Meet Our Staff
Dr. Michael Chin
Physician, ReadyMED
Medical School: UMass Medical School
Internship: Brown University
Residency: Memorial Hospital
Click here to find out more about Dr. Chin
Dr. Michael Chin didn’t begin his career as a physician. Instead, he started out as a high school teacher. Over time, he was interested in more one-on-one interactions with people than the classroom would allow, so medical school was the perfect next step. “I feel that having the patient/doctor interaction is a privilege,” he says. “There is a lot of overlap between teaching and medicine because of the need to educate and counsel patients.”
Since he graduated from UMass Medical School, Dr. Chin has been practicing medicine at a walk-in medical clinic in East Boston, as well as working as a health policy analyst for the Commonwealth. He finds the walk-in model particularly interesting because it’s a bustling environment with unique challenges.
“In a walk-in medical clinic, you never know who will walk in the door next and what their medical needs will be,” he explains. “You have to make sure you’re asking the right questions and gathering the right information. It presents intellectual and problem-solving challenges; but also the opportunity to interact with people and help them.”
Dr. Chin’s treatment philosophy is rooted in his training around “patient-centered” care. “It was ingrained in me in medical school that patients and their families must be part of the medical decision-making process, and this is reflected in the way I provide care.”
When Dr. Chin is not taking care of patients at ReadyMED, you can find him enjoying the great outdoors. Hiking, skiing and mountain biking are among his favorite activities.
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Dr. Sarah Zakaria
Physician, ReadyMED
Medical School: Quaid-I-Azam Medical College
Internship: UMass Memorial Healthcare
Residency: UMass Memorial Healthcare
Click here to find out more about Dr. Zakaria
Although originally from Pakistan, Dr. Sarah Zakaria practiced in the Worcester area for a number of years before joining Fallon Clinic. “I heard good things about Fallon Clinic from some friends who practiced there,” she explains. “I’ve really come to enjoy it. Fallon Clinic allows me to treat patients the way I want to.”
Dr. Zakaria says that one of her strong points is practicing preventative medicine and helping her patients better understand their illnesses. “I try to educate people on things like cholesterol, diabetes and high blood pressure. Education and prevention are my main goals – that’s what I do. You have to educate people about their diseases so that they can take better care of themselves.”
Dr. Zakaria enjoys using the electronic health record system which is now used for all Fallon Clinic patients. “It simplifies access to pertinent information so you can focus on patient care. You can pull up important information quickly and even show it to the patient.”
Some of the more serious diseases that Dr. Zakaria treats are coronary artery disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol problems. “For severe or complex issues we can always refer patients to specialists. Since I am a Family Practice physician, I am also able to perform small surgical procedures such as mole removal, cyst excisions and joint injections. "
When she is not working with her patients, Dr. Zakaria enjoys spending time with her husband and two young daughters.
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Erica Lasorsa
Physician Assistant, ReadyMED
Bachelor of Arts: Mount Holyoke College
Master of Science: Northeastern University
Click here to find out more about Erica Lasorsa
Erica Lasorsa always felt that she wanted to work in healthcare. She decided to become a physician assistant because it’s a great career and a flexible position that fits her busy lifestyle. Erica finds it exciting working in a fast-paced atmosphere. “What attracted me to convenience care is being able to treat multiple problems from sore throats to fractures and sprains. I really enjoy treating many different kinds of injuries and illnesses.”
Erica enjoys the team-based atmosphere at ReadyMED, and especially likes having the lab and X-ray on-site. “This makes it easier for the patient because they can get all of their tests done right here on the premises, which involves less traveling for them.”
When approaching a patient, Erica likes to involve them in their own healthcare. “I like to choose a treatment plan that we can both agree on. I tailor every plan to each individual person – this way we are working as a team toward a common goal.” When not busy with her work, Erica enjoys spending time together with her husband and two small boys.
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Sarita Fage
Physician Assistant, ReadyMED
Bachelor of Science: Worcester State College
Master of Medical Science: Nova Southeastern University
Click here to find out more about Sarita Fage
Sarita Fage began her career in healthcare in 2003. While studying to become an EMT, she was also working as a home health aide taking care of a young woman with ALS. This experience helped her realize that healthcare was an ideal career choice for her. “When I was younger, I developed a strong interest in medicine and decided to pursue my career as a Physician Assistant several years later,” she explains.
Working at ReadyMED, Sarita enjoys the variety of cases she treats each day. She especially likes using her critical thinking and problem-solving skills to help her patients. Sarita loves interacting with her patients and educating them on their condition. “To provide the best possible care, it’s important to educate each patient so that they fully understand their diagnosis and treatment plan.”
Sarita believes it’s important to stay up-to-date with the latest advancements in medicine in order to provide patients with the highest level of care. “Some cases require more time and questioning, but in the end we all have the same goal – to provide proper patient care.” When she is not busy working at ReadyMED, Sarita enjoys playing the guitar, camping, reading and, most importantly, spending time with her family and friends.
