Program faculty
Frederick Fisher, MD
Program director
Dr. Fisher holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biochemistry from Columbia University in New York. In college, he recognized his love of teaching early as instructor in general and organic chemistry lab. Following college, he earned his MD degree from Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York.
After medical school, he entered general surgery residency training at New York University Medical Center. Upon graduation, he remained at NYU for his vascular surgery fellowship. After spending his first year following fellowship at the Manhattan VA teaching the residents, he entered private practice where he spent 17 years as a busy practicing surgeon in Voorhees, New Jersey. Teaching the residents remained a high priority during this time.
When the Orlando VA Medical Center was under construction, Dr. Fisher made a decision to move to Florida to develop the vascular surgery training program there. Block by block, he put together the program to its current position as the only Vascular Fellowship in Orlando.
He is a member of the Society for Vascular Surgery, the Society for Clinical Vascular Surgery, the Eastern Vascular Society, and The Association of VA Surgeons.
Teaching remains his highest priority and he is excited to see the vascular fellowship program continue to grow and succeed.
Benjamin J. Aumiller, MD
Chief of vascular and orthopedic surgery
Dr. Aumiller holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from University of Illinois . Following college, he earned his MS in applied physiology at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. He then earned his MD degree from Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science.
After medical school, he entered an integrated vascular surgery residency training at Indiana University School of Medicine. Upon graduation, he became board certified in Vascular Surgery and currently practices in Orlando, FL.
He joined the Orlando VA Medical Center and worked with Dr. Fisher to build the department and create a learning environment for the only Vascular Fellowship in Orlando.
He is a member of the Society for Vascular Surgery and The Association of VA Surgeons.
He enjoys working with fellows and is excited to see the vascular fellowship program continue to prosper.
Gerard De Castro, MD
Associate program director
Dr. De Castro holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biochemistry from Goucher College. Following college, he earned his MD degree from Ross University School of Medicine
After medical school, he entered general surgery residency training at St. Agnes Hospital in Baltimore and SUNY Upstate in Syracuse, NY. Upon graduation, he then pursued his passion for Vascular Surgery and completed a Vascular Surgery Fellowship at Rush University Medical Center. During that time, he was also able to complete his Masters in Public Health at the University of Maryland School or Medicine. Now board certified in Vascular Surgery, Dr. De Castro currently practices in Orlando, FL.
He joined the Orlando VA Medical Center and works with Dr. Fisher to continue to foster and create a learning environment for the Vascular Fellowship in Orlando.
He is a member of the Society for Vascular Surgery and The Association of VA Surgeons.
He enjoys working with fellows and is excited to see the vascular fellowship program continue to flourish.
Giancarlo Cires, MD
Fellowship site director
Dr Cires grew up in South Florida. He graduated in 1999 from the University of Florida with a BS in Zoology. He received his MD at Ponce School of Medicine in 2004. He then underwent a general surgery residency at SUNY Downstate in New York, which he finished in 2009. He then underwent a vascular surgery fellowship at Ochsner Clinic.
In 2011 he became a vascular surgery attending at the West Palm Beach VA. There he also served as site director for the general surgery residency and surgery clerkship. He transferred to the Orlando VA Medical Center in July of 2022 where he works with Dr. Fisher to continue to foster and create a learning environment for the Vascular Surgery Fellowship.
He is a member of the Society for Vascular Surgery and The Association of VA Surgeons.
He enjoys working with fellows and is excited to see the vascular fellowship program continue to thrive.
Julio A Calderin, MD
Vascular surgeon
Dr. Calderin is an American Board of Surgery Certified Vascular Surgeon. Dr. Calderin was born in Puerto Rico in 1975. He graduated medical school Magna Cum Laude from Universidad Central de Caribe in Puerto Rico. He completed his general surgery residency at the University of Puerto Rico Medical Science Campus, and he acquired a fellowship in Vascular Surgery at the North Shore University Hospital in Long Island, NY in 2010. Afterwards Dr. Calderin went to Texas and then to Pennsylvania where he practiced Vascular Surgery and was able to grow both programs at great rate. Dr. Calderin moved after to Central Florida, and he opened Soleil Surgical LLC multidisciplinary private practice and an Invasive Vascular Lab.
Dr. Calderin spends most of days taking care of patients and improving the quality of life of those that trust him to take care of them. He also spends time teaching medical students and surgical residents from the UCF COM/HCA GME Consortium at the hospital. When he is not taking care of patients he spends time with his dear family.
Julie Gennarino, PA
Vascular surgery physician assistant and life support for the fellows
Ms. Gennarino has been a surgical subspecialty physician assistant for over 30 years.
She spent the majority of her career in Cardiothoracic Surgery in both NYC at Mt. Sinai Medical Center and in San Francisco at UCSF before moving to Orlando in 2015 to become a member of the Vascular Surgery service at the Orlando VA Medical Center.