Pediatrics

Matthew Durst, M.D., Ph.D.

• Medical School: University of Illinois at Chicago
  
• Graduate School: UIC, PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics
  
• Undergraduate School: Washington University in St. Louis
  
• Hometown: Toledo, OH
  
• Why UToledo Pediatrics: Because I'll do better in Toledo™
  
• Hobbies: Singing/karaoke, walking the parks 

Hiba Elkarib, M.D.

• Medical School: University of Khartoum
• Hometown: Khartoum, Sudan
• Why UToledo Pediatrics: Everyone I met on my interview day was extremely welcoming, and it was apparent that they were dedicated to providing residents with a comprehensive education in a supportive environment.
• Hobbies: Reading, traveling, and spending time with my family.

Maham Ahmed, M.D.

• Medical School: Ross University School of Medicine
  
• Undergraduate School: Benedictine University
• Hometown: Romeoville, IL, USA
• Why UToledo Pediatrics: The 3+1 schedule was a huge draw. It was wonderful to see a program actually incorporate resident wellness into the curriculum.
• Hobbies: Spending time with family, henna, coffee, traveling

Ahmad Assaly, M.D.

• Medical School: University of Toledo College of Medicine
  
• Undergraduate School: University of Toledo
  
• Hometown: Sylvania, OH
  
• Why UToledo Pediatrics: During my time as a student on 3rd and 4th year rotations in Pediatrics, I made several friends with current and former residents from this program, some of whom I keep in contact with currently.  This showed me that the program is friendly, inclusive, and family-oriented, which is one of the biggest reasons why I decided to stay. Another reason why I chose this program is the wonderful faculty mentors that I made during medical school. I wanted to maintain close relationships with them throughout residency. 
  
• Hobbies: Spending time with my wife, Superhero movies and comics (Batman is #1), NBA basketball (the only Atlanta Hawks fan outside of Atlanta), tennis, exploring restaurants (my favorite topic is the amazing local middle eastern grocery stores and restaurants)

Samantha Bolman, M.D.

• Medical School: University of Toledo College of Medicine 
  
• Undergraduate School: Denison University (Granville, OH)
  
• Hometown: Defiance, OH
  
• Why UToledo Pediatrics: It feels like home.  The residents and attendings during medical school made me feel comfortable and important, and I knew I wanted to stay in a positive learning environment just like that.  I also like the facility a lot and that it is a happy environment.  One of the pediatric hospital floors and the PICU have been recently renovated and have lots of bright colors. There are also lots of windows that make it a beautiful place.  It was good during medical school, and it's been great during residency.
  
• Hobbies: Spending time with my husband, family, and cats; golfing, cooking, occasional crocheting, watching TV, sleeping

Lara El Jamal, M.D.

• Medical School: American University of Beirut, Lebanon
  
• Undergraduate School: American University of Beirut, Lebanon
  
• Hometown: Beirut, Lebanon 
• Why UToledo Pediatrics: UT Peds became my top choice for residency right after the interview:
  
  1. The 3+1 schedule is extremely important as it takes off a lot of the residency stress and burnout.
  2. The program values hands-on education, which creates confident and independent future Pediatricians, especially with the lack of fellows. Procedures are done by residents whenever possible.
  3. The faculty, staff, and residents are very supportive of each other, and this family spirit is a rare find.
• Hobbies: Painting and language learning

Abdelrahman Elsayed, M.D.

• Medical School: Suez Canal University
  
• Hometown: Cairo, Egypt
  
• Why UToledo Pediatrics: The program gives you a balanced exposure to both inpatient and outpatient settings. The people here are friendly and supportive, and the faculty are keen on teaching and mentoring.
  
• Hobbies: Reading, squash, chess, watching movies.

Taraneh Hadizadeh, M.D.

• Medical School: University of Queensland Faculty of Medicine 
  
• Undergraduate School: Marymount Manhattan
  
• Hometown: Queens, New York 
  
• Why UToledo Pediatrics: Medium-sized program with a 3+1 schedule!
  
• Hobbies: Traveling and live music 

Michael Herriges, Jr, M.D.

• Medical School: St. George's Hospital Medical School, London, UK
  
• Undergraduate School: Lake Forest College, Lake Forest, IL
  
• Hometown: Grayslake / Lake Villa, IL
  
• Why UToledo Pediatrics: 3+1 scheduling, diversity of the patient population and residents, and friendliness of faculty and residents.
  
• Hobbies: Dungeons and Dragons, video games, powerlifting, cooking, learning Spanish and German, and spoiling my cats

Meera Manicks, M.D.

