Meet the Cardiology Fellows

Abdullah Yeşilyaprak, M.D.

Residency: Wayne State University School of Medicine

Originally from Turkey, my medical journey began at Istanbul University, a place where my profound interest in cardiology blossomed. This passion then led me across the seas to the United States, where I had the privilege of working as a clinical research fellow at the Cleveland Clinic. Following this enriching experience, I completed my residency at Wayne State University in Michigan, where I had the honor of serving as a chief resident in the final year. Now, my journey has fortunately steered me to SLU Cardiology, an opportunity I embrace with immense gratitude and enthusiasm. Outside the hospital walls, my heart finds joy in life's simpler pleasures. Together with my wife, our adventures are the spice of life - from the tranquility of hiking and the thrill of kayaking, to the culinary journey of discovering new restaurants. And then, there are our cherished moments with our two adorable cats, Bagel and Shadow, who add their own unique flavor to our lives.

Interests: Clinical education, academic career in advanced cardiac imaging

Rohil Bedi, MD

Residency: St. Louis University

I was born in India and moved around a lot growing up. I even spent some time in West Virginia before returning to India and finishing high school in New Delhi. I subsequently moved to St. Louis for my undergraduate studies and have called the city home since 2013 - the longest I have lived anywhere! In my free time I like to lift weights (or at least talk about how I need to), spend time with family or with my significant other watching mystery movies and recently I have been trying to learn more about investing and personal finance. I am also an avid, albeit slightly depressed and constantly disappointed Manchester United fan yet this does not keep me from believing next season will be our season!

Interests: Interventional and structural cardiology

Lolita Golemi, M.D.

Residency: St. Louis University

I am originally from Albania, and I moved to Chicago during high school, which is also when I decided I wanted to become a cardiologist. I completed medical school at Rush University in Chicago and residency at St. Louis University. I am passionate about all aspects of cardiology, but I am particularly interested in cardiac imaging and advanced heart failure. In my free time, I like spending time with my family, running, cooking and checking out new coffee shops around the city.

Interests: Cardiac imaging, advanced heart failure

Michael “Mike” Khorsandi, M.D.

Residency: George Washington University at Luminis Health AAMC (Annapolis, Maryland)

During my residency, I authored a paper on a novel interventional approach involving the off-label use of a Watchman device for managing LV pseudoaneurysm, an experience that arose during an elective cardiology rotation. This paper was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology and contributed to my selection as a panelist and moderator at ACC 2023. Additionally, I was honored to be invited as a distinguished speaker at the International Preventive Medicine Meeting in Barcelona, Spain.

Upon completing my residency, I pursued my passion for cardiology by joining the Preventive Cardiology Fellowship at Johns Hopkins University. There, I played a pivotal role in leading the busy Cardiometabolic Clinic. My fellowship provided me with Level 2 training in coronary CTA imaging, a comprehensive curriculum in preventive cardiology, and extensive research exposure, particularly in the management and risk assessment of atherosclerotic vascular disease. My aspiration is to bridge preventive cardiology with interventional cardiology, carving out a unique niche that is scarcely represented among currently trained cardiologists.

Interest: Interventional cardiology

Rabya Saraf, M.D.

Residency: Roger Williams Medical Center/Boston University (Providence, RI)

After graduating with a degree in Biology from Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts, I dedicated two years to clinical and bench research in Boston. My research was mostly focused on diabetes associated cardiovascular disease, and the use of transesophageal echocardiography during cardiac surgery. I then went on to receive my medical degree from St. George's University in Grenada and completed my internal medicine residency training in Providence, Rhode Island. During my residency, I also served as a chief resident. In my spare time, I enjoy being outdoors and am always looking for new hiking trails, trying out new recipes, or lifting weights at the gym.

Interests: Electrophysiology

Chaitanya Rojulpote, M.D.

