The Department of Pediatrics is based at Nicklaus Children's Hospital, a fully accredited and comprehensive free standing Pediatric Center of Care. As a hospital solely dedicated to care of children, NCH provides students, residents and fellows the opportunity to learn Pediatrics through a wide variety of clinical experiences. The Department of Pediatrics is engaged in training our students to be the leaders of tomorrow in clinical care, medical research, and advocacy for children.

Vision & goals

The Department of Pediatrics continues to expand its teaching methods and provide opportunities for students in the clinical environment, didactic interactive environment, and simulation laboratory.

Goal 1: Familiarizing our students with pediatrics through a wide variety of clinical experiences

Goal 2: Focusing on student education through direct care, mentoring, simulation scenarios, and innovative learning opportunities

Goal 3: Implementing an innovative curriculum to assure student success in their pursuit of knowledge

Goal 4: Mentoring faculty to be great clinicians, educators, and researchers who will teach the physicians of tomorrow

Research

The Department of Pediatrics’ voluntary and full time faculty are actively involved in both clinical and educational research. The faculty looks forward to upcoming publications in the field of both clinical and educational research. Basic Science research in the areas of sepsis and acute care, as well as many other acute, chronic, and traumatic pediatric issues, are currently underway. The Department is proud of the number of papers submitted for publication in national and international presentations.

Clinical

The Department of Pediatrics is the provision of outstanding family-centered clinical care. Through FIU’s affiliation with Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, we strive to provide assurance, hope and comfort to patients and their families by:

  • Using the resources of a world class hospital in meeting the expectations of families, health care providers, and our community
  • Providing an environment where world class learning and education can flourish
  • Performing and supporting world class research into all aspects of children's health issues
  • Advocating for children world wide
  • Promoting excellence through innovation, communication, transparent process improvement and great clinical care

Education and training

Students are exposed to multiple forms of teaching and learning opportunities. The faculty have recently developed the first group of Maintenance of Certification (MOC) training opportunities for faculty members throughout affiliated hospitals, and are actively involved in local, county, and state continuing medical education (CME) efforts.

The affiliated pediatric residency training program located at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital is proud to have an increasing number of FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine graduates as a part of their residency program.

Contact us

Florida International University
Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine
Department of Pediatrics
11200 SW 8 Street, AHC-2 675
Miami, FL 33199
Fax: 305-348-0123

Faculty & staff

  • Community-based faculty

    Haneen Yasin Abdella, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Alessandro M. Acosta Forment, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Jose Antonio Adams, MD
    Professor

    Jason Lawrence Adler, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Harry Aguero, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Muaz Alabd Alrazzak, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Edwards-Richards Alcia Delaney, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Abdulwahab Aldousany
    Assistant Professor

    Hanadys Ale, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Plato J. Alexander, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Beatriz Elena Almario, MD
    Instructor

    Saleem Almasarweh, MD
    Instructor

    Israel Alvarez, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Jose Alvarez-Fuentes, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Francis A. Amador
    Assistant Professor

    Claudia G. Arango, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Enrique Aregullin, MD
    Instructor

    Marc A. Arel, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Aliya Asad, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Muna T. Azzo,
    Assistant Professor

    Nicole Bailey, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Rodney Baker, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Bayan Bakir, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Ariella Barhen, MD
    Instructor

    Ihosvani Barroso, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Jorge Bastos, MD
    Associate Professor

    Mislen S. Bauer, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Sherrie Joy Baysa, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Maria Behnam-Terneus, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Jose A. Bengochea, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Byron Bernal, MD
    Professor

    Marcy Bernstein, MD
    Adjunct Assistant Professor

    Erskin Bezares, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Michelle Blumstein, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Juan Manuel Bolivar, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Eduardo Bolumen, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Michelle L. Boykin, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Luis Francisco Caicedo-Oquendo, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Manuel A. Campo
    Assistant Professor

    Mayra Capote, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Melissa Cardenas-Morales, MD
    Instructor

    Adriana Carrillo-Iregui, MD
    Associate Professor

    William Fernando Carroll, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Manuel J. Castellanos, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Anselmo Cepero-Akselrad
    Associate Professor

    Wai Chan, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Barry Chandler, MD
    Associate Professor

    Christopher Chang, MD
    Professor

    Deidre Chang, MD
    Instructor

    Hector Chavez, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Madhuradhar Chegondi, MD
    Instructor

    Nicole Marie Christin, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Giovanna Ciocca, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Melissa Cristina Clemente, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Lori Colan, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Metee Comkomruecha, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Erin Connelly, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Sara Cortes, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Omar J. Costa Cruz
    Assistant Professor

    Manuel Cotilla, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Hernan Cruz, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Beatriz Cunill-De Sautu, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Marco Danon, MD
    Associate Professor

    Guillermo R. De Angulo, MD
    Associate Professor

    Mairim De La Rua, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Jorge Del Toro, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Kara Mae Del Valle, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Aymin Delgado-Borrego, MD
    Associate Professor

    Maria Antonella Denaro, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Marcel Deray, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Venu Devabhaktuni, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Magaly Diaz Barbosa, MD
    Associate Professor

