Pulmonary Critical Care Medicine Fellowship Program
DEPARTMENT OF MEDICINE Pulmonary Critical Care Medicine Fellowship Program
Rajiv Dhand, MD, FCCP, FACP, FAARC Chairman and Professor, Department of Medicine
Isaac Biney, MD Program Director Assistant Professor
Leadership Team
Francisco Soto, MD, MS, FCCP
Associate Program Director –Research
Associate Professor
Jason Green, DO
Associate Program Director – Education
Clinical Assistant Professor
Raghu Tiperneni, MB,BS
3rd year fellow
Chief Fellows
CHIEF FELLOWS
Completed residency at Rutgers Health, Long Branch, NJ
Ahmad Othman, MB, BS
2nd year fellow
Completed residency East Tennessee State University
Johnson City, TN
Ghassan Wadi, MB,BS
3rd year fellow
Completed residency at the University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine, Knoxville, TN
The power of Teamwork
2024 – 2025
Academic Year
PUBLICATIONS
Pannu J, Venious G, Gallagher R, ShaverA, Cloyes R. Josan E, Donnelly E. Stephens J, Merritt R, Pastis N, King M, Reinbolt R, Prevedello L, Kneuertz P, D’Souza D, Ghattas C, ReveloA, Sowers T, Eastep C, Wert M, Carbone D. Incidental Pulmonary Nodule Detection and Factors Influencing Follow-Up:A Retrospective Study in anAcademic Medical Center. CHEST Pulmonary. 06/19/2025; 3 (2); 1-29.
ThomasA, Woodall J, Wadi GJ, Branca PR. Endobronchial hamartoma; are the lines fading from the zebra? Case series and review of literature. Lung India : official organ of Indian Chest Society. 05/01/2025; 42 (3) : 245-247. PMID 40296396
Josan E, OthmanA. Pleural Effusion. Medscape. Published 04/03/2025
Josan E, Pastis N, Peng J, Ma J, Mahmood K,Danckers M, Ghattas C, ReveloA, Pannu J.A Survey of Program Directors on Procedural Competence and Volume in the US Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellowships. Journal of Bronchology & Interventional Pulmonology. 04/01/2025; 32 (2) : 1-7. PMID 39927442
Subramanian J, Dhand R. Inhaled Chemotherapy. Journal of aerosol medicine and pulmonary drug delivery. 04/01/2025; 38 (2) : 90-101 PMID 40168650
Josan E. Parapneumonic Effusion and Empyema. Medscape. Published 03/25/2025
Wadi G, Dudney T, Josan E. Pleural Biopsy: Overview, Indications, Closed Needle Pleural Biopsy. Medscape. Published 02/27/2025
Gupta S, Ghiathi C, DiBardino D, Josan ES, Salguero BD, Chaddha U,Wayne MT, De Cardenas J, Matta M,Young B, DunatchikA, Di Felice C,Avasarala SK. Effect of Interventional Pulmonology Fellowships on Pulmonary Critical Care Fellows'Core Bronchoscopy Competencies.ATS Sch. 2025 Feb 18. doi: 10.34197/ats-scholar.20240079OC. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39964231
Josan E, Pastis N, Peng J, Ma J, Mahmood K,Danckers M, Ghattas C, ReveloA, Pannu J.A Survey of Program Directors on Procedural Competence and Volume in the US Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellowships. J Bronchology Interv Pulmonol. 2025 Feb 10;32(2):e1004. doi: 10.1097/LBR.0000000000001004. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39927442
Terry P, Heidel RE, WilsonAQ, Dhand R. Risk of Long COVID in Patients with Pre-Existing Chronic Respiratory Diseases: ASystematic Review and Meta-Analysis. BMJ open respiratory research. 01/30/2025; 12 (1) : 1-10. PMID 39884720
2024 – 2025
Academic Year
PUBLICATIONS
Dhand R,Treat S, Ferris J,Terry P, Walker T, Elder S, Church D, Dennis D, Faircloth B, Onar G, Heidel E, Biney I, Valdes M, Bhagat M, Fuerst N, Cusick S. Safety, Efficacy, and Feasibility of Nebulized Long-Acting Bronchodilators vs Short-Acting Bronchodilators in Hospitalized Patients WithAcute Exacerbations of COPD. CHEST. 12/01/2024; 2 (4) : 1-10
Josan E,Wadi G. Fellows Reading List.AABIP. ePub 26Aug 2024
