Fellows

Matthew Chan

Background

Matt grew up in Sacramento, California. He earned his undergraduate degree in bioengineering at the University of California, Berkeley, where he designed a vital signs monitoring device for low resource settings. Subsequently, Matt moved south to pursue his medical degree at the University of California Irvine. While there, he developed interests in point-of-care ultrasound and simulation-based learning. He then moved further south for residency at UC San Diego and became involved in studying the influence of healthcare disparities in post-arrest outcomes. He is thrilled to be staying in San Diego for fellowship. In his free time, Matt enjoys running, hiking, pickleball, beach volleyball, and exploring San Diego's food scene.

Education

• 2013-2017: B.S. in Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley
• 2018-2022: M.D., University of California, Irvine
• 2022-2025: Internal Medicine Residency, UC San Diego

Research Interests

• Medical Device Design
• POC Ultrasound
• ICU Outcomes
• Artificial Intelligence

Victor Hoang

Background

Victor was born and raised in Philadelphia, PA, where he was introduced to the gift and curse of Philly sports fandom. He studied Bioengineering at the University of Pittsburgh and spent a semester abroad at the National University of Singapore, researching biomedical imaging and its use in robotic endoscopic systems. He attended Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine via the Health Professions Scholarship Program with the United States Air Force. He completed his residency at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, MS, and learned to appreciate the Gulf Coast and Catfish Fridays. He then completed a Nephrology fellowship at the University of Texas San Antonio. He hopes to pursue training in critical care air transport after his time at UCSD.

In his free time, Victor enjoys training in mixed martial arts, watching Disney+ with his son, and advertising his wife’s crochet business, "Cozy Alamo."

Education

• 2012 - 2016: B.S. Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh
• 2016 - 2020: D.O. Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
• 2020 – 2023: Internal Medicine Residency, Keesler Air Force Base
• 2023 - 2024: Nephrology UT San Antonio/Brooke Army Medical Center

Research Interests

• Critical Care Nephrology
• Mechanical Ventilation
• ECMO

Emily Kruse

emkruse@health.ucsd.edu

Background

Emily grew up in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota and attended the University of Notre Dame for undergrad. There, she majored in Science-Business and minored in Poverty Studies, the latter achieved through immersive experiences at disenfranchised healthcare systems both in the U.S. and abroad. During medical school at the University of Minnesota, Emily helped individuals experiencing incarceration navigate their transitions back into the community and assisted Minnesotans in accessing opioid harm reduction resources through the Dr. Pete Dehnel Public Health Advocacy Fellowship. As a member of the Program in Health Disparities Research, she investigated inequities in medical training opportunities for ethnic and gender minorities. Emily moved out east for residency and completed her combined internal medicine and pediatrics (Med/Peds) training at Brown University. Her research and scholarly presentations focused on transitions of care for pediatric patients with pulmonary hypertension. As part of the Clinician Educator Track, Emily designed a comprehensive guide for trainees regarding best practices for caring for hospitalized patients experiencing incarceration. She is overjoyed to continue her training at UCSD's PCCM program, especially given her special interests in pulmonary vascular disease and sunny weather. In her free time, Emily enjoys exploring coastal towns, running, relaxing on the beach, and doing her best to grow houseplants

Education

• 2012 – 2016: BS, University of Notre Dame
• 2017-2021: M.D., University of Minnesota Medical School
• 2021 – 2024: Internal Med/Peds Residency: Brown University

Research Interests

• Health Equity
• Pulmonary Vascular Disease
• Mechanical Circulatory Support

Romir Maheshwary

rmaheshwary@health.ucsd.edu

Background

Romir Maheshwary is originally from Cupertino, California. He earned his undergraduate degree in Neuroscience from UCLA, graduating summa cum laude. He completed his medical degree at UC Davis School of Medicine and his residency in Internal Medicine at UC San Diego.

Throughout his medical training, Romir has aspired to advance medical education. At UC Davis, he led curriculum development efforts during the transition to virtual learning caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. He created a physical exam curriculum to better prepare students for clinical practice. During his residency, he participated in the "Resident as Clinical Educator" program at UC San Diego, where he delivered teaching conferences and helped develop a ventilator management curriculum.

Romir's clinical and research interests include sepsis, with a focus on how the social determinants of health influence hospital readmission and mortality in vulnerable populations admitted with sepsis. He also has a strong interest in pulmonary vascular medicine.

Outside of medicine, he enjoys hiking with his dog, reading about ancient history, and traveling with his family.

