About the Interventional Pulmonology Fellowship Program
Welcome to the Interventional Pulmonology Fellowship Program. VCU Medical Center is home to state’s largest and most comprehensive interventional pulmonology (IP) subspecialty service. The physicians who lead the center are among a very small group in Virginia who are board certified in Interventional Pulmonology, and together, with an outstanding staff and consulting physicians, provide the highest quality of care one can expect in the region.
This growing service uses advanced endoscopic techniques of both the airway and the pleural space for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Our experienced team, led by Wes Shepherd, M.D., works in close cooperation with other specialists at VCU Medical Center, to assure treatments are coordinated and communication with patients and referring physicians is clear.
- The broadest array of diagnostic and therapeutic options in one setting
- One of the highest procedure volumes of programs in the U.S.
- One of only a few programs in the U.S. with three fellowship trained interventional pulmonologists
- Uniquely tailored care plans for each patient
- Easily arranged outpatient referrals, inpatient admissions and transfers
- New patients seen within one week
- Research protocols for patients to consider
- Experienced physicians:
Wes Shepherd, MD, FCCP: Virginia’s first fellowship trained Interventional Pulmonologist
Peter Lee, MD, MHS, FCCP: Fellowship trained Interventional Pulmonologist
Danai Khemasuwan, MD, MBA, FCCP: Interventional Pulmonary Fellowship Program Director
This year of training allows our graduates to enter the field prepared to manage a broad spectrum of diseases and their associated interventional pulmonary procedures. Our graduates are qualified to start or join an Interventional Pulmonology Program.
Welcome
Program Director: Danai Khemasuwan, MD, MBA, FCCP, ATSF
Learn
Program Curriculum & Conferences
Curriculum:
Interventional Pulmonology fellows will rotate within inpatient and outpatient interventional pulmonary consults, and will spend elective time on thoracic surgery and research.
Conference |
Day/Time |
Frequency |
CORE FELLOWSHIP CONFERENCES |
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Chest tumor board conference |
Mondays, 7:00 - 8:00 am |
Weekly |
IP fellow conference |
2nd Tuesday, 7:30 - 8:30 am |
Monthly |
IP fellow conference |
4th Tuesday, 7:30 - 8:30 am |
Monthly |
IP M&M conference |
3rd Tuesday, 7:30 - 8:30 am |
Quarterly |
IP/ Pulm research firm meeting |
Wednesday noon |
Bimonthly |
IP business meeting |
Tuesday 4:00- 5:00 pm |
Quarterly |
INSTITUTION-SPONSORED CONFERENCES |
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Medicine grand rounds |
Thursdays at Noon |
Weekly |
Scholarship
Our recent publications, presentations and abstracts
- Kim HS, Khemasuwan D, Diaz-Mendoza J, Mehta AC. Management of tracheooesophageal fistula in adults. Eur Respir Rev. 2020 Nov 5;29(158):200094.
- Khemasuwan D, Sorensen JS, Colt HG. Artificial intelligence in pulmonary medicine: computer vision, predictive model and COVID-19. Eur Respir Rev. 2020 Oct 1;29 (157):200181.
- Khemasuwan D, Sorensen J, Griffin DC. Predictive Variables for Failure in Administration of Intrapleural Tissue Plasminogen Activator/Deoxyribonuclease in Patients With Complicated Parapneumonic Effusions/Empyema. Chest. 2018 Sep;154 (3):550-556.
- Khemasuwan D, Teerapuncharoen K, Griffin DC. Diagnostic Yield and Safety of Bronchoscopist-directed Moderate Sedation With a Bolus Dose Administration of Propofol During Endobronchial Ultrasound Bronchoscopy. J Bronchology Interv Pulmonol. 2018 Jul;25(3):181-188.
- Khemasuwan D, Mehta AC, Wang KP. Past, present, and future of endobronchial laser photoresection. J Thorac Dis. 2015 Dec;7(Suppl 4):S380-8.
- Khemasuwan D, Klein A, Tonelli AR. The Effect of Thrombolytic Use and Mechanical Ventilation on Echocardiographic Parameters of Survival after Acute Pulmonary Embolism. J Am Soc Echocardiogr. 2015 Jul;28(7):846-7.
- Khemasuwan D, Yingchoncharoen T, Tunsupon P, Kusunose K, Moghekar A, Klein A, Tonelli AR. Right ventricular echocardiographic parameters are associated with mortality after acute pulmonary embolism. J Am Soc Echocardiogr. 2015 Mar;28(3):355 -62.
For a complete list of publications from Danai Khemasuwan, MD, MBA, FCCP, please click here.
Peter M. Lee, MD
