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2024 20forTwenty In-Training Fellow, Resident, and Medical Student Scholarship Recipients
Brad Chernock, MD
Dr. Brad Chernock is currently a Surgical Critical Care Fellow at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, NJ. He recently graduated from the general surgery residency at Rutgers NJMS in Newark, NJ. Prior to his surgical career he spent over two decades involved in prehospital and disaster medicine as a paramedic, trauma/critical care physician assistant and member of state and federal disaster response teams. His clinical and academic interests include disaster preparedness, prehospital medicine, trauma resuscitation and improving team dynamics/performance. He currently serves on the AAST Disaster Committee.
Cameron Colbert, MD
Cameron Colbert is currently a second-year general surgery resident at UC Riverside/Riverside University Health System. Prior to beginning residency he was a lifelong Oregonian, earning a BA in Spanish and BS in Physiology from the University of Oregon and his MD from Oregon Health and Science University. Prior to medical school, he worked as a wilderness EMT while leading outdoor experiential education trips, which sparked his interest in acute/emergency care. His initial passion for surgery was confirmed during his experiences in medical school – since starting residency, he has taken a keen interest in critical care as well as surgical palliative care, which supplement his love for being in the operating room. His academic interests are new innovations/technology in acute care surgery, patient-centered clinical outcomes/surgical palliative care, and trauma survivorship. He spends his free time skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking, climbing, and cooking.
Anthony DeSantis, MD
Dr DeSantis grew up in Tampa, FL. After completing his undergraduate degree at Florida State University, he spent the next 4 years as an infantry officer in the United States Marine Corps. Following his military service, he attended medical school at the University of South Florida, where he remined for his residency training in general surgery and two years of basic and translational research on hemorrhagic shock. He is currently in the 2nd year of his fellowship training in surgical critical care and acute care surgery at the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center – University of Maryland. He and his wife have two young children (A daughter and a son).
Jacob Dougherty, BS
Jacob Dougherty is a second-year medical student at the Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, Michigan. Jacob grew up in metro-Detroit, and after completing his undergraduate degree at The Ohio State University he returned to the Detroit area for medical school. His primary interests are in health services research and post-surgical outcomes, and he recently completed a 1-year research fellowship with the Division of Acute Care Surgery at the University of Michigan, focusing on trauma and burn surgery. Jacob has undergone four open cardiac surgeries to date which particularly drives his research interests and efforts. Beyond his research efforts, Jacob’s other professional engagements include working as an instructor at his medical school’s general anatomy laboratory, and as a board member of the Robert R. Frank Student Run Free Clinic, an organization that provides comprehensive primary care to uninsured Detroit residents. In his free time Jacob enjoys spending time with his family, golfing, and running, and he is currently training for a half marathon.
Andrew Fisher, MD
Andrew D. Fisher is currently a chief general surgery resident at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine in Albuquerque, NM and 2020 graduate of the Texas A&M University College of Medicine. His medical career began in EMS, working as a paramedic before attending the Interservice Physician Assistant Program, graduating in 2006. He spent nine years as a physician assistant assigned to the 75th Ranger Regiment, rising to the Regimental Physician Assistant. While assigned to the 75th Ranger Regiment, he was part of the team that developed and implemented the modern-day low titer group O whole blood (LTOWB) “buddy transfusion” program that is now utilized throughout the Department of Defense. He transfused the first unit of cold stored LTOWB in combat. He is a member of the Committee on Tactical Combat Casualty Care and Stop the Bleed Education Consortium. Additionally, he is the assistant director for the Resuscitation Adjuncts: Prehospital Transfusion & REBOA course. He serves in the Texas Army National Guard. His interests include low titer group O whole blood, prehospital trauma, hemorrhage control, damage control resuscitation, damage control surgery, austere surgery, and analgesia, with a focus on ketamine.
