Overview
The Cleveland Clinic Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Fellowship Program in Florida is dedicated to training the next generation of leaders in pulmonary disease and critical care medicine. Our mission is to cultivate highly skilled, knowledgeable, and compassionate physicians through comprehensive clinical training, scholarly activity, multidisciplinary collaboration, and a commitment to patient-centered care. With a strong emphasis on advanced lung disease and Interventional Pulmonology, our program prepares fellows to deliver exceptional care while advancing the fields of pulmonary and critical care medicine.
Our mission aligns with the Cleveland Clinic enterprise mission by promoting excellence in patient care, education, research, innovation, and professionalism. We strive to create an educational environment that fosters intellectual curiosity, clinical excellence, leadership, and lifelong learning, ensuring our graduates are well-equipped to improve the health and well-being of the communities they serve.
Fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), our three-year fellowship provides extensive exposure to the full spectrum of pulmonary and critical care medicine. Fellows graduate with the clinical expertise, procedural proficiency, and academic foundation necessary for successful careers in both academic and community practice.
The curriculum offers robust training across a wide range of subspecialty areas, including:
- Critical Care Medicine
- Interventional Pulmonology
- Advanced Lung Disease
- Pulmonary Hypertension
- Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD)
- Thoracic Oncology
- Bronchiectasis
- Sleep Medicine
Fellows benefit from a highly collaborative, multidisciplinary learning environment through close partnerships with Anesthesiology, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Radiology, Otolaryngology (ENT), Allergy & Immunology, Pathology, Rheumatology, Oncology, and other medical and surgical specialties.
Training is enhanced by access to state-of-the-art technology, including an advanced Simulation (SIM) Laboratory, modern bronchoscopy suites, pulmonary function laboratories, and innovative procedural training resources that allow fellows to develop confidence and technical expertise.
Located at Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital, a nationally recognized tertiary referral center serving patients from across Florida and around the world, our program offers fellows the opportunity to care for a diverse patient population with complex pulmonary and critical care conditions. This unique clinical experience, combined with dedicated faculty mentorship and meaningful research opportunities, prepares graduates to become outstanding clinicians, educators, researchers, and future leaders in pulmonary and critical care medicine.
Program Director
Anas Hadeh, MD
Goals & Objectives
By the completion of your fellowship, you are expected to learn and develop expertise in the following areas of Pulmonary Medicine:
- Obstructive lung diseases, including asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, bronchiectasis, and cystic fibrosis
- Pulmonary malignancy--primary and metastatic
- Pulmonary infections, including tuberculosis, fungal, and those in the immunocompromised host
- Diffuse interstitial lung disease
- Pulmonary vascular disease, including primary and secondary pulmonary hypertension and the vasculitis and pulmonary hemorrhage syndromes
- Occupational and environmental lung diseases
- Iatrogenic respiratory diseases, including drug-induced disease
- Acute lung injury, including radiation, inhalation, and trauma
- Pulmonary manifestations of systemic diseases, including collagen vascular diseases that are primary in other organs
- Respiratory failure, including the adult respiratory distress syndrome, acute and chronic respiratory failure in obstructive lung diseases, and neuromuscular respiratory drive disorders
- Disorders of the pleura and the mediastinum
- Genetic and developmental disorders of the respiratory system
- Sleep disorders
By the completion of your fellowship, you are expected to learn and develop expertise in the following areas of Critical Care Medicine:
- Establishment of airway
- Maintenance of open airway in non-intubated, unconscious, paralyzed patients
- Oral and nasotracheal intubation
- Breathing, ventilation
- Ventilation by bag or mask
- Mechanical ventilation using pressure-cycled, volume-cycled ventilators
- Use of reservoir masks and continuous positive airway pressure masks for delivery of supplemental oxygen, humidifiers, nebulizers, and incentive spirometry
- Weaning and respiratory care techniques
- Management of pneumothorax (needle insertion, tube thoracostomy, and drainage systems)
- Maintenance of circulation
- Arterial puncture and blood sampling
- Insertion of central venous, arterial, and pulmonary artery balloon flotation catheters
- Basic and advanced cardiopulmonary resuscitation
- Cardioversion
- Pulmonary function tests to assess respiratory mechanics, gas exchange, and respiratory drive, including spirometry, flow volume studies, lung volumes, diffusing capacity, arterial blood gas analysis, and exercise studies
- Diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, including thoracentesis, pleural biopsy, flexible fiber-optic bronchoscopy, and related procedures
- Calibration and operation of hemodynamic recording systems
- Ventilatory support, weaning, and respiratory care techniques
- Examination and interpretation of sputum, bronchopulmonary secretions, pleural fluid/tissue, and lung tissue for infectious agents; cytology; and histopathology
- Basic interpretation of imaging procedures including:
- Chest roentgenograms
- Computed axial tomograms
- Radionuclide scans
- Pulmonary angiograms
- Other radiologic procedures
- Sleep studies
- Inhalation challenge studies
- Thoracostomy tube insertion and drainage
Board Accreditation:
All fellows will be board-eligible upon completion of the fellowship. The program continues to boast a very high passing rate for both pulmonary disease and critical care medicine board exams.
