Alumni testimonials
Taylor Young, MD, a graduate of the neuropsych residency program shared, his process to learn about the neuropsych option was easier for him, as Dr. Sheldon Benjamin was connected to our UMass Chan residency program. Medical school students at other institutions may not have the same opportunity as there are only four programs in the US offering this dual residency program to med school students. Dr. Young is a psychologist supporting the Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology Clinic providing assessments and evaluations as a Cognitive Neurologist for patients with cognitive and memory issues, Alzheimer’s Disease, and other related dementias.
Mina Botros, MD, a first-year neuropsychiatry resident and former medical student at UMass Chan Medical School. Dr. Botros originally focused on pursuing cardiology in medical school, however, his education and research led him to appreciate the value of mental and neurological care as part of the patients’ overall wellbeing. During his neurology rotation, he was motivated by the impact of neurological disorders on patients’ lives. When he learned about the focus on neuro-psychiatry, he became fascinated by the intricate connection between the mind, brain and body with a specific focus on the impact neurological disorders and brain injury have on mood and thought, and the potential role of psychedelics in psychiatric care and neuro-rehabilitation; more broadly, he became interested in the humanities as they relate to the practice of medicine and public health. Dr. Botros considers mental-wellness an integral part of a heart-healthy lifestyle, which has led him to dive deeper into psychiatry sharing, “I appreciated the opportunity this specialty provides to sit with patients for an extended period, to listen to patients earnestly and provide them with the support they need.”
Dr. Botros is participating in the UMass Chan combined neurology and psychiatry residency training program, one of four programs in the United States and worldwide. He chose this field of study because he desires to enter a field in which no stone would be left unturned in the pursuit of wellness for those who struggle with neurological and psychiatric illness. As one of the Boston area’s rookie doctors, the Boston Globe highlighted Dr. Botros, along with six other new doctors training in Massachusetts, in an article published on August 31, 2024. Click here to access the pdf version of the article.
Originally from Cairo, Egypt, he immigrated to the US with his family when he was about five years old. Dr. Botros has lived in Massachusetts most of his life and has developed a love of New England based on the many experiences he has been fortunate to participate in, particularly hiking, snowboarding, and exploring the many trails throughout the area. He also had the opportunity to explore medicine here through an outpatient ophthalmology clinic, where he worked for approximately five years before attending medical school. He also served patients as a COVID-19 vaccine clinic coordinator with the Department of Public Health (DPH) and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) in collaboration with UMass Chan, the Worcester Public Schools, and innumerable community partners. These experiences have prepared him to better serve and advocate for his community by working on several clinical and educational initiatives and working in various student and community organizations in addition to serving as student co-president of the local free clinic programs and later as a founding board member of the Worcester Free Care Collaborative, Inc. after working to establish the not-for-profit organization.
While attending Boston University he studied biomedical engineering and, under the guidance of Dr. Tsuneya Ikezu, Botros researched progressive supranuclear palsy through a grant award he received by the CurePSP foundation, focusing on the neurological disorder akin to Parkinson’s disease. He also supported projects on a wide array of neuropsychiatric conditions, most notably autism spectrum disorder.
Dr. Botros shares, “The unique balance between a warm and welcoming community and an environment focused on advancing medical education and practice is what initially drew me to UMass Chan for medical school and what continues to drive my appreciation for our program. I personally believe that learning is part of what makes life worth living, and with regards to neurology and psychiatry, we have much to learn. As such I was immediately drawn to the neuropsychiatry program here at UMass Chan. Not only does it offer the opportunity to learn from kind and brilliant physicians and researchers, but it also enables me and countless others to do so while providing unparalleled, compassionate care for a diverse community.”
Joshua Claunch, MD, neuropsychiatrist, specializing in geriatric and dementia care, is one of the physicians working with patients in the cognitive and behavioral neurology clinic identifying co-mobilities through assessing the patient’s patterns of cognitive dysfunction with Taylor Young, MD, and Anila Media, MD. Their practice utilizes an interdisciplinary care approach to develop holistic treatment approaches and lifestyle recommendations to support the patient’s journey and quality of life.
Dr. Claunch shares, “The clinic environment works well, because all the providers are in one place, providing valuable discussions with the physicians developing specialized long-term care plans with the patients and their families.”
Dr. Claunch is interested in pursuing research goals in areas where “seeds of information need watering through research.” These areas provide opportunities to modulate neuroimmunology risks for patients with long-covid, or cognitive dysfunction. Dr. Claunch was attracted to the neuropsychiatry program because of the dual focuses between neurology and psychiatry stating, “There is so much untapped potential with care growth with guided holistic treatments.”
Dr. Claunch attended medical school at Florida State University before participating in the UMass Chan NeuroPsych Residency Program between 2014 and 2020. He was attracted to the dual-focused neuropsychiatry program at UMass Chan due to the reputations of Dr. Sheldon Benjamin, for his ongoing contributions to neuropsychiatry, Dr. Robert H. Brown, Jr., MD, for his contributions to neurological research, and Dr. John Kabat-Zinn, PhD, who founded the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Clinic at UMass stating, stating, “There is so much untapped potential with care growth with guided holistic treatments.” Dr. Claunch joined our team as a physician in 2024.