General Surgery Research Electives

Tufts University School of Medicine

Ben's hometown is Newton, Massachusetts. Ben completed received his BA summa cum laude at Connecticut College, majoring in Biological Sciences and Religious Studies. He received multiple awards for academic and leadership excellence, including the Unsung Hero Award and the Judy Bailen Kateman '65 Outstanding Senior Prize. As a student at Tufts University School of Medicine, Ben was elected to AOA, served on the Admissions Committee, the Curriculum Committee, and was an active student delegate to the Massachusetts Medical Society. Ben also served as President of the Team Cathedral Project, mentoring and teaching local students and was engaged in a number of clinical research projects. His surgical interests are colorectal surgery, minimally invasive surgery, HPB, and surgical education. He enjoys cooking, reading, and golf.

Boston University School of Medicine

Kevin's hometown is Rochester, New York. Kevin attended SUNY University at Buffalo where he received his BS in Biology and BA in Psychology, and he was awarded as a Sigma Tau Gamma Rosken's Scholar. He received both his MS in anatomy and neurobiology and MD from Boston University School of Medicine where he graduated with Cum Laude honors and was elected into AOA. He also received the Richard J. Shemin, M.D. and Saul Shemin, D.V.M Academic Surgical Award. After three years of clinical training, Kevin pursued a research fellowship in the Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery at BIDMC focusing on outcomes research in patients with colon and rectal cancer and inflammatory bowel disease. His surgical interest is in colon and rectal surgery. In his free time, he enjoys playing soccer, snowboarding, lifting weights, and hiking with his wife and their dog.

George Washington University School of Medicine

Margaret's hometown is Washington, DC. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Virginia, where she received a BA, majoring in Biology and Spanish, and subsequently obtained a Masters in Physiology from Georgetown University. She received her MD from George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, where she was elected to AOA, was the recipient of the 2017 and 2018 Cecile and Seymour Alpert Medical Scholarship and served as Co-President of the Student Council. She engaged in a number of clinical research projects throughout medical school. Margaret's interests include hiking, travel, and crafts. Her current clinical interest is pediatric surgery.

Tufts University School of Medicine

Stephanie comes from Illinois. She completed her undergraduate studies at Tufts University in the combined program with the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, graduating Phi Beta Kappa, with a BS in Biochemistry and a BFA in Studio Art. During college, Stephanie worked as an EMT and also served as a teaching assistant in ceramics at Harvard. She received her MD from Tufts University School of Medicine, where she has worked as a research assistant, medical illustrator, and served as an officer on the Student Council. Stephanie is an accomplished artist, working as a free-lance illustrator. She has published and exhibited multiple works of art and was selected as a participant in the National Academy of Medicine Art Show. Stephanie's hobbies include art, drawing, design, painting, and marathon running.

Weill Cornell Medical College

Shad's hometown is Toronto, Canada. He graduated as valedictorian from Emory University with a BS, magna cum laude, in Biology, with election to Phi Beta Kappa as a Junior. He received his MD from Weill Cornell Medical College, graduating in the top quartile of his class. During medical school, he was engaged in community service, leadership, and research. Shad served as Vice President of the Weill Cornell Student Council and was co-founder and co-President of the South Asian Medical Society. He also served on the Admissions Committee during his senior year, helping to attract the best and brightest to Weill Cornell. His surgical interests include Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Endocrine Surgery and Breast Surgery. He enjoys music, soccer and travel.

Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine

Scott's hometown is Marblehead, Massachusetts. Scott received his BS from Georgetown University, cum laude, majoring in Biology of Global Health. He received his MD from the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, where he was elected AOA. As a medical student, Scott participated in a number of research projects in trauma surgery, resulting in multiple presentations and publications. He held numerous state and national positions in the Medical Society of Virginia and the student section of the American Medical Association. Scott's clinical interests include pediatric surgery. He enjoys snowboarding, scuba diving, travel, Georgetown basketball, and Boston sports.

University of Kentucky College of Medicine

Doug comes from Kentucky, graduating from the University of Kentucky with a BA in Chemistry and a BS in Biology. Doug undertook his medical studies at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine, where he was elected to AOA. During medical school, Doug served as class representative, representative to the Lexington Medical Society as a member of the AMA student chapter, and a volunteer advisor for a program that exposes students from underserved areas in Kentucky to careers in medicine. Doug pursued research in cardiothoracic surgery, has yielded multiple publications and presentations. Dwight's hobbies include fishing, deep sea/offshore fishing, kayaking, hiking, horseback riding, and walking his dog.

