Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellows

• Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellow, 2020 – present
• Attending Physician, Emergency Department, Harrington Hospital, Southbridge, MA, 2020 – present
• University of Michigan, St Joseph Mercy Hospital, Chief Resident in Emergency Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, 1998 - 2002
• University of Michigan, St Joseph Mercy Hospital, Residency in Emergency Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, 1998 - 2002
• Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 1993 – 1996, 1997 – 1998

After graduating from Harvard Medical School, Kirsten completed a residency in emergency medicine and a clinical research fellowship, as part of the Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars program, at the University of Michigan. In subsequent years, Kirsten’s husband had several new job opportunities which resulted in moves within the US and ultimately to his native country of Denmark. Kirsten worked as emergency medicine faculty at Yale University and Northwestern University and, most recently, held a position at Copenhagen University. She is now thrilled to have the opportunity to pursue her longstanding interest in hospice and palliative medicine. Kirsten loves spending time with her three teenagers and her husband, as well as going on long walks with their little cavapoo, Felix.

• Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellow, 2020 – present
• Harvard-Affiliated Emergency Medicine Residency, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 2017
• Doctor of Medicine, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, PA, 2010 - 2014
• Post-Baccalaureate Premedical Certificate, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, 2007 - 2009
• Bachelor of Arts, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 2001 – 2005

Brian grew up in central New York State and trained as a paramedic while in college at Cornell University. After a few years as a paramedic and flight paramedic in New York, Los Angeles, and Vermont, he attended medical school at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, and then completed an emergency medicine residency and served as a chief resident at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. He served for three years on active duty in the United States Air Force, during which he further developed his interest in integrating palliative care concepts into emergency medicine. He loves spending time with his wife and dog, cooking, and really any outdoor activity, but mostly cycling, kayaking, hiking, and skiing.

• Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellow, 2020 – present
• UCLA-Kern Medical Center, ACGME Residency, Bakersfield, CA, 2017 – 2020
• Researcher, University Retina, Chicago, IL, 2013 - 2013
• Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute, India, 2006 - 2013

Before coming to BIDMC, Sunny attended medical school at Sri Ramachandra University in Chennai, India. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at UCLA-Kern in Bakersfield, California. He served as chief of pharmacovigilance in a committee established to search for novel therapeutic non-opioid interventions including virtual reality for managing acute and chronic pain in both inpatient and outpatient settings for a variety of medical illnesses. Research interests include pain management and he is currently engaged in projects utilizing virtual reality as a therapeutic intervention for refractory symptom management. His academic interest focuses on the intersection of palliative care with hematology and oncology. He has a great passion for providing culturally sensitive and compassionate care for medically disadvantaged and underserved populations. In his free time, he loves pursuing his wanderlust, portrait photography, and cooking worldly cuisines!

• Staff, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, Toronto, ON, 2020 - present
• Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellow, 2019 - 2020
• University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, 2016 - 2019
• Technion- Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel, 2012 – 2016
• York University, Toronto, ON, 2009 – 2011
• University of Western Ontario, London, ON, 2003 - 2008

My passion is to make every day the best day it can be for patients with serious illness. My interest in palliative care began during my internal medicine residency at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. I have been fortunate to pursue my Palliative Care fellowship at BIDMC and join a group of kind, motivated and thoughtful doctors, nurses, social workers and spiritual care providers. In addition to symptom management and communication skills, I have learned the importance of being an empathic presence to my patients, and having a team-oriented multi-disciplinary approach to patient care. After graduation, I will be moving home to Canada to continue my growth as a palliative care and internal medicine physician. Let's Go Raptors, Let's Go!

"Fellowship truly made me a better doctor. Everything I learned at Beth Israel Deaconess translates both inside the palliative care specialty but also to my practice in internal medicine. I just feel more versatile being able to handle difficult conversations surrounding prognosis and treatment options. I also feel confident treating any symptom. Perhaps most importantly is my appreciation of other staff and specialists in the hospital and trying to work together as a team to better patient care. My palliative care fellowship forever changed me and there's no doubt that all my patients are the true beneficiaries."

• Staff, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand, 2020 – present
• Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellow, 2019 - 2020
• Nephrology Fellow, 2017 – 2019
• Bassett medical center internal medicine residency, Copperstowns, NY, 2014 – 2017
• First Class honor in Doctor of Medicine- Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand, 2004 – 2010

My parents named me "Ten" because I am the 10th grandchild on both paternal and maternal sides. I am originally from Thailand. I came to US for Internal Medicine training at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown, NY. I was introduced to Palliative Care medicine there and this specialty has been imprinted on my mind since. Palliative Care has changed my view of how good doctor should be. However, I decided to do nephrology fellowship training first (also at BIDMC!) because it was my initial plan. Then I found the perfect fit between these two specialties, I realized that kidney patients do need doctors who know Palliative Care. My career focus is on applying Palliative Care practice in chronic kidney disease patients. After graduation, I am going back to my medical school in Thailand to help build a Palliative Care team there.