Dhand R,Wadi G. Evaluation of RespiratoryAcidosis. BMJ. ePub 26Aug 2024
Singh S, Josan E, Kovacs C. Clinical Impact of Community-Acquired RespiratoryViruses in Patients With Solid Organ Transplants. Transplantation proceedings. 08/23/2024; 000 : 1-3. PMID: 39181762
Biney IN,Ari A, Barjaktarevic IZ, Carlin B, Christiani DC, Cochran L, Drummond MB, Johnson K, Kealing D, Kuehl PJ, Li J, Mahler DA, Martinez S, Ohar J,Radonovich LJ, Sood A, Suggett J,Tal-Singer R,Tashkin D,Yates J, Cambridge L, Dailey PA, Mannino DM, Dhand R. Guidance on Mitigating the Risk of Transmitting Respiratory Infections During Nebulization by the COPD Foundation Nebulizer Consortium. Chest. 2024 Mar;165(3):653-668. doi: 10.1016/j.chest.2023.11.013. Epub 2023 Nov 15. PMID: 37977263
2024 – 2025
Academic Year
PRESENTATIONS
OthmanA, Glenn C, Gee K, GardnerK, Bevill B. EVALI Presenting as a Lung Mass: A Diagnostic Challenge in a Young Adult. Presented at 2025American Thoracic Society: San Francisco, CA May 16-21, 2025
Tiperneni R,Treat S, Hussain S, Soto FJ, Josan E.A "Bone" Voyage GoneWrong: A Chicken's Bone Detour. Presented at 2025American Thoracic Society: San Francisco, CA May 16-21, 2025
Tiperneni R, Daniel J, Wadi G, Soto FJ. "Fungus Among Us": Cryptococcal Meningoencephalitis in a "Normal" Host. Presented atAmericanThoracic Society 2025: San Francisco, CA May 16-21, 2025
Miller B, Wadi G, Callison J, Bevill B, Soto FJ. Dissection or Direction?Aortic Thrombus vs. North-South Syndrome. Presented at 2025American Thoracic Society: San Francisco, CAMay 16-21, 2025
Wadi G, NemykinaY, Ferris J, Onar G, Heidel E, Terry P, Dhand R. Variation in Blood Eosinophil Counts and Frequency of Exacerbations in Patients with COPD over OneYear FollowUp. Presented at American Thoracic Society 2025: San Francisco, CA May 16-21, 2025
ThomasA, Woodall J, Tsapenko A. When Pregnancy's Blessing Meets Ondine's Curse. Presented atAmerican Thoracic Society 2025: San Francisco, CA May 16-21, 2025
Biney I, Rheault T,AnzuetoA, Rickard K, DixonA, Reyner D, Drummond B. Ensifentrine Monotherapy Improved Lung Function and Reduced Exacerbation Rate and Risk in Symptomatic Patients with Moderate-to-Severe COPD. Presented atAmericanThoracic Society 2025: San Francisco, CA May 16-21, 2025
Woodall J, Dhand R, NemykinaY, Ferris J, Omar GS, Heidel E, Terry P. Blood Eosinophil CountsAnd lmmunoglobulin E (lgE) Levels in Patients With COPD,Asthma, Or Asthma/COPD Overlap Over 1Year Of Follow-Up. Presented atAmerican Thoracic Society International Conference: San Francisco, CAMay 16-21, 2025
Melamed K, Cambridge L, Christiani D, Li J, Ohar J, Dhand R, Drummond M,Ari A, Radonovich L, Tashkin D, Dartt M, PereraA, Schloss J, Cochran L, Mannino D, Martinez S, Johnson K, Gilchrist K, Barjaktarevic I. Understanding Nebulizer Utilization in Clinical Practice: ACOPD Foundation Nebulizer Consortium Survey Study. Presented atAmerican Thoracic Society International Conference: San Francisco, CA May 16-21, 2025
2024 – 2025
Academic Year
PRESENTATIONS
Dhand R,Treat S, NemykinaY, Ferris J, Onar G, Heidel E, Terry P. Blood Eosinophil Counts in Patients With COPD,Asthma, AndAsthma/COPD Overlap: Comparison of Counts During Exacerbations Versus Those in Stable Out-patients. Presented atAmerican Thoracic Society International Conference: San Francisco, CA May 16-21, 2025
Terry P, HeideI E, Dhand R. Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Studies Evaluating Risk of Long Covid in Patients With Pre-existingAsthma or COPD. Presented atAmerican Thoracic Society International Conference: San Francisco, CA May 16-21, 2025
