Community Medical Associates
Starting June 28, 2021, CMA patients will transition to the same Patient Portal that all Lawrence General Hospital patients currently use.
To complete your enrollment, follow this link to set your patient portal user ID and password. CMA will archive each patient’s entire medical record collection for exactly one year. These can be accessed in the Health Portal we are transitioning from.
Please email PatientPortal@lawrencegeneral.org for questions about setting up your new user ID/password.
Community Medical Associates (CMA) is an expanded patient and family-centered multi-specialty medical practice serving the Merrimack Valley and southern New Hampshire. Our caregivers have extensive experience caring for families, from pediatrics to geriatrics, and everyone in between – health care you and your family can trust.
Open Access Scheduling™, which means appointments are made on the day and time that works best for the patient, with same day and next day appointments are available as well. We also offer continuity of care, by coordinating your care at the hospital, in the event that you are ever admitted.
Community Medical Associates (CMA) is affiliated with Lawrence General Hospital, so our patients now have access to specialists from Boston, including Floating Hospital for Children at Tufts Medical Center. Together, we provide you and your family with the expert care you deserve.
Convenient Locations
Community Medical Associates at Marston Medical Building
25 Marston St., Suite 301
Lawrence, MA 01841
Phone: 978-946-8550
Community Medical Associates Cardiology
25 Marston St., Suite 301
Lawrence, MA 01841
Phone: 978-946-8491
Community Medical Associates at North Andover (Primary Care)
575 Turnpike St., Suite 22
North Andover, MA 01845
Phone: 978-946-8480
Community Medical Associates Cardiology
575 Turnpike St. Suite 11
North Andover, MA 01845
Phone: 978-946-8377
Community Medical Associates General Surgery & Weight Management Clinic
323 Lowell St. Suite 302
Andover, MA 01810
Surgical Phone: 978-946-8109
Weight Management Phone: 978-946-8450
Our Providers
Lawrence, MA
Dr. Besher Jazmati joined the cardiology team of Community Medical Associates in December 2024 and works out of our Lawrence office. He attended medical school at Aleppo University in Syria and furthered his training in internal medicine at The Miriam Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island. Dr. Jazmati also studied nuclear medicine at the Harvard Joint Program of Nuclear Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Children’s Hospital. His cardiology background includes stints at the Lown Cardiovascular Center, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Harvard Medical School. He has also worked in electrophysiology at Lahey Clinic in Burlington. Dr. Jazmati is certified by the American Board of Nuclear Medicine, American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Cardiovascular Disease. His clinical interests include coronary artery disease, cardiac arrhythmias, heart failure and preventative cardiology.
Peter Ofman, MD, MSc, FACC, joined the Lawrence cardiology office of Community Medical Associates in December 2024, and focuses on general cardiology and cardiac electrophysiology. Board certified in cardiovascular medicine, clinical cardiac electrophysiology, internal medicine, electrocardiography and nuclear cardiology, Dr. Ofman has a special interest in cardiac arrhythmias and preventative cardiology. He completed fellowship training at St. Vincent Hospital, the Boston VA, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, in addition to Baystate Medical Center and Tufts Medical School. Dr. Ofman’s residency was at Brown University. He holds a medical degree from the Medical College of Virginia. Dr. Ofman speaks Russian and Hebrew.
Suhaiti Villa, NP, is an American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) board-certified family nurse practitioner who graduated from Fitchburg State University with a bachelor's degree in nursing in 2011 and started her nursing career at a family health center. She received her master's degree in nursing from Regis College in 2021, where she specialized in the family nurse practitioner program. Her interests include primary care throughout the patients' lifespan, women's health, and preventative care. Suhaiti is fluent in Spanish and English.
North Andover, MA (Primary Care)
Torkom Garabedian, MD, is a primary care physician practicing at CMA Primary Care in North Andover. Board-certified in internal medicine, his clinical interests include preventive cardiovascular health and chronic management of cardiovascular conditions. Dr. Garabedian speaks English, Armenian, French, and some Arabic.
Garo Garabedian, MD, is a primary care physician, board-certified in internal medicine and obesity medicine. His clinical interests include weight management, hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance, diabetes mellitus type 2 and cardiovascular prevention. Dr. Garabedian speaks English, Armenian, and French.
