Introducing the new 2017 – 2018 editorial staff for the MSRJ! We are thrilled to welcome many new junior editors to our experienced MSRJ team. The journal has been making exciting new changes with the start of e-publication and we look forward to another productive year of publishing, editing, and supporting medical student research efforts around the world!
2017-2018 Editorial Staff
Executive Editors
Danny Yau, Executive Editor-in-Chief, is a fourth year medical student at Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine. He completed his B.S. in Microbial Biology at the University of California, Berkeley. His previous contributions to MSRJ include the ePublications feature, and previously serving as the M3 Executive Editor. For the 2017 year, he is focused on sustainability of the organization, as well as further establishing MSRJ’s presence in the medical research community. His current interest is in Emergency Medicine, and he recently presented at the MSU FAME Community Research Forum on Geospatial Analysis between Neighborhood Characteristics and Bystander CPR Initiation Rates.
Kyle Hildebrandt, M4 Executive Editor, is a fourth year medical student at Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine. He completed his B.S. in Biomedical Laboratory Science at Michigan State University as a recipient of the Alumni Distinguished Scholarship. His previous contributions to MSRJ include engaging in outreach and serving as Editing Coordinator. For 2017, he is focused on streamlining the review process and increasing submission throughput. He has a strong interest in Orthopaedic Surgery, particularly trauma. To that end, he is pursuing a year of orthopaedic trauma research at NYU in during the 2017-2018 academic year.
Angelyn Thayer, M3 Executive Editor, is a third year medical student at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. She earned her Bachelors of Science in Nursing from Grand Valley State University and worked as a Pediatric Critical Care nurse in Detroit before coming to medical school. She is currently working on a research project at Children’s Hospital of Michigan focusing on thrombosis prophylaxis in postoperative congenital heart disease patients. She helped to run the MSRJ elective last year, and is looking to improve communication and promote member driven initiates within the organization. While pediatric critical care remains an interest, she is also intrigued by various surgical specialties and looks forward to experiencing them during clerkships.
Executive Board
Alex Chavez-Yenter, Senior Editor Coordinator, is a fourth year medical student at Michigan State College of Human Medicine. He received his BS in Human Biology and a minor in Spanish at Michigan State University in 2013. Alex has research experience in medical anthropology exploring the use of stimulant medication and its portrayal in social media. More recently, he participated in research on ethnic discordance and its effect on perceived quality of patient-physician encounters. This research was presented at the MSU Flint Area Medical Education Community Research Forum in 2017. Alex is a former Junior Editor and is currently the Senior Editor Coordinator for MSRJ. He is interested in pursuing a career in either diagnostic or interventional radiology.
Rohit Nallani, Junior Editor Coordinator, is a third year medical student in the Medical Partners in Public Health program at the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. He completed his B.S. in Neuroscience and History at the University of Michigan in 2014. Rohit has bench-science research experience in Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience and clinical research experience with shared-decision making and decisional conflict in rheumatoid arthritis patients. He is also involved with a research project centered around the efficacy of a Medical Business in Finance elective in medical education. Rohit aims to increase awareness of the MSRJ and help improve communication and ensure timely and efficient reviews of manuscripts. Besides serving as a Junior Editor for MSRJ previously, he was also involved with the Physicians for Social Responsibility and with the American Medical Association’s chapter at MSU. Rohit plans to pursue a career in surgery but is intrigued by numerous different specialities as well as the public health field.
Jason Sotzen, Treasurer, is a fourth year medical student at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. He received a B.S. in Biochemistry and B.A. in Spanish from Oakland University in 2011. Jason has previous research experiences in retinal gene expression at Oakland University and in hematology/oncology at the University of Michigan. During medical school, he has been involved with tutoring first-year students, the Hematology/Oncology Interest Group, and the Flint-based program Leadership in Medicine for the Underserved. He is currently a Senior Editor and Treasurer for the MSRJ. Jason is actively involved in several dermatology research projects and plans to pursue a career in academic dermatology upon graduation from medical school.
