Physician Assistant and Master of Public Health

When I imagine my ideal client, I simply imagine someone who is looking to make a change. This can be a change in the way they think, respond, or act in ways that they do not like. The issues of my ideal patient can be anything that they find unhelpful to an unfulfilling life. I understand that there may be fears surrounding the concept of seeing a mental health provider, and being vulnerable about serious symptoms such as anxieties, depression, or other thoughts. From my perspective as a PA in psychiatry, I aim to provide care focused in psychopharmacology. This is the medical management option to lower the disease burden of psychiatric illness. I envision the goals of my patients to be structured upon their individual wants and needs, met with my own in a shared decision making process. I practice medicine to be a guide for patients to navigate complex healthcare systems, help them better understand their own body, its systems, and mental health, and to build connections with patients. I welcome opportunities to learn with my patients, and to find ways that we can achieve the goals they create. With clearly outlined goals, patients can experience a deeper relationship within themselves.

I can help the needs of my patients by being deeply connected to the communities I am serving. In my public health education, I learned the significance of population health, and needs assessments, which are formal research projects completed to understand how best to serve the public. I practice evidence based medicine, and will continue to do so in the world of psychopharmacology. I continue to stay connected to the global discussions of psychiatry with updates from the New England Journal of Medicine and the Journal of the American Medical Association. I offer modern advancements in the field of psychiatry to my patients, including transcranial magnetic stimulation and intranasal Spravato therapy for treatment resistant depression. I also practice as a proud member of the LGBT community. I have experience treating patients with substance use disorder, which was a significant catalyst in the decision to pursue psychiatry practice in my own career. I offer a candid space to be present for patients to express what concerns them, and my experience with psychopharmacology as a tool to decrease the burden of these symptoms. I want to identify the appropriate treatment options available for my patients so that they can live their lives to the fullest.

I would like my patients to know that I come from a diverse background of clinical medicine. I have provided care in Connecticut and Massachusetts, and have loved living in Boston for many years now. I have a deep connection to all aspects of health, and have managed a wide variety of diseases. I am most recently coming from nephrology or kidney medicine! I really love being a PA, and I consider myself a “Zach” of all trades.

I enjoy volleyball, yoga, and running as some of my favorite forms of exercise. I happen to be vegan and have been to almost every place in Boston that offers a “vegan” anything! I stay connected with friends with a monthly book club, and we’re always looking for more recommendations so please share your favorites with me. I am fascinated with photography, and am trying very hard to take more pictures every day, just to see how different aspects of a photo can drastically change how we respond to it. I try to do new things often, and have an annual bingo board that I create every birthday to inspire me. I try to get bingo as soon as possible, but also achieve as many goals on the board as possible to really squeeze the juice out of life.