Education

• 2013-2017: B.S. in Neuroscience at the University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
• 2018-2022: M.D., University of California Davis, Davis, CA
• 2022-2025: Internal Medicine Residency, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA

Research Interests

• Sepsis
• Social Determinants of Health
• Pulmonary Hypertension
• Extracorporeal Life Support

Jennifer Mansour

jdmansour@health.ucsd.edu

Background

Jennifer was born in San Jose, California, and grew up in Haymarket, Virginia. She attended the University of Virginia for her undergraduate studies in biology, and subsequently completed a Masters of Health Sciences at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. She worked for two years running clinical trials in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy at Johns Hopkins University before attending Tulane University School of Medicine for medical school. There she was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha honor society and received the American Medical Women's Association Glasgow-Rubin Achievement Citation. Her research at Tulane focused on Scleroderma-associated pulmonary hypertension.

Jennifer then went to UCLA for her internal medicine residency where she participated in quality improvement research in delirium and became a health equity and advocacy scholar. She also received awards in medical student teaching and mentorship.

Jennifer is very excited to be in San Diego for fellowship, and she enjoys the beautiful beaches, parks, and excellent food.

Education

• 2012-2016 BA Biology, University of Virginia
• 2016-2017 MHS Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health
• 2018-2022 MD Tulane University School of Medicine
• 2022-2025 Internal Medicine Residency University of California Los Angeles

Research Interests

• ICU Delirium
• Pulmonary Hypertension
• Social Determinants of Health
• Health Equity

Mason Montano

Background

Dr. Mason Montano was born in Southern California and moved to Las Vegas, NV, to complete his primary education and earn his Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing at UNLV. He worked as a registered nurse in the Intensive Care Unit for approximately six years, which prompted him to pursue a medical degree. He completed his medical education at the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Dr. Montano then completed his Internal Medicine Residency at Yale New Haven Hospital in New Haven, CT.

He has further career interests in Pulmonary Critical Care Medicine, with a specific focus on interventional pulmonology.

Outside of medicine, Dr. Montano enjoys cooking, reading, movies, and exercising through weightlifting, yoga, bicycling, and tennis.

Education

• 2012: B.S. Nursing, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• 2013-2016: Post-Baccalaureate, B.S., Biology, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• 2018 - 2022: M.D., Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• 2022-2025: Internal Medicine Residency, Yale New Haven Hospital

Research Interests

• Interventional pulmonology
• Sepsis/Shock
• Cardiac arrest resuscitation

Elizabeth Young

Background

Libby grew up in Yakima, Washington, and earned her BS in Biology from Gonzaga University (Go Zags!). She then completed a master’s degree in Space Physiology and Health at King’s College London, conducting research on post-spaceflight rehabilitation, ambulation in extraterrestrial environments, and neurologic effects of heavy ion radiation at institutions including the European Space Agency and Austrian Space Forum. She returned home to the US to attend medical school at the University of Washington, where she also researched telemedicine delivery of reproductive healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic.

She completed her Internal Medicine residency at UC San Diego, where she developed an interest in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine. Her research focused on high altitude pulmonary physiology and sleep-disordered breathing, earning recognition at the UCSD Resident Research Symposium and an invitation to present at Internal Medicine Grand Rounds. She also completed the Global Health track, including clinical time in Tijuana, Mexico.

Libby is thrilled to continue her training at UCSD, and is eager to continue her work in high altitude physiology and global health.

Education

• 2011-2015: B.S. Biology, Gonzaga University
• 2016-2016: M.Sc. Space Physiology and Health, King's College London
• 2018-2022: M.D., University of Washington
• 2022-2025: Internal Medicine Residency, UC San Diego

Research Interests

• Aerospace and High-Altitude Physiology
• Hypoxia and Control of Breathing
• Sleep, Critical Care in Resource-Limited Settings

Christina Cheng

chc167@health.ucsd.edu

Background

Christina, a native of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Oklahoma (Boomer Sooner!), earning a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Biosciences. During this time, she was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society. She subsequently pursued her medical degree at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine. Following graduation, she relocated to the South for her Internal Medicine Residency program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Following completion of her residency, Christina was selected as Chief Resident at UAB where she focused her interest in medical education on ICU curriculum development. In this role, she helped design the MICU Intern Bootcamp and piloted the creation of an Ultrasound-Guided PIV course for residents.