    Alejandro Diaz, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Diego Diaz, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Gisela Diaz-Monroig
    Assistant Professor

    Nancy Dobrolet, MD
    Associate Professor

    Mayra Dominguez, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Shelley Drummond, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Daniel Duarte, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Debora Duro
    Associate Professor

    John Dykes, MD
    Instructor

    Daniela Egas-Bejar, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Julio Daniel Egusquiza, MD
    Instructor

    James Enos, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Enrique A. Escalon, MD
    Professor

    Veronica Etinger, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Maggie Fader, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Maria Florencia Fajardo, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Marytery Fajardo, MD
    Instructor

    Leonard G. Feld, MD
    Professor

    Lina Felipez, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Claudia Fernandez, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Jaime Fernandez, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Maria V. Fernandez, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Leidiana Figueroa, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Adrian Florens, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Philip Floyd, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Ronald Ford, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Karen Franco
    Assistant Professor

    Maria E. Franco, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Beatriz Franyie Ladd, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Marla Friedman, DO
    Assistant Professor

    Jorge Galvez Silva, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Heidi Gamboa, DO
    Assistant Professor

    Thresia Gambon, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Zaira Garcia Corujo, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Carolinna Garcia
    Assistant Professor

    Olga Consuelo Garcia, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Luis Garcia-Chacon, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Rani Simon Gereige
    Professor

    Kamalvir Gill, MD
    Instructor

    Kamar Godder, MD
    Professor

    Roberto E. Gomara, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Manuel Gomez, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Manuel Gonzalez-Brito, DO
    Assistant Professor

    Luis E. Gonzalez-Mendoza, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Ruben Gonzalez-Vallina, MD
    Associate Professor

    Deise Granado-Villar, MD
    Associate Professor

    Angel Guacaneme, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Abel Guerra, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Marie Guilande Pierre, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Elyane Nicole Haddad, MD
    Instructor

    Ayele Hadero, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Carlos Handal-Saca, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Sarah Hart-Unger, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Erick Hernandez, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Jorge Nelson Hernandez, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Leonel Hernandez, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Ana Hernandez-Puga, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Vivian Pilar Hernandez-Trujillo, MD
    Associate Professor

    Michelle Kantor Herring, DO
    Assistant Professor

    Caroline Hetu, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Sameh Mohamed Hussein, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Ann Hyslop, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Elba A. Iglesias, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Adam Isacoff, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Parul Jayakar, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Meurice Jean-Pierre, Jr.
    Assistant Professor

    Ian P. Jeffries, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Shabbir Joher, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Rosa Junco
    Assistant Professor

    Jessica Kalia, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Sajel Kana, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Ronald Kanter, MD
    Professor

    Jason Craig Katz, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Anas Abdul Kayoum, MD
    Instructor

    Danyal Mushtaq Khan, MD
    Associate Professor

    Ziad Ahmad Khatib
    Associate Professor

    Ahmed Khattab, MD
    Associate Professor

    Maryanne Regina Kichuk Chrisant, MD
    Associate Professor

    Narendra Kini, MD
    Associate Professor

    Gary Kleiner, MD
    Associate Professor

    Kaitlin M. Kobaitri, DO
    Assistant Professor

    Alex Koetzle
    Assistant Professor

    Brandon Korman, PhD
    Assistant Professor

    John Kotula, MD
    Instructor

    Janet Kowalski, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Shifra Koyfman, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Sravanti Kurada, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Hugh Ladd, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Larry Allen Latson, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Pablo Marcelo Laufer, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Gerald James Lavandowsky, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Allen Adred Lenoir, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Michael Anthony Leoncio, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Reina S. Lipkind
    Associate Professor

    Adolfo Llanos-Martinez, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Sharie Cooper Lockhart, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Cecilio Lopez, MD
    Professor

    Isidro A. Lopez
    Assistant Professor

    Michael M. Lopez, MD
    Instructor

    Rene L. Lopez-Guerrero
    Assistant Professor

    Kimberly Lord-Strulovic, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Catherine Love, MD
    Assistant Professor

    David Lowe, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Andrea Maggioni, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Ossam Maher, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Vincenzo Maniaci
    Assistant Professor

    Paul Martinez, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Yadira Martinez-Fernandez, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Madeleen M. Mas, MD
    Associate Professor

    Jose R. Mateo
    Assistant Professor

    Kunjana Mavunda, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Jennifer Mccafferty Fernandez, PhD
    Assistant Professor

    Colette Meehan, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Keyur Mehta, MD
    Instructor

    David B. Mendez-Soto, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Fernando Mendoza
    Assistant Professor

    Marcos A. Mestre, MD
    Assistant Professor

    George Keith Meyer, MD
    Associate Professor

    Lauren Alissa Meyerson, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Luis Felipe Miranda, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Kanchan Mishra, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Mary Catharine Moffitt, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Salameh Mohammed, MD
    Instructor

    Jessica Morlok-Prince, MD
    Assistant Professor

    William I. Muinos, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Alisa J. Muniz Crim, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Juan-Carlos G. Muniz, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Meghana Nadiger, MD
    Instructor

