Applicants for Treasurer
Applicant: Dr. Anjalee Goel
School: KU School of Medicine – Wichita
Statement: I believe I would be an excellent NMPRA Treasurer. I have spent most of my career as a student, college student, medical student and resident organizing large-scale events that require funding with efficiency and success through means of budget allocation and fund-raising. My most recent project was an out-of-town Med-Peds retreat for my program that entailed camaraderie dinners, trust-building exercises, a day out at an amusement park and a fun filled morning of GI board review. Our program had had some recent turnover decreasing overall morale. I surveyed the class for thoughts about a retreat. A common theme was the desire for spouses/significant others to attend and to go somewhere outside of Wichita. I was able to transfer money from an unused portion of our budget and use those funds to allow for a larger budget for our retreat. The overall impression of the retreat was that it was a huge success allowing residents whom never work with each other due to the switch schedule the opportunity to bond and spend time. I have the passion and enthusiasm required to maintain a financial budget and the organizational skills needed to keep accurate bookkeeping. Thank you for your consideration of my application, and I hope I am allowed the privilege of serving as the NMPRA Treasurer.
Applicant: Dr. Tiffany Yeh
School: Brown University
Statement: This time last year, I was thrilled to learn that I was going to be a medpeds resident. I heard about it vaguely as a medical student, but didn’t know of anyone who actually did it. Now almost 10 months into intern year, I am confident that this is the training I need. As a huge advocate of medpeds, I hope to get more involved on a national level. I’m applying for the position of treasurer because I’m interested in the financial aspect of running an organization. I’m organized, familiar with Excel, a fan of efficiency and cost-effectiveness, a team player, and very responsive with email. I was previously the director of my medical school’s free clinic and recently started managing my own budget, and find it all quite enjoyable. I have also had experience successfully applying for grants, and hope to continue providing that opportunity for medical students and residents. As NMPRA treasurer, I aim to keep the organization well-run from behind the scenes and manage funds carefully so that we can help support our members in their endeavors.
Applicants for Secretary (2 positions)
Applicant: Dr. Daniel Hindman
School: Johns Hopkins University
Statement: Being a Med-Peds resident means facing a set of unique challenges throughout your clinical education, but the result is a physician who is uniquely equipped to face the adversities of the current healthcare system. As an individual who has served in leadership during medical school, and who believes in the potential that we have as Med-Peds residents to address current concerns in the U.S. healthcare system, I am pursuing the position of secretary for NMPRA. Like many of you, I have been involved in volunteer roles that have required coordinating large groups of individuals as they seek to strive together towards a shared vision. I would like the opportunity to do this again with NMPRA. We have a special opportunity. The time is ripe for speaking up as physicians about the roles of primary care and specialty care as the ACA continues to roll out. The diversity of Med-Peds residents facilitates a robust conversation for both areas of care. I want to facilitate that conversation amongst us, and then help shape it into action. To this end, I would ask you to consider voting for me as a candidate for secretary in NMPRA. Thank you.
Applicant: Dr. Veronica Godsey
School: West Virginia University
Statement: Over the past couple of years I have been teaching myself to quilt. I love how each scrap of fabric is pieced together to ultimately form a beautiful design. A great secretary is similar to a quilter, someone who is able to visualize the ultimate goals that need to be accomplished, but also detail-oriented to ensure that the information relayed to members is accurate. In order to accomplish these goals, a secretary has to be well organized. When I was a supplemental instructor, I had the opportunity to organize and implement lesson plans for undergraduate students. In addition, I was able to act as a liaison between the professor and the students. This past experience will help me to listen to questions and concerns, as well as, successfully relay information from conference calls and NMPRA meetings to fellow Med-Peds physicians. I believe that one way we could improve our communication with fellow physicians is by further utilizing social media in addition to the currently published quarterly newsletters. It is these skills and ideas that I believe would make me a good fit for this exciting opportunity. Thank you for your consideration.