Christina is thrilled to continue her medical journey at UC San Diego and is particularly passionate about continuing to pursue opportunities for medical education during her fellowship. Beyond her professional pursuits, she maintains an active lifestyle, enjoying running marathons, and spin classes, and exploring San Diego's vibrant neighborhoods and restaurants with her partner and their dog, Moose. The beautiful San Diego weather provides a welcome setting for her outdoor activities.

Education

• 2012-2016: B.S. Chemical Biosciences, University of Oklahoma
• 2016-2020: M.D., University of Oklahoma College of Medicine
• 2020-2023: Internal Medicine Residency, University of Alabama at Birmingham
• 2023-2024: Internal Medicine Chief Resident, University of Alabama at Birmingham

Research Interests

• Pulmonary Hypertension
• End-of-Life Care
• Delirium in the ICU

Rahul Gomez

rag016@health.ucsd.edu

Background

Rahul was born in Muscat, Oman, and migrated through Singapore and India, before settling in his hometown of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He completed his undergraduate studies in Kinesiology and Chemistry at the University of Miami and graduated a year early before moving to Pomona, California to complete his medical degree at Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine. Rahul's medical training then took him to sunny San Diego, where he completed his Internal Medicine Residency at Scripps Mercy Hospital. During his time there, he engaged in clinical research spanning multiple pulmonary topics, including COVID-19, supportive oxygen devices, hospital-acquired pneumonia, and lung transplant. Additionally, his scholarly endeavors lent opportunities to author and publish a manuscript, as well as a book chapter on the implication of pulmonary diseases on the development and treatment of headaches.

As a resident, Rahul assisted with the implementation of the first Pulmonary Embolism Response Team at Scripps Mercy Hospital, and in that role, became a sub-investigator in the national PERT consortium registry. He served as a sub-investigator on two clinical trials in biologic agents for COPD and severe asthma (AERIFY and NIMBLE Trials, respectively). Upon completion of his Internal Medicine Residency, he was awarded the M. W. Stratford Family Outstanding Internal Medicine Resident of the Year Award, and the Outstanding Internal Medicine Resident in Critical Care of the Year Award. He elected to extend his time at Scripps Mercy, serving as Chief Medical Resident. During this year he continued to be involved with clinical research in asthma and machine learning, as well as quality improvement projects, the most notable of which was creating a protocol to more safely administer vasoactive agents peripherally in the ICU.

In his free time, Rahul loves to spend time with his wife, son, and puppy in America's Finest City: San Diego. He also enjoys weight lifting, running, and playing soccer, and is an avid fan of all Minnesota professional sports teams, especially the Minnesota Vikings.

Education

• 2011-2014: B.S. Kinesiology and Chemistry, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL
• 2016-2020: D.O. Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine, Pomona, CA
• 2020-2023: Internal Medicine Residency, Scripps Mercy Hospital, San Diego, CA
• 2023-2024: Chief Medical Resident, Scripps Mercy Hospital, San Diego, CA

Research Interests

• Interstitial lung disease
• Lung transplant
• Pulmonary embolism/pulmonary vascular disease
• Asthma

James Jurica

jjurica@health.ucsd.edu

Background

James was born and raised in Houston, Texas. He attended The University of St. Thomas for his undergraduate studies and graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry. After college, James pursued his medical education at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, where he discovered an interest in improving healthcare quality and fostering innovation. This newfound passion led him to enroll in the MD/MBA dual degree program through Baylor College of Medicine and Rice University's Jones Graduate School of Business. Through this program, James gained valuable experience working as a clinical strategist for a medical startup and managing projects for a consulting firm focused on supporting medical innovation.  Following medical school, James moved to Denver, Colorado, to complete his internal medicine residency at the University of Colorado. Initially drawn to oncology during the first two years of residency, James focused on lung cancer research before ultimately discovering his true passion for pulmonary and critical care medicine. His current research interests include clinical and outcomes research in pulmonary vascular disease. He also hopes to use his medical knowledge and his business experience to work on quality and process improvement initiatives in the ICU and outpatient settings. Outside of his professional pursuits, James enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking and skiing, along with playing the piano and spending time with friends and family.

