New Physicians in the communityKiarash Kojouri, MD - Medical Oncology
Hassan Tabrizi, MD - Internal Medician
Rowena Pusateri, MD - Pediatrics
Tammy Starr, MD - Obstetrics and Gynecology
Oscar Briseno, Jr., MD - Cardiology
New medical oncologist joins cancer care center,
adds focus on research
Medical oncologist Kiarash Kojouri, MD, MPH will bring a focus on research and a complete approach to patient care as he joins the Skagit Valley Hospital Regional Cancer Care Center in August.
Dr. Kojouri joins the local practice after three years as an assistant professor of hematology and oncology in the Department of Medicine at the University of Oklahoma Medical Center, where he also served a fellowship in hematology and oncology and a residency in internal medicine. He is board certified in internal medicine, medical oncology and hematology.
“My general approach is htat I truly put myself in my patients’ shoes and try to see the world from their point of view and on their behalf,” Dr. Kojouri said. “I have a good listening ear and a complete approach to patient care as a whole, taking care of the medical as well as the social needs of my patients.”
Dr. Kojouri has a special interest in research after receiving a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology from the College of Public Health at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. His expertise will be beneficial in enhancing awareness of and access to clinical trials in use at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA). Skagit Valley Hospital Regional Cancer Care Center is a network member of SCCA, bringing access to the latest in research, diagnosis and treatment from Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, UW Medicine and Seattle Children’s.
“I have had training in clinical research, interpretation of literature and data, and applying proper statistical tests,” Dr. Kojouri said. “My goal is to be closely involved with the SCCA.”
Dr. Kojouri is pleased that the Skagit Valley Hospital Regional Cancer Care Center has a formal relationship with the world-renowned partners in the SCCA.
“Patients want cutting-edge care, which, many times, is only available at academic centers. This affiliation puts us at the forefront,” he said.
Dr. Kojouri has a special interest in platelet disorders, which manifest as excessive bleeding, as well as lung and head and neck cancers.
A strong program and a long-time friendship are what bring Dr. Kojouri and his family from Oklahoma to Northwest Washington. Dr. Kojouri and fellow medical oncologist Dr. Mehrdad Jafari, who joined the center in February, 2008, are former colleagues and good friends.
“I’m excited that we could recruit him here,” Dr. Jafari said. “He is an excellent clinician and he will strengthen our culture of high standards in oncology.”
Dr. Kojouri and his wife, Farnaz, have three children, 18-year-old Amir, five-year-old Hannah and Daniel, who was born in June. He enjoys family time, camping, hiking, mountain biking, table tennis, soccer and looks forward to enjoying the scenic Northwest.
Internal medicine specialist joins practice
Hassan Tabrizi, MD joined the Internal Medicine group at Skagit Valley Medical Center in Mount Vernon in May.
Dr. Tabrizi is a graduate of Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio and performed residencies at the MetroHealth Medical Center Department of Medicine in Cleveland and at North East Ohio University in Youngstown, Ohio.
He is board certified in Internal Medicine.
“I strive to maintain good communication with my patients,” Dr. Tabrizi said. “I also strive to provide them with information and education.”
Pediatrician inspired by fellow physician
As she grew up, Dr. Rowena Pusateri’s mother frequently reminded her of the kind pediatrician in the emergency room who may have saved the girl’s life.
Suffering from aspiration pneumonia, Dr. Pusateri was rushed to her hometown hospital in the Philippines where the family encountered a pediatrician who cared for the girl.
“If not for her, I would not be graduating this Sunday,” Dr. Pusateri said of the Filipino doctor in a recent interview, on the eve of her completion of her pediatric residency at Lutheran General Children’s Hospital in Park Ridge, Ill. “My mom would always tell me about that story of the doctor and I decided I would be like her.”
Dr. Pusateri joins Skagit Valley Medical Center in August as a pediatrician, fulfilling a goal she has had since she was four years old.
“By fourth grade, I knew I wanted to be a pediatrician. I like helping babies and kids who are sick,” she said.
Dr. Pusateri attended medical school at Far Eastern University in the Philippines and performed a pediatric residency at the University of the Philippines – Philippine General Hospital in Manila, followed by a fellowship in allergy and immunology at Santo Tomas University Hospital in Manila. Since July 2007, she has participated in a pediatric residency program at Lutheran General Children’s Hospital.