• Medical School: Medical University of the Americas, Saint Kitts and Nevis
  
• Undergraduate School: The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
  
• Hometown: Oakville, Ontario, Canada
  
• Why UToledo Pediatrics: The 3+1 schedule is a great work/life balance, and Toledo is a great location to live.
  
• Hobbies: Cooking, going for hikes, and spending time with family

Samantha Zavertnik, M.D.

• Medical School: Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
  
• Undergraduate School: Rockhurst University, Kansas City, MO
  
• Hometown: St. Louis, MO
  
• Why UToledo Pediatrics: I chose this program because the people I met during my interview day were happy, fun, and inviting. Everyone here is very welcoming and interested in teaching. I was also very interested in the X+Y program since I want to go into outpatient care. This scheduling allows much more time for outpatient experience than a traditional residency curriculum.
  
• Hobbies: Writing, drawing, running, and buying too many things for my cats

Omar Abdulrazzaq, M.D.

• Medical School: The University of Jordan
• Hometown: Baghdad, Iraq
• Why UToledo Pediatrics: 
  1. The people I met during my interview were friendly, nice, fun, and most importantly, seemed happy.
  2. I love teaching, and I believe this program provides a great opportunity to develop and improve in this, by working with and mentoring medical students.
  3. I like the diversity of the house staff, as it is a way to learn, share experiences, and see the world through different lenses.
• Hobbies: Playing and watching soccer (Chelsea FC all the way), spending time with family, biking, exploring coffee houses, and traveling.

Malaika Dahn, M.D.

Samuel Hale, M.D.

• Medical School:  George's University School of Medicine
• Undergraduate School: University of Utah
• Hometown: Salt Lake City, UT
• Why UToledo Pediatrics: I was drawn to the University of Toledo Pediatric Program for many reasons, one of them being the X+Y schedule. I had heard many positive things about this type of schedule. Not only does it enhance your continuity clinic experience, but it is amazing for resident wellness.
• Hobbies: I enjoy swimming, playing pickle ball, and spending time with my wife and three kids!

Danny Hammoudi, M.D.

• Medical School: University of Queensland Ochsner Clinical school
• Undergraduate School: Dickinson College
• Hometown: Baltimore, MD
• Why UToledo Pediatrics: Throughout my interview, there was a big emphasis on all the residents and staff feeling like one big family, which was quite appealing. The X+Y schedule sounds great to prevent me from burning out and providing good continuity of care. There are many opportunities for me to teach the next generation of doctors. And finally, the lack of fellows means more opportunities for me to be more hands on and do procedures.
• Hobbies: Ballroom dancing, Dungeons & Dragons, reading light novels, photography, playing my ukulele, and the occasional video game.

Jesus Hernandez, M.D.

• Medical School:  George's University School of Medicine
• Undergraduate School: California State University Northridge
• Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
• Why UToledo Pediatrics: It has amazing and genuine people that love to work in the same environment.
• Hobbies: Soccer, boxing, and spending time with my wife and son.

Danielle Kays, M.D.

• Medical School: University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences
• Undergraduate School: Liberty University
• Hometown: Wellington, OH
• Why UToledo Pediatrics: I felt that I had been so thoroughly prepared for residency by the faculty and staff at UToledo that I wanted to stay here to continue to receive this caliber of training.
• Hobbies: Camping, cruising, staying up to date on space news, and reading science fiction!

Morufat Olakunbi Kosoko, M.D.

• Medical School: American University of Antigua College of Medicine
• Undergraduate School: University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC)
• Hometown: Chicago, IL
• Why UToledo Pediatrics: There is a sense of community and compassion within the program.
• Hobbies: Watching Netflix, reading romance novels, and cooking.

Eugenie de Ocejo, M.D.

• Medical School:  George's University School of Medicine
• Undergraduate School: University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada
• Hometown: Niagara on the Lake, Ontario, Canada
• Why UToledo Pediatrics: I enjoyed the feeling I got when talking with faculty and current residents, and I was hoping for a medium sized program with X+Y scheduling, which is exactly what UToledo offered!
• Hobbies: Spending time outdoors (ideally with my husband and dog), working with stained glass, Dungeons and Dragons, working out, and traveling.

Eric Pam, M.D.

• Medical School:  George's University School of Medicine
• Undergraduate School: McGill University
• Hometown: Montréal, Quebec, Canada
• Why UToledo Pediatrics: What most appealed to me were the benefits of the 3+1 schedule, the emphasis on teaching and working with students, the diverse patient population, and the opportunities for mentorship and performing procedures.
• Hobbies: Skiing, volleyball, reading, and rugby.

Firzah Abdul Mujeeb, M.D.