Universidad Centroccidental Lisandro Alvarado

Angelica is a graduate of the Universidad Centroccidental Lisandro Alvarado (UCLA) in Venezuela, where she was on the Dean's List, received a Student Merit Award for highest grades, and served as a community health instructor and coordinator. After graduation, Angelica served as a primary care physician in urban and rural communities and as a general surgery hospitalist in Caracas. She has pursued a number of research projects at the University of Southern California, which have led to multiple presentations and publications. She enjoys cooking and reading. Her clinical interests include colorectal and minimally invasive surgery.

Medical College of Wisconsin

Thomas's hometown is Springfield, Massachusetts. He received his BS from Northeastern University, majoring in Behavioral Neuroscience. He subsequently matriculated to Medical College of Wisconsin where he was elected to AOA and the Gold Humanism Honor Society. As a medical student, Tom studied the role of bacterial enzymes that trigger the generation of hydrogen sulfide, which protect bacteria against antibiotics and strategies to disable these enzymes to enhance their susceptibility to antibiotic treatment. Tom enjoys playing the guitar, sports, independent films and filmmaking. His clinical interest is pediatric surgery.

Emory University School of Medicine

Rashi's hometown is Portland, Oregon. Rashi received her BA cum laude from Claremont McKenna College, majoring in Biology and Literature, with election to Phi Beta Kappa. Following graduation, Rashi pursued clinical research at Memorial Sloan Kettering. Rashi received her MD from Emory University School of Medicine, where she served as Editor of the Medical School Literary Magazine, volunteered for the Georgia Rape Crisis Hotline, and pursued research on the traumatically injured patient. During her time at Emory she received the Emory University Creativity and Arts Award and the American Academy for the Surgery of Trauma Research and Education Foundation Scholarship. She also received a Masters of Arts in Bioethics and Society from King's College London, where she received the King's Leadership and Professional Skills Award and the Award for Best Overall Performance in the Masters. Her surgical interests include trauma/critical care, global health, and acute care surgery. Rashi enjoys cooking, photography, traveling, and yoga.

Tufts University School of Medicine

Betty's hometown is Corvallis, Oregon. She received her BA in Architecture from Washington University in St. Louis, graduating summa cum laude with election to Phi Beta Kappa and was a harpist with the St. Louis Philharmonic Orchestra. Betty studied ambulatory care practices and engaged in a number of clinical research projects, prior to matriculating to Tufts University School of Medicine, which led to several publications and an award from the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. As a medical student, Betty published a cookbook on Shanghai food through Harper Collins and volunteered as a photographer for Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep, a national organization that seeks to comfort grieving parents who face the loss of an infant through remembrance photography. Betty enjoys cooking and photography and is interested in general surgery and surgical education.

Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth

Nikki grew up in Bedford, New York. She received a BS from Bates College, where she majored in Biochemistry and minored in Philosophy. She subsequently completed a Masters in Bioethics from New York University. Prior to medical school, Nikki conducted research on sarcoma at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. She received her MD from the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, receiving an Albert Schweitzer Fellowship, the 2015 Excellence in Public Health Award, organized educational programs focused on issues of impairment, and served as a member of the Geisel Student Government. Nikki was elected to Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Honor Medical society and the gold humanism honor society. Her surgical interests include general surgery, critical care, and surgical oncology. Nikki enjoys traveling, cooking, hiking, skiing and dancing.

2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University

Kamila's hometown is Presov, Slovakia. Kamila received her MD from Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic. She then pursued a research fellowship in cardiac surgery at Boston Children's Hospital, where she focused on mitochondrial transplantation in heart transplantation and lung injury. Her work was recognized by the American Physiological Society for one of the best published articles in physiological research. Her surgical interest is pediatric surgery. Kamila enjoys music, art, windsurfing, and spending time with her friends and family.

Universidad de San Martin de Porres

Ana Sofia's hometown is Lima, Peru. She received her MD from San Martin de Porres University in Lima. During medical school, Ana Sofia volunteered in Zimbabwe and Kenya, preparing women's health campaigns and working on the surgical floors in community hospitals and rural clinics. After finishing medical school, Ana Sofia joined the Master of Science in Clinical Research program at the Dresden International University in Germany. After graduating she moved to Boston where she completed a research fellowship at the Pancreas and Liver Institute at BIDMC, which resulted in multiple publications focusing on large database outcomes in pancreatic surgery. During this time, Ana Sofia also received her MPH from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health with a concentration in Clinical Effectiveness and Public Health Leadership. Her surgical interest is colorectal surgery. Ana Sofia enjoys running, traveling, and finding new Peruvian restaurants.

