Meet Our EM Residents

PGY-3

Ceciley Bly, DO, MPH, Chief Resident

Hometown: Irvington, N.J.
Undergrad: Rutgers University
Graduate School: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Medical School: Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hobbies: Traveling, fashion, and spending time with family 
EM Interests: Global emergency medicine, health disparities research
Favorite Procedure: Central line
EM Superpower: Being able to greet patients in four languages
Favorite thing about Nazareth: Family feel and diversity of staff

Punay Narang, MD, Chief Resident

Hometown: Kota, Rajasthan, India
Undergrad: Spartan Health Sciences University School of Medicine, Saint Lucia
Medical School: Spartan Health Sciences University School of Medicine, Saint Lucia 
Hobbies: Table tennis, movies (you can usually find me in a theatre after shifts)
EM Interests: Ultrasound; critical care 
Favorite Procedure: Intubation, central lines, shoulder reductions
EM Superpower: Ultrasound precision; using POCUS to rapidly narrow differentials and guide procedures.
Favorite thing about Nazareth: Early procedural opportunities and autonomy

Basma Deiab, MD

Hometown: Egypt
Medical School: 6th of October University in Cairo
Hobbies: Horseback riding
Favorite Procedure: Central lines
EM Superpower: The more distracted I am, the more efficient I become. Quiet and organized? I’m confused.
Favorite thing about Nazareth: Attendings, co-residents, nurses and techs all feel like family.

Jasmine Hafid, MD

Hometown: Orlando, Fla.
Undergrad: Howard University
Medical School: St. Matthew’s University School of Medicine (Grand Cayman)
Hobbies: Poker
EM Interests: Ultrasound
Favorite Procedure: Chest tube
EM Superpower: Clearing the board
Favorite thing about Nazareth: Dr. Begnaud <3

Fan Zhang, MD

Medical School: St. George’s University School of Medicine 

PGY-2

Sarah Blakley, DO

Hometown: Enid, Okla.
Undergrad: Northern Oklahoma College, Missouri Western State University
Medical School: Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hobbies: Soccer, pickleball, anime, spending time with my two cats
Favorite Procedure: Intubation
EM Superpower: Bringing a smile with me every day
Favorite thing about Nazareth: The people! I enjoy working with all the attendings, fellow residents, nursing, and staff. 

Rushika Gandhi, MD

Hometown: San Diego, Calif.
Medical School: Shri M. P. Shah Government Medical College, Jamnagar, Gujarat, India
Hobbies: Gujarati Garba, contemporary freestyle dance, volleyball, badminton, traveling, and discovering new coffee shops and local food spots.
EM Interests: Ultrasound, Healthcare administration, community emergency medicine, global health, and improving access to high-quality emergency care.
Favorite Procedure: Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) because it allows me to combine clinical reasoning with immediate bedside diagnostics.
EM Superpower: Finding order in chaos and keeping a calm, team-first approach during busy shifts.
Favorite thing about Nazareth: The camaraderie and supportive culture that make it easy to learn, grow, and genuinely enjoy coming to work.

FNU Kanwal, MD

Hometown: Pakistan
Medical School: Ghulam Mohammad Mahar Medical College (Pakistan)
Hobbies: Video games and board games
EM Interests: Pediatric emergency medicine
Favorite Procedure: Central line placement
EM Superpower: The calm in the chaos
Favorite thing about Nazareth: The tight-knit, supportive residency family, hands-on autonomy with great attending backup. 