Education

• 2012 - 2016: B.S. Biochemistry, University of St. Thomas, Houston, TX
• 2016 - 2021: M.D. Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
• 2019 - 2021: M.B.A. Rice University Jones School of Business, Houston, TX
• 2021 - 2024: Internal Medicine Residency University of Colorado, Denver, CO

Research Interests

• Pulmonary Hypertension
• Pulmonary Vascular Disease
• Quality and Process Improvement

Emily Mitchell

Background

Emily's journey to pulmonology began in the Midwest, where she grew up near Detroit. Seeking a warmer climate and pursuing her passion for science, she relocated to Florida to complete a Bachelor's degree in Biology. Drawn to the vibrant life sciences community, she then moved to San Diego and gained valuable experience working at a biotechnology company.  However, her desire to serve others led her to pursue a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree at Michigan State University, a return to colder weather for a higher calling.

Her background as a collegiate swimmer sparked an early interest in pulmonary health, particularly the impact of chlorine byproducts on athletes' lungs.  This interest blossomed during medical school, leading to research on the effects of chlorine exposure on respiratory function.  Emily's commitment to pulmonology continued at the University of Virginia, where she focused her research on COVID-19 biomarkers.  Further demonstrating her dedication to the field, she completed a Master of Science degree in Biomedical Engineering during her residency, honing her skills in medical device design.

Now, Emily is embarking on an exciting new chapter at UC San Diego.  This not only allows her to pursue her research interests in lung health and medical technology but also ensures she never has to endure another harsh winter.  The proximity to the ocean adds another layer of joy, as she envisions teaching her daughter the art of surfing in the future

Education

• 2013–2015: B.S. Biology, University of West Florida
• 2017-2021: M.D., Michigan State University
• 2022-2023: M.S. Clinical Research, University of Virginia
• 2021 – 2024: Internal Medicine Residency, University of Virginia

Research Interests

• Lung Biomarkers 
• Medical device design 
• Interventional Pulmonology 

Thaidan Pham

thp005@health.ucsd.edu

Background

Thaidan (pronounced “tie”-“dan”) grew up in San Jose, CA. Her undergraduate education at UCLA fostered a love for Southern California's weather, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Physiological Science and a minor in Asian American Studies. Thaidan subsequently pursued her medical degree at Tulane University in New Orleans. There, she was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha honor society and received the American Medical Women's Association Glasgow-Rubin Achievement Citation. Notably, her research during medical school focused on the link between metabolic syndrome and COVID-19 outcomes. Thaidan returned to her beloved Southern California weather (and In-n-Out burgers) for internal medicine residency at UC San Diego and is ecstatic to stay for pulmonary and critical care fellowship. Her research during residency focused on in-hospital cardiac arrest outcomes. Outside of work, Thaidan enjoys cooking, baking, making ice cream, eating around San Diego, and traveling.

Education

• 2012-2016: B.S. Physiological Science and minor in Asian American Studies, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
• 2017-2021: M.D., Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA
• 2021-2024: Internal Medicine Residency, UC San Diego, San Diego, CA

Research Interests

• In-hospital cardiac arrest
• Resuscitation
• Women in medicine

Arianna Rodriguez

Background

Arianna hails from Aurora, Illinois. She graduated with the Highest Distinction in Biological Sciences from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). Following her undergraduate studies, she remained at UIC to complete her medical degree. During medical school, she actively participated in the Urban Medicine Program, enriching her education with an extended curriculum and a longitudinal community rotation project.

She went on to pursue her residency in Internal Medicine at UC San Diego. Her dedication to quality and safety was recognized through her selection as one of the Internal Medicine Chief Residents.  She is thrilled to continue her training at this esteemed institution. While her primary focus is patient care, Arianna finds a healthy balance by pursuing various interests outside of the hospital. These include running, paddle boarding, yoga, exploring new hobbies, unwinding with captivating television shows, and discovering local breweries alongside her husband.

Education

• 2011-2015: BS in Biological Sciences, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL
• 2016-2020: M.D., University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
• 2020 – 2023: Internal Medicine Residency, UC San Diego, San Diego, CA
• 2023-224: Chief Medical Resident, UC San Diego, San Diego, CA

Research Interests

• Quality Improvement
• Lung Cancer Screening
• Interventional pulmonary
• Sepsis
• Social Determinants of Health 

Yonatan Dollin

ydollin@health.ucsd.edu

Biography

Captain Yonatan is an officer in the United States Air Force as well as a physician Internist who completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Wright State University in Dayton, OH. He completed his medical degree from Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine in Middletown, NY. He has 7 publications with 40 citations, an H-Index of 3. This research includes serving as principal investigator for a randomized controlled trial (NCT05355974) which was awarded a research grant from Wright State University. For this research, he was awarded the Charles E. Payne, Jr., MD Award for Scholarly Activity and the Raj Dhingra Nephrology Scholarship Award from Wright State University. A few fun facts; he loves dogs, hiking, Sci-Fi and Fantasy books/movies, skiing, completed the Tri-Boulder triathlon in Boulder, CO, and owned a DJ business in high school

