Our 2026-2027 Primary Care Track Residents
PGY3
Eliza McDermott, MD
Hometown: Quincy, MA
Undergrad: Saint Michael's College
Medical School: Loyola University, Chicago Stritch School of Medicine
Eliza was born and raised in Quincy, Massachusetts, and, despite a fun four years spent in Chicago for medical school, is a diehard New Englander. She graduated from Saint Michael’s College in Burlington, Vermont, with a major in Biology and minors in both Chemistry and Religious Studies. After college, Eliza worked at both Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital before beginning medical school in 2020. While at Stritch, she served as a class board member and was extensively involved in mentorship and peer advising. Eliza was thrilled to join the Internal Medicine residency program at UMass Chan as well as the Primary Care Track. Her professional interests include metabolic health and cardiovascular risk reduction in the primary care setting. Outside of the hospital, she serves as a regular guest speaker and alumnae mentor for her all-girls’ high school medical interest group. In her other free time, she can be found reading a good book, trying a new type of workout, or spending time with her family and husband Matt.
Maria Elena Navedo, MD
Hometown: Foxboro, MA
Undergrad: Michigan State University
Medical School: University of Connecticut School of Medicine
Elena spent most of her childhood in Foxboro, Massachusetts. She earned her undergraduate degree in Music and Spanish education at Michigan State University. After college, she taught Spanish and private music lessons in addition to leading her own jazz quartet. She became interested in a career in medicine after witnessing loved ones experience injury and illness. She completed her pre-requisites for medical school at the University of Puerto Rico at Arecibo where she met her husband, Jovany. She was accepted to medical school at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine where she discovered her passion for advocacy and became a leader in the Latino Medical Student Association. Her professional interests include diversity, equity and inclusion, medical education, and palliative care. When she is not at the hospital, Elena can be found with her husband, her daughter, Gianna, and their dog walking around the neighborhood, visiting their local library, or out trying new restaurants.
Renee Zhao, MD
Hometown: Ann Arbor, MI
Undergrad: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Medical School: University of California, Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine
Renee grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and completed her undergraduate degree in Chemistry and Biology at MIT. Following her undergraduate studies, she worked with Professor Sangeeta Bhatia at MIT to design point-of-case diagnostic tools for early detection and monitoring of cancer. While at MIT, Renee discovered her passion for taekwondo and eventually became a member of the U.S. National Team. Inspired by her involvement in sports, she studied sports injury prevention in taekwondo and developed various injury and concussion prevention initiatives. Her interests in medicine include point-of-care ultrasound, sports medicine, and medical education. In her free time, she enjoys exploring new restaurants, drinking boba, and practicing taekwondo.
PGY2
Alexander Bui, MD
Hometown: Inver Grove Heights, MN
Undergrad: University of Minnesota
Medical School: UMass Chan Medical School
Alex grew up in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, and graduated from the University of Minnesota with a BS in biochemistry. During college, he worked as a tutor and medical scribe before attending medical school at UMass Chan. During medical school, he researched Lupus with Professor Kerstin Nündel, and served his local community by volunteering with Worcester free clinics and preparing homes for refugee families. In his spare time, Alex enjoys cooking, skiing, video games, as well as exploring new restaurants and breweries.
Ryann Little, MD
Hometown: La Grange, KY
Undergrad: Transylvania University
Medical School: University of Kentucky College of Medicine
Ryann grew up in La Grange, Kentucky. She earned her undergraduate degree at Transylvania University (go Bats!) before completing her medical education at the University of Kentucky (go Cats!). Prior to attending medical school, Ryann spent several years working as a Dermatology medical assistant and surgical technician. She has a passion for advancing health equity, especially for those in more rural areas. In her free time, Ryann loves exploring the outdoors with her dog, Nori. She enjoys trying new restaurants, breweries, and hobbies with her friends and family.
Veronika Melnik, MD
Hometown: Dedham, MA
Undergrad: Harvard College
Medical School: UMass Chan Medical School
Veronika was born in Ukraine and grew up in Dedham, Massachusetts. She attended Harvard College, where she concentrated in Human Developmental and Regenerative Biology and first developed an interest in diabetes. During medical school at UMass Chan, she deepened this interest through research focused on diabetes care during pregnancy. She also discovered a passion for teaching, mentoring, and medical education. Veronika is drawn to primary care for its emphasis on chronic disease management, patient relationships, and addressing health disparities, and she ultimately hopes to pursue a career in endocrinology. In her free time, she enjoys exploring new restaurants, hosting dinner parties, dancing, and traveling with friends and family.
Nicole Nesto, DO, MMS, MSBE
Hometown: St. Pete Beach, Florida
Undergrad: University of Florida
Medical School: Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM)
Nicole is a Florida native who grew up competing in karate, triathlons, and swimming. She went on to serve as captain of her college swim team (go ospreys!) before pursuing dual master's degrees in medical science and biomedical ethics at LECOM. She is a longtime partner of the Dysautonomia Project, where she works to advance awareness, education, and research for patients with autonomic dysfunction. She is passionate about building a career in primary care with a specialty focus in caring for patients with Dysautonomia/ POTS and EDS. In her free time, Nicole enjoys discovering the perfect cup of coffee, curling up with a good book, and exploring as many national parks as possible. As a New England transplant, she is especially excited about getting to experience seasons for the first time.
PGY1
Shani Abraham, DO
Hometown: Tampa, Florida
Undergrad: University of Central Florida
Medical School: Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
Shani was born and raised in Tampa, Florida. She earned a degree in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Central Florida and completed medical school at LECOM. Throughout her education, she developed a strong interest in serving underserved communities through volunteer work with homeless populations, children with disabilities, and free health clinics. She also completed an internship at Grace Medical Home, where she helped connect uninsured and underinsured patients with healthcare resources. Her research focused on cardiovascular metabolism and the effects of fetal alcohol exposure. She is passionate about preventive care, cardiology, pulmonary and critical care medicine, and improving access to care for underserved communities. Outside of medicine, Shani enjoys painting, reading, running, traveling, and exploring new restaurants with her husband.
Jovany Figueroa Amaro, MD
Hometown: Arecibo, Puerto Rico
Undergrad: University of Puerto Rico at Arecibo
Medical School: UMass Chan Medical School
Jovany was born and raised in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. He earned his undergraduate degree in Microbiology from the University of Puerto Rico, where his research interest began through studying fungi. He continued his research career as a research assistant at The Jackson Laboratory and later at UConn Health, where he focused on Parkinson's disease and geriatric research. Jovany completed medical school at UMass Chan Medical School and is excited to continue his training in internal medicine. His professional interests include geriatrics, primary care, and clinical research. Outside of medicine, he enjoys playing chess and basketball, and exploring new ice cream places with his wife and two children.
Joseph McKinnon, DO
Hometown: East Bridgewater, MA
Undergrad: University of Massachusetts-Amherst
Medical School: University of New England, College of Osteopathic Medical School
Joe was born and raised in East Bridgewater, Massachusetts. They spent a year away for undergrad to try and see outside of New England, but found they needed to be in their home more than anything. During their younger years, they spent time exploring musical performance and gardening, which still brought them comfort and joy; however, they found a passion for helping others and providing support and care to those around them. They attended medical school at the University of New England and found themselves missing home in Massachusetts. They were delighted to be given the opportunity to come back to Massachusetts to practice medicine through UMass Chan. They can be found in their free time reading novels, playing some video games when time allows, and meticulously tending to their garden - indoors and out!
Sophie Wieselquist, MD
Hometown: Westford, MA
Undergrad: University of Massachusetts-Lowell
Medical School: UMass Chan Medical School
Sophie is a Massachusetts native who grew up loving New England’s fall foliage. She earned her undergraduate degree in biology from UMass Lowell, where she also studied German and enjoyed playing French horn and mellophone in the university’s concert and pep bands. She attended medical school at UMass Chan and is excited to join the UMass Internal Medicine Program. Having worked as a medical assistant for six years, she is drawn to primary care by the long-term patient relationships and opportunity to provide personalized care to each patient. Her professional interests include mentorship and education. Outside of the hospital, she enjoys running, knitting, and spending time with family in Massachusetts and Maine.