
Hello everyone! It is great that you are interested in our program and in Psychiatry. My name is Bryan Yanez, I am an HSS intern and just started residency. As you’d might expect, COVID-19 made my final MS4 rotations virtual, grounded travel plans, and caused some unique challenges at the start of residency. However, despite unforeseen circumstances, HSS has been very proactive and receptive to feedback to ensure as smooth of a transition as possible given these unprecedented times. I hope that your fourth year and interview season are going well, and I am happy to share my experiences.
A bit about me: I was born and raised in a small town in Texas. I have a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering Systems and Biology from Tufts University where I studied tissue regeneration and global health. Before medical school, I worked in health equity at the Disparities Solutions Center at Massachusetts General Hospital. I started medical school thinking that I would become a surgeon, but a weak stomach during anatomy lab led me to broaden my differential. Through my clinical rotations, I began to see mental health as a crucial component of the biopsychosocial model of medicine. Throughout medical school, I was the treasurer of the Biomedical Queer Alliance and active in various Quality Improvement projects at Tufts Medical Center, Baystate Medical Center, and Atrius Health. I graduated (early) with an MD/MBA from Tufts University School of Medicine and Brandeis-Heller School for Social Policy & Management.
Since beginning residency, I have been working towards prioritizing my health/wellness and actively seeking ways to stay connected during quarantine. FaceTime, YouTube Zumba, Zoom board games, and online multiplayer video games occupy some of my free time. Otherwise, I am cooking/baking, reading, or listening to an audiobook. I hope to get a dog after Step 3. I joined the Wellness Committee, and am excited for future events. HSS actively seeks to support resident bonding and facilitate social activities. My co-interns are fantastic, and already feel like family. My program-assigned big sibling is always willing to answer any questions and helped me prepare for my new role as resident physician. In fact, all of the senior residents are great and excited to help. They helped me pick my apartment, find a car, and even loaned me tools for furniture assembly. In all, I am very happy to be at HSS and glad that y’all are considering our program. I hope to meet y’all, best of luck on your upcoming interviews, and stay safe.
A bit about me: I was born and raised in a small town in Texas. I have a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering Systems and Biology from Tufts University where I studied tissue regeneration and global health. Before medical school, I worked in health equity at the Disparities Solutions Center at Massachusetts General Hospital. I started medical school thinking that I would become a surgeon, but a weak stomach during anatomy lab led me to broaden my differential. Through my clinical rotations, I began to see mental health as a crucial component of the biopsychosocial model of medicine. Throughout medical school, I was the treasurer of the Biomedical Queer Alliance and active in various Quality Improvement projects at Tufts Medical Center, Baystate Medical Center, and Atrius Health. I graduated (early) with an MD/MBA from Tufts University School of Medicine and Brandeis-Heller School for Social Policy & Management.
Since beginning residency, I have been working towards prioritizing my health/wellness and actively seeking ways to stay connected during quarantine. FaceTime, YouTube Zumba, Zoom board games, and online multiplayer video games occupy some of my free time. Otherwise, I am cooking/baking, reading, or listening to an audiobook. I hope to get a dog after Step 3. I joined the Wellness Committee, and am excited for future events. HSS actively seeks to support resident bonding and facilitate social activities. My co-interns are fantastic, and already feel like family. My program-assigned big sibling is always willing to answer any questions and helped me prepare for my new role as resident physician. In fact, all of the senior residents are great and excited to help. They helped me pick my apartment, find a car, and even loaned me tools for furniture assembly. In all, I am very happy to be at HSS and glad that y’all are considering our program. I hope to meet y’all, best of luck on your upcoming interviews, and stay safe.

Hi, everyone! My name is Alesia Cloutier. I am currently a PGY-2 resident at HSS, and am enjoying the many rotations and learning opportunities this year has brought. PGY-2 at HSS is a year designed to provide residents with rotations through an array of psychiatric settings from the Consultation Liaison setting at Beth Israel and West Roxbury VA, to the state psychiatric hospital at Corrigan, to the Child and Adolescent units at McLean Southeast, to ECT & Ketamine at the VA, and many more. This training experience has been so valuable and rewarding, and has allowed me to work with diverse patient populations in many different settings.
A little bit about me: I was born and raised in Hawaii, went to the University of Washington in Seattle for my undergraduate degree, and attended Lincoln Memorial University Debusk College of Osteopathic Medicine for my Masters in Anatomy and my Doctorate in Osteopathic Medicine. My decision to come to HSS was an easy one for many reasons! I appreciated the diversity of clinical experiences at HSS, the high quality of education and didactics, and the largely unlimited access to get involved with research. Not to mention, we are fortunate to work with exceptionally trained faculty, who are leaders and innovators within their field. But what impressed me most about HSS was the kindness and passion displayed by the residents and faculty. On my interview day I felt so welcomed, and every conversation I had with the residents highlighted the family atmosphere that is fostered at HSS. The teamwork, kindness, support, humor, friendship and passion to provide high quality care to patients displayed by my co-residents and faculty has been outstanding, and it has been the overall highlight of my experience as a resident. I have learned so much here and feel so fortunate to be a part of the HSS family.