Evaluations
Evaluation of fellow with feedback to fellow at least twice per year.
Evaluation of staff and program at least twice per year.
Education & Conferences
Ultrasonography Training
All fellows are invited to attend this one-day training during orientation . Topics covered include thoracic ultrasound, cardiovascular ultrasound, FAST examination, vascular, and more. Point of care ultrasound training is provided by Ivan Romero-Legro, MD and Roger Alvarez, DO who are board certified in Critical Care Ultrasound and Echocardiography.
Simulation Center
Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital boasts a multispecialty simulation center. Fellows have access to a bronchoscopy simulator, allowing fellows to master basic bronchoscopy skills and airway anatomy. Fellows can also hone their technique in more advanced procedures, such as EBUS.
Educational Conferences
In addition to patient-centered education, the program provides a comprehensive didactic schedule. The fellows are required to attend two weekly core curriculum conferences. Additional conferences include Pulmonary Medicine Grand Rounds, hemodynamic rounds, a multi-institute journal club, an interdisciplinary ILD conference, Morbidity & Mortality Conference, research conference, weekly board review, and an interdisciplinary Thoracic Oncology Conference. The Fellow Lecture Series takes place during the second half of the year and allows fellows to lecture on topics of their choosing. In doing so, fellows not only gain mastery of content but also refine lecturing skills to promote future success in academic environments.
Rotations
Pulmonary Consults
Fellows will gain expertise in primary pulmonary pathology during this inpatient rotation. In addition to being exposed to a broad spectrum of disease, fellows will also become adept in thoracentesis, needle aspiration, and inpatient bronchoscopy during this rotation.
Procedures
The purpose of this rotation is to gain expertise in advanced bronchoscopy techniques under the mentorship of our program’s two interventional pulmonologists during a busy outpatient bronchoscopy schedule. Not only will fellows quickly gain mastery in basic bronchoscopy techniques, but they will also become comfortable with advanced diagnostic techniques such as endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) and navigational bronchoscopy robotic-assisted bronchoscopy. There will also be exposure to advanced interventional bronchoscopy skills such as rigid bronchoscopy, bronchial thermoplasty, and other advanced techniques. A plethora of advanced interventional pulmonary procedures as well including rigid bronchoscopy, tracheobronchial stent placement, tumor resection/debulking, thermal airway therapies, delayed and rapid ablative cryotherapies, transbronchial lung cryobiopsy, percutaneous tracheostomy, bronchoscopic lung volume reduction and endobronchial valves for persistent air-leak. During this rotation, fellows will also become competent in bronchoscopic intubations.
MICU
The purpose of these rotations is to gain expertise in the management of the critically ill patient. Our MICU encompasses standard medical, cardiac, and neurologically critically ill patients. Fellows will become comfortable with patients on advanced mechanical support (balloon pumps, Impella, ECMO).
Fellows will also gain vast procedural experience in endotracheal intubation (employing advanced techniques utilizing fiberoptic bronchoscopy and video laryngoscope), thoracentesis, chest tubes, central venous lines, arterial lines, and other procedures. Fellows can also be supervised in bedside tracheostomy by our interventional pulmonologists.
