Cardiologist Establishes Outpatient Cardiology Practice at Rumford Hospital
Richard S. Shulman, M.D.
Richard S. Shulman, M.D., a cardiologist, has recently established an outpatient cardiology practice at Rumford Hospital in the specialty clinics
Shulman spent the first decade of his career as Chief of Cardiology at Brown University and The Miriam Hospital in Rhode Island and the next two decades in the private practice of cardiology as managing partner of Cardiovascular Associates of RI. He has published extensively in the area of lipid metabolism. Ten years ago, as director of the Southcoast Hospital Systems cardiac catheterization laboratory he spearheaded the successful effort to establish cardiac interventional and surgical programs in community hospitals in Massachusetts. More recently he completed fellowships in Cardiac MRI at Washington University in St Louis and cardiac CT in New York.
Shulman earned his bachelor’s and MD degrees from Harvard University magna cum laude. He is a member of a number of professional organizations, and maintains fellowship affiliations with the American College of Physicians, the American College of Cardiology, the Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography and the Society of Cardiac Magnetic Imaging.
NEW PEDIATRICIAN JOINS BMH MEDICAL STAFF
Katya Petrova, MD
Brattleboro, VT – Pediatrician Katya Petrova, MD, has joined the Brattleboro Memorial Hospital medical staff. She is in practice with Just So Pediatrics.
Dr. Petrova received her master’s degree in biomedical sciences at Albany Medical College, Center for Immunology and Microbial Diseases, having received her medical degree at the Russian State Medical University in Moscow earlier.
Dr. Petrova, who was born in Russia and is fluent in both English and Russian, was named Outstanding Medical Student (having the equivalency to a 4.0 average) while at the Russian State Medical University. Dr. Petrova made a number of presentations in the medical community on various subjects while at Albany Medical College. Also while at the College, she taught undergraduate students and technicians laboratory skills in molecular cell biology.
Dr. Petrova is active in church-related activities and served as a pediatrician assistant and English language interpreter for medical missions to the Ukraine and Russia. Her interests and hobbies include sewing, reading, and ice skating.
Dr. Petrova comes to Just So Pediatrics after having recently completed a pediatric residency at State University of New York (SUNY) Downstate Medical Center. She is in the process of moving to the area, and looks forward to starting her practice with Drs. Valerie Rooney and Jane Katz Field at Just So Pediatrics.
SVMC Appoints Chief Medical Officer
Dr. Mark Donavan
BENNINGTON, VT – A local physician with extensive leadership experience, both as a hospital chief executive and a medical leader, has accepted the position of chief medical officer at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC). The hospital has tapped Dr. Mark Donavan, a lifetime resident of Bennington, to take the post beginning June 28.
“I am extremely pleased to have Dr. Donavan joining SVMC as chief medical officer,” said Thomas Dee, the hospital’s president and chief executive officer (CEO). “Health care is changing in Vermont and across the country. We need strong leadership to adapt successfully to these changes and to continue to deliver the high quality care we are known for. Dr. Donavan has the breadth and depth of experience that we need during these challenging times.”
Donavan lives in Bennington, and many community members may remember him from his private medical practice. He is board-certified in internal medicine and medical oncology. From 1976 to 1988, he provided primary care and medical oncology at his Bennington practice, serving for a time as SVMC’s medical staff president. In 1989, he left private practice to take a leadership position at the Leonard Hospital in Troy, N.Y. Since then, Dr. Donavan has held several positions in senior management, most notably as the president and CEO of Seton Health System, also in Troy. “SVMC is a very special hospital to me,” Donavan said. “It is my community hospital. I began my medical career in Bennington, so I was excited by the opportunity to come full circle. I share the goals of SVMC’s physicians, nurses, and other staff of providing the safe, efficient, reliable care our communities deserve.”
At Seton Health, Donavan led the health system to several notable achievements. Seton was named one of the Capital District’s best employers, and it improved its patient satisfaction scores by more than 12 percent, earning it a Compass Award from Press Ganey, a national patient satisfaction surveying company. He also oversaw major renovations, the reopening of the hospital’s maternity unit, and significant growth in revenue and patient volume.
In 2003, Donavan became a surveyor for the Joint Commission, an independent, national organization that certifies hospitals. Joint Commission accreditation is America’s gold standard for hospital quality. As a surveyor, Donavan visited hospitals nationwide to assess their quality and performance. In 2007, he opened his own consulting firm dedicated to helping hospitals with medical staff credentialing and governance as well as meeting the standards set by the Joint Commission. “I knew Mark Donavan when he practiced internal medicine and medical oncology here in Bennington,” said Dr. Richard Guerrero, MD, chair of the SVHC Board of Trustees. “He is an outstanding physician with a wealth of leadership experience. On behalf of the board of trustees, I welcome him back to our medical staff. Board members are very pleased that the SVMC leadership team found such a highly qualified physician leader.” Donavan grew up in Bennington and attended the old Bennington High School. He graduated from Williams College, and his medical degree is from the University of Vermont College of Medicine. He completed his residency in internal medicine at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque and took his fellowship in medical oncology at Albany Medical College.
“SVMC and I go back to at least 1966, when I worked there during the summer,” he added. “I did a variety of jobs to give others time off for vacation. I worked in the hospital’s research lab, provided transport and clean up in radiology, and worked in the storeroom. During medical school, I did a rotation at SVMC.” Donavan is married to Suzy Donavan, who retired recently from a career as a reading teacher in the Bennington schools. They enjoy cross-country skiing, biking, and golf. They have two grown daughters, Margaret and Emily, and three grandchildren. Donavan’s brother, Peter Donavan, and sister, Sally Goodrich, also live in Bennington, and his brother Jed resides in Hoosick Falls.
