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Meet Our Fellows

Geriatric medicine fellows speaking with faculty in the hall at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

Our fellows and faculty foster a collegial environment and education-focused culture that provides an inclusive learning experience. Training can be challenging, but our program is close-knit and each fellow brings a dedication to providing stellar patient care as well as a collaborative learning experience.

Meet our current fellows in the Geriatric Medicine Fellowship at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

Sara Medina-Bielski, M.D.

Sara Medina-Bielski, M.D.

Hometown: Wisconsin Rapids, WI

Medical school: Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University

Residency: Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education

Why did you choose to train at Mayo Clinic? 

"Mayo Clinic is a unique environment where you can see interesting cases from around the world and work with some of the top doctors in their field while also serving the community in Rochester, Minnesota. The environment at Mayo Clinic is very collegiate and teaching is a top priority. I feel I have been well-supported throughout my training at Mayo Clinic to help me build my career goals and achieve those goals."

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Vanessa Crerar, D.O.

Vanessa Crerar, D.O.

Hometown: Plymouth, MN

Medical school: Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine

Residency: Novant Health Family Medicine

Why geriatrics?

"When I spent time in a nursing home facility, I fell in love with the stories patients would tell and I was challenged by how to best manage their multifaceted medical care. This fellowship allows me to be engaged in several avenues of geriatric care - outpatient, inpatient, short-term nursing, long-term care, and homebound evaluations. This fellowship has also allowed me to further my training in medical directorship and complete the requirements towards becoming a certified medical director, which was an opportunity special to our Geriatric Fellowship at Mayo Clinic." 

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Alisha Garel, M.D.

Alisha Garel, M.D.

Hometown: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Medical school: Medical University of the Americas

Residency: SUNY Upstate University Medical Center

What do you love about the Geriatric Medicine Fellowship at Mayo Clinic?

"The rotation opportunities and the individualized curriculum designed to meet your career goals are incredible! Mayo Clinic provides a strong geriatric medicine foundation while also giving you an opportunity to focus on the skills and training you desire to be as prepared as possible after graduation. This fellowship experience is unique to Mayo Clinic, providing an extremely well-rounded education, all while working amongst an incredible faculty of educators. Every member of our team, whether in the clinic, the hospital, or behind the scenes are always here to provide support and guidance which helps the fellows to stay focused on their educational goals."

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