Hometown: Naples, FL

Undergraduate Education: Bachelors of Science degree in Biology, University of North Florida, Jacksonville 

Medical School: Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine - Bradenton 

Residency: University of Florida Internal Medicine Residency, Gainesville, FL

In His Own Words: “I was elated to have matched at University of South Florida, in my home state of Florida!  The USF program provides amazing opportunities to care for athletes of all ages and skill levels.  Additionally, the faculty display empathy, compassion, and enthusiasm towards teaching their fellows POCUS and procedures. I also value the proximity of the program to my hometown, the eclectic offerings of Tampa, and the championship culture of Champa Bay!!”

About Dr. Patton: Dr. Patton was born and raised in Naples, Florida.  He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Biology with a focus on Biomedical Sciences from University of North Florida, while minoring in Sports Management.  He then spent one year at University of South Florida where he obtained a Graduate Certificate in Business Foundations, which was followed by medical school at LECOM-Bradenton.  During medical school he was President of Christian Medical and Dental Association.  The majority of his upbringing was spent playing baseball and participating in other outdoor activities, which he still loves including boating, paddle boarding, kayaking, and camping.  In his spare time, he enjoys looking through and building his extensive sports card and memorabilia collection.  Dr. Patton’s interest in sports medicine started when he suffered an elbow injury as a youth baseball player.  However, thanks to his Sports Medicine physicians he was still able to play Division 1 baseball.  At this time, he is open to settling anywhere near the water that will allow him to provide quality care for athletes of all ages and skill levels.

Hometown: Richmond Hill, NY

Undergraduate Education: Bachelor’s of Athletic Training, SUNY Cortland 

Graduate Education: Masters of Science in Nutrition and Applied Physiology, Teachers College Columbia University  Masters of Science in Biophysics and Physiology, Stony Brook University Medical School: Stony Brook University School of Medicine, NY

Residency: Mount Sinai South Nassau Family Medicine residency, Oceanside New York

In Her Own Words: “I am so excited I got accepted to my top primary care sports medicine fellowship! All of my educational and professional experience has been in the state of New York, during these 2 1/2 years during the COVID-19 pandemic it was more restricting to get in person familiarity with programs no matter where in the country they were. Therefore, I relied heavily on learning about fellowships online and during virtual interactions. The USF Fellowship gave me the best combination of having the wide range of experiences of novice to professional athlete coverage and gut feeling that the people that lead this program will be great to work with. As an athletic trainer and sports medicine nutritionist I appreciate the interdisciplinary team that USF values and look forward to working with those specialties along with others that comprise the sports medicine experience. The other unique thing about this program that I am looking forward to is sharing this experience with a co-fellow. I continue to smile from ear to ear when asked about this opportunity that I’m grateful for.”

About Dr. Puello: Dr. Puello grew up in Queens NY and has lived in Brooklyn NY for over 16 years. She was captain of her high school swim team where she suffered an injury that took her out for the season. This sparked her passion to pursue athletic training which she did at the collegiate level for eight years. After working alongside team physicians, she decided to pursue medical school so she can become one herself. During this time, she was married with one child and a second one on the way. Once she’s done with her fellowship training she intends to continue working with collegiate and professional athletes. She looks forward to continuing this journey with her husband and children who are now 15 and 10 years old.