Stella Athanasopoulos, MSN, RN, FNP-BC is a family nurse practitioner. She received her master’s degree in nursing from the Boston College Connell School of Nursing and spent three years serving the Dorchester community at a local health center. She’s passionate about disease prevention, chronic disease management and the treatment of illness.
North Andover, MA (Cardiology)
Sunit Mukherjee, MD, is board-certified in cardiology and interventional cardiology. He earned his medical degree from the Boston University School of Medicine and has been in practice for more than 20 years. He speaks English and Bengali.
Cheryl Puello, MSN, APRN, FNP-C is a family nurse practitioner who began her nursing career in 2006. She initially specialized in emergency medicine, ICU, CCU, neuro ICU, cardiac catheterization laboratory, and interventional radiology. Cheryl later earned her master's degree from Rivier University in Nashua, N.H. Specializing in both inpatient and outpatient general cardiovascular medicine, Cheryl is dedicated to providing comprehensive care to patients with a wide range of heart-related conditions. Fluent in English and Spanish, she is committed to providing compassionate, high-quality care to a diverse patient population.
Andover, MA (General Surgery)
Dr. Syed Abbas brings with him a wealth of experience and a distinguished career in the medical field. Dr. Abbas completed his residency at SUNY - Stony Brook and later completed specialized training at the University of Florida in Jacksonville, focusing on advanced minimally invasive surgery and surgical oncology. He also holds a master’s in business administration from Auburn University. Dr. Abbas’ commitment to continuous learning and professional development is exemplified by his active memberships in esteemed organizations such as the American College of Surgeons, the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons, and the American College of Healthcare Executives. Here at Lawrence General, Dr. Abbas contributes to the hospital’s surgical oncology, colorectal surgery, trauma surgery and laparoscopic surgery efforts.
Earl Gonzales, MD, has over 15 years of experience in general surgery. He is one of the rare breed of surgeons who are well-trained in both open cases as well as minimally invasive surgery. He has special interests in laparoscopic colorectal, complex hernia surgery, acute care and trauma.
Dr. David Ma is a skilled general surgeon specializing in colon and rectal surgery. He trained in general surgery at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center and completed his colon and rectal surgery fellowship at Rutgers University – Robert Wood Johnson. A member of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons and the Massachusetts Medical Society, Dr. Ma actively contributes to the medical community and health care policy. His patient-centered approach ensures that individuals receive personalized care tailored to their unique needs.
Andover, MA (Weight Management Clinic)
Dr. Michelle Nessen is a board certified general surgeon with specialty training in Advanced GI/MIS and Bariatric Surgery. Her clinical interests include bariatric and foregut surgery, hernia repair, gallbladder disease and surgical education. Dr. Nessen graduated from Amherst College in Amherst, MA, with a degree in neuroscience before receiving her medical degree at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry in 2018. She completed her general surgery internship and residency at Montefiore Medical Center in Bronx, New York, before going to complete fellowship at Tulane University in New Orleans. She is trained in both laparoscopic and robotic techniques, and advanced bariatric procedures including the duodenal switch. Throughout her training, she won multiple clinical and teaching awards and has presented her work at various national meetings including the American College of Surgeons, SAGES and ASMBS.
Ketna Patel, PA, received her master's degree in physician assistant studies from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. She has over 10 years of experience caring for bariatric patients. With her role as a physician assistant and program coordinator at the Weight Management & Bariatric Center at Lawrence General Hospital, she strives to provide compassionate care and education to guide patients through their weight loss journey.
Caitlin Polistena, MD, trained at Montefiore Medical Center in New York and went on to complete a minimally invasive and bariatric surgery fellowship at Cleveland Clinic Florida thereafter. Dr. Polistena is a member of the American College of Surgeons and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.
Roy Shen, MD, FACS, FASMBS, trained at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia and New York University Hospital before coming to Massachusetts in 2003. He has extensive experience in laparoscopic bariatric procedures, providing training to other surgeons. Dr. Shen is a fellow of both the American College of Surgeons and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.