"What surprised me the most during my fellowship was our roles after the patient passed away. Helping patient's family with grief and bereavement is a big thing."

• Assistant Professor, Supportive Oncology and Palliative Care Program, 2020 - present
• Staff, Abington Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, 2019-present
• Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellow, 2018 - 2019
• BIDMC, Internal Medicine Residency, 2015 - 2018
  • MA in Medical Ethics
  • MD
• Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 2011
• St. John's College, Annapolis, MD, 2008

Dylan grew up in New Hampshire. He went to St. John's College in Annapolis, MD for undergrad studying philosophy and literature. He went to medical school at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland and also completed a Master's in Bioethics while he was there. He came back to New England for residency at BIDMC. He was thrilled to attend the Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship at BIDMC. After graduating, he and his wife moved to Philadelphia. Dylan now works as an attending a Fox Chase Cancer Center working in both the inpatient and outpatient setting. His academic interests include Advance Care Planning, Quality Improvement, and Medical Education. Outside of work, he enjoys going on day trips with his wife, cooking, skiing, playing guitar, and entertaining his goldendoodle puppy.

"One learning point that has been critical is the following: Have a differential for everything. This includes pain and other symptoms but also emotional reactions: Why did this family member react that way? Why did I react the way I did? Why might he or she ask that question? This persistent curiosity really helps to think critically about what someone might understand, where they are emotionally, and at the most basic level why their symptoms are occurring."

• Staff, Care Dimensions Hospice and Emerson Hospital Palliative Care Consultation, 2019 - present
• Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellow, 2018 - 2019
• Bassett Medical Center, Cooperstown, NY, 2013 - 2018
  • Primary Care physician, 2013 - 2014
  • Hospitalist, 2014 - 2018
• Marino Center for Integrative Health, Wellesley, MA 2011 - 2013
• Boston Medical Center, Family Medicine Residency, Boston, MA 2011
• Stony Brook University School of Medicine, NY, 2007
• University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, 2000

Dr. Weinstock joined Care Dimensions in 2019 as a Hospice and Palliative Care physician. In her role, she provides palliative care consultations at Emerson Hospital in Concord, MA as well as works with an interdisciplinary team to provide hospice care to patients admitted to the Care Dimensions Hospice House in Lincoln.

Dr. Weinstock is a graduate of Stonybrook University School of Medicine in New York. She is board certified in family medicine and completed her residency at Boston University Medical Center and now specializes in Hospice and Palliative Care after finishing her fellowship training at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), Boston.

Prior to completing her fellowship, she has worked as a hospitalist and primary care physician in New York and the Greater Boston Area. She has served on several advisory boards and workgroups focused on hospice and palliative care and chronic-pain management.

"One of my best memories of fellowship was my elective week with the Spiritual Care team. I didn't realize how much I had to learn about hospital chaplains, their beliefs, scope of practice and expertise. I now ask every patient about their spirituality and consult the hospital chaplains regularly. "

• Staff, VA Boston Healthcare System, West Roxbury, MA, 2018 - present
• Advanced Research Fellow, New England Geriatric Research and Education Clinical Center (GRECC) two year advanced Fellowship, VA Boston
• Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellow 2017 - 2018
• Psychiatry Residency, University of Kentucky, Louisville, KY, 2013 - 2017
• Medical School, University of Kentucky, Louisville, KY, 2009 - 2013
• Undergraduate Program, Colby College, Waterville, ME, 2001 – 2005

Zachary found his calling in palliative care as a third-year medical student on a required palliative rotation during his medicine clerkship. Since then, he has continually sought to bring his psychiatric training to palliative medicine to improve the lives of seriously ill individuals. As the inaugural palliative medicine fellow at BIDMC, Zachary found a community excited to integrate clinicians with varied clinical backgrounds. Following clinical fellowship, he remained connected to the BIDMC/VA program, completing a two-year research fellowship at the VA developing additional research and writing skills. His work sits at the intersection of geriatrics, palliative care and psychiatry, focusing on understanding the experience of older adults with PTSD at end of life and developing novel psychotherapeutic treatments. His clinical work focuses on the management of pain and substance use disorders in the context of palliative care. He currently maintains an outpatient palliative care clinic at the Boston VA merging his psychiatric and palliative care skills. Outside of work he enjoys day trips around New England with his partner as well as mountain biking and bikepacking.