PGY-4
Max Mendoza, MD
Hometown: Lipa City, Philippines
Undergraduate: De La Salle Lipa
Medical School: University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Medicine and Surgery
Residency: UCSF Fresno
Hobbies: reading books, watching Kdramas, hanging out with family
Why USC/LAG: It offers the diversity of learning I wanted for my training - from the different sites with varying NICU complexities, to the different bright and passionate people I get to work and learn alongside with, and to the mix of patient population we have the honor of serving! Big bonus too is its close to my US home!
Plans after Fellowship: Work an attending job and finally give my mom the “return of investment” she so much deserves !!
Fun Fact: My undergrad degree is BS Nursing. I’m also a registered nurse!
Tanu Patel, MD
Hometown: Fremont, CA
Undergraduate: University of California, Berkeley
Medical School: University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine
Residency: Thomas Jefferson University, Nemours Children’s Hospital of Delaware
Hobbies: Running, yoga, pilates, reading, spending time with family and friends, trying out new hobbies
Why USC/LAG: I loved rotating at LA General (a safety net hospital) as a medical student-it feels really rewarding to work at a hospital that serves families facing social and economic barriers to care. Our experiences there are balanced with the complexity seen at our Level IV NICU at CHLA. LA is also a lovely place to live once you get to know it!
Plans after Fellowship: TBD :)
Fun Fact: I love cop/detective TV shows - Castle is an all time favorite.
Courtney Tam, MD
Hometown: Fremont, CA
Undergraduate: University of California, Berkeley
Medical School: Keck School of Medicine of USC
Residency: UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland
Hobbies: Reading mystery novels, baking, gardening, swimming
Why USC/LAG: I am honored to return to USC for NICU fellowship as USC combines everything that I am seeking in a fellowship program - rigorous clinical training at high level NICUs, advanced hemodynamics education with intensive ECMO and echocardiography courses, robust support for my research and public service interests, and most importantly, a kind and supportive community of peers and mentors who prioritize patient care. Training at USC allows me the continued privilege of caring for the most vulnerable, underserved patient populations while furthering my education at a renowned academic institution.
Plans after Fellowship: I hope to pursue a career that combines my interests in critical care medicine, patient advocacy, medical education, and research.
Fun Fact: I was a competitive swimmer and my specialty event was the 100 yard backstroke!
Kat Winger, MD
Hometown: Berkeley, CA
Undergraduate: University of California, Davis
Medical School: Touro University California
Residency: Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
Hobbies: Being outside, reading, pretending to understand wine, harassing my co-fellows to hang out with me, residential and medical interior design
Why USC/LAG: The people. I chose the program for the diversity of patients and the mentorship among attendings.
Plans after Fellowship: I don’t know, but I’m excited.
Fun Fact: I used to be competitive bowler and was nationally ranked.
Patrick Zacharias, MD
Hometown: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Undergraduate: University of New Mexico
Medical School: St. George’s University School of Medicine
Residency: Loma Linda University
Hobbies: Running, Basketball, Photography, however more recent exploring all the amazing food LA has to offer!
Why USC/LAG: I was so excited about the 360 degree training experience created by rotating through the various training sites we have here. I’m also excited to dive into and develop POCUS and functional ECHO skills, through the incredible curriculum in place. My amazing co-fellows have been the icing on the cake :)
Plans after Fellowship: I’m interested in working in a large academic NICU, where I can continue to build on all the skills I develop during my training here, and continue to work with learners.
Fun Fact: Once upon a time I could run a mile in 4 minutes 2 seconds, 5k meters in 14 minutes 1 second and 10k meters in 29 minutes and 2 seconds.