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The authors reply: Healthcare provider awareness and use of intraosseous devices for cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Lee PM, Acquah S. Crit Care Med 2017 Jan;45(1):e117-e118
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Lee P MJ. Evolution of lung cancer screening, Chapter 3. In: Parker MS, Groves RC, Kusmirek JE, Gharai LR and Shojaee S, editors Lung Cancer Screening. ISBN 9781626235137.
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Lee PM, Malhotra R, Shojaee S, Shepherd R. Therapeutic Strategies and Ventilatory Management during Interventional Rigid Bronchoscopy for Malignant Central Airway Obstruction. Ann Am Thorac Soc. 2016 Apr;13(4):574-5. PMID: 27058188
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Lee PM, Lee C, Rattner P, Wu X, Gershengorn H, Acquah S. Intraosseous versus central venous catheter utilization and performance during inpatient medical emergencies. Crit Care Med. 2015 Jun;43(6):1233-8. PMID: 25768683
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Lee P MJ, Tofts R PH, Kory P. Lung ultrasound interpretation Chapter 9. In: Point of Care Ultrasound, Soni N ed., Elsevier, 2014.
- Tofts RP, Lee PM, Sung AW.. Interventional pulmonology approaches in the diagnosis and treatment of early stage non small cell lung cancer. Transl Lung Cancer Res. 2013 Oct;2(5):316-31. PMID: 25806251
Wes Shepherd, MD, FCCP
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Criner GJ, Delage A, Voelker K, …Shepherd RW…et al. Improving Lung Function in Severe Heterogenous Emphysema with the Spiration® Valve System (EMPROVE): A Multicenter, Open-Label, Randomized, Controlled Trial AJRCCM. Published on 31-July-2019 as 10.1164/rccm.201902-0383OC
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Shepherd RW, Radchenko C. Bronchoscopic ablation techniques in the management of lung cancer. Ann Transl Med 2019. Doi10.21037/atm.2019.04.47
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Pathak V, Shepherd RW, Hussein E, and Malhotra R. Safety and feasibility of pleural cryobiopsy compared to forceps biopsy during semi-rigid pleuroscopy. Lung 2017, 195:371-375 PMID 28353119
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Reshko L, Shepherd RW and Weiss E. Long-Term Safety and Stability of Gold Coil Fiducial Markers in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Image-Guided Radiotherapy. Int J Radiol Radiat Ther 2017, 3(1) 00049. DOI: 10.15406/ijrrt.2017.03.00049
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Wahidi MM, Reddy C, Yarmus L, Feller-Kopman D, Musani A, Shepherd RW, Lee H, Bechara R, Lamb C, Shofer S, Mahmood K, Michaud G, Puchalski J, Rafeq S, Cattaneo SM, Mullon J, Leh S, Mayse M, Thomas SM, Peterson B, Light RW. Randomized Trial of Pleural Fluid Drainage Frequency in Patients with Malignant Pleural Effusions-The ASAP Trial. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2016 Nov 29. [Epub ahead of print]
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Shepherd RW. Bronchoscopic pursuit of the peripheral pulmonary lesion: navigational bronchoscopy, radial endobronchial ultrasound, and ultrathin Bronchoscopy. Curr Opin Pulm Med. 2016 May;22(3):257-64. doi: 10.1097/MCP.0000000000000273. PMID: 26974127
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Wahidi MM, Herth F, Yasufuku K, Shepherd RW, Yarmus L, Chawla M, Lamb C, Casey KR, Patel S, Silvestri GA, Feller-Kopman DJ. Technical Aspects of Endobronchial Ultrasound Guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration: CHEST Guideline and Expert Panel Report. Chest. 2015 Sep 24. doi: 10.1378/chest.15-1216. [Epub ahead of print] PMID:26402427
For a complete list of publications from Wes Shepherd, MD, FCCP, please click here.
Life During Fellowship
Interventional Pulmonology Fellowship Program
GME Resident & Fellow Well-Being
Graduate Medical Education training is not easy. With the GME Physician Well-being program, we first and foremost assert our commitment to your well-being, resilience and all aspects of a healthy lifestyle. VCU and VCUHealth are dedicated to ensuring that you have the tools you need to be your best. (Learn more)
All About VCU, VCUHealth, and RVA
First things first. We fondly refer to Richmond as RVA. People love this city because it’s awesome. And Virginia Commonwealth University is in the middle of it all. Learn more about VCU, VCUHealth, and RVA!
Program Leadership
Interventional Pulmonology Fellowship Program

Danai Khemasuwan, MD, MBA, FCCP, ATSF
Program Director

Danai Khemasuwan, MD, MBA, FCCP, ATSF
Program Director
Internal Medicine
Division of Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine

Patrick Nana-Sinkam, MD

Patrick Nana-Sinkam, MD
Internal Medicine
Division of Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine
Faculty
Interventional Pulmonology Fellowship Program
- Danai Khemasuwan, MD, MBA, FCCP, ATSF - Program Director
- Peter Lee, MD, MHS, FCCP
- R. Wesley Shepherd, MD, FCCP - Director, Interventional Pulmonology
Non-Core Faculty
- Anthony Cassano, MD - Thoracic Surgery
- Evan R. Reiter, MD, FACS - ENT
- Mark Parker, MD, FACR - Thoracic Radiology
- Rachit D. Shah, MD - Thoracic Surgery
Fellows
Interventional Pulmonology Fellowship Program
Class of 2023
Medical School: University of Balamand Medical School, Koura, Lebanon
Residency: Saint George Hospital Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon - Preliminary Internal Medicine
Class of 2022
Medical School: Civil Hospital , Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan (House officer, Medicine)
Residency: Rochester Regional Health (Unity Health System), University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, NY
Alumni
Class of 2021
Medical School: Sui School of Medicine, Springfield, IL
Residency: Albany Medical Center, Albany, NY
Class of 2020

Medical School: Sackler School of Medicine, New York, NY
Residency: Beilinson Hasharon-Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tikva, Israel
Class of 2019

Medical School: University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA
Residency: University of Texas Southwestern Medical School Program, Dallas, TX
Class of 2018
Christopher Radchenko, MD
Medical School: Saba University School of Medicine - Netherlands, Antilles
Residency: University of Missouri - Kansas City, MO
Fellowship: Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
Class of 2017
Deepankar Sharma, MD
Medical School: Maulana Azad Medical College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India
Residency: Internal Medicine at Johns Hopkins University/ Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, Baltimore, MD
Fellowship: Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine at Wake Forest University, Winston Salem, NC
Class of 2016
Peter Lee, MD
Medical School: St. George University School of Medicine
Residency: Internal Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Beth Isreal Medical Center, New York, NY
Fellowship: Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine Fellowship at Mount Sinai Beth Isreal Medical Center, New Yor, NY
Class of 2015
Vikas Pathak, MBBS
Medical School: Nepal Medical College, Kathmandu, Nepal
Residency: Internal Medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine (Jacobi), Bronx, NY
Fellowship: Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine Fellowship, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
Class of 2014
Ehab Hussein, MD, PharmD
Medical School : Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Athens, OH
Residency: Internal Medicine at Riverside Methodist Hospital, Columbus, OH
Fellowship: Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine Fellowship at Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
Class of 2013
Samira Shojaee, MD
Medical School : Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
Residency: Internal Medicine at Carilion Clinic, Roanoke, VA
Fellowship: Pulmonary Critical Care Medicine at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH
Class of 2012
Ashutosh Sachdeva, MBBS
Medical School: Maulana Azad Medical College, University of Dehli, New Delhi, India
Residency: Internal Medicine at Lok Nayak Hospital, New Delhi, India; Internal Medicine at Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
Fellowship: Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine at St. John Hospital Medical Center, Detroit, MI; Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine at Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
Class of 2010
Rajiv Malhotra, DO, MS
Medical School: TOURO University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Vellejo, CA
Residency: Internal Medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
Fellowship: Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
Apply
Interventional Pulmonology Fellowship Program
Eligibility Requirements
The applicant should be an MD or MD equivalent (DO) with three or more years of Internal Medicine residency training in an ACGME-accredited training program. A pass on USMLE Step 3 is a mandatory prerequisite for acceptance as a fellow.
Virginia Commonwealth University Health Systems can only support J-1 visas.
Required Documentation
- Application
- Curriculum Vitae
- USMLE score reports
- Medical school transcripts
- A personal statement
- 4 letters of recommendation, including one from your program director
- A photograph
If applicable, please provide the following:
- ECFMG certificate
- Medical School Diploma (with translation if necessary)
How To Apply
The Interventional Pulmonology fellowship is a participant in the NRMP match and follows their deadlines for the Subspecialty matching service. Applicants should use the Interventional Pulmonary Fellowship Application System (IPFAS) available at http://aippd.org
Application Timeline
The program will be accepting applications starting July 15th and will continue to review and accept applications through November 1. Invitations to interview will likely be issued during this time frame.
Interview Information
Interview days typically begin around 8 a.m. with breakfast and a program overview. From there, the day consists of interviews, a tour of the MCV hospital and campus, and lunch. We will wrap up by about 2:30 p.m. with a question and answer session with the program director.
Attention: In support of our applicants, we will be flexible in providing virtual and on-site fellowship interview opportunities. We understand that applicants may have restrictions on travel during this time. Our interview schedule may change as we approach the late summer and fall. We appreciate your patience and understanding; we will absolutely work to accommodate all applicants as best possible during the COVID pandemic.
Contacts
Interventional Pulmonology Fellowship Program
Program Director
Danai Khemasuwan, MD, MBA, FCCP, ATSF
Email: danai.khemasuwan@vcuhealth.org
Fellowship Coordinator
Stuart Bowden, MHRM
VCU School of Medicine
Department of Internal Medicine
Box 980509
Richmond, VA 23298-0509
Phone: (804) 828-3510
Email: imfellowships@vcuhealth.org