Dr. Anuj Shah, M.D., FACC, FSCAI
Growing up in India, Dr. Shah saw an epidemic of cardiovascular disease, partly due to genetic predisposition and partly from new diet and lifestyle habits of western influence. He made it his mission to make a difference in the cardiovascular health of people by prevention, early screening, and cutting-edge procedures. After finishing his medical school with honors and seven gold medals in India, he pursued further training at the University of Connecticut, authoring more than 50 articles and book chapters in various prestigious journals. He won several awards including the Young Investigator Award at several national cardiology conferences. He further pursued training at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City, one of the top centers in the world, and got training in cutting-edge complex cardiac and vascular cases that most other interventionalists would not be able to intervene upon. Dr. Shah has held various leadership positions including Director of Vascular Interventions at several prestigious institutes and also held academic positions including Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City.
A leader in medicine, Dr. Shah has been named a “Top Physician” in the 2015 edition of Leading Physician of the World and has been among the “Top Doctors of New Jersey” since 2015. He holds seven board certifications, which include but do not limit to Internal Medicine, Cardiology, and Interventional Cardiology.
Dr. Shah is currently the founder and director of Apex Heart and Vascular Care, a modern facility with comprehensive cardiac care and cutting-edge technologies, keeping the principles of evidence-based care and compassion. His mission is to bring his Manhattan-based cardiovascular expertise, coupled with a dedicated family-based approach, to his patients in New Jersey.
Throughout his career, he has contributed to the scientific community through the publication of multiple articles, book chapters, and presentations at national and international conferences.
Dr. Shah currently has admitting privileges and performs interventional procedures at The Hackensack University Medical Center, St. Mary’s Medical Center, St. Michael Medical Center, and Englewood Hospital. His areas of interest include treatment of circulatory disease and office-based treatment of varicose veins, swelling of the legs, and venous ulcers.
Dr. Shah lives in New York City. He likes to play tennis, golf, and do mathematics puzzles (He went into Mathematics Olympics!!) He is also active in a non-profit organization providing cutting-edge advanced care in developing countries.
To learn more about Doctor Shah, visit his website https://www.dranujshah.com.
Dr. Deepak Shah, M.D.
Dr. Deepak O. Shah is a board-certified cardiologist and internist. He earned his undergraduate degree from K.C. College and his medical degree from T.N. Medical College, both in Mumbai, India. He then completed his internship in internal medicine at Perth Amboy General Hospital, followed by an internal medicine residency at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Elizabeth, NJ, and Bergen Pines County Hospital in Paramus, NJ. He completed a cardiology fellowship at East Orange VA Hospital in 1986 and is board-certified in cardiology and by the American Society of Echocardiography. He has been a practicing cardiologist at Christ Hospital and Jersey City Medical Center in Jersey City, NJ, for over 35 years. During that time, he held leadership roles at Christ Hospital, including Director of the Echocardiography Lab, Director of the Critical Care Unit, and Chief of Cardiology. He also has extensive invasive cardiology experience and has performed over a thousand diagnostic catheterizations. Dr. Shah is a compassionate physician dedicated to providing excellent patient care. He is also a proud father of two beautiful girls and feels blessed to be the loving grandfather of three very energetic grandchildren.
Dr. Kunal Brahmbhatt, M.D. FACC
Dr. Kunal Brahmbhatt is excited to be working at Apex Heart and Vascular following a journey that has encompassed the majority of the prior two decades. Dr. Brahmbhatt was born in Jersey City, moving to several locations before being primarily raised in New York. He attended Drexel University in Philadelphia, graduating Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science, and attended the Drexel University College of Medicine, graduating with a Doctor of Medicine. He also attended the Drexel LeBow College of Business and received a Master in Business Administration.
Following his studies, Dr. Brahmbhatt moved to Long Island, New York to begin his Internal Medicine residency at NYU Winthrop Hospital. He continued his training at NYU Winthrop by completing his fellowship in Cardiovascular Disease as well as a subspecialty fellowship in Interventional Cardiology. During his residency and fellowship training, Dr. Brahmbhatt was involved in research and publications, having the opportunity to present at several local and national academic conferences. Dr. Brahmbhatt is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Cardiology, as well as Nuclear Cardiology and Echocardiography.
