Grad Students, Post-Docs, Residents and Fellows
Office of Graduate Medical Education
The School of Medicine welcomed 283 new medical residents and fellows. The 70 residency and fellowship programs are located across New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Bogalusa, Lake Charles, and Lafayette. GME staff welcome them to the institution and wish them luck through their training programs.
Anesthesiology
The department announced Wilfredo Borroto Bechara, MD and Kiana Fahimipour, MD as the 2024-2025 Chief Residents.
Two senior residents have been accepted into fellowships:
- Ina Du, MD has been accepted to Emory University for an Adult Cardiothoracic Anesthesia Fellowship
- Brittni Lanoux, MD has been accepted to Washington University in St. Louis for a Critical Care Medicine and Adult Cardiothoracic Fellowship.
Three residents had their abstracts accepted by the Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology (SOAP) 2024 meeting:
- Morgan Hall presented “Amniotic Fluid Embolus,”
- Carlos Guardia Ferrer presented “Multidisciplinary Approach for Cesarean Delivery in a Parturient with Fontan Circulation.”
- Dr. Ina Du was unable to present so Dr. Guardia Ferrer presented “Multidisciplinary Approach for Cesarean Delivery in a Parturient with Fontan Circulation” on her behalf.
The department recently announced the next chapter for the graduating class of 2024:
- Saunders Alpaugh III, MD – private practice in Gulfport, MS
- Ina Du, MD - Cardiothoractic Fellowship at Emory University
- Jose Galardo Vega, MD – private practice in Reno, NV
- Joshua Hurley, MD – private practice in Annapolis, MD
- Brittni Lanoux, MD - Cardio and Critical Care Fellowship at Washington University in St. Louis
- Gregory Tortorich, MD – private practice in New Orleans, LA
- Justin Yan, MD – private practice in New Jersey
The department also announced the Class of 2028:
- Brannon Broussard - LSU School of Medicine, Shreveport
- Munira Khaled - LSU School of Medicine, Shreveport
- David Nguyen - LSU School of Medicine, New Orleans
- Jonathan Nguyen - McGovern Medical School
- Eric Prestenburg - LSU School of Medicine, New Orleans
- Andres Rosado Matos - San Juan Bautista School of Medicine
- Elizabeth Upp - LSU School of Medicine, New Orleans
Internal Medicine
The Internal Medicine, Medicine-Pediatrics, and Internal Medicine-Emergency Medicine residency programs recently celebrated their graduating residents at the Audubon Tea Room with family, friends, and faculty.
IM/EM Resident Dr. Kasha Bornstein was nominated and chosen as the Gold Humanism Honor Society Resident of the Spring 2024 Semester. Selection is based on the resident’s interactions with peers, patients, and the community and for embodying the GHHS pillars of respect, integrity, service, and empathy.
IM Resident Dr. Jessica Bordes was awarded the prestigious Resident of the Year Award at Touro Infirmary. This recognition
is a testament to her dedication, hard work, and outstanding contributions to patient
care and the residency program.
Dr. Ian Crimmins (EM Resident) and Dr. David Beran (Emergency Medicine) recently published the case report Roadside Head-Trauma in a Middle-Aged Man in the Journal of the American College of Emergency Physicians describing a patient with traumatic tension pneumocephalus with CT images showing a classic “Mount Fuji sign.”
IM Resident Dr. Michael Olejniczak recently published Patient-Reported Outcomes After False Vocal Folds Injections for Adductor Spasmodic Dysphonia on outcomes after false vocal folds injections in the Journal of Voice with colleagues in Baton Rouge.
Three IM residents in Lafayette recently received the following awards:
- Intern of the Year – Ryan Falcone, MD (image below left)
- Resident of the Year – Suzanne Cooper, MD (image below center)
- Summit Award – Clayton Hayley, DO (image below right)
EM Residents received awards at the Emergency Medicine graduation celebration:
- Trevia Jackson, MD - William Bradley Award
- Michael Okoronkwo, MD - Albert J Lauro Award
- Trevia Jackson, MD and Thomas Fox, MD - Sonostar Award
- Joshua Lara, MD - Social EM champion
- Alex Woodbridge, MD - Outstanding Junior Resident Award
- Trevia Jackson, MD - Resident of the Year
- Joshua Lara, MD - Intern of the year
- Trevia Jackson, MD; Paul Ramirez, MD; Sara Muramoto, MD; and Aaron Singer, MD - Clerkship Resident of the Year
Two residents were presented with special awards during the Baton Rouge Residency
Program graduation ceremony:
Dr. Alex Say - Resident Teaching Award (below left)
Dr. Chris Laborde - Chief Residents’ Award (below right)
Pathology
The department recently announced Dr. Jack Harbert and Dr. Fernanda da Silva Lameira as 2023 graduates of the residency program. Dr. Harbert completed a hematopathology fellowship at the University of Minnesota and Dr. Lamiera completed a fellowship in forensic pathology at Virginia Commonwealth University.
