2023 Intern Cohort

Maya Palmer

2023 Lead & Dubes Family Intern

Hometown: Denver, CO
Education: University of Colorado Boulder
MD Mentor: Dr. Retu Saxena & Dr. Peter Eckman
Staff Mentors: Gretchen Benson and Delaine Thomas
Project: Peripartum Cardiomyopathy Registry

How did you hear about the MHIF internship and why did you want to participate?

I was part of the 2022 internship program, and this year I'm returning as the lead intern :)

What sparked your interest in the field of research, medicine and cardiology?

I am interested in how medicine integrates science and human compassion to achieve beneficial health outcomes.

What is your desired career in medicine?

Procedural or Surgical based medicine

What are you most looking forward to this summer?

I am most looking forward to meeting the new interns and learning from their unique experiences. I am also excited to work under Dr. Saxena on her project regarding peripartum cardiomyopathy.

What do you hope to gain from this experience?

I would like to continue my knowledge of clinical research practices and its' influence on patient wellbeing. I hope to do so both in the hospital and from my desk!

What are your plans after the summer?

To stay on as a clinical research associate!

What is a fun fact about you?

I tend to start a new type of hobby every month or so.

Tremayne Ansani

Rose Peterson Memorial Intern

Hometown: Columbia, SC
Education: University of South Carolina
MD Mentor: Dr. Mario Goessl
Staff Mentors: Sara Olson and Jennifer Nguyen
Project: Temporal change of mitral stenosis in patients with MAC after successful aortic valve intervention

How did you hear about the MHIF internship and why did you want to participate?

I heard about the MHIF internship through researching summer research programs online. I was drawn to this internship because it allows the unique experience of participating in groundbreaking cardiovascular research while also engaging in clinical shadowing. In addition, I wanted to be paired with a physician mentor and observe the type of research physicians can conduct.

What sparked your interest in the field of research, medicine and cardiology?

Witnessing several of my family members struggle with heart and blood-related diseases such as hypertension drove me to learn more about cardiology and medicine. Learning more about medicine fascinated me due to the intricacies of the field and the ability to give personalized care to people. My initial interest in medicine has been reinforced by being able to shadow physicians and work as an EMT. In regards to research, I participated in a program in high school in which I designed and presented two research projects. I fell in love with the process of research and how diverse the field of studies can be. I want to continue research to be better informed about problems impacting our society and develop ways to address them.

What is your desired career in medicine?

Though I am not sure what specialization I want to pursue, I hope to become a physician that is able to promote health equity in communities and make patients feel heard and understood.

What are you most looking forward to this summer?

I am most looking forward to conducting clinical research with the physicians and staff mentors. I participate in bench research at my university and enjoy it. I am excited to compare the similarities and differences between bench research and clinical research, along with seeing the application of clinical research towards patient-based cases. Furthermore, I am looking forward to shadowing physicians and getting to know the other interns.

What do you hope to gain from this experience?

I hope to gain a stronger understanding of all aspects of cardiology, from general cardiology physiology to cardiovascular research and the technological innovations in cardiology.

What are your plans after the summer?

After the summer, I plan to return to the University of South Carolina to complete my junior year of my undergraduate career.

What is a fun fact about you?

I am a passionate foodie and have created food blogs in the past.

Muhmmad (Subhan) Khalid

Center for Coronary Artery Disease Intern

Hometown: Libertytown, OH
Education: University of Cincinnati
MD Mentor: Dr. Manos Brilakis
Staff Mentors: Thanasis Rempakos, Olga Mastrodemos, and Bavana Rangan
Project: Frequency and outcomes of brachytherapy use in stent failure percutaneous coronary intervention

How did you hear about the MHIF internship and why did you want to participate?

I discovered the MHIF Internship while searching for summer enrichment experiences through the AAMC website, the MHIF Internship caught my eye immediately as it was the only one to offer an immersive experience in clinical research and it emphasized cardiovascular outcomes which I have a huge passion for. I found that activities and shadowing experiences were really fascinating as they were unique and different from any other experience I researched. I hope by participating in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I can learn more about different cardiovascular therapies and make connections with physicians in the field.

What sparked your interest in the field of research, medicine and cardiology?

My experiences while growing up with a father suffering from cardiovascular disease played a pivotal role in sparking my passion for medicine and specifically cardiology. Witnessing his ongoing battles to preserve his well-being ignited my fascination with the human body, particularly the organ we know as the heart. The patient-physician interaction is important as it is essential in providing comprehensive and longitudinal care as I witnessed with my father, during my time as a volunteer at Crossroads Health Center and as a pharmacy technician. I witnessed firsthand the care of the most marginalized, socioeconomically disadvantaged patients and the barriers they faced in receiving care. I am very passionate about trying to make healthcare as simple and accessible as possible for these patients. I became more involved in research in college as I came to believe that research is the key to the advancement of medical science. My work at the Cardiovascular Research Center at the University of Cincinnati solidified that I wanted to incorporate my research experience as a physician. There are still so many unanswered questions in medicine, and it is through innovative approaches and investigational studies that our understanding is improved, shaping the future of healthcare.

