Dr. Ira Schmelkin Returns to BMC Gastroenterology Services

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Health Systems (BHS) announced the appointment of Ira J. Schmelkin, MD, a board-certified and fellowship-trained Gastroenterologist to the medical staff of Berkshire Medical Center and the provider staff of Gastroenterology Professional Services of BMC.  
 
Dr. Schmelkin had previously served at Berkshire Medical Center as chief of the division of gastroenterology from 2004 to 2011. He is accepting new patients in need of Gastroenterology care and is partnered with Drs. Jason Bratcher, Jeffrey St. John, Ketisha De Roche and Mark Sterling, and Brittney Alexander, FNP, Shawn Bunnell, NP, Heather Fusick, NP, Cyndi Goodrich, PA-C, Christina Lima, NP-C, and Crystal Shaw, NP at Gastroenterology Professional Services of BMC.
 
His area of expertise is capsule endoscopy (camera pills), and clinical interests include small bowel disease, inflammatory bowel disease, colon cancer screening, clinical research and general gastroenterology.
 
Dr. Schmelkin returns to the Berkshires after a ten-year tenure at Baystate Medical Center and Baystate Noble Hospital and served as the chief of gastroenterology at Baystate Health. He previously worked at St. Francis Hospital in Roslyn, NY, and North Shore Long Island Jewish Health System, where he was in private practice.
 
Dr. Schmelkin is board certified in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology and was fellowship trained in Gastroenterology at Mount Sinai Hospital, NY. He received his medical degree from the State University of New York, Buffalo School of Medicine, and completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital.
 
For an appointment with Dr. Schmelkin, ask your primary care provider for a referral, or more information, call Gastroenterology Professional Services of BMC at 413-499-8590.

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Teacher of the Month: Cindy Chevett

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff

Cindy Chevett has been with Head Start her entire career. She says teaching is challenging but also very rewarding. 
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire County Head Start preschool teacher Cindy Chevett has been selected as the August Teacher of the Month. 
 
The Teacher of the Month series, in collaboration with Berkshire Community College, will run for the next nine months and will feature distinguished teachers nominated by community members. You can nominate a teacher here
 
To Chevett, the best part of being a teacher is seeing her students achieve even just the little things, such as writing the letter E or their name. 
 
"It is the best job ever," she says with a smile and tears in her eyes as she says, "I love seeing them achieve."  
 
She said although teaching can be challenging, the classroom environment is very fun and the job is very rewarding. 
 
"There's children that come in and can't really speak so that you can understand them, and modeling, and when they leave the classroom, you can understand them. That was one of my best achievements with the child," Chevett said. 
 
In Chevett's classroom, the students take control of their learning, instilling in them a love of learning. 
 
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