Gurbaksh Shergill, Publicity Officer, is a fourth year medical student at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. She received her B.S. in Biological Sciences and a minor in Spanish at Oakland University in 2014. Her research from undergrad regarding the mapping of the anthocyaninless gene of Brassica rapa was published in PLoS ONE this past year. Recently, she presented her research examing the barriers to STI testing in adolescents in Genesee County at the MSU FAME Community Research Forum. She is the current Publicity Officer of MSRJ. She plans to pursue a Pediatric residency upon completion of medical school and would like to work in underserved populations.
Senior Editors
Larissa Georgeon is a third year medical student at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. She received her B.A. in Biology from Clark University and her M.P.H. in Epidemiology from Texas A&M University. Prior to medical school, she was an Epidemiological Fellow at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, GA. She is interested in Global Health and has gained international experience through her public health internship in Mumbai, India and volunteering at a rural clinic in Surin, Thailand. Her passion is to pursue a career in women’s health and help alleviate domestic and global health disparities.
Marten Hawkins is a third year medical student at the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry in 2012 and his Master of Public Health in Hospital and Molecular Epidemiology in 2015, both from the University of Michigan. He thinks Jessica Martín is totally tubular. At CHM, Marten has worked as an anatomy and microbiology teaching assistant, volunteers at Sparrow Hospital with the infection prevention staff and was a Junior Editor with the MSRJ in 2016-17. He is currently submitting a paper on sleep apnea screening and has previously worked on hospital transmission of Clostridium difficile. Marten’s interests focus on issues in hospital infection prevention and antimicrobial stewardship and he plans to pursue a career in infectious disease medicine and hospital epidemiology.
Jessica Horton is a fourth year student at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. In 2013, she graduated from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor with a Bachelor of Science degree in Neuroscience. Before medical school, she was a research assistant for the ECMO lab at the University of Michigan. While in medical school she was involved in research with the blood management team at Helen Devos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids, MI. She has been apart of MSRJ for the last 3 years and helped run the Grand Rapids MRSJ elective in 2016. Jessica is excited to pursue a career in a Pediatrics subspecialty.
John Kanitra is a third year medical student at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. He completed his B.A. in Chemistry from Michigan State University in 2014. He has previous research experience in the therapy of short gut syndrome and mucosal atrophy, as well as the use of biologic mesh in ventral hernia repairs. Both of these projects were performed through the Department of Surgery at Michigan State University. He is interested in pursuing general surgery.
Mariam Khan is a third year medical student at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Religion from University of Michigan in 2014. Prior to medical school, she completed a Fulbright Fellowship in Turkey over the 2014-2015 school year. Her past research experience focused on risk factors and biomarkers for cancer-associated thrombosis. At MSU CHM, Mariam has worked as anatomy teaching assistant and tutor and has been involved with her school’s branches of AMWA and SNMA. She is interested in pursuing a career in surgery or neurology.
Elton Li is a third year medical student at Michigan State University of College of Human Medicine. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and Philosophy from University of Michigan in 2012. His research experience includes working with Dr. Ruthann Nichols to create consensus structures for RFamide-related peptide-1, and with Dr. Anna Lok on a cross-sectional survey to help determine factors influencing Asian Americans to pursue Hepatitis B screening in Southeast Michigan. Elton Li is currently keeping an open mind regarding future specialities, but has an interest in Emergency Medicine.
Danielle Levy is a fourth year medical student at Michigan State University – College of Human Medicine. She received her B.S. in Chemistry with a concentration in Biochemistry and a Minor in Mathematics from Wayne State University in 2012. She is passionate about improving global health and looks forward to furthering her interests in pathology, pediatrics and healing with humour.
Kevin Lutley is a 4th year medical student at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. He completed his B.S. in Dietetics from Central Michigan University. In medical school, he has been active as a tutor and is a member of the Medical Partners in Public Health Program at the Flint campus. He has previously completed research on patient-physician communication and serves as a senior editor for for MSRJ. He is interested in pursuing a career in Internal Medicine.