Aaron Gilani, MD, MBA
Aaron Gilani, MD, MBA is a first-generation college graduate and physician who aims to combine his entrepreneurial spirit with his passion for surgery. Prior to medical school, Dr. Gilani led consumer insights and product innovation at the world’s largest consumer goods company, Procter & Gamble, where he worked on the Old Spice brand and launched Old Spice Beard Care and Old Spice Dry Shampoo, which received the Men’s Health Grooming Award. While in medical school at Indiana University, Dr. Gilani founded Prescribe it Forward (prescribeitforward.org), a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free mentorship to disadvantaged pre-medical students by matching them with medical student mentors of similar backgrounds. To date Prescribe it Forward has amassed over 2,200 mentors and has helped provide mentorship to over 3,800 students. Dr. Gilani is now a PGY-3 General Surgery Resident at Wake Forest Baptist Health in Winston-Salem, NC and aspires to expand access to innovative, quality acute care surgery services for patients. He holds a B.S. from Hampden-Sydney College, where he served as Student Body President, certificate from Harvard Business School, an M.B.A. from The College William & Mary, and an M.D. from Indiana University School of Medicine.
Kathleen Harnois, MD
Dr. Kathleen Harnois is a newly minted trauma critical care fellow at University of Texas at Southwestern. After first falling in love with trauma during her time in medical school at the University of Texas at San Antonio Health Science Center, she continued this in her general surgery residency at the MSU-Ascension Providence program in the metro Detroit area. She hopes to take her experience as academic chief, as well as Vice President of the House Staff Association, in pursuing a career in trauma, acute care surgery and critical care with a focus on resident education and patient advocacy. Outside the operating room, Kathleen finds joy in various pursuits. She is an avid knitter, often found crafting hats, scarves, and cozy sweaters in her spare time. Her baking skills extend to artisanal bread-making, with a particular love for pain de campagne.
Adam Gutierrez, MD
I earned my undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Tennessee before pursuing a medical degree at the University of Tennessee College of Medicine. I completed a rigorous surgical residency at the University of Tennessee Medical Center Knoxville, which provided robust exposure to trauma and acute care surgery. During my residency, I pursued specialized training in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) through a clinical fellowship at Emory University and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, gaining invaluable expertise in advanced life support techniques. Currently, I am furthering my expertise as a Surgical Critical Care fellow at the University of Tennessee Medical Center Knoxville. I am actively engaged in clinical research, focusing on enhancing patient outcomes. I aspire to provide excellent patient care and continue my academic pursuits in research throughout my career.
Patrick Johnson, MD, MPH
Dr. Patrick Johnson is a general surgery resident at the University of Michigan. He completed undergraduate studies at Harvard University and an MD/MPH program at Louisiana State University. He is currently a PGY5 in two years of dedicated research time focusing on health services and clinical outcomes research. His clinical research focuses on trauma and emergency general surgery patient outcomes, and his non-clinical research involves policy evaluation surrounding injury prevention and access to surgical services.
Dr. Johnson is passionate about translating research into meaningful improvement in population health through public policy. His formal training includes a Master of Public Health with a concentration in health policy, Master of Health and Healthcare Research, and research fellowship at the University of Michigan’s Center for Health Outcomes and Policy. His practical experience includes health policy fellowship, international experience in comparative health policy, and internship under the Secretary of Louisiana’s Department of Health during Medicaid Expansion implementation. His primary research mentors are Mark Hemmila MD and John Scott MD MPH.
Mike Johnston, MD
Mike Johnston, MD is a recent graduate from the University of Cincinnati Surgical Residency, and is a new AAST Trauma/Critical Care Fellow at UT Southwestern in Dallas, TX. He received his Doctor of Medicine from the Indiana University School of Medicine in 2017, and graduated from Purdue University in 2009 with a degree in Neurobiology and Physiology. During his residency at UC, he received the 2019 Department of Surgery Best Teaching Resident and was inducted into the Gold Humanism Society in 2023. He did a two year research fellowship at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. There his research focused on establishing subcutaneous and orthotropic patient derived xenograft models of hepatoblastoma and hepatocellular carcinoma. He has over 25 publications and reviews, four book chapters, and has presented at multiple different research presentations. He is excited to work with the AAST as one of their Fellows at UTSW, and looking forward to working with multiple institutions on future research projects.