Tirsit Makonnen, MD

Hometown: Hyattsville, MD
Undergrad: Johns Hopkins University
Medical School: George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences 
Hobbies: Running, gardening
EM Interests: Informatics
Favorite Procedure: I&D
EM Superpower: Calming down anxious patients
Favorite thing about Nazareth: Very festive around the holidays

Manahil Syeda Jeoffrey, MD

Hometown: Karachi, Pakistan
Medical School: Ziauddin Medical College
Hobbies: Traveling, Attending Spin classes
EM Interests: Critical care
Favorite Procedure: Wish I had one
EM Superpower: My superpower is advocating for my patients, no matter how many doors I have to knock on. I believe every patient deserves someone in their corner, and I will keep showing up, speaking up, and fighting for what is best for them until the very end.
Favorite thing about Nazareth: The trauma and ICU rotation

Shiza Zahid, MD

Hometown: Karachi, Pakistan
Undergrad: Govt Degree College SRE Majeed, Karachi
Medical School: Jinnah Medical & Dental College
Hobbies: Traveling, hiking, binge-watching tv shows, spending quality time with family and friends
EM Interests: The acuity, the fast-paced environment, the wide variety of cases and being there for people during the most critical and vulnerable moments of their lives.
Favorite Procedure: Intubations and Central Lines
EM Superpower: Staying calm in the chaos, keeping a clear head, prioritizing what matters, and bringing a little patience and kindness to even the busiest shifts.
Favorite thing about Nazareth: The people! I love being part of a program where the residents and faculty are supportive, approachable, and genuinely invested in each other’s growth.

PGY-1

Brian Amancio, MD, MPH

Hometown: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Undergrad: St. John’s University
Medical School: St. George’s University School of Medicine 
Hobbies: Long distance running & baseball
EM Interests: Anesthesia Critical Care 
Favorite Procedure: Thoracostomy
EM Superpower: Staying calm under pressure.
Favorite thing about Nazareth: The supportive, close-knit team and diverse patient population.

Karin Brown, DO

Undergrad: Arizona State University West, and Main in Tempe 
Medical School: University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hobbies: Being mommy, the outdoors, reading, painting and playing guitar
EM Interests: Wilderness med, Ultrasound, EMS
Favorite Procedure: Nerve blocks
EM Superpower: Master of the lac repair
Favorite thing about Nazareth: The people! From my interview, I knew I would feel comfortable here. Everyone was so friendly and set up clear expectations without leaving too much to guess and experiment with trial and error. Not being from PA, I was nervous starting at a place where I was not totally clear on the culture, but everyone made me feel right at home here.

Mary Beth Brownlee, DO

Hometown: Frackville, Pa.
Undergrad: IUP, Penn State, Widener University
Medical School: Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hobbies: A little bit of everything! Hanging out with my kids, community organizing & advocacy work, tinkering & gardening.
EM Interests: Pediatric emergency medicine, toxicology
Favorite Procedure: Don’t know yet
EM Superpower: AuDHD & life experience
Favorite thing about Nazareth: The community and such a range of interesting personalities. Genuinely warm, welcoming, supportive learning environment and room for authenticity.

Krysten Floyd, MD

Hometown: Miami, Florida
Undergrad: University of Florida
Medical School: Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
Hobbies: Dancing, cooking/grilling, reading, roller blading, trying new Philly restaurants!
EM Interests: Trauma
Favorite Procedure: Ultrasound-guided lines!
EM Superpower: Not sure yet!
Favorite thing about Nazareth: The people.

Himabindu Gonuguntla, MD

Hometown: Ashburn, Virginia
Undergrad: University of Virginia
Medical School: American University of the Caribbean
Hobbies: Exploring different restaurants, yoga, traveling
EM Interests: Undecided yet but considering fellowships!
Favorite Procedure: Intubations
EM Superpower: Multitasking and staying calm under pressure
Favorite thing about Nazareth: I love that Nazareth has a community that builds friendships. The environment feels like family with so many familiar faces every day. It is a great environment to learn in and the patient population has been a pleasure to serve.

Ashik Rajak, MD

Hometown: Kathmandu, Nepal
Medical School: Kathmandu Medical College
Hobbies: Photography, traveling, listening to music, chess, weight-lifting 
EM Interests: Global EM, POCUS, Medical Education
Favorite Procedure: Ultrasound guided lines
EM Superpower: Keeping calm and carrying on
Favorite thing about Nazareth: The attendings, seniors, co-residents, and everyone in the ED. The learning opportunities and the support make it feel very homey.