Students, Grad Students, Residents, Fellows and Post-Docs News
The Golden Humanism Honor Society recently announced the Students and Resident of the Semester for Spring, 2023:
- Lisa Kam – L1
- Robert Austin Clark – L2
- Virginia Quinlan – L3
- Lacey Falgout Rogers – L4
- Dr. Colin Cunningham - Resident
Internal Medicine
The Internal Medicine Residency program announced the Chief Residents for the 2024
– 2025 academic year: Dr. Jessica Bordes and Dr. Michael Millet.
The program also announced incoming Medicine-Pediatrics Chiefs for the 2023-2024 academic year: Dr. Meaghan Bank and Dr. Emily Riley.
Four Internal Medicine Hyperbaric Fellows, Dr. Justin Meunier, Dr. Mike Ascuitto, Dr. Ken Rosario and Dr. Cheryl Hickey, had the opportunity to visit the Johnson Space Center. They were hosted by the new Medical Director of the Johnson Space Center, Dr. Kristi Ray, who is the APD for the deparment’s hyperbaric fellows and last year's graduate of the LSU Hyperbaric Physician fellowship at UMC.
Nine Emergency Medicine residents attended an American Academy of Emergency Medicine’s
Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Section social.
Dr. Tammy Do (IM Resident) was recently honored as the UMC Resident of the Year. Dr.
Emily Sedgwick, UMC President & CEO, and Dr. Bill Killinger, UMC CMO, as well as other
UMC leaders attended Medicine Grand Rounds to surprise Dr. Do with the award. At the
final MGR of the year, Dr. Do was re-awarded by our former Chief Residents.
The Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine-Pediatrics, and Internal Medicine-Emergency Medicine Residency Programs held a well-attended graduation celebration at the Roosevelt. In addition to honoring their graduating residents and chief residents, Dr. John Amoss received a standing ovation for his years of service to LSU and for the impact he has had on hundreds of physicians who trained with him.
The Emergency Medicine residency program recently held their graduation and a number of awards were presented to residents:
Resident of the Year (tie)- Kyle Hoppens MD (PGY 5 EM/IM) and Jordan Vaughn MD (EM
PGY 4)
- Outstanding Junior Resident- Sancia Bredy MD (PGY 2 EM)
- Intern of the Year- Aaron Singer MD (PGY 1 EM)
- Lauro Award- Jordan Vaughn MD (PGY 4 EM)
- Bradley Award- Kyle Hoppens MD (PGY 5 EM/IM)
- Clerkship Resident- JP Lona MD (EM PGY 4), Jasmine Thompson MD (EM PGY 3), Christopher Hayden MD (PGY 4 EM/IM)
- Sonostar- Andrew Wong MD (PGY 4 EM)
- Social EM Champion- Apre Dixon-Gleaves MD (PGY 2 EM), Joshua DeBlieux MD (PGY 2 EM), Alex Woodbridge MD (PGY 2 EM)
- Social EM Distinction- Lindsey Williams MD (PGY 4 EM), Jordan Vaughn MD (PGY 4 EM), Maria Arulraja MD (PGY 4 EM)
LSU’s Pulmonary/Critical Care Fellowship Program was one of the Top 10 teams that
competed in the 2023 CHEST Challenge online quiz. Dr. Oluwafemi Ajibola, a first year
Pulmonary/Critical Care fellow, led the way to victory. He will receive either free
registration to CHEST 2023 in Hawaii or free registration to a 2023 CHEST Board Review
Course or 2023 Board Review On-Demand product.
Dr. Michael Okoronkwo (EM PGY 3) was recently named a Cobb Scholar of the W. Montague
Cobb/National Medical Association Health Institute for his research work on health
inequity and disparities.
The Gold Humanism Honor Society awarded the Student and Resident of the Semester for the Spring of 2023 to L4 Lacey Falgout Rogers (soon to be an IM Intern) and to IM Resident Dr. Colin Cunningham.
Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology
MIP Department Graduate Student Lyndsey Gisclair has been awarded a scholarship by
the North American Vascular Biology Organization (NAVBO) to present an abstract at
the Vasculata 2023 conference in July.
