First Years

During your First year, your training starts with a one-month long Orientation process designed to help your class develop a strong bond, gather a strong foundation as a group, and get some ED shifts under your belt before launching into the rest of the year. With multiple off service rotations and opportunities for learning, first year is nothing short of exciting. 

Gabby Carroll, MD (she/her)

Hometown? Mashpee, MA

Undergrad & Major? UMass Amherst, Biology 

Med School? UMass Med 

Favorite thing to do in your free time? Yoga, baking, pottery, hiking, travel  

Favorite movie/tv show? Inside out   

Favorite place to travel? Places that I haven’t been before!   

Favorite food? Berries 

If you weren't an EM physician, what would you do? Something where I get to live on a boat. I really like boats.   

What super hero or cartoon character would you be? Dory from Finding Nemo    

Favorite ice cream toppings? Oreos 

Random fact? I consider grocery shopping a hobby. Come to me with any couponing needs 

Favorite Western MA activity? Picnic dinners at Tanglewood 

Favorite thing about Baystate? The vibes are great 

What one thing would you take from the ED in a zombie apocalypse? Ketamine 

Julianne Fazio, MD (she/her)

Hometown? East Longmeadow, MA

Undergrad & Major? University of Central Florida, Biomedical Science 

Med School? Drexel University College of Medicine

Favorite thing to do in your free time? Find new restaurants to try,  golf (or pretend to), tik tok, NYT word games

Favorite movie/tv show? Coyote Ugly   

Favorite place to travel? Martha's Vineyard  

Favorite food? Sushi  

If you weren't an EM physician, what would you do? Work at my family’s pizza restaurant  

What super hero or cartoon character would you be? Buttercup from The Powerpuff Girls   

Favorite ice cream toppings? Chocolate sprinkles and gummy bears 

Random fact? My favorite season is fall  

Favorite Western MA activity? Thunderbirds & MGM 

Favorite thing about Baystate? How supportive and kind everyone is  

What one thing would you take from the ED in a zombie apocalypse? Ketamine

Erin Fortner, DO, JD (she/her)

Hometown? Greeneville, TN

Undergrad Major? Psychology and Communication

Med School? AT Still University KCOM

Favorite thing to do in your free time? Road or gravel cycling 

Favorite movie/tv show? ER

Favorite place to travel? Anywhere I can cycle or day hike 

Favorite food? Italian cuisine 

If you weren't an EM physician, what would you do? Be a business owner

What super hero or cartoon character would you be? Wonder Woman  

Favorite ice cream toppings? Fresh strawberries and waffle cone

Random fact? One of my dogs is a former miiltary bomb detection working K-9  

Favorite Western MA activity? Cycling

Favorite thing about Baystate? The people 

What one thing would you take from the ED in a zombie apocalypse? First aid supplies 

Patrick Fugler, DO, PharmD (he/him)

Hometown? Granby, MA

Undergrad & Major? Pharmacy at Western New England University 

Med School? Liberty University

Favorite thing to do in your free time? Spending time outside with my wife and three children

Favorite movie/tv show? Good Will Hunting

Favorite place to travel? Rocky Neck State Park 

Favorite food? King crab legs 

If you weren't an EM physician, what would you do? USAF Pilot  

What super hero or cartoon character would you be? Captain America   

Favorite ice cream toppings? Hot fudge

Random fact? I was an aircraft mechanic during college

Favorite Western MA activity? Fishing  

Favorite thing about Baystate? Your education is the priority 

What one thing would you take from the ED in a zombie apocalypse? Antibiotics 

Dawn Goodfriend, DO (she/her)

Hometown? Austin, Texas

Undergrad & Major? UNC Chapel Hill and BS in Biology, Minor in Chemistry and Neuroscience  

Med School? NSU KPCOM

Favorite thing to do in your free time? Sleeping, finding new restaurants, traveling, hiking! 

Favorite movie/tv show? Parks and Rec  

Favorite place to travel? Switzerland 

Favorite food? Pasta! 

Favorite ice cream toppings? Crushed oreos 

Random fact? The same gene that gives Dalmatians their spots can also cause blindness  

Favorite Western MA activity? Camping  

Favorite thing about Baystate? The people 

John Joyce (JJ), DO (he/him)

Hometown? Ashland, MA 

Undergrad & Major? Temple University, Kinesiology

Med School? LECOM Elmira 

Favorite thing to do in your free time? Rock climbing (Indoor and outside)  

Favorite movie/tv show? Lord of the Rings / Adventure Time   

Favorite place to travel? I need to travel more.. I would love to go to Japan

Favorite food? Tonkotsu Ramen  

If you weren't an EM physician, what would you do? Something that would allow me to work remotely from a van so I could "work" and travel the country

What super hero or cartoon character would you be? Zuko from Avatar the Last Airbender    

Favorite ice cream toppings? Toffee 

Random fact? Visited over 8 national parks and drove ~10k miles on a 3 week cross country road trip with my two best friends in med school 

Favorite Western MA activity? Outdoor sport climbing at Farley ledges (only a half hour away from me!!) 