2024 residency program graduates are: Zaid Khreefa, (left) MBBCH; Wenjing Qiu, MBBS (below left); and Maryam Sadough Shahmirzadi, MD (below right). All graduates have appeared for the ABPath examination and successfully
passed their AP/CP boards. Dr. Sadough has accepted a hematopathology fellowship at
Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri and a surgical pathology fellowship at
the University of Indiana. Dr. Khreefa has accepted a gastrointestinal/liver & transplant
pathology fellowship at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, and Dr.
Qiu has accepted a GI pathology fellowship at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount
Sinai in New York.
Jihuan Chen, MD and Michael Webber, DO will serve as the new chief residents for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Dr. Haibo Wang presented her poster, "Should Patients with Incomplete Intestinal Metaplasia in Gastric Biopsies Undergo More Rigorous Follow Up and Surveillance Endoscopy Compared to Those with Complete Gastric Intestinal Metaplasia", as a platform presentation at the USCAP meeting.
Dr. Asra Feroze presented her poster, "Prediction of Final Gleason Score in Radical Prostatectomy Utilizing Global Gleason Score, Highest Gleason Score and Largest Volume Gleason Score Parameters in Needle Core Biopsies". Her poster was both presented in the Stowell-Orbison award category of posters and selected as the first six best posters by the Association of Indian Pathologists in North America (AIPNA). She also received an Honorable Mention Certificate and cash award for this work.
Chief Resident Dr. Michael Webber has accepted a Forensic Pathology Fellowship at the University of Alabama-Birmingham.
Three residents accepted fellowships in 2025:
- Jihuan Chen, MD, has accepted a fellowship in Gastrointestinal Pathology at UC Irvine
- Liz Yang, MD, has accepted a fellowship in Gastrointestinal Pathology at University of Rochester, New York
- Michael Webber, DO, has accepted a fellowship in Forensic Pathology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Pediatrics
PGY-3 Resident Amanda Barkemeyer received the Children's Hospital Resident of the Year award. CHNOLA Senior Vice President,
Physician-in-Chief and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Mark Kline presented the award to
Dr. Barkemeyer.
Cardiology Fellow Kanya Singhapakdi and Hematology/Oncology Fellow Christian Nieves attended the Pediatric Academic Societies 2024 Mini-Gordon Conference Journeys & Frontiers in Pediatric Research. The program is designed to encourage and support promising early career investigators
in pediatrics by offering inspiring career journey stories, career development mentoring,
feedback on research and networking with experienced and peers in academic medicine.
The department recently held Pediatric Research Day, which included the first ever We Dat Award in recognition of a project that upholds the mission of Children's Hospital.
- Pediatric Cardiology Fellow Kanya Singhapakdi, DO won the first annual We Dat Award and the Best Poster Presentation by a Graduating Fellow with "Social, Racial, and Economic Disparities Affecting Outcomes of Hypertensive Adolescents".
- Neonatology Fellow Michael Evers, MD won Best Poster Presentation by a Fellow for "Standardizing and Improving HIE Management".
- Resident Nicholas Tadros, DO was awarded Best Poster Presentation by a Resident for "Analysis of Unplanned Extubations in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit".
The department hosted its annual Chief Appreciation and Quiz Bowl event. The resident
team came away with another victory this year in the annual LSU Pediatrics Resident
vs. Faculty Quiz Bowl. Dr. Shubho Sarkar hosted the event. Pediatrics Residency Program
Director Chelsey Sandlin presented outgoing chief residents Paige Prevot and Joey Sansone with their "chief chairs." Prevot is headed to the Medical College of Georgia for
a neonatology fellowship while Sansone begins his hospital medicine fellowship with
the department.
The graduation ceremony for the pediatrics, medicine/pediatrics, and pediatric/emergency
medicine residency graduating classes was held at the Audubon Tea Room.
Pediatric Graduates:
Amanda Barkemeyer (Dr. Barkemeyer was awarded the Penny Scurto, MD Outstanding Pediatric
Resident Award in a separate ceremony); Karleigh Barkemeyer;
Peyton Bennett (Dr. Bennett received the Alfonso Vargas, MD Research Award for demonstrating
outstanding performance in pediatric research as a resident); Anna Simon (Dr. Simon
received the Gretchen Life, MD Award, presented to the graduating resident who embodies
Gretchen’s zeal for life and love for patients and was named the Outstanding Cardiology
Resident, selected by cardiology faculty to recognize a resident with outstanding
clinical and professional performance on the rotation); Jantzen Collette; Will Fernandez;
Amanda Granier; Mariah Humphrey; Riley Jay; Taylor Jones; Hannah Nguyen; Adam Prevot;
Karlie Ragas; Judston Robinson; and
Corinna Victor.
