Jermaine M. Jackson, M.D., FCCP, graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor of science in biology from Tennessee State University in Nashville. He earned his medical degree from the University of Tennessee College of Medicine in Memphis. He completed his residency in internal medicine and was subsequently chief resident at Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. Dr. Jackson completed his fellowship in pulmonary and critical care medicine at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C. Prior to joining Piedmont Physicians, Dr. Jackson was in practice with Georgia Lung Associates.Dr. Jackson holds board certifications in critical care medicine, pulmonary medicine and internal medicine. He is a member of the Society of Critical Care Medicine and a fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians. Dr. Jackson's philosophy of medicine begins with empathy, compassion and competency. He adheres firmly to the belief that patients should always come first. His charisma and tenacity make him highly regarded by patients and colleagues alike.Dr. Jackson welcomes new patients and accepts most insurance plans. Dr. Jackson is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Sarcoidosis. His top areas of expertise are Neurosarcoidosis, Sarcoidosis, Lung Metastases, Pneumonia, and Gastrostomy.

Srihari Veeraraghavan is a Pulmonary Medicine provider in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Veeraraghavan has been practicing medicine for over 34 years and is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Sarcoidosis. His top areas of expertise are Acute Interstitial Pneumonia, Interstitial Lung Disease, Pulmonary Fibrosis, Sarcoidosis, and Lung Transplant.

Alex Truong is a Pulmonary Medicine provider in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Truong has been practicing medicine for over 22 years and is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Sarcoidosis. His top areas of expertise are Sarcoidosis, Long Haul COVID, Neurosarcoidosis, Pulmonary Fibrosis, and Endoscopy.

Gloria Westney is a Pulmonary Medicine provider in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Westney has been practicing medicine for over 40 years and is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Sarcoidosis. Her top areas of expertise are Sarcoidosis, Neurosarcoidosis, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and Lung Metastases.

Frehiywot Ayele is a Rheumatologist in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Ayele has been practicing medicine for over 30 years and is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Sarcoidosis. Her top areas of expertise are Sarcoidosis, Neurosarcoidosis, Polymyositis, and Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA).

Adewumi Oguntunmibi is an Internal Medicine provider in Savannah,, Georgia. Dr. Oguntunmibi is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Sarcoidosis. His top areas of expertise are Bronchitis, Lung Metastases, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Advanced Bronchoscopy, and Gastrostomy.

Mohammad Kamran is a Rheumatologist in Marietta, Georgia. Dr. Kamran is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Sarcoidosis. His top areas of expertise are Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), Psoriatic Arthritis, Dermatomyositis, and Gout. Dr. Kamran is currently accepting new patients.

Stuart Simon, M.D., FCCP, earned his medical degree from Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, Ga. He completed his residency and internship in internal medicine at Michael Reese Hospital and Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois, where he was chief medical resident. He completed his fellowship in pulmonology and critical care medicine at Yale University.Dr. Simon received his undergraduate degrees in biology and sociology from Tulane University. Prior to joining Piedmont Physicians, Dr. Simon was in practice with Georgia Lung Associates. He holds board certifications in critical care medicine, pulmonary disease and internal medicine.Dr. Simon specializes in emphysema, lung cancer, pulmonary rehabilitation and respiratory exercise physiology and rehabilitation.In his spare time, Dr. Simon enjoys biking and exercising.Dr. Simon welcomes new patients and accepts most insurance plans. Dr. Simon is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Sarcoidosis. His top areas of expertise are Lung Metastases, Lung Nodules, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and Pneumonia.

Sriram I. Paramesh, M.D., earned his medical degree from Albany Medical College in Albany, N.Y. He completed his residency at the University of Pittsburgh. He received his undergraduate degree from Johns Hopkins University. Prior to joining Piedmont Physicians, Dr. Paramesh was in practice with Georgia Lung Associates. Dr. Paramesh has been practicing medicine since 1999. He holds board certifications in critical care medicine, pulmonary disease and internal medicine. Dr. Paramesh specializes in pulmonary rehabilitation and sarcoidosis.In his spare time, Dr. Paramesh enjoys playing tennis, traveling, fine dining and reading.Dr. Paramesh welcomes new patients and accepts most insurance plans. Dr. Paramesh is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Sarcoidosis. His top areas of expertise are Lung Metastases, Acute Interstitial Pneumonia, Bronchiectasis, Gastrostomy, and Advanced Bronchoscopy.

