Brendan Durr, DO - Beacon Medical Group Advanced Cardiology Specialists South Bend

About Andriana Benge At age seven, Andriana Benge, NP, already had a career in medicine in mind. “I remember sitting in the doctor’s office telling the nurse that when she had her baby, I wanted to take over for her,” she says. “Ever since then I knew nursing was the right step for me.” When she became a nurse, Andriana knew she wanted to do more for her patients and help them in their whole medical journey and not just a part of it. That was when she decided to go back to school and further her career. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Indiana University South Bend, Indiana; and her Master of Science in Nursing at Northern Kentucky University, Highland Heights, KY. Andriana has experience in cardiac step-down, stress lab, and as an onsite occupational health registered nurse. As a Nurse Practitioner specializing in cardiology, Andriana helps heart patients manage medications, symptoms and educates them on how to care for themselves. “[A] patient’s understanding of their disease and plan of care is what is most important to me,” she says, adding, “It is important that patients feel involved and are involved with their care.” Through her experiences she has learned that everyone is different and should be treated as such. “The more the patient trusts you the more honest and open they will be with you,” Andriana says. In her own words… Who is or was the most influential people/role models in your life? My mother. She was able to be a great mom and work and then go back later in life to get her master’s degree because she desired more. What was your first job growing up? What do you remember about it? I babysat and worked for a company called Forte Residential. I worked with kids who had autism become more independent, completing tasks within their own home. What is your favorite food? Movie? Favorite food: anything sweet! As for meals I enjoy pasta, I am not picky and always looking for new recipes. I do not have a favorite movie. I enjoy Rom-Coms, true crime, comedy and action movies. What was your best/worst subjects in school growing up? Best subject gym…and science. Worst subject was physics. If you could sit down to dinner with anyone (alive or deceased) who would it be and why?Dolly Parton. I love her music, but all the work she does to help the community is amazing. She is always doing surprising things from writing books and giving away books with Imagination Library, to donating money and starting donation funds for problems within our country. In addition to medicine, what are you passionate about? My family. They are my everything and love to spend time with them. What are your hobbies, interests? I enjoy coaching softball and reading. I enjoy sitting outside with a cup of coffee and a good book. I also enjoy cooking and baking. Do you have pets? I have two dogs, Daisy and Macklin, as well as a cat named Sky. What is something most people don’t know about you? One thing that most people do not know about me is that I grew up on a farm and miss it dearly.

About Dr. Narla Annie (Venkata) Narla, MD, chose her career path while in college. “Through my various volunteering and shadowing experiences, and through my coursework and electives in biology, I was inspired to pursue medicine,” she says. She earned her Bachelor of Arts at Cornell University, Ithaca, NY and her Doctor of Medicine at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, where she also completed her residency in Internal Medicine. Dr. Narla completed fellowships at University of California, San Franciso, in Cardiovascular Diseases and Cardia Electrophysiology. Here, she also earned her M.A.S. (Master of Advanced Study in Clinical Research). Electrophysiology appealed to Dr. Narla due to its potential to significantly improve quality and quantity of life for patients. As a specialist in the heart’s electrical system, Dr. Narla diagnoses and treats abnormal heart rhythms. “I perform specialized procedures called ablations to cure fast abnormal heart rhythms and I implant pacemakers and defibrillators as well,” she says. In treating patients, Dr. Narla emphasizes customized care plans. "I believe every patient deserves individualized care and recommendations tailored to their own specific needs. My philosophy is that every single patient matters to me and I treat every patient how I would want my family member to be treated," she says. “I hope patients see that I always do the very best I can to help improve their quality and quantity of life and I do my very best to achieve the best possible patient outcomes.” In her own words… Who is or was the most influential people/role models in your life?My father (a physician) What was your first job growing up? What do you remember about it? My first job growing up was a Research Assistant. I did classical conditioning experiments on live mice to test the olfactory system! What is your favorite food? Movie? My favorite food is Chicken Tikka Masala curry. My Favorite movie – oh there are just too many! What was your best/worst subjects in school growing up? My best subject was math and my least favorite subject was history. If you could sit down to dinner with anyone (alive or deceased) who would it be and why? If I could sit down to dinner with anyone, it would be Michael Jordan! He’s my childhood idol. In addition to medicine, what are you passionate about? My interests are: watching movies, cooking, eating out various cuisines, reading, shopping, traveling, museums, art and music. I love to spend time with my lovely baby boy and husband. What is something most people don’t know about you? I grew up in England for the first 10-11 years of my life.

Dr. Mittal received his medical degree from Grant Medical College, Mumbai, India. He completed his internship at Sir J.J. Group of Hospitals, Mumbai, India and postgraduate training in the United Kingdom. He also completed clinical simulation and medical education fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. He then went to University of Missouri, Columbia for cardiovascular research fellowship, internal medicine residency and cardiovascular fellowship. He completed his interventional cardiology fellowship at Borgess Heart Institute, Kalamazoo with the Michigan State University. Dr. Mittal is Board certified in interventional cardiology, cardiovascular medicine, internal medicine, echocardiography and nuclear medicine. Dr. Mittal's area of expertise includes coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease, minimally invasive valve replacement and repair such as Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) and Mitra-clip procedures. He also maintains clinical interest in stroke prevention through Endoscopic Left atrial appendage closure with Watchman or Amulet device for those with atrial fibrillation and closure of patent foramen ovale or ASD for those with septal defect. Dr. Mittal has widely published and presented his research in medical education and cardiovascular field. He has received several awards and grants for his research, especially for developing a new drug eluting stent. His research profile can be checked at https://www.researchgate.net/profile/... He is passionate about patient centered care, medical education and clinical research. Dr. Mittal serves on editorial boards of scientific journals. He is a Fellow of American College of Cardiology and American College of Physicians. When he is not at work, he enjoys traveling, running and spending time with his family.