Favorite thing about Baystate? The positive & supportive culture  all the way from the admin down to my co-residents 

What one thing would you take from the ED in a zombie apocalypse? A fidget toy from the Pedi ED  

Matt Kirpas, DO (he/him)

Hometown? Newburyport, MA

Undergrad Major? Chemistry 

Med School? University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine

Favorite thing to do in your free time? Reading/hanging with the fam

Favorite movie/tv show? ATLA

Favorite place to travel? The mountains or a beach

Favorite food? Lobstah

If you weren't an EM physician, what would you do? Something with my hands/fabrication  

What super hero or cartoon character would you be? Aang (obvs)   

Favorite ice cream toppings? Chocolate syrup  

Random fact? I can blacksmith

Favorite Western MA activity? Farmer's markets  

Favorite thing about Baystate? Palpable sense of community and learning  

What one thing would you take from the ED in a zombie apocalypse? A team of nurses  

Emily Ladda, DO (she/her)

Hometown? Farmington, CT

Undergrad & Major? Clark University, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 

Med School? VCOM Carolinas  

Favorite thing to do in your free time? Hiking, Fishing, Skiing, Rowing, Reading romance/fantasy, Baking, Crafting, Snuggling my golden retriever Moose! 

Favorite movie/tv show? Braveheart or The Heat (Very different vibes)  

Favorite place to travel? To the kitchen for a snack.  I love to visit any new place but especially enjoyed Utah and Maine 

Favorite food? Italian!!! Also cupcakes  

If you weren't an EM physician, what would you do? Own a bakery surrounded by trees  

What super hero or cartoon character would you be? Layla from Sky High  

Favorite ice cream toppings? Rainbow sprinkles, homemade whipped cream, cherries- lots of them 

Random fact? I've gone sky diving but had never been on a roller coaster until I went with my intern class after disaster day at six flags 

Favorite Western MA activity? Leaf peeping 

Favorite thing about Baystate? The candy safe.  Just kidding.. I honestly love my co-interns and everyone has been extremely supportive- people go above and beyond. I also appreciate the emphasis placed on work-life balance/wellness (it's not just a buzz word at this program- leadership genuinely cares). It's how I knew Baystate was the place for me :) 

What one thing would you take from the ED in a zombie apocalypse? The airway cart= Supplies + transportation

Taylor LaRese, MD (she/they)

Hometown? Southington, CT

Undergrad & Major? Trinity College, Biology 

Med School? UConn School of Medicine 

Favorite thing to do in your free time? Playing sports, going to the beach, hiking, reading 

Favorite movie/tv show? Bob's Burgers  

Favorite place to travel? Martha's Vineyard 

Favorite food? Seafood 

If you weren't an EM physician, what would you do? Military Service and Teach  

What super hero or cartoon character would you be? Mr. Incredible  

Favorite ice cream toppings? Homemade whip cream and rainbow sprinkles 

Random fact? My one rep deadlift max is 275lb. 

Favorite Western MA activity? Hiking and enjoying good food. 

Favorite thing about Baystate? It feels like home! Kind and wicked smart people. 

What one thing would you take from the ED in a zombie apocalypse? A bag of surgical tools (scalpels, hemostats, forceps, etc.) 

Lauren McGuinness, DO (she/her)

Hometown? Los Angeles, CA

Undergrad & Major? Cornell, Policy Analysis and Management

Med School? UNE College of Osteopathic Medicine  

Favorite thing to do in your free time? Hike and chill at a brewery 

Favorite movie/tv show? Gilmore Girls  

Favorite place to travel? Home to hang with family 

Favorite food? Thai and anything spicy  

If you weren't an EM physician, what would you do? Food critic  

Favorite ice cream toppings? Rainbow sprinkles and cookie dough

Random fact? I sneeze when I eat dark chocolate 

Favorite Western MA activity? Exploring local farms and vineyards  

Favorite thing about Baystate? Supportive community and awesome people  

What one thing would you take from the ED in a zombie apocalypse? Peanut butter and crackers 

Nikki Moraco, MD (she/her)

Hometown? Upstate NY

Undergrad & Major? Bates College, Biochemistry 

Med School? Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth 

Favorite thing to do in your free time? Spend time with my family   

Favorite movie/tv show? Labyrinth  

Favorite place to travel? Anywhere new: new cities, new parks, new small towns etc.  

Favorite food? Tomatoes in any form.   