Dr. Brahmbhatt prides himself on his ability to communicate and empathize with his patients. He is devoted to his work and has acquired many particular skills during his training that allow him to effectively diagnose and treat his patients. He is skilled in cardiac catheterization and percutaneous coronary intervention and has been trained to perform both peripheral vascular and structural cardiac interventions.
When Dr. Brahmbhatt is not busy with work, he enjoys traveling all across the world, immersing himself in various cultures and cuisines, and speaks functionally native Gujarati and Spanish. He also enjoys cooking, physical fitness, and spending time with his family. He is always rooting for his favorite New York/New Jersey Metro area sports teams. Dr. Brahmbhatt is thrilled to return to New Jersey, helping the same community in which he was born.
Dr. Sarina Sachdev, M.D., FACC
Dr. Sarina Sachdev was born and raised in San Jose, California. She completed her medical school at American University of the Caribbean. She then moved to New York City for Internal Medicine Residency at NYU Langone. She did further training in Cardiology at the University of South Alabama University Hospital. And most recently, she completed her Interventional Cardiology training at Michigan State University Ascension Borgess Hospital. Her current career interests include coronary, peripheral, and TAVR interventions. She is also looking to expand on her interest in women’s cardiovascular health. Outside of work, she enjoys spending her time dancing, reading, and trying new and unique cuisines.
Dr. Jayant Barai M.D.
Dr. Jayant Barai, MD, is an Internal Medicine Specialist with over 44 years of experience in the cardiology field. He graduated from the University of Newcastle, faculty of medicine, in 1978. He has performed hundreds of cardiac interventions and is passionate about utilizing ultrasound interpretation as a tool for early prevention and diagnosis.
Joseph Schuld, MS, PA-C
Joseph Schuld is a Physician Assistant originally from Monmouth County, NJ. He received his Bachelor’s in Biology at Monmouth University. He then went on to receive a Masters in Science from Drexel University in Philadelphia. Coming from a family of teachers, he is one of the first in his family to pursue a career in medicine. Through college, he had the opportunity to work in Guatemala and Nicaragua which allowed him to become fluent in Spanish. Being able to connect with people in Spanish helps Joseph to deepen his relationships with a wider array of patients. His passions include fitness, faith, and medicine with an emphasis on excellent patient-provider relationships. When he is not in the office, you may find him at the gym weightlifting, at the local bowling alley, reading a good book, or learning to cook a new meal.
Urvashi Shukla, MS, PA-C
Urvashi Shukla is a Physician Assistant. She received her Bachelor’s of Science from Rutgers University and a Masters of Science from Boston University School of Medicine. She was born in India and moved to America at a young age. Urvashi loves speaking Gujarati and Hindi with her family and patients. Urvashi feels a deep passion for Cardiology after seeing widespread heart disease in her family. She loves interacting with patients from different cultures and cultivating relationships with them while advocating for cardiovascular health. She loves serving the community as a healthcare provider! She spends time with family and friends in her free time, cooking, reading, exercising, and traveling.
Christian Gonzalez, MS, PA-C
Christian Gonzalez is a Physician Assistant who graduated from the New York Institute of Technology in Long Island, New York. He was born in New York yet raised steeped in the Guatemalan culture. Christian speaks Spanish and loves to give back to his community. Christian strongly believes in ensuring that his patients have an understanding of their health conditions in order to prevent the advancement of heart diseases. Christian has traveled to twenty-five countries and numerous cities. Christian enjoys learning about different cultures, trying new foods, and meeting people. When Christian is not traveling, he enjoys spending time with his family and going to the gym.
Melissa Velasquez, MS, PA-C
Melissa Velasquez is a Physician Assistant who graduated from the College of Saint Mary’s physician assistant program. Melissa is driven by working with the Spanish-speaking community and helping them understand their health. She enjoys teaching her patients about cardiovascular disease and the risk factors that increase their incidence. Melissa’s family is from El Salvador, and she is fluent in Spanish. In her free time, she enjoys hiking and cooking.
Kevin Suttles, RN BSN MSN
Kevin Suttles is a nurse practitioner who graduated from Felician College with a bachelor’s degree in Science and Nursing. He completed the Adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Program from Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck. Kevin is passionate about working with the most affected communities in NJ by cardiovascular disease. Kevin is a patient-centric Registered Nurse (RN) with ten years of experience in Acute care, sub-acute, home care, and inpatient rehabilitation settings and travel. Kevin comes from a Colombian family and is fluent in Spanish.
