Faculty

Cilian White, MB BAO BCh, MSc
Program Director, Internal Medicine Residency Program 

Dr. White (born and raised in Dublin, Ireland) graduated from Trinity College Dublin medical school. He moved to the US in 2011 to pursue residency training in internal medicine at New York University. Since graduating, he enjoys his role as a clinical hospitalist and educator. From a clinical perspective, he provides care to patients on our general medicine teaching services, and is one of our hospital's physician ethics consultants helping patients, their family members, and healthcare providers deal with difficult ethical issues that arise in patient care. His educational pursuits include curricular development in areas of clinical research, quality improvement and health equity. For further professional development, he is pursuing his part-time MBA at the Isenberg School of Management with a focus on health care administration. Dr. White has been on faculty since 2016. He was associate program director from 2019 to 2021, recently became Program Director and is active in the Association of Program Directors in Internal Medicine (APDIM). He enjoys spending time with his wife, two young children, and when time permits, playing tennis.

Kathleen Pergament, DO
Associate Program Director, Outpatient Medicine 

Dr. Pergament received her bachelor's degree in biopsychology from Vassar College before earning her Master's in Public Health in the epidemiology of infectious diseases from the Yale School of Public Health. She then went on to study medicine at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic where she received her DO degree. She returned to the tri-state area to complete her internal medicine residency at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital in New York City. Dr. Pergament joined the internal medicine core faculty of Rutgers New Jersey Medical School in Newark in 2015, where she stayed until May 2021. She is delighted to be part of our team here as an associate program director and our director of ambulatory medical education, as she is passionate about improving primary care medical education and resident mentorship. Her clinical interests include women's health, social justice in health care, and preventive health.

Rajiv Bhagat, MD
Associate Program Director, Inpatient Medicine

Dr. Bhagat completed his undergraduate training at the University of Pennsylvania, majoring in English and Biology. His interest in the practice of medicine brought him to the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and from there he pursued an internal medicine residency at New York University. As a hospitalist at Columbia University Medical Center, Dr. Bhagat played a key role in developing a simulation-based training program for physician and nonphysician providers. He further pursued a point of care ultrasound (POCUS) fellowship at Weill Cornell Medical Center and translated his experience and interests in medical education as an associate program director at Lenox Hill. We are thrilled for him to have joined our team here at Morristown Medical Center internal medicine residency program this year. He remains passionate about simulation-based training and point of care ultrasound. In his free time, he enjoys playing basketball and is an avid world traveler.

Ahmed Mohammed Radwan Ezzelden, MB BCh, MHPE
Chief Medical Resident

Ahmed Radwan graduated with honors from Suez University Faculty of Medicine, followed by a graduate degree (MHPE) in health professions education at the same institution. Ahmed’s research included studying the relationship between concept mapping and clinical reasoning in medical students using a problem-based curriculum. Ahmed has been a leader in all his academic pursuits, from founding his school’s newspaper and being its first editor in chief, to working with medical students, to volunteering in hospitals for the underinsured and underrepresented. He is an intelligent, focused and hardworking practitioner who strives to improve the system. He also strives to improve his recipes – Ahmed is passionate about baking, and loves to make pizza, bread and cake. Ahmed strives to work on resident advocacy and continuing to build on improving resident experience and mentorship at the time of a patient’s presentation to the hospital.

 James (JD) McGee, MD 
Chief Medical Resident

Dr. McGee graduated from the University of Florida, where he studied biology. He did research in KRAS gene involvement in pancreatic cancer during his undergraduate education and was also a member of the University of Florida’s Science Outreach Program (SOP). The SOP members brought hands-on science projects to elementary schools to excite students about a life in science. Dr. McGee also has extensive volunteer experiences, including tutoring students in math and science, teaching orphans to swim, raising money for terminally ill children and participating in urban health fairs. He is a hardworking, smart and quick-thinking practitioner who supports colleagues and patients from the time he enters the hospital to the time he leaves. Teamwork comes naturally to Dr. McGee; he is an excellent athlete and sports fan who learned by experience how to build a great squad. Dr. McGee strives to be a strong coach and teacher to continue to advance the residency team.

