Our Doctors

For as long as she can remember, Dr. Sarah Ghabbour always wanted to be a pediatrician. “I just wanted to treat children, it’s always been my life-long dream,” she explains. “To tell you the truth, I could never imagine myself doing anything else.”

As a pediatric care physician at ReadyMED, Dr. Ghabbour likes being able to take care of all the different types of problems that children might have. “I like the satisfaction of being able to fix something and provide a solution quickly. The great thing about ReadyMED is that you can be seen the same day and find a resolution for what’s going on.”

When treating her patients, Dr. Ghabbour realizes that every child is part of a family and that the family is essential to good care. “I like working closely with parents and answering their questions and concerns so I can provide the guidance needed for proper treatment during the course of an illness. Good communication is really essential in pediatric medicine.”

Dr. Ghabbour had a child during her medical residency and feels that has helped her better understand the challenges that mothers often deal with. “I think it makes me more empathetic with parents and allows me to better understand the struggles they go through such as sleep deprivation, difficulties with breast-feeding, and other issues since I have experienced them myself.”

In her spare time, Dr. Ghabbour enjoys ice-skating, hiking, soccer, reading novels and listening to a good podcast. She also loves spending time with her family.

A graduate of Westfield State College and Bay Path University, Ryan worked as an EMT for a number of years before becoming a Physician Assistant (PA). Coming from a medical family, Ryan says it wasn’t surprising that he choose healthcare for a career. “I have always been involved in the medical field and seeing what my stepmother was able to do as a PA drove me to do the same,” he explains. Ryan chose to work at ReadyMED because he enjoys the wide variety of concerns he gets to treat. “I enjoy the fast-paced environment, which allows me to use my different skills helping patients each day.” In his spare time Ryan enjoys watching sports, working out at the gym, playing with his favorite pets, and spending time with friends and family.

A graduate of the Boston University School of Public Health and the UMass Graduate School of Nursing, Rosemary has been a nurse since 2005 and a nurse practitioner since 2008. Rosemary chose to be a nurse practitioner at ReadyMED because she likes the opportunity to help patients of all ages deal with a variety of different health concerns. “I wanted to be a key part of a healthcare team here with the patient as the center of care,” she explains.

Rosemary says she believes in caring for others as if they were a member of her own family. She always makes a point to listen to her patients’ concerns and gives credit to the expertise they have. “Patients are really the experts of themselves. I work hard to meet people where they are and collaborate on a plan of care that gives them the information and tools they need to improve their health.”

Rosemary is a strong believer in educating her patients as much as possible, “For me, it’s very important to be a reliable source of information for my patients.” As a nurse practitioner, Rosemary enjoys the opportunity to learn something new every day and apply that knowledge in a way that helps others. When she is not busy with patients, Rosemary enjoys doing different outdoor activities including mountain biking, swimming, running, hiking, fishing, gardening and cooking. She also likes to play the ukulele.

Like many nurse practitioners, Shaina first started her career in medicine as a registered nurse. Back when she was working as an RN at a large teaching hospital, she marveled at the growth of the interns as they progressed through their residency. “One day, I said to myself, ‘Why can’t I do what they’re doing?’ Going to medical school didn’t seem to fit into my life at that point, but working alongside nurse practitioners and physician assistants made me realize that they were just as competent and experienced as doctors were. It was then I made the decision to become an advanced practitioner so I could continue to help patients and families in a more advanced role.”

Shaina is board-certified in Family Medicine and has a strong interest and background in Emergency Medicine, which is a great asset to her at ReadyMED. “Having an FNP degree has allowed me to assess, diagnose, and treat patients of all ages and stages of life,” she explains. “In addition, working in emergency medicine has allowed me to deal with almost every type of patient problem and perform procedures in a quick, fast-paced environment.”