Education

• 2009-2014: B.A. in Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO
• 2016-2020: D.O., Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, Middletown, NY
• 2020-2023: Internal Medicine Residency, Wright State University, Wright Patterson Medical Center/Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Dayton, OH

Research Interests

• Critical Care Airway
• Critical Care Hemodynamics/Physiology
• Lung Transplant
• ICU Quality Improvement

Jennifer Doran

jadoran@health.ucsd.edu

Biography

Jenny is from Albuquerque, New Mexico where my family still lives and my love for green chile originates. She went to undergrad at SMU in Dallas and double majored in Chemistry and Spanish, graduating summa cum laude. She took a few years off before medical school where Dr. Doran worked in a medicinal organic chemistry lab at UTSW making compounds now used today. From there she went down to Galveston, Texas and earned her medical degree at UTMB, and was inducted into the AOA honor society and Gold Humanism Society. After medical school, she left the beach and went to Denver, Colorado for her internal medicine residency at the University of Colorado (UCH). Dr. Doran became very interested in ultrasound and global health and started doing qualitative research on ultrasound implementation in low-resource settings. Once she finished her residency, she decided to take a year to do a Global Health Fellowship at UCH, which allowed me to spend half the year in Zimbabwe before starting her fellowship. Dr. Doran hopes to be able to continue doing global health with a critical care and pulmonary focus and to continue implementing ultrasound amongst other procedural skill sets in these settings. She loves dancing, being outdoors, hiking, running, and traveling.

Education

• 2009-2013: BS Chemistry, BA Spanish, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX
• 2015-2019: MD, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX
• 2019-2022: Internal Medicine Residency, University of Colorado Hospital, Denver, CO
• 2022-2023: Global Health Fellowship, University of Colorado Hospital, Denver, CO

Research Interests

• Point of care ultrasound
• Health equity in ICU care
• MTB
• Extracorporeal life support

Guillermo Jimenez

gujimenez@health.ucsd.edu

Biography

Guillermo was raised in the border town of El Paso, Texas, and completed his undergraduate studies in Austin at UT - hook'em! - and went back home to obtain a medical degree where he graduated with AOA honors. Given the border community surrounding the medical program, the school had a dedicated curriculum on health disparities which ultimately contributed to a large portion of Dr. Jimenez’s medical education and clinical experience. He then moved north and lived in the mountain state during his residency in Colorado and then worked as a hospitalist in the community for a year after residency.

Dr. Jimenez is proud to be a Latino physician who was raised by immigrant parents from El Salvador who are also physicians. Spanish was his first language. As such, his ideal career focus would be to treat underserved populations of Latino immigrants in border communities. Research interests include health outcomes and addressing health disparities. Ultimately, he would love to tie these in with a clinical interest in severe asthma.

He loves to hike and ski! While in San Diego Dr. Jimenez and his wife would love to learn how to surf. They enjoy traveling internationally and learning about the culture and history of different people but most importantly, Dr. Jimenez is looking forward to spending weekends out with his family in the sunny southern California weather.

Education

• 2011-2015: B.S. Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Texas at Austin
• 2015-2019: Doctor of Medicine, TTUHSC Paul L. Foster School of Medicine
• 2019-2022: Internal Medicine Residency, University of Colorado

Research Interests

• Health disparities
• Severe asthma
• Transplant pulmonology
• Interventional pulmonology
• Infectious disease

Sarah Kemp

sekemp@health.ucsd.edu

Biography

Sarah completed her undergraduate degree in biochemistry with a minor in Spanish at Brigham Young University in Provo Utah. After graduating in 2015 she moved to Kalamazoo Michigan to complete medical school at Western Michigan University. She was then stationed at Fort Bliss, TX as a Transitional Year Intern and went on to complete an Internal Medicine Residency at William Beaumont Army Medical Center. She has been interested in Pulmonary Critical Care Medicine throughout her residency presenting posters at both CHEST and ATS conferences. She was excited to receive a civilian deferment from the Army and be accepted to attend UC San Diego for fellowship.