MIP Department Graduate Students Callie Scull and Dianne Wellems, in the lab of Dr. Guoshun Wang, have successfully defended their dissertations.
Pathology
The department congratulated their recent graduating residents, Dr. Jack Harbert (Hematopathology
Fellowship, University of Minnesota) and Dr. Fernanda Da Silva Lameira (Forensic Pathology
Fellowship, Virginia Commonwealth University). Both are pictured with Pathology Program
Director, Dr. Ritu Bhall.
The department welcomed new pathology residents: 
Pediatrics
The department welcomes new fellows:
- Sarah Campbell, MD
- Mike Charles, MD
- Cyndee Jocson, MD
- Brantlee McConaughey, MD
- Kyle Glisson, MD
- Casey Treuting, MD
- Kayla Griese, DO
- Mike Evers, MD
- Nichole Vegh, MD
The department welcomes new interns/PL1:
- William Arnold, MD
- Ushma Bhandary, MD
- Chandler Cissel, MD
- Andraya Dickens-Chang, MD
- Lexi Glaser, MD
- Meredith Kovach, MD
- Casey Landreneau Baggett, MD
- Aaliyah Saafir, MD
- Danielle Sketchler, MD
- Leah Smith, DO
- Sarah Stobbs, MD
- Courtney Suiter, MD
- Caroline Trammell, MD
- Darrius Williams, MD
- Zaria Williams, MD
The department welcomes new interns/PL1 EM:
- Jessica Aird, DO
- Baylee Bruton, MD
The department welcomes new interns/PL1 MedPeds:
- Arati Joshi, MD
- Andree Judd, DO
- Lexi Lapointe, DO
- Hina Qureshi, MD
- Hannah Rader, MD
- Amelia Young, DO
PHM 2nd year fellow John Strand’s research was accepted for an oral presentation at the national Pediatric Hospital Medicine conference in Philadelphia in August. John’s research is titled “Burden of Household ‘Invisible Work’ on Louisiana Pediatricians: Cognitive Labor Variation by Gender.”
PHM 1st year Fellow Tracy Omoegbele submitted/published a journal club review in the May COMSEP mailing list along with PHM faculty, Dr. Callie Roth.
Second year resident, Peyton Bennett, had an outstanding oral presentation earlier this year at the national Foundation for Sickle Cell Research conference in Fort Lauderdale, FL. More than 400 leading researchers, physicians, clinicians, stakeholders, advocates, and social workers from all over the world met together with the common goal of finding better treatment for sickle cell disease.
Pediatric faculty, residents and students came together in late July to help area children get ready for school. They provided health screenings (BP, glucose, brief heart/lung exam) and sports physicals at the Mystic Krewe of Femme Fatale Tools for School and Health Fair Back to School Drive held at the Tremé Recreational Center. LSU Health medical students supported the effort by assisting with intake forms and health screenings.
Physiology
Taylor Fitzpatrick-Schmidt, Kourtney Weaver, and Eden Gallegos have been voted to
the School of Graduate Studies SGA as President and key leadership positions.
The T35 Medical Student Alcohol Research Internship (MSARI) welcomed seven new fellows in June: Kaitlyn Allen, Amy Brouillette, Dylan Castor, Katherine Copenhaver, Brice Davis, Charlotte Pearson, and Catherine Rockwell.
Maiya lab T35 student Selby White and Research Associate Evan Dore presented a poster titled "Characterizing Rodent Diet Influences on Alcohol Intake" at the 2023 Research Society on Alcohol Annual Meeting.
Dr. Brianna Bourgeois successfully defended the PhD dissertation “Extracellular vesicle
myomirs ameliorate chronic binge alcohol mediated decreased skeletal muscle stem cell
differentiation."
Dr. Taylor Templeton-Jager successfully defended the PhD dissertation “Sex differences
in cocaine self-administration.”
Drs. Cucinello-Ragland, Poret and Whitehead graduated with PhDs.
Psychiatry
Dr. Chanelle Batiste, a psychology (section of psychiatry) post-doctoral fellow, was
featured recently in the Gambit's 40 under 40 for her work with NOLA Black Mental
Health Matters to reduce stigma and bring awareness to mental health needs in our
city's Black community.