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Katelyn Chaffee, Administrative Lead/MA
Since she was a young child, Katelyn Chaffee has always been fascinated with the medical field and the treatment of patients. A graduate of Salter School, Katelyn is working towards a degree in the nursing field at Quinsigamond Community College. Previously she worked in the Fallon Clinic dermatology department. “I loved dermatology,” she explains. “However, working in a convenience care clinic allows me to help patients with different types of acute illnesses, which I really enjoy.” One of the things she likes most about working at ReadyMED is her patient’s reactions when they walk through the door. “The patients are very impressed when they walk in. The atmosphere here has a home-like feel and our facility offers a great alternative to the Emergency Room.” In her spare time Katelyn enjoys spending time with family, doing arts and crafts, and camping.
Lora Fitzpatrick, RT
Lora Fitzpatrick graduated from Worcester State College with a degree in Communications. However, after starting a family, she left the field to raise her children. When she was ready to continue with her career, Lora had become interested in working in medicine. “A family member of mine was ill in the hospital, and I had spent a lot of time there,” she explains. “This was when I decided that a career in the medical field was something I would enjoy learning more about.” Having always been interested in photography, Lora decided that becoming a Radiologic Technologist fit her interests in both the creative and medical aspects. After graduating from Quinsigamond Community College, Lora now works at ReadyMED on a part-time basis and also holds two other positions in her field. When not busy with her career, Lora enjoys hiking, camping and traveling to different parts of the United States.
Rachel Hutchinson, MA
Originally from California, Rachel Hutchinson moved to the Worcester area just recently. A graduate of Heald College, a technical school in California, Rachel hopes to go on to achieve her degree in nursing. “I am excited about being in the New England area,” she explains. “There are great schools here and I love the Worcester area.” Previously, Rachel worked as a medical assistant for an Endocrinology practice in California and although she enjoyed that, she loves the diversity that a convenience care clinic can bring. “I really like the variety at ReadyMED. Instead of working with the same types of illnesses day in and day out, I see something new and different every day.” Rachel was never too interested in the sciences in high school, but after being exposed to an anatomy class, things just clicked. “Anatomy really appealed to me and it opened my eyes to a wealth of possibilities.” When not busy with her career, Rachel enjoys traveling to places such as New York City, going to the beach, watching movies, and dancing.
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Donna King, Sr. MA
Donna King became interested in the medical field after a family member spent some time in the hospital. “After spending 6 months around the hospital and seeing what the nurses and doctors do every day, I became very interested in medicine,” she explains. “I then signed up for a Medical Assistant course and totally loved it.” A graduate of Salter College, Donna hopes to continue her education in the future and become a registered nurse. She truly enjoys working with people and caring for them. “I love it when a patient leaves happy and satisfied and knowing that I made an impact on how they feel.” Donna also thrives on the wide variety of patients and illnesses she sees each day at ReadyMED. In her spare time, Donna enjoys relaxing and spending time with her family, as well reading mystery novels and shopping.
Christine Remillard, MA
A graduate of The Salter School, Christine is working towards her degree in nursing at Quinsigamond Community College. She previously worked in the Pediatric Department at Fallon Clinic on Plantation Street. However, when she decided to go back to school, she was looking for something more flexible for her schedule and ReadyMED was a perfect fit. Christine enjoys the wide range of patients that she sees at ReadyMED. “I can treat a wide variety of illness here with patients of all ages, ReadyMED allows me to really dive into Internal Medicine, whether it is taking a patient’s labs or removing sutures from a wound.” Christine also likes the close vicinity to the physicians at ReadyMED. “The doctors here are always available to us and I believe we can really learn a lot from them.” In her spare time, Christine enjoys spending time with her two young boys, especially going to the beach or swimming.
Luz Rodriguez, MA
Luz Rodriguez has always wanted to work in healthcare. She began her career working with mentally challenged patients at Matson Community Service and she is now splitting her time between ReadyMED and Fallon Clinic’s Plantation Street Internal Medicine department; she also does some per diem work at Fallon Clinic’s Urgent Care department. Luz is currently working on her degree in nursing. A high-energy person, she thrives on ReadyMED’s fast-paced atmosphere. “In the future when I do get my nursing degree, I’d like to work in an atmosphere such as an Emergency Room. With my experience in urgent and convenience care, I feel that a fast-paced atmosphere is what suits me best.” Luz really enjoys working with a diverse team of people at ReadyMED. “Everyone here brings something unique from their different area of expertise – we really learn a lot from each other.” When Luz is not busy with patients, she enjoys going to the park and taking day trips with her young daughter.
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Michelle Wilgus, RT
A graduate of Quinsigamond Community College, Michelle continues to have a growing interest in science and health care. “During a medical terminology class in high school I toured a radiology department”, she recalls. “That is when I started to consider radiology as a career path.” Michelle previously worked at Fallon Clinic’s Plantation Street facility as a radiology-tech assistant and upon graduation received an opportunity to work in a convenience care clinic. “I thrive in this fast-paced, patient-centered environment. I am able to take care of my patients from when they walk in the door until they walk out, I couldn't do that at other facilities.” However, what Michelle enjoys most about working at ReadyMED is the small, close-knit group of caregivers she works with each day. When not busy at work, Michelle enjoys being with family and friends, watching New England Revs soccer, and doing anything outdoors.
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