Harvard Medical School

Samia was raised in Mesa, Arizona. Samia received her BS summa cum laude from the University of Arizona, majoring in Molecular Cell Biology, Psychology, and International Development and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. After college, Samia received a Fulbright Scholarship to study the universal healthcare system in Taiwan. Samia received her MD from Harvard and a Masters in Public Policy from the Kennedy School of Government, as a Knowles Fellow and Harvard Square to Oval Office Fellow. Samia served as National Student President for the American Medical Women's Association, receiving the Anne C. Carter Student Leadership Award, was a Harvard Women and Public Policy Fellow, and was first medical student to be inducted into the Massachusetts Medical Society Honor Roll. Her surgical interests include trauma surgery, global surgery, and surgical disparities. Samia has a first-degree black belt in Taekwondo and enjoys music and creating fusion dishes.

Tulane University School of Medicine

Leah's hometown is Edmonton, Alberta. She received her BS in Physiology from McGill University, conducted research in valvular heart disease at the McGill University Research Institute, and subsequently pursued research in T cell immunobiology at the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy of Baylor College of Medicine. These studies led to four peer-reviewed publications. Leah received her MD from Tulane University School of Medicine, where she was elected to AOA and the Gold Humanism Honor Society. She was active in student organizations, volunteered in student run clinics for the underserved, and participated in the Tulane's LCME re-accreditation process. Leah enjoys baking, reading, sewing, downhill skiing and soccer. Her clinical interest is trauma and critical care.

Boston University School of Medicine

Praachi's hometown is Palo Alto, California. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Pennsylvania, earning a BA in Biological Basis of Behavior, while serving as captain of the 20 member Penn Masti Dance Team. Praachi matriculated to Boston University School of Medicine, was elected to AOA, and was the recipient of the Eli Shapiro Award. She has engaged in a number of translational and clinical research projects at the University of Pennsylvania and Boston University with publications in the neurosciences. She enjoys reading, weight lifting, and continues to dance, most recently with CONcept Artists, a hip-hop dance company in Boston. Her clinical interest is surgical oncology.

Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University

Dominic comes from Pennsylvania and graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a BS in Biomedical Engineering. He received his MD from the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, where he was elected AOA, and received the LKSOM Academic Scholarship for outstanding academic achievement. As a medical student, Dominic developed an outreach program to middle school students and pursued clinical research focused on diabetes, leading to several publications. Dominic's hobbies include powersports, camping, cooking Hispanic and Italian cuisine, dancing, table tennis, and for those planning a major home remodeling project, carpentry, masonry, HVAC, and plumbing.

Rush Medical College

Kelsey's hometown is St. Paul, Minnesota. She completed her undergraduate work at Harvard University, where she earned a BA in Neurobiology. While at Harvard, she played varsity ice hockey and was a four-year member of the ECAC All-Academic team. After graduation, Kelsey pursued research in neuroscience, which resulted in multiple presentations and publications. She matriculated to Rush Medical College, was elected to AOA, pursued clinical research in trauma and oncology, and has been active in medical school admissions, health screening of underserved populations, and mentoring of at risk youth. She founded and served as President of the Rush Medical College chapter of the Association of Women Surgeons. Kelsey enjoys running, hiking, camping and baking. Her clinical interest is surgical oncology.

Case Western University

Sharif's hometown is Canton, Ohio. Sharif received a BA in Anthropology with honors, summa cum laude, and a Masters in Bioethics from Case Western Reserve University. He was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and the Mortar Board Senior Honor Society. He received his MD from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, awarded honors with distinction in research, and was elected to AOA. Sharif has tutored elementary and middle school students in underserved communities and volunteered for the Boys and Girls Club of Cleveland. As a medical student, Sharif served on the board of the Student Run Free Clinic and published research in cardiac surgery. His surgical interests are in cardiothoracic surgery. Sharif enjoys basketball, soccer, guitar, and family time.

Emory University School of Medicine

Drew's hometown is Alexandria, Virginia. He graduated from the University of Virginia with a BA in Chemistry and served as the President of Chi Phi Fraternity. He matriculated into Emory University School of Medicine, was elected to AOA, was recipient of the Joseph B. Whitehead Surgery Scholarship, and served as Vice-President of the Emory Osler Society. At Emory, Drew pursued research in thoracic surgery and volunteered in community health clinics, served as a peer mentor, organized a charity cook-off to support food insecurity, and founded a Surgery Clerkship Peer Teaching Curriculum. Drew enjoys college football, skiing and tennis. His clinical interest is thoracic surgery.

