I am originally from Russia. I underwent undergraduate and medical school education in Texas, and moved to the Boston area for postgraduate training in 2001. 

I have practiced in Dorchester and Weymouth, Massachusetts since 2006. I joined South Shore Medical Center and South Shore Hospital in the Fall of 2017.

I am an experienced pulmonologist who provides care for multiple pulmonary diseases, including COPD, asthma, sarcoidosis, interstitial lung disease, lung nodules and lung cancer.
 

My goal is to work collaboratively with patients and their families as well as the entire care team to support critically ill patients. Clinical care and working with the entire medical team to support patients and their families are my primary passions. I am also involved in ongoing research using imaging studies to better diagnose, monitor and understand lung disease and critical illness. Outside of work, I am an avid runner and sailor, and love spending time with my family.

Dr. O'Brien is Medical Director of Maternal-Fetal Medicine at South Shore Health. 

As a Maternal-Fetal Medicine physician, I am dedicated to caring for women and families navigating high-risk and medically complex pregnancies with expertise, compassion, and individualized attention. 

I strive to integrate evidence-based medicine with a holistic approach that recognizes the physical, emotional, and social factors that shape each patient’s experience. 

I am also committed to advocating for equitable healthcare and improving access and outcomes for marginalized and underserved communities.

Treatment of disease begins with a correct diagnosis, using all of the available clinical and laboratory data available. While we do not have the same visibility to the patient as their primary care provider or surgeon, pathologists are an integral part of every patient's health care team, assuring that their physicians have accurate and timely pathology and laboratory data on which to act.  Away from the office, I'm a singer and cellist - you can find your way to my office by following the music.

I grew up on the South Shore and attended Holy Cross for college where my concentration was pre-medical sciences and sleep research. During summers in college I worked as an EMT and following college I worked in a collaborative Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School lab studying allergy and asthma. While at the University of Massachusetts Medical School and Lahey Clinic my focus was on primary care internal medicine. In 2006 I was the recipient of the “Patient Care Award” which is Lahey Clinic’s highest physician honor. I joined South Shore Medical Center in 2006.

My mission is to provide safe, high quality, patient centered care in collaboration with the patient, their family, and other providers on the care team to promote the patient’s goals of care and overall well-being.

It is a privilege to advance my role as a nurse anesthetist at South Shore Hospital. It is of utmost importance to me that I gain the trust of my patients and involve them in the plan of care with effective communication and transparency. Being an advocate for my patients during the perioperative period is my priority. When I am not at work, I enjoy gardening, hiking, spending time at the beach, and cooking.

I want each patient I care for to feel heard, safe, well-informed and active participants in their healthcare.

Midwifery has been an (almost) lifelong passion of mine. I saw my aunt give birth to my cousin when I was 10 years old and knew instantly that caring for women and babies was what I was meant to do. I started as a labor and delivery nurse in 2011 and completed midwifery school in 2015. I have attended births in the hospital and home setting. I love caring for women in pregnancy and all other stages in their lives. In my free time, I enjoy hanging at our family beach house on the Jersey Shore, snowmobiling in Pittsburg, NH and spending time with my husband and 2 daughters. 

My career started in the US Army and it was a privilege to serve and care for women in the military and their family members while training at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and then stationed overseas in Germany for 4 years. I returned to the South Shore area since this is home and have been been fortunate to raise my family and to practice here since 2002. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to care for the women in our community. Although I transitioned to a more administrative role, I continue to practice obstetrics and gynecology here in the hospital and will continue to strive to offer the best care to patients through open communication and strong relationships.

Dr. Christopher Cannell is a doctoral-trained Physician Associate with over 22 years of multidisciplinary clinical experience in Emergency Medicine (CAQ-EM), Orthopedics, Critical Care, and Internal Medicine. He is nationally recognized for his leadership and expertise in healthcare quality, patient safety, and risk mitigation.  He is a frequent invited speaker on Provider Clinical Risk Management and a blogger for medical liability companies on these critical topics.

Dr. Cannell is a successful entrepreneur leading a six-figure consulting firm where he also trains and encourages other healthcare provider entrepreneurs to explore their passions, niches, and grow their own business.

Dr. Cannell has held key leadership positions including current President of PAs in Legal Medicine, Board of Directors for the Academy of Doctoral PAs and previously with Massachusetts Association of PAs, and Board Advisor for the SCUHS Doctor of Medical Science program. He has led clinical teams as an APC Director, Department Lead, healthcare system, program manager and thought leader and Chair of APC career letter committee, driving innovation in quality improvement, documentation, onboarding, population management, operations, and value-based care initiatives across health systems.  Created POCUS acute care program for PAs and NPs at the largest community hospital in Massachusetts in alignment with the department ultrasound director. 

Dr. Cannell is an experienced medical professional legal consultant (MPLC) and expert witness, certified through Auburn University and The Center for Legal Studies. He has over 8 years of experience providing expert witness and consulting services focused on clinical risk assessment, discovery, and standard of care.  His collaborative consulting work spans clinicians, legal teams, malpractice insurance consultants, executives, AI technology, and life sciences organizations.

A dedicated educator and mentor, Dr. Cannell serves as Assistant Professor Doctor of Medical Science Program at The University of Lynchburg, current adjunct faculty for the Doctor of Medical Science Program at Marshall B. Ketchum University and also previously with South College (Healthcare Law & Policy), and currently for Northeastern University School of Medical Sciences PA Program, and the Tufts School of Medicine PA Program. He is a subject matter expert in generative AI development, educational consulting for early career and transitional career NPs and PA’s, and interprofessional collaboration to advance the Quadruple Aim.

Dr. Cannell completed leadership training in Just Culture, High Reliability, as well as patient safety through the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI). He earned his DMSc from the University of Lynchburg, MPAS from MCPHS–Boston, and BA in Pre-Medical Studies and Psychology from Muhlenberg College. He has done additional leadership training from AAPA from The Center for Healthcare Leadership and Management.

I partner with women to provide education, resources and choices regarding their bodies, healthy pregnancy, labor and birth. It is a privilege to care for women and families and to be present at their birth. Each labor and birth are unique. Even after 33 years as a midwife, I am amazed at the beauty of birth and the strength of women.

I started the first midwifery practice at South Shore Health in 1987 and have enjoyed being director and now co-director of the midwifery group and watching our program grow over the years. Outside of work, I love spending time with my husband and children. I also love running my dog on the beach, paddleboarding and gardening.