Residency: The Wright Center for GME

I was born in Vizag, India and grew up in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. After completing my medical school, I pursued clinical research at the University of Pennsylvania where I conducted work in the field of nuclear cardiology, leveraging PET/CT and PET/MR to study atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and cardiac sarcoidosis. I also have a passion for disaster medicine, and in recent years, I've been able to participate in medical relief efforts to disaster stricken areas such as the war in Ukraine and the earthquake in Turkey. I also have a love for biryani. When I visited SLU for an in-person tour, I had some amazing biryani at a local restaurant that I cannot remember the name of anymore. So during my fellowship, I am going to make my way through every biryani establishment in St. Louis to find that restaurant again.

Interests: Academic cardiology, medical education, clinical research, advanced cardiac imaging, global health/disaster medicine

Sierra Dickey, D.O.

Residency: Saint Louis University Hospital

I am a southern Missouri native and have really enjoyed living in St. Louis for the past 3 years. I got my first experience in Cardiology as a third year medical student and loved it so much I rotated through it three more times before graduating medical school! Cardiology has been my passion since shortly after I was first exposed to it, and currently I have a particular interest in interventional cardiology. On a non-academic note, having grown up on a farm in rural Missouri, I have always had a soft spot for animals, and my husband and I have two small dogs (Bunsen and Burner - yes you read that correctly!) and two cats that we adore. The things I enjoy doing most in my free time are reading (fiction), going to the park with the dogs, and finding a great coffee shop or espresso martini!

Interests: Interventional cardiology

Sanskriti Shrivastava

Residency: The Wright Center for GME

I was born and raised in India in Bhopal, a beautiful city with many lakes and went to medical school in coastal south India at Kasturba Medical College in India. I first moved to USA as a research fellow in cardiac failure and transplant at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. I discovered an unwavering love for cardiology during my research year. I eventually spent 3 years in Scranton, PA for my internal medicine residency. Outside of work, I am quite outgoing and enjoy having great conversations and spending time with friends. I also love cooking, reading and driving to new places by myself while listening to music.

Interests: Interventional cardiology, general cardiology

William “Willy” Frick, M.D.

Residency: Indiana University (Indianapolis)

I am originally from Indianapolis, but I've moved around for my education and spent time in Los Angeles and Lexington. My favorite part of cardiology is ECG, and my favorite part about my daily work is teaching. In my free time, I like exploring St. Louis restaurants. Some of my favorites are ChiliSpot, Sado, Meskerem, and Menya Rui. My wife and I also love taking our dogs (Cooper is a Golden Retriever and Joon is a Bernedoodle) to St. Louis’s beautiful parks. This year my pepper garden features shishitos, Leutschauer Paprikas, Rezha Macedonians, Death Spirals, Chocolate Trinidad Scorpions, and Goronongs. I have never lost an eating challenge (including spice, volume, and speed). I also love seeing live music, and in St. Louis I’ve seen Young The Giant, Milky Chance, Glass Animals, Queens of the Stone Age, Beyoncé, Illenium, ODESZA, Sylvan Esso, Too Many Zooz, and José González.

Interests: Academic career in clinical cardiac electrophysiology, clinical education, critical appraisal, artificial intelligence and ECG

Somshukla “Som” Ghosh, M.D.

Residency: University of Central Florida College of Medicine (Orlando)

"I am originally from India, where I graduated medical school. Thereafter I did residency at Orlando, Florida before moving to St Louis for Cardiology fellowship. Outside of work, my little dog is my world and together we go on long walks and long drives and love running after squirrels! In my free time I am a painter, very fond of patterns and vibrant colors."

Interests: Clinical cardiac electrophysiology

Jibran Mirza, M.D.

Residency: State University of New York (Internship), University at Buffalo (Residency)

"I was born in Canada and I come from a big family. I have enjoyed my journey around the world during my path in the field of medicine. It’s my lifelong dream to be a Cardiologist and I am thankful to be training at SLU. I enjoy spending time with my family and I am grateful that SLU has been accommodating regarding this. My free time is spent enjoying new restaurants, watching movies, running, and hanging out with friends. I particularly enjoy traveling and anywhere with a beach is where I'd like to be."

Interests: Non-invasive cardiology

Tarek Nafee, M.D.