Education

• 2008-2011, 2013-2015: BS, Biochemistry, Brigham Young University
• 2015-2019: MD, Western Michigan University School of Medicine
• 2019-2020: Transitional Year Internship, William Beaumont Army Medical Center
• 2020-2023: Internal Medicine Residency, William Beaumont Army Medical Center

Research Interests

• Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia
• Pulmonary Hypertension

Daniel Lee

dgl002@health.ucsd.edu

Biography

Dan was born in Seoul, South Korea, and grew up in Chino Hills California. He attended Purdue University with an interest in medical physics and furthered his education in the field of medical physics at Duke University. He obtained his MSc degree from Duke University with a focus on radiation therapy. After receiving his master's degree, he pursued medical education and attended Midwestern University in Arizona for medical school. He obtained the health professions scholarship program with the United States Air Force and completed his Internal Medicine residency at San Antonio Military Medical Center. Daniel Spends his free time going on runs, cooking/eating and attempting to grow bonsai trees. He is an avid fan of motorsports, his cat Billie and his high school sweetheart/wife Alyssa Lee.

Education

• 2009-2013: B.S. Medical Physics, Purdue University
• 2013-2015: M.Sc. Medical Physics, Duke University
• 2016-2020: D.O., Midwestern University at Arizona
• 2020-2023: Internal Medicine Residency, San Antonio Military Medical Center.

Research Interests

• ECMO
• Critical Care Medicine
• Pulmonary HTN
• Medicine in Austere Environments

Chetna Pathak

cpathak@health.ucsd.edu

Biography

Chetna was born and raised in the city of Ahmedabad in western India. Guided by a love for math and physics, she completed a Bachelor’s in Engineering at Gujarat University. With dual goals of pursuing higher education and exploring the world, she moved to the United States for a Master’s in Electrical Engineering with a focus on Computer Vision at North Carolina State University. For the next eight years, she worked in the field of medical imaging, first as a research engineer developing software for image-guided surgery at the University of North Carolina and subsequently in California’s Silicon Valley developing imaging and visualization software for various medical applications. Through her work, her appreciation for and interest in medicine grew and she decided to change careers and pursue medicine. After taking premed courses, she chose UC San Diego for medical school during which she was inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society. In medical school, she did research on blood pressure variation with sodium intake for chronic kidney disease patients. She stayed at UC San Diego for her residency in internal medicine and became interested in pulmonary medicine. She did research on the relationship between interstitial lung disease and GERD and the effect of asthma biologics on the severity of COVID-19.

After graduating from residency, she worked as a hospitalist for a year. She was thrilled to match at UC San Diego for a fellowship in Pulmonary and Critical Care. Her research interests are in interstitial lung disease and asthma. When not practicing medicine, she enjoys long-distance running, hiking, making ice cream, traveling, and exploring San Diego with her two young children and husband.

Education

• BE, Electronics and Communications Engineering, Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, India
• MS, Electrical Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
• 2015-2019: MD, UC San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, CA
• 2019-2022: Internal Medicine Residency, UC San Diego, San Diego, CA

Research Interests

• Interstitial Lung Disease
• Asthma

Erin Roberts

eroberts@health.ucsd.edu

Biography

Erin grew up on the Central Coast of California in a town called Templeton. She moved to the Bay Area for her undergraduate studies in Public Health and Global Poverty at UC Berkeley, where she was a Phi Beta Kappa honor society member. Erin traveled further west for medical school, attending the John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawaii, where she received a Dean's Certificate of Distinction in Social Justice. She completed her residency in Internal Medicine at UC San Diego, where she furthered her passion for teaching as a member of the Residents as Clinician Educators track and was the recipient of the Medicine 401 Excellence in Teaching Award. Erin was then selected to serve as one of the Internal Medicine Chief Residents, during which time, she was awarded the Medicine 401 Humanism in Medicine Award as an attending physician. She is thrilled to continue her training at UC San Diego and looks forward to honing her point-of-care ultrasound skills and studying how to improve cardiac arrest outcomes. Outside of the hospital, Erin enjoys going to the beach, hiking, and exploring new San Diego restaurants.

Education

• 2011 - 2015: B.A. Public Health, University of California, Berkeley
• 2015 - 2019: M.D., University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine
• 2019 - 2022: Internal Medicine Residency, UC San Diego 
• 2022 - 2023: Internal Medicine Chief Resident, UC San Diego 

Research Interests

• Point-of-Care Ultrasound
• Medical Education
• Cardiac Arrest Outcomes

Hannah Robertson

hrobertson@health.ucsd.edu

Biography

Hannah was born in Cambridge, United Kingdom and was raised in San Diego. She earned her undergraduate degree in neuroscience at Pomona College, where she also swam and played water polo on their varsity teams. After college, Hannah spent a year in Greensboro, Alabama participating in a community health fellowship program called Project Horseshoe Farm. She then moved to Boston to pursue her medical degree from Tufts University and stayed in Boston to complete her internal medicine residency at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC). In residency, Hannah was awarded the Elmer-Hinton award for for outstanding physician-patient relations. At BIDMC, she also explored her interest in pulmonary vascular disease by studying advanced CT imaging techniques in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension and by contributing to the medical education podcast, COREIM, as an episode producer. Outside of the hospital she enjoys swimming, beach days, cooking, and traveling.