The East Coast is a long way from Hawaii, but I have been loving living in Boston! There is so much to see and do, and I’ve been enjoying exploring New England and trying new restaurants – there’s certainly no shortage of good food in Boston! I’ve also been able to continue my passion for learning and research, and have collaborated on a variety of projects. I’m still discovering what aspect of psychiatry I want to pursue, but right now, my interests lie in the bookends of life: either child and adolescent psychiatry or geriatric psychiatry. I’m very excited to continue my journey.
A little bit about me: I was born and raised in Hawaii, went to the University of Washington in Seattle for my undergraduate degree, and attended Lincoln Memorial University Debusk College of Osteopathic Medicine for my Masters in Anatomy and my Doctorate in Osteopathic Medicine. My decision to come to HSS was an easy one for many reasons! I appreciated the diversity of clinical experiences at HSS, the high quality of education and didactics, and the largely unlimited access to get involved with research. Not to mention, we are fortunate to work with exceptionally trained faculty, who are leaders and innovators within their field. But what impressed me most about HSS was the kindness and passion displayed by the residents and faculty. On my interview day I felt so welcomed, and every conversation I had with the residents highlighted the family atmosphere that is fostered at HSS. The teamwork, kindness, support, humor, friendship and passion to provide high quality care to patients displayed by my co-residents and faculty has been outstanding, and it has been the overall highlight of my experience as a resident. I have learned so much here and feel so fortunate to be a part of the HSS family.
The East Coast is a long way from Hawaii, but I have been loving living in Boston! There is so much to see and do, and I’ve been enjoying exploring New England and trying new restaurants – there’s certainly no shortage of good food in Boston! I’ve also been able to continue my passion for learning and research, and have collaborated on a variety of projects. I’m still discovering what aspect of psychiatry I want to pursue, but right now, my interests lie in the bookends of life: either child and adolescent psychiatry or geriatric psychiatry. I’m very excited to continue my journey.

Hello, my name is Priya and I am so glad you’re considering Harvard South Shore! I grew up mostly in the Midwest, completing college at Truman State University and medical school at the University of Nebraska. I was drawn to HSS for many reasons — the emphasis on underserved populations through VA and other sites, the variety of rotations, and most of all, the people who I found to be genuine, curious, and smart. As I am starting my PGY-3 year, I am happy to say that has held true. Over the past two years, I have presented research exploring suicide references in popular music, published a case report with co-residents, and learned alongside residents of programs across the Boston area. I feel incredibly supported to explore interests outside the program as well; I am currently serving as a media editor for the American Journal of Psychiatry — Residents’ Journal and will be starting a one-year fellowship at the Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute in September. After residency I plan to fast track into child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship, though I will miss my co-residents dearly! My career plans remain broad, but for now I am interested in early episode psychosis, developmental disorders, and culture and media. Outside of medicine my husband and I enjoy exploring the many beautiful beaches, hiking trails, and birding spots the South Shore has to offer!

Hi there! I hope I get a chance to meet all of you and get to know you, but in the meantime let me tell you a little about myself and about Harvard South Shore. As a PGY-IV looking back and reflecting on the past few years, I can assuredly say that coming to this program was the best choice I could have made for my medical career. What initially drew me into Harvard South Shore was the cohesive and collaborative resident culture, ample networking opportunities with an array of other hospitals and programs, and a chance to explore a new and beautiful city bustling with so many opportunities. I can say with confidence that these qualities of our program have continually kept me engaged.
I’m originally from Southern California and went to undergraduate at the University of California, San Diego. Shortly after undergrad, I stayed in California and attended medical school at Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona. Prior to moving from California to Boston, I’m not going to lie I was a little scared. Packing my things and moving across the country to a city I knew nobody at was a big change! But as soon as orientation started, I found my fellow colleagues extraordinarily supportive and encouraging. In no time at all, Boston became my home away from home. While I’ve had the chance to cultivate myself academically, I’ve also picked up a few new hobbies along the way these past few years such as indoor and outdoor rock climbing, pottery, boxing, and hiking! I think that speaks volumes about the work/life balance our program values.
