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Our faculty

Program Director

Elizabeth A. Murphy, MD, FACP

Hometown: Assonet, MA

Undergrad: College of the Holy Cross

Medical School: Boston University School of Medicine

Residency: University of Massachusetts Internal Medicine

Chief Residency: University of Massachusetts Internal Medicine

Dr. Murphy is a lifelong Massachusetts resident. She graduated from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, and Boston University School of Medicine. She completed her residency and Chief Residency at UMass, where she developed her interest in and love for teaching. In 1999, she joined the Division of General Internal Medicine, where she continues to practice and precept in the Benedict Adult Primary Care Clinic. She enjoys the variety of medical issues she sees each day and treasures the long-term relationships she has developed with her patients and her amazing General Internal Medicine colleagues.

Dr. Murphy has been involved in ambulatory education and resident mentoring since finishing her residency. She completed the inaugural UMass Quality Scholars Faculty Development program in 2009 and developed a robust Quality Improvement curriculum and training program for our IM residents. In 2014, she became associate program director for Ambulatory Training in the IM residency program and implemented the 4+1 scheduling/residency learning community structure we have today.  In 2019, she achieved her career dream when she was asked to create and lead a new Primary Care Internal Medicine Track at UMass! Developing this track, working with and training our awesome residents, and watching the positive impact this track has had on the Division of General Internal Medicine has been an incredible joy! Best job ever!

Dr. Murphy is an avid sports and musical theater fan. She treasures time with her husband and two adult sons, traveling, and relaxing on Lake Winnisquam, New Hampshire with family and friends.

Primary Care Core Faculty

Elizabeth Ferzacca-Allaire, MD

Hometown: Beverly, MA
Undergrad: Barnard College
Medical School: UMass Chan Medical School
Residency: Yale Primary Care/HIV Training Track

Dr. Ferzacca-Allaire graduated from UMass Chan Medical School and trained within the Yale Primary Care/HIV Residency Program. She practices primary and HIV care, and enjoys her curriculum development and teaching roles within the UMass Chan Primary Care Residency and medical school. Her academic passions include person-centered interviewing, HIV primary care, and pre-exposure HIV prophylaxis. During her free time, she enjoys playing music with her husband, exploring Worcester, and spending time with family and friends.

Laura Hallett, MD, MEd

Hometown: Needham, MA

Undergrad: Harvard University

Medical School: University of Pittsburgh Medical School

Residency: University of Pittsburgh Medical School

Fellowship: Boston University School of Medicine

Dr. Hallett grew up in Massachusetts. She attended Harvard University as an undergraduate, then completed medical school and internal medicine residency training at the University of Pittsburgh. Following residency, she completed a fellowship in medical education at Boston University and obtained her Master’s degree in Education, while spending two years in clinical practice in the Boston VA Medical Center’s Women’s Health Clinic. Dr. Hallett is a primary care physician at the Benedict Clinic and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine. Most of her clinical time is in the outpatient clinic, but she spends 6 weeks per year attending on inpatient ward teams. She also enjoys volunteering at the Epworth Free Medical Program for uninsured and underinsured patients. In her role as medical educator, she directs the IM Categorical Program’s new Medical Education Track. In her free time, she enjoys hiking and spending time outdoors, playing tennis, reading, and spending time with family and friends.

Danielle Leary, DO

Hometown: Shrewsbury, MA

Medical School: Touro University, Nevada

Residency: UMass Chan Medical School
Chief Residency: UMass Chan Medical School

Dr. Leary was born and raised in a big Irish family just down the road from UMass in Shrewsbury, MA. She completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Notre Dame and her medical degree at Touro University, Nevada. While in medical school, she participated in the US Navy's Health Professions Scholarship Program and served for five years in the Navy after graduating. Her time in the Navy is one of her proudest accomplishments and included a deployment aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt in support of Operation Inherent Resolve as the Flight Surgeon for Carrier Air Wing SEVENTEEN. Upon completion of her time in the Navy, she moved back to Massachusetts to finish her residency in Internal Medicine at UMass Chan, and served as a chief resident as well. She is now a primary care physician at the Benedict Clinic at UMass with a focus on military veteran health. When she's not working, you can find her spending time with her husband, their dog Buster, and their new baby boy, Declan.

Nancy Skehan, MD, FACP

Hometown: South Hadley, MA

Undergrad: Johns Hopkins University

Medical School: UMass Chan Medical School

Residency: UMass Chan Medical School
Chief Residency: UMass Chan Medical School

Dr. Skehan is a primary care internist and proud graduate of both UMass Chan Medical School and the UMass Internal Medicine residency program, where she stayed on to serve as a chief resident. She completed her undergraduate degree at Johns Hopkins University with majors in Biology and French. In 2011, she joined the Division of General Internal Medicine, focusing on both primary care and hospital medicine. Dr. Skehan is currently director of the Internal Medicine Clerkship and co-chairs the UMass Chan Education Policy Committee. She has served as core educational faculty for regional and national workshops, such as the UMass Teaching of Tomorrow workshop, as well as the Duke University Teaching and Leading in Evidence-Based Practice Workshop. Her interests include assessment in medical education, evidence-based medicine, transgender health, and transitions of care. When not at work, Dr. Skehan can be found hanging out with her roller derby friends, going to comedy shows, running after her three girls, traveling with her husband, or reading a good book!

Sonia Bagga, MD
Associate Program Director for Ambulatory Training

Hometown: Chandigarh, India

Medical School: Government Medical College, Patiala, India

Residency: SUNY Buffalo

Dr. Bagga earned her MBBS from Government Medical College in Patiala, Punjab, India. She completed her Internal Medicine residency at SUNY Buffalo. After finishing her training, she practiced as an internist at Reliant Medical Group in Leominster, Massachusetts. In 2007, Dr. Bagga joined UMass Chan Medical School and UMass Memorial Health as a faculty member and practicing physician. She continues to provide care in the ambulatory setting. Since 2021, she has served as the course director for medical student rotations at Benedict Primary Care Clinic. In 2023, she became the CME Director for the weekly Primary Care Series hosted by the Department of Medicine. Dr. Bagga also serves as the Associate Program Director for Ambulatory Training in the Internal Medicine Residency Program.