Internal Medicine Residency Program
Previous Resident Research Spotlights
More information on Research during Residency can be found here.
Resident Research Spotlight, October 2024
Name: Piera Sosa, MD
Hometown: Miami, Florida
Medical School: Meharry Medical College
Year of Training: PGY-3
Career Plans: Nephrololgy Fellowship
Mentor: Dr. Adriana Hung
Project Title: "Fanconi Syndrome Following Ifosfamide Use"
Award/presentation/publications: We presented our poster at the 2024 ASN's Kidney Week, discussing the case of a patient who developed Fanconi syndrome (FS) after recent chemotherapy for his liposarcoma. His regimen included ifosfamide, a known culprit of FS. Fortunately, the patient had tubular recovery. However, this prompted our team to consider pharmacogenomics and how certain genes can make some patients more susceptible to developing the condition. We hope to expand on this data in the upcoming months.
"I have been incredibly fortunate to work alongside remarkable and supportive nephrology mentors throughout my residency. Attending Kidney Week is always a highlight of my year. Last year, I had the honor of participating in the Kidney Stars program, and this year, I attended the Advances in Research Conference Early Program, which proved to be highly educational. Kidney Week is an exceptional opportunity to connect with fellow residents, fellows, and mentors while staying updated on the latest advancements in the field."
Resident Research Spotlight, September 2024
Name: Chloe Carr, MD
Hometown: Chesapeake, Virginia
Medical School: Eastern Virginia Medical School
Year of Training: PGY-2
Career Plans: Cardiology
Mentor: Dr. Bruno Lima
Project Title: "Coronary Calcium Scoring Adds Prognostic Value to Functional Ischemic Assessment in Middle-Aged Adults with Anomalous Coronary Arteries: A Retrospective Analysis"
Award/presentation/publications: Poster Presentation at the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology 2024 Conference
"Getting to present at ASNC 2024 was a fantastic experience! Our research highlighted the role of coronary calcium scores in predicting the prognosis of patients with anomalous coronary arteries. Huge thanks to Dr. Lima for his incredible mentorship; I have learned so much from him over the past year, and I am excited about our future projects. We plan to expand our database to include patients with anomalous coronary arteries found at other institutions across the country and investigate the relationship between CAD and anomalous coronaries."
Resident Research Spotlight, August 2024
Name: Kathryn Snyder, MD, MPH
Hometown: Avon, Indiana
Medical School: Indiana University School of Medicine
Year of Training: PGY-4 Internal Medicine and Pediatrics
Career Plans: Adult Cardiology
Mentor: Dr. Christianne Roumie
Project Title: The Association of SGLT2i versus DPP4i on Fracture: A Cohort Study in Veterans with Diabetes
Award/presentation/publications: "The Association of SGLT2i versus DPP4i on Fracture: A Cohort Study in Veterans." Dr. Snyder received the 2024 Oscar Crofford Scholar in Diabetes Research award in June 2024. Her group's work on fracture in patients using SGLT2i was featured with honorable mention at the VUMC Research Forum and was presented at the national meeting of the American Diabetes Association in June 2024. Dr. Snyder and colleagues are in the process of finalizing and submitting a manuscript for publication of the project.
"It has been a true pleasure and privilege to work under the mentorship of Dr. Roumie. She is an amazing role model in academic medicine and research, and I have learned so much over the last two years working with her. A big thank you to Dr. Roumie, Jennifer Wharton, Katie Griffin, Dr. Robert Greevy and Dr. Amber Hackstadt for all of their many contributions to this project."
Resident Research Spotlight, July 2024
Name: Gary Allen, MD
Hometown: Smithfield, North Carolina
Medical School: East Carolina Brody School of Medicine
Year of Training: PGY-1
Career Plans: PM&R
Mentor: Dr. William Jones
Project Title: Brachial Plexus Injury after Gunshot Wound
Award/presentation/publications: Case Report at the Association of Academic Physiatrists 2024 Annual Assembly, "A multispecialty, multidisciplinary approach is important to address Brachial Plexus Injuries."
"Working on this case report was a powerful learning experience for me as a first-year resident. I am profoundly grateful to my mentor, Dr. William Jones, and the Departments of Internal Medicine and PM&R for their support and guidance from writing the abstract to approving the time away from the clinical space.
This experience has not only enriched my understanding of the unique neurological injuries that can occur to the brachial plexus, but also strengthened my commitment to improving the treatment options available to patients with similar conditions."
Hashim Hayat, MBBS
Resident Research Spotlight, June 2024
Name: Hashim Hayat, MBBS
Hometown: Faisalabad, Pakistan
Year of Training: PGY-3
Career Plans: Gastroenterology Fellow at the Brigham and Women's Hospital, starting 2024
Mentors: Michael Vaezi, MD, PhD; Dhyanesh Patel, MD; Rishi Naik, MD, MSCI; Shabnam Sarker, MD
Project Title: 'Opioid exposure differentially impacts esophageal body contraction over the lower esophageal sphincter,' 'GERD and Post-Lung Transplant Outcomes,' 'Esophageal Pathology and Dysphagia Localization'"
Award/Presentation/Publications: Posters of Distinction DDW 2022 and 2023. Presentation at DDW 2024: Esophageal Pathology and Dysphagia Localization. Published in the journal 'Gastroenterology'
"Research during residency can be a very daunting task. It was through incomparable mentorship and support from my mentors that helped me navigate the world of clinical investigation. I was fortunate to have mentors like Dr. Vaezi, Dan, Rishi and Dr. Sarker, who graciously created opportunities for me while supporting me through every step of the journey.
