Pulmonary Critical Care Medicine Fellowship Program
DEPARTMENT OF MEDICINE Pulmonary Critical Care Medicine Fellowship Program
Rajiv Dhand, MD, FCCP, FACP, FAARC Chairman and Professor, Department of Medicine
Tina Dudney, MD, D’ABSM, FCCP
Leadership Team
Francisco Soto, MD, MS, FCCP
Isaac Biney, MD
Fellowship Program Director
Associate Professor Chief, Division Pulmonary Critical Care Medicine Chief, Section of Pulmonary
Associate Program Director –Research
Associate Professor
Associate Program Director – Education
Clinical Assistant Professor
Sam Treat, MD
3rd year fellow
Completed residency at the University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine, Knoxville, TN
Chief Fellows
CHIEF FELLOWS
Raghu Tiperneni, MB,BS
2nd year fellow
Completed residency at Rutgers Health, Long Branch, NJ
Ghassan Wadi, MB,BS
2nd year fellow
Completed residency at the University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine, Knoxville, TN
The power of Teamwork
2023 – 2024
Academic Year
PUBLICATIONS
Biney IN, Ari A, Barjaktarevic IZ, Carlin B, Christiani DC, Cochran L, Drummond MB, Johnson K, Kealing D, Kuehl PJ, Li J, Mahler DA, Martinez S, Ohar J, Radonovich LJ, Sood A, Suggett J, Tal-Singer R, Tashkin D, Yates J, Cambridge L, Dailey PA, Mannino DM, Dhand R. Guidance on Mitigating the Risk of Transmitting Respiratory Infections During Nebulization by the COPD Foundation Nebulizer Consortium. Chest. 2024 Mar;165(3):653-668. doi: 10.1016/j.chest.2023.11.013. Epub 2023 Nov 15. PMID: 37977263
Biney I, Ari A, Barjaktarevic IZ, Carlin B, Christiani DC, Cochran L, Drummond MB, Johnson K, Kealing D, Kuehl PJ, Li J, Mahler DA, Martinez S, Ohar J, Radonovich L, Sood A, Suggett J, Tal-Singer R, Tashkin D, Yates J, Cambridge L, Dailey PA, Mannino DM, Dhand R. Guidance on Mitigating the Risk of Transmitting Respiratory Infections During Nebulization by the COPD Foundation Nebulizer Consortium. Chest. 2023 Nov 15. PMID 37977263
Flandes J, Martinez-Muñiz FB, Cruz-Rueda JJ, Soto FJ, Majid A, Tuta-Quintero E, Giraldo-Cadavid LF. The effect of combining different sampling tools on the performance of electromagnetic navigational bronchoscopy for the evaluation of peripheral lung lesions and factors associated with its diagnostic yield. BMC pulmonary medicine. 2023 Nov 08; 23 (1) : 432. PMID 37940942
Terry PD, Dhand R. The 2023 GOLD Report: Updated Guidelines for Inhaled Pharmacological Therapy in Patients with Stable COPD. Pulmonary therapy. 2023 Sept 01; 9 (3) : 345-357. PMID: 37470971
Cloyes RR, Josan E, Pastis N, Ma J, Palettas M, Peng J, Vasko-Wood S, Mohrman C, Ghattas C, Presley C, Revelo A, Pannu J. Reducing hospital admissions in patients with malignant pleural effusion: a quality improvement study. BMJ open quality. 2023 Sept 01; 12 (3) : 0-0. PMID: 37751941
Terry PD, Dhand R. The 2023 GOLD Report: Updated Guidelines for Inhaled Pharmacological Therapy in Patients with Stable COPD. Pulm Ther. 2023 Jul 20. doi: 10.1007/s41030-02300233-z. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37470971
Li J, Liu K, Lyu S, Jing G, Dai B, Dhand R, Lin HL, Pelosi P, Berlinski A, Rello J, Torres A, Luyt CE, Michotte JB, Lu Q, Reychler G, Vecellio L, de Andrade AD, Rouby JJ, Fink JB, Ehrmann S. Aerosol therapy in adult critically ill patients: a consensus statement regarding aerosol administration strategies during various modes of respiratory support. Ann Intensive Care. 2023 Jul 12;13(1):63. doi: 10.1186/s13613-023-01147-4. PMID: 37436585; PMCID: PMC10338422
2023 – 2024
Academic Year
Book Chapters
Dhand R, Dolovich M. Spacers and Valved Holding Chambers. In Inhaled Delivery Systems for the Treatment of Asthma and COPD. Mahler DA and Dhand R, editors, Taylor and Francis, CRC Press 2023
