PGY3
Amran Al-Amrany, M.D. - PGY 3
Dr. Amran Al-Amrany attended St George School of Medicine. He is a native to Clifton, NJ-born and raised. While Dr. Al-Amrany left the cold winters of the northeast to study medicine in the warm weathers of the Caribbean, he will take a heavy coat any day to be back with family. We are very excited to have a Jersey native in our Palisades Family. He enjoys spending time outdoors with and exploring cultures. Dr. Al-Amrany would like to pursue a career in primary care integrated with sports medicine.
Shehab Chaudry, M.D. - PGY 3 - Chief Resident
Dr. Shehab Chaudhry attended CMH Lahore Medical College in Pakistan. While he grew up as a native to New Jersey, his family roots are in Pakistan, where he called it home before returning to his backyard in NJ to complete his family medicine residency. We are happy to have Dr. Chaudhry back in the Garden State. When not in the clinic, Dr. Chaudry enjoys adventure sports, travel, and food. He is a girl dad and enjoys spending time with family. He aspires to be “Iron Man”, don’t we all? But realistically he aspires to be the best primary care clinician possible.
Hannah M. Girgis, M.D. - PGY 3
Dr. Hannah Girgis attended the Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED). She was born in York, PA but grew up in South NJ. While she traded the big city views for a while to complete her medical school with views of Ohio’s big lakes, she is excited to be back to the views from Palisades Medical Hospital of the concrete jungle. Dr. Girgis thoroughly enjoys music. She plays the piano, guitar and sings. She aspires to join the primary care world upon graduation and provide great preventive care. Hannah is appointed as the chief resident of the Transitional Year program at Palisades Medical Center for the academic year 2026-2027.
PGY2
Vaidehi Akhani, M.D. - PGY2
Dr. Akhani was born and raised in India, but her journey in medicine has taken her across continents. She began her medical training in the vibrant Caribbean, where her passion for family medicine blossomed while serving underserved communities. After a few eventful years in Chicago, she’s thrilled to have matched into her top-choice residency at Palisades Medical Center, NJ. When she’s not in scrubs, you’ll probably find her exploring NYC with her friends, or nose-deep in a mystery novel trying to solve the case before the last page. Her ultimate goal? To become a compassionate primary care physician who delivers excellent care and makes healthcare accessible for everyone.
Karriem Castagna, M.D. - PGY2
Dr. Castagna was born and raised in New Jersey. He attended Cornell University as an undergraduate. He then went on to earn a master’s degree at Rutgers University. After that, he earned his MD degree from Saint George’s University School of Medicine. Karriem is eager to serve the community he has been a part of his whole life. His favorite part about being a family medicine physician is developing long term relationships with his patients and tailoring each individual’s care to fit their unique needs. In his free time, he enjoys playing and watching football and basketball. He also enjoys traveling and experiencing new places. He feels blessed to have such a strong support system and loves spending time with his fiancée, family, and friends.
Mafdy Melek, M.D. - PGY2
Dr. Melek graduated from the Faculty of Medicine at Assiut University in Egypt, gaining experience in both primary care and cardiology. Dr. Melek was born and raised in Egypt, where he developed strong values of compassion, service, and resilience. His journey later brought him to the United States, where he embraced a new opportunity to serve diverse communities and focus on Family Medicine - a field that emphasizes prevention and lifelong patient care. Today, as a resident at the Hackensack Meridian Palisades Family Medicine Residency Program, Dr. Melek is dedicated to growing not only as a physician but as a trusted advocate for his patients. Outside medicine, he enjoys family time and staying active through running.
Samuel Yunez, M.D. - PGY2
Dr. Yunez was born and raised in Chicago to immigrant parents from Colombia and Argentina. I grew up appreciating both my Latin American heritage and my American home. Watching Michael Jordan lead the Bulls to championships instilled in me a love for basketball and dedication. My passion for gardening has evolved into creating an edible garden for fresh, healthy food, which connects to my profound passion for medicine and helping people. Being bilingual allows me to truly understand what patients need and bridge cultural gaps in healthcare. I'm committed to lifelong learning—not only as a future doctor but as a person—embracing every opportunity for growth along this meaningful journey.
PGY1
Ali Al-Amrany, M.D. - PGY1
Ali was born and raised in Clifton, New Jersey. He attended Montclair State University for his undergraduate studies before pursuing his medical degree at St. George’s University.
After spending his first two years of medical school in the Caribbean, Ali was excited to return home to complete his third- and fourth-year clinical rotations in New Jersey. Having the opportunity to continue his medical training at a great program like Palisades Medical Center, while staying close to his family and friends, made it an ideal fit for his residency.
Outside of medicine, Ali enjoys watching UFC, football and basketball games, playing basketball, and staying active at the gym.
Mary George, M.D. - PGY1
Mary was born and raised in New Jersey and attended Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.
She is passionate about lifestyle medicine and preventative care, and finds it both rewarding and an honor to care for patients in their vulnerable times.
She loves exploring new food spots (and what better place than NJ/NY!), cooking, and baking a good Biscoff tres leches. She also enjoys discovering unique perfumes, interior decorating, yoga, and time outdoors.
Zainab Kutiyanawala, MBBCH. - PGY1
Dr. Zainab Kutiyanawala was born and raised in India, where she earned her medical degree from B.J. Medical College in Pune. Her journey spans bench research, clinical research, and regulatory affairs, giving her a unique perspective on patient care. She also earned her MS from Rutgers University and remains involved with the Rutgers Institutional Review Board. Her research has been published in the CDC’s Preventing Chronic Disease journal. She chose Family Medicine for its holistic approach and emphasis on preventive care.Outside the hospital, Zainab enjoys bringing people together over good food, cozy movie nights, and laughter. She also loves gardening, traveling, and road trips with her family. She's excited to be part of the Palisades Family Medicine family!
Yousra Merdjana, M.D. - PGY1
Dr. Yousra was born and raised in Algeria before moving to Russia to pursue her medical degree at Tambov State University named after G. R. Derzhavin. Curious about the world and the people in it, she enjoys discovering new cultures, exploring different perspectives, and finding common ground across languages and cultures. She chose family medicine for the variety it offers, the opportunity to care for patients of all ages, and its emphasis on preventive care. She hopes to build a career in primary care, helping patients stay healthy for years to come. Outside of medicine, she enjoys Pilates, traveling, and spending quality time with family and loved ones. A summer person at heart, she is happiest by the ocean, soaking up the sunshine and enjoying the sea breeze.