Our Doctors

Originally from Syria, Dr. Omar Alani began his medical career as an emergency room physician. He first came to America to begin a residency in Pediatrics. At ReadyMED, Dr. Alani concentrates on seeing children and young adults under the age of 26.

“Considering my medical interests, this is really a dream job for me,” he explains. “I have always liked treating children and adolescents. They usually recover from illness better because they are younger and have fewer health issues. Plus having my own children, I know what they go through when they are sick.”

Dr. Alani is a very “hands-on” physician and enjoys doing different procedures in the office such as suturing, casting, removing skin lesions and warts, and incision and draining. He always makes a point to work closely with the family of a child when making a diagnosis. “When you work in pediatrics, you need to connect with the parents as well as the child. It’s important to explain the problem and make sure that everyone is on track with the treatment plan.”

Dr. Alani says that seeing patients in a walk-in care facility is always more challenging than in a typical office. “In this type of setting, you need to make decisions very quickly. Fortunately, at ReadyMED we have a lot of great technology to help in diagnosis, and this makes it a lot easier for everyone.”

When Dr. Alani isn’t busy treating patients he enjoys being around his family and watching sports, especially soccer. He also loves reading history and literature. He and his wife also enjoy visiting local restaurants and being a part of the Arabic-speaking community in Worcester.

Jared first became interested in a career in medicine when he was a teenager. “I was in a car accident and that experience helped fuel my interest to work in emergency medicine” he explains. After gaining some experience as an EMT Jared decided to pursue becoming an advanced practitioner. “I decided I wanted to provide a higher level of care for my patients. I’ve always had a desire and a passion for helping people and working as a physician assistant allows me to fulfill that goal.”

Jared enjoys the ability to provide care and reassurance to those who need it the most – and are at their most vulnerable. Jared says that he believes in treating all his patients as if he were treating a loved one. “I try to understand that they are coming to me in a time of need. So I try to recognize that and put people at ease and be as empathetic as possible. Then, I try to treat the physical ailments with my medical knowledge. I believe doing both helps make someone recover more efficiently.”

One of the things that Jared likes the most about working at ReadyMED is that every day is different. “Working here is like solving a new puzzle every day and I love being able to meet and talk with new people,” he explains. In his spare time Jared enjoys being with his wife and family and enjoys camping, fishing, canoeing, and going for walks in the woods.

Allyson knew from a very young age that she wanted to be a nurse just like her mother. “My mother is a true, big-hearted caregiver and a huge role model for me.” she explains. “My father was also important in encouraging me to continue my education and pushing me to be the best I could be in my field.” 

Trained as family nurse practitioner, Allyson sees patients of all ages. She started both her registered nurse and nurse practitioner careers in the emergency room. “I love working in the outpatient setting and I love helping those who are in need,” she explains. “I pride myself on offering my patients reassurance, guidance, and also educating them about how to manage their current situation.” 

Allyson always approaches each patient with the same compassion regardless of their problem. “I believe each patient’s health concern should be validated and investigated appropriately to ensure the patient leaves with appropriate answers, education and follow-up as needed,” she explains. “This, in turn, helps ensure they are satisfied with their care. I love the smile on my patients’ face as they leave feeling reassured, educated, and more prepared to deal with their current situation.” 

Allyson said she struggles with the lack of education patients have about preventative measures, such as proper diet and exercise. “We see so many patients with repeated ailments related to their lifestyle choices. If we, as providers, educate people more about preventative health measures and healthier lifestyle choices I am hopeful we can become an overall healthier community.” 

When she is not busy with her patients, Allyson enjoys being with her family. “I love time with my husband out on the motorcycle on sunny days, hikes with our French bulldog Monti, and enjoying some free time with my two younger sisters.” 

