Assistant professors of medicine named, Division of Gastroenterology, SUNY Downstate College of Medi
Drs. Jennifer Katz, Prameela Rao and Savanna Thor have been named assistant professors of medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology.
The appointments fulfill critical clinical and medical education needs in the department and position SUNY Downstate as the leader in gastroenterology services in Brooklyn, according to Moro O. Salifu, MD, MPH, MBA, FACP. Dr. Salifu is Professor & Chair, Department of Medicine, Edwin C. and Anne K.Weiskopf Endowed Chair in Nephrology.
Unique expertise that now differentiates Downstate from other Brooklyn providers includes the ability to provide advanced endoscopic procedures as well as programs in inflammatory bowel disorders, motility disorders, hepatology, and cancer screening. These services will be provided at the main campus and at UHB Bay Ridge. Jennifer Katz, MD: Dr. Katz graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania and attended Albert Einstein College of Medicine, graduating with a distinction in gastroenterology research. She completed her internal medicine residency at NYU Langone Medical Center in 2012 and her gastroenterology fellowship at Montefiore Medical Center in 2015. During her fellowship, she was awarded a visiting fellowship in IBD at Mount Sinai Medical Center by the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA). She is also board certified as a physician nutrition specialist.
Her clinical focus includes inflammatory bowel disease, nutrition in health and disease, irritable bowel syndrome, women’s health, and GI issues in pregnancy, celiac disease, and colorectal cancer screening. She is proficient in upper endoscopy, colonoscopy, and capsule endoscopy.
Prameela Rao, MD, MPH: Dr. Rao graduated from Albany University School of Medicine. She completed her internal medicine residency at Montefiore Medical Center in 2012 and her fellowship in gastroenterology and hepatology at Downstate in 2015. During her fellowship, Dr. Rao completed training as a visiting fellow in transplant hepatology at Mount Sinai Medical Center.
Dr. Rao’s clinical interests span the entire breadth of gastroenterology and endoscopy, with a particular emphasis on the treatment of hepatitis and other disorders of the liver. Her interests also include colon cancer screening and women’s health and GI issues. She is proficient in upper endoscopy, colonoscopy, and capsule endoscopy.
Savanna Thor, DO, MPH: Dr. Thor graduated from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed her internal medicine residency at Drexel / Hahnemann University Hospital in Philadelphia. Her specialty training includes a fellowship in gastroenterology and hepatology taken at Drexel /Hahnemann, where she served as chief fellow.
Dr. Thor’s specialization includes performing upper endoscopy and colonoscopy to diagnose and treat disorders of the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and colon, as well as esophageal and anorectal manometry, capsule endoscopy, and impedance testing. Her special interests include pelvic floor dysfunction, constipation, fecal incontinence, swallowing disorders, and gastroesophageal reflux disease, as well as colon cancer screening, GI motility disorders/functional GI disease, and anorectal disease.
Drs. Katz, Rao, and Thor bring invaluable clinical and academic experiences that will be vital to gastrointestinal and hepatology services at Downstate, as we continue to grow the division, implement innovations, and improve upon our partnerships with all practitioners. Dr. Shivakumar Vignesh, Downstate chief of gastroenterology & hepatology, played a critical role in these recruitments.
For appointments, including colon cancer screening, please call 718-270-4772.