Applicant: Dr. Davis Ogitani
School: Tulane University
Statement: Hey folks, my name is Davis Ogitani. I was born and raised in Hawaii but have lived and visited most parts of the country. I love being a Med/Peds resident and I know you share that passion. As a group we have chosen an ambitious, awesome path to care for those from the womb to the tomb. At each level of training there is a learning curve, an adjustment period. As we slowly take care of the small things in our daily lives, our sphere of influence expands to other arenas. Representing the medical school in the Graduate Senate I met many people within the University and eventually took the next step by joining the Executive Board as the Parliamentarian. I have experience in various leadership roles at my local level and am looking to expand my network to the national stage. I remember meeting a number of you on the interview trail or having interviewed at my current institution. I would be honored if you voted for me to be your secretary. I hope to meet more of you, my colleagues, in the future if you come down to visit New Orleans or at conferences. Together let’s change things.
Applicant Dr. Emily Mai
School: UTSHSC –Memphis
Statement: I would like to submit my candidacy for the post of secretary of the National Med-Peds Residents’ Association. I believe that I am suitable for this position for a variety of reasons, but perhaps the most pertinent is my skill with the English language. My undergraduate degree is in English literature, so I am uniquely capable of (and will genuinely enjoy) handling such tasks as the preparation of the newsletter and responding to NMPRA e-mails. In addition, I am committed to the endurance and recognition of med-peds as a viable and unique specialty opportunity and hope to encourage future generations to join us; I believe that this commitment will serve me well as I respond to inquiries from medical students considering a career in med-peds.
Though I do not have any direct experience with planning anything to the scale of the NMPRA National Meeting, I do have experience on various planning committees during my time in medical school (including serving as the president of the pediatric interest group). I have also served as my intern class representative on the pediatric Committee on Resident Education (CORE) for my training program. I am eager to represent my fellow med-peds residents, and I would greatly enjoy the opportunity to do so at the national level.
Applicant: Dr. Julie Tsay
School: The Ohio State Unverisity
Statement: My name is Julie Tsay and I am a PGY-1 at The Ohio State University. The National Med-Peds Residents’ Association has been an integral part of my path through medicine so far, and I would be honored to be considered for one of the NMPRA Board secretary positions. I have always appreciated the diverse possibilities that make Med-Peds unique, and I would love the opportunity to advance the numerous ideas and projects that our specialty has to offer at the national level. I believe I have the organizational skills and enthusiasm to enhance the connection between the national organization, its members, and our communities. I plan to do this by raising awareness of critical issues in our field, and by easing access to information through the efficient use of email, documents, calls and our wonderful website. Our specialty has numerous mentorship potential and the connections between students, residents and alumni would help foster the success of our projects. In medical school, I was the lead organizer for community health fairs and was the primary liaison between physicians, students, and community leaders. I am currently a program delegate for the AAP regional committee, becoming familiar with working with residents from multiple institutions. If chosen for this position, I would be committed to voicing the thoughts of our members and our patients. This is a great association that can impact our communities, and I am excited to take on next years’ challenging projects and meetings. Thank you for your consideration!
Applicants for President-Elect
Applicant: Dr. Eric Chow
School: Brown University
Statement: Hello, fellow Med-Peders! I’m Eric and I’m a Californian who lived in Virginia for medical school. Now I call Rhode Island my home as a rising PGY 2 at Brown. Over the past year I have put a lot of thought into how I can best serve the Med-Peds community and have decided to run for president-elect of the National Medicine-Pediatrics Resident Association. As Med-Peds grows and becomes more competitive, NMPRA has an increasing responsibility to promote the specialty while maintaining the tight-knit feel we have as a group. As such, I bring to the table a set of marketing and advocacy skills from serving on the board of Planned Parenthood as well as leadership and organizational experience as the Chair of the student government at Eastern Virginia Medical School. Now at Brown, I am a member of the Diversity Committee, creating a more inclusive environment for our healthcare providers and patients and I am also Co-Chairing the upcoming 2014 NMPRA northeast meeting. My goals are to bring in additional energy and talent to NMPRA, highlight the unique attributes of each Med-Peds program and to engage medical students, residents and faculty in NMPRA activities.The two-liner: On my golden weekends, I spend time with my dogs, eat (a LOT), and practice mindfulness through my orchid obsession. I have a passion for infectious diseases (worms!), LGBT health, and palliative care. I wish you a great year in residency and I look forward to meeting you soon!
