Current Fellows
Natalia Carvalho Platenik, MD
Medical School: Serra dos Órgãos University Center
Residency/Fellowship: Internal Medicine – General – City of Macaé Health Department, Macaé, Brazil
About Me: Originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, I relocated to Houston in June 2024 and am excited to return to clinical practice, reconnect with patients, and learn from a variety of attending physicians. I chose Geriatrics because of its complexity and the opportunity to improve the quality of life, function, independence, and overall well-being of older adults. A fun fact about me is that before pursuing medicine, I trained as an industrial automation technician and even spent three months working in the oil and gas industry before realizing my true passion was in healthcare.
Medical School: Serra dos Órgãos University Center
Residency/Fellowship: Internal Medicine – General – City of Macaé Health Department, Macaé, Brazil
About Me: Originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, I relocated to Houston in June 2024 and am excited to return to clinical practice, reconnect with patients, and learn from a variety of attending physicians. I chose Geriatrics because of its complexity and the opportunity to improve the quality of life, function, independence, and overall well-being of older adults. A fun fact about me is that before pursuing medicine, I trained as an industrial automation technician and even spent three months working in the oil and gas industry before realizing my true passion was in healthcare.
Miguel Saldana, DO (Dr. Carmel B. Dyer Project Fellow)
Medical School: University of the Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency: University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago Program (Internal Medicine – General)
About Me: Hi everyone! I’m Miguel Saldana, and I’m excited to join the UTHealth Geriatric Medicine Fellowship after completing my Internal Medicine residency at the University of Illinois Chicago. I’m looking forward to learning from our faculty, working with a multidisciplinary team, and growing my skills in caring for older adults. I chose Geriatrics because I enjoy building meaningful relationships with patients and families and helping them navigate complex medical decisions while focusing on what matters most to them. Outside of medicine, I enjoy anime, PC gaming, cosplay, traveling, and exploring new coffee shops and restaurants. My wife is a UTHealth OB-GYN resident, and we recently moved back to Texas with our two dogs, a Shiba Inu and a Husky.
Medical School: University of the Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency: University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago Program (Internal Medicine – General)
About Me: Hi everyone! I’m Miguel Saldana, and I’m excited to join the UTHealth Geriatric Medicine Fellowship after completing my Internal Medicine residency at the University of Illinois Chicago. I’m looking forward to learning from our faculty, working with a multidisciplinary team, and growing my skills in caring for older adults. I chose Geriatrics because I enjoy building meaningful relationships with patients and families and helping them navigate complex medical decisions while focusing on what matters most to them. Outside of medicine, I enjoy anime, PC gaming, cosplay, traveling, and exploring new coffee shops and restaurants. My wife is a UTHealth OB-GYN resident, and we recently moved back to Texas with our two dogs, a Shiba Inu and a Husky.
Dimple Shah, DO
Medical School: New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency: ECU Health Medical Center/East Carolina University Program (Family Medicine – General)
About Me: I completed my Family Medicine Residency at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina, and am originally from Paragould, Arkansas. I am excited to join a community of geriatricians who are passionate about caring for and advocating for older adults. My experiences growing up close to my grandparents, volunteering in nursing homes, and participating in public health research inspired me to pursue Geriatric Medicine. I especially value building long-term patient relationships and helping older adults maintain their independence. Fun fact: I had perfect attendance throughout all 12 years of school!
Medical School: New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency: ECU Health Medical Center/East Carolina University Program (Family Medicine – General)
About Me: I completed my Family Medicine Residency at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina, and am originally from Paragould, Arkansas. I am excited to join a community of geriatricians who are passionate about caring for and advocating for older adults. My experiences growing up close to my grandparents, volunteering in nursing homes, and participating in public health research inspired me to pursue Geriatric Medicine. I especially value building long-term patient relationships and helping older adults maintain their independence. Fun fact: I had perfect attendance throughout all 12 years of school!
Why Geriatrics?
Please hear from one of our fellow alumnus, Dr. Ezenwa Onyema, about why he chose to pursue a Geriatric Medicine fellowship.