Steven Sigman, M.D. earned his undergraduate degree from Ohio State University and his medical degree from the Medical College of Ohio. He subsequently completed a medical residency and cardiology fellowships at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia and Emory respectively. Following that he served as chief resident at Grady Memorial Hospital. Prior to joining Piedmont Heart Institute in 2009, Dr. Sigman was assistant professor of medicine (cardiology) at Emory University. Dr. Sigman is currently board certified in both cardiovascular diseases and nuclear cardiology. He currently serves as the Director of Nuclear Cardiology for Piedmont Hospital and the Piedmont Heart Institute. He also serves as a cardiology consultant both in the office and at Piedmont Hospital. His interests include diagnosis and management of coronary artery disease, valvular heart disease, vascular disease, and cardiac manifestations of complex medical conditions. Dr. Sigman is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology, and the America Society of Nuclear Cardiology. He has authored or co-authored several publications and abstracts and frequently lectures on the topic of cardiac imaging. He lives in Atlanta with his wife, Carolyn H. Sigman M.D., and his 5 children. Dr. Sigman is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Sarcoidosis. His top areas of expertise are Pulmonary Edema, Heart Failure, Angina, Pacemaker Implantation, and Cardiac Ablation.

Jai Surana, M.D. is board-certified in pulmonary disease and internal medicine. He completed his fellowship in pulmonary medicine at the University of South Carolina in 2014, internship and residencies at Mercy Fitzgerald & Mercy Philadelphia Hospitals in 2012. Dr. Surana completed medical school at Ravindra Nath Tagore Medical College in 2001.Dr. Surana has written over half a dozen publications on tumors, stroke and compliance with lung protective ventilation. Dr. Surana is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Sarcoidosis. His top areas of expertise are Lung Metastases, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Emphysema, and Bullae.

Varsha Kulkarni, M.D. completed her medical degree & residency at Grant Medical College in Mumbai, India. She then completed her fellowship training at University of Florida. Dr. Kulkarni is board certified in Pulmonary Disease & Critical Care Medicine. Prior to Piedmont, Dr. Kulkarni was a founding partner of Augusta Lung Associates. Her special interests include interventional pulmonology (advanced diagnostics), lung cancer, & critical care medicine. Dr. Kulkarni is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Sarcoidosis. Her top areas of expertise are Lung Nodules, Lung Metastases, COVID-19, Gastrostomy, and Advanced Bronchoscopy.

Andrew Darlington, D.O. earned his medical degree at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Philadelphia. He completed his internship and residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Florida College of Medicine in Jacksonville, where he was the Chief Medical Resident. Following his residency, he completed a Cardiology fellowship at the University of Florida and served as the Chief Cardiovascular Fellow.Dr. Darlington completed his fellowship training in Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology at Yale University. He is board certified in Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Medicine, Echocardiology and Nuclear Cardiology. Dr. Darlington is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology and a member of the International Society of Heart and Lung Transplantation and Cardiomyopathy. He has a special interest in Congestive Heart Failure and Cardiomyopathy. In his spare time, Dr. Darlington enjoys all sports as well as traveling with his family.Dr. Darlington comes to Piedmont Heart with eight years of medical experience. He welcomes new patients and accepts most insurance plans. Dr. Darlington is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Sarcoidosis. His top areas of expertise are Heart Failure, Pulmonary Edema, Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction (HFpEF), Coronary Heart Disease, and Pacemaker Implantation.

Thomas Fortson, M.D. was the chief fellow as he completed his pulmonary and critical care fellowship at Augusta University Medical Center in early 2018. He was the chief resident as he completed his internal medicine residency at Georgia Regents University in 2014 and completed his internship in internal medicine at Georgia Regents University in 2012. Dr. Fortson completed medical school at Medical College of Georgia in Augusta in 2011.Dr. Forston is a pulmonologist returning to the Columbus area; he graduated from Pacelli High School in Columbus in 2003. Dr. Fortson is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Sarcoidosis. His top areas of expertise are Lung Metastases, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC), and ALK-Positive Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Shankar Kandaswamy, MD, FCCP, earned his medical degree from Thanjavur Medical College at Bharathidasan University in India. He completed his internal medicine residency at the Western Reserve Care System in Youngstown, Ohio. Following his residency, Dr. Kandaswamy completed a pulmonary and critical care fellowship at the Virginia Commonwealth University Hospital at the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond. Dr. Kandaswamy is board certified in pulmonary medicine, internal medicine and critical care. Prior to joining Piedmont Physicians Group, Dr. Kandaswamy was in practice at the PAPP Clinic. His special interests include critical care, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema, asthma and allergies. Dr. Kandawamy is a member of the America College of Chest Physicians, the Southern Medical Association and the American Medical Association. In his spare time, Dr. Kandaswamy enjoys playing tennis, traveling and sports. Dr. Kandaswamy is accepting new patients and welcomes most major insurance plans. Dr. Kandaswamy is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Sarcoidosis. His top areas of expertise are Lung Metastases, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Emphysema, Bullae, and Gastrostomy.

