Meet Our Family Health Center Faculty!


		Philip Bolduc, MD Assistant Professor Philip.BolducFHCW@umassmed.edu Brown University, BS in Electrical Engineering University of Massachusetts Medical School, 2000 Lawrence Family Medicine Residency, 2003 Professional Affiliation: American Academy of HIV Medicine Areas of Interest and Research: HIV, Hepatitis C About Family Health Center: I am happy to be joining the UMASS Family Medicine family. Personal Facts: I am a Worcester native and was born at Hahnemann Hospital. I was an electrical engineer and worked on photovoltaic system research and design before going to medical school. I love the outdoors and playing sports of all kinds.

		Lucy Candib, MD Professor Lucy.Candib@umassmed.edu Radcliffe College, 1968 Harvard Medical School, M.D., 1972 Residency: 1972-1973 Rotating internship Cambridge City Hospital 1974-1976 Worcester City Hospital/Umass Family Practice Residency Areas of Interest and Research: Woman-centered care, pregnancy and birth, and throughout the lifecycle; Empowering care of chronic illness, esp. diabetes; Violence and victimization of children and adults, and the aftermath; Culture, immigration, refugees, asylum. Author of Medicine and the Family: A Feminist Perspective (Basic, 1995) Co-author (with Sara Shields, MD) of Woman-Centered Care in Pregnancy and Childbirth (Radcliffe, 2010.) Hometown: Brooklyn, NY/Danby, Vermont About Family Health Center: Diversity of staff, patients, cultures, illnesses at a health center with a wide variety of services. Commitment to high quality care linked with training programs (MDs, NPs, social workers, dental residents) all in a setting dedicated to the underserved. Academic faculty with ongoing research interests relevant to our population (conveying prevention to low literacy patients; health care for homeless families; breast feeding practices among low income women; Centering Pregnancy, and many others.) Faculty with strongly evidence-based approaches and broad reading interests, always questioning, many of whom have practiced for years at the health center and have deep understanding of relationships with patients. Integration into medical care of mental health services, nutrition and health education services for multi-lingual populations. Residents graduate with diverse competencies and skills to go on learning—and many continue in health centers elsewhere. Why Family Medicine? It was 1972. I knew I wanted to take care of women; within 2 months into my rotating internship I knew I wanted to take care of infants and children, too. Then I found out I liked working with adults, helping untangle the confusing symptoms from mind and body. I read Michael Balint and learned that the doctor plays a role in how the patient’s illness gets constructed. The only people who were talking about all this, who could link it all together, who saw that family relationships were central to health and sickness, who were critical of medical care as it was then—-were the people starting family practice residencies. I signed on as one of the first residents in this program. I was not disappointed! Personal Facts: I live on 10 acres on a pond within the Worcester city limits and sometimes bike to work on a recumbent bike. I am working on a book possibly titled “It Runs in the Family” about diabetes and depression in my family of origin.

		Lisa Carter, MD Assistant Professor and Education Director Lisa.Carter@umassmed.edu University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, M.D., 1999 Family Practice Residency: Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island, 2003 Basic Clinical Pastoral Education (chaplaincy program), UNC, 1997 Masters of Public Health in Maternal/Child Health, UNC, 1998 Areas of Interest and Research: Psychiatry, Underserved Medicine About Family Health Center: I feel very blessed to have meaningful work that engages both mind and heart. At Family Health Center of Worcester I feel that I am part of a vibrant, thriving team that provides comprehensive services to patients and deeply impacts their lives. I have delightful colleagues and I love working with the residents. I think residents see me as a role model for balancing professional and personal life, which is something we all struggle with in underserved medicine, and I enjoy helping them plan for balanced lives and careers. I truly love my job.

		Linda Garufi Clark, MD Assistant Professor Linda.Clark@umassmed.edu Brandeis University Eastern Virginia Medical School Hunterdon Medical Center Family Practice Residency, Hunterdon NJ Currently pursuing my MEd at University of Massachusetts, Boston Areas of Interest and Research: Education, Co-facilitating Group Care, Care in Interdisciplinary Teams, Family-Centered Maternity Care, Cultural Awareness, Wellness, Chronic Nonmalignant Pain, Relational Care Hometown: I’ve moved every 2-5 years of my life. If you want to know more, just ask! About Family Health Center: FHCW is a place of many peoples with different interests all working towards the same goal. Why Family Medicine? People welcome me into their lives, share with me their stories and treat me like family. Personal Facts: I’d prefer my German Sheppard Scout to be with me at all times. I like being outside; more often in the woods; although there are times when city streets are what I need.

