Steffi Masilamani, M.B.B.S.

Medical school: The Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R Medical University

Residency: University of Minnesota

What attracted you to pediatric cardiology?

I loved learning about the heart during my pre-residency rotation in pediatric cardiology, and that interest continued to grow during residency. I find the complex cardiac anatomy and pathophysiology interesting, challenging, and fascinating all at once. I also like the long-term continual relationship we establish with the patients and their families.  

What attracted you to Mayo Clinic for fellowship training?

I really wanted to train at Mayo Clinic — the robust clinical experience and the abundant research opportunities were a perfect blend for me.

What is living in Rochester, Minnesota, like for you?

Rochester is a small but beautiful city. It has great suburbs that are just perfect and safe for my little family. 

Liwei Yu, M.B., Ph.D.

Medical school: Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine

Residency: Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY

How is your fellowship at Mayo Clinic going?

I’ve had a great experience so far. There is always enough time for teaching, not only from the consultants but from my co-fellows and all the other staff members. It is a great learning environment.

What is living in Rochester, Minnesota, like for you?

It is relaxing to live in Rochester, which is a safe and welcoming community. Outdoor activities and decent restaurants are always accessible within 10 minutes. And the cost of living is also relatively low, which is a big bonus.

Michael Penfold, M.D.

Medical school: Florida State University College of Medicine

Residency: Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science

What attracted you to Mayo Clinic for fellowship training?

The consultants at Mayo Clinic are exceptional and dedicated to patient care, fellow education, and research. The consultants provide excellent formal lectures but are also easily accessible anytime questions arise. There are unlimited opportunities for research and the faculty are extremely supportive regardless of your level of experience.

What is living in Rochester, Minnesota, like for you?

Rochester is a very safe, affordable, and family-friendly place to live. The cost of living is great and as a fellow, you can purchase or rent a home close to the hospital. Rochester is a great city for families with plenty of hiking trails, paved bike trails, and campgrounds.

Kaitlyn Krebushevski, D.O.

Medical school: New York College of Osteopathic Medicine

Residency: Stony Brook Children's Hospital

What attracted you to pediatric cardiology?

The complexity of cardiac pathophysiology is what attracted me the most. It forces you to understand rather than memorize the "plumbing" and "electrical" system of the cardiovascular system. We care for babies from in utero all the way into adulthood. Lastly, I love that we have such wonderful noninvasive modalities to aid in diagnosis and treatment.

What attracted you to Mayo Clinic for fellowship training?

At Mayo Clinic I knew I would be training under physicians that are top specialists in their fields, with world class facilities and endless amount of resources. Despite this, everyone is so friendly and down to earth! My colleagues, their ambition and passions have motivated me to push my limits as a pediatric cardiologist.

Do you have any special interests within the program?

I am interested in interventional cardiology. The volume and variety of procedures being conducted in the cath lab are expanding rapidly. The room for innovation is tremendous. We are now treating neonatal, pediatric and adult patients with congenital heart disease who are not candidates for open-heart surgery. 

What is living in Rochester, Minnesota, like for you?

Living in Rochester is different from New York City and Long Island where I am originally from! I enjoy the less stressful small-town feel. I have all the stores, shops, and restaurants that I need within 10 minutes of me. As someone who loves the outdoors, I love all the hiking trails and lakes Minnesota has!

Ruth Eletta, M.B.B.S.

What attracted you to pediatric cardiology?

Pediatric cardiology was a specialty that I found very challenging in medical school because of the complexity of its pathophysiology. So I naturally got engrossed in studying and trying to learn more. Due to my curiosity, the more I learned, the more I discovered that there is still more to learn, and I thought, you know what? Just do a fellowship.

What attracted you to Mayo Clinic for fellowship training?

I was attracted to the Mayo Clinic because of its reputation of excellence and numerous available resources for training fellows, equipping us to be the best pediatric cardiologists. There is a good balance between autonomy and supervision and a whole lot of learning opportunities in an enabling environment.

Do you have any special interests within the program? 

I am enjoying every bit of the training and still trying to explore.

What is living in Rochester, Minnesota, like for you? 

I love life in Rochester a lot, and it's now one of the top places on my list of places to live. Most of the stores that I loved to visit in New York are also here in Rochester. I can get to most places that I need to be within a 10-minute drive. The people are nice and friendly and always willing to help. My colleagues are amazing, I couldn't have asked for a better group of people to work with. I am so glad to be here!

Rusty Magnan, M.D.

What attracted you to pediatric cardiology?

I have always been fascinated by the way the heart works and the various abnormalities that can occur. In pediatric cardiology, we get to see the spectrum of both congenital and acquired heart defects from utero to adulthood. 

What attracted you to Mayo Clinic for fellowship training?

I was interested in a fellowship at Mayo Clinic because I knew I would get a wonderful training here and be able to see the full spectrum of cardiac pathology. Training here, you get to work with some of the top consultants in the field who are also interested in teaching. The consultants and co-fellows have all been so friendly and helpful. 

What is living in Rochester, Minnesota, like for you?

I have really enjoyed living in Rochester so far. It is a safe and friendly place to live with a great cost of living. I have enjoyed taking my dog on different hiking trails, going to the farmer's market, exploring different festivals/ events, and trying new restaurants /breweries around town. It is also a short trip up to the Twin Cities to go see a sports game.