Kuehl JP, Martinez S, Mannino D, Cochran L,AriA, Schloss J, Johnson K, Dhand R, Ohar J, Clay C, Cambridge L, Mahler D for the COPD Foundation Nebulizer Consortium. Accessing Nebulizers and Nebulized Medications Guide by the COPD Foundation Nebulizer Consortium. Presented at ISAM Conference: Washington DC June 22-25, 2025
ThomasA, Woodall J, Tsapenko A. “When Pregnancy’s Blessing Meets Ondine’s Curse.” Presented atAmerican Thoracic Society 2025: San Francisco, CA May 16-21, 2025
Beckmann T, Baljepally R, Green J. Exciting Case of Electrical Storm. Presented at Tennessee American College of Cardiology: Nashville,TN November 1-2, 2024
Hussain S, AbbasA, GardnerK. Acute Onset Aphasia: Stroke or Cefepime Neurotoxicity. Presented at CHEST2024: Boston, MAOctober 6-9, 2024
Hussain S, Thomas A, Smith C,AbbasA, Tsapenko A. Disseminated Histoplasmosis Leading to IgA-Dominant Infection-Associated Glomerulonephritis in the Setting ofAdalimumab Therapy. Presented at CHEST 2024: Boston, MAOctober 6-9, 2024
ThomasA, Hamric E, Woodall J, Soto F. Optimal HemodynamicAssessment of Right Atrial Pressure and Correlation with Cardiac and Stroke Volume Index. Presented at CHEST 2024: Boston, MAOctober 6-9, 2024
Tiperneni R, Bevill B, Venero C, Villarosa A, Dieter R, Soto FJ. Positive End-Expiratory Pressure and Worsening Hypoxemia: A 3D View. Presented at CHEST 2024: Boston, MA October 6-9, 2024
Awards
Dr. Paul Branca received the 2024 –2025 Faculty Award for their consistent excellence in teaching and unwavering commitment to their education
Dr. Sam Treat received the Fellow of the Year Award for exceptional clinical skills and dedication to teaching as chosen by her peers and Medicine Chief Residents
Who you’ll meet on Interview Day:
(next four slides)
Isaac Biney, MD
• Program Director
• Medical School: University of Ghana School of Medicine and Dentistry
• Residency: Howard University Hospital
• Fellowship: University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine – Knoxville
• Enjoys playing and watching tennis
Francisco Soto, MD, MS, FCCP
• Associate Program Director - Research
• Medical School: Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia
• Residency: University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
• Fellowship: Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
• Enjoys Latin dancing, hiking, country music, and soccer/football
Jason Green, DO
• Medical School: Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Blacksburg, VA
• Residency: East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN
• Fellowship: East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN
• Enjoys travelling, true crime documentaries, and TN sports
Philip Hanneman, MD
• Medical School: Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN
• Residency: Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN
• Fellowship: Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN
• Enjoys IU sporting events, boating and water sports, hiking/camping, reading and playing with his kids
Difficult Case Basic Science
Didactics
Camp Lecture
(Disease State) Interstitial Lung Disease
Pulmonary Tumor Board Research/Quality Improvement
Bronchoscopy Bootcamp Didactic Conference
Post-Fellowship Placement
Class of 2025
Syed Hussain, MBBS Academic
Akesh Thomas, MBBS Private Practice
Sam Treat, MD Private Practice
Chambersburg, PA
Maryville, TN
Greeneville, SC
Post-Fellowship Placement
Class of 2024
Nishant Sharma, MBBS Academic Knoxville, TN
Elman Urbina Meneses, MD Academic Knoxville, TN
Shawnt Tosonian, MD Private Practice Fort Lauderdale, FL
Class of 2023
Nicholas Fuerst, MD Academic Greenville, SC
Milind Bhagat, MBBS Academic Minneapolis, MN
Class of 2022
Megan Doyle McClam, MD Private Practice Anderson, SC
Ralph Maroun, MD Private Practice