		Warren Ferguson, MD Professor and Department Vice Chair Director of Academic Programs, Health and Criminal Justice Programs at UMass Medical School Warren.Ferguson@umassmed.edu University of Massachusetts, Amherst; B.S, Biochemistry, Summa Cum Laude Boston University School of Medicine, M.D. Maine-Dartmouth Family Medicine Residency Areas of Interest and Research: Health Equity and Health Disparities, Primary Care Workforce; Health Policy for Vulnerable Populations Hometown: Medford, MA About Family Health Center: I have been practicing at the Family Health Center of Worcester (Queen Street) for 20 years and was the medical director for ten of those years. The health center serves a very diverse population, racially, ethnically and socioeconomically. I love practicing and teaching at the health center because I learn something new every day. The faculty are superb clinicians and teachers who are committed to caring for the underserved and training the future family physicians for community health centers and other underserved sites. Why Family Medicine? I knew I would become a family physician by the middle of my first year of medical school despite the fact that only 6 of my 150 student class went into this specialty. I fell in love with the concept of whole person and family oriented care. Unquestionably, family physicians are best prepared to integrate management of medical and behavioral health issues. Personal Facts: I enjoy gardening, hiking in the woods and good spy novels.

		Melanie Gnazzo, MD University of Rochester Family Medicine Residency University of Connecticut melanie.gnazzofhcw@umassmed.edu Professional Affiliations: AAFP Areas of Interest and Research: Immigrant and Refugee care, women’s health including maternity care, office procedures About Family Health Center: I am excited to be a part of the UMass community. The physicians I work with are excellent clinicians and educators. The other staff work hard to make sure patients are cared for appropriately. Everyone really strives to provide the best care to all patients, particularly those in the greatest need Personal Facts: I enjoy spending time with my family hiking, exploring small towns and having quiet dinners with family and friends

		Lisa S. Gussak, MD Assistant Professor Assistant Director of Perinatal Services lisa.gussak@umassmemorial.org University of Connecticut School of Medicine, 1994 St Paul Ramsey Medical Center, 1997 (St. Paul, MN) Professional Affiliations: STFM Areas of Interest and Research: Teaching and learning in medicine, Women’s Health, OB Personal Facts: Will travel for new or delicious food. I am seriously addicted to thrift and consignment stores. I love storytelling and podcasts.

		Tracy Kedian, MD Assistant Professor Tracy.Kedian@umassmed.edu McGill University University of Massachusetts, M.D., 1996 Hahnemann Family Health Center/UMass, 1999 Areas of Interest and Research: Clinical interest in care of the underserved, women’s health obstetrics and colposcopy. Academic interest in medical education. Research in assisting learners in academic difficulty. Hometown: Plymouth, MA About Family Health Center: UMass is an inclusive, energetic community of family physicians with a mission of caring for patients who truly need it, teaching learners with compassion and dedication and performing research to make people’s lives better. I believe in our department and our work. There is no where else I would rather be. Why Family Medicine? I am a family doctor because I love being “in the room”. The human connection with your patients combined with the constant intellectual challenge makes this the most exciting and rewarding field of medicine. Personal Facts: I speak four languages and love to travel.

		Miguel Olmedo, DNP, FNP-c Miguel.Olmado@umassmed.edu Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions – Doctoral (2009) University of Massachusetts at Boston – Graduate and Undergraduate (2000,2006) Areas of Interest and Research: Role of spirituality in primary care; Nurse practitioner in primary care residency, Reduction of health care disparity among Latinos Hometown: Boston suburbia About Family Health Center:Family Health Center of Worcester will provide you with a rich and diverse experience in family practice that is as equally challenging as it is rewarding. Why Family Medicine? Family medicine offers me the challenge and gratification of caring for patients through the entire life span. I can think no other profession where the impact of what we do (care we provide) on a daily basis is so great. Personal Facts: I'm an avid tennis player.

		Valerie Pietry, MD, MS Assistant Professor Valerie.Pietry@umassmed.edu Dartmouth Medical School, M.D., 1989 Residency: Brown University Family Medicine Residency, 1992 Areas of Interest and Research: Behavioral pediatrics, Attention Deficit Disorder; Community-Oriented Primary Care, Spirituality and Health About Family Health Center: The residents in this program are very motivated to give the best care they can for each patient. I enjoy the interactions with residents that lead to my learning more, which can be applied to my own practice of medicine. I appreciate getting to know the residents as they come through our site.