This July I started my last year of training and have shifted into the role of a telepsychiatrist quite well. So well, in fact, that I am hoping to pursue telepsychiatry and perhaps be a part of a partial program in the future. I also hope to explore my passions for sleep and resident wellness this year by partaking in sleep research as well as wellness quality improvement projects throughout the year. One of the awesome things about this program is that our residents make it great, so to give back my last year in as many ways as I can is something I’m striving for. I am truly excited to see how this year of learning and growth unfolds, and I do hope you aim to be a part of it too! Good luck on your journey and I hope to see you soon.
I’m originally from Southern California and went to undergraduate at the University of California, San Diego. Shortly after undergrad, I stayed in California and attended medical school at Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona. Prior to moving from California to Boston, I’m not going to lie I was a little scared. Packing my things and moving across the country to a city I knew nobody at was a big change! But as soon as orientation started, I found my fellow colleagues extraordinarily supportive and encouraging. In no time at all, Boston became my home away from home. While I’ve had the chance to cultivate myself academically, I’ve also picked up a few new hobbies along the way these past few years such as indoor and outdoor rock climbing, pottery, boxing, and hiking! I think that speaks volumes about the work/life balance our program values.
This July I started my last year of training and have shifted into the role of a telepsychiatrist quite well. So well, in fact, that I am hoping to pursue telepsychiatry and perhaps be a part of a partial program in the future. I also hope to explore my passions for sleep and resident wellness this year by partaking in sleep research as well as wellness quality improvement projects throughout the year. One of the awesome things about this program is that our residents make it great, so to give back my last year in as many ways as I can is something I’m striving for. I am truly excited to see how this year of learning and growth unfolds, and I do hope you aim to be a part of it too! Good luck on your journey and I hope to see you soon.
2020Ermal Bojdani, M.D.
Public Psychiatry Fellowship Columbia University Heidi Geil, D.O. Outpatient Psychiatry Group Practice San Francisco Bay Area Kevin Li, M.D. Director of ECT, TMS and Ketamine Kaiser Permanente Fremont Duy Ly, M.D. Psychiatry Practice Boston Michael Ruderman, M.D. Psychiatry Research Fellowship San Francisco VA/UCSF Jaimie Yung, M.D. Good Samaritan Medical Center Corvallis, Oregon |
2019Shivaun Gannon, M.D.
Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship University of Washington, Washington Yajie Yu, M.D. Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship Boston Children’s Hospital, Massachusetts Sundus Mari, M.D. Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship Boston Children’s Hospital, Massachusetts Spencer LunBeck, M.D. Consultation-Liaison Fellowship University of Washington, Washington Rachel Ann Meyen, M.D. Geriatric Psychiatry Fellowship Partners Healthcare System, Massachusetts Ashley Beaulieu, D.O. Women’s Mental Health Fellowship Mclean Hospital, Massachusetts Mitchell Crawford, D.O. Director of Addiction Services WellSpan Health, Pennsylvania Byung Kil Kim, M.D. Research Fellowship VA Boston Healthcare System, Massachusetts Kendall Bache, M.D. Staff Psychiatrist at Partial Hospital Program Pocasset Mental Health Center, Massachusetts |
2018Vivek Jayadeva, M.D.
Interventional Pain Fellowship University of Washington Iraklis Giakoumatos, M.D. Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship MGH/McLean Edward Tabasky, M.D. Public Psychiatry Fellowship Columbia University Bushra Awidi, M.D. Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School Byron Smith, M.D. Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship Tufts University Andrew Robin, M.D. Military Medicine Naval Medical Center Portsmouth (NMCP), Virginia Blake Webb, M.D. Chief Resident in Quality and Safety VA Boston Healthcare System, Harvard Medical School David Robinson, M.D. Director of Adult Inpatient Unit Carney Hospital |
2017Aengus O Conghaile, M.D.
Geriatric Psychiatry Fellowship Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School Alana Bunnag, M.D. Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai New York Shahrzad Sims, D.O. Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship Tulane University Marina Peters, D.O., Pharm.D. Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship Boston University Simrun Kalra, M.D., M.P.S. Group Practice Kaiser Permanente Marek Hirsch, M.D. Hospitalist Memorial Hospital Jacksonville Dana Wang, M.D. Private Practice New York |
2016Mihir Patel, M.D.
Interventional Spine and Pain Management Fellowship Eastern Virginia Medical School Seeta Patel, M.D. Integrated Care Fellowship University of Washington Edwin Raffi, M.D., M.P.H. Women’s Mental Health Fellowship Massachusetts General Hospital Gino Mortillaro, M.D. Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship Boston Children’s Hospital Alexander Adelsberger, D.O. Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Iru Fernando, M.D. Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship Boston University Hadi Estakhri, M.D. Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship Mount Sinai Beth Israel, NY Austin Lin, M.D. Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center |
2015Jung Won Kim, M.D.
Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School Eric Tung, D.O. Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship University of California, San Diego Rajan Gosain, M.D. Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship Tufts Medical Center Anothai Soonsawat, M.D. Geriatric Psychiatry Fellowship University of California, Los Angeles Michelle Davids, D.O. Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship MGH/McLean Michael Tang, D.O. Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship Geisel School of Medicine/Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center Usama Feroze, M.D. Psychosomatic Medicine Fellowship George Washington University Gen Tanaka, M.D. Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Brigitte Espinoza, M.D. Academic Staff Position North Health Central Care, University of Wisconsin |

Dr. Edwin Raffi is a board-certified psychiatrist at the Massachusetts General Hospital’s Center for Women’s Mental Health and the MGH HOPE clinic, and an Instructor in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He is the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for Column Health Clinics, a network of outpatient clinics that provide state of the art outpatient dual diagnosis care.
Dr. Raffi completed his psychiatry residency training at HSS in 2016. While at HSS he was a shared recipient of the Harvard Medical School Department of Psychiatry 2016 Harry C. and Maida Solomon Award for his work related to substance use disorder in veterans; a research effort guided by his residency mentor Dr. Grace Chang. Additionally, he spearheaded a one-year project to implement the MGH-Benson-Henry Institute’s Mind-Body Program into a VA residential program for Women with PTSD and Substance Use disorder.
After graduation from HSS he did a fellowship in perinatal and reproductive psychiatry at the MGH Center for Women’s Mental Health (CWMH). He has since continued his clinical and academic efforts at the MGH CWMH and the MGH HOPE clinic, an integrative care clinic for pregnant and postpartum women with substance use disorders. In 2019 he became the CMO for Column Health Clinics, a leading and fast-growing network of mental health and SUDs treatment clinics with the mission of humane, modern, tech-forward and stigma-free treatment for all patients in need of care. Dr. Raffi has published works in topics related to treatment of mood and anxiety in women, menstrual cycle related mood and anxiety disorders, addiction psychiatry, comorbid trauma and mood disorders.
“HSS exists through the merger of two strong institutions, namely Harvard Medical School and the VA Boston Healthcare System. One cannot ask for a better confluence of forces when it comes to a training program in psychiatry” says doctor Raffi of his alma matter. “I loved having an organized and protected day -every week- dedicated to didactics taught by renowned experts throughout all fours of residency! I loved that our didactics covered a wide variety of information ranging from an in depth training in different psychotherapy modalities to psychopharmacology, neurology, and leadership skills amongst other courses. I truly felt prepared as a psychiatrist at graduation. HSS was my first choice during the residency application cycle and it will always be home for me.”
You can read an article Dr. Raffi wrote on about his experience as a first year resident here.
This article first appeared in the Massachusetts Psychiatric Society Newsletter, Issue 137, September 2013.
Dr. Raffi completed his psychiatry residency training at HSS in 2016. While at HSS he was a shared recipient of the Harvard Medical School Department of Psychiatry 2016 Harry C. and Maida Solomon Award for his work related to substance use disorder in veterans; a research effort guided by his residency mentor Dr. Grace Chang. Additionally, he spearheaded a one-year project to implement the MGH-Benson-Henry Institute’s Mind-Body Program into a VA residential program for Women with PTSD and Substance Use disorder.
After graduation from HSS he did a fellowship in perinatal and reproductive psychiatry at the MGH Center for Women’s Mental Health (CWMH). He has since continued his clinical and academic efforts at the MGH CWMH and the MGH HOPE clinic, an integrative care clinic for pregnant and postpartum women with substance use disorders. In 2019 he became the CMO for Column Health Clinics, a leading and fast-growing network of mental health and SUDs treatment clinics with the mission of humane, modern, tech-forward and stigma-free treatment for all patients in need of care. Dr. Raffi has published works in topics related to treatment of mood and anxiety in women, menstrual cycle related mood and anxiety disorders, addiction psychiatry, comorbid trauma and mood disorders.
“HSS exists through the merger of two strong institutions, namely Harvard Medical School and the VA Boston Healthcare System. One cannot ask for a better confluence of forces when it comes to a training program in psychiatry” says doctor Raffi of his alma matter. “I loved having an organized and protected day -every week- dedicated to didactics taught by renowned experts throughout all fours of residency! I loved that our didactics covered a wide variety of information ranging from an in depth training in different psychotherapy modalities to psychopharmacology, neurology, and leadership skills amongst other courses. I truly felt prepared as a psychiatrist at graduation. HSS was my first choice during the residency application cycle and it will always be home for me.”
You can read an article Dr. Raffi wrote on about his experience as a first year resident here.
This article first appeared in the Massachusetts Psychiatric Society Newsletter, Issue 137, September 2013.