph) grew up in Lakeport, a small town in rural northern California. She earned her bachelor of science and master of science degrees from Dominican University of California, where her graduate research focused on antimalarial drug resistance patterns. This experience sparked her interest in medicine and inspired her to pursue a career as a physician scientist. She continued studying antimalarial drugs for a year after graduate school before attending medical school at UC Davis.

Steph chose to train in internal medicine at NYU Langone for the breadth of clinical exposure. She appreciated the opportunity to care for a wide range of patients from all over the world across three unique health care systems. The strong academic environment and diverse patient population, paired with abundant research opportunities, made NYU a natural fit.

Now serving as the Bellevue Inpatient Chief Resident, Steph is committed to working with residents to enhance the inpatient and academic experience at Bellevue while continuing to grow her teaching and leadership skills.

With a continued passion for infectious diseases, she joined the NYU Translational Lung Biology Laboratory during residency to study pulmonary infections in critically ill patients. She is applying for a pulmonary & critical care medicine fellowship and plans to further her research in this field.

Outside the hospital, Steph enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter. Together, they love exploring national parks and NYC’s green spaces, photographing wildlife, and discovering new bakeries around the city.

Executive Chief Resident, Internal Medicine, NYU Langone Hospital
Dalia.Littman@NYULangone.org

Dalia grew up in New Rochelle, New York, and attended Harvard College, where she studied the history of science. After graduation, she worked in life sciences consulting, then pivoted her career and enrolled in a premedical post-baccalaureate program at Bryn Mawr College. She then worked as a dermatology medical assistant before entering medical school at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. As a medical student, she was a leader of the history of science club, the Oncology Interest Group, and the Hepatitis Project. She remained at NYU Langone for her internal medicine residency as part of the accelerated three-year MD program.

During residency, Dalia advocated for her colleagues as a member of the Housestaff Representative Group. She conducted translational research in the field of oncology, including an evaluation of circulating tumor DNA testing in pancreatic cancer, and health services research, including a review on the role of conversations between patients and providers about the costs of cancer care. She appreciated the breadth of clinical exposure offered at NYU, Bellevue Hospital and the VA Hospital and developed an interest in resident education that she looks forward to emphasizing as a chief resident.

Outside of work, Dalia frequents the Union Square farmer’s market for cooking ingredients, plays tennis at Central Park or on the East River, knits headbands and sweaters, and cheers for the New York Mets.

Ambulatory Care Chief Resident, Internal Medicine, NYU Langone Hospital - Brooklyn (FHC)
Zaynab.Marzuk@NYULangone.org

Zaynab grew up in Ontario, Canada, and attended the University of Ottawa, where she obtained her honors degree in a biopharmaceutical sciences–medicinal chemistry major. Her passion for science and health extended to medicine, leading her to complete her medical education at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland–Bahrain and join the Family Health Centers at NYU Langone Internal Medicine residency program.

She was particularly drawn to NYU Langone for its varied patient population and robust integration of academic excellence with comprehensive clinical training. During residency, she deeply valued the opportunity to engage further in outpatient community medicine, where she developed her patient panel while nurturing her growing dedication and passion for the understanding and comprehensive management of patients with autoimmune diseases. Zaynab is delighted to serve as the outpatient chief resident, embracing the opportunity to further develop her teaching, mentoring, and leadership skills.

Outside the hospital, Zaynab enjoys exploring NYC’s rich culinary scene, cooking, spending quality time with family and waterfront walks.

Inpatient Chief Resident, Internal Medicine, NYU Langone Hospital – Brooklyn
Lauren.Heery@NYULangone.org

Lauren Heery is the Brooklyn inpatient GME chief. She is originally from Colorado Springs, Colorado. She earned her undergraduate degree from Loyola University Maryland and her medical degree from the University of Colorado. She joined NYU’s Community Health Track in Brooklyn to train in a program that emphasizes health equity, educational innovations, and provides clinical opportunities that focus on patients’ lives beyond their medical conditions.

Lauren is passionate about medical education and is involved in research focused on curriculum development and precision medical innovation. As a resident, she has worked on multiple projects with the Institute for Innovations in Medical Education, where she explores how informatics and artificial intelligence can support more personalized, equitable approaches to medical training.

After chief year, she plans to work as an academic hospitalist. Clinically, she is interested in expanding the hospital at home model and improving transitions of care, particularly for patients with complex medical and social needs. She is committed to a career that integrates patient-centered care, systems improvement, and teaching.

Lauren values the strong sense of community among residents in the Brooklyn tracks, which extends to co-workers in clinics and hospitals. She has greatly benefited from working with supportive, caring colleagues and hopes to make meaningful differences for other trainees during the challenges of residency.

Outside of medicine, Lauren enjoys exploring New York City’s food and theater scenes, learning new fiber arts (mostly as an excuse to collect yarn), and spending time with friends and family, particularly her niece and nephew.

