Our Fellows
Why a scholarly year for medical students?
- A full year of dedicated research time under the one-to-one supervision of a talented mentor is transformative in students’ career choices
- The annual stipend for a DDRF fellowship, a small investment strategically and opportunely made, can make an out-sized impact
Is there a need for funding for a scholarly year during medical school?
- The demand for a scholarly year among medical students is rising, and the supply of funding is small
- Only approximately 5% of students who apply for a scholarly year nationwide achieve funding
Why teach the exceptional student to be physician and scientist, rather than one or the other?
- Historically, physician-scientists have produced many of the major advances in combating disease
- They unite the urgency of the ill patient with the power of the scientific method
- Due to changes in the healthcare landscape they are an “endangered species”
These talented young people represent tomorrow’s leaders in medicine.
Shannon J. Morales, MBA |
2011-2012 |
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Currently: DDRF Fellow – 4th yr medical student – Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Medical School: Mount Sinai School of Medicine, expected graduation May 2013
Graduate Degree: MBA, McColl School of Business, May 2010
Undergraduate: Princeton University, A.B. Mathematics
DDRF Research: two research studies related to the sessile serrated adenoma/polyp (SSP), a common precursor lesion to colorectal carcinoma
Additional Comments: In addition to his research projects and volunteer activities at Sinai with the Community Health Fair, West 97th St SRO and NYC Marathon, Shannon is an accomplished tennis player having played on the professional circuit in Europe and South Africa in 2006-2007. |
Carlene Chun, PhD, MBA |
2011 |
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Currently: DDRF Fellow – 4th yr medical student – Stanford School of Medicine
Medical School: Stanford University School of Medicine, expected graduation 2012
Graduate Degrees: University of Hawaii, MBA 2004 and University of Wisconsin, PhD 2007
Undergraduate: University of California, B.S. cum laude Biological Sciences 2000
DDRF Research: study to identify a biomarker to be used to differentiate diseased & normal cell states in monitoring the progression from GERD to esophageal adenocarcinoma
Additional Comments: Always an active volunteer, Carlene is currently a mentor for pre-meds with SUMMA – Stanford University Minority Medical Alliance whose goal is to increase the diversity in the health professions to better care for underserved communities. Her goal is to pursue a career in gastroenterology and return to her native Hawaii to practice.
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Currently: 3rd yr medical student - Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Medical School: Mount Sinai School of Medicine, expected graduation May 2013
Undergraduate: Princeton University, B.S. Music
DDRF Research: study of endoscopic & molecular characteristics of a pre-cancerous sessile serrated colon polyps which are difficult to detect & remove during colonoscopy
Additional Comments: Uma is active in the East Harlem Health Outreach Partnership and with the National Physicians Alliance, and has a special interest in reforming medical education. |
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Currently: Post Baccalaureate/Pre Med, Columbia University
Undergraduate: Baruch College with honors, May 2006
DDRF Research: study of endoscopic & molecular characteristics of a pre-cancerous sessile serrated colon polyps which are difficult to detect & remove during colonoscopy
Additional Comments: Prior to his pre-med studies and internship with DDRF, Dennis was a senior application developer at Bloomberg, LLC. |
Joseph Freedman, MD |
2009-2010 |
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Currently: 1st yr resident, Emergency Medicine, Kings County Hospital, Brooklyn, NY
Medical School: Mount Sinai School of Medicine with Distinction in Research, May 2011
Undergraduate: Emory University, B.S. Neuroscience & Behavioral Biology
DDRF Research: microarray analysis of gene changes in gastric mucosa related to treatment with naproxen
Additional Comments: Active in his medical school class, Joseph was a volunteer clinician with the East Harlem Health Outreach Program, a free clinic to provide healthcare services to the underserved population in Harlem. He also served as a teaching assistant in the Sinai
Medical School’s anatomy laboratory. |
David Harari, MSB |
2009-2010 |
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Currently: 1st yr medical student, University of Vermont College of Medicine
Medical School: University of Vermont College of Medicine, expected graduation May 2015
Graduate School: Union Graduate College – Mount Sinai School of Medicine, MSB
Undergraduate: Yeshiva University, B.A. Philosophy
DDRF Research: analysis of gene changes in gastric mucosa related to treatment with naproxen
Additional Comments: David worked at the National Center for Ethics in Health Care at the Veterans Hospital Administration where he was involved in gathering information to help promote the quality improvement of clinical ethics consultation across the nation; he was selected to present at the 2008 National Undergraduate Bioethics Conference, a division of the American Society for Bioethics and Humanities. |
Benjamin Vaccaro, MD |
2009-2010 |
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Currently: 1st year resident, New York Presbyterian-Columbia, Internal Medicine
Medical School: Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, May 2011
Undergraduate: Georgetown, B.S. Biology, magna cum laude
DDRF Research: gastrin and its association with dysplasia and adenocarcinoma in Barrett’s Esophagus patients
Additional Comments: Ben’s research resulted in a poster presentation, “Detection of Barrett’s Esophagus After Initial Complete Response with Radiofrequency Ablation” at Digestive Disease Week in May 2010 and manuscript publication in Digestive Disease Science (2011). |
Matthew Whitson, MD |
2008-2009 |
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Currently: 2nd yr resident – Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Internal Medicine
Medical School: Mount Sinai School of Medicine with Distinction in Research, May 2010
Undergraduate: Brown University, B.S. Bio-Medical Ethics
DDRF Research: study the markers of cell proliferation & new blood vessel formation in the healing of gastric and duodenal ulcers.