She has an interest in allergy and asthma patients and has experience with infections diseases and cystic fibrosis.
Dr. Pusateri said she looks forward to establishing relationships with her patients and families and looks out for the less fortunate.
“I am a simple doctor who would like to help the kids. I hope to offer my services to those who don’t have a lot,” she said. “It’s exciting to be starting my practice.”
Dr. Pusateri and her husband Melvin, a retired U.S. Air Force captain, have two sons, ages seven and five. They enjoy cooking, fishing and family time and look forward to living in a smaller community than the Chicago suburb where they have spent the past several years.
“We like a smaller community,” she said. “It will be a great place for our kids and for us too.”
New physician looks forward to partnership with patients
Dr. Tammy Starr, an obstetrician and gynecologist joining Skagit Valley Medical Center in August, considers herself a partner in her patients’ health.
“I am an educator as well as a provider. Knowledge gives a patient power and it also alleviates fear,” Dr. Starr said. “I have a mutual partnership in their health.”
Dr. Starr received a Bachelor of Science in Physiology Biology from Eastern Michigan University and Master of Science in Biology from Wayne State University. She earned her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from the Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine in East Lansing, Michigan.
She recently completed her internship and residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Genesys Regional Medical Center in Grand Blanc, Michigan, where she served as chief resident in 2008-2009.
Dr. Starr calls the 450-bed Genesys an “exiciting hospital” where more than 4,000 babies are delivered annually and surgical volume is high.
“I like the diversity of obstetrics and gynecology and the continuity of patient care,” Dr. Starr said. “I also like being in the operating room and performing procedures.”
Dr. Starr also enjoys providing comprehensive care to women of all ages.
“I have the opportunity to work with teenagers, the menopausal woman and all the stages in between,” she said. “I enjoy the chance to offer comprehensive, quality care.”
Assisting women through pregnancy and childbirth is another joy of the job.
“It’s a very exciting time to be part of a family’s life,” she said. “It’s a true honor to be with them at that time.”
In seeking a place to start a practice, Dr. Starr said she and her husband are drawn to the beauty and opportunities of the Northwest.
“It feels like the right fit,” she said. “It fits everything we were looking for.”
Dr. Starr and her husband, George, enjoy golf, hiking, home renovations and will bring their two horses and two miniature donkeys with them.
Cardiologist enjoys caring for the heart
Oscar Briseno, Jr., MD had hopes of being a baseball player, but found a greater passion in becoming a doctor caring for people’s hearts.
“I became interested in physiology and the importance of the heart which to me is the most vital organ in the body,” said Dr. Briseno, who joined Skagit Valley Medical Center – Cardiology in August. “It gives me a lot of pride to care for a person’s heart.”
Dr. Briseno received a medical degree from the Autonomous University of Guadalajara School of Medicine, completed the Fifth Pathway Program at New York Medical College School of Medicine, performed an internal medicine residency at Saint Vincent Catholic Medical Center in Brooklyn-Queens and recently completed a cardiology fellowship at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. He is board certified in internal medicine and will take the cardiology boards in November.
Cardiology caught Dr. Briseno’s interest as it is a field that is consistently on the cutting edge of new technology and treatment.
“Evidence-based medicine is always changing,” he said. “I enjoy being on the leading edge to benefit my patients.”
Dr. Briseno also works on prevention with his patients, in hopes of bringing healthy lifestyle changes to people to reduce cardiac-relatedillnesses.
“Working to lower their risks as much as possible gives me a lot of pride because I know I’m doing what I’m supposed to do to help a patient now and in the future,” he said.
Relationships with patients and families are also what drive Dr. Briseno as a provider.
“To hear ‘thank you for taking care of my dad, or thank you for taking care of my mother,’ means a great deal to me,” he said.
Dr. Briseno’s fellowship in Mississippi at the state’s only Level 1 trauma center gave him experience in working with the most severe cardiac cases and adult congenital heart disease, which helped him prepare for his new practice.
He has found the community open and welcoming to his family, including his wife Monira Vakil, DO and one-year-old daughter Farah.
“They talk about Southern hospitality, but I have found the hospitality here, the kindness and friendliness, the same or even better,” he said.
Away from work, Dr. Briseno enjoys playing with his little girl, traveling and the arts including museums and theater. He also plans to take in the Northwest beauty with some hiking and walking.
