GHHS Inducted Class of 2019
The purpose of GHHS is to recognize those students who exemplify humanistic attributes within medicine. Each year up to 15% of the third-year class can be elected for this honor based on nomination by their peers.
Executive Board
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Read More about Alexandra MillerAlexandra Miller
Co-President
Alexandra Miller
Co-President
Hi! I'm Alex (she/her/hers)! I took the long way to medical school; I was an English major at Harvard, and I taught middle school English for six years before I realized I wanted to be a doctor. I did my post-bac at Penn while working in pediatric oncology research at CHOP. During medical school, I've been involved in Covenant House, SNMA, and the first-year Doctoring course, and I spent the summer after first year working on an urban farm. Outside of medicine, I enjoy singing in an a cappella group, making quilts and various crafts, and bringing my dog on therapy dog visits to the VA. This year, I'm trying to maintain a healthy balance between work life and personal life. -
Read More about Emily Rider-LongmaidEmily Rider-Longmaid
Co-President
Emily Rider-Longmaid
Co-President
Hi! I’m Emily (she/her/hers), from Boston and graduated from Smith College with degrees in Chemistry and the Study of Women and Gender. Afterwards, I lived in Costa Rica and then worked to implement the Affordable Care Act in Washington, D.C. I later moved to New Orleans to research the relationship between HIV medications and cardiovascular disease. I completed a postbac at Bryn Mawr before coming to Penn, where I have loved being a part of Covenant House and Students Opposing Racism in Medicine. Outside of school, I love potlucks, period pieces, and road trips/travel adventures. This year, I’m looking forward to reading for fun, and further investing in the people and projects that sustain me. -
Read More about Joy ObayemiJoy Obayemi
Chair of Community Engagement
Joy Obayemi
Chair of Community Engagement
Hi, I’m Joy (she/her/hers)! I’m an MS3 planning to apply for a general surgery residency. I was born in Brooklyn and raised in North Jersey by my always loud and always dancing Nigerian family. I went to Stanford University, where I majored in sociology with a minor in biology. After undergrad, I spent a year conducting sociology research and completing a Master’s degree in social sciences in France as a Fulbright scholar. At Penn, I have been involved with SNMA and Cut Hypertension, Dance for Health, Project Home Street Outreach, and have served as a representative on the Diversity & Inclusion Student Advisory Committee (DISAC) and the Center for Student Life executive committee. Professionally, I plan to pursue a career in transplant surgery and hope to work towards increasing access and improving outcomes for surgical care among marginalized communities. This year, I want to work on being present in every moment and doing things that keep me grounded in positive energy (reading, dancing, playing music, volunteering). -
Read More about Elizabeth (Ducky) DuckworthElizabeth (Ducky) Duckworth
Chair of Student Wellness
Elizabeth (Ducky) Duckworth
Chair of Student Wellness
(She/her/hers) - I went to Claremont McKenna College where I studied Science and Management with a Biotechnology Sequence (aka economics, biology, and computer science). At CMC, I was a Consultant at the Center for Writing and Public Discourse for three years and served as a Senior Interviewer for the Office of Admissions. Following graduation, I moved to Baltimore to work at a biomedical device startup and shadow an orthopedic foot and ankle surgeon. In medical school, I have been involved with a number of student organizations. Serving two terms as President of Medical Student Government, my primary passion is to advocate for institutional change to buttress the mental health of my classmates. Currently, I am finishing a combined MD/MBA at the Wharton School of Business. In a few months, I will apply for residency in Orthopaedic Surgery with the hopes of developing my interests in global surgery, trauma care, patient centered care models, and the interaction of clinicians with the broader healthcare system. This year I am striving to foster interclass community and destigmatize failing with an emphasis on times of transition.
Student Members
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Read More about Alomi ParikhAlomi Parikh
Alomi Parikh
Hi! My name is Alomi (she/her/hers) and I'm an MS4 interested in ophthalmology. I grew up in Holmdel, New Jersey, and went to Princeton for undergrad, where I majored in chemistry with certificates in global health & health policy as well as neuroscience. At Penn I've been involved with United Community Clinic and the Leadership in Medicine group. This year, I will be finishing my MD/MBA at the Wharton School of Business and in the future hope to work to improve quality of care at the systems level as a practicing physician. Outside of medical school, I like to play guitar, do yoga, explore Philadelphia's coffee shops, and bake cookies. In the next year I hope to connect with many new students in the Penn Med community! -
Read More about Bianca NfonoyimBianca Nfonoyim
Bianca Nfonoyim
Hi! My name’s Bianca (she/her/hers) and I’m an MS3 planning to apply into Pediatrics. I was born and raised in New Jersey, but my family is originally from Cameroon. I graduated from Harvard in 2015 with a degree in Neurobiology and a minor in Global Health. I’m interested in health disparities, particularly those impacting children in under-resourced settings domestically and abroad. I’m also interested in the experiences of under-represented minority physicians and patients, which I study through research at CHOP. Outside of school, I love dancing, running with friends along the Schuylkill, exploring Philly food and watching sappy romantic comedies. This year, I’m excited to publish some of my research and further explore my interest in Global Health through the Botswana clinical elective. -
Read More about Bradford BormannBradford Bormann
Bradford Bormann
(He/him/his) - I am absolutely honored to be a 2019 GHHS inductee! It can be difficult to nurture compassion for patients and peers through the rigors of medical school, and these individuals have stood as inspiring examples of love even when they had little energy to love with. I graduated from Lafayette College in 2014 as a Biology Major with a minor in English. From 2014-2016, I taught various science courses at UPLIFT Academy, a public high school in Newark serving students who had encountered significant social and academic hardship during their teens. In August 2016, I matriculated at Perelman, where I have served as a volunteer and Education Coordinator for the University City Hospitality Coalition, a student-run health clinic serving people experiencing homelessness in West Philly, as well as a Preclinical Course Representative. I will be applying to general surgery residency programs in September. In the coming year, I will try to rely less on external accomplishments, and more on internal feelings of balance and peace, as my source of happiness.
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Read More about Catherine (Kate) HutchisonCatherine (Kate) Hutchison
Catherine (Kate) Hutchison
(She/her/hers) - I graduated from Northwestern University and then promptly moved to the woods, leading wilderness trips for teens in the summer and working at a ski resort in the winter. Wilderness medicine training courses inspired me to become a physician via a post-abc program and I am now hoping to pursue a career in orthopaedic surgery. At Penn, I have been involved in community clinics such as Heart Health Bridge to Care (HHBC), acted as a student course representative, and played my heart out on the IM ultimate frisbee team. Over the next year, I hope to support community growth within the medical student body and reinforce interdisciplinary learning opportunities. -
Read More about Daniel SarisDaniel Saris
Daniel Saris
Hello I'm Dan (he/him/his)! I am a current MS3 interested in OB/GYN. I am from the Ardmore, PA and went to UPenn where I graduated with a degree in Biology. During my time at Penn I played Football and was part of 3