Vascular Surgery Program Current Fellows

Neil Poulsen, MD
Senior Fellow
Hometown: Brockville, Ontario, Canada
Medical School: St. George’s University
General Surgery Residency Program: Saint Barnabas Medical Center          

What attracted you to our fellowship program?
I was drawn to CMC by the volume and complexity of the cases, the friendliness and reputation of the faculty and the personal touch of the staff on my interview day. I was also very impressed by the experience of the senior fellows and how comfortable they felt with all aspects of vascular surgery after completing training at this program.

What have you enjoyed most so far?
I have enjoyed the wide variety of surgical exposure, the autonomy granted and the willingness of all the faculty to teach no matter what the case. More than that there is a great team atmosphere amongst the fellows, faculty and all members of the vascular service.

What do you enjoy about living in Charlotte?
Charlotte has been an amazing city. My children have loved all the parks, pools, outdoor activities and sporting events that Charlotte has to offer. My wife and I feel like we have access to anything we could want including restaurants, shopping etc. that a big city offers while still preserving the small-town friendliness and safety.

Mark Scaife, MD
Senior Fellow
Hometown: Portsmouth, United Kingdom
Medical School: University of Illinois
General Surgery Residency Program: University of Pittsburgh

What attracted you to our fellowship program?
I was looking for a busy program with a high case load and opportunities for clinical research. Things that stood out were the concentrated experience at a single institution with a dedicated group of vascular attendings and vascular support staff.

What have you enjoyed most so far?
I’ve enjoyed the fact that the program has lived up to my expectations. The attendings and the staff as a whole have been fantastic. Not having to split time between multiple institutions has eased some of the growing pains of starting within a new system and the operative experience thus far has been great.

What do you enjoy about living in Charlotte?
Charlotte has a fantastic feel with more family-friendly activities than I could hope to experience during my limited time off. There is easy access to the outdoors and the climate facilitates going outside.

Adam Calarese, MD
Junior Fellow
Hometown: Boston, MA
Medical School: Drexel University College of Medicine
General Surgery Residency Program: Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center 

What attracted you to our fellowship program?
I did my General Surgery training here, so I had an intimate knowledge of the fellowship program here before I applied, and I knew it was nothing short of stellar. The fellows all graduate with an exceptional amount of Vascular Surgery knowledge and independence in performing very complex vascular surgery procedures/operations. That’s what I want for myself in the end.

What have you enjoyed most so far?
The independence that we receive as fellows is amazing. However, this is coupled with an expectation of increased responsibility and knowledge in Vascular Surgery disease processes. This is both exhilarating and terrifying, but we do know the attendings always have our backs, and that is a great feeling. Also, the camaraderie amongst fellows is really nice to have in the workplace.

What do you enjoy about living in Charlotte?
We didn’t know much about it before we moved here, but my family and I have made it our home and we hope to stay. It’s an amazing city with so much to offer. We love the weather the most! It’s also very easy to get around the city, and the apartments and housing are very affordable.

Rajavi Parikh, DO
Junior Fellow
Hometown: Buffalo, NY
Medical School: Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine - Virginia Campus
General Surgery Residency Program: New Hanover Regional Medical Center

What attracted you to our fellowship program?
I completed a rotation with the vascular team at CMC during my 4th year of general surgery residency and knew this would be my first choice for fellowship training. The case complexity and variety is incredible with complex TEVARs with arch debranching, branched and fenestrated endovascular aortic repairs, complex lower extremity bypasses and open aortic reconstructions. The fellows are given the autonomy needed to learn and grow as future vascular surgeons. I was excited for the opportunity to teach with general surgery and orthopedic residents on service. I was able to complete a research project on blunt traumatic aortic injury as a visiting resident and knew this program would allow me the opportunity to continue my research endeavors.

What have you enjoyed most so far?
The people on the vascular team have all been incredible. Our PAs and NPs are especially awesome. They are knowledgeable, hard-working, and fun to work with. Our attendings have been great mentors and are clearly dedicated to our education. They want to help you realize your goals and work hard to train you to be the best vascular surgeon, capable of handling anything that may come your way. Cameron Davis, our program coordinator, is our greatest advocate and will make sure you have everything you need to succeed.

What do you enjoy about living in Charlotte?
Charlotte has a lot of great neighborhoods, each with their own unique vibe - NoDa and South End have been my favorites so far.  There are a lot of running trails to check out. The rail trail takes you through the lively south end neighborhood. Freedom park and the “booty loop” in Myers park is a great scenic route and is right next to the hospital. Lake Norman and Lake Wylie are both beautiful places to visit with lots of outdoor activities.