Shakeeb Hakim, MD
Core Faculty, Inpatient Medicine

Dr. Hakim completed his undergraduate education at Virginia Commonwealth University obtaining dual-bachelors degrees in biology and chemistry. He subsequently conducted research as a post-baccalaureate at the National Institutes of Health – National Cancer Institute publishing in the field of cancer biology and cell genetics. He went on to pursue his medical education at the Keith B. Taylor Global Scholars Program from St. George’s University in the United Kingdom then moved to New York City to complete his internal medicine residency at the Icahn School of Medicine Mount Sinai Program in Queens, New York. He joined the core faculty as a hospitalist and clinical instructor at Mount Sinai Beth Israel and West. After seeing what a rich and vibrant suburban city Morristown is yet still maintaining close proximity to New York City, he decided to join the faculty at Morristown Medical Center in 2021 as an academic hospitalist. He has many academic and professional interests but particularly enjoys topics in bioethics, POCUS, working with residents/students and advocating for wellness in graduate medical education. Outside of the hospital, he loves to spend his free time with friends and family, biking/hiking, competitive team sports, and of course traveling to places with beaches and great scuba diving.

Dhruti Mankodi, MD
Core Faculty, Inpatient Medicine

Dr. Mankodi attended York University, Toronto where she graduated with honors in biology. She completed her MD at Ross University School of Medicine and pursued internal medicine residency training at Aventura Hospital and Medical Center, Florida. As chief resident there, she developed her interests in graduate medical education, and continues her passion for education with us here at Morristown as one of our academic inpatient hospitalists. Prior to Morristown, she was the medical director of the heart failure unit at Saint Francis Hospital in Connecticut. Dr. Mankodi shares her interests in health care quality improvement, improving the patient experience, health care management with our residents, mentoring them on scholarly endeavors and through clinical rotations on our inpatient service. She fosters a supportive environment for all and is a panelist on our Women in Medicine committee. Dr. Mankodi highlights the immense collegiality amongst peers along with great leadership support and opportunities for career growth and education here at Morristown as aspects she most enjoys. Outside the hospital, she enjoys exploring the world and learning about different cultures. She also enjoys hiking, kayaking, reading, singing, going to concerts, and trying new eateries.

Anjana Pillai, MD
Core Faculty, Inpatient Medicine

Dr. Pillai completed her medical school training at the Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Center, Kerala, India. She attended NYC Health+Hospitals/Lincoln for her residency in internal medicine, graduating in 2016. Dr. Pillai thoroughly enjoyed inpatient hospital medicine, and continued at NYC H+H/Lincoln as an Academic Hospitalist. At Lincoln, she was the Chair of Drug Utilization and Evaluation committee, Co-Chaired Pain Management committee and was involved with COVID research and quality improvement projects. Her position there further honored her as an Assistant Professor at Cornell University. Along with her academic appointments, her clinical interests engaged her in the pursuit of learning POCUS as a hobby, which soon became a survival skill especially during COVID surge, and now an educator to our residents in this regard. Dr. Pillai loves to teach! The time spent with her residents and students and being able to witness those moments when their faces light up as “they have finally understood that ABG” is the most rewarding experience during a busy clinical day! As a self-professed “foodie”, when she has the opportunity to, she loves to try new cuisines – New Jersey’s diversity matches her penchant for sure!

R. Steven Klimczak, MD
Interim Associate Program Director 

Dr. Klimczak completed his undergraduate education at Southern Methodist University, followed by medical school at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas.  He pursued residency training in internal medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.  After serving an additional year as chief resident from 2018-2019, Dr. Klimczak joined the residency program at Morristown Medical Center as faculty, and thence interim Associate Program Director.  He currently practices medicine primarily in the inpatient setting with a focus on medical step-down and neurocritical care.  His greatest passion is teaching and mentoring residents and assisting them on their journey to becoming outstanding physicians. He enjoys playing golf, traveling the world and of course being a dad to his two girls. 

Shai Gavi, DO
Faculty, Inpatient Medicine

Dr. Shai Gavi graduated from Nova Southeastern University’s medical school, and pursued residency training at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY. He remained at Maimonides for his fellowship in Geriatric medicine. Dr Gavi continued his interest in hospital medicine, becoming the Chief, Section of Hospital Medicine at Stony Brook University (NY). It was with excitement that Dr. Gavi joined staff at Morristown Medical Center, where he is the System Medical Director of AHS Hospital Medicine. Dr. Gavi’s passions include healthcare communication, quality, and patient safety.  Dr. Gavi recently completed a M.S., Health Care Quality and Patient Safety Management, at Thomas Jefferson University, and is currently pursuing a M.S. in Operations Excellence.  He has participated in multiple initiatives in the area of Patient Experience and Physician Communication. Such activities included presentations at regional and national meetings, as well as the development of an Extraordinary Communication Video, the 12 Steps to Effective Physician Communication pocket card, and a monthly AHS Facilitated Communication Workshop. Through the support of the Morristown Medical Center Foundation grant, Dr. Gavi completed a 10-week training program at the Academy of Communication in Healthcare (ACH). The ACH communication model is utilized and implemented in medical centers nationally and internationally. We are thrilled to have Dr. Gavi on our faculty, where he fosters the professional development of our residents – both through didactics, and on inpatient clinical rotations.   