Terry P, Dhand R. Nebulizers. In Inhaled Delivery Systems for the Treatment of Asthma and COPD. Mahler DA and Dhand R, editors, Taylor and Francis, CRC Press 2023
Li J, Dhand R. Inhalation Therapy in the Intensive Care Unit. In Inhaled Delivery Systems for the Treatment of Asthma and COPD. Mahler DA and Dhand R, editors, Taylor and Francis, CRC Press 2023
Biney I, Soto FJ. Inhaled Therapy for Other Respiratory Diseases: Pulmonary Hypertension. In: Mahler D, Dhand R. Inhaled Delivery Systems for the Treatment of Asthma and COPD. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press; 07/01/2023: 165-175
2023 – 2024
Academic Year
PRESENTATIONS
Tiperneni R, Wadi G, Smith C, Hamric E, Biney I. Sarcoidosis Versus Chronic Beryllium Disease-Can They Coexist? Presented at 2024 American Thoracic Society: San Diego, CA May 17-22, 2024
Tiperneni R, Smith C, Hamric E, Tsapenko A. Known Complication with Unknown Mechanism: Dasatenib Induced Pleural Effusion. Presented at 2024 American Thoracic Society: San Diego, CA May 17-22, 2024
Wadi G, Tiperneni R, Soto F. Lymph Node Mimics During Endobronchial Ultrasound (EBUS): Pulse-Wave Doppler Saves the Day. Presented at 2024 American Thoracic Society: San Diego, CA May 17-22, 2024
Hamric E, Forsyth C, Brandel M, Bevill B. Adenocarcinoma Presenting as a Spontaneous Mediastinal Hematoma. Presented at 2024 American Thoracic Society: San Diego, CA May 17-22-2024
Treat S, Lange K, Gee K, Criswell E, Branca P. Chilled to the Bone: A Case of Refractory VF Arrest Managed with VA ECMO. Presented at 2023 Society of Critical Care Medine: Phoenix, AZ January 21-23, 2024
2023 – 2024
Academic Year
PRESENTATIONS
Dhand R, Treat S, Bhagat M, Fuerst N, Valdes M, Biney I, Heidel ER, Terry P, Walker T, Elder S, Ferris J, Dennis D, Faircloth B, Onar G, Cusick S. Feasibility, Safety, and Efficacy of Nebulized Long-Acting Bronchodilators vs. Nebulized Short-Acting Bronchodilators in Hospitalized Patients with Exacerbations of COPD. Presented 2023
CHEST: Honolulu, HI October 8-11, 2023
Soto FJ, Shlobin O, Levine D, Sahay S, Bhagat M, Sood N, Balasubramanian V, Farmer MJ, Bernardo R, Vintch J, Pandit L, Pettigrew S, Elwing J. Right Heart Catheterization Practice Patters in Pulmonary Hypertension Diagnosis in the United States: A Cross-Sectional Analysis. Presented at 2023 CHEST: Honolulu, HI October 8-11, 2023
Urbina E, Branca P, Bevill B, Josan E, Sharma N, Soto FJ. Concordance of StratX and SeleCT Software in the Evaluation of Fissure Integrity for Patients Considered for Bronchoscopic Lung Volume Reduction. Presented at 2023 CHEST: Honolulu, HI October 8-11, 2023
Thomas A, Assaf S, Thomas W, Assaf M, Biney I, Soto FJ. Diagnostic Performance of Endobronchial Ultrasound-Guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration for Isolated Mediastinal and Hilar Adenopathy in Southeastern United States. Presented at 2023 CHEST: Honolulu, HI October 8-11, 2023
Street N, Loughridge J, Tosonian S, Cloyd J. In the Heat of the Moment: Haloperidol for Acute Agitation. Presented at 2023 CHEST: Honolulu, HI October 8-11, 2023
Sharma N, Smith L, Assaf A, Assaf S, Urbina E, Soto FJ. Keeping the Right Heart in Mind: Safety Profile of Right Heart Catheterization. Presented at 2023 CHEST: Honolulu, HI October 8-11, 2023
Urbina E, Bevill B, Thomas A, Green J. Acute Hypercapnic Respiratory Failure as the Initial Presentation of Anti-R1 Paraneoplastic Syndrome in a Patient with Undiagnosed Breast Cancer. Presented at 2023 CHEST: Honolulu, HI October 8-11, 2023
Thomas A, Urbina E, Branca P. Simultaneous Diagnosis of Endobronchial Melanoma and Glioblastoma: Related or Co-Incidence. Presented at 2023 CHEST: Honolulu, HI October 811, 2023
2023 – 2024