Vanderbilt is exceptional in the opportunities it provides, just six months into residency I was being mentored by world experts in my area of interest, helping me translate my clinical observations into exciting research ideas. Their kindness, open-door policy and genuine investment in my career as an aspiring physician scientist made research one of the most exciting parts of residency.
One of the many projects I worked on explored the impact of opioid exposure on the esophageal sphincter. The paper was published in 'Gastroenterology' and cited in UpToDate practice guidelines. This experience was beyond gratifying because I was able to participate in research that was directly impacting patient care. I am eternally grateful to my program for their support towards my research career and connecting me with mentors I will cherish for life."
Resident Research Spotlight, May 2024
Name: M. Brett Bowling, MD
Hometown: Flowood, Mississippi
Medical School: University of Mississippi Medical Center
Year of Training: PGY-2
Career Plans: Applying Cardiology
Mentors: Dr. Lee Richardson and Dr. Michael Baker
Project Title: "To Anticoagulate or Not? Safety and Feasibility of Transesophageal Echocardiography Guided Direct Current Cardioversion Among Patients with Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion: A Single Center Experience"
Award/Presentation/Publications: Oral Abstract Presentation and Poster Presentation at the 2024 American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) Scientific Sessions. Abstract Publication in the Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography
"It has been incredibly enlightening to work with Dr. Baker, Dr. Richardson, and several other outstanding attendings, fellows, and medical students that comprise our group in an attempt to gain a better understanding of appropriate anticoagulation strategies after elective cardioversion for patients who have previously undergone left atrial appendage occlusion.
I couldn't be more excited to share our work at the ASE Scientific Sessions this June. In the near future, we plan to submit a full manuscript to the Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography. We would also like to continue to expand our cohort of patients who have undergone left atrial appendage occlusion followed by elective direct current cardioversion for recurrent atrial fibrillation in order to further analyze the safety and efficacy of our current management strategies for these individuals."
Resident Research Spotlight, April 2024
Name: Allie Lenyo, MD
Hometown: Huron, OH
Year of Training: PGY1
Career Plans: Hematology/Oncology with a focus in GI cancers
Mentor: Dr. Cathy Eng, VUMC and Dr. Cassandra Fritz, Washington University
Award / Presentation: ACG Outstanding Poster Presentation Award, American College of Gastroenterology Conference
I-Ling Chiang, MD, MPH
Resident Research Spotlight, March 2024
Name: I-Ling Chiang, MD, MPH
Year of Training: PGY2
Career Plans: Gastroenterology
Mentor: Dr. Richard Peek, VUMC PSTP program and Dr. Li Ding, Washington University School of Medicine
Project Title: "Tumor Microenvironment Analysis in Metastatic Sites of Colorectal Cancer"
Award / Presentation: American College of Gastroenterology Conference, Presidential Poster Award
"As a resident, I continued to work with my mentor Professor Li Ding from my medical school. In our project, we analyzed single nuclear RNA sequencing data regarding metastatic colorectal cancer and the tumor microenvironment. This has been a very valuable experience, as it allowed me to learn more about utilizing biocomputational tools for answering important biological questions.
As an aspiring physician-scientist, it is fascinating to work with clinically relevant topics and to explore the intersection of medicine and science. Ultimately, I hope that my research can be translated to help clinical patients."
Resident Research Spotlight, February 2024
Name: Mahsima Shabani, MD, MPH
Year of Training: PGY2
Career Plans: Precision Cardiology
Mentor: Dr. Benjamin Shoemaker
Project Title: "Results from Genetic Evaluation of Patients Referred to an Atrial Fibrillation Precision Medicine Clinic"
Award: Eric N. Prystowsky Early Career Researcher Award from Heart Rhythm Society
"Vanderbilt's strong foundation in Precision Medicine and commitment to personalized care, exemplified by initiatives like the Atrial Fibrillation Precision Medicine Clinic has been one of the main influential factors in pursuing my residency training in this institution. I am beyond grateful to all my mentors who, upon learning of my interests, guided me to become part of this compelling initiative aligning with my aspirations.
"This award is a testament to the integral contributions of each and every member of the Early Onset Afib team, under the exceptional leadership of Dr. Ben Shoemaker. I am honored to be working with such an esteemed team and look forward to reaching further milestones together. This experience undoubtedly holds particular importance in shaping my future career in the field of precision cardiology."
Resident Research Spotlight, January 2024
Name: Sara Treat, MD
Year of Training: PGY 2
Career Plans: Gastroenterology
Mentor: Dr. Neeraja Peterson and Dr. Kaele Leonard
Project Title: "Breathing Through Blood: Thoracic Endometriosis as a Cause of an Unexplained Pleural Effusion"
Award: First Place Tennessee ACP Chapter National Poster Competition
"For this project, I got to work with an amazingly intelligent and supportive team on the Rogers Pulmonary service to identify and treat this rare cause of a pleural effusion. I then was able to create a case report poster with the help of Dr. Leonard and Dr. Peterson and submit it to the ACP TN Chapter in a poster competition. This project really highlighted for me all the amazing support residents have to do research at VUMC as well as the high-quality patient care that we are able to participate in."