Radiology
In June, the department graduated the largest group of Diagnostic and Interventional
Radiology Residents, as well as Fellows in multiple subspecialties, since restarting
the Diagnostic Residency in 2009.
The incoming group of residents and fellows will be the department’s largest ever and all programs will be full.
The department recently announced the 2023 matches in Diagnostic Radiology and Interventional Radiology - Integrated:
Diagnostic Radiology
- Johnny Anderson - Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans
- Gregory Demirjian - Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at FAU
- Abdul Khan - Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans
- Robert Power - Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans
- Eunice Saint - Victor University of Illinois College of Medicine
Interventional Radiology - Integrated
- Michael McMahon - Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans
- Marc Moroux - Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans
The department also announced incoming residents and fellows for 2023-24:
- Roxana Apostol (DR) is completing her prelim year in Internal Medicine at Riverside Community Hospital in California.
- Sofia Duque (DR) is completing her prelim year in Internal Medicine at LSUHSC-NO
- Anthony Nguyen (DR) is completing his prelim year in Internal Medicine at Dignity Health St Mary’s Medical Center in California.
- Analisa Podgorski (DR) is completing her transitional year at Northside Hospital Gwinnett in Georgia.
- Leon Wu (DR) is completing his transitional year at Zucker SOM Northwell Mather Hospital in New York.
- Mark Rocco (Neuro Fellow) is completing his DR residency at Tulane.
- Hanna Javan (IR) is completing her prelim year in Internal Medicine at St Mary Medical Center in California.
- Robert Nguyen (IR) is completing his transitional year at Northside Hospital Gwinnett in Georgia.
- Gregory Tobin (MSK Fellow) is completing his DR residency at LSUHSC Shreveport
The department congratulated graduating senior residents and fellows:
- Dr. Dan Laney will stay with LSUHSC New Orleans as an Assistant Professor of Clinical Radiology.
- Dr. Julie Allen will stay to complete her fellowship in Women’s & Breast Imaging at LSUHSC New Orleans. Dr. Mae Igi will also continue at LSUHSC to complete her fellowship in Neuroradiology.
- Dr. Ryan King will complete a Neuroradiology fellowship at Vanderbilt.
- Dr. Cody Rigsbee will complete a Neuroradiology fellowship at Duke.
- Dr. Chandler Van Dyke is entering private practice.
- Dr. Everardo Flores has taken a job in Beaumont, TX.
- Dr. Alisa Tanakit has taken a job in Manteca, CA.
Surgery
Paige Deville (PGY-3) had her abstract, Oxygen Consumption Rates and ATP Production in Adipose-Derived Stem Cells after Burn
Injury in Smokers vs. Non-Smokers - A Pilot Study, accepted for a poster presentation at the 46th Annual Conference on Shock Society.
Olivia Warren presented A Pilot Study A Pilot Study: Impact of Major Burn Injury on Adipose Derived Stem Cell Migration at the same conference.
The department held it first Annual Research Symposium. Full presentations included: Harel Schwartzberg (PGY-2), Cayley LeBlanc (MS-3), Paige Deville (PGY-3), Jace Landry (PGY-5), Celia Short (PGY-4), Logan Gold (MS-3), David Otohinoyi (Graduate Student), and Robert Ross (PBRC Fellow).
- 1st Place – Celia Short (PGY-4): Single Cell RNA Sequencing Analysis in Murine Biliary Atresia Model Reveals Subpopulation of Biliary Epithelial Cells with Pro-Inflammatory and Fibrogenic Traits
- 2nd Place – Logan Gold (MS-3): Avoiding Missed Bowel Injuries (AMBI) in Blunt Abdominal Trauma: A Prospective Study
- 3rd Place – Harel Schwartzberg (PGY-2): Increased Time Intervals in Postoperative Flap Monitoring After Autologous Breast Reconstruction
Quick-shots included: Hannan Malinoski (MS-3), Nicholas Taylor (PGY-5), Morgan Brown (PGY-2), Jaclyn Isabella (PGY-8), Daniela Medina (PGY-1), Ashley Clement (MS-3), Ashlin Hinojosa (MS-4), Robert Ross (PBRC Fellow), Matthew Burger (PGY-5), and Hannah Leblanc (MS-3).