Academic Year
PRESENTATIONS
Tiperneni R, Mohan G, Ghose M, Chaudhry A, Silberman D, Ross D, Weiner S. The Silent Killer: Nitrogen Gas Exposure-Related Lung Injury. Presented at 2023 CHEST: Honolulu, HI October 8-11, 2023
Tosonian S, Street N, Bevill B. Don’t HESitate with Hypereosinophilia. Presented at 2023 CHEST: Honolulu, HI October 8-11, 2023
Hamric E. Street N, Smith C, Adams J, Treat S, Josan E. Epinephrine-Induced Lactic Acidosis via Beta-2 Receptor Glycogenolysis. Presented at 2023 CHEST: Honolulu, HI October 811, 2023
Dhand R. Does Pre-existing Severe Asthma Increase Risk of Morbidity and Mortality from COVID-19? Presented at ISAM Congress 2023: Saarbrücken, Germany August 26-30, 2023
Sharma N, Bevill B, Branca P, Callison C, Josan E. Retrospective Pulmonary Function Testing Screening For a Pilot Bronchoscopic Lung Volume Reduction Programon. Presented at 6th Annual Conference of American Association for Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology: Chicago, IL August 24 -26, 2023
Onar G, Terry P, Ferris J, Shali L, Worth H, Kumar G, Norwood D, Heidel E, Price C, Dhand R. Correlations Between Patient Responses to Social Determinants of Health and Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) Physical Functioning Questionnaires. Presented at American Thoracic Society International Conference 2023: Washington, DC May 18-24, 2023
Dhand R, Swanson C, Ferris J, Elder CS, Church J, Qjang H. Profiles of Microbiomes in Multiuse Closed Suction System Catheters. Presented at American Thoracic Society Annual Conference 2023: Washington, DC May 18-24, 2023
Awards
Dr. Nishant Sharma received the Fellow of the Year Award for exceptional clinical skills and dedication to teaching as chosen by her peers and Medicine Chief Residents
Drs. Shawnt Tosonian received the Certificate of Academic Excellence for the APCCMPD highest performance In-Service Exam for Critical Care Medicine and Pulmonary Disease
Who you’ll meet on Interview Day: (next
four slides)
Tina Dudney, MD, DABSDM, FCCP
• Program Director
• Division Chief, Pulmonary Critical Care Medicine
• Undergraduate: Tennessee Technological University
• Medical School : University of Tennessee Memphis
• Residency: University of Tennessee Medical Center
• Fellowship: University of Utah School of Medicine
• Enjoys gardening, animal rescue, cooking, and swimming
Isaac Biney, MD
• Associate Program Director – Education
• Medical School: University of Ghana School of Medicine and Dentistry
• Residency: Howard University Hospital
• Fellowship: University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine – Knoxville
• Enjoys playing and watching tennis
Francisco Soto, MD, MS, FCCP
• Associate Program Director - Research
• Medical School: Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia
• Residency: University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
• Fellowship: Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
• Enjoys Latin dancing, hiking, country music, and soccer/football
Jason Green, DO
• Medical School: Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Blacksburg, VA
• Residency: East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN
• Fellowship: East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN
• Enjoys travelling, true crime documentaries, and TN sports
Sam Treat, MD
Chief Fellows
Raghu Tiperneni, MBBS
• Medical School: Gandhi
Medical College and Hospital, Secundarabad, India
• Residency: Rutgers Health, Long Branch, NJ
• Medical School: Universidad Americana (UAM) Facultad de Medicina , Nicaragua
• Residency: University of TN
Graduate School of Medicine, Knoxville, TN
Ghassan Wadi, MBBS
• Medical School: St. George's University School of Medicine, Grenada