If you weren't an EM physician, what would you do? Palliative Medicine  

What super hero or cartoon character would you be? One with invisibility powers for the zombie apocalypse.   

Favorite ice cream toppings? Toffee 

Random fact? My paternal grandfather was born in the 1800s.  

Favorite Western MA activity? Hiking in all seasons.  

Favorite thing about Baystate? The people. This community is really incredible.  

What one thing would you take from the ED in a zombie apocalypse? Antibiotics 

Seamus Rafferty, MD (he/him)

Hometown? Watertown, CT

Undergrad & Major? University of Connecticut / Physiology and Neurobiology and Psychology 

Med School? University of Connecticut

Favorite thing to do in your free time? Happy hour with friends

Favorite movie/tv show? In Bruges

Favorite place to travel? Switzerland 

Favorite food? Surf and Turf 

If you weren't an EM physician, what would you do? Civil Engineering 

What super hero or cartoon character would you be? Randy (South Park)  

Favorite ice cream toppings? Gummy worms

Random fact? Legally changed my name in the 6th grade 

Favorite Western MA activity? Snowboarding 

Favorite thing about Baystate? The good vibes

What one thing would you take from the ED in a zombie apocalypse? Fentanyl 

Miti Shah, DO (she/her)

Hometown? Lakeland, FL 

Undergrad & Major? Nova Southeastern University, Biology  

Med School? Nova Southeastern University

Favorite thing to do in your free time? Hang out with friends and reading a good book  

Favorite movie/tv show? Movie: Pride and Prejudice, Show: Scrubs 

Favorite place to travel? Iceland 

Favorite food? Indian 

If you weren't an EM physician, what would you do? Book editor

What super hero or cartoon character would you be? Katara from Avatar  

Random fact? I've hiked the largest European glacier! 

Favorite Western MA activity? Hiking 

Favorite thing about Baystate? The people and the snack refrigerator 

What one thing would you take from the ED in a zombie apocalypse? Defibrillator - to shock the zombies!  

Patrick Walsh, DO (he/him)

Hometown? Shrewsbury, MA

Undergrad & Major? UMass Amherst, Microbiology 

Med School? Des Moines University 

Favorite thing to do in your free time? Eat olives, drink wine and beer, watch sports, golf, hike 

Favorite movie/tv show? The Godfather Part I  

Favorite place to travel? Lake Como (as pictured) 

Favorite food? Pizza 

If you weren't an EM physician, what would you do? Run an olive grove and vineyard  

What super hero or cartoon character would you be? Gotta be spiderman  

Favorite ice cream toppings? Hot fudge, whipped cream, M&Ms 

Random fact? As a kid, me, my brother, and my dad were pictured in a Men's Health magazine dating ad for single dads (my dad is not a single dad) 

Favorite Western MA activity? Exploring the old historic towns 

Favorite thing about Baystate? Patient acuity, program culture & focus on wellness 

What one thing would you take from the ED in a zombie apocalypse? Blanket warmer filled with blankets. Maybe all the zombies need is a little love. 

Stephen Weigant, MD (he/him)

Hometown? Pawhuska, OK

Undergrad & Major? University of Oklahoma, Aerospace Engineering

Med School? Oregon Health and Science University

Favorite thing to do in your free time? Family movie night  

Favorite movie/tv show? Napoleon Dynamite  

Favorite place to travel? Japan 

Favorite food? Mexican

If you weren't an EM physician, what would you do? Engineer  

What super hero or cartoon character would you be? Michelangelo (TMNT)   

Favorite ice cream toppings? Oreo

Random fact? I have my pilot's license 

Favorite Western MA activity? Skiing (Alpine and Nordic) 

Favorite thing about Baystate? It's a high acuity, high volume hospital serving a very diverse patient population

What one thing would you take from the ED in a zombie apocalypse? Turkey sandwich and Diet Shasta Ginger Ale  

Jake Whitney, MD (he/him)

Hometown? Natick, MA

Undergrad & Major? Providence College, Biology 

Med School? Georgetown University School of Medicine 

Favorite thing to do in your free time? Stuff my face and watch Bar Rescue 

Favorite movie/tv show? Parks and Rec   

Favorite place to travel? Charleston, SC 

Favorite food? Chicken parm 

If you weren't an EM physician, what would you do? Animator for Disney  

What super hero or cartoon character would you be? Aang from Avatar  

Favorite ice cream toppings? Mini reese’s cups 

Random fact? I am a test tube baby… through IVF 

Favorite Western MA activity? Exploring new breweries! 

Favorite thing about Baystate? You feel so supported by our residency and ED who are incredible. Also the training is unmatched given our location in Western Mass and mix of community and academic opportunities.  

What one thing would you take from the ED in a zombie apocalypse? Ancef 

Travel Time

We love to explore the world and even throughout the pandemic we continued to play all over the world

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