Applicant: Vincent DiMaggio
School: The University of Chicago
Statement: As Med-Peds physicians, we’re compelled to make a difference in this world, each in our own way. The mission of our residency is to care for one’s whole person, all of that person, especially within our greater communities. It is imperative we continue to share this vision, and do so in new, invigorating ways. We should continue bolstering our national presence while strengthening our regional involvement in local residencies and communities. I’m excited for the opportunities presented as president-elect. I look forward to the chance to learn quickly from our current leadership while contributing new ideas for the future. Further, I hope to steer our progression in years to come. After years of similar leadership experiences, I’ve proven I thrive in these positions. I can certainly promise commitment to new ideas, to advance our shared mission. I hope you will consider me for president-elect of the NMPRA. Thank you.
Applicant: Dr. Rohit Shah
School: Case Western University
Statement: My name is Rohit Shah and I would like to be the President-Elect of NMPRA for 2014-2015. My experience in the medical community has left me uniquely suited for a leadership role with the NMPRA. While in medical school at Ross University, I helped organize the Global Health Program in Dominica and took part in several events to promote health literacy in the area. Since then, as I moved into my first year of residency, I have been closely involved with committees that are designed to help improve our residency program. I have also become increasingly excited about community health and have been helping to organize a program in Cleveland called Doctors on the Streets. It is a volunteer-based organization that provides care to the homeless at a local shelter. That experience has given me a new perspective on the importance of organizational leadership and solidified my interest in primary care. As President, I plan to incorporate the skills I have developed to serve the interests of NMPRA members. I believe it is important to stay well-connected within the Med-Peds community and will focus on active involvement from both residents and students. I will encourage active Med-Peds participation within local communities in order to demonstrate that a Med-Peds physician is a unique and essential component of our health care community. Finally, I will speak for the NMPRA organization in promoting the combined residency program as well as our scope of practice nationwide.
Applicant: Sumeet Vaikunth
School: University of Southern California
Statement: Helping organize this year’s NMPRA Western Regional meeting inspired me to run for President-elect. Listening to speakers and panelists talk about their commitment to serving underserved patients and seeing the engagement of the mixed audience of students, residents, faculty and the public confirmed how privileged we are to treat patients of all ages. I would like to continue to facilitate the NMPRA regional and national meetings because they help foster the strong sense of community that Med/Peds engenders throughout the country. These meetings serve to promote our specialty to students and reaffirm our desire as residents to provide continuous, comprehensive, and empathic care to children and adults. I hope to increase resident involvement in NMPRA to allow for greater communication among programs nationwide so that innovative resident-driven ideas can be implemented to improve transitional care, community outreach, continuity clinics, patient hand-offs and other components of our education. Further, I want to advocate for the growth of more Med/Peds programs and positions across the country, especially in areas like the West where there is a dearth of programs. Finally, I would like to build on the great work of previous NMPRA Boards with continued expansion of grants for travel, community, and research as well as the online resources for networking and mentoring available to our members. I believe my enthusiasm for the field will allow me to serve the NMPRA community well and appreciate your consideration.
Applicant: Dr. Danielle Weber
School: University of Cincinnati
Statement: My name is Danielle Weber and I love med-peds! One of my favorite aspects of med-peds is being a part of an unique, diverse, and creative group of people that each bring a different perspective to our specialty and how they use this to care for our equally diverse patient population. NMPRA is a wonderful way that the entire med-peds community can stay connected with each other, as well as continue to share, reflect, and brainstorm about topics unique or important to our specialty and training. I look forward to the opportunity to work with fellow residents and faculty to continue to expand and strengthen NMPRA as an organization and resource for residents. There are many important attributes of a leader but passion and commitment for ones position and projects are the foundation of success. I have always been passionate about my endeavors whether it has been as a leader in various medical school organizations, directing a student run clinic for the homeless, or developing an interdisciplinary program for students to reflect on challenges in medicine. Further, I have always been fully committed to all my endeavors. Commitment to me means giving 100% to accomplish your tasks and goals thoroughly, successfully, and timely. I would be honored to have the opportunity to serve the med-peds community as NMPRA president, and I know I have the passion and commitment to do the job well.