Night Float
The program boasts a night float system that eliminates the fatigue of a 24-hour call. Fellows have the opportunity to supervise the MICU team and respond to urgent pulmonary consults overnight.
Ambulatory
As a tertiary care center, Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital has unparalleled outpatient exposure from both a domestic and international patient population. There is subspecialty expertise in almost every discipline of pulmonary medicine.
Surgical and Trauma ICU
The purpose of these rotations is to gain expertise in the differential diagnosis and management of critically ill surgical trauma patients. Fellows rotate in the surgical ICU here at Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital and the Surgical Trauma ICU at Kendall Regional Medical Center, which is a Level 1 Trauma Center.
Electives
- Anesthesiology
- Cardiothoracic surgery
- Radiology
- ENT
- Allergy& Immunology
- Sleep
- Pulmonary Hypertension
- Research
- Other: fellows are encouraged to be creative in finding an elective that they would find useful in their career as a pulmonologist/intensivist. Away electives are also possible.
Benefits
Benefits information including salaries, insurance information and more, can be found by visiting the Graduate Medical Education Benefits page.
Our Team
Program Director
Anas Hadeh, MD
Research Interests: Airway disease, Asthma, COPD, Bronchiectasis and Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM)
Associate Program Director
John Woytanowski, MD
Interventional Pulmonology
Research Interests: Bronchoscopic Lung Volume Reduction Outcomes, Pleural Fluid Biomarkers, and ICU Outcomes
Teaching Faculty
Dr. Andres Borja Alvarez
Research Interests: Chronic/Refractory Cough, COPD, Mobility in the ICU
Justin Dolan, MD
Research Interests: NTM, Bronchiectasis, and ILD
Sam Faradyan, MD
Research Interests: Molecular Biology, Pulmonary, Critical Care
Samantha Gillenwater, MD
Research Interests: PAH
Samuel Gurevich, MD
Medical Director of Respiratory Therapy
Research Interests: Sleep Medicine, Pulmonary, Critical Care
Christopher Lau, MD
Research Interests: ILD and COPD, COVID-19 and IP Trials
Nydia Martinez, MD
Research Interests: ILD, IPF, Sarcoidosis, Palliative Care
Ivan Romero, MD
Interventional Pulmonology
Research Interests: Lung Cancer, COVID-19 and IP Trials
David Zisman, MD
Research Interests: ILD and PAH
Program Manager
Aura Carrasco, BS
Program Manager
2950 Cleveland Clinic Boulevard
Weston, Florida 33331
Email: carrasa2@ccf.org
Current Fellows
Class of 2025
Ali Al-Tarbsheh, MD
Medical School: The University of Jordan
Residency: Albany Medical Center
Ramez Halaseh, MD
Medical School: Jordan University of Science and Technology
Residency: Medstar Washington Hospital Center
Daniela Trelles-Garcia MD
Medical School: University of Cuenca
Residency: AMITA Health Saint Francis Hospital
Class of 2026
Brian Foster, MD
Medical School: Ross University
Residency: Southeast Health
Ana Suarez Gonzalez, MD
Medical School: Universidad Iberoamericana UNIBE
Residency: HCA Kendall Regional
Sikandar Khan, MD
Medical School: American University of the Caribbean
Residency: Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital
Class of 2027
Kirandeep Kaur, MD
Medical School: Baba Farid University of Health Sciences
Residency: East Tennessee State University/Quillen College of Medicine Program
Ana Martinez-Nunez, MD
Medical School: Saint George’s University School of Medicine
Residency: HCA Florida, Aventura Hospital
Meagan Mayo, DO
Medical School: Nova Southeastern University
Residency: Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University
Lewjain Sakr, MD
Medical School: Ross University School of Medicine
Residency: Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital
Alumni Fellows
Class of 2012
Ndubuisi Okafor, M.D.
Medical School: Nnamdi Azikiwe University College of Health Sciences
Residency: Meharry Medical College
Class of 2013
Kumar Anjan, MD
Medical School: University of Debrecen School of Medicine and Health Sciences
Residency: Oakwood Hospital & Medical Center
Ravindra Ramakrishna, M.D.