When treating her patients, Shaina never forgets that she is caring for someone’s loved one. “I always make a point to treat every patient with the kind of respect and care I would want for my own family and friends,” she explains. “Medicine is both an art and a science. Time and experience have shaped what we know as the medicine of today. They help to guide us in the right direction when caring for patients. But, dealing with people who are vulnerable and coming to you in a time of need requires empathy, listening, and support that must be tailored to each individual.”

In her spare time Shaina enjoys being outdoors, hiking, traveling, yoga, and experiencing life through the eyes of her two amazing daughters.

A graduate of the University of Massachusetts Boston and Bryant University, Amanda decided to become an advanced practitioner because she enjoys working directly with patients advancing the common goal of better overall health and wellness.

Amanda enjoys the fast pace of working at ReadyMED. “I really enjoy supporting patients both in their immediate needs and also doing my best to ensure they have access to long-term and follow-up care after their visit,” she explains.

Amanda likes to follow the holistic approach to patient care which involves examining the psychological, social, and mental health factors that may contribute to the symptoms and presentation of disease. “I believe it is extremely important to value the individual’s experience and circumstances when it comes to their own health and wellbeing.”

Amanda enjoys working closely with the healthcare team and connecting with patients. “I value the provider-patient relationship and I think that level of trust, respect, and responsibility is equally important amongst the healthcare team.

In her spare time Amanda loves to be with friends and family, as well as hiking and exploring the outdoors with her two rescue dogs. She also loves snowboarding, volleyball, kayaking, traveling, and sunny days at the beach.

A graduate of UMass Amherst and UMass Worcester, Jennifer is a highly experienced nurse practitioner, and has cared for adults, children and pregnant women. Jennifer’s area of expertise is family practice medicine. “I chose family practice because I wanted to be able to care for whoever walked in the door whether they are a week old or 90 years old,” she explains. “I like the variety of patients I see in family practice and I know my experience will be a great asset working at ReadyMED.” Jennifer is a big believer in listening to, educating, and empowering her patients. “I approach caring for patients as a team effort. I am a member of the team and together with the patient we make treatment decisions that work best for the patient and their needs. No one likes being sick, that’s why I love being able to make a difference in patient’s lives by helping them get back to being themselves again and resuming their everyday activities.” In her spare time Jennifer enjoys traveling with her husband and being with family and friends. She also likes to play volleyball, cook, and find new wines to enjoy.

A graduate of Becker College, Framingham State University and the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Megan worked as an acute care nurse for eight years before becoming an advanced practitioner. She enjoys the higher level of autonomy it provides and being able to implement education and preventative care with her patients across their lifespan. Megan is a strong believer in developing a good rapport with her patients and encouraging them to make healthy choices in their life. She also enjoys listening to their concerns and integrating thoughtful teaching regarding their diagnosis along with optimal treatment. When she is not busy with her patients, Megan enjoys spending lots of time with her family, including activities such as working out, sports, trips to the beach, crafts and being with friends and family.

Dr. Elyssa Pellish worked as an emergency room physician for many years and now uses her experience to help patients at ReadyMED Plus in Worcester.

“I like the fact that ReadyMED Plus can handle such a wide range of care issues and allows me the opportunity to help people feel immediately better,” she explains. “Plus working here I have immediate access to blood work and CT scans. I can also refer patients to other Reliant specialists if they need them.”

Dr. Pellish always makes a point to get to know her patients and look at all of their care issues. “I try to care for the whole patient even though they may have visited for one specific complaint. I will look at diet, nutrition and physical activity, for instance, since so many things can figure into a diagnosis.” Dr. Pellish is very comfortable doing minor procedures in the office to help patients including closing lacerations, incision and drainage, fracture care and splint placement.

Working at ReadyMED, Dr. Pellish says that she truly enjoys making connections with her patients. “When you really connect with someone and are able to help them it’s very satisfying…it makes all the hard work worthwhile.”

When she is not busy helping patients, Dr. Pellish enjoys hiking, running, reading and being outdoors as much as possible. She also enjoys spending time with friends and family.