Kiyomi Daoud- University of Colorado
I grew up outside of Washington, D.C. and studied Social Studies at Harvard College before moving to Colorado to work as a ski patroller. After my brief career in outdoor leadership, I worked in clinical research for 2 years before attending University of Colorado School of Medicine. TCHUCFMR is my dream residency program in combination with Psychiatry at UC. I get to train in full-scope FM with a community of kind social-justice- and health-equity-minded people. I hope to use my combined training in family medicine and psychiatry to provide support for pregnant persons with psychiatric illness during and after pregnancy, and families in the foster care system.I am looking forward to learning about Cincinnati communities and the families I will meet at the TCHUCFMR. In particular, I look forward to having 5 years of training to be with families from pregnancy through the first few years of their kids’ lives.
Outside of medicine, I love volunteering my time with So All May Eat (SAME) Café Inc., creating community through sharing food, and competing in low-stake baking competitions. My spouse, dog, toddler, and I are excited to make Cincinnati our home.
Sage Hunt- University of Rochester
Sage Hunt - University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry
I was born in Portland, Maine and am the daughter of a family doctor and art dealer - so I got the best of both worlds! I went to boarding school at Philips Academy Andover in Massachusetts, which has people from all over the country and the world. This experience taught me the value of diversity and I became increasingly interested in global health and social justice through medicine.
I then went to Duke University and studied Evolutionary Anthropology because I have always been interested in what makes humans different - what makes us human. I completed my premedical classes and also graduated with minors in global health and chemistry.
I have always wanted to be a doctor, and have looked up to my father ever since I can remember. He had instilled in me the importance teaching through family medicine, and that being a gooddoctor meant being a good teacher. This understanding, coupled with my desire to have more concrete experience in the world helped me to decide to apply to Teach for America. I was placed in Las Vegas and taught high school physics and chemistry to over 500 students duringmy two years in Nevada.
Knowing I always wanted to be a physician and address inequity and fight for justice through medicine, I chose the University of Rochester for medical school due to its genuine dedication to the biopsychosocial model. This model acknowledges that biological (genes, body make up),psychological (thoughts, emotions, and behaviors), and social (socio-economic, socio-environmental, and cultural) factors, all play a significant role in health and disease, and in order to be well all of these factors must be addressed, equally.
I am interested in adolescent medicine, family planning, reproductive health, and obstetrics. I love teaching and learning, and plan to pursue a fellowship after residency. I am dedicated to providing excellent care to underserved committees and remain driven to address health disparities both here and abroad.
Elsie Ikpot- Ohio University
Hey everyone! My name is Elsie Ikpot. I was born in Nigeria and grew up in Rochester, New York. I attended college at Cornell University, majoring in Biology & Society with double minors in Global Health and Nutrition. I remained in Ithaca for a couple years after graduation, working as a Public Health Fellow at Cornell Health, before moving to Ohio for medical school.
My desire to pursue family medicine is rooted in the intersections of social justice, public health, and community medicine with marginalized communities. Some of my interests within family medicine are osteopathic manipulative medicine, global health, and full spectrum family planning. I chose TCHUCFM because I was looking for a program that centered social justice and underserved care in its curriculum, not as an afterthought. I am excited to be surrounded and taught by passionate, likeminded people in a challenging, innovative, and supportive environment.
Julie Lavey- University of Cincinnati
I am a Kentucky native, coming from a large family where I am the youngest of five children with thirteen nieces and nephews back home! I am a first-generation college student and the first in the family to work in healthcare. In college, I studied English with a focus in creative writing, where I fell in love with the diversity of human experience and the exploration of those stories. I led a service fraternity in Lexington, Kentucky that informed my understanding of social determinants of health and helped me develop a passion for sustainable community partnerships. Based on experiences I had both in medical school and growing up, I am passionate about behavioral health, addiction medicine, and underserved care. Family medicine was a natural choice for me, for the opportunity to treat all people of all backgrounds with accessible and equitable care. I am thrilled to continue my medical training with UC/TCH, for its incredible people and focus on work with vulnerable populations in an empowering way.
