Meet the team behind the Internal Medicine residency program
The St. Joseph's/Candler Internal Medicine Residency Program is led by a team of experienced, dedicated clinician-educators who have committed themselves to building something exceptional. With decades of combined experience in academic medicine, graduate medical education, and patient care, our leadership brings the knowledge, the vision, and the personal investment in resident success that defines a truly great training program.
SJ/C Residency Program
John Cinicola, MD
Program Director, Internal Medicine Residency Program
Dr. John Cinicola brings more than three decades of experience in clinical medicine, medical education, and graduate medical education leadership to his role as Program Director. A graduate of the West Virginia School of Medicine, he completed his internal medicine residency at the renowned Cleveland Clinic Foundation, where he also served as Chief Medical Resident. Board certified in Internal Medicine, his career has spanned senior leadership positions at major health systems — including Chief Medical Officer, Designated Institutional Officer, Division Director of General Internal Medicine, and Interim Chair of the Department of Medicine — giving him a rare breadth of perspective on what it takes to build a high-quality residency program. A devoted educator, Dr. Cinicola currently holds academic appointments at Penn State College of Medicine and Drexel University College of Medicine and has been recognized with numerous teaching honors, including the Dean's Special Award for Excellence in Clinical Teaching and multiple Teacher of the Year and Golden Apple awards. He is actively engaged in clinical scholarship, with recent publications spanning nephrology, infectious disease, hepatology, and complex medical decision-making. As Program Director, Dr. Cinicola is known for his hands-on leadership, his genuine investment in resident growth, and his commitment to creating a training environment that is rigorous, supportive, and built to produce physicians who are ready to lead.
Nina Paletta Schwartz, MD, FACP
Associate Program Director, Internal Medicine Residency Program
Dr. Nina Paletta is a clinician-educator with deep roots in both Savannah and the Medical College of Georgia community. A University of Georgia graduate in Cellular Biology and Psychology, she earned her medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia and completed her Internal Medicine residency at Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah. Before joining the residency program, Dr. Paletta served as Assistant Dean of Student Affairs at the MCG Savannah Campus, where she guided medical students through academic challenges, career exploration, and professional development. Experience that gives her a uniquely student-centered perspective as she transitions more fully into residency education. In her role as Associate Program Director, she is focused on thoughtful patient care, strong clinical reasoning, physician wellness, and creating a mentorship culture where residents feel genuinely supported. Outside of medicine, Dr. Paletta is close with her family, enjoys dancing, sewing, teaching Pure Barre, and playing golf. A proud Savannahian for more than two decades, she and her husband are expecting their first child and share their home with two dogs, Minnie and Arya.
Brian Close, MD
Associate Program Director, Internal Medicine Residency Program
Dr. Brian Close is a Savannah native who has come full circle. Born at Candler Hospital and raised in Richmond Hill, Georgia, he now practices as a hospitalist at the very institution where his life began. He earned his undergraduate degree in microbiology from the University of Georgia and his medical degree from Mercer University School of Medicine, following a period of stroke research that contributed to multiple peer-reviewed publications in cerebrovascular disease. He completed his internal medicine residency at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center in Marietta before returning to Savannah, where he has practiced at Candler Hospital since 2021. Dr. Close is already actively involved in medical education as a clinical attending for the MCG-Savannah Campus internal medicine clerkship, and he brings that same commitment to his role as Associate Program Director. Dr. Close is committed to resident education, mentorship, and building a strong, community-based training program with a robust academic foundation.
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