Jenill Rodriguez, MSN FNP-C
Jenill Rodriguez is a nurse practitioner who graduated from William Paterson University, in Wayne with a bachelor’s degree in Science and Nursing. Jenill achieved her Family Nurse Practitioner Program degree from Chamberlain University in Illinois. Jenill puts a lot of focus on early intervention and detection of cardiovascular disease, and always ensures to do thorough and wholistic screenings with all her patients. Jenill prides herself in providing optimal care and improved patient outcomes. She is a Registered Nurse (RN) with ten years of experience in Med Surgical, Sub-acute, Long-Term Care, Substance Abuse, Phsychiatry, and Orthopedics. Jenill is fluent in Spanish, and is passionate about travelling, learning about different cultures to better understand her patients, and trying new foods.
Nicole Sunga, FNP-BC, RN
Nicole Lozada Sunga is a board certified family nurse practitioner. She received her Master’s degree and Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from the Ramapo College of New Jersey. Nicole has had nine years of cardiac telemetry experience as a bedside nurse. She was born and raised in New Jersey. Nicole speaks Tagalog and English fluently. Nursing has always been a true passion of hers. Nicole believes in providing empathetic, kind and efficient care. She values patient education, ensuring patients are heard and supported and integrating family- patient oriented care. Nicole loves dancing, being outdoors, traveling, spending quality time with family and friends, and trying different cuisines and desserts.
Amanda Cox, Physician Assistant
Amanda C. Cox is a highly skilled Physician Assistant specializing in cardiovascular care. With extensive experience in patient assessment, diagnostic interpretation, and treatment planning, Amanda excels in managing a range of cardiovascular conditions, including heart failure, hypertension, and peripheral artery disease. Her clinical expertise spans various medical specialties, including Family Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Psychiatry, and more. Amanda’s dedication to patient care extends beyond clinical settings, demonstrated through volunteer work as an Emergency Medical Technician and participation in community health initiatives. With a commitment to excellence and a compassionate approach to patient care, Amanda C. Cox is poised to make a significant impact in the healthcare field.
Jay Pathak, Physician Assistant
Jay Pathak, PA-C, is a highly qualified Physician Assistant with a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Seton Hall University. Licensed in both New Jersey and New York, he has established himself in the field of endocrinology, specializing in the management of blood pressure and thyroid disorders. Jay’s clinical approach is deeply rooted in patient-centered care, focusing on developing individualized treatment plans. His proficiency in managing complex medical conditions is complemented by his dedication to community health initiatives. He is actively involved in mentoring programs, educating young students about the intricacies of healthcare, and fostering the next generation of medical professionals. Fluent in English and Gujarati, with a working knowledge of Spanish, Pathak effectively communicates with and caters to a culturally diverse patient base. His commitment to healthcare excellence is evident in his ongoing efforts to keep abreast of the latest medical advancements and practices. Jay Pathak stands out as a compassionate healthcare provider, dedicated to improving patient outcomes and contributing positively to the medical community.
Eliana Callejas, Physician Assistant
Eliana Callejas, PA-C, is a dedicated Physician Assistant with a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry (Honors) from Saint Elizabeth University. Eliana is licensed by the New Jersey State Board of Medical Examiners and certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants.
During her academic tenure, Eliana delved into extensive clinical rotations across various medical specialties, including Surgery at Morristown Medical Center, Internal Medicine at Newark Beth Israel, Family Medicine at Zufall Health Center, Pediatrics at Penn Medicine Princeton Health, and more. Eliana contributed as a Community HealthCorps AmeriCorps Member at Zufall Health, offering counseling in insurance enrollment and implementing reproductive health education initiatives for immigrant youth.
Committed to advancing her field, Eliana maintains active membership in professional organizations such as the American Academy of Physician Assistants, the New Jersey State Society of Physician Assistants, and the Society of Dermatology Physician Assistants. Additionally.
Fluent in English and proficient in Spanish, Eliana effectively communicates with a diverse patient population, ensuring comprehensive care tailored to individual needs. Her passion for community health, evidenced through her involvement in counseling programs and medical education initiatives, underscores her dedication to improving patient outcomes and fostering the next generation of healthcare professionals.