Our physicians

The Heart & Family Health Institute medical staff includes primary care physicians Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Family Medicine, and specialists Board Certified in Cardiology, Endocrinology, Gastroenterology, Neurology, Podiatry, Pulmonary Medicine, Rheumatology and Urology. (For more information about our physicians, click on the specialties highlighted above in blue.)

Every physician on our staff has completed four years of medical education followed by one to four years of additional training in the field of specialization. Board Certified specialists must have completed a residency at an accredited institution, will have passed a rigorous set of examinations, and will have completed several years of clinical training in their specialties.

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CARDIOLOGY                    

David E. Wertheimer, M.D., F.A.C.P., F.A.C.C.

• Undergraduate Education:
  Queens College, CUNY, Flushing, NY
• Medical School: Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL
• Residency in Internal Medicine: Long Island Jewish Hillside Medical Center, New Hyde Park, NY; SUNY at Stony Brook, NY
• Cardiology Fellowship: Long Island Jewish Hillside Medical Center, New Hyde Park, NY; SUNY at Stony Brook, NY
• Board Certification: Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Diseases
• Dr. Wertheimer has been in practice since 1984
  

Bharat K. Upadhyay, M.D., F.C.C.P.

• Undergraduate Education:
  Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, India
• Medical School: N.H.L. Municipal Medical College, Ahmedabad, India
• Residency in Internal Medicine: St. Michaels Medical Center, Newark, NJ
• Pulmonary Medicine Fellowship: St. Elizabeth's Hospital, Tufts University, Boston, MA
• Board Certification: Internal Medicine and Pulmonary Disease
• Dr. Upadhyay has been in practice since 1986

Lawrence G. Oliver, M.D., F.A.C.C.

• Undergraduate Education:
  University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL
• Medical School: Universidad del Noreste, Autonoma de Mexico, Tampico, Mexico/State University of New York at Downstate, Brooklyn, NY
• Residency in Internal Medicine: Maimonides Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY
• Cardiology Fellowship: Long Island College Hospital, Brooklyn, NY
• Board Certification: Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Diseases
• Dr. Oliver has been in practice since 1990
   

ENDOCRINOLOGY                       

Mark D. Borchelt, M.D., F.A.C.E.

• Undergraduate Education:
  Kent State University, Kent, OH
• Medical School: Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, Rootstown, OH
• Residency in Internal Medicine: Akron City Hospital, Akron, OH
• Endocrinology Fellowship: The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH
• Board Certification: Internal Medicine and Endocrinology
• Dr. Borchelt has been in practice since 1988
   

 

FAMILY MEDICINE                        

Ira S. Pearlstine, M.D.

• Undergraduate Education:
  University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
• Medical School: Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
• Residency in Family Medicine: Bayfront Medical Center, St. Petersburg, FL, Division of University of South Florida
• Board Certification: Family Medicine
• Dr. Pearlstine has been in practice since 1987
   

Bernard A. Kurecki, M.D., F.A.A.F.P.

• Undergraduate Education:
  University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
• Medical Education: University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
• Residency in Family Medicine: Bayfront Medical Center, St. Petersburg, FL, Division of University of South Florida
• Board Certification: Family Medicine
• Dr. Kurecki has been in practice since 1987
   

 

 

Raja R. Talati, M.D.

• Undergraduate Education:
  University of California, Irvine, California
• Medical School:
  Ross University School of Medicine, Dominica, West Indies
• Residency in Family Medicine: Jackson Park Hospital, Chicago, IL
• Board Certification: Family Medicine
• Dr. Talati has been in practice since 1999.
     
  

Ernesto R. Diaz, M.D., F.A.A.F.P.

• Undergraduate Education:
  University of Panama School of Medicine, Panama City, Panama
• Medical School:
  University of Panama School of Medicine, Panama City, Panama
• Residency in Family Medicine: Seguro Social General Hospital, Panama City, Panama; SUNY Health Science Center, Brooklyn, NY
• Board Certification: Family Medicine
• Dr. Diaz has been in practice since 1996.
     
  

Pablo H. Tirado, M.D.

• Undergraduate Education:
  University of Para School of Medicine, Belem, Para, Brazil
• Medical School:
  University of Para School of Medicine, Belem, Para, Brazil
• Residency in Family Medicine: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, McKeesport, PA
• Board Certification: Family Medicine
• Dr. Tirado has been in practice since 1997.
  

Sareh Beladi, M.D.

• Undergraduate Education
  University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
• Medical School
  American University of The Caribbean, St. Maarten, NA
• Residency in Family Medicine
  University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
• Board Certification: Family Medicine
• Dr. Beladi has been in practice since 2007
  

Rogena Johnson, M.D.

• Undergraduate Education:
  University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS
• Medical School:
  University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, KS
• Residency in Family Medicine: University of Kansas Hospital, Kansas City, KS
• Board Certification: Family Medicine
• Dr. Johnson has been in practice since 2008
  

   

 

   

Christopher A. Santora, M.D.

