Family Medicine Residency - Faculty

Core Faculty

Gary Dunkerley, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Gary Dunkerley is a graduate of St. Joseph’s College in Philadelphia & Hahnemann Medical College. He served his residency at Hahnemann Hospital and entered private practice before coming to St. Clare’s Hospital in 1981 (the services of the former St. Clare’s Hospital, including the Family Health Center are now operated by Ellis Hospital). He served as the associate director of the residency and director of the Family Health Center prior to becoming the program director in 1995. He also served as the hospital’s director of medical education. His interests include maintaining an environment conducive to learning, geriatrics and sports medicine.

Ephraim Back, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Ephraim Back is a graduate of Cornell University and SUNY Buffalo Medical School. He completed his residency training at the Highland Hospital/University of Rochester Family Practice Residency Program. He earned his master’s degree in public health from SUNY Albany in 2006. Prior to joining the hospital’s Family Practice Residency Program in 1996, he worked with the Indian Health Service, Center for Disease Control, and as medical director of a local community health center. He served as St. Clare’s chief of Family Practice from 2002-2008. He coordinates undergraduate / pre-doctoral education and his interests include public health, community medicine, epidemiology and obstetrics.

Christopher Murphy, MD
Dr. Chris Murphy is a graduate of Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He completed his family practice residency at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital in the South Bronx. His Bachelor’s is in English and Philosophy from Cathedral College in New York and he has a Master’s Degree in Nursing from Pace University. He was in private practice for ten years before coming to St. Clare’s Hospital, which is now operated by Ellis Hospital.

Nancy C. Sapio, MD
Dr. Nany Sapio is a graduate of Albany Medical College. She completed her family practice residency at St. Clare's Hospital in 1988. She coordinates geriatric education for the residency program. Her interests include women’s health care and geriatrics.

Michael Welch, MD
Dr. Michael Welch earned his medical degree from Albany Medical College of Union University, Albany, NY in 1976. He completed his Family Practice residency and internship at SUNY at Buffalo, NY and Deaconess Hospital, Buffalo.

Adjunct Faculty Member

Avinash Bachwani, MD
Dr Bachwani is a graduate of Rural Medical College, Loni, India. He underwent three years of post-graduate training in Internal Medicine at Bhabha Atomic Research Center Hospital (Mumbai, India) where he completed his thesis on "Role of Insulin in the Treatment of Acute Myocardial Infarction". He graduated from his two year residency in Family Medicine at St Clare's in December 2005. As faculty, he lectures on Internal Medicine topics every month & precepts residents during outpatient clinics. At present, he works at Ellis Hospital as an ER physician. He has several presentations & publications to his credit.

Nutritionist

Debbie Avery, RD, CDN
Debbie Avery is a registered, certified dietitian who earned her bachelor’s degree in nutrition from Buffalo State College, Buffalo, NY. She completed an internship at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN. She worked at St. Clare’s Hospital in Schenectady for more than 20 years and joined the Ellis Family Health Center staff in 2008. She assists the physicians, residents, nursing and other professional staff with the management of their patients through consultation.

Pediatrics

Bradley A. Ford, MD
Dr. Bradley Ford is a graduate of Albany Medical College of Union University. He completed his pediatric training at Albany Medical Center in 1981. He teaches pediatric education at Ellis Hospital. He currently has a private practice in Guilderland, NY.

James D. Saperstone, MD
Dr. James Saperstone is a graduate of the University of Virginia. He served his internship and residency at Albany Medical Center Hospital. He teaches pediatric education at Ellis Hospital. He currently has a private practice in Guilderland, New York.

Mike P. Sonnekalb, MD
Dr. Mike Sonnekalb is a graduate of Albany Medical College of Union University. He served his internship and residency at Albany Medical Center Hospital. He teaches pediatric education at Ellis Hospital. He currently has a private practice in Guilderland, New York.

Darin M. Price, DO
Dr. Darin Price is a graduate of the SUNY Binghamton and a 1996 graduate of New York College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed his residency training at Children’s Hospital at Albany Medical Center. He is certified in Neonatal Advanced Life Support (NALS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS).

OB/GYN

Fouad A. Sattar, MD
Dr. Fouad Sattar is a graduate of Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt. He served his internship and residency at Cairo University Hospital. He is the director for the Ob/Gyn educational program at St. Clare's and Associate Clinical Professor at Albany Medical College. His interests include menopausal health and hormone replacement.

William I. Anyaegbunam, MD
Dr. William Anyaegbunam is a graduate of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. He completed his residency at the Royal Liverpool Hospital in England and fellowship in reproductive endocrinology at Liverpool Women's Hospital. He is a faculty member with the Ob/Gyn Department. His interests include reproductive endocrinology and infertility.