Education

• 2011-2015: B.A. Neuroscience, Pomona College, Claremont, CA
• 2016-2020: M.D., Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA
• 2020-2023: Internal Medicine Residency, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA

Research Interests

• Pulmonary vascular disease
• Advanced imaging tools
• End-of-life care
• Medical Education

Matthew Rockstrom

Biography

Matthew was born in Eastern Washington and attended Whitworth University in Spokane, WA where he received a bachelor’s in biophysics. After completing his undergraduate, he spent two years as a director of a Boys and Girls Club in Spokane, WA, and played music in several bands around town. He moved to Washington DC and attended Georgetown University where he received a Master’s degree in biophysics and worked as an instructor for Georgetown the following year. He decided to return to the West Coast for medical school, attending the University of Washington. During this time, he pursued research examining in vitro models for sleep and investigating the effects of inflammatory cytokines on sleep. He moved to Denver, Colorado for Internal Medicine Residency. During residency, he developed an interest in pulmonary hypertension, working on outcomes research for PAH patients. He also created a mobile vaccination program that focused on outreach in underserved communities in Denver. He worked as a hospitalist for one year in Denver before coming to San Diego for a fellowship. In his free time, he enjoys music, cooking, skiing, and finding new restaurants.

Education

• 2007 - 2011: B.S. Biophysics, Whitworth University, 
• 2013 - 2014: M.S. Biophysics, Georgetown University, 
• 2015 - 2019: M.D., University of Washington School of Medicine
• 2019 - 2022: Internal Medicine Residency, University of Colorado

Research Interests

• Pulmonary vascular disease
• CTEPH
• Pulmonary thromboendarterectomy

Katie Epler

keepler@health.ucsd.edu

Biography

Katie is from Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she completed her undergraduate degree in chemical engineering and graduated summa cum laude. She stayed at University of New Mexico for medical school, during which time she was inducted into the AOA and Gold Humanism Society. Katie left the southwest to complete combined internal-medicine and pediatrics residency at the University of Michigan. She subsequently moved to San Diego for adult pulmonary and critical care medicine fellowship. During her third year of fellowship, she joined the lab of Dr. Mark Hepokoski, and has been doing basic science work looking at the physiological effects of mechanical ventilation on the kidneys. She is excited to have the opportunity to explore this work further with support from the Department of Anesthesia T32 grant. Outside of work, she enjoys yoga, hiking, traveling, and exploring new beaches with her dog, Winston.

Education

• 2009–2013: B.S. Chemical Engineering, University of New Mexico
• 2014–2018: M.D., University of New Mexico School of Medicine
• 2018–2022: Internal Medicine- Pediatrics Residency, University of Michigan
• 2023 – 2025: PCCM Fellowship, UC San Diego
• 2025 - current: Postdoctoral fellow, Dept of Anesthesia T32

Research Interests

• Extra-pulmonary effects of mechanical ventilation 

Ana Lucia Fuentes

afuentes@health.ucsd.edu

Background

Ana Lucia was born in Arequipa, Peru, although grew up in Los Angeles. She received her undergraduate degree in biochemistry from Loyola Marymount University, where she also played division I tennis. She then moved to the East Coast to attend medical school at Rutgers University, though quickly returned back home to California for the rest of her clinical training. She completed her Internal Medicine residency and Pulmonary and Critical Care fellowship at UC San Diego. 

Currently, she is supported on a T32 grant with her research focused on ICU delirium, post-ICU outcomes, and sleep in the ICU. 

Outside of work, Ana Lucia loves being outdoors, traveling, playing or watching sports, and faithfully attending weekly Bachelor watch nights with the UCSD crew.