Shelbie Waddle, DO, MS
I am originally from Kansas City, Missouri and went to medical school at Kansas City University. Currently, I am a PGY-2 general surgery resident at Northwestern University and just finished my dedicated research time at the American College of Surgeons as the Firearm Injury Prevention Scholar. After training, I plan to pursue a fellowship in trauma and acute care surgery and continue pursuing my research interests in firearm injury and injury prevention.
Thomas Landes, BS
Thomas Landes is a fourth-year medical student at the University of Newcastle, Australia, with a commitment to trauma surgery. His passion for this critical field is exemplified through his academic and professional pursuits. Thomas is actively engaged in trauma research under the guidance of Professor Zsolt Balogh, providing him with deep insights into the complexities of trauma care. Thomas's hands-on experience includes working in the trauma surgery department at Charlotte Maxeke Hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa, further solidifying his dedication to trauma surgery. He has also actively participated in professional development opportunities, across multiple conferences and events across Australia, ensuring he remains at the forefront of advancements in trauma care. Recognized for his academic excellence, Thomas has received several accolades, including the College Scholars Program at the University of Newcastle and the Australian Veterans’ Children Assistance Scholarship Long Tan Bursary. He is a Vice-Chancellor’s Scholar at the University of New England and affiliated with the Newcastle Polytrauma Research Group and the Australasian Students’ Surgical Association. Known for his teamwork, sense of humor, and dedication to excellence, Thomas aspires to advance the field of trauma surgery through clinical practice, research, and mentoring, ensuring trauma patients receive the highest standard of care.
Connor Magura, MD
Current 4th year general surgery resident at Christianacare Health System in Delaware. Originally from Cape Town, South Africa he studied at Temple University in Philadelphia PA and got his medical degree at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine. He lives in Delaware with his wife, daughter, and two dogs. He is passionate about care for traumatically injured patients notably in underserved areas. This year he is serving as his residency research chief. He will be applying for fellowship in surgical critical care at the conclusion of residency.
MAJ Max Marsden, MBBS, BS
Major Max Marsden competed training in General Surgery in April 2024 and started a Fellowship in Resuscitative Trauma Surgery in August 2024 at the Royal London Hospital, United Kingdom. He is an honorary Clinical Lecturer at the Centre for Trauma Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, UK and Surgical Informatics lead at the Academic Department of Military Surgery and Trauma, Defence Medical Services, UK. Max graduated from Imperial College Medical School in 2008 and deployed to Afghanistan in 2012. He started General Surgery Higher Training in South London in 2015 and undertook a period of research leading to the award of a PhD in 2020 at the Centre for Trauma Sciences, QMUL. His research explores the impact of an Artificial Intelligence system on clinical decision making after injury. The work uses a Bayesian Network model to assess the risk of Bleeding and Trauma Induced Coagulopathy in casualties early after injury. The research was conducted with London’s Air Ambulance, Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance and several Major Trauma Centres (Level 1) in London and the South of England. It was supervised by Professors Nigel Tai and Karim Brohi. His research interests include decision making, decision support with AI, and endovascular resuscitation. Max and colleagues established the National Trauma Research and Innovation Collaborative (NaTRIC) in 2018. Since then, they have run (and continue to run) national trauma studies led by trainees. One of the highlights was wining the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma Resident prize in 2021. The winning study being an analysis of Trauma Laparotomies in the UK. The project harnessed the combined power of the National Major Trauma Network.
Arslan Mohamed, BS
Arslan Mohamed is a third-year medical student at the CUNY School of Medicine in New York City. Born and raised in New York City, Arslan attended the Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education B.S./M.D. program where he received his B.S. in Biomedical Sciences in 2021. He developed an interest in trauma and acute care surgery during his second year of medical school as a volunteer at Harlem Hospital. When he is not in the classroom, Arslan enjoys reading, sneaker collecting, soccer, and diving down YouTube rabbit holes.