Class of 2021
Spencer Pugh, MD Private Practice
Knoxville, TN
Knoxville, TN
Fatima Wong, DO Interventional Cooper University Hospital Camden, NJ Pulmonology Fellowship
Class of 2020
Swati Baveja, MBBS Private Practice Victorville, CA
Isaac Biney, MBBCh Academic Knoxville, TN
Post-Fellowship Placement
Class of 2024
Nishant Sharma, MBBS Academic Knoxville, TN
Elman Urbina Meneses, MD Academic Knoxville, TN
Shawnt Tosonian, MD Private Practice Fort Lauderdale, FL
Class of 2023
Nicholas Fuerst, MD Academic Greenville, SC
Milind Bhagat, MBBS Academic Minneapolis, MN
Class of 2022
Megan Doyle McClam, MD Private Practice Anderson, SC
Ralph Maroun, MD Private Practice
Class of 2021
Spencer Pugh, MD Private Practice
Knoxville, TN
Knoxville, TN
Fatima Wong, DO Interventional Cooper University Hospital Camden, NJ Pulmonology Fellowship
Class of 2020
Swati Baveja, MBBS Private Practice Victorville, CA
Isaac Biney, MBBCh Academic Knoxville, TN
Post-Fellowship Placement
(continued)
Class of 2019
Bimaje Akpa, MBBS Sleep Fellowship University of Chicago Chicago, IL
Sameh Attia, MBBCh Academic Knoxville, TN
Ashish Thakkar, MD Academic Knoxville, TN
Class of 2018
Raakesh Sathya, MBBS Private Practice Los Angeles, CA
Naveed Sheikh, MBBS Private Practice Oak Ridge, TN
Class of 2017
Rishi Sehgal, MD Sleep Fellowship
Anil Singh, MBBS Private Practice
Class of 2016
Rafael Alba-Yunen, MD Private Practice
Victor Gordon, MD Private Practice
Class of 2015
Vanderbilt University Medical Center Nashville, TN
Dallas, TX
Brunswick, GA
Saginaw, MI
Farhan Khan, MBBS Critical Care Fellowship Orlando Health Orlando, FL
Dipaben Modi, MBBS Academic Houston, TX
Post-Fellowship Placement
(continued)
Class of 2014
Syed Naqshbandi, MBBS Critical Care Fellowship
Montefiore Medical Center Bronx, NY
Naveed Sheikh, MBBS Private Practice Oak Ridge, TN
Kashif Aslam, MBBS Critical Care Medicine University of New Mexico Albuquerque, NM
Class of 2013
Syed Gilani, MBBS Private Practice Columbia, SC
Arseniy Tsapenko, DO, MD Sleep Fellowship Dartmouth-Hitchcock Lebanon, NH
Class of 2012
Kamran Manzoor, MBBS Critical Care Fellowship Dartmouth-Hitchcock Lebanon, NH
Muhammad Mir, MD Private Practice Crossville, TN
Class of 2011
Adeel Shibli, MD Private Practice Mesquite, TX
Amit Dhingra, MD Private Practice Peoria, AZ
Class of 2010
Paramveer Bhugra, MD Critical Care Fellowship Brown University Providence, RI
Kinnaresh Patel, MBBS Critical Care Fellowship Wake Forest School of Medicine Winston-Salem, NC
Pulmonary Critical Care Medicine Fellowship Program
• 9 fellows
• 3 per year
• All fellow training is at this facility except 6 weeks at Vanderbilt for Lung Transplant and Burn ICU
• University Pulmonary Critical Care
• 17 Pulmonary/Critical Care Physicians with varied area of focus in:
• Sleep Medicine
• Pulmonary Hypertension
• Cystic Fibrosis
• Interstitial Lung Disease
• Thoracic Oncology
• Interventional Pulmonology
• General Pulmonary Medicine
• Critical Care Medicine
• Ultrasonography
Procedures
- The volume of interventional procedures and inpatient consultations performed by our group at UTMC in 2024
INPATIENT CONSULTATIONS AND ADMISSIONS
• 1,151 Pulmonary Consultations/Admissions
• 11,644 Medical ICU Admissions
BRONCHOSCOPY
• 1,847 Bronchoscopies (there is close to 95% fellow participation in these procedures based on monthly rotation availability)
• 667 EBUS (endobronchial ultrasound)
• 391 robotic bronchoscopies
• 417 Therapeutic/Interventional Bronchoscopies
• 453 Other advanced diagnostic (EBUS & transbronchial biopsies)
• 377 ROSE (rapid on-site evaluation)
PULMONARY FUNCTION LAB
• 6,441 PFTs (pulmonary function tests)
• 128 CPET (cardiopulmonary exercise test)
PLEURAL PROCEDURES