What is your desired career in medicine?

My aspiration is to pursue a career in medicine, with a specific focus on cardiology, surgery, and related subspecialties like interventional cardiology, pulmonary medicine, and pediatric heart failure. By utilizing my research background, I want to contribute to the enhancement of patient care and contribute to the overall progress of medicine as a physician. I am still open to learning about all specialties and hope to learn more about each during my time as a PCA in the upcoming fall semester.

What are you most looking forward to this summer?

I am looking forward to meeting my fellow outstanding interns in this cohort, working on a clinical research project with my mentors, and creating lifelong connections with physicians and like-minded individuals whom I can learn from. I am of course very excited to witness an open-heart surgery and in developing valuable communication/presenting skills.

What do you hope to gain from this experience?

I hope to gain valuable hands-on experience in various areas of healthcare, such as patient-physician interaction and care, and how not only physicians but other professionals work hand in hand in advancing medical research to develop a deeper understanding of the healthcare industry. I hope after shadowing, learning more about cardiovascular research, and meeting fellow interns that I grow both professionally and personally as I believe that mentoring and networking are valuable in advancing one’s career and interests.

What are your plans after the summer?

After the summer I plan to complete my Junior year at the University of Cincinnati, prepare for my MCAT that upcoming spring, and continue research with the American College of Cardiology as a Young Scholar.

What is a fun fact about you?

I'll give three fun facts because I could not decide which one to choose. My brother who is two years younger than me has the same first and last name. I had a near-death experience with carbon monoxide poisoning. I enjoy cooking dishes from around the world as it allows explore the diverse flavors and culinary traditions of those regions.

Rina Li

Leonardus Loos and Shelley Holzemer Intern

Hometown: Sarasota, FL
Education: Amherst College
MD Mentor: Dr. Nedaa Skeik
Staff Mentor: Andie Sarafolean
Project: Antithrombotic Therapies for Patients Following Endovenous Recanalization, Meta-analysis

How did you hear about the MHIF internship and why did you want to participate?

I came across the MHIF internship on Google while searching for paid clinical research summer internships. I wanted to participate because cardiology is the top specialty that I would want to go to as an aspiring physician. Through this internship, I want to delve deeper into the study of cardiac diseases, their diagnosis, treatment, and prevention through research. I was impressed that my doctor mentor is also a practicing physician and would love to build a deeper connection with them. In addition, I was drawn to the open heart surgery as a part of the shadowing experience offered by the internship.

What sparked your interest in the field of research, medicine and cardiology?

Many events and episodes in my life have inspired and reinforced my passion for healthcare. Growing up with my grandma, who used to work as a barefoot doctor, I had a childhood accompanied by Traditional Chinese Medicine. Her warm personality drove me to embrace traditional medicine as a part of my life and identity. In tenth grade, I attended a gross anatomy workshop, where I touched a specimen of the human heart for the first time. It was a touch of magic and since then, I became deeply curious about the human body. After starting college, I started shadowing physicians and engaging in research in hospitals. Talking to healthcare workers and patients during shadowing and clinical research, I realized that patients of color lack access to care disproportionately. And I saw many patients of color showing up in the late stages of terminal illnesses, and physicians kept shaking their heads. The question of why our study had almost no Asian American participants also lingered in my head. I want to be a physician for Asian Americans and all People of Color. I want to engage with patients of color through research and the provision of care. I want to address their concerns for personal health and the healthcare system. I am especially interested in cardiology—heart disease is the leading cause of death and continues to disproportionately affect People of Color who are socio-economically disadvantaged.

What is your desired career in medicine?

My dream is to combine Western medicine with Traditional Chinese Medicine in my provision of care as a physician. I want to have a holistic and integrated approach to health and patient care that makes Asian patients comfortable and feel they can place their trust in me. By combining the strengths of both systems, I want to provide personalized care, access a broader range of treatment options, and optimize patient outcomes. I want to make patients with immigrant or diverse cultural backgrounds feel they are being valued, thereby enhancing their trust in the healthcare system and fostering stronger patient-doctor relationships.

What are you most looking forward to this summer?

