Family Medicine Residents PGY1 Class of 2024-2025
Nicole Acero, MD
Medical School: Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine
Health Center: Codman Square Health Center
Nicole was raised in New Jersey and received her undergraduate degree at New York University, studying Global Public Health and Sociology. While at NYU Nicole learned how the context of our social structures, belief systems, and values affects our health. She applied this concept to her research in the Empower Lab where she studied sexual and gender-based violence. Nicole then attended Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine. She continued to advocate for women’s health through her research on abortion misinformation and through her experiences volunteering with Planned Parenthood and Exhale Pro-Voice. During medical school, Nicole founded the Hackensack Meridian Procedural Doula Program, where medical students serve as doulas to address patients' pain and anxiety while they undergo gynecologic procedures. She is excited to train at Boston Medical Center and pursue her passions for primary care and reproductive justice. Outside of medicine, Nicole enjoys camping, hiking, rock climbing, practicing yoga, and embroidering.
Meghan Boshart, MD
Medical School: State University of New York Upstate Medical University
Health Center: South Boston Community Health Center
Meghan grew up in Fayetteville, outside of Syracuse, New York and went to State Umiversity of New York at Geneseo to study biology and psychology. She worked as a medical scribe for physicians in Emergency Rooms, Family Medicine offices and Vascular Surgery offices in both Syracuse and Houston, Texas. During this time, she discovered her passion for clinical medicine and decided to return to Syracuse to attend SUNY Upstate Medical University. During her time here, she worked as a TA for fellow medical students and she volunteered with refugee populations, promoting health literacy and health advocacy for themselves and their communities. She is excited to continue pursuing her passion for primary care, health equity and academic medicine at the BMC family medicine program. Outside of medicine, you will find her out on the water, on a hike or inside working on a puzzle or her latest craft project.
Neil Cornwell, MD
Medical School: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine
Health Center: Greater Roslindale Medical and Dental Center
Neil grew up in New Jersey and moved to North Carolina during high school. He studied biomedical engineering at North Carolina State University. While an undergraduate, he was heavily involved with Habitat for Humanity and sought to help make housing more affordable for families in his community. While at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for medical school, Neil became interested in the diverse experiences that family medicine has to offer. He is passionate about providing care to traditionally underserved populations and is interested in the use of ultrasound to provide more cost-effective care. Neil has particularly enjoyed working with individuals experiencing substance use disorders, and is considering an addiction medicine fellowship. He is also interested in providing care to individuals who are unhoused, as well as those experiencing serious mental health disorders. He couples matched with his partner who is a resident in pediatrics at Boston Children’s Hospital. In his free time, Neil cultivates a wide variety of hobbies, including crochet, baking, disc golf and photography. Most importantly, Neil enjoys spending time with his six year old rescue dog, Cammie.
Natalia Forbath, MD
Medical School: Columbia University Vagelos College
Health Center: East Boston Neighborhood Health Center
Natalia grew up in Cambridge, MA. She attended Yale University where she studied political science and developed a passion for global health. After graduating from college, she received a fellowship to work with Compañeros en Salud (Partners in Health) in Chiapas, Mexico where she met justice-oriented family medicine doctors who inspired her to become a physician. She then returned to Massachusetts where she worked as a case manager at the Brookline Center for Community Mental Health serving individuals with complex chronic medical and mental health conditions in the Boston area. She attended medical school at Columbia University’s Vagelos College of Physician and Surgeons where she volunteered with the Columbia Harlem Homeless Medical Partnership student-run free clinic, led the family medicine interest group, and helped to found Columbia Students for Intersex Justice, a student advocacy group committed to improving medical care for individuals who are intersex. She is thrilled to be returning to the Boston area to train at BMC and the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center where she hopes to expand her interests in full-spectrum family medicine, reproductive justice, and street medicine. In her free time Natalia enjoys cooking new recipes with her partner, spending time with the people she loves, and trying her best to stay active.
