Leadership
Kristin M. Burkart, MD, MSc
- Program Director
"I have been the fellowship program director since 2011 and I am extremely proud of our fellows and our fellowship program. I love being part of a community that cares so deeply about fellow education, mentorship, and career advancement. My leadership positions within Association of the Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine and the American Thoracic Society provide a unique lens and bring an expertise that is directly beneficial to our program and fellows. One of my greatest joys is to guide and support fellows through the career development process, creating individualized training, and providing unique training opportunities that launch their careers. It brings me great joy to watch our fellows succeed during fellowship and beyond!"
Briana Short, MD
- Associate Program Director
"I came to Columbia for my fellowship and stayed on as faculty. During fellowship I gravitated towards learning all about mechanical ventilation and ECMO and have continued this focus, now teaching on both local and national levels. As Associate Program Director, I focus on simulation training and wellness. I love our fellowship and faculty community here at CUIMC and I love all that NYC has to offer. "
Max O’Donnell, MD
- Associate Program Director for Research
I have a background in clinical and translational research, host immunology and pathogen molecular epidemiology, with a focus on TB and acute respiratory infections. From a public health perspective, my focus is on global lung health including teaching students and trainees from low- and middle-income countries. My global health work involves face-to-face collaboration in South Africa, Uganda, Rwanda, Mozambique, and Ethiopia. y career path involved coming to Columbia as a medicine resident, fellowship at Boston Unviersity, and a faculty position at Einstein/Montefiore, before returing to Columbia as faculty. I really enjoy working with the fellows clinically in the intensive care units and on pulmonary consults, including teaching procedures, clinical reasoning, and evidence-based medicine. On the research side, I meet with the fellows frequently starting in the first year, and enjoy trying to get fellows a bit outside of their comfort zone to think about what a satisfying academic path might look like for them.
Madhavi Parekh, MD
- Ultrasound Course Director
"I have been at Columbia since 2007 and am a member of the medical critical care faculty. I have specific interests in management of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), critical care ultrasound, and education. I am the Director of Critical Care Education of the Medical ICU and the Director of the MICU resident and medical student MICU sub-internship rotations. I have a particular focus in critical care or point of care ultrasound (POCUS) and ultrasound education."
Alexandra Burkhart
- Fellowship Program Manager
"I started working with the fellowship program in 2015, and immediately realized how much I loved working with our community of fellows and faculty. As busy as it is, interview season is my favorite time during the fellowship year. Interacting with our wonderful applicants, fellows, and faculty is incredibly rewarding. I am originally from the Bay Area, California, but have found a home on the East Coast. I feel very lucky to be a part of the Pulmonary and Critical Care community at Columbia."
