Commencement

2020 Medical Students Completing the MPHS Program:

 

Trisha Bhat

Trisha S. Bhat is an MD, MPHS candidate (Class of 2021) at Washington University currently working as a research fellow in the Division of Dermatology. She has clinical and research interests in cutaneous oncology, with current projects focused on quality of life in cutaneous lymphoma; the use of immunotherapy in metastatic melanoma; and the treatment of skin cancer precursors to reduce the risk of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. Other long-term research goals involve the use of large administrative health data to identify causes of disparities in cancer treatment and outcomes.

 

Shahroz Fatima

Shahroz Fatima is an MD/MPHS candidate at Washington University School of Medicine who originally hails from Philadelphia. She has utilized her MPHS year to further explore her research and clinical interests and is looking forward to applying into residency in the upcoming school year. In addition to learning key research skills, she has found that the MPHS year has afforded her time to hone in on her hobby: sharing food with friends and family. Whether it is baking, cooking, or trying new restaurants, she is grateful for having had the time to do the things she loves with the people she values. However, she has also greatly missed providing direct patient care this past year, and is excited to be back in clinic soon.

 

 

Ioana Florea

 

 

 

 

Lucas Fowler

My name is Luke Fowler and I enrolled in the MPHS program as part of a gap year I am taking between my 3^rd and 4^th years of medical school here at WashU. The MPHS program has taught me a variety of skills to help better my research as well as how to become a more productive and efficient researcher. After the MPHS program, I am planning to pursue a career in Orthopedic Surgery.

 

Wesley Hodges

 

 

 

Lena Jia

 

 

 

Preethi Kesavan

Preethi is a 4^th year medical student applying into diagnostic radiology. Her current research interests lie in hematology and oncology. Coming from a background in basic science research, the MPHS program was an opportunity to explore clinical research opportunities and gain a strong foundation in research design and statistical methodologies. She is excited to now return to the clinical setting with a better understanding of how to critically evaluate current literature, and apply it to her own patients. Moving forward, she looks forward to using the skills gained through this program to develop her own research questions during her post-graduate training.

 

Tarik Phillips

My name is Tarik Phillips and I am a medical student pursuing the MPHS between my 3rd and 4th year. I am originally from Florida where I went to the University of Florida and received my engineering degree. I almost forgot my passion for mathematical sciences and thus I was really enthused to dive deeper during this MPHS into the statistics that was mentioned in my medical teachings. It was even better to be able to do this while learning practical skills toward my surgical interests and spending time on public health as well. This was definitely a year that I highly enjoyed.

 

Shirli Tay

As a future surgeon interested in translational and clinical research, the decision to earn an MPHS while working with my PI was an easy one. I combined the program’s hands-on and practical structure to my field of interest. For example, I designed a randomized controlled trial to better understand a hot topic surrounding a newer vascular intervention and delved deeper into the issue with a cost-effectiveness analysis. I also looked at real-world data using a state-wide in-patient database and separately, developed a systematic review and meta-analysis looking at outcomes of medical intervention for a subset of cohort that has been understudied. More importantly, it was imperative that I perform and interpret advanced statistical analysis using SAS and I was able to put those new skills to use on a separate project with my PI. This has been an incredibly productive year and these new fluencies in epidemiology and biostatistics will serve me well as a future clinician-researcher.

 

Gabriel Tissian

Working with underserved communities is my passion. I spent much of my youth in a struggling neighborhood in north Philadelphia and this experience has shaped me as a man and as a future physician. I have worked as a mentor for at-risk and incarcerated youth throughout my adult life and I am now training for a career as an inner city family physician and public health advocate. As a medical student, I started CHOICES for Youth in Detention,  a discussion-based health education program for incarcerated youths run by medical students. I also do ongoing public health research for the city of Saint Louis focused on helping to connect underserved and uninsured patients to primary care services. I am excited to apply the advanced research skills that I have learned in the MPHS program to addressing the community-wide health problems of the struggling neighborhoods that I will serve in my future career as a family doctor.

 

Ian Wood

 

 

 

Alexander Yahanda

Alex is an MD/MPHS student who completed the MPHS between his 3rd and 4th years of medical school. He enrolled in the MPHS program because of the ways in which it would supplement his interest in research by allowing him to become a more proficient and independent researcher. During his MPHS year, Alex has been conducting research with the Department of Neurosurgery focused on brain tumors, intraoperative imaging, and pediatric disorders of the brain and spine. He hopes to pursue a residency in neurosurgery after medical school.

 

2020 Students Completing the MPHS Program:

 

Arthur Aung

I am a MD/MPHS student with an interest in a career in internal medicine and public health.

Among my interests has been health promotion and prevention strategies for reducing obesity and obesity-related diseases. Specifically, I am interested in utilizing mHealth technology and have worked on mHealth projects with Dr. Bradley Evanoff and the Healthy Work Center group to address chronic conditions among low income workers.

 

James Giles, MD

 

 

 

Uzma Naim, MD

My name is Uzma Naim.  I have graduated from medical school and completed my intern year.  My interest for MPHS developed while conducting basic science research, which was focused on lipid metabolism and atherosclerosis.  Studying population health sciences in a structured environment, has exponentially increased my understanding of clinical research, statistical concepts, data interpretation, and honed my analytical skills.  I was able to apply my clinical knowledge of stroke, cognitive disorders and peri-procedural outcomes while working on multiple projects.  This has led to one submitted manuscript and two additional projects.  I intend to pursue residency and utilize the skills that I have acquired to serve as a foundation to build my future research portfolio that will intertwine well with my clinical aspirations.

 

Sean Smith, MD

 

 

 

Part Time Students Returning in the 2020-2021 Academic Year:

 

Abby Cheng, MD

Abby L Cheng, MD, is an Assistant Professor at Washington University in the Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. She has clinical expertise in the conservative management of young adult hip conditions and other musculoskeletal disorders, and she is funded by an NIH/NIAMS K23 career development award to optimize conservative management for patients with hip pain. Her long-term research goal is to create and implement comprehensive, patient-centered clinical prediction tools to guide biopsychosocial management of a variety of musculoskeletal disorders.

 

Carrie Coughlin, MD

Carrie C. Coughlin, MD is an assistant professor of Dermatology in the Departments of Medicine and Pediatrics at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.  She specializes in the care of immunosuppressed patients, directs the Pediatric Melanoma and Nevus Clinic, and is part of the Cancer Predisposition Clinic.  She is particularly interested in prevention and detection of skin cancers, as well as management of immunosuppressive and cancer therapy medication side effects.

 

Ebunoluwa Otegbeye, MD

I am a General Surgery resident currently doing a 2-year research fellowship in Surgical Oncology. My reason for pursuing the MPHS was to get a solid foundation in clinical outcomes research, focusing on statistics, epidemiology and clinical research design. I hope to work at the interface of translational sciences and ensure that my future research can be well informed by outcomes that are seen in my patient population.