Residency program appoints new associate program directors

An important update from the Pediatric Education Team:

Suzanne Lopez, MD, Vice Chair of Education
Amalia Guardiola, MD, Director of Undergraduate Medical Education
Emma Omoruyi, MD, MPH, Director of Pediatric Residency
Elizabeth Hillman, MD, MEd, Director of Fellowship Education

We are pleased to announce the appointment of three new associate program directors for the Pediatric Residency Program.

First, we would like to thank all of the outstanding faculty members who expressed interest in these roles. We were deeply impressed by the strength of the applicant pool and are grateful for the commitment so many faculty members have demonstrated to resident education and program leadership.

As part of this transition, Michelle Barratt, MD, MPH, has decided to step down from her role as associate program director. Over the years, Dr. Barratt has played a pivotal role in shaping our outpatient educational experiences and mentoring residents and faculty alike. We are grateful for her many contributions and are pleased that she will continue to support the program by mentoring the next leader in this area.

In addition, Ankur Kamdar, MD, has decided to step down from his associate program director role as he assumes an expanded leadership portfolio outside the Department of Pediatrics. Dr. Kamdar has been an invaluable member of our leadership team, contributing significantly to resident education, program innovation, and strategic growth. We are grateful for his service and leadership and appreciate his commitment to supporting the transition and mentoring future program leaders.

As our residency program continues to grow, we have taken the opportunity to thoughtfully expand our leadership structure. In addition to supporting a larger trainee complement, this expansion reflects a strategic investment in curriculum development, resident scholarship, educational innovation, and the advancement of key program priorities. By broadening our associate program director team, we aim to create additional capacity to develop new educational initiatives, strengthen existing curricula, and ensure our program remains responsive to the evolving needs of learners and the pediatric workforce.

Following a competitive selection process, we are pleased to announce that Sushma Hebbar, MD, CAQSM, will assume the role of associate program director with responsibility for outpatient curriculum and educational experiences. We are excited to see Dr. Hebbar build upon the strong foundation established by Dr. Barratt while bringing new ideas and perspectives to this important area of training.

We are also pleased to announce that Hunter Hamilton, MD, has been appointed associate program director and will assume key responsibilities previously held by Dr. Kamdar. We look forward to the expertise and leadership Dr. Hamilton will bring as we continue to strengthen curriculum development efforts and support our residents’ professional growth.

Finally, we are pleased to announce that Nikita Khetan, MD, has been appointed to a newly created associate program director position. Dr. Khetan will continue to lead initiatives around competency, program evaluation, residency scholarship and support the growth of our residency program.

Please join us in congratulating Drs. Hebbar, Hamilton, and Khetan on their new leadership roles and in thanking Drs. Barratt and Kamdar for their outstanding service, leadership, and dedication to our trainees. Their contributions have helped shape our program, and we are excited for this next chapter of growth and educational excellence.

 

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