Kamini Shah, MD

Malvina Fulman, MD, is a medical oncologist and hematologist with an interest in breast cancer. She practices at Northwell Health Cancer Institute Queens Medical Associates, a group of eight oncologists and a palliative care doctor. The doctors and staff within this group speak more than 10 languages, which helps them to accommodate the cultural diversity of Queens. Dr. Fulman speaks Russian, Georgian and English.The idea behind our group is to help our patients in the best possible way, Dr. Fulman says. It's much easier when you can relate to your doctor in the same language. We understand not only the medical part. We also understand the cultural part, so we can address those issues as well.Dr. Fulman was inspired to become a doctor after an aunt died of breast cancer when Dr. Fulman was 14. You want to help your family and to help other people as well, she says.After finishing her medical education at Tbilisi State Medical Institute in Georgia, she completed an internship at Republican Hospital in Tbilisi, Georgia, and a residency and fellowship at Cabrini Medical Center/ Mount Sinai School of Medicine.Dr. Fulman is board certified in medical oncology and hematology. She is also a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and belongs to the American Society of Clinical Oncology, and she has a teaching appointment at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell.One of the best parts of Dr. Fulman's job is seeing her patients reach milestones with their families graduations, weddings, and anniversaries. I enjoy when I go to work and see patients who came to me five, 10, 15, 20 years ago, and they're still around and they're still okay, Dr. Fulman says. It's really special.

Jane Cho, MD, MPH, is a urologist and physician director of ultrasound at Northwell Health. Though she joined Northwell in 2016, her connection goes back further; her mother is a longtime nurse practitioner here.Because of my mother, I grew up around medicine, and Ive always wanted to do something of service to help people, she says. Initially, she was headed toward pediatrics or primary care, but a surgical rotation when she was a student at New York Medical College changed that trajectory. I just fell in love with urology, that seemed like the perfect fit for me.During her urology residency at University of California Irvine and fellowship at Indiana University Hospitals School of Medicine, she narrowed that focus to urologic oncology, which Dr. Cho appreciates for its ability to bring together numerous aspects of care, including innovative procedures like robotic surgery and meaningful patient relationships.In urology, you establish long-term connections with patients, and become part of their lives, she says. One thing I pride myself on is being able to clearly explain to each patient whats happening, counseling them on what their diagnosis means and what type of treatments are available. Communication and education are a big part of patient care. Dr. Cho is fluent in both Korean and Spanish in addition to English.Adding to her emphasis on patient care, Dr. Cho is an assistant professor of urology at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. As associate program director for the residency program, she dedicates time each week to interacting with residents and medical students, to educate the next generation of urology specialists. She also serves on the physician council on diversity, work that is geared toward addressing the needs of the diverse patient population of New York City. Dr. Cho is a member of the tumor board at Northwell. The board includes numerous professionals such as medical oncologists and radiation oncologists who meet to discuss cases in an atmosphere of shared decision making. The emphasis is always on collaboration and relationships, which applies to bringing specialists together for patients, and also to building connections with patients in a way that best serves them, she says.

Abhisek Swaika, MD, is a board-certified medical oncologist and hematologist at Northwell Health, as well as an assistant professor at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. After attending Kasturba Medical College in India, followed by residency at the State University of New York at Buffalo and a fellowship at Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, Dr. Swaika joined Queens Medical Associates, which became part of Northwell in 2020. Dr. Swaika was drawn towards oncology as it proved to be appealing and both as a quickly changing field and one that’s intellectually fascinating. He also likes how the field allows him to forge long-term, compassionate patient connections—bringing together the science and care he’s cultivated from the start. Queens Medical Associates, as a practice, provides culturally sensitive and cutting-edge care for the borough, and the connection with Northwell gives patients a community-focused practice with considerable resources, including access to clinical trials. “This is comprehensive, individualized care at its best,” he says. “You can have a huge team working for you and on your side, while still getting the one-on-one relationship with your oncologist.” That’s especially important with how much cancer takes a toll on both patients and families. “Recognizing that family members need support, too, is very important because this is a vulnerable time for everyone,” he says. “It can definitely be challenging, physically and emotionally, so with my team, I try to take some of that weight off patients and their loved ones.” Physicians and staff represent fluency in over 30 languages, an important part of making patients feel at ease. Dr. Swaika is fluent in Hindi and Bengali and appreciates the team-based approach at both the clinic and within Northwell. Often when he meets new patients and they realize he speaks their language and understands their culture, confidence in the treatment soars. “Patients just want to be heard and understood, on every level,” he says. “We’re able to provide that, and in a meaningful way.”