Berna Urkmez, M.D.
I am originally from Turkey. I received my medical degree in 2010 from Istanbul Faculty ofI Medicine which is one of the most prestigious and well-established Medical Schools in Turkey.
I served as a Family Medicine Doctor for 3 years. During my practice. I realized how crucial preventive medicine and rehabilitating patients are. Therefore, I did my residency in
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation between 2013-2018 at Bezmialem Vakif University, Istanbul, Turkey. Afterwards, I served as a physiatrist at a university hospital for 2 years in Istanbul. While I was serving as an attending physiatrist, I mainly focused on chronic pain and its management, especially, rehabilitation process for chronic pain. I observed a significant change in quality of life and patient functioning with rehabilitation. I have had many patients with chronic pain who had been addicted to opioids, which is an important and growing problem for any population world-wide. Therefore, I decided to pursue a post-graduate fellowship in addiction medicine where I can be a member of an experienced and dedicated
In my free time, I like playing chess with my kids and friends, riding, skiing and swimming. Exploring new places is our favorite family activity.
Mahesh Pundit, M.D.
I am an Anesthesiologist living with my wife, Nita, in Sugar Land, Texas. We have two children and grandchildren. The BAPS Hindu Temple in Houston is the hub of our lives.
I was born in Mumbai, India. My parents emigrated to England when I was five years old. I was lucky to attend a high school which prepared me for Medical School at the University of London. I graduated in 1984 and began working for Brendan Devlin, FRCS, who was instrumental in reorganizing surgical services in the United Kingdom.
I trained in Anesthesia and Intensive Care, becoming a Fellow of the Royal College of Anaesthetists of the UK, in 1990. Professor James Arens, MD, President of the American Board of Anesthesiology, offered me a position as a Visiting Instructor in his Department in Galveston, in 1990, based upon my experience with propofol and laryngeal mask airways. These were developed in the UK but not approved for use in the USA, at the time. He assisted me to obtain training in Cardiac Anesthesia at Methodist Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine. I became Board Certified in Anesthesiology in 1997 and specialized in Cardiac Anesthesia. I subsequently provided services as a private practitioner for many years to a group of Sports Medicine Specialists in Houston.
I love country walks, birdwatching and silence. I am interested in Dzogchen meditation and its philosophy of ‘emptiness’. I am a volunteer at Bochasan Akshar Purshottam Temples.
Embarking on a second career in Addiction Medicine is a deeply personal journey with origins in a history of addiction in my immediate family. My ambition is to serve addicts and those affected by them. ETSU’s ACGME approved Fellowship will provide the evidence-based tools needed to accomplish this task.