Jessica Martín is a third year medical student at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine at the Flint Campus. She completed her B.S. in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior with a minor in Sociology at the University California, Davis in 2013. After completing a post-baccalaureate program at the University of California, San Diego, she moved out to Grand Rapids, MI for her pre-clinical years. She thinks Marten Hawkins is totally rad. Her interests are in health disparities and inequities, and recently completed a research project with M1 Leora Aquino looking at a refugee population within Grand Rapids and how immigration and acculturation affects obesity and hypertension rates. Aside from being a former Junior Editor at MSRJ, she is highly involved in the Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA), both at MSU CHM and at the Midwest Regional level, and is enrolled in the Leadership in Medicine for the Underserved program at Flint. While at CHM, she also assisted in the High School Pipeline program hosted by Grand Rapids admissions coordinator Brian Ulrich. She is unsure if she wants to go into primary care or Emergency Medicine, but she looks forward to her clinical years in Flint and hopes to continue to inspire Latino students to pursue careers in medicine.
Carina Mendoza is a fourth-year medical student at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. Carina is a descendant of immigrants from Mexico and was born and raised in Southern California. She received her B.A. in Molecular and Cell Biology and Spanish from the University of California, Berkeley. Her research experience includes medical beliefs and practices among underserved immigrant, ethnic and cultural communities in the United States; methods for improving preventive medical practices; and methods for reducing medical non-compliance. Carina has made multiple national and international conference presentations on her research. Last year Carina served as a Junior Editor for MSRJ. Her current professional interests are multifaceted and include: practicing in a community medical health center or university medical clinic; continuing her empirical research on culture, health disparities and the practice of medicine; teaching and mentoring aspiring medical students; and working as an advocate for the underserved. Her current interests in medicine are: neurology and family medicine.
Angela Miciura is a fourth year medical student at Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine. She graduated from the University of Michigan in 2009 with a BS in Brain, Behavior, and Cognitive Sciences. After graduating, she worked as a preschool teacher in Ann Arbor until getting a full time clinical research position at UofM. Her projects focused on quality of life studies and interviews with Spinal Cord Injury and Traumatic Brain Injury patients. She is currently interested in pursuing a career in orthopedic surgery.
Mark Nolan is a fourth year student at the Grand Rapids campus of Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine. He received B.S. degrees in architecture and civil engineering from Lawrence Technological University and a Master of Engineering from the University of Michigan. Mark is excited to pursue a career in ophthalmology.
Ryan Nowatzke is a fourth year medical student at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. In 2013 he graduated from Michigan State University with a bachelor’s degree in Physiology. He worked at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital Ann Arbor as a Patient Care Technician on a cardiac PCU for 2013-2014 and was a licensed EMT. While with MSRJ Ryan was a junior editor from 2015-2016, and has been a senior editor since 2016. He has multiple prior and current research projects in the area of Anesthesia and in Orthopedics. Ryan intends to become and Anesthesiologist after graduating medical school.
Helen Ohaeri is a third year medical student at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from Kettering University in Flint, MI in 2013. She did undergraduate research in chemistry, antibiotic synthesis, and worked in plant biology after graduation. She did research with the Pope Paul VI Institute for the Study of Human Reproduction, and went on a mission trip to Mexico City. Helen’s interests include OB/GYN, and working with underserved communities.
James Parkkonen is a third year medical student at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. He received his B.A. in Psychology from the University of Michigan in 2012, and is planning on going into emergency medicine.
Jessica Priestley is a 4th year medical student at the Grand Rapids campus. She received her B.S. in Human Biology with a specialization in Bioethics, Humanities, and Society from Michigan State University in 2008. She received her PhD in Physiology from the Medical College of Wisconsin in 2014. Since then, Jessica has continued research involvement in both basic science (including projects in cardiovascular and skeletal muscle physiology) and clinical science (including projects in primary care, genetics, and surgical oncology). Jessica is excited to pursue a future in a pediatric subspecialty and is passionate about pursuing a career in academic medicine that incorporates care for the underserved, clinical research, and teaching.
Christian Roehmer is a fourth year medical student at Michigan State College of Human Medicine. He obtained his degree in finance from the Broad College of Business at Michigan State University. He is currently a senior editor for MSRJ and has shown a strong interest in research during his time with the group.