University of Illinois College of Medicine

Nina's hometown is Chicago, Illinois. She graduated cum laude from Northwestern University with a BS in Biomedical Engineering. She received a number of design awards for her work related to assistive devices for the disabled and a mobile surgical training application. Nina matriculated to the University of Illinois College of Medicine, where she participated in the Innovation in Medicine program, allowing her to continue to engage in medical device development. Nina received the Silver Scalpel Award in Surgery for outstanding clinical performance and was an active peer educator. Nina enjoys dance, knitting, and volleyball. Her clinical interest is pediatric surgery.

Howard University College of Medicine

Lucas's hometown is Belo Horizonte, Brazil. He enrolled in the BS-MD program at Howard University, where he earned his BS in Biology summa cum laude and was elected to AOA with induction into the Charles R. Drew Honors Society. Lucas was the recipient of the Howard University Academic Achievement Award for highest pre-clinical academic performance, as well as the Howard University Trustee Scholarship for clinical and academic performance. Lucas pursued several research projects focusing on the role of socioeconomic factors on surgical outcomes with multiple presentations and publications. He volunteered with So Others May Eat to support the homeless, was Vice President of Volunteer Training for a student run clinic, and served as a peer educator. He enjoys playing the guitar, piano, soccer and hiking. His clinical interest is vascular surgery and health disparities.

Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia

Carolina was born and raised in Lima, Peru. She received her MD from the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia. During medical school, she volunteered for Operation Smile and other non-profit organizations focused on delivering healthcare to underserved populations. She also served as a research assistant at the Enteric Diseases, Nutrition and Antibiotic Resistance Laboratory and CONEVID, a research group focused on local and peri-operative epidemiology, bioethics, and technology. Carolina completed her general surgery internship at University of Illinois Metropolitan Group Hospitals in Chicago, and a PGY2 preliminary year at Boston Medical Center, later joining BIDMC as a categorical PGY3 resident. Her surgical interests include general surgery, plastic and reconstructive surgery, global surgery, and health disparities research. She has been selected as the Paul Farmer Global Surgery Research Fellow for 2021-2023. In her free time, Carolina enjoys expanding her passion for plants, food, dogs, art, and history.

University of Chicago Division of the Biological Sciences, The Pritzker School of Medicine

Savas's hometown is Rhodes, Greece. Savas received his BS summa cum laude at the University of Connecticut,majoring in Molecular and Cell Biology and served as President of Habitat for Humanity. He received his MD from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, pursued a number of clinical research projects, and was elected to the Gold Humanism Honor Society. Savas is passionate about teaching and served as a peer educator for undergraduate and medical courses and developed basic science curriculum. He also served as Co-President of the Health Professions Exposure Program. His surgical interests include pediatric surgery and surgical oncology. Savas enjoys sailing, weight lifting, and traveling to new places.

Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Stephen's hometowns are Philadelphia and Wilmington. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a BA in Biology, and subsequently pursued pulmonary research in the Schwab Laboratory. Stephen received his MD from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, where he was elected AOA and active in a number of volunteer activities, including a student-run clinic and homeless shelter, teaching and peer mentorship, and the Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association. Stephen's hobbies include cooking, badminton, building computers, cooperative gaming, and skiing.

SUNY Downstate College of Medicine

Alison's hometown is Glastonbury, Connecticut. She received her BS from Yale University, majoring in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, and was awarded the F. Wilder Bellamy Jr. Prize. During college, Alison worked for the BioEnterprise Corporation evaluating medical device and biotechnology proposals for start-up companies. Alison received her MD from SUNY Downstate College of Medicine, where she volunteered for the Brooklyn Free Clinic, created an anatomy module for first year medical students, and was elected AOA. She also received a SUNY Downstate Alumni Research Fellowship, with which she investigated the amount of post-approval evidence being generated for drugs initially approved by the FDA on the basis of limited evidence. Her surgical interests include oncology and trauma/critical care, and her research interests include health services and surgical outcomes research. Alison enjoys snowboarding, running, writing, and golf.

Integrated Vascular Surgery Resident
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Sophie's hometown is Albertson, New York. She received her BS magna cum laude at Columbia University, majoring in Biomedical Engineering with research interests in vascular biology and angiogenesis. Sophie received her MD from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where she was involved with refugee health outreach and organizing healthy cooking workshops for the community. Sophie’s clinical interest is vascular surgery. She enjoys cooking, fencing, and photography.

Integrated Vascular Surgery Resident
Harvard Medical School

Winona graduated summa cum laude with a BA in Molecular Biology from the University of Pennsylvania, was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and served as President of the Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships Advisory Board. As an undergraduate, she also conducted research in immunology at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Winona matriculated to Harvard Medical School and continued to pursue research studies in cardiovascular medicine, which has resulted in multiple publications and presentations. Winona has a passion for drawing and illustrating and is a freelance illustrator for academic publications and university organizations. Her clinical interest is vascular surgery.