After a number of years in the medical field Jeffrey Ayotte became a family nurse practitioner in 2011. “Working as a family nurse practitioner allows me to see people of almost any age, from infants to the elderly,” he explains. “I really enjoy the variety of practicing in an walk-in care setting and being able to diagnose and treat a wide variety of people and conditions. I also really love the team environment here.” When he is not busy at ReadyMED Jeffrey enjoys spending quality time with his family and friends. He also loves golf, traveling, hiking with his dogs, plus running and other outdoor activities.

A graduate of the University of Massachusetts/Amherst and Regis College, Rachel Berkowitz finds her role as a Nurse Practitioner very fulfilling. “I enjoy getting to know people on a personal level, working with others, and learning new things, and being a Nurse Practitioner allows me to do that,” she explains. “It is truly a privilege to do this job.” Rachel thinks that the best care is given when the patient and provider team together to achieve common, realistic goals. “I have always felt that a common sense of respect, acceptance of personal strengths and challenges, and quality listening yield the best health outcomes for my patients. Most importantly, by creating these interactions, an intimate and honest relationship can be fostered.” In her free time, Rachel enjoys trying new types of cuisine. She also loves traveling and exploring new places plus spending time with her husband and English bulldog Bella.

Jennifer started her career as an RN and later decided to become an advanced practitioner. “I felt I would get more satisfaction by being able to provide a higher level of care for my patients as a physician assistant. I really enjoy diagnosing, treating, and being directly responsible for the management of my patient’s care.”

Jennifer enjoys working at ReadyMED because every day is different. “I really enjoy the fast-paced environment here and the variety of care,” she explains. “Plus I get to do procedures which I really enjoy. When people come here for care they often have an acute need and I enjoy helping them and making an impact. I like that every day is different and you never know what to expect.”

Jennifer tries to approach and treat every patient as if they were a member of her own family. “I always acknowledge patient issues and work to make them feel at ease while providing as much compassion as I can.”

In her spare time Jennifer enjoys traveling and trying new restaurants with her husband. She also enjoys hiking, walking her dogs and being with extended family. She also loves reading and spending summer weekends in New Hampshire.

Kristen’s medical career began as a medic in the US Army many years ago. Since that time, she has continued to advance her career in medicine. “I realized that by becoming a nurse practitioner I could provide patients with a higher level of care and care for the entire patient, not just their illness.”

Kristen enjoys working in the fast-paced environment of ReadyMED^SM. “Working here I am able to not just care for people but provide the level of service they need when they are sick or injured,” she explains. “Being able to care for others who are having a bad day makes me happy and hopefully improves their day as well.”

For Kristen, providing care is a team sport. “I believe that’s it important to work closely with the patient to provide the holistic level of care that they deserve. Patients frequently need to talk with someone about what they are experiencing – not just have someone tell them what is happening to them.”

In her spare time Kristen loves to complete DIY projects around the house, read a good book and play with her two dogs.

Growing up in Albania, Dr. Linda Ciu’s parents always had a lot of respect for physicians. “My parents weren’t doctors but they always revered physicians and saw medicine as an important profession. I think that influenced me to become a doctor,” she explains. “Now I enjoy helping others using my medical skills and my daughter is also a physician.”

Dr. Ciu spent many years as a pediatrician before coming to ReadyMED. “I enjoyed helping families with their different needs. Over time, you can become very close. Working with families is a unique part of medicine because parents trust you with the most precious thing they have – their children.”

Although Dr. Ciu spent much of her career as a pediatrician, she enjoys the fast pace of working at ReadyMED. “It is a unique way to practice because you have to make important decisions about plans of treatment or accessing the gravity of the situation in a short amount of time,” she explains. “When you walk in the door to the exam room you never know what you will see.”

Dr. Ciu really strives to bring the warmth and caring that she fostered in primary care to her work at ReadyMED. “I want to make people as comfortable as possible when they visit. I like the fact that I can help people immediately and put them at ease.”

In her spare time, Dr. Ciu enjoys working in the yard, being with friends, and traveling. She also enjoys exercising to stay in shape, including aerobics.

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.