Sara Rosenblum is a 4th year medical student at the Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine Southeastern Michigan Campus. She received her BA from the University of Michigan in 2009 in Organizational Studies with a minor in Spanish. In 2013, She completed a pre-medical post-baccalaureate certificate at the University of Colorado. Her prior research interests have included looking at the intersections of research, global public health policy, and improved health outcomes. She looks forward to finding ways to involve research, teaching, and population health initiatives in her future career to help improve our health care education and delivery systems. Sara is a senior editor for MSRJ and plans to pursue a career in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
Nuong Truong is a fourth year medical student at Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine in Flint. She completed a B.S. in Evolutionary Anthropology at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor in 2013. She took part in conducting a research study on Refugee Access to Health Care and presented with her group at the MSU FAME research forum. She is currently working on a research project about effective screening for gestational diabetes mellitus in pregnancy. She is a senior editor for MSRJ and is interested in pursuing a career in obstetrics and gynecology.
Amanda Witte is a fourth year medical student at Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine in Grand Rapids. She completed a B.S. in Biochemistry with a minor in Mathematics from Calvin College in 2014. During medical school she has been involved in tutoring, overseas medical aid, leadership of several student organizations and electives, and community volunteer work including Special Olympics, refugee resettlement, and health education for the underserved. She has a significant interest in surgical and oncological research, and has published several peer-reviewed articles in these fields. She plans to pursue a career in an academic surgical sub-specialty, and will be applying to general surgery residency programs this fall.
Kristi Wu is a rising fourth year medical student at MSU CHM. She received her B.S. from the University of Alabama in chemistry and Spanish. At CHM, she has been involved in the Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association, tutoring, and Leadership in Medicine for the Underserved. She has previously completed research on chromium physiology and hepatocellular carcinoma. In MSRJ, she serves as a senior editor. She is interested in pursuing ophthalmology as a career.
Junior Editors
Daniel Havlichek is a third year medical student at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. He earned a bachelor of science in microbiology from University of Michigan in 2013. Medical school experiences include being a teaching assistant in the histology lab, an e-board member of the pharmacy assist program at the Lansing carefree clinic, and doing research on sleep apnea screening in commercial vehicle drivers. Dan will be serving as a junior editor of MSRJ working diligently to complete article reviews in a timely manner. He will also serve as the IT consultant at the Grand Rapids campus. His interests include pathology and internal medicine.
Emma Herman is a second year medical student at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. She received her B.S. in Biomolecular Science with a minor in Anthropology from the University of Michigan in 2016. Her undergrad research experience was at the Teitelbaum Pediatric Surgery Lab at the University of Michigan. She participated in a project examining predictors in pediatric patients with short bowel syndrome achieving enteral autonomy after receiving parenteral nutrition for >1 year. In another project, she looked at the incidence of complications due to gastrojejunostomy tubes in pediatric patients, along with risk factors shown to increase risk for tube replacement. She will be serving as a junior editor for MSRJ. Emma plans to practice in a subspecialty of pediatrics, most likely hematology-oncology.
Meghan Hill is a third year medical student at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. She earned her Bachelors of Science in Pharmacology in 2014 from McGill University. Before medical school she worked as a research assistant in phase III drug studies that aimed to assess the efficacy of pharmaceutical agents in patient populations with diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Currently, she is involved with a research project that is evaluating the diagnostic use of PET scans for children with lymphoma. She is passionate about global health and is interested in pursuing a career in internal medicine.
Maddie Hulse is a second year medical student at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. She received her B.S. in Cellular and Molecular Biology from the University of Michigan in 2014. During undergrad, she was a research assistant for a pediatric psychologist and worked on a project examining developmental and psychosocial outcomes in pediatric patients born with congenital heart defects. She plans to pursue a career in hematology-oncology or emergency medicine.