Stav Gare, DO
Medical School: Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Health Center: South Boston Community Health Center
Stav was born in Jerusalem, Israel and moved to the United States when she was three. Following her high school education in South Florida, she volunteered in the Israel Defense Forces, where she served as a Sergeant and Fitness Instructor in the Israel Air Force. Returning to Florida, she pursued her undergraduate studies at the University of Central Florida. As President of Chabad, a prominent Jewish organization on campus, she initiated 'Mental Health Awareness Week,' facilitating access to resources and activities for all students. Additionally, Stav dedicated herself to the broader Orlando community, mentoring and tutoring children from underserved backgrounds and volunteering in equine-assisted therapy for children with disabilities. Amid the challenges of COVID-19 during medical school, she extended her service by volunteering at soup kitchens and assisting in vaccine administration. Stav’s most cherished accomplishment stems from creating ACOFP Boards Help as Vice President of the Education Committee. Recognizing a lack of formal support from upperclassmen during medical board preparation, she spearheaded this mentorship program to bridge this gap and to foster a culture of encouragement and guidance. Her dedication to community enrichment and emphasis on mental health advocacy remains her driving force. Stav is thrilled to become a part of the BMC family and to nurture these passions in Boston. In her free time, she enjoys staying active by going to the gym or paddle boarding, and exploring new dog parks with her puppy, Nova!
Patricia Giunta, MD
Medical School: University of Massachusetts T.H. Chan School of Medicine
Health Center: Greater Roslindale Medical and Dental Center
Patricia was born and raised in Boston and is thrilled to be coming home for residency! She attended McGill University in Montréal before heading to the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, where she studied medieval poetry and the origins of Italian literature. After completing her Master’s Degree, she worked in academic publishing and ESL teaching for several years before pivoting to medicine, spending 3 years in advanced heart failure and interventional cardiology research at Massachusetts General Hospital. At UMass Medical School, she worked extensively in the Worcester free clinics where she discovered a love for primary care and community health. She led multiple projects to create and expand the transgender medicine curriculum and developed a passion for queer advocacy and gender affirming care. She is particularly interested in LGBTQ+ healthcare, health equity and advocacy, and palliative care. In her free time, she loves hiking, exploring new coffeeshops and antique stores, taking care of houseplants, and starting lots of arts and crafts projects.
Javier Licardie, MD
Medical School: University of Connecticut School of Medicine
Health Center: Codman Square Health Center
Javier was born in Cuernavaca, Mexico but grew up in Cupertino, California. He studied Biochemistry at Tufts University where he fell in love with both Boston and his soon-to-be wife. While at Tufts he played Quidditch (now known as Quadball), dabbled in biomedical research, and volunteered for Engineers Without Borders. Between college and medical school, he worked for two years as a medical scribe for Cambridge Health Alliance, solidifying his passion for Family Medicine and caring for underserved populations. He then attended the University of Connecticut School of Medicine where he was able to further develop his interests through his extracurricular work. He volunteered for Walk With a Doc and led both the Student Wellness Committee and the Family Medicine Interest Group, but spent much of his free time volunteering for, and later directing, the South Park Inn homeless shelter student clinics and community engagement initiatives. Javier was drawn to BMC by its commitment to serving the underserved with the goal of making health equity the reality, along with the residency's strong inpatient medicine and obstetrics rotations. Outside of medicine, Javier enjoys spending time with his wife and dog (Waffles), trying out new restaurants and things to do in Boston, bullet journaling, and reading.
Thomas McGrath, MD
Medical School: Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine
Health Center: South Boston Community Health Center
Thomas (Tom) was born and raised in New Jersey. He attended Ramapo College for biology with the intention of becoming a physical therapist. While working in a physical/occupational therapy office as an undergrad student, the patients and therapists inspired him to explore becoming a physician. He had the opportunity to work with a fantastic physician who exemplified the humanism of medicine, which convinced him to pivot career goals later in college. As a medical student, he felt empowered by programs and opportunities that sought health justice. True to family medicine, he has multiple areas of interests and seeks to do them all: LGBTQ+ care, behavioral health, addiction medicine, street medicine, indigenous health, and so on. He is thrilled to be joining and learning at BMC, where the culture is steeped in patient and community advocacy. Outside of medicine, you can find Tom: hosting dinners, hiking, convincing himself he enjoys running, finding the best bagel, and learning new hobbies.