Daud Lodin, MD, MPH
A native of Northern California, Daud Lodin earned his undergraduate degree in biochemistry, chemistry, and Italian literature at the University of California, San Diego. Shortly after graduating, he unfortunately had to return home to aid in the care of a family member who suffered a traumatic accident. Driven by the idea of becoming a surgeon, he gained entry into a Post-Baccalaureate health sciences program at the University of California, Berkeley before completing a Master in Public Health at Emory University. In Atlanta, he worked in clinical trials in the department of endocrinology on cystic fibrosis research, worked with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on neglected tropical disease research, and even had his own research project, partnering with an NGO in the Dominican Republic to assess the knowledge and practices of local youth on HIV prevention. He went to medical school in Puerto Rico at San Juan Bautista School of Medicine, eventually matching into the Final Four qualifying Florida Atlantic University Schmidt College of Medicine's general surgery program. During his Added Value Year, he completed a burn surgery fellowship at Weill Cornell New York Presbyterian Hospital in New York City. He is currently applying to surgical critical care fellowships, hoping that one day he can fulfill his dream of becoming a burn, critical care, and trauma surgeon to help those that need the most care.
Sergio Navarro, MD, MBA
Dr. Navarro graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a Bachelor of Science in Ancient and Medieval Studies from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He subsequently worked in industry in advanced data analysis and risk management in New York City before pursuing a Medical Degree at the Baylor College of Medicine, focusing on global health innovation and machine learning data analysis, and has more than 90 peer-reviewed publications and presentations. He also received a master’s degree in business administration at Trinity College at the University of Oxford, studying the strategy of surgical innovation. Dr. Navarro is also currently serving as a member of the Artificial Intelligence task force for the Association of Surgical Education and as a Committee Member on the Committee of Inclusive Excellence for the Association for Clinical and Translational Science. As a Resident Physician at the University of Minnesota and now currently a Research Fellow at the Mayo Clinic Rochester, he is focused on innovation in investigating surgical disparities, global surgical collaboration, and risk modeling to elevate trauma patient care. He is currently completing the Stimulating Access to Research in Residency (StARR) program at the Mayo Clinic, with a NIH R38 grant under the mentorship of trauma surgeon and critical care physician Myung S. Park, a world-leading expert on venous thrombosis in trauma, receiving a NIH LRP grant applying artificial intelligence to predict patients at high risk of venous thromboembolism after traumatic injury. He is helping lead multiple clinical trials to improve care of traumatic coagulopathy and venous thromboembolism in trauma.
Alexander Ordoobadi, MD
Alexander Ordoobadi, MD is a general surgery resident at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and is currently on a two-year research fellowship at the Center for Surgery and Public Health. He received his undergraduate degree in neuroscience from Amherst College and his medical degree from Harvard Medical School. He has a longstanding interest in prehospital trauma care, which stems from his experience volunteering as a medic with an EMS system in Bethesda, MD. During his research fellowship, he is studying prehospital trauma care, trauma systems, and geriatric trauma care.
Lindsey Peterson, MD
Lindsey Peterson was born in Denver, Colorado. She completed her undergraduate studies in Phoenix, Arizona, and earned her medical degree from St. George’s University in Grenada. Currently, Lindsey is a PGY-3 surgery resident at Hackensack Meridian Health Palisades. She has a particular passion for trauma surgery, appreciating the wide variety of pathology, the fast-paced environment, and the critical care mindset required to treat diverse injuries and surgical problems. In her surgical residency, Lindsey is known for her skilled hands, teamwork, leadership roles, and promotion of wellness. Outside of her professional pursuits, Lindsey enjoys traveling, hiking in the mountains, baking, and spending time with her family.