Education

• 2011–2015: B.S. Biochemistry, Loyola Marymount University
  2015–2019: M.D., Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical Schoo
  2019–2022: Internal Medicine Residency, UC San Diego
• 2023 - 2025: PCCM Fellowship, UC San Diego 

Research Interests

• ICU delirium
• Post-ICU outcomes
• Health equity

Janna Raphelson

jraphelson@health.ucsd.edu

Background

Janna is a born Midwesterner from Kalamazoo, Michigan. She completed her undergraduate studies at University of Michigan where she was a Phi Beta Kappa honor society member. She then set off for Canada to attend her dream medical school, McGill University. While in Montreal she learned French and by the end of her four years could speak to patients and watch the Avengers in la belle langue française. She moved to beautiful San Diego for residency and fellowship where she began clinical research on suspected obesity hypoventilation syndrome in patients undergoing bariatric surgery. She continued to develop her research interests under the mentorship of Dr Atul Malhotra and now focuses on heart/lung/sleep interactions and advanced COPD. Her NIH funded NRSA grant supports her in this and in gaining clinical trials experience as part of the ongoing CRESCENDO study.

Education

• 2011–2015: University of Michigan
• 2015–2019: M.D., McGill University Medical School
• 2019–2022: Internal Medicine Residency, UC San Diego
• 2023–2025: PCCM Fellowship, UC San Diego

Grant Funding

• 2024- Current NRSA NIH F32
• 2024-Current NIH LRP
• 2022-Current ATS ASPIRE

Research Interests

• Obstructive Sleep Apnea and COPD Overlap Syndromes
• Cardiovascular outcomes in COPD
• Respiratory Mechanics in Advanced COPD

Brian Tran

Biography

Brian was born and raised in San Diego, California. He attended the University of California San Diego, graduating with degrees in Biochemistry and Cell Biology as well as Psychology. He entered active duty service in the United States Navy in June 2008 while matriculating at the F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) in Bethesda, Maryland.

He completed internship training and was subsequently accepted to Flight Surgery training in Pensacola, Florida. Upon completion of this training, Brian was transferred to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361 at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, where he deployed with his squadron to Okinawa and completed seven detachments throughout California, Arizona, and Nevada. He completed residency training at Naval Medical Center San Diego, where he also served as the Chief of Residents. He completed pulmonary and critical care fellowship training at Naval Medical Center San Diego and took follow-on orders to Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton.

While at Camp Pendleton, Brian was the sole pulmonologist and intensivist. He held positions as the medical director of the ICU, Division Head of Pulmonology, Department Head of Internal Medicine, Associate Director for Medical Services, and Chair of the Medical Executive Committee. He has a passion for teaching and was named Faculty Teacher of the Year for both 2023-2024 and 2024-2025.

Outside of the hospital, Brian enjoys playing basketball, cheering for San Diego sports teams, and spending time with his wife and three children.

Education

• 2002-2007: B.S. Biochemistry and Cell Biology | B.A Psychology, University of California San Diego
• 2008-2012: M.D., Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
• 2012-2013: Internal Medicine Internship, Naval Medical Center San Diego
• 2016-2018: Internal Medicine Residency, Naval Medical Center San Diego
• 2019-2022: Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Fellowship, Naval Medical Center San Diego

Research Interests

• Lung Cancer Diagnosis and treatment
• Pleural Disease
• Critical care airways and ventilator management
• Medical education

Derek Chinn

Biography

Derek hails from the capital city of Sacramento, California where, during his youth, he could be found wreaking havoc on the basketball courts and backpacking across the Sierra Nevada mountains. Being the dreamer that he is, his career aspirations evolved over time before committing to a career in medicine. Though he is jokingly seen by others as Buster Bluth from Arrested Development given his ambitious curiosity and endless scholarly pursuits, he is best known to be a fun-loving, compassionate and dedicated underdog who, regardless of the path it takes, will stop at nothing to create opportunities for others in the direst of circumstances. He is a loyal Sacramento Kings fan after all – this should explain enough.

Education

• 2006-2010: B.S., Biological Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA
• 2010-2014: Pre-medical Post-baccalaureate and Clinical Research Coordinator, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
• 2014-2018: D.O., Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine (AZCOM), Glendale, AZ
• 2018-2021: Internal Medicine Residency, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA
• 2021-2022: Chief Residency, Internal Medicine, Riverside University Health System (RUHS), Riverside, CA and Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA
• 2022-2025: Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellowship, University of Southern California (USC) 

Research Interests

• Lung Transplant (including organ preservation strategies and predictive biomarkers for chronic lung allograft dysfunction)
• Interstitial Lung Disease
• Pulmonary Hypertension
• Point-of-care Ultrasound
• Medical Education