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PCCSF Welcomes Zaira Garcia-Corujo, MD, FAAP

Pediatric Critical Care of South Florida is pleased to announce the addition of Zaira Garcia-Corujo, MD, FAAP, to our team.

Dr. Garcia joins PCCSF with extensive experience in both practicing and teaching pediatric critical care. Her knowledge and experience will be valuable to our practice and our mission to providing our patients and their families with exceptional care. Read on to get to know her.

Dr. Zaira Garcia-Corujo is a double board-certified doctor of General Pediatrics and Pediatric Critical Care. She earned her Doctor of Medicine degree from The University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus. Dr. Garcia completed her residency and fellowship at Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami.

After completing her fellowship, she moved back to Puerto Rico where she worked for two years in the country’s pediatric hospital, the largest teaching institution on the island. During her time there, she taught PICU fellows, pediatric residents and medical students, and was instrumental in achieving the ability to perform MRIs on intubated pediatric patients for the first time.

In July 2011, she relocated to Florida and worked for Kidz Medical Services for the next eight years. In her role, she covered three hospitals for the organization: Palm Beach Children’s Hospital, Bethesda Memorial Hospital, and NCH North Naples Hospital. During this time, she was elected as the Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Bethesda Hospital, a distinction she received two years in a row. She served as the acting Chair from July 2018 until September 2019.

Dr. Garcia’s clinical interests include day-to-day issues such as the management of septic shock, multiple organ dysfunction and respiratory failure.

Dr. Garcia was born and raised in Puerto Rico. She enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and two sons, boating, traveling, and dancing.

Posted by lavandosky

PCCSF Welcomes Jesse Scanlon, PA-C

As we navigate these challenging times, we’re proud to announce that our PCCSF team is continuing to grow. It is our mission to deliver quality care to our patients, and provide their families the highest support and we’re able to do so thanks to the expertise, knowledge and dedication of our medical staff.

PCCSF is delighted to welcome Jesse Scanlon, PA-C. Please read on to get to know her!

I was born and raised in Houston, Texas, where my interest in medicine and helping others was peaked when I worked with students with special needs at my high school. Additionally, I spent summers working at day camps/nannying and realized how much I loved working with children.

I received a degree in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin, where I also continued to volunteer with individuals with special needs and children in the foster care system. Realizing that I wanted to work more directly with people, I earned my EMT license and worked at an ABA facility for children with Autism while applying to PA school. I attended Nova Southeastern University’s Physician Assistant program where my passion for working with pediatrics continued to grow as I rotated in general pediatrics, pediatric hematology/oncology, gastroenterology, and critical care. While I rotated with the critical care team at Joe DiMaggio, I enjoyed the opportunity to work with a wide range of patients and build a rapport with our longer-term patients and families.

Outside of medicine, my interests include snorkeling, kayaking, weightlifting, volunteering, traveling, history, trying new restaurants, and sappy rom-coms.

Posted by lavandosky

PCCSF Welcomes Giri Kaliki, MD

Pediatric Critical Care of South Florida is pleased to announce that Giri Kaliki, MD has joined our team.

Dr. Kaliki joins PCCSF with extensive experience in pediatric critical care and will be a valuable asset in helping us provide exceptional care to our patients and support to their families. Read on to get to know him!

Dr. Giri Kaliki is a board-certified doctor of pediatrics with specialties in pediatric critical care medicine and pediatric cardiology. He earned his Doctor of Medicine degree in Osmania Medical College, India. He completed his pediatric residency at Lincoln Medical Center, Bronx, New York. He completed fellowships in pediatric critical care medicine and pediatric cardiology at University of Florida. He worked as a clinical assistant professor at the University of Florida for six years. In 2021, he relocated to South Florida. Dr. Kaliki’s interests include taking care of complex group of children with heart diseases through their intensive care stay. Dr. Kaliki also has interest in pediatric pulmonary hypertension.

Posted by lavandosky

PCCSF Welcomes Zenaida Pacheco, APRN

At Pediatric Critical Care of South Florida, we strive to provide comfort, hope, and the best possible care to our patients, as well as their family and friends. We accomplish our mission thanks to our expertly trained and experienced staff in advanced pediatric critical care medicine. Their skills allow us to care for the most critically ill patients across South Florida and have made us a premier provider.

We’re happy to announce the addition of Zenaida Pacheco, APRN to the team.  Zenaida will continue pushing PCCSF’s mission forward. Read on to get to know her!

I was born and raised in Miami, FL to Puerto Rican parents. Since I was a little girl, I was always intrigued by medicine and found gratification in helping others feel better. At the age of 15, my first job was in a medical billing office answering the phone and opening mail. I’ve been in scrubs ever since.

I’ve been a nurse for 11 years – ten of those were in the NICU, and the last three were in a leadership position as a Clinical Manager. I obtained my bachelor’s degree from the University of Miami in 2010 and completed the Pediatrics Nurse Practitioner track at Florida International University in 2020. This is my first opportunity as an APRN. My current professional interests lie in expanding my knowledge, exposure, and skill set in pediatric critical care.

My interests revolve around my family – my husband and three children – and that includes practicing my faith, music, dancing, sports, volunteering and traveling, just to name a few.

Posted by lavandosky

PCCSF’s Alceste Villasuso, ARNP, Featured In NurseJournal

The CDC recently warned that this flu season might be worse than normal. Medical experts say both kids and adults could face a higher risk of getting the flu for the 2021-22 season.

This contrasts with last year which saw record-low infection rates with only 2,000 cases recorded by the CDC between September 2020 and April 2021. However, these low numbers could be problematic as flu vaccine development depends on the previous year and a lack of infections last season will reduce access to data about the strains most likely circulating this season.

NurseJournal recently interviewed PCCSF’s Alceste Villasuso, ARNP, where she shared what to expect this flu season and tips to prevent getting it. She was also featured in an article on back-to-school vaccinations, click here to read.

Posted by lavandosky