Benjamin Pomy, MD
Born and raised in Knoxville TN, with a love of surgery that started by watching “Trauma: Life in the ER.” I attended medical school at University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis. I moved to Washington, DC with my husband to pursue general surgery residency followed by Trauma/ACS fellowship. In residency, I received multiple research awards for presentations at the regional and national levels. I served as the Administrative Chief Resident, and was awarded with Surgery Resident of the Year. My clinical interests include chest wall stabilization, robotic acute care surgery, and outcomes based process improvement research. Outside the hospital I enjoy live music, with a questionably unhealthy obsession with the Dave Matthews Band, and traveling with my husband and friends.
Michael Poulson, MD, MPH
Michael is a surgical critical care fellow at the University of Chicago. He completed general surgery residency at Boston University/Boston Medical Center. He completed undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan, medical school at Georgetown University School of Medicine and completed an MPH at Harvard University. His research focuses on changes to the built environment resulting from structural racism and racist housing policies that lead to disproportionate health outcomes and victimization of firearm violence. His work touches on cancer outcomes, firearm violence, and surgical outcomes as they relate to issues of racist policies, social mobility, and reparations.
Maxwell Presser, MD, MPH
Maxwell Presser is a fourth-year general surgery resident at the University of California, Davis. He recently started his professional development time as a research fellow through the National Clinician Scholars Program at the University of California, San Francisco. He grew up in Philadelphia and attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he studied Public Health and Korean. He then attended the University of Miami, where he earned his MD and MPH in a coordinated dual degree program. He has been deeply involved in injury prevention research focusing on vulnerable populations, and he is especially interested in violence prevention, specifically hospital-based violence intervention programs. He is currently a social media intern for the Trauma Surgery & Acute Care Open journal, and he is implementing a new intra-operative feedback mechanism for his residency program. He will be applying to surgical critical care fellowship in a couple years. Outside of work, he and his partner love spending time near the water with their golden retriever, Bruce.
Adair Powers, BA
Adair is in her final year of medical school at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and is applying to general surgery residency this upcoming application cycle. During her first year of medical school, Adair was accepted to the Global Surgery scholarly concentration pathway in which she found her interest in trauma surgery while working with her global surgery mentor at Ryder Trauma Center in Miami. She has since completed two sub-internships in trauma surgery and acute care surgery at Ryder Trauma and plans to complete a fellowship in trauma following her general surgery residency.
William Rice, BS
My name is William Rice, and I am currently a second-year medical student at Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS). I was born and raised in Raleigh, NC, and completed my undergraduate studies at the University of Richmond. I am passionate about pursuing a career in surgery with aspirations to specialize in Acute Care Surgery. My research interests include injury epidemiology, pediatric surgery, rib fractures, surgical disparities, and pre-hospital trauma management. I enjoy discovering and creating new databases and leveraging them to answer questions regarding trauma and other surgical outcomes. Beyond my academic pursuits at EVMS, I serve as President of the Surgery Club, Co-Director of the EVMS Research Society, Vice President of the Ultrasound Club, and He-For-She Chair of the American Medical Women’s Association. Additionally, I volunteer with Virginia Beach EMS and serve as the Co-Director of the EMS Community Engaged Learning initiative. Outside of medicine, I enjoy hiking, weight-lifting, playing lacrosse, and attempting to improve my golf skills. I am honored to have been awarded the 2024 AAST 20forTwenty Annual Meeting Scholarship to attend the 83rd Annual Meeting of AAST and Clinical Congress of Acute Care Surgery and look forward to such an incredible learning and networking opportunity.
Troy Ruff, MD
Troy Ruff is currently a fourth year General Surgery resident at Riverside University Health System in Moreno Valley, California. He is a Southern California native that grew up in nearby Riverside. After spending many years after high school working and pursuing his interest in playing music, he returned to academics, eventually graduating with honors from University of California, Irvine with degrees in Chemistry, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology. Troy then returned to Riverside, where he attended and graduated from University of California, Riverside School of Medicine. He quickly developed an interest in Trauma and Acute Care Surgery during the early stages of his residency. Troy plans on applying for a Trauma and Critical Care Fellowship this upcoming application cycle. Outside of work, Troy enjoys playing and creating music, as well as spending time with his wife, Dr. Rebecca Ruff.
