Lynne Fakeye, MD -- 2022-2024
I came to fellowship after spending a few years as a staff hospitalist in Tuba City on the Navajo, a position I accepted upon completing my internal medicine residency at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in New Jersey. I earned my Medical Degree along with a Master’s in Public Health from St Georges University in Grenada. Working on the Navajo reservation appealed to me because of a keen interest in the intersection of medicine, culture, and social dynamics and the potential, with some creativity, committed human resources, and well-established evidence, to artfully fashion care that is reliable, sensible, sustainable and personalized to its recipients, in essence, good medicine. As a result of growing up in a developing country, I’d retained a vestigial interest in Infectious diseases, but my practice in Tuba City reinforced the undeniable and inescapable hold of these maladies on the global community and their important contribution to often preventable suffering, where poverty dwells. Thus, I sought further training. Tulane, aside from the Tropical Medicine program’s renown which was a definite lure, has the distinction of being in the big village of New Orleans which as an urban center harbors a large population of underserved persons balancing multiple social challenges while trying to live healthier lives (by their own standards). The city is also cosmopolitan and has a rich subculture which lends itself well to leading a colorful or at the very least interesting life. The people we encounter as patients come to us with intricate stories, complicated lives rudely interrupted by disease and so far, it has been edifying to collaborate under the guidance of knowledgeable and passionate faculty in the attempt of achieving better health.
My interests in medicine at large and ID more specifically include underserved population medicine, global health/international medicine, infectious diseases with historical and social relevance such as TB, HIV, syphilis…
When I am not engaged with medical matters, I can be found somewhere peaceful usually making things, interacting with words, foods, plants, and occasionally humans, contemplating the experiment that is living.
William Russell, DO - 2022-2024
Medical School: Lincoln Memorial University-DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency Program: Northeast Georgia Medical Center
Why Tulane: My decision to match Tulane was a confluence of multiple factors that created an ideal fellowship environment. Excellent case diversity, socioeconomic diversity, friendly faculty, and costal climate all have influences on the day to day training as a fellow. The flexibility and willingness to tailor the program via promotion of selectives and electives ensure that not only are the fellows prepared to practice general infectious disease, but also ready to engage with their passions and career goals.
ID interests: Infection control and antibiotic stewardship
Other interests: Sailing, Golf, Exploring the culinary diversity that is New Orleans
Victor Wang, DO -- 2022-2024
Medical School: Touro University Nevada in Las Vegas, NV
Internship: Loma Linda University Health in Loma Linda, CA
Residency: Mountain View Hospital in Las Vegas, NV
Fellowship: HIV Medicine at University of Texas, Southwestern in Dallas, TX
Why Tulane: Solid research institution, great faculty support, balanced schedule between work and life outside the hospital (especially important when the lesser known "burnout" pandemic is gaining momentum!), collaborations with other institutions (Ochsner Clinic Foundation and LSU), and ability to impact one of the South's marginalized populations via private/university, county, and VA hospital settings. I enjoyed my interview very much, and after moving to New Orleans, I find that it's not all just appearance! There are plenty of opportunities to teach, pick up QI projects, and see uncommon ID cases due to the tourism industry as well as endemic fungal and tropical diseases.
ID Interests: HIV Primary Care, STIs, Travel and Tropical Medicine, Public Health
Sarah Ali Bahnshal, MD -- 2023-2025
Hometown: JEDDAH , SA.
New Orleans Faves: Food , Southern hospitality : NOLA residents are warm and welcoming , Rich cultural heritage.
Clinical Interests: Infectious Disease, tropical medicine , Antibiotic Stewardship
Why Tulane Infectious Diseases: Tulane University's Infectious Disease Program excels due to its renowned faculty, offering expertise and mentorship, a comprehensive curriculum covering microbiology, immunology, epidemiology, clinical management, and public health strategies, extensive clinical training in prestigious affiliated hospitals, a global health perspective integrated into the program, collaborations with prestigious institutions providing research opportunities, and a focus on community engagement to address local healthcare challenges and make a positive impact.
Overall , Tulane Infectious Disease Program providing students with a strong foundation, practical skills, and valuable research experience to tackle the complex challenges of infectious diseases.
Sobya Hashmi, MD -- 2023-2025
Hometown: Los Angeles, California.
New Orleans Faves: The varied cuisines, French Quarters, Lakeshore Park.
Clinical Interests: Infection Control, Antibiotic stewardship, Public Health, HIV.
Why Tulane Infectious Diseases: The amazing learning opportunities including the renowned Tropical Medicine program, clinical-case diversity, and the ability to serve New Orleans's underserved population in three different hospital settings were some of the reasons I chose the prestigious Tulane University’s Infectious Diseases program. The faculty is highly knowledgeable and extremely supportive. The extensive clinical, research, and diverse socioeconomic exposure makes it an excellent Infectious Diseases fellowship program, along with the friendly faculty and co-fellows that make it a great learning experience.
Steven Ohnmacht, DO -- 2023-2025
Hometown: Mesa, AZ
New Orleans Faves: The culinary scene, trekking through the local bayous
Clinical Interests: Transplant, tropical medicine
Why Tulane Infectious Diseases: Very solid research institution with plenty of opportunities to see both bread and butter as well as novel cases all while working with various underserved patient populations. The school of tropical medicine was also a very big draw not found at other programs. All of these coupled with one of the most humane schedules around and with extremely welcoming and friendly faculty made matching at Tulane a no brainer.