• Residency: University of TN Graduate School of Medicine, Knoxville, TN
Difficult
Didactics
Bronchoscopy Bootcamp Didactic Conference
Post-Fellowship Placement
Class of 2024
Nishant Sharma, MBBS Academic Knoxville, TN
Elman Urbina Meneses, MD Academic Knoxville, TN
Shawnt Tosonian, MD Private Practice Fort Lauderdale, FL
Class of 2023
Nicholas Fuerst, MD Academic Greenville, SC
Milind Bhagat, MBBS Academic Minneapolis, MN
Class of 2022
Megan Doyle McClam, MD Private Practice Anderson, SC
Ralph Maroun, MD Private Practice
Class of 2021
Spencer Pugh, MD Private Practice
Knoxville, TN
Knoxville, TN
Fatima Wong, DO Interventional Cooper University Hospital Camden, NJ Pulmonology Fellowship
Class of 2020
Swati Baveja, MBBS Private Practice Victorville, CA
Isaac Biney, MBBCh Academic Knoxville, TN
Post-Fellowship Placement
(continued)
Class of 2019
Bimaje Akpa, MBBS Sleep Fellowship University of Chicago Chicago, IL
Sameh Attia, MBBCh Academic Knoxville, TN
Ashish Thakkar, MD Academic Knoxville, TN
Class of 2018
Raakesh Sathya, MBBS Private Practice Los Angeles, CA
Naveed Sheikh, MBBS Private Practice Oak Ridge, TN
Class of 2017
Rishi Sehgal, MD Sleep Fellowship
Anil Singh, MBBS Private Practice
Class of 2016
Rafael Alba-Yunen, MD Private Practice
Victor Gordon, MD Private Practice
Class of 2015
Vanderbilt University Medical Center Nashville, TN
Dallas, TX
Brunswick, GA
Saginaw, MI
Farhan Khan, MBBS Critical Care Fellowship Orlando Health Orlando, FL
Dipaben Modi, MBBS Academic Houston, TX
Post-Fellowship Placement
(continued)
Class of 2014
Syed Naqshbandi, MBBS Critical Care Fellowship
Montefiore Medical Center Bronx, NY
Naveed Sheikh, MBBS Private Practice Oak Ridge, TN
Kashif Aslam, MBBS Critical Care Medicine University of New Mexico Albuquerque, NM
Class of 2013
Syed Gilani, MBBS Private Practice Columbia, SC
Arseniy Tsapenko, DO, MD Sleep Fellowship Dartmouth-Hitchcock Lebanon, NH
Class of 2012
Kamran Manzoor, MBBS Critical Care Fellowship Dartmouth-Hitchcock Lebanon, NH
Muhammad Mir, MD Private Practice Crossville, TN
Class of 2011
Adeel Shibli, MD Private Practice Mesquite, TX
Amit Dhingra, MD Private Practice Peoria, AZ
Class of 2010
Paramveer Bhugra, MD Critical Care Fellowship Brown University Providence, RI
Kinnaresh Patel, MBBS Critical Care Fellowship Wake Forest School of Medicine Winston-Salem, NC
Pulmonary Critical Care Medicine Fellowship Program
• 9 fellows
• 3 per year
• All fellow training is at this facility except 6 weeks at Vanderbilt for Lung Transplant and Burn ICU
• University Pulmonary Critical Care
• 17 Pulmonary/Critical Care Physicians with varied area of focus in:
• Sleep Medicine
• Pulmonary Hypertension
• Cystic Fibrosis
• Interstitial Lung Disease
• Thoracic Oncology
• Interventional Pulmonology
• General Pulmonary Medicine
• Critical Care Medicine
• Ultrasonography
Procedures
- The volume of interventional procedures and inpatient consultations performed by our group at UTMC in 2023
INPATIENT CONSULTATIONS AND ADMISSIONS
1,151 Pulmonary Consultations/Admissions
11,644 Medical ICU Admissions
BRONCHOSCOPY
1,493 Bronchoscopies (there is close to 95% fellow participation in these procedures based on monthly rotation availability)
518 EBUS (endobronchial ultrasound)
244 robotic bronchoscopies
299 Therapeutic/Interventional Bronchoscopies
Other advanced diagnostic (EBUS & transbronchial biopsies)
377 ROSE (rapid on-site evaluation)
PULMONARY FUNCTION LAB
6,479 PFTs (pulmonary function tests)
127 CPET (cardiopulmonary exercise test)
PLEURAL PROCEDURES
>200 Thoracentesis
70 Chest Tubes
RIGHT HEART CATHETERIZATIONS
40 Right Heart Catheterizations (performed in the Cath Lab; number does not include pulmonary artery catheters placed at bedside)