Medical School: Mysore Medical College and Research Institute
Residency: St. Barnabas Hospital
Class of 2014
Faria Nasim, MD
Medical School: Aga Khan University Medical College
Residency: Mount Auburn Hospital
Class of 2015
Alim Salman, MD
Medical School: Aga Khan University Medical College
Residency: Drexel University College of Medicine
Jose Gonzalez Huertas, MD
Medical School: Universidad del Valle
Residency: Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital
Class of 2016
Jonathan Schroeder, MD
Medical School: Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency: University of Miami
Basheer Tashtoush, MD
Medical School: Mu’tah University
Residency: Jersey City Medical Center
Class of 2017
Scott Lieberman, MD
Medical School: St. George’s University School of Medicine
Residency: Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital
James Gleason, MD
Medical School: Loma Linda University School of Medicine
Residency: Kettering Medical Center
Class of 2018
Felix Hernandez, MD
Medical School: Ross University, Dominica
Residency: Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital
Krunal Patel, MD
Medical School: Ross University, Dominica
Residency: Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital
Class of 2019
Justin Dolan, MD
Medical School: Ross University, Dominica
Residency: Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital
Saketh P. Shekar, MD
Medical School: Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, India
Residency: Morristown Medical Center, NJ
Class of 2020
Apurva Gandhi, MD
Medical School: B.J. Medical College, India
Residency: Abington Jefferson Health, PA
Fellowship: Sleep Medicine, Temple University Hospital, PA
Mustafa Akbiek, MD
Medical School: Jordan University of Science & Technology
Residency: St. Vincent Charity Medical Center, OH
Emad Alkhankan, MD
Medical School: Albaath University, Syria
Residency: Marshall University
Fellowship: Pulmonary Diseases, Marshall University
Phalgoon Shah, MD
Medical School: SMT NHL Municipal Medical College
Residency: Tripler Army Medical Center
Fellowship: Pulmonary Critical Care Medicine, Case Western University MetroHealth Medical Center
Class of 2021
Andrew Daya, MD
Medical School: St. George’s University, Grenada
Residency: Drexel University College of Medicine
Fellowship: Sleep Medicine, Drexel University College of Medicine
Christopher D’Angelo, MD
Medical School: St. George’s University, Grenada
Residency: Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital
Raiko Diaz, DO
Medical School: Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency: Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital
Fellowship: Pulmonary Disease, Aventura Hospital and Medical Center
Class of 2022
Samantha Gillenwater, MD
Medical School: Ross University, Dominica
Residency: Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital
Melaine Lanza, MD
Medical School: Ross University, Dominica
Residency: Florida Atlantic University
John Woytanowski, MD
Medical School: St. George's University, Grenada
Residency: Drexel University College of Medicine
Fellowship: Interventional Pulmonology, Duke University School of Medicine
Class of 2023
Daniel Kotok, MD
Medical School: Volgrad State Medical University
Residency: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Tristan Pasek, MD
Medical School: Saint James School of Medicine
Residency: Mount Sinai Hospital Medical Center
Andrew Kim, MD
Medical School: Saint George’s University School of Medicine
Residency: Hahnemann University Hospital, Drexel University College of Medicine
Class of 2024
Alibel Bello, MD
Medical School: Northeast Ohio Medical University
Residency: Cleveland Clinic Akron General
Miquel Gonzalez, MD
Medical School: Florida International University
Residency: Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital
Christopher Railwah, MD
Medical School: University of West Indies
Residency: Sunny Downstate Medical Center
Veronica Williams, DO
Medical School: Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency: Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Class of 2025
Ali Al-Tarbsheh, M.D.
Medical School: The University of Jordan
Residency: Albany Medical Center
Ramez Halaseh, M.D.
Medical School: Jordan University of Science and Technology
Residency: Medstar NRH Rehab Hospital
Daniela Trelles-Garcia, M.D.
Medical School: Universidad de Cuenca Facultad de Ciencias Médicas
Residency: AMITA Health Saint Francis Hospital Evanston
Class of 2026
Brian Foster, MD
Medical School: Ross University
Residency: Southeast Health
Ana Suarez Gonzalez, MD
Medical School: Universidad Iberoamericana UNIBE
Residency: HCA Kendall Regional
Sikandar Khan, MD
Medical School: American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine
Residency: Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital
