Dr. Norman Chernik received his undergraduate degree from the University of California at Los Angeles, and medical degree from St. Louis University School of Medicine (1965). Postgraduate training included a medical internship at the Cleveland Clinic, neurology residency at Mount Sinai Hospital (New York, New York), neuropathology fellowship at State University of New York @ Downstate, and a fellowship in neuro-oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He is a former Associate Attending Neurologist in the Departments of Neurology and Pathology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and an Associate Professor of Neurology and an Assistant Professor of Neuropathology at Cornell Medical College. Dr. Chernik is the founding member and Chief Executive Officer of South Shore Neurologic Associates, starting the practice in 1980. He is currently a Clinical Associate Professor of Neurology @ State University of New York Stony Brook. Dr. Chernik is certified by the American Board of Pathology in Neuropathology, by the American Academy of Neurology in Neuro-Rehabilitation, by the American Academy of Pain Management, by New York State in Acupuncture, and qualified in Neurology by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. Dr. Chernik has written numerous articles appearing in the professional literature on the effects of cancer and cancer therapy on the nervous system.
Henry Moreta, M.D.
Dr. Moreta graduated from Harvard Medical School (1977). Postgraduate training included medical internship and neurology residency at North Shore University Hospital, where he was Chief Resident. He is a former Instructor in Neurology at Cornell Medical College and is currently a Clinical Assistant Professor of Neurology Voluntary Faculty at SUNY - Stony Brook. Dr. Moreta is a former member of the medical board at Brookhaven Memorial Hospital Medical Center. Dr. Moreta is certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in the specialty of Neurology. Dr. Moreta joined the practice in 1982 and is the President of South Shore Neurologic Associates, P.C.
Mark Gudesblatt, M.D.
Dr. Mark Gudesblatt received his undergraduate degree from The Johns Hopkins University, and medical degree from Cornell University Medical College (1980). Postgraduate training included a medical internship and neurology residency at Mount Sinai Hospital (New York, New York), where he was the Chief Resident in Neurology, and was a National Institute of Health Clinical Research Fellow at Mount Sinai (New York, New York) in neuromuscular disease. He joined South Shore Neurologic Associates in 1985. Dr. Gudesblatt is a member of the medical board at Brookhaven Memorial Hospital, a professional advisory board member of the Epilepsy Foundation of Long Island, the Medical Director of the Parkinson's Foundation Support Group at Good Samaritan Hospital and serves as a consultant to the Advisory Board of the Suffolk Chapter of the American Parkinsons Disease Association, and the Medical Director of the Huntington's Chorea Support Group at Good Samaritan Hospital. He is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Neurology at State University of New York @ Stony Brook. Dr. Gudesblatt is certified in Neurology by the American Board of Neurology and Psychiatry, by the American Academy of Neurology in Neuro-Rehabilitation, and by the American Academy of Pain Management. Dr. Gudesblatt has written articles appearing in the professional literature on numerous topics including movement disorders, tumors of the brain and spinal cord, neurologic complications of pregnancy, stroke and familial inheritance of neurologic illness.
Steven A. Rosen, M.D.
Dr. Steven Rosen received his undergraduate degree at the University of Rochester, and his medical degree from The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (1985). Postgraduate training included residencies in internal medicine at the University of Maryland and in neurology at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. He joined South Neurologic Associates in 1989. Dr. Rosen has subspecialty expertise in Neuro-Otology, and is the Neuro-Otologist for the Vestibular and Balance Therapeutics Laboratory at South Shore Neurologic Associates. He is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Neurology at State University of New York @ Stony Brook. He is certified in Neurology by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. Dr. Rosen has written articles appearing in the professional literature on a variety of neurologic topics including infection, dementia, seizures, and vascular disease.
David Besser, M.D.
Dr. Besser graduated from the Autonomous University of Guadalajara School of Medicine (1985). Postgraduate training included medical internship at Brookdale Hospital, neurology residency at State University of New York -Downstate and a fellowship in neuromuscular diseases and electromyography at the University of Vermont School of Medicine. He is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Neurology, voluntary faculty, at SUNY – Stony Brook. He is a former member of the medical board at Brookhaven Memorial Hospital Medical Center. Dr. Besser is certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in the specialty of Neurology and by the New York State Department of Education in Acupuncture. Dr. Besser has authored articles appearing in professional literature on peripheral neuropathy. Dr. Besser joined the practice in 1990.
Samson Mebrahtu, M.D.
Dr. Mebrahtu graduated from State University of New York - Downstate (1986). Postgraduate training included medical internship at the New York Medical College and neurology residency at State University of New York – Downstate, where he was Chief Resident, and a fellowship in clinical neuro-physiology and neuromuscular diseases at Cornell New York Hospital and the Hospital for Special Surgery. Dr. Mebrahtu is certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in the specialty of Neurology. Dr. Mebrahtu joined the practice in 1991.
Melinda Morrissey, M.D.
Dr. Morrissey graduated from State University of New York - Downstate (1987). Postgraduate training included medical internship at Staten Island Hospital, neurology residency at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, where she was Chief Resident, and a fellowship in neuromuscular diseases and electromyography at Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center. She is a former Assistant Professor of Neurology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and a former Staff Neurologist at Montefiore Hospital Medical Center. Dr. Morrissey is certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in the specialty of Neurology and by the American Board of Electrodiagnostic Medicine. Dr. Morrissey joined the practice in 1994.
Norman L. Pflaster, M.D.
Dr. Pflaster graduated from Chicago Medical School (1987). Postgraduate training included medical internship at Mount Sinai Hospital, neurology residency at the University of Michigan Hospital, and a fellowship in electroencephalogra-phy and epilepsy at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center. Dr. Pflaster is a former Assistant Professor of Neurology at Columbia University, a former Assistant Attending Neurologist at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center and the former Head of Electroencephalography at Harlem Hospital. Dr. Pflaster is certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in the specialty of Neurology and the American Board of Clinical Neurophysiology. Dr. Pflaster has authored articles appearing in professional literature on epilepsy. Dr. Pflaster joined the practice in 1997.
Hugh Xian, MD, PhD
Dr. Xian graduated from Lanzhon Medical College, People’s Republic of China (1982) and received his Ph.D. degree from the University of Minnesota Medical School (1992). He is a former Research Associate in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Arizona College of Medicine and Research Fellow in the Laboratory of Neurophysiology, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) at the National Institutes of Health. Postgraduate medical training included medical internship at Brooklyn Hospital Center and neurology residency at the New York University School of Medicine. Dr. Xian is certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in the specialty of Neurology. Dr. Xian has authored numerous articles appearing in professional literature on neuropharmacology and neurophysiology. Dr. Xian joined the practice in 2000.
Edward Firouztalé, DO, DSc
Dr. Firouztalé graduated from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (1997). He received his Doctor of Science degree in Bio-engineering and Chemical Engineering from Columbia University (1979). He is a former Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Pennsylvania State University and a former senior research engineer in bioprocessing and chemical engineering. Postgraduate medical training included medical internship and neurology residency at Long island Jewish Medical Center, where he was Chief Resident, and a fellowship in epilepsy at the same institution. Dr. Firouztalé is certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in the specialty of Neurology. Dr. Firouztalé has authored numerous articles appearing in professional literature on various subjects in the fields of biomedical and chemical engineering. Dr. Firouztalé joined the practice in 2002.
Myassar Zarif, MD
Dr. Zarif graduated with honors from Techreen University in Lattakia, Syria (1988). He is a former Research Scientist at the University of Connecticut in Farmington, Connecticut. Postgraduate medical training included medical internship at St. Joseph’s Hospital at Seton Hall University in Seton Hall, New Jersey and Neurology residency at State University of New York – Stony Brook and a fellowship in Neurobehavioral and Neuroimmunology at the same institution. Dr. Zarif is eligible to be certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in the specialty of Neurology. Dr. Zarif is the co-Director of the Comprehensive Multiple Sclerosis Care Clinic at South Shore Neurologic Associates, PC in Patchogue. Dr. Zarif joined the practice in 2004.
Barbara Bumstead, MS, ANP-C, MSCN
Ms. Bumstead is an Associate in Nursing Services. She is a certified Adult Nurse Practitioner. She received her diploma in Nursing from John Abbott College (1979), Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing (1997) and Master of Science degree in Adult Health Nursing from State University of New York – Stony Brook (1999). Ms. Bumstead has extensive hospital experience as a Staff and Teaching/Research Nurse on neurology and neuro-surgery units. She is a former Nurse Manager of the Neurology Unit at University Hospital at Stony Brook, responsible for the supervision and daily operation of a thirty bed unit. She is a Multiple Sclerosis Certified Nurse (MSCN). Ms. Bumstead joined the practice in 2001.
Patricia Grant, MS, ANP-C
Ms. Grant is an Associate in Nursing Services. She is a certified Adult Nurse Practitioner. She received her Associate in Applied Science degree in Nursing from Suffolk Community College (1982), a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from Molloy College (1998) and a Master of Science degree in Adult Health Nursing from State University of New York - Stony Brook (2002). Ms. Grant is a former Critical Care and Emergency Room Nurse at Brookhaven Memorial Hospital Medical Center and Long Island Jewish Medical Center. Ms. Grant joined the practice in 2002.
Philippe Vaillancourt, M.D.
Angela De Ritis, CMM
Angela De Ritis, CMM, is a Certified Medical Manager with 20 years of experience in the health care industry. Ms. De Ritis is a member of the local and national chapters of PAHCOM (Private Associate of Health Care Office Managers) and currently serves as the membership chairman for the Suffolk County - Long Island Chapter. She has been the Billing Manager at South Shore Neurologic Associates, P.C. for the past 18 years.