• Medical school: Dow Medical College.
• Hometown: Karachi, Pakistan.
• Why Toledo Pediatrics: The X+Y schedule helps us to unwind and relax during the clinic weeks after 3 weeks of a busy yet hectic schedule. The residents and faculty are very warm and always available whenever we need them. We almost feel like a family!
• Future career goals: Neonatology or Outpatient Pediatrics. 
• Hobbies - Cooking, crochet.

Tolani Are, M.D.

Charmi Dholakia, M.D.

• Medical School: Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI).
• Undergraduate School: University of Calgary (Canada).
• Hometown: Calgary, AB, Canada.
• Why Toledo Pediatrics: On the day of my interview, the faculty and residents showed a lot of interest in learning about how certain life experiences have shaped my personality. To me, this spoke volumes about how important diversity and inclusivity are for everyone in this program, which was very refreshing. Additionally, UToledo Pediatrics offers ample opportunities for research and teaching, which was also a major reason to choose this program given my strong interest in academic medicine. Now as a resident, I am very happy with my choice because I truly feel like a family member who is valued and supported every single day. 
• Future Career Goals: Fellowship, Academic Medicine, Global Health.
• Hobbies: Dancing to Bollywood songs (I run a YouTube channel), playing the keyboard and the ukulele, going on long drives.

David Garcia, M.D.

• Medical School: Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health.
• Undergraduate School: Ateneo De Manila University.
• Hometown: Pasig City, Philippines.
• Why Toledo Pediatrics: X + y schedule and the friendly and very capable attendings!
• Future Career Goals: Fellowship, probably in Infectious Disease or Neonatology.
• Hobbies: Running, cooking, and reading fan fiction.

Aaina Gupta, M.D.

• Medical School: Ross University School of Medicine.
• Undergraduate: Ohio Wesleyan University.
• Hometown: Cuyahoga Falls, OH.
• Why Toledo: I wanted to go to a program that has a good balance of outpatient and inpatient pediatrics, which Toledo is really strong because of the 3+1. I enjoyed my interview day because I felt comfortable and could see how close the residents were to each other! Lastly, I wanted to live close to my family and fiancée.
• Future Career Goals: Probably fellowship, but I would like to explore all my options. 
• Hobbies: Hiking, baking, fantasy football, watching Cleveland sports, and spending time with my family! 

Olla Khalid, M.D.

• Medical school: The University of Khartoum, Sudan.
• Hometown: Khartoum, Sudan.
• Why Toledo Pediatrics: I liked the X + Y schedule. I also liked the direct interaction between the attending doctors and the residents. The faculty, staff, and residents are friendly and welcoming.
• Future Career Goals: I like primary care and outpatient clinic work.
• Hobbies: gardening and spending time with my family.

Batool Khorasanee, M.D.

• Medical School: St. George's University.
• Undergraduate School: University of Toronto.
• Hometown: Mississauga, Ontario.
• Why Toledo Pediatrics: The People! Everyone with whom I interviewed was so warm and welcoming! I knew that for the next three years, I wanted to be with a program that not only provided me with the best resources to succeed in my career but also provided me with a comfort level that would help me through the tougher parts of residency. 
• Future Career Goals: General pediatrics, or possible neurology fellowship.
• Hobbies: Adventuring! Exploring new areas, hiking, and trying new cuisines. Crafts - painting, clay work, knitting. Watching K-dramas and anime.

Ahmed Klobocista, M.D.

• Medical School: Medical University of the Americas.
• Undergraduate School: Brooklyn College: City University of New York.
• Hometown: NYC.
• Why Toledo Pediatrics: It’s a family-oriented program and, “You will do better in Toledo.”
• Future Career Goals: Undecided.
• Hobbies: Fencing, fishing, hiking, cooking, and traveling.

Ronitha Madras Kumar, M.D.

• Medical School: St George's University.
• Hometown: Chennai, India.
• Why Toledo Pediatrics: The faculty and residents are very friendly, welcoming, and supportive, It makes for a great positive environment to train in, and the 3+1 schedule is a great bonus for a good work/life balance.
• Future Career Goals: To work inpatient, not sure about subspeciality yet.
• Hobbies: Baking, exploring new food, places, and traveling.

Yousof Mousa, M.D.

• Medical School: Ross University School of Medicine.
• Undergraduate School: Kent State University.
• Hometown: Ramallah, Palestine, and Warren, Ohio.
• Why Toledo Pediatrics: Everyone I met during the interview was very friendly and the program seemed supportive of the residents and their career plans. It's also nice to be close to home so it's easy to visit family. 
• Future Career Goals: Cardiology fellowship, and to treat patients globally. 
• Hobbies: My favorite thing to do is spend time with family and friends. I also enjoy making coffee, working on cars, and playing soccer.