Current Fellows
2026 - 2028
Zach Picciarelli, MD
Hometown: Monessen, PA
Medical School: Pitt Med
Residency: UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
Research interests: Diagnostic Stewardship, Antibiotic Stewardship, Medical Education
Favorite thing about CHP fellowship/Pittsburgh: My favorite thing about fellowship so far is the welcoming and hilarious PHM department. My favorite thing about Pittsburgh is getting to live in a city with a small-town feel. Fast-paced morning productivity can be followed by an afternoon in a state park and an evening at a Pirates game without ever being in the car for more than 40 minutes. The people are great too!
2025 – 2027
Alex Vincent, MD
Hometown: Arlington, VA
Medical School: Georgetown University School of Medicine
Residency: Nemours Children's Hospital-DE
Research interests: Clinical Research, Quality Improvement, Guideline Development (exploring this question more during fellowship...)
Favorite thing about CHP Fellowship/Pittsburgh: Being immediately warmly welcomed into the close-knit UPMC PHM family, and into the department Airbnb at PHM 2025
Fellowship Alumni
2024 - 2026
Anna Nelson, DO
Hometown: Nashville, TN
Medical School: West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency: University of Louisville, Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Chief Residency: Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Chief
Position after completion: TBD – goal is combined adult and pediatric hospitalist in an academic institution
Research interests: Medical education
Favorite thing about CHP fellowship/Pittsburgh: The variety of food – so many international options! And the accessibility – from my neighborhood (Highland Park), everything I need is within a 10-15 minute drive or even a short walk. Except IKEA which is only about 25min away. I was drawn to the fellowship program during my interview when I heard that the division rents a house together for the national PHM conference rather than staying in the hotel – it really is a testament to the PHM family they have built. After attending my first conference with everyone, I can confirm it is as fun as it sounds.
Current Position: Assistant Professor, Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Hospital Medicine
2023 - 2025
Arsala Syed, DO, MS, MA
Hometown: Orlando, FL
Residency: St. Christophers Hospital for Children
Research interests: Asthma and Health Disparities, Quality Improvement, Medical Education
Favorite thing about CHP fellowship/Pittsburgh: Everyone is very kind and supportive here, coming from a tight-knit residency I felt entirely at ease with my transition because of everyone's willingness to be helpful!
Current Position: Assistant Professor, Duke Children’s Hospital
2022 - 2024
Maritza Harper, MD
Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA
Medical School: Weill Cornell Medical College
Residency: Nemours/ChristianaCare/Thomas Jefferson University, Internal Medicine and Pediatrics
Chief Residency: Medicine Chief
Research Interests: Medical education, Clincal Reasoning curriculum
Favorite thing about Pittsburgh: The various opportunities for fun- festivals, fruit picking, farms, museums- It is fun to explore these activities with my family.
Current position: Assistant Professor, Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Hospital Medicine
2021 – 2023
Maia Taft MD 
Hometown: Lexington, MA
Medical School: University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Residency: UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
Chief Residency: UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
Research interests: Quality Improvement, Health Equity, Guideline Development
Favorite thing about Pittsburgh: My favorite thing about CHP PHM fellowship is that the division feels like family, you are both supported and motivated to reach your potential. Current Position: Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh
2020 – 2022
Eleanor Sharp MD MS 
Hometown: Atlanta, GA
Medical School: University of Virginia School of Medicine
Residency: UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
Research interests: curriculum development and medication education; improving transitions of care in critically ill patients, promotion of gender equity in academic medicine
Favorite thing about Pittsburgh: After completing residency at UPMC Children's, I knew I could never find a better ‘work family’ than the Pediatric Hospital Medicine division here in Pittsburgh. The culture of the entire hospital is so uplifting and supportive, the faculty are brilliant yet incredibly approachable (and always open to acquiring new mentees!), and the hospital really is part of the community. The camaraderie amongst attendings and trainees of all levels and specialties represents a genuine investment in the shared goal of improving the lives of children and families.
Current Position: Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Associate Program Director, PHM Fellowship, University of Pittsburgh
2019 - 2021
Grace Slater MD
Hometown: Bolingbrook, IL
Medical School: University of Illinois at Peoria, Peoria IL
Residency: Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee WI
Fellowships: Pediatric Hospital Medicine, UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh & Hospice and Palliative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Research interests: Cultural Health Disparities, teaching communication for difficult situations, communication skills surrounding responding to discriminatory comments, care of hospitalized patients with significant neurologic impairment
Favorite thing about Pittsburgh: The family-like atmosphere of the residents, fellows and faculty.
Current Position: Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Pediatric Palliative Medicine and Pediatric Hospital Medicine Physician at Children's Medical Center Dallas.
2018 – 2020 
Elise Lu MD PhD
Hometown: Columbia, Missouri
Medical School: Washington University in St Louis
Residency: UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
Research interests: Growth faltering (failure to thrive), high value care
Favorite thing about Pittsburgh: PHM work family, support from colleagues in other divisions, raising my girls in a beautiful city with a zoo, museums, and amazing parks where we could also afford to buy a house
Current Position: Assistant Professor, Western University Children's Hospital London Health Sciences Centre in Ontario, Canada