• Undergraduate Education
  Furman University, Greenville, SC
• Medical School
  St. George’s School of Medicine, Grenada, West Indies
• Residency in Family Medicine
  Virginia Commonwealth University, Blackstone, VA; East Carolina University, Greenville, NC
• Board Certification: Family Medicine
• Dr. Santora has been in practice since 2007

GASTROENTEROLOGY                     

Jeremiah P. Donovan, M.D.

• Undergraduate Education:
  University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE
• Medical School:
  University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
• Residency in Internal Medicine:
  University of Nebraska College of Medicine, Omaha, NE
• Gastroenterology Fellowship:
  University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
• Board Certification:
  Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology
• • Dr. Donovan has been in practice since 1988
  
  

 

INTERNAL MEDICINE                      

Chandrakant N. Patel, M.D.

• Undergraduate Education:
  St. Xavier's College, Ahmedabad, India; Gujarat College, Ahmedabad, India
• Medical School: N.H.L. Municipal Medical college, Ahmedabad, India; Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, India
• Residency in Internal Medicine: K.M. School Post Graduate and Research Institute, Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, India; Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, Jamaica, NY
• Board Certification: Internal Medicine
• Dr. Patel has been in practice since 1985

Wanda Lewis, M.D.

• Undergraduate Education
  Oakwood College, Huntsville, AL
• Medical School
  Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN
• Residency in Internal Medicine
  Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN
• Board Certification
  Internal Medicine
• Dr. Lewis has been in practice since 1995

 

NEUROLOGY                               

Luz G. Vazquez, M.D.

• Undergraduate Education:
  Sacred Heart University, San Juan, PR
• Medical School: Universidad Central del Caribe School of Medicine, Bayamon, PR
• Residency in Neurology: University of Puerto Rico Hospital, San Juan City Hospital, San Juan, PR; Veterans Administration Hospital, Rio Piedras, PR
• Electromyography/Neuromuscular Disease Fellowship: University of Alabama at Birmingham; University Hospital, Birminghman, AL
• Board Certification: Neurology and Psychiatry
• Dr. Vazquez has been in practice since 1991
  

 

Michael K. Maraist, M.D.

• Undergraduate Education:
  Palm Beach Community College, Palm Beach Gardens, FL;
  University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
• Medical School: University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
• • Residency in Neurology: University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL
• Endocrinology Fellowship: The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH
• Board Certification: Neurology
• Dr. Maraist has been in practice since 2005
   

 

PODIATRY                               

Craig J. Paul, D.P.M., F.A.C.F.A.S., F.A.C.F.A.O.M.

• Undergraduate Education:
  Brandeis University, Waltham, MA; New York University, New York, NY
• Podiatric Medical Education: New York College of Podiatric Medicine, New York, NY
• Residency in Podiatric Surgery: Doctors Hospital of Houston, Houston, TX
• Board Certification: Podiatric Surgery and Podiatric Orthopedics
• Dr. Paul has been in practice since 1988
  

 

PULMONARY MEDICINE                      

Bharat K. Upadhyay, M.D., F.C.C.P.

• Undergraduate Education:
  Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, India
• Medical School: N.H.L. Municipal Medical College, Ahmedabad, India
• Residency in Internal Medicine: St. Michaels Medical Center, Newark, NJ
• Pulmonary Medicine Fellowship: St. Elizabeth's Hospital, Tufts University, Boston, MA
• Board Certification: Internal Medicine and Pulmonary Disease
• Dr. Upadhyay has been in practice since 1986
  

 

RHEUMATOLOGY                              

Mark H. Greenberg, M.D., F.A.C.R., F.A.A.D.E.P.

• Undergraduate Education:
  Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
• Medical School: Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
• Residency in Internal Medicine: Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL
• Rheumatology Fellowship: Albert Einstein-Montefiore Medical Center, New York, NY
• Board Certification: Internal Medicine and Rheumatology
• Dr. Greenberg has been in practice since 1984

 

Ranju B. Wadhwa, M.D.

• Undergraduate Education:
  Punjab University, Karnal, India
• Medical School: Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana, Punjab, India
• Residency in Internal Medicine: St. Elizabeth's Hospital, Tufts University, Boston, MA
• Rheumatology Fellowship: University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami, FL
• Board Certification: Internal Medicine, Rheumatology
• Dr. Wadhwa has been in practice since 1981

UROLOGY                            

Michael A. Dennis, Jr., M.D., F.A.C.S.

• Undergraduate Education:
  Spring Hill College, Mobile, AL; Nicholl's State University, Thibodaux, LA
• Medical School: Louisiana State Medical Center, New Orleans, LA
• Internship in General Surgery: University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
• Residency in Urology: University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
• Board Certification: Urology
• Dr. Dennis has been in practice since 1982