Emergency Department

Robert J. Dachs, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Robert Dachs is a graduate of New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY. He served his internship in General Surgery at Baystate Medical center, Springfield, MA and completed his family practice residency at Middlesex Hospital, Middletown, Connecticut. He has worked full-time in emergency medicine since completion of his residency. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians and serves as chair of the AAFP CME course, "Emergency and Urgent Care for Family Physicians". His interests include teaching and research and has given numerous lectures across the country on emergency and urgent care topics.

Intensivists

Omar E. Mendez, MD
Dr. Omar Mendez is a graduate of Universidad Central del Caribe School of Medicine. He served his internship and residency at South Baltimore General Hospital. He is associate director for the Critical Care Department.

Jack P. Parillo, MD
Dr. Jack Parillo is a graduate of Albany Medical College of Union University. He served his internship and residency at Albany Medical Center Hospital. He is director of the Critical Care Department. He is a member of the American Board of Internal Medicine and is certified in internal medicine and critical care.

Psychiatry

Melvin Steinhart, MD
Dr. Melvin Steinhart is a graduate of Buffalo Medical School. He served his internship at the University of Wisconsin Medical Center. He is Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in Forensic Psychiatry. He is the psychiatric consultant for the residency program and is host once a month to a case conference and lecture on psychiatric topics. He is Professor of Clinical Psychiatry and Clinical Medicine at Albany Medical College.

Behavioral

James Ansel, PhD
Dr. James Ansel is a graduate of Bucknell University and a 1983 graduate of the University of Florida. He served his internships at Norfolk Regional Center in Nebraska, and Northern Nebraska Comprehensive Mental Health Center. In addition to his experience in private practice, he has served as a consulting psychologist with several local agencies.

DO Faculty

Peter Vellis, DO
Dr. Peter Vellis is a graduate of the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed his family practice residency at Albany Medical Center in 1989. He completed a fellowship in Sports Medicine at Albany Medical Center in 1994 and is board certified in Sports Medicine. He runs the FHC’s Osteopathic Manipulation Clinic in conjunction with Dr. John Petrillo.

Director/Osteopathic Internship

John Petrillo, DO
Dr Petrillo completed his bachelor’s degree in biology at Loyola College in Baltimore, MD and did HLA typing for a year thereafter. He then got his DO degree from New York College of Osteopathic Medicine and also completed an undergraduate clinical and teaching fellowship in Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine. He graduated from St Clare’s Residency & Osteopathic program in July 2006. His interests in medicine include osteopathy in the outpatient and inpatient settings. He runs the Family Health Center’s Osteopathic Manipulation Clinic in conjunction with Dr. Peter Vellis.



