Clinical Base Year (CBY) Bios

David Duarte-Corado

Hometown: Aurora, CO

Education history: MD - University of Colorado Post-baccalaureate - University of Colorado Denver BS in Biomedical Science - University of Colorado Colorado Springs

Hobbies: Watching and playing soccer, hiking, spending time with family

Fun facts: I have a cute cattle dog mix named Wrigley.

Before I came into medicine: I worked as a tech in a pre-transplant ID testing lab, as a campus aide at my former middle school, and as an event planner at UCCS.

What made me pursue my residency training in Anesthesiology: The opportunity to help comfort patients during a stressful time in their lives and be part of a team that can make an immediate impact. Anesthesiology is also the ideal combination of physiology, pharmacology, and hands-on procedures.

Sunny Khatter

Hometown: Aurora, CO

Education history: BS in Molecular Biology at the University of Denver, MBA with healthcare management concentration at the University of Denver, MD at Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine

Hobbies: I enjoy watching all Denver sports, trying new restaurants, being outdoors, and dog-sitting for friends.

Fun facts: I once scored 7 three pointers in a high school basketball game, and my real name is actually Neil but everyone calls me Sunny (this makes charting a nightmare).

Before I came into medicine: : I had a career in finance working as a financial analyst in mergers and acquisitions at Walgreens HQ in Chicago.

What made me pursue my residency training in Anesthesiology: I decided to pursue a career in anesthesiology because of how much I enjoy high acuity medicine that blends procedural work with pathophysiology. In addition, I love how multidisciplinary anesthesiology is -- allowing our field to cross paths with many others in the hospital to collaborate on best practices for patient care and safety.

Colby Kihara

Hometown: El Sobrante, CA

Education history: University of California, Berkeley

Hobbies: SCUBA diving, free-diving, underwater photography, tennis, rock climbing, skiing, and mountain biking.

Fun facts: All of my time not studying or in the hospital is spent underwater. My wife and I travel the world to photograph everything we can underwater. We've photographed humpback whales in Tonga, sperm whales in Dominica, tiger sharks, great hammers, and Atlantic spotted dolphins in Bimini, ragged tooth sharks in South Africa, manta rays in Hawaii and so much more. Check out our website (twofortheblue.com)! Also, the year before I started medical school, I broke my leg (open tibia - I have a picture!) while out in Red Rocks, Las Vegas and had to sit on the side of a mountain for 3 hours while waiting for helicopter extraction. Fun fact, this last year I went back and had dinner with one of the firefighters that assisted in my rescue.

Before I came into medicine: I tried my hand at playing professional tennis, worked for GoPro, C.J. Wilson Racing, a Formula Drift team, and as a paramedic.

What made me pursue my residency training in Anesthesiology: I have always wanted to pursue critical care medicine. To me, doing critical care through anesthesia combines very high-level critical thinking with a very unique skill set to make some of the most well-rounded physicians in the hospital.

Michael Knapp

Hometown: Harrisburg, VA

Education history: University of Virginia, B.A. in Human Biology; Thomas Jefferson University, M.D.

Hobbies: I spend as much time outdoors as I can! My go-to activities are hiking, biking, and camping. On rainy days or with good company, I also enjoy board games and video games. Otherwise, I love to learn about new technologies and experiment / build cool things.

Fun facts: My instrument of choice is the saxophone and I used to play in a funk band. My family also runs a beekeeping business so I often help harvest honey, make mead, and relocate wild colonies from all kinds of strange locations. I even had an indoor observation hive in my bedroom during medical school!

Before I came into medicine: I worked as an implementation trainer to help start medical scribe programs at various emergency departments around the country.

What made me pursue my residency training in Anesthesiology: I felt right at home behind the drapes and got along well with all the personalities I met. The field is intellectually stimulating, offering lots of procedural work and critical decision making. In addition, anesthesiology is uniquely positioned at the intersection of surgery and medicine with an abundance of telemetry. Given my passion for digital health, I'm excited to explore opportunities using these crucial data streams.

Andrew Mariotti

Hometown: Columbus, OH

Education history: Bachelor of Biology, The Ohio State University 2015 Masters of Healthcare Administration, The Ohio State University 2019 Doctor of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine 2024

Hobbies: I love music, books, hiking, snowboarding, trying new restaurants and breweries, going to concerts and sporting events, and following NFL and college football. In my spare time I play guitar and have been playing for over 14 years and recently began learning the harmonica as well. I have always enjoyed being outdoors and have been snowboarding since I was a child. I always enjoy getting out to the mountains for a hike and am happy to attend any sort of live concert or sporting event - regardless of the venue or who is playing or performing.

Fun facts: During my fourth year of medical school, I traveled to Iceland, Portugal, Croatia, and the United Kingdom. I formed a band in medical school with my other classmates and we once performed for our school. I am a part owner of the Green Bay Packers. I went to high school with the members of the band CAAMP.

Before I came into medicine: After earning my undergraduate degree, I went on to work as an EMT as I weighed the decision to go to medical school or not. Patient care and clinical work had always been a passion of mine, but I decided to go onto graduate school where I earned a master's in healthcare administration and completed an administrative fellowship at UCHealth. The time I spent as an EMT, a graduate student, and a fellow taught me the value of merging administrative leadership with clinical knowledge and that, more specifically, physician leadership is vital to the effective functioning of any clinic, hospital, or health system. These experiences allowed my passions for clinical medicine and healthcare leadership to flourish and understand that medicine was what I wanted to do with the rest of my life.

What made me pursue my residency training in Anesthesiology: When I began medical school, I was certain I would become an emergency medicine physician. I enjoyed the fast-paced nature, the ability to work with critically ill patients, and the opportunity to perform many procedures. Fortunately, one of my mentors - who is an anesthesiologist - invited me to work on a quality improvement project with him in the operating room as a first-year medical student. Through this experience, I began to explore the world of anesthesiology and found that it had all the aspects I enjoyed about emergency medicine and so much more. I discovered how anesthesiologists are masters not only of the airway but of physiology and pharmacology as well Finally, as an anesthesiologist, I found that the ability to work with people and patients was one of the most satisfying and unique aspects of the career.

Faria Miah

Critical Care Medicine Track

Hometown: Las Vegas, NV

Education history: I completed my undergraduate degree in Neuroscience and medical school at University of Nevada, Reno.

Hobbies: I enjoy exploring the city, going to museums and shows, and finding new restaurants and breweries. When not finding new places to eat, I like to cook all types of cuisines for family and friends and have everyone over for game nights. During the summers, sitting by the river or lake to read a book with my dog, Luna, and paddle boarding are some of my favorite activities. Although I enjoy reading, music, planting and indoor activities, I would love to try new outdoor and winter activities when I move to Colorado!

Fun facts: I was born in Queens, New York and lived there until I was 11. I used to do karate while I lived there and was one belt away from a black belt. I've always wanted to learn to play the piano but have yet to do so. One of my goals is to travel to as many countries as I can because I love learning about different cultures.

Before I came into medicine: I've been planning to be in medicine since I was a child, but during my gap years I worked as a clinical coordinator for a multidisciplinary clinic specializing in treating children with neurodevelopmental disorders.

What made me pursue my residency training in Anesthesiology: I always thought I would become a pediatrician, but after completing my rotation in the ICU during my third year of medical school, I knew I wanted to be an intensivist. From there, I began to research paths to critical care and found anesthesiology. As I spent many weeks working with mentors, I realized that even though critical care brought me to anesthesiology, I really enjoyed using both my hands and brain while working with my patients one-on-one to build trust and get them through their surgeries safely.

David Miller

Critical Care Medicine Track

Hometown: Colorado Springs, CO

Education history: United States Air Force Academy - Biology University of Virginia School of Medicine – MD

Hobbies: Growing up, my parents had one kid help with dinner each night and ever since I've enjoyed cooking and sharing recipes with friends almost as much as eating the results. To balance out my love of baked goods, I try to stay active and enjoy swimming, skiing, hiking, camping and pretty much every other excuse to be outside...would love recommendations on favorite sunrise spots! I like keeping a little nature indoors too and have about 20 plants and propagations around the house at any given time.

Fun facts: I've summitted 17/58 14ers in CO and would like to bag them all. I had a Betta fish named Larry in elementary school...peaking that early has been hard, but I soldier on. I enjoyed jumping out of planes more than piloting them, so my career change may have been for the better. If I had a nickel for every time I've swum across the Colorado River in spring, I'd have like 5 or 6 nickels, which wouldn't help with rent in Denver but is still more than my mom would like.

Before I came into medicine: I was a direct from undergrad applicant who spent my last couple years at the Air Force Academy preparing for further pilot training until I found out I'd be heading to medical school. Before undergrad, I worked from middle school onward in restaurants, on a farm, and as a lifeguard.

What made me pursue my residency training in Anesthesiology: Having spent so much time working through engineering courses and the natural sciences in undergrad, I knew I had to find a specialty where Bernoulli's principle really mattered. Not long into clinicals, I found my home in the specialty's combination of patient interaction, physiology, pharmacology and pleasant personalities. Since then, I've only enjoyed learning more about how we can help virtually any patient at critical stages along the arc of their medical journeys and have discovered an interest in some of the more serious pathology and accompanying patients our specialty sees in Critical Care environments.

Matt Morelli

Hometown: Arvada, CO

Education history: I attended Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado for my undergraduate degree in Biological Science. Go RAMS! I attended Rocky Vista University for my Masters Degree in Biomedical Science and for Medical school.

Hobbies: I am obsessed with fly fishing! I love to fish for pretty much anything that swims. I also really enjoy fly tying and making my own flies. I grew up playing competitive hockey and still enjoy playing ice hockey.

Fun facts: I have a twin sister Meghan, who I am 45 seconds older than and never let her forget it! I have caught 5 different Master Angler fish through the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Master Angler program.

Before I came into medicine: Prior to medical school I worked as an EMT for almost 2 years. This experience not only solidified that I loved working in health care but also confirmed that I wanted to continue my education and pursue medical school. I learned that I loved the opportunity to care for acutely ill patients and enjoyed the procedures I was able to perform. Ultimately my time as an EMT helped steer me towards choosing anesthesia in medical school.

What made me pursue my residency training in Anesthesiology: With my experience working on the ambulance, I learned how much I enjoyed the opportunity to help care for high acuity patients, make decisions quickly, and ability to perform numerous procedures with my hands. Coming into medical school I knew I wanted to do a specialty that required critical thinking and the ability to work with my hands. As cliché as it sounds, when I got to my elective rotation in anesthesia as a third-year medical student, I knew immediately that anesthesia was my calling. The diversity of anesthesia combined with the cerebral challenge and numerous procedures fit in perfectly with what I was looking for in a career and I couldn't be happier with my choice.

Erika Myrick

Hometown: Elkhorn, Nebraska

Education history: University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI)- B.S. in Biomolecular Science, Minor in Spanish Language, Literature, and Culture; Western Michigan University Homer Stryker, M.D., School of Medicine (Kalamazoo, MI)- M.D., M.S. in Biomedical Sciences

Hobbies: I love hanging out with my friends, family, and my Bernese Mountain Dog, Deeds. I also love being outdoors, whether I'm hiking, running, biking, or just relaxing in nature. I like exploring different coffee shops and getting lost in a good book. During the pandemic, I discovered a newfound passion for painting. Staying active is a big deal for me, so I'm always trying out different workout classes. I love going to concerts and can't wait to see my first Red Rocks show!

Fun facts: I was a collegiate cheerleader at the University of Michigan. During my time there, my team and I won the national championship three times in a row. It was an amazing experience, and I even got the chance to cheer in some incredible venues, such as Madison Square Garden.

Before I came into medicine: I lived in Chicago and worked as a research coordinator for studies on Parkinson's disease and parkinsonisms. My team and I provided care to patients in their homes and initiated a peer mentoring program for our patients' caregivers.

What made me pursue my residency training in Anesthesiology: Anesthesiology is the perfect blend of everything I love about medicine: procedures, physiology, and pharmacology – cliché, I know. But what distinguishes it is the unique ability to devote undivided attention to one patient at a time, which is truly special. Although these interactions with patients may be brief, they are extremely meaningful. And the people within this field? They're some of the kindest, most compassionate, and down-to-earth individuals I've ever met. For all of these reasons, I feel so lucky to be a part of this amazing specialty.

Carson Platnick

Hometown: Broomfield, CO

Education history: Undergraduate at Washington University in St. Louis; Medical School at University of Colorado

Hobbies: I love anything outdoors, especially skiing (I've skied at 10 different mountains this winter of MS4 year!) and backpacking. I also love travel, scuba diving, crossword puzzles, playing the piano, running half marathons very slowly, and hanging out with my cat, Moose.

Fun facts: I couples matched and my fiancé George will be a general surgery resident here at CU!

Before I came into medicine: During my gap years I first worked in an electrophysiology lab at Washington Univ. in St. Louis, doing patch clamping of neurons and testing steroid compounds for neuroactivity. Then, I worked as a trauma research assistant at Denver Health.

What made me pursue my residency training in Anesthesiology: Procedural aspect, applied physiology, high-acuity clinical settings, and getting to care for and establish trust with patients at some of their most vulnerable moments. Also, all of the excellent mentors I had here at CU who convinced me anesthesia is the best specialty!

Katie Vanderzwaag

Hometown: Parker, CO

Education history: B.A. in Biology at the University of Nebraska, Omaha; Masters in Medical Anatomy at University of Nebraska Medical Center; MD from University of Nebraska Medical Center

Hobbies: Hiking, playing soccer, biking, camping, taking care of my plants, trying new local breweries and coffee shops

Fun facts: I am a proud dog mom to 2 cute dogs named Wrigley and Kona, and I have traveled to all 50 states!

Before I came into medicine: After undergrad I originally thought I wanted to go into dentistry and actually attended one year of dental school. However, after a change of heart I switched to pursue medicine instead!

What made me pursue my residency training in Anesthesiology: I decided to pursue a career in anesthesiology because I liked how hands-on anesthesia is in combination with the complex physiology and pharmacology we see in a variety of cases.

Ronza Zoorob

Hometown: Colorado Springs, Colorado (Originally from Lebanon)

Education history: DO from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, BS in Biology with a Business Minor, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, CO.

Hobbies: I love to cook, especially Mediterranean food. I love DIY projects of all sorts, and I am always busy repairing something around the house. I also enjoy playing with my dog, exploring cute coffee shops, and spending time with my family.

Fun facts: Growing up, I had three different birthdays due to a typo on my birth certificate. Today, I still have two birthdays, one I celebrate, and another I have to memorize for paperwork purposes.

Before I came into medicine: I moved from Lebanon to the United States to follow my medical school path. However, I took a detour along the way and ended up starting a water damage and restoration business with my brother for many years. However, In the few years before medical school, we shifted our focus to real estate and house flips.

What made me pursue my residency training in Anesthesiology: I love the critical thinking and procedural skills balance that a career in anesthesiology provides. I love that I get to apply the pharmacology and physiology concepts I learned in medical school in real life clinical cases. I enjoyed being in the OR, got along with everyone on my anesthesiology clinical rotations, and had great mentors who reinforced my love for anesthesiology. Collectively, I felt that residency training in anesthesiology is the perfect fit for me, where I get to work with my hands, strengthen my critical thinking skills, and work with people who resonate with my personality.