    Omer Nasiroglu, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Manette Ness-Cochinwala, MD
    Instructor

    Tuan Nguyen, MD
    Instructor

    Scott Nichols, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Iran Niroomand-Rad, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Rigoberto Nunez
    Assistant Professor

    Rolando Nunez, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Eva Nunlist, DO
    Instructor

    Maria Oliver, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Roberto Organero, MD
    Assistant Professor


    Manuel Orta Cobo, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Camile Ortega, DO
    Instructor

    Hector Ortiz, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Joseph Oshier, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Eduardo A. Otero, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Ana Maria Paez
    Assistant Professor

    Pedro Pagan Banchs, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Luz Marina Pages, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Oscar Papazian, MD
    Associate Professor

    Dhanendra Paramasvaran, Other
    Assistant Professor

    Ana Paredes, MD
    Associate Professor

    Kinjal Parikh, MD
    Instructor

    Bhavi Patel, DO
    Assistant Professor

    Madalsa Patel, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Mary Jean Pazos, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Athena Pefkarou, MD
    Associate Professor

    Barbara Garcia Pena, MD
    Associate Professor

    Roman Pena, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Edgardo Penabad, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Kersha Pennicott, MD
    Instructor

    Carla Marie Perez, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Jorge Perez, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Luis M. Perez-Burnes, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Jose E. Perez-Rodriguez, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Bernardo Pimentel
    Assistant Professor

    Osvaldo Planche Utria, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Amanda A. Porro
    Assistant Professor

    Genoveva C Prieto, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Lourdes Prieto, MD
    Professor

    Juan Proano Coello, MD
    Instructor

    Ana Maria Puga, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Neeraj Kumar Raghunath, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Aparna C. Rajadhyaksha, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Felix Ramirez- Seijas
    Associate Professor

    Matthew Ramirez, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Otto Marino Ramos, MD
    Associate Professor

    Andre Raszynski
    Professor

    Brian J. Rau, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Mrunalini Raut, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Renu Rani Ravi, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Jesse Reeves-Garcia, MD
    Professor

    Julia Retureta
    Assistant Professor

    Mario A. Reyes
    Assistant Professor

    John F. Rhodes, MD
    Professor

    Gloria Riefkohl
    Assistant Professor

    Rafael Rivas-Chacon
    Assistant Professor

    Antonio M. Rodriguez, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Rosie Roldan, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Ileana Romero-Bolumen, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Jose R. Rosa-Olivares, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Anthony Fred Rossi, MD
    Professor

    Patricia Anne Rowe-King, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Beny Rub
    Assistant Professor

    Jose Mark Rub
    Assistant Professor

    Juan Ruiz-Unger
    Associate Professor

    Ramesh Sachdeva, MD
    Professor

    Chad Sanborn, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Viana R. Sanchez, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Carolina Sanchez-Vegas, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Darline Santana-Acosta, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Querube Santana-Rivas, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Jun Sasaki, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Nao Sasaki, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Francine Scaffidi, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Gregory Schaiberger, MD
    Instructor

    Steven Eric Schultz, MD
    Associate Professor

    Mukul Sehgal, MD
    Instructor

    Prithvi Sendi, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Parul Shah, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Oranit Shaked, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Moises Simpser
    Associate Professor

    Kalpana Singh, MD
    Instructor

    William Smalling, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Heather Camille Smith, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Yadira Soler, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Flavio Amed Soliz, MD
    Associate Professor

    Vincent Daniel Sparber, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Patcharapong Suntharos, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Alan N. Swartz, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Joseph Anthony Sykes, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Alberto R. Tano, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Mario Tano, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Phuket Tantivit, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Joshua William Tarkoff, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Sachin Thakur, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Catricia Tillford, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Leonardo J. Torres, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Balagangadhar Totapally, MD
    Professor

    Johny Tryzmel, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Ernesto Valdes
    Assistant Professor

    Lilliam Valdes-Cruz, MD
    Professor

    Jenny Valencia, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Pablo Antonio Valencia, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Nestor M. Valeron
    Assistant Professor

    Dario Antonio Vallario de Sanctis, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Jose Martin Vargas Loayza, MD
    Instructor

    Nivia Vazquez
    Assistant Professor

    Ectis Velazquez, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Yvelice Villaman-Bencosme
    Adjunct Assistant Professor

    Ann Margaret C. Villar, DO
    Assistant Professor

    Donna Amelia Watson Plummer, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Courtney Wein, DO
    Instructor

    Kristina Weirs-Shamir, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Michael Weiss
    Assistant Professor

    Elizabeth Welch, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Gil Wernovsky, MD
    Professor

    Laure Ann Wiggan, Other
    Assistant Professor

    Deborah Wilbur, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Keith Wintermeyer, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Jack Wolfsdorf, MD
    Professor

    Michelle Wong, MD
    Assistant Professor

    Aecha Marion Ybarra, MD
    Instructor

    Barbara Ligocki Zen, MD
    Assistant Professor