As a physician of the future, you will need the training to recognize and address the ways in which inequity currently drives health and well-being. Knowing that 80% of health is determined by circumstances outside of the traditional clinical and hospital setting, Saratoga Hospital Family Residency has been created to educate, mentor, and provide you with the knowledge, leadership, population health and broad-based community skills to confidently address health in a holistic and integrative way. We are the pioneers in our region leading this effort.
We're pleased to introduce you to the inaugural class of family medicine residents.
- Alina Bazarian, MD, is a proud daughter of Armenian immigrants and a first-generation college graduate and doctoral student. She was born in Troy and completed her undergraduate degree at Skidmore College. Alina earned her M.S. from Boston University School of Medicine and went to medical school at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine in New Jersey. Outside of work, she volunteers with organizations caring for dogs, practices digital photography, explores the outdoors with her partner, and listens to podcasts.
- Awais Chaudary, MD, grew up in Brampton, Ontario with his parents and two sisters. From a young age, he volunteered at his local hospital, coached youth soccer teams, served nonprofit organizations dedicated to helping the local homeless, and raised money for global disaster relief. Awais earned his B.S. from the University of Toronto, and completed his medical education at the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin, Ireland. When he's not at work, Awais plays soccer and basketball, enjoys trivia and board game nights, and spends time with his wife.
- Carolyn Corcoran, DO, was born in Mechanicville, where she grew up playing basketball, softball, and volleyball. She completed her undergraduate degree in biology at Elmira College and attended medical school at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. Carolyn returned to Elmira for clinical rotations, where she helped start a preventative care clinic for the Elmira community focused on lead screenings for children. Carolyn is an avid hiker, and has her eyes set on becoming an Adirondack Forty-Sixer. She also has two tuxedo cats, Meatball and Cannoli.
- Anna Kaoutskaia, MD, grew up in Toronto, Canada. Her extended family spans three continents, so she was fortunate to travel from an early age and spend her summers abroad. Anna earned her undergraduate degree at Queen's University in Ontario, where she first became involved in clinical research and developed an interest in community outreach. She completed medical school at St. Matthew's University School of Medicine in Grand Cayman. In her free time, Anna enjoys hiking while listening to a good podcast, oil painting, spending time with family and friends, and exploring new places to eat.
- Elena Mejery, MD, was inspired to pursue medicine by her mother's dedication to caring for the victim of a fight they both witnessed in Russia, Elena's home country. She graduated from medical school in Russia as an obstetrician/gynecologist, and practiced for five years before moving to America to seek a better life for herself and her family. Because she was unable to practice during the transition, Elena had to start her education from the very beginning, and entered medical school at the Medical University of the Americas—Nevis in 2015. When she is not at work, Elena enjoys yoga and pilates, learning languages, experimenting with new recipes, and spending time with family and friends.
- Zeynep Ovacik, MD, was born and raised in Ankara, Turkey, and moved to the vibrant city of Istanbul to attend medical school at Istanbul University Cerrahpasa School of Medicine. After graduation, she worked as a general practitioner at one of the city's biggest hospitals, where the whirlwind of fascinating medical cases made her realize she wanted to continue community service by providing medical treatment to marginalized groups. Zeynep and her family moved to the United States in 2021 to focus on family medicine, a specialty that encompasses a broad range of medicine while also addressing social determinants of health and encourages the establishment of building lasting relationships with patients. Outside of medicine, Zeynep enjoys the simple things: camping trips, exploring new destinations, teaching her son to play soccer, and trying new recipes with her husband.