Genevieve Mulligan, MD, MPH
Medical School: University of Michigan Medical School
Health Center: Codman Square Health Center
Genevieve was raised in Virginia, then moved to the Northeast to study psychology and women and gender studies at Harvard College. After graduating, she stayed in the Boston area to work in mental health policy and advocacy. In that role, she encountered several physician advocates who inspired her to pursue a career in medicine. Along the way, she spent a year in Seattle working with individuals experiencing homelessness and living in intentional community with 7 wonderful housemates. These experiences reinforced a passion for advocacy, social justice, and population health that she continued to pursue in medical school. At Michigan, she built curricula about systemic racism and weight-neutral care, completed her MPH, and provided prenatal, postpartum, and newborn care at free clinics in Detroit and Flint. Outside of medicine, she enjoys building queer community, biking, hosting dinner parties, watching women’s sports, and exploring spirituality. She is so excited to return to New England and continue pursuing her passions for advocacy and social justice alongside like-minded individuals at BMC!
Eric Romo, MD, PhD
Medical School: University of Massachusetts T.H. Chan School of Medicine
Health Center: East Boston Neighborhood Health Center
Eric was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. He attended Harvard College, where he majored in Neurobiology with a minor in Global Health and Health Policy. During college, he developed an interest in both treating patients and using research to address the structural forces that affect the health of vulnerable populations. He enrolled in the MD/PhD program at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, where his doctoral research used mixed methods to investigate the impact of spatial proximity to sterile syringe sources and secondary syringe exchange on hepatitis C risk among rural people who inject drugs. During medical school, he cofounded the UMass Chan Human Rights and Asylum Program to provide forensic physical and psychological evaluations for people seeking asylum, helped organize health screening and education events as a volunteer for the Barbershop Health Network, and spearheaded medical humanities projects as a member of the Gold Humanism Honor Society. Eric is passionate about addiction medicine, healthcare for those experiencing homelessness, healthy equity, and community health. He is thrilled to join the BMC Family Medicine Residency Program and contribute to its mission of social justice. Outside of medicine, he enjoys reading (comic) books, watching films, playing board games, and spending quality time with his wife and three daughters.
Kathleen Wirshup, MD
Medical School: Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
Health Center: South Boston Community Health Center
Kat was born and raised in Chester County, Pennsylvania. She attended The College of William and Mary in Virginia earning a degree in Kinesiology with a minor in Chemistry while also throwing javelin on the track team. After graduation Kat spent a year in the Augustinian Volunteer Corps working as a teaching aide in Ventura, California. This year strengthened her love for community engagement and outreach. She then returned to the east coast to attend medical school at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University. She found a home in the LGBTQ+ student group, helping to coordinate vaccination events with community partners and organizing the Annual Philadelphia-wide LGBTQ in Health Care Forum. While there she also connected and volunteered with a community program called Zion Cares, a longitudinal experience that allowed Kat to connect with the lives, needs, and resilience of the North Philly community outside of the medical care setting. Kat is particularly interested in health equity, LGBTQ+ health, and HIV medicine. Outside of medicine Kat loves to run, play basketball, hike, camp, facetime her two nieces, and try her best at nature photography!
Monica Young, MD
Medical School: Boston University School of Medicine
Health Center: Codman Square Health Center
Monica grew up in northern New Jersey with her parents, two older sisters, three cats, and one dog. For her undergraduate education, Monica attended Cornell University where she first studied mechanical engineering with plans to work in theme park design before she fell in love with medicine and switched majors to biological engineering. After college, Monica moved to Boston and attended Boston University School of Medicine. During her time in medical school, Monica focused her extracurricular activities on her primary interests of reproductive health and healthcare disparities. She created a research project to investigate postpartum pain management among patients with opioid use disorder, co-founded the Trauma Informed Care Task Force, and was a group leader of the Cuddling Assists in Lowering Maternal and Infant Stress (CALM) program. Additionally, she has been passionate about teaching and mentorship since she started tutoring in high school and is always engaging in academic and medical enrichment activities. She is excited to stay at Boston Medical Center for Family Medicine residency where she will continue to take a holistic approach to health surrounded by people with similar missions and values.