Staff Biographies
Biography – Dr. Laura Vedder
Dr. Vedder obtained her medical degree from the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine. After completing her residency at Steven and Alexandra Cohen Children’s Medical Center of New York, Dr. Vedder remained on staff as a chief resident in 2012.
Before joining Metropolitan Pediatrics, Dr. Vedder was a pediatric hospitalist at Lenox Hill Hospital and also worked at the Urgent Care Center at Cohen Children’s Medical Center.
Dr. Vedder is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics and is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Dr. Laura Vedder
Biography – Dr. Timothy M. Sasala
Dr. Sasala has been a pediatrician for 20 years and has owned and operated Metropolitan Pediatrics since 2008.
He is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics and is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Dr. Sasala finished medical school at Ohio University in 1997 and did residency training at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC. For 8 years, Dr. Sasala worked as a pediatrician and active duty officer in the U.S. Army - stationed in Hawaii, West Point, Walter Reed, and Germany. At the time of his departure from the Army, he was the chief of pediatrics and oversaw the care of 15,000 children of military personnel stationed in Germany.
After leaving the military, Dr. Sasala returned to New York and worked at Mount Sinai West before entering private practice.
Dr. Timothy Sasala
Biography – Dr. Puja Fernandes
Dr. Puja obtained her medical degree from the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed her residency at the Infants and Children's Hospital at Maimonides Medical Center. She joined Metropolitan Pediatrics in 2022, and the practice is thrilled to have her with us.
Dr. Puja Fernandes
Biography – Dr. John Lantos
Dr. Lantos received his medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1981 and has devoted his 40-year career to improving the quality of care provided to pediatrics patients.
Metropolitan Pediatrics was delighted to welcome Dr. Lantos to our caregiver team in 2022, and we appreciate the decades of pediatrics experience that he brings to our patients.
Dr. John Lantos
Biography – Courtney Shelly NP
Courtney Shelly is a certified pediatric nurse practitioner and registered nurse. She has been part of the Metropolitan Pediatrics caregiver team since 2015.
She holds a master's degree in nursing from Columbia University and a bachelor's degree from Boston College.
Before attending graduate school at Columbia, Courtney worked as a clinical research assistant and research coordinator at the University of Chicago and at Weill Cornell Medical College.
Courtney Farrar PNP
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