Patricia Harris, MD 
Core Faculty, Outpatient Medicine 

Dr. Harris went to medical school at the University of Massachusetts and completed her residency training in primary care at Mount Auburn Hospital, Cambridge Massachusetts.  Her passion in clinical medicine remains in outpatient care as one of our core faculty in our residency practice, where she has fostered particular interests in women’s health and serving underserved populations. She loves that Morristown is an exceedingly beautiful city with excellent trails and hiking and is very close to New York City.  She enjoys working with residents because it is fun and keeps her in touch with younger generations' concerns and influences in healthcare and beyond. She enjoys being outdoors, gardening, skiing, biking and spending time with family! 

Judith Tiongco, MD
Core Faculty, Outpatient Medicine

Dr. Tiongco completed medical school at the University of the Philippines College of Medicine, followed by internal medicine residency training at Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia.  She has been in practice for over twenty years and joined our Morristown practice because of our diverse population. She loves that Morristown is very beautiful year-round, has amazing parks, farms and is easily accessible to New York City.  She enjoys working with residents by assisting them in career development and resident education in primary care.  Her personal interest includes the theatre, travel, hiking, art, being a soccer mom and dining out. 

Jessica Petilla Onorato, MD
Core Faculty, Outpatient Medicine

Dr. Petilla attended the University of the East RM Memorial Medical Center as a medical student in the Philippines, from where she joined the program at Saint Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital for her internal medicine residency training. With a particular interest in care of the older person, Dr. Petilla completed her fellowship in geriatric medicine at University Hospital, Newark NJ. We are delighted to have Dr. Petilla on staff at our outpatient practice where she supports the education of our trainees as a preceptor. On a system level, she is our Central Regional Medical Director in Primary Care for Medical and Pediatric Specialists.  

Brenda Matti Orozco, MD
Director, IMFA Practice

Dr. Matti is chief of Morristown Medical Center general Internal Medicine and Palliative medicine division as well as the medical director of the hospital’s Nancy & Skippy Weinstein’s inpatient hospice and palliative care center. She is also director of the Internal Medicine Faculty Associates (IMFA) practice where our residents learn and practice outpatient medicine. Dr. Matti received her medical degree from the University of Santo Tomas in Manila Philippines after which she came the US to complete her residency at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital (at then Columbia University). She entered academics as an assistant clinical professor in the department of geriatrics and palliative care medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She later joined Atlantic Health System in 2015 and continues to be a mentor, educator and caregiver. Working with our residents both in the outpatient and inpatient settings is one of the most rewarding aspects of the many roles she carries at Morristown Medical Center.

Sophia Naa Abia Casely-Hayford, MD, MPH, FACP 
Core Faculty, Outpatient Medicine 

Dr. Casely-Hayford went to medical school at Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University. She completed her residency training in internal medicine at Columbia University Irving Medical Center/New York Presbyterian Hospital, followed by her MPH at the Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University. Prior to coming to Morristown, she practiced for four years at New York Presbyterian Hospital and 19 years at Mount Sinai Morningside hospital, New York. She has a strong interest in population health management and quality improvement in healthcare. Given her MPH, Dr. Casely-Hayford also likes to focus on population health management/QI to provide proactive preventive and chronic disease management improving the clinical outcomes of our patient population as well as decreasing healthcare costs. She particularly enjoys the collegial, supportive, innovative environment of Morristown Medical Center, and its excellent clinical services. She enjoys working with residents as a preceptor and mentor and learning from the different perspectives that residents bring to patient care.

Rafael E. Pajaro, MD 
Core Faculty, Outpatient Medicine 

Dr. Rafael Pajaro is board certified in internal medicine and enjoys practicing clinical medicine at Internal Medicine Faculty Associates, where our residents rotate. He brings extensive medical, academic, and administrative knowledge to his internal medicine practice. His expertise in academic medicine includes an understanding of ACGME guidelines, experience teaching students and residents, and extensive skill developing innovative teaching strategies based on the needs of the students, residents and the hospital. Dr. Pajaro is fluent in English and Spanish. He attended New York Medical College in Valhalla, NY for both his medical degree and his Master of Science after graduating from Columbia University in New York with a BA in biology and psychology. He is known to be a keen drummer and pianist!