		Melissa Rathmell, MD Assistant Professor Melissa.Rathmell@umassmed.edu Massachusetts Institute of Technology, S.B. Computer Science University of Massachusetts, M.D., 1999 Residency: UMass/Barre, 2002 Areas of Interest and Research: Integrative Medicine, Women's Health, Procedures, Teaching Why Family Medicine? I started my career as a software engineer and worked part time as an EMT and then a paramedic as a hobby. Over the years I found that I enjoyed the medical aspects of my life more than the engineering, and so I decided to take the plunge and go to medical school. Then, after practicing Family Medicine for a few years, I realized that Western medicine had little to offer many patients. I started looking into non-Western therapies and have become an Integrative Medicine Practitioner. I am currently a board-certified medical acupuncturist and am trained in basic osteopathic manipulation, clinical hypnosis and functional medicine. I am always adding new tools to my kit, so there may be more by the time you read this! I also love doing and teaching various dermatologic and gynecologic procedures.

		Rick Sacra, MD Richard.Sacra@umassmed.edu UMass Medical School, 1989 Residency at East Tennessee State University, 1992 Professional Affiliations: American Academy of Family Physicians, Christian Medical and Dental Association Areas of Interest and Research: Global Health About Family Health Center: Family Health Center offers a terrific combination of clinical work with a focus on underserved populations, teaching, and research. There are many opportunities here to pursue various clinical and teaching interests. My work here at Family Health Center is very rewarding, personally as well as professionally! I have spent many years (1995 to 2010) in Liberia, working at a small mission hospital. I have a long term interest is in developing residency training programs for doctors in West Africa.

		Sara G. Shields, MD, MS Associate Professor Sara.Shields@umassmed.edu Harvard University, A.B., 1984 University of California at San Francisco, M.D., 1989 Residency: University of Rochester, 1992 Maternal & Child Health Fellowship, Memorial Hospital or Rhode Island, 1994 Areas of Interest and Research: Maternity Care, Underserved Populations, Women's Health. Co-author (with Lucy Candib, MD) of Woman-Centered Care in Pregnancy and Childbirth (Radcliffe, 2010.) I'm especially interested in breastfeeding and group prenatal care and how to teach residents to do groups. About Family Health Center: When I'm able to be with residents attending one of their own patients' deliveries, I love encouraging the residents to discover and savor their unique longitudinal connections with laboring women and their families. This continuity during maternity care is what makes our role as family physicians so special and so important. Here at Family Health, we have such an incredible opportunity to serve a truly multicultural perinatal population with support systems that provide something unique and special to families otherwise so disempowered and disenfranchised in our society. Personal Facts: My family loves pursuing New England's multi-season activities with kids (hiking, biking, camping, anything at Cape Cod, skiing and snowshoeing); in my nanoseconds of free time I enjoy reading novels, writing, knitting and sometimes coaching kids' soccer or teaching Sunday School.

		Theodore Shoemaker, MD, MS Assistant Professor Ted.Shoemaker@umassmed.edu University of Rochester, M.D., 1985 Residency: Family Health Center/UMass, 1988 Areas of Interest and Research: Medical Informatics and Quality Assurance About Family Health Center: Teaching encourages me to grow and be more rigorous about my own practice. It is fun to watch the residents and students mature from neophytes into independent journey-person practitioners.

		Olga Valdman, MD and Director of the Global Health Track Olga.Valdman2@umassmed.edu UMass Medical School Residency: Lawrence Family Medicine Residency Areas of Interest and Research: International Medicine, Maternal Child Health About Family Health Center: I chose to come back to UMass after completing my residency because I missed the supportive and nurturing community that it is. Additionally, I truly missed Worcester as one of the most diverse (culturally, economically and racially) city I have ever lived in. Unlike New York and Boston where I had lived before, Worcester has the most sense of a mixed community which truly comes to life when you walk into the Family Health Center where I chose to come to. I walk into the building in the morning, look around and feel incredibly lucky to be surrounded by people from all over the world, hearing numerous languages spoken at the same time and being welcomed by our staff always ready to teach me about their community. Personal Facts: Originally from Russia, I moved to the US at the age of 15. Being an immigrant myself, I have grown a deep interest and passion for working with immigrant and refugee populations, particularly in the underserved communities. While in medical school and residency, I was lucky to travel to several countries while learning about the local medical system and providing clinical services. In particular, I have travelled to Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Ghana, Ethiopia and Mexico. Back in Worcester, I co-founded an African Community Education program which works with children who are refugees from various African countries providing them with remedial education and psychosocial support; working with the African community in Worcester has been an amazing journey for me. In medicine, my biggest interests are Global Health and Maternal Child Health.