I look forward to working closely with Dr. Skeik, my doctor mentor. I appreciate having a mentor with a passion in research while caring for patients and want to provide guidance to uprising physicians like me. I can tell he is super approachable, kind, and humorous two minutes into our first meeting. I want to learn more about his philosophy as a physician and how to be a cardiologist that balances both patient care and research. Additionally, I am very excited to see an open heart surgery for the first time.

What do you hope to gain from this experience?

I want to finish this internship feeling confident that I have a good grasp on a certain topic in cardiology. I would like to develop my clinical research skills, as it will be my first time carrying out a clinical study. I want to have experience and gain proficiency in data collection, management, analysis and interpretation. I hope this internship will equip me with essential tools to critically assess a hypothesis and contribute to evidence-based practice in the field of cardiology.

What are your plans after the summer?

After this summer, I will go back to Amherst College to finish my last year of undergrad. I am writing a senior thesis in sociology, and my area of interest is why Asian patients have hesitancy in seeing doctors. I am also planning to start a birth doula business to serve the local Pioneer Valley community. Last year, I received birth doula training, along with other Amherst students who identify as People of Color. But I couldn’t make full use of my knowledge because I went to study abroad immediately afterwards. So going back to school, I want to organize and work with other students who graduated from the training with me to provide birth doula service.

What is a fun fact about you?

I am a proud birth doula and have supported birther for a positive and safe birth. It's incredible to be a part of the intense yet powerful process!

Le Nguyen

Richard Kantrud Intern

Hometown: Centreville, VA
Education: The George Washington University
MD Mentor: Dr. Mario Goessl
Staff Mentors: Sara Olson and Jennifer Nguyen
Project: Impact on 2nd prosthesis choice on early surgical aortic bioprosthetic failure

How did you hear about the MHIF internship and why did you want to participate?

I came across the MHIF while searching for a summer clinical internship program. The moment I discovered the internship program at the MHIF and what it has to offer, I was immediately impressed and enticed. In addition to working alongside nationally renowned physician researchers on pioneering cutting-edge clinical studies that potentially inform advanced medical treatments for complicated cardiovascular diseases, MHIF interns are given the opportunity to learn more about the field of cardiology through clinical shadowing and field trips and to apply the acquired knowledge from those experience to further their research projects. One of the most attractive aspects of the program is its emphasis on continuous engagement in discussions and activities that encourage students to integrate analytical reasoning and communication skills into their research endeavors. This level of engagement is essential to my personal growth and future career as a passionate physician.

What sparked your interest in the field of research, medicine and cardiology?

During my formative years, I experienced a profound loss of a dear family member due to a preventable cardiovascular disease, which left an irreplaceable void within my family. Growing up, I witnessed first-hand the impacts of healthcare on my own well-being and that of those around me. This motivated me to delve into the field of medicine during my high school and college years. Through my experience shadowing doctors from various specialties and working as an ED medical scribe at a local hospital, I gained invaluable insights into the vital role physicians play in the lives of patients and their families. These experiences also exposed me to the intricate complexities of medicine and the unique challenges within our healthcare system. In my eyes, translational research stands as a crucial component of effective patient care. Its potential to push the boundaries of modern medical practice and redefine what is achievable in the fight against debilitating diseases and disorders is truly remarkable. Recognizing this, I sought an internship at the MIHF to immerse myself in the holistic aspects and profound effects of cardiology. Moreover, I aim to further my understanding of how patient experiences can inform groundbreaking advancements in transformative clinical research.

What is your desired career in medicine?

Even though I had my mind set on neurosurgery when I became interested in medicine, I still find my desired medical career shifting from time to time. Through shadowing and other involvement in different aspects of healthcare, I have also found interest in several other specialties, including cardiothoracic surgery, pediatrics, pediatric cardiothoracic surgery, and pediatric neurosurgery. To me, it does not matter what specialty I end up with. What is more important is the fact that I will be able to use my knowledge and passion to save lives and advocate for the health of others as a compassionate doctor.

What are you most looking forward to this summer?

I look forward to working closely with my physician and staff mentors on research projects and exploring the interconnection between patient care and clinical research at the MIHF. I am also excited about having the opportunity to connect and bond with other fellow interns through different activities that we are going to do together.

What do you hope to gain from this experience?

From this experience, I hope to expand my understanding of research and see for myself the significance of clinical studies in improving individual health and the health of the community. I also look forward to gaining insights into the joys and challenges of a physician-scientist as well as learning about how they manage to balance research with their practice.

What are your plans after the summer?

After the summer, I plan to return to finish my last two years of undergrad at GWU and complete my bachelor’s degree in neuroscience. I plan to apply for medical school during my senior year without taking a gap year. In addition, I will continue to cultivate my passion for poetry and hone my skills as a creative writer.

What is a fun fact about you?