27 Vasodilator Challenge Studies
ICU-RELATED
133 Endotracheal Intubations
222 Central Venous Lines (does not include overnight procedures)
Bedside Swan Ganz
Robotic Bronchoscopy
The University of Tennessee Medical Center
• Opened August 1956
• 710 bed acute care teaching hospital
• Region’s only Academic Medical Center
• 19 ACGME accredited specialty and subspecialty programs
• Level 1 Trauma Center
• Certified Comprehensive Stroke Center
• Aeromedical Service Base
• Magnet recognition for excellence in nursing
• Clerkships for M3 and M4 students
• Health Information Center – Preston Medical Library
• LIFESTAR
• Area’s first emergency response helicopter
• Medical Simulation Center
The Facility – Heart Lung Vascular Institute
• Outpatient office
• Connected to hospital via walkway
• Fellow parking attached to HLVI
• in garage
• Shared fellow’s office with individual desks, call room adjacent to hospital
Bronchoscopy Lab
• Two dedicated rooms with EBUS and Interventional capability
• Navigational Bronchoscopy
• Radial Probe Ultrasound bronchoscopy
• OR availability with combined CT surgery/Pulmonologist cases
• Close working relationship with Thoracic Surgery
The Facility - Academics
• Health Information Center
• In hospital – access 24/7
• Patient access area separate from resident / fellow study area
• Conference rooms
• Computers
• Stacks
• Magazines
• Access to thousands of books / electronic resources through UT Memphis
The Facility - Academics
• UT Center for Advanced Medical Simulation
• 6500 Sq ft
• 1 of 68 in the world (only one in TN) to earn accreditation as Level 1
Comprehensive Accredited Education Institute from American College of Surgeons
Graduate School of Medicine – Residencies and Fellowships
• Anesthesia
Fellowships in Pain Medicine, Perioperative Medicine and Regional Anesthesia/Acute Pain Medicine
• Family Medicine
Fellowships in Emergency Medicine, Hospice and Palliative Medicine and Sports Medicine
• General Dentistry
Fellowship in Dental Operating Room
• Internal Medicine
Fellowships in Cardiovascular Diseases, Interventional Cardiology, and Pulmonary Disease/ Critical Care Medicine and Hematology /Oncology
• Transitional Year
• Neurology
• Obstetrics & Gynecology
Fellowship in Maternal-Fetal Medicine
• Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
Fellowship in Oral/Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery
• Pathology
Fellowship in Surgical Pathology
• Radiology
• Surgery
Fellowships in Abdominal Wall Reconstruction, Advanced GI MIS/Bariatric, Surgical Critical Care and Vascular Surgery
• Urology
ABOUT KNOXVILLE
• 4 general seasons
• Lower cost of living than the national average
• Multiple festivals and weekly concerts
• Exciting Craft Beer Scene with Knoxville Ale Trail
• Food Truck Parks
• Small local airport with access to major airlines and cities
• Multiple farmer’s markets
• www.visitknoxville.com We’re a nature-lovingadventure-seeking-artsykinda-town
The City - Knoxville
• Est population 200,400
• Knoxville Metropolitan Statistical Area (Knox, Blount, Anderson, Loudon, and Union counties) is 796,000
• Economics
• No state income tax
• 13% below the national cost-of-living average
• Median household income $70,302
• Demographics
• Median age 33.4
• 32.2 Male / 34.8 Female
• 73.9% Caucasian, 16.11% Black, 0.15% Native American, 1. 56% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, Two or more races 6.43%, other race 1.81%
FELLOW LIFE OUTSIDE THE HOSPITAL
Travelling to / from Knoxville
Two major interstates – I-40 and I-75 make car travel convenient McGhee Tyson Airport is easy to get in /out of with reasonable flight rates (about 15 min from hospital)
Fellowship Photos