Health Equity Chief Resident, Internal Medicine, Manhattan Campus
Lena.Jorde@NYULangone.org

Lena was born in Manhattan, but grew up in Englewood, New Jersey. She went to boarding school on a farm in Vermont before attending Columbia University, where she majored in architecture and urban planning. After spending time exploring careers in architecture, she decided to shift her focus to medicine and completed her post-bac at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts. She continued to work at Tufts in cardiology research and eventually also completed her undergraduate medical degree and master’s of public health there. 

With her deep interest in health equity, Lena was drawn to NYU Langone’s program because of the huge variety of communities she could serve there. It offered the opportunity to train at a hospital like Bellevue, which provides care to some of the world’s most vulnerable people, while also seeing the state-of-the-art care that is possible at NYU Langone. She knew she wanted to see both to provide more equitable care for all. She plans to apply for cardiology fellowship and continue her work in medical education.

As health equity chief, Lena hopes to make the training at NYU Langone feel empowering to everyone and be an advocate for residents. She plans to center perspectives of vulnerable populations in her teaching to ensure that the medicine we provide reaches all our patients. 

When she’s not on the wards, you can find Lena any place green: Central Park, The Met Rooftop, her balcony in Harlem on the hammock with her cat, Otis. She’s always up to try a new restaurant, visit her family, or hop on the ferry from 34th street down to Sandy Hook Beach. 

Inpatient Chief Resident, Internal Medicine, Manhattan Campus
Prahan.Chetlur@NYULangone.org

Prahan grew up in Austin, Texas, before enrolling in the Seven-Year Medical Education Program at Boston University, where he completed both his undergraduate and medical education. Since high school, he has cultivated a deep interest in technology and its application to human systems — a theme that has carried through much of his academic and clinical work.

During his time at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, Prahan quickly found a home in the vibrant, fast-paced environment of internal medicine. As a resident, he pursued research in gastroenterology with a particular focus on pancreatology, endoscopic therapies, and the integration of AI and digital tools into clinical workflows. His work includes investigations into radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors and the use of large language models for pancreatic cyst risk stratification, which he has presented at several national GI conferences.

Having spent the past several years training at NYU Langone, he’s deeply appreciative of its collaborative culture, academic rigor, and diverse patient population. As an inpatient chief resident, he’s committed to fostering a residency culture grounded in intellectual curiosity, empathy, and a shared commitment to serving the underserved. He will be applying to gastroenterology fellowship this year, with particular interests in advanced endoscopy and academic medicine.

Outside the hospital, Prahan hunts NYC’s best eats (and has thee Beli receipts to prove it), runs the court in men’s league hoops, and never lets an Uber ride go AUX-less. He is also a loyal listener of the Core IM podcast, a favorite resource for nuanced clinical reasoning and thoughtful discussion, and one made even more special by the fact that many of its hosts are part of the NYU faculty community that shaped his training.

Primary Care Chief Resident, Internal Medicine, Bellevue Hospital Center
Gigi.Constable@NYULangone.org

Gigi was born and raised in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, and studied the history of medicine and technology at Harvard College. After graduation, she moved to Manhattan to work as a product manager at a healthcare tech startup, then attended culinary school at night to deepen her skills in the food and medicine space. She earned her medical degree from Sidney Kimmel Medical College and returned to New York for residency.

Throughout her training, Gigi has remained passionate about caring for underserved populations and exploring the intersection of conventional and functional medicine. She has loved working across multiple primary care and inpatient sites, where building long-term relationships with patients is the most meaningful part of her work. She plans to pursue a career in integrative medicine after residency.

Outside the hospital, Gigi loves to cook, go to concerts, and wander the newest exhibit at the Met. You’ll find her either playing with a puppy on the sidewalk or on the hunt for a great bakery.

Assistant Hospitalist Educator, Internal Medicine, NYU Langone Hospital – Brooklyn
Noah.Figman@NYULangone.org

Noah grew up in northern New Jersey and then attended college at Washington University in St. Louis, where he studied anthropology with a focus on global health. He then made his way to the Bronx, to earn his medical degree at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He completed residency at NYU Grossman School of Medicine’s Internal Medicine Residency Program in the Brooklyn-based community health track. 

Through these pursuits, Noah honed a passion for serving patients who face undue social and systemic barriers to equitable care. As a chief resident, he is excited to create an inclusive academic environment for residents and provide engaging education. In his clinical work, he looks forward to his role as a hospitalist, where he can continue to provide care to Brooklyn’s diverse patient population. He is planning to apply for a fellowship in addiction medicine this year to continue these efforts beyond chief year. 

When he is not working, Noah enjoys traveling whenever possible, but also loves staying put to take advantage of all that NYC has to offer, whether it’s exploring the vast food scene, attending concerts, or watching New York sports.