Residency: Roger Williams Medical Center/Boston University (Providence, Rhode Island)

"I graduated from the University of Waterloo, Canada with a bachelor’s in biomedical sciences and started my career in the pharmaceutical industry specializing in phase I/II clinical trials. I obtained my medical degree from All Saints University College of Medicine in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. After graduating, I completed a Clinical Trials Fellowship at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and a master’s in clinical investigation from Harvard Medical School and was the recipient of the 2018 European Society of Cardiology Young Investigator Award in Thrombosis for development of a machine learning risk prediction model using pooled clinical trial data.  During residency, I was an elected member of the graduate medical education committee, the vice chair of the resident research committee, and developed a de-novo Cardio-oncology clinic at my training institution. In my spare time, I enjoys traveling, spending time with family and friends, and exploring the diverse cuisine in St. Louis."

Interests: Strong interest in academic cardiology, research methodology and medical education. He aspires to be an interventional cardiologist and a clinical trialist.

Issam “Sam” Atallah, M.D.

Residency: St. Luke’s Hospital, Chesterfield, Missouri

“I am originally from Lebanon (the country not the town in Missouri), and I moved to the U.S. in 2005. I did my residency in St Luke’s Hospital in Chesterfield, Missouri. I am very social and enjoy going out with my friends, I was nicknamed “social butterfly” in my residency. I got married to my high school sweetheart, we shared the same last name before marriage (No we are not related). I love to travel and explore other countries and cultures. I consider myself an amateur cocktail mixology bartender, and I really enjoy cooking in my spare time. Whenever my wife and I go out, I tend to “over” order food. I think my key to happiness is eating healthy, being positive and staying active (and keep my wife happy).”

Interests: Interventional cardiology, clinical education.

Mariam Baig, M.D.

Residency: Saint Louis University School of Medicine 

"I am originally from Saint Louis and I completed my undergraduate degree and medical school in Kansas City. I excitedly returned home for internal medicine residency, where I met my husband while working at the VA. While in residency, I found myself most interested in cardiology cases and was fortunate to have great mentors who inspired me to pursue a career in the field. Luckily, I have been able to stay in St. Louis to work with the same faculty members who inspired me for my fellowship training. In my spare time, I enjoy exploring new restaurants in St. Louis, taking advantage of all of the greenspace in St. Louis, traveling, trying new recipes, and spending quality time with my close friends and family."

Interests: Cardiac imaging, clinical cardiac electrophysiology, cardiovascular disease in women, clinical education

Niteesh Chitturu, M.D.

Residency: Saint Louis University School of Medicine 

"I was born in Hyderabad, India and moved to the northwest suburbs of Chicago. Graduated from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign with high honors with double majors in molecular cellular biology and chemistry. Received my medical degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago Medical School and went on to complete my internal medicine training at Saint Louis University Hospital. I am passionate about all aspects of cardiology, but I am particularly interested in cardiac imaging. In my free time I like visiting museums, hip-hop dancing, traveling (recently went to visit Portugal), and wildlife conservation and volunteering."

Interests: General cardiology, cardiac imaging

Debapria “Pria” Das M.D.

Residency: Saint Louis University School of Medicine

"I am from rural upstate NY and completed my bachelors and medical doctorate at Stony Brook University. My hobbies include hiking, board games, trying new cuisines, and curating experiences for her daughter. My personal goals include to one day train for a biathlon and becoming more proficient at lockpicking."

Interests: Interventional Cardiology 

Hardik “Henry” Patel, M.D.

Residency: Penn State Hershey Medical Center 

Fellowship (Cardiovascular Medicine): University of California-Irvine (Orange)

"I graduated from Penn State College of Medicine, where I also completed my internal medicine residency. My passion for cardiology led me to completing my fellowship at UC-Irvine. I am currently pursing my Interventional cardiology fellowship at St. Louis University hospital. I am devoted to my family with a loving wife and three young children. I love traveling to National parks, hiking, football and playing tennis racquetball."

Interests: Complex PCI, LAA device, PFO, Interventional Heart failure