Caitlyn Waldrop, MD
Caitlyn Waldrop is a chief resident in general surgery at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. Originally from a rural town in Indiana, she completed her bachelor's degree in biology with a minor in history at Indiana University and earned her medical doctorate from Indiana University School of Medicine. During her residency training, Caitlyn discovered an interest in geriatric trauma and plans to pursue this area of research during her fellowship and throughout her career. Outside of the hospital, Caitlyn enjoys visiting her family's farm in Indiana and traveling across Europe with her fiancé. During weekends, she stays active with weightlifting or Pilates and delights in cheering for the Green Bay Packers during football season.
Michael Weykamp, MD
Dr. Mike Weykamp is a surgery resident at the University of Washington – Seattle. He completed his undergraduate training at the University of Michigan, attended medical school at the Duke University School of Medicine, and received his Master of Science candidate at the University of Washington School of Public Health with a concentration in Clinical & Translational Research methods while a T32 fellow at Harborview Medical Center. His research interests are centered around resuscitation, pre-hospital/combat casualty care, and the use of large animal models to develop treatment strategies for injured patients. In addition to his research endeavors, Dr. Weykamp is also interested in surgical education and was selected for the University of Washington’s Excellence in Teaching award for residents in addition to being a regular contributor to the Behind the Knife surgery podcast. Following graduation from residency, Dr. Weykamp plans to pursue fellowship training in surgical critical care.
Jared Wohlgemut, MBChB, MS
I am a Resident in General Surgery in the UK, currently undertaking a PhD at Queen Mary University of London. After completing medical school in Aberdeen, Scotland, my clinical training has taken place in Liverpool, Aberdeen, and Glasgow before commencing my research in London. My PhD is based at the Royal London Hospital, supervised by Professor Nigel Tai, Dr Zane Perkins, Dr William Marsh, and Professor Karim Brohi. In collaboration with academics from the School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, we aim to create practical clinical decision support systems using artificial intelligence. The research program has gained funding from the US Department of Defense. This technology could improve decision-making in many civilian, military, and austere settings. I am particularly interested in ensuring our systems are usable, useful, and trustworthy to front-line trauma clinicians. I have been awarded a personal Research Fellowship from the Royal College of Surgeons of England, and Rosetrees Trust. My outside work consists of playing guitar, exercising, traveling, and spending time with my family, especially reading with my daughter.
Emma Worthington, MD
Emma Worthington is currently a 4th year General Surgery resident at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center who plans to pursue fellowship training in Trauma and Acute Care Surgery. Dr. Worthington graduated from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee where she played Division 1 soccer, after which she attended the University of Minnesota Medical School. Dr. Worthington’s research interests involve exploring the connections between psychiatric illness, substance use, and traumatic injuries, with the goal of better informing healthcare policy and treatment for trauma patients with concomitant mental health issues and substance use disorders. She is passionate about improving healthcare for underserved populations and aims to provide holistic and compassionate care to her patients, grounded in evidence-based practice. She has been recognized for her excellence in patient care and dedication to medical education and has been active in advocating for improvements in residency training as a member of the Graduate Medical Education Committee at Harbor-UCLA. Dr. Worthington is deeply invested in health and wellness, fitness, and enjoys spending quality time with her beloved dog.
Michael Bright, MD
For the most part, I grew up in Chattanooga, Tennessee. I attended the University of Tennessee – Knoxville where I studied Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, before moving to Memphis to attend medical school at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) College of Medicine. After obtaining my medical degree in 2017, I stayed on in Memphis for General Surgery residency training (2017-2022), where my experience caring for and operating on trauma patients at the Elvis Presley Memorial Trauma Center helped me decide to pursue a career in trauma and acute care surgery. I then attended the University of Florida – Gainesville for fellowship training, completing the SCC and the AAST ACS fellowship in July of 2024. In my spare time, I enjoy running, the outdoors, and playing the violin.