Samia Nandyal- Ohio University
I grew up in Columbus, Ohio and was immersed in the culture of community and social responsibility from a young age, being raised in a mixed, partly immigrant family for whom duty and justice was paramount. I attended the University of Cincinnati for my undergraduate degree and spent my time working at Crossroad Health Center in OTR, engaging in grassroots global health partnerships, and singing Bollywood a cappella. During medical school, some of my most favorite memories were leading a social medicine group that engaged in conversation and action surrounding health equity, serving with Student National Medical Association (SNMA), an amazing organization dedicated to improving diversity in medicine and supporting URM students in the journey to health equity, and co-founding and running “Behind the White Coat”, a yearly story telling event dedicated to uplifting voices and nourishing a culture of vulnerability in medicine. I also had the privilege to participate in the Rural and Urban Scholars Pathway which enriched my passion for partnering with vulnerable communities. All of these experiences and more have brought me back home to the doorstep of residency with TCH/UC. I am overjoyed to be joining a program dedicated to training capable, compassionate, anti-racist, and equitable physicians in the city that means so much to me. I look forward to nourishing my interests in health equity, reproductive health, health policy, LGBTQ+ health, and weight inclusivity. Outside (and inside) of medicine, I love practicing and teaching yoga, singing mostly to myself and sometimes to others, meditation, doing anything in the sunshine, reading for growth, reading for pleasure, spending time with the people who make my heart swell, and writing about all of the above.
Philomena Nwanze- Boston University
Hi Everyone! I am Philomena a first-generation Nigerian-American originally from Greensboro, NC. Following undergrad, I immediately started medical school in Boston. I chose UC for its unique curriculum and the down to earth people I met during my interview trail. Also, as the first physician in my family, and choosing a fairly specific specialty, it was important for me to go to a residency where combined culture is prominent and thriving. After residency, I plan to use my combined training as a primary care physician that's fully equipped to integrate mentalhealth and substance use treatments for medically and socially complex patients. I also hope to serve as a consultant psychiatrist for FQHCs and CHCs in underserved areas. In my free time I enjoy dancing, yoga, cooking, reading, shopping, and spending time with my friends and family!
Noemí Rico-Ceppi- University of Illinois
I am the proud daughter of Mexican immigrants and a first-generation professional. I was born and partially raised in rural northern California before my parents relocated to rural Illinois where I spent my formative years. I attended the University of Illinois at Chicago for undergrad and never looked back from big city living! The diversity of thought and opportunity in the world-class city gifted me a plethora of experiences and showed me that doctors CAN look like me. After completing a year-long post-bacc program I started my medical education at UICOM-Rockford where I befriended some unstoppable advocates (one of which eventually became my husband) and came into my passions-including diversity, equity, and inclusion work. TCH/UC attracted me because of its focus on social justice and its acknowledgement of the part we as physicians play in contributing to the systemic oppressions we are actively trying to dismantle. I am very excited to start this new chapter alongside so many incredible physicians as we navigate this life changing journey together!
Wendy West- Ohio University
Hello! My name is Wendy West. I was born in Kingston, Jamaica and raised in Springfield, Massachusetts. I did my undergraduate work at Wellesley College and received my masters from Case Western Reserve University. I attended medical school at Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine on the Cleveland campus. I was drawn to TCHUCFM residency program because of the legacy of health advocacy, social justice, and working with underserved communities. My interests in Family Medicine include preventative medicine, women’s health, family planning, and reproductive justice. Meeting the residents, faculty, and program director solidified my interest in this program because I felt their goals for practicing Family Medicine aligned with my own. I love the diversity present throughout the program and feel so lucky to be training at TCHUCFM residency program! Outside of medicine, I enjoy watching natural hair tutorials on YouTube, reading, cooking, and listening to podcasts and audiobooks. I am new to Cincinnati and looking forward to exploring the city and surrounding neighborhoods in my free time.
David Strawhun- Ohio University
Hi, I’m David. I’m from a few places but mostly Missouri, Kentucky, and Ohio. Prior to medical school I was a high school science teacher in Los Angeles and worked at a non-profit focused on food justice in Columbus, OH. I was drawn to family medicine because of its clinical versatility, focus on preventative care, and emphasis in patient education and empowerment.
On interview day I was struck by the camaraderie of the residents and faculty, the focus that TCH/UC has on community partnership (community-centered care), and emphasis on developing residents into excellent clinical teachers. I truly feel inspired and at home at TCH/UC!
Outside of medicine I enjoy running, podcasts (improv comedy mostly), ridiculously long walks, and vipassana meditation.
Class of 2025