- 1st Place – Hannah Leblanc (MS-3): Behavioral Sequelae Among Pediatric Trauma Patients After Discharge from Inpatient Rehabilitation
- 2nd Place – Morgan Brown (PGY-2): Let the Kids Sleep: Assessing the Utility of Routine Overnight Vital Sign Assessment in Stable Pediatric Surgical Patients
- 3rd Place – Robert Ross, MD, MPH: Women Pursuing Metabolic/Bariatric Surgery are at Increased Risk for Endometrial Cancer
Posters included: Selby White (MS-2), Gerry Victor (PGY-2), Anne Faulk (MS-3), Shivani Jain (MS-3), Michael Maurer (MS-2), Andrew Mercante (MS-3), Katherine Pavleszek (MS-2), Austin Primeaux (MS-3), Jonathan Richard (MS-2), Ryan Schroeder (MS-2), Leland Van Deventer (MS-3), Jeanette Zavala (MS4), McKenzie Hargis (MS-3), and Paige Deville (PGY-3).
- 1st Place – Michael Maurer (MS-2): Stratification of neuroendocrine cancer patients for ecto-5’-nucleotidase inhibition
- TIE for 2nd Place between: Katherine Pavleszek (MS-2): Risk Factors for readmission after elective colectomy for uncomplicated diverticulitis Austin Primeaux (MS-3): Retrospective Study of Regional Anesthesia or General Anesthesia for Percutaneous Transluminal Angioplasty
Several students, residents and fellows participated in the recent Annual Quality Improvement & Patient Safety Forum. Poster presenters included:
- Selby White, BS - Evidence-Based Development of Post-Surgical Guidelines for Care of Pediatric Surgery Patients
- Kurt Mueller, MD - Caregiver Preferences and Efficacy of Preoperative Patient Education for Pediatric Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy
- Caitlyn McCall, MD - Bundle Me Up: Implementing a Standardized Ventilator Associated Pneumonia (VAP) Prevention Bundle to Decrease VAP Rates (winner of the Best Poster Award)
- Blake Platt, MD - Short Daily Device Meeting Decreases Utilization in the Trauma ICU Setting.
Gabrielle Prezkop was presented the Colin Goodier Award, an annual award for a third-year general resident who displays the characteristics of its namesake. The award is chosen by the general surgery chief residents.
Timothy Legare received the Norma J. Preston Humanism Award. This award is chosen by faculty for the general surgery resident who demonstrates humanistic patient care, professionalism, and serves as a role model.
Jenny Stevens was chosen by faculty for the Dianne H. Potin Resident Research Award for the highest scoring presentation at the General Surgery Research Day. Stevens was also awarded the Hill-Spencer Pediatric Surgery Award for showing promise in the field of pediatric surgery.
Chavi Rehani was awarded the Peter Krusa Burn Resident Award which honors the surgery resident who rotated on burn service and best demonstrated clinical acumen.
Dhanushka Vitharana was presented the Paul R. Hastings Critical Care Award which honors a second-year general surgery resident who demonstrated outstanding performance in the ICU.
Nicholas Taylor received the Kennan J. Buechter Trauma Award. This award is chosen by the surgery faculty for the chief general surgery resident who displayed outstanding clinical performance during trauma rotations.
Amy DeKerlegand was awarded the MIS Resident of the Year by the Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Minimally Invasive Surgery team.
Alexander Mikhail was presented with the Douglas Leonovicz Vascular Surgery Award for demonstrating potential in the field of vascular surgery.
Donald Mendoza received the Warren L. Gottsegen Award as the best vascular surgery resident. Mendoza also received the VSITE Award as the resident/fellow with the highest annual VSITE inservice score.
Jace Landry was awarded the Professor’s Award for Overall Excellence in Clinical Performance.
Annie Talbot was chosen by the general surgery residents for the Outstanding Resident Award.
Blake Milson was chosen by medical students as the best resident teacher.