Murtaza Hussain is a second year medical student at MSU CHM and will start the MCE very soon! He went to Wayne State University for undergrad and received a BS in Biological Sciences with a Co-Major of Peace and Conflict Studies. He was able to engage in clinical research in the Emergency Department at Detroit Receiving Hospital during undergrad. Other than MSRJ, he is part of the EMIG Eboard and is currently on the lookout for clinical research. He currently serves as a junior editor in MSRJ. He hopes to pursue Emergency Medicine after medical school, but that is subject to change once MCE starts.
Megan Kechner is a second year medical student at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. She received her Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience and Psychology in 2015 from Michigan State University. Her past research experience includes the study of molecular mechanisms underlying neuropsychiatric disorders such as depression and addiction. She has also conducted research at Vanderbilt University exploring the genetic variation in the human dopamine transporter gene and its role in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. At CHM, Megan is currently using a pre- and post-test model to assess outcomes of the ThinkFirst injury prevention program throughout local schools in Grand Rapids. She will spend her clinical years in Flint, MI and participate in the Medical Partners in Public Health Certificate program. Her professional interests include injury prevention, mental health, public health, and academic medicine. Ultimately, she is interested in pursuing a career in neurology, pediatrics, or psychiatry.
Kathleen Louis is a second year medical student at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. She received her B.S. in Biological Sciences at Illinois State University in 2011. Following undergraduate, she received her Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Michigan State University in 2016. Kathleen’s previous research experience from her undergraduate institution involved inducing middle cerebral artery occlusions in rat models to observe physiological and behavioral outcomes following strokes. She also was in a social psychology lab, studying the stereotyping beliefs in students, and also studied the molecular basis and physiology of the Na/K ATPase in cultured cells in a biochemistry lab. Her dissertation research involved studying neuronal circuits in live brain slices in a rat model, using electrophysiology. By using the whole-cell patch clamp technique, she showed novel results, suggesting synaptic plasticity of excitatory corticothalamic circuits in the visual and somatosensory pathways. These data show that top-down sensory modulation occurs in the corticothalamic feedback pathway with visual and somatosensory stimulation. Kathleen will be serving as a Junior editor for MSRJ. Kathleen is currently at the East Lansing campus for M1 and M2, and will be pursuing her clinical years in Traverse City, MI. Her professional interests include integrating clinical research with a specialty in neurology.
Caitlin McCarthy is a second year medical student at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry and Psychology in 2013 from Kalamazoo College. After college graduation, she taught high school chemistry at University Prep High School in Detroit for three years; while teaching, she also served as the men’s and women’s varsity soccer coach, volunteered as the National Honor Society advisor, and lead the yoga club. Her previous research experience includes work in cardiovascular pharmacology at the University of Michigan Medical School, as well as cognitive decline and grip strength at the Physical Therapy department at Wayne State University. While at CHM, she has been involved in the American Medical Women’s Association and Physicians for Social Responsibility. Outside of medical school, Caitlin is a registered yoga teacher and teaches vinyasa weekly at a studio in Grand Rapids. Her professional interests include preventive health, public and community health, women’s health, and education. She hopes to ultimately go into a field of medicine that affords her continuity of care with patients, potentially within pediatrics.
Monica Pomaville is a fourth year medical student at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine who received a B.S. in Physiology from Michigan State University. Her research focus has been primarily in pediatric oncology. Prior to medical school she studied the retinoblastoma family proteins, and during medical school she was a St. Baldrick’s Summer Fellow focusing on therapies for children with neuroblastoma that was presented at the AACR annual meeting. Her work will continue this year as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research Fellow studying neuroblastoma at Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Other projects include looking at barriers to teens accessing STI testing. Her volunteer experience involves working with the underserved both in Michigan and Abroad. She is looking forward to entering the field of obstetrics and gynecology.
Genevieve Pourzan is a second year medical student at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. She received her B.A. in Politics and a minor in Psychology at University of California, Santa Cruz in 2011. After graduation she worked in the Michigan legislature as a research analyst and legislative aid. After a few years, she enrolled at MSU to pursue pre-medical courses and was involved in a breast cancer lab. She’ll be serving as a Junior Editor for MSRJ, and is exploring different fields of medicine, but has a proclivity towards dermatology.