I am a poetry enthusiast and a writer. My dream is to become a part-time poet and use poetry to heal people alongside medicine. This is why I am currently minoring in creative writing with an emphasis on poetry in college.

Sydney Peng

Cline and Dianne Hickok Intern

Hometown: Arden Hills, MN
Education: University of Minnesota Twin Cities
MD Mentor: Dr. Manos Brilakis
Staff Mentors: Thanasis Rempakos, Olga Mastrodemos, and Bavana Rangan
Project: Impact of Thrombectomy on the Outcomes of Patients with Coronary Thrombus

How did you hear about the MHIF internship and why did you want to participate?

I first heard about the MHIF internship from a previous intern who had described his experience to be very valuable and rewarding. I was particularly drawn to the program’s focus on clinical research, since I wanted to learn more about how research can be directly applied within clinical practice to improve patient outcomes.

What sparked your interest in the field of research, medicine and cardiology?

My interest in research first stemmed from my appreciation for the scientific process during a research project I conducted with a faculty mentor at the Lillehei Heart Institute. At every step of the way, one question could steer me towards never-ending discoveries of new topics to be explored. Later on, as I volunteered in the emergency department, I felt inspired by the physicians’ vast medical knowledge and unwavering initiative to help patients suffering from cardiac arrest. I aspire to also become a physician who can lead at the frontline in making judgements about the best course of actions for a patient.

What is your desired career in medicine?

I think it’s a little early for me to decide on a certain specialty, but I have dreamed of becoming a physician who can benefit my local community.

What are you most looking forward to this summer?

I am very eager to learn more about the field of cardiology and to elucidate trends or patterns found in patient populations that are most affected by cardiac conditions. I am also excited to try conducting clinical research and to take advantage of the internship’s vast amount of shadowing opportunities to better understand the in-and-out’s of what it’s like to be a physician across many disciplines in cardiovascular medicine.

What do you hope to gain from this experience?

From this experience, I hope that I can broaden my research skill set and learn how research and medicine intersect to translate directly into better treatments and preventions for patients. I also hope to develop strong networks with my physician and faculty mentors to gain further insights into practicing medicine in the field of cardiology.

What are your plans after the summer?

After this summer, I will start my junior year at the University of Minnesota.

What is a fun fact about you?

I am an avid nerf war player against my little twin brother and sister! Albeit, no matter how hard I try, I can never seem to win against them.

Kayla Wong

Leonardus Loos and Shelley Holzemer Intern

Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
Education: Yale University
MD Mentor: Dr. Mario Goessl
Staff Mentors: Sara Olson and Jennifer Nguyen
Project: Change in mitral valve regurgitation (functional vs degenerative) after TAVR

How did you hear about the MHIF internship and why did you want to participate?

I heard about the MHIF internship through a couple of former interns who had great experiences with it. I developed an interest in cardiology after attending a conference, and wanted to delve deeper into the field. I thought the internship would be the perfect program for me to do that.

What sparked your interest in the field of research, medicine and cardiology?

The field of medicine did not call me until my sophomore year of college, when I started volunteering at my local hospital in New York. Interacting with patients in the surgical ICU and cardiac ICU served as my initial exposure to healthcare, and through the interactions that I experienced and observed among the healthcare team, I envisioned a career serving the community and providing medical care. Though I have been working in a neuroscience lab, I am excited to conduct clinical research to see how physicians use research to further advocate for their communities.

What is your desired career in medicine?

Although I want to keep in mind when applying to medical school and beyond, I am particularly interested in pursuing a career in cardiology or neurology.

What are you most looking forward to this summer?

I am most excited about listening to physicians' stories at the Lunch and Learns and observing surgeries in the OR! I also look forward to learning from my fellow peers and to grow professionally and personally this summer.

What do you hope to gain from this experience?

I hope to learn about the aspects of medicine, research, and cardiology that I enjoy the most and also the aspects that I might not be the most excited about. I also want to become confident in my abilities in conducting clinical research and presenting my findings.

What are your plans after the summer?

I will be a senior next year, but plan to take 1.5 gap years before matriculating into medical school. During that time, I plan to work as an EMT in New York City. I look forward to taking The Human Brain and a humanities in medicine seminar next year.

What is a fun fact about you?

I love avocados (I eat avocado toast almost every day, own an avocado AirPod case, phone case, socks, avocado-shaped cutting board, and a Jellycat named Tony who follows me everywhere) even though I am mildly allergic to them.

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Maya Palmer

Tremayne Ansani

Paige Carlson

Muhmmad (Subhan) Khalid

Rina Li

Jeffery Liu

Ishan Nadkarni

Le Nguyen

Sydney Peng

Pranathi Pilla

Kayla Wong