Medicine/Pediatric Graduates:
Meaghan Bank; Emily Riley; Lauren deLeon; DeLane Hise (Dr. Hise was awarded the Outstanding
Medicine/Pediatric Resident Award); Nataliya Khimitch; Ashley Misky; and Cassie Shaw;
Pediatric/Emergency Medicine Graduate:
Mayra Ramirez
Pediatric Completion Certificate for Child Neurology:
Andrew Harold
The graduation ceremony for the pediatric subspecialty fellowship programs was held
in Worley Hall. Graduates included:
Allergy/Immunology:
Sarah Leo; Devyn Rohlfs
Cardiology:
Kanya Singhapakdi; Wesam Sourour
Gastroenterology:
Holly Breeden
Hematology/Oncology:
Christian Nieves Rivera
Hospital Medicine:
Tracy Omoegbele
Neonatal - Perinatal:
Jeremy Lawson; Kelly Ordemann (Dr. Ordemann received the Outstanding Fellowship Teaching
Award, awarded annually by residents in recognition of outstanding teaching and mentoring
skills).
Hope Retif, MD, and Morgan Viviano, MD, received the Alfonso Vargas, MD Research Award for demonstrating outstanding performance in pediatric research as a resident.
Sarah Stobbs, MD, and Zaria Williams, MD, received the Intern of the Year Award, given annually by Pediatrics PGY 1, 2 and 3 acknowledging an intern who exemplifies the values of the pediatrics residency: dedication to the care of patients, advocacy for their patients, professionalism, interdisciplinary collaboration, and collegiality among residents.
Pediatrics, Medicine/Pediatrics, and Pediatrics/Emergency Medicine residents were
welcomed to the department with an orientation week prior to their July 1 start date.
Photo: gradstuds_peds_newresidents
Physiology
Taylor Fitzpatrick-Schmidt was appointed an American Physiological Society Graduate Student Ambassador for 2024-2026, including travel support for the next two APS meetings in Baltimore, MD and Minneapolis, MN.
Fitzpatrick-Schmidt presented her research at the 2024 NIH Pain Consortium Symposium on Advances in Pain Research in Bethesda, MD.
Stephanie Lee won travel awards and presented at the Research on Alcohol and HIV Satellite Meeting and Sex & Gender Satellite Meeting during the Research Society on Alcohol Conference in Minneapolis, MN earlier this year.
Thomas Kyllo sucessfully defended his PhD.
Radiology
The department reported the following matches for 2024:
Diagnostic Radiology:
- Jose DeCastro-Vazquez - Ponce Health Sciences University School of Medicine
- Austin Gothe - Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
- Mitchell Hsu - Texas A&M Health Sciences School of Medicine
- Alexander Polski - University of South Alabama School of Medicine
- Sierra Voice-Robinson - New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine
Interventional Radiology – Integrated:
- Peyton Hopkins - Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans
- Cayley LeBlanc - Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans
The department also announced incoming fellows and residents for the 2024-25 year:
- Johnny Anderson (DR) is completing his preliminary year in internal medicine at Medical College of Georgia at Augusta.
- Gregory Demirjian (DR) is completing his transitional year at University of Kentucky Bowling Green.
- Abdul Khan (DR) is completing his transitional year at HCA Florida Oak Hill Hospital.
- Robert Power (DR) is completing his transitional year at Merit Health Wesley – Hattiesburg.
- Eunice Saint-Victor (DR) is completing her preliminary year in internal medicine at University of Illinois Chicago.
- Jeff Musgrave (IR) is completing his transitional year at the University of Rochester.
- Michael McMahon (IR) is completing his preliminary year in surgery at LSU School of Medicine New Orleans.
- Marc Moroux (IR) is completing his transitional year in surgery at LSU School of Medicine New Orleans.
Graduating senior residents and fellows are completing fellowships and beginning careers:
- Dr. Francisco Brito-Encarnacion will be completing a Body MRI fellowship at Johns Hopkins.
- Dr. Ricardo Declet-Bauzo will be completing a MSK fellowship at the University of South Florida Morsani COM-Tampa.
- Dr. Miles Dixon will be completing a Body Imaging fellowship at Stanford.
- Dr. Asmar Ghani will be completing a Body Imaging fellowship at the University of California Irvine.
- Dr. Paresh Rangani will be completing an MSK fellowship at Johns Hopkins.
- Dr. Katayoun Samadi will be completing a Neuroradiology fellowship at Mass General Brigham.
- Dr. Andrew Ea will be going into private practice in Columbus, Ohio.
- Dr. Mae Igi, Dr. Mark Rocco, and Dr. Gregory Tobin have all accepted private practice jobs based out of Baton Rouge, LA.
The department welcomed the very first ESIR resident, Chikamuche Anyanwu, MD, from the DR program in July. Dr. Anyanwu will be joined by Jeff Musgrave, MD, as an R2 resident. Dr. Samantha Parrotte will serve as the Administrative Chief resident this year. Jeff Thekkekara is newly appointed Jr. IR Chief Resident.
Dr. Andrew Ea had a case selected for Oral Presentation at the ARRS annual meeting in Boston, MA.