Dr. Alade earned her medical degree from Drexel University School of Medicine and her residency at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Internal Medicine. She went on to complete her Rheumatology Fellowship at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. She is a current member of the American College of Rheumatology & American Medical Association.In her spare time, Dr. Alade enjoys reading, visiting cultural sites, travel and spending time with her family.Dr. Alade welcomes new patients and accepts most insurance plans. Dr. Alade is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Sarcoidosis. Her top areas of expertise are Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), Sjogren Syndrome, Raynaud Phenomenon, and Fibromyalgia.

Vijay M. Patel, MD, FCCP, earned his medical degree from the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in Springfield, Illinois. He completed his internal medicine internship and residency at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. Following his residency, Dr. Patel completed a pulmonary and critical care medicine fellowship and Emory University School of Medicine. Dr. Patel is board certified in pulmonary medicine and internal medicine. Prior to joining Piedmont Physicians Group, Dr. Patel was in practice at PAPP Clinic. His special interests include sleep disorders, asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, lung disorder, bronchoscopy, thoracentesis and pulmonary function tests. Dr. Patel is a member of the American College of Physicians, the Society of Critical Care Medicine, the American College of Chest Physicians and the American Thoracic Society. In his spare time, Dr. Patel enjoys spending time with his family. Dr. Patel is accepting new patients and welcomes most major insurance plans. Dr. Patel is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Sarcoidosis. His top areas of expertise are Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Emphysema, Bullae, and Narcolepsy.

Dr. Dhruva specializes in clinical cardiology and cardiac imaging. A graduate with honors from medical school in Baroda, India, he came to the United States for post-graduate training in 1991. Dr. Dhruva completed his internship and residency at Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Jacobi Hospital in New York City and finished his cardiology training at Brown University School of Medicine/The Miriam Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island. In 1998, Dr. Dhruva proudly became a U.S. citizen and became board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and its subspecialty Board of Cardiovascular Disease. He later earned additional board certification in echocardiography and nuclear cardiology. Dr. Dhruva is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology, the American Society of Echocardiology, and the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology. He has been published in peer review medical journals and has presented at numerous national and international cardiology conferences. Specializing in clinical cardiology and cardiac imaging, Dr. Dhruva performs coronary angiograms and permanent pacemaker insertions. Dr. Dhruva has been published extensively in hypertension literature and in heart failure literature winning the young investigator award in 1997. He has served as Chief of Medicine at Fayette Hospital, he has been the Director of Cardiology at Piedmont Fayette Hospital since 1994. He has served on the Piedmont Clinic Board as its vice chairman. He currently serves on the Board of Fayette Care Clinic. He has held numerous leadership positions, including serving as Chairman of the Department of Medicine and Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Lab at Piedmont Fayette Hospital. In his spare time, Dr. Dhruva enjoys tennis, reading, yard work and spending quality time with his wife Ami and children Pooja and Neil. Dr. Dhruva is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Sarcoidosis. His top areas of expertise are Coronary Heart Disease, Atherosclerosis, Atrial Fibrillation, Angina, and Pacemaker Implantation.

Praveen Rastogi is an Intensive Care Medicine specialist and a Sleep Medicine provider in Fayetteville, Georgia. Dr. Rastogi is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Sarcoidosis. His top areas of expertise are Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Restless Legs Syndrome, Empyema, and REM Behavior Disorder. Dr. Rastogi is currently accepting new patients.

Arvind Ponnambalam, M.D., earned his undergraduate degree from Middlebury College and his medical degree from St. George's University School of Medicine. He went on to do his internal medicine residency and pulmonary and critical care medicine fellowship at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York. Dr. Ponnambalam is board certified in pulmonary medicine, critical care medicine and internal medicine. He is also a member of the American College of Chest Physicians, the American Thoracic Society and the American College of Physicians. His areas of focus include lung cancer, COPD, asthma, and interstitial lung diseases. In his spare time, Dr. Ponnambalam loves spending time with his family, discovering new restaurants, hiking, running, swimming, and cooking. Dr. Ponnambalam is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Sarcoidosis. His top areas of expertise are Pulmonary Fibrosis, Acute Interstitial Pneumonia, Lung Metastases, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and Gastrostomy.