• >200 Thoracentesis
• 70 Chest Tubes
RIGHT HEART CATHETERIZATIONS
• 40 Right Heart Catheterizations (performed in the Cath Lab; number does not include pulmonary artery catheters placed at bedside)
• 27 Vasodilator Challenge Studies
ICU-RELATED
• 133 Endotracheal Intubations
• 222 Central Venous Lines (does not include overnight procedures)
Bedside Swan Ganz
Robotic Bronchoscopy
The University of Tennessee Medical Center
• Opened August 1956
• 710 bed acute care teaching hospital
• Region’s only Academic Medical Center
• 19 ACGME accredited specialty and subspecialty programs
• Level 1 Trauma Center
• Certified Comprehensive Stroke Center
• Aeromedical Service Base
• Magnet recognition for excellence in nursing
• Clerkships for M3 and M4 students
• Health Information Center – Preston Medical Library
• LIFESTAR
• Area’s first emergency response helicopter
• Medical Simulation Center
The Facility – Heart Lung Vascular Institute
• Outpatient office
• Connected to hospital via walkway
• Fellow parking attached to HLVI
• in garage
• Shared fellow’s office with individual desks, call room adjacent to hospital
Bronchoscopy Lab
• Two dedicated rooms with EBUS and Interventional capability
• Navigational Bronchoscopy
• Radial Probe Ultrasound bronchoscopy
• OR availability with combined CT surgery/Pulmonologist cases
• Close working relationship with Thoracic Surgery
The Facility - Academics
• Health Information Center
• In hospital – access 24/7
• Patient access area separate from resident / fellow study area
• Conference rooms
• Computers
• Stacks
• Magazines
• Access to thousands of books / electronic resources through UT Memphis
The Facility - Academics
• UT Center for Advanced Medical Simulation
• 6500 Sq ft
• 1 of 68 in the world (only one in TN) to earn accreditation as Level 1
Comprehensive Accredited Education Institute from American College of Surgeons
Graduate School of Medicine – Residencies and Fellowships
• Anesthesia
➢ Fellowships in Pain Medicine, Perioperative Medicine and Regional Anesthesia/Acute Pain Medicine
• Family Medicine
➢ Fellowships in Emergency Medicine, Hospice and Palliative Medicine and Sports Medicine
• General Dentistry
➢ Fellowship in Dental Operating Room
• Internal Medicine
➢ Fellowships in Cardiovascular Diseases, Interventional Cardiology, and Pulmonary Disease/ Critical Care Medicine and Hematology /Oncology
• Transitional Year
• Neurology
• Obstetrics & Gynecology
➢ Fellowship in Maternal-Fetal Medicine
• Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
➢ Fellowship in Oral/Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery
• Pathology
➢ Fellowship in Surgical Pathology
• Radiology
• Surgery
➢ Fellowships in Abdominal Wall Reconstruction, Advanced GI MIS/Bariatric, Surgical Critical Care and Vascular Surgery
• Urology
ABOUT KNOXVILLE
• 4 general seasons
• Lower cost of living than the national average
• Multiple festivals and weekly concerts
• Exciting Craft Beer Scene with Knoxville Ale Trail
• Food Truck Parks
• Small local airport with access to major airlines and cities
• Multiple farmer’s markets
• www.visitknoxville.com We’re a nature-lovingadventure-seeking-artsykinda-town
The City - Knoxville
• Est population 202,639
• Knoxville Metropolitan Statistical Area (Knox, Blount, Anderson, Loudon, and Union counties) is 919,553
• Economics
• No state income tax
• 14% below the national cost-of-living average
• Median household income $69,734
FELLOW LIFE OUTSIDE THE HOSPITAL
Travelling to / from Knoxville
Two major interstates – I-40 and I-75 make car travel convenient McGhee Tyson Airport is easy to get in /out of with reasonable flight rates (about 15 min from hospital)