Additional Comments: Matt was an active member of his MSSM class notably with the East Harlem Health Outreach Program which provides clinical services to uninsured adults in the East Harlem area. Matt was a recipient of the Medical Society of the State of New York’s 2010 Community Service Award. |
Michael Fingerhood, MD/MPH |
2008-2009 |
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Currently: 2nd yr resident – NYU Langone Medical Center, Internal Medicine
Medical School: Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons, May 2010
Post Baccalaureate/Pre Med Program: Harvard University
Undergraduate: Wesleyan University, B.A. Economics & Psychology
DDRF Research: study abnormal cell growth for the early detection of Barrett’s Esophagus and Esophageal Cancer
Additional Comments: Michael’s DDRF clinical research project was presented at 2010 American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) Conference and published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology, May 2010. |
Andrew Dikman, MD |
2007-2008 |
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Currently: Chief Resident – Medicine, NYU Langone Medical Center
Medical School: Mount Sinai School of Medicine with Distinction in Research, May 2009
Undergraduate: University of Pennsylvania, B.A. European History
DDRF Research: an extension of Jay’s study examining the way in which ulcers heal with the use of common medication.
Additional Comments: Andrew presented his paper, “Is Endoscopic Biopsy Safe in Patients Receiving Anti Platelet Agents?” at Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2009. In addition to winning the Mount Sinai Faculty-Student “Art of Medicine” Award, Andrew was named to the prestigious (Arnold P.) Gold Humanism Honor Society, a national society that recognizes humanistic exemplars in medicine. |
Caroline von Althann |
2007-2009 |
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Currently: 2nd year graduate student, Physician Assistant Program – MMSc-PA
Graduate School: Emory University College of Medicine, expected graduation 2011
Post Baccalaureate/Pre Med Program: Columbia University
Undergraduate: Georgetown University, B.A. Comparative Literature
DDRF Research: various ulcer studies including the use of common medications in healing & cell proliferation & new blood vessel formation in the healing of gastric and duodenal ulcers
Additional Comments: Upon completion of the Columbia pre-med program, Caroline worked at Shyira Hospital in Rwanda as a volunteer analyzing the quality of health care for pediatric and adult HIV/AIDS patients, and developed recommendations for better methods of healthcare delivery. |
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Currently: Post Residency GI Fellow – NYU Langone Medical Center
Residency: Internal Medicine, NYU Langone Medical Center completed May 2011
Medical School: Tufts University School of Medicine, May 2008
Undergraduate: Tufts University, B.S. Biology and Community Health
DDRF Research: study the effect of common pain medication on the GI tract & the ability to ameliorate these effects with an anti ulcer medication
Additional Comments: Jay’s research studied strategies for protecting the stomach against injury from common pain relievers. Presented at the American College of Gastroenterology annual meeting in 2007, his study received a Presidential Poster Award. With several co-authored publications, Jay has already begun a distinguished career as a physician-scientist. |
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Currently: Clinical Research Coordinator, Columbia University/Lung Transplant Research Team
Medical/Graduate School: Applications pending
Post Baccalaureate/Pre Med Program: Columbia University
Undergraduate: Brandies University, B.S. Psychology
DDRF Research: various studies from 2006-2009
Additional Comments: Shefali was involved in several DDRF sponsored studies including a study to explore the safety and comfort of patients undergoing endoscopic procedures with a new combination of sedation medications and a study in conjunction with colleagues at Mount Sinai Medical Center to create a national genetic database for Crohn's Disease and ulcerative colitis. |
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Currently: 1st yr resident – Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Internal Medicine
Medical School: Albert Einstein College of Medicine, May 2011
Post Baccalaureate/Pre Med Program: Columbia University
Undergraduate: University of Pennsylvania, magna cum laude, economics & history
DDRF Research: global survey of GI professionals on their endoscopic sedation practices
Additional Comments: Upon graduation from Penn, Ari joined Barclays Capital as a markets analyst; but his desire for a medical career drew him to the post-baccalaureate pre-med program at Columbia and to a part-time DDRF Fellowship. Ari was lead author on a manuscript published in BF analyzing the results of a global survey of GI professionals and their sedation practices. |
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“DDRF was great for my medical education. The DDRF internship reaffirmed my interest in clinical research and taught me – hands on – how to incorporate clinical research into the life of a practicing physician”.
Andrew Dikman, MD
Chief Resident
NYU Langone
Medical Center
2007-2008 DDRF Fellow
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“My DDRF experience was a real eye opener to learn how to do “real” clinical research – everything from IRB approval to the importance of statistical modeling. I enjoyed being in a research setting while also interacting with doctors & patients in a clinical environment. The experience made me eager to continue my medical training”.
David Harari
1st yr Medical Student
University of Vermont
College of Medicine
2009-2010 DDRF Fellow
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