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He served as the associate director of the residency and director of the Family Health Center prior to becoming the program director in 1995. He also served as the hospital’s director of medical education. His interests include maintaining an environment conducive to learning, geriatrics and sports medicine. Ephraim Back, MD, FAAFP Dr. Ephraim Back is a graduate of Cornell University and SUNY Buffalo Medical School. He completed his residency training at the Highland Hospital/University of Rochester Family Practice Residency Program. He earned his master’s degree in public health from SUNY Albany in 2006. Prior to joining the hospital’s Family Practice Residency Program in 1996, he worked with the Indian Health Service, Center for Disease Control, and as medical director of a local community health center. He served as St. Clare’s chief of Family Practice from 2002-2008. He coordinates undergraduate / pre-doctoral education and his interests include public health, community medicine, epidemiology and obstetrics. Christopher Murphy, MD Dr. Chris Murphy is a graduate of Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He completed his family practice residency at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital in the South Bronx. His Bachelor’s is in English and Philosophy from Cathedral College in New York and he has a Master’s Degree in Nursing from Pace University. He was in private practice for ten years before coming to St. Clare’s Hospital, which is now operated by Ellis Hospital. Nancy C. Sapio, MD Dr. Nany Sapio is a graduate of Albany Medical College. She completed her family practice residency at St. Clare's Hospital in 1988. She coordinates geriatric education for the residency program. Her interests include women’s health care and geriatrics. Michael Welch, MD Dr. Michael Welch earned his medical degree from Albany Medical College of Union University, Albany, NY in 1976. He completed his Family Practice residency and internship at SUNY at Buffalo, NY and Deaconess Hospital, Buffalo. Adjunct Faculty Member Avinash Bachwani, MD Dr Bachwani is a graduate of Rural Medical College, Loni, India. He underwent three years of post-graduate training in Internal Medicine at Bhabha Atomic Research Center Hospital (Mumbai, India) where he completed his thesis on "Role of Insulin in the Treatment of Acute Myocardial Infarction". He graduated from his two year residency in Family Medicine at St Clare's in December 2005. As faculty, he lectures on Internal Medicine topics every month & precepts residents during outpatient clinics. At present, he works at Ellis Hospital as an ER physician. He has several presentations & publications to his credit. Nutritionist Debbie Avery, RD, CDN Debbie Avery is a registered, certified dietitian who earned her bachelor’s degree in nutrition from Buffalo State College, Buffalo, NY. She completed an internship at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN. She worked at St. Clare’s Hospital in Schenectady for more than 20 years and joined the Ellis Family Health Center staff in 2008. She assists the physicians, residents, nursing and other professional staff with the management of their patients through consultation. Pediatrics Bradley A. Ford, MD Dr. Bradley Ford is a graduate of Albany Medical College of Union University. He completed his pediatric training at Albany Medical Center in 1981. He teaches pediatric education at Ellis Hospital. He currently has a private practice in Guilderland, NY. James D. Saperstone, MD Dr. James Saperstone is a graduate of the University of Virginia. He served his internship and residency at Albany Medical Center Hospital. He teaches pediatric education at Ellis Hospital. He currently has a private practice in Guilderland, New York. Mike P. Sonnekalb, MD Dr. Mike Sonnekalb is a graduate of Albany Medical College of Union University. He served his internship and residency at Albany Medical Center Hospital. He teaches pediatric education at Ellis Hospital. He currently has a private practice in Guilderland, New York. Darin M. Price, DO Dr. Darin Price is a graduate of the SUNY Binghamton and a 1996 graduate of New York College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed his residency training at Children’s Hospital at Albany Medical Center. He is certified in Neonatal Advanced Life Support (NALS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS). OB/GYN Fouad A. Sattar, MD Dr. Fouad Sattar is a graduate of Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt. He served his internship and residency at Cairo University Hospital. He is the director for the Ob/Gyn educational program at St. Clare's and Associate Clinical Professor at Albany Medical College. His interests include menopausal health and hormone replacement. William I. Anyaegbunam, MD Dr. William Anyaegbunam is a graduate of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. He completed his residency at the Royal Liverpool Hospital in England and fellowship in reproductive endocrinology at Liverpool Women's Hospital. He is a faculty member with the Ob/Gyn Department. His interests include reproductive endocrinology and infertility. Emergency Department Robert J. Dachs, MD, FAAFP Dr. Robert Dachs is a graduate of New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY. He served his internship in General Surgery at Baystate Medical center, Springfield, MA and completed his family practice residency at Middlesex Hospital, Middletown, Connecticut. He has worked full-time in emergency medicine since completion of his residency. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians and serves as chair of the AAFP CME course, "Emergency and Urgent Care for Family Physicians". His interests include teaching and research and has given numerous lectures across the country on emergency and urgent care topics. Intensivists Omar E. Mendez, MD Dr. Omar Mendez is a graduate of Universidad Central del Caribe School of Medicine. He served his internship and residency at South Baltimore General Hospital. He is associate director for the Critical Care Department. Jack P. Parillo, MD Dr. Jack Parillo is a graduate of Albany Medical College of Union University. He served his internship and residency at Albany Medical Center Hospital. He is director of the Critical Care Department. He is a member of the American Board of Internal Medicine and is certified in internal medicine and critical care. Psychiatry Melvin Steinhart, MD Dr. Melvin Steinhart is a graduate of Buffalo Medical School. He served his internship at the University of Wisconsin Medical Center. He is Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in Forensic Psychiatry. He is the psychiatric consultant for the residency program and is host once a month to a case conference and lecture on psychiatric topics. He is Professor of Clinical Psychiatry and Clinical Medicine at Albany Medical College. Behavioral James Ansel, PhD Dr. James Ansel is a graduate of Bucknell University and a 1983 graduate of the University of Florida. He served his internships at Norfolk Regional Center in Nebraska, and Northern Nebraska Comprehensive Mental Health Center. In addition to his experience in private practice, he has served as a consulting psychologist with several local agencies. DO Faculty Peter Vellis, DO Dr. Peter Vellis is a graduate of the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed his family practice residency at Albany Medical Center in 1989. He completed a fellowship in Sports Medicine at Albany Medical Center in 1994 and is board certified in Sports Medicine. He runs the FHC’s Osteopathic Manipulation Clinic in conjunction with Dr. John Petrillo. Director/Osteopathic Internship John Petrillo, DO Dr Petrillo completed his bachelor’s degree in biology at Loyola College in Baltimore, MD and did HLA typing for a year thereafter. He then got his DO degree from New York College of Osteopathic Medicine and also completed an undergraduate clinical and teaching fellowship in Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine. He graduated from St Clare’s Residency & Osteopathic program in July 2006. His interests in medicine include osteopathy in the outpatient and inpatient settings. He runs the Family Health Center’s Osteopathic Manipulation Clinic in conjunction with Dr. Peter Vellis.	Residency Program About Ellis About the Area Applying For Residency Family Health Center Medical Students Our Faculty Salary/Benefits Family Medicine Residency Program Director: Gary Dunkerley, MD Mailing Address: Ellis Hospital Family Medicine Residency The Cushing Center 624 McClellan Street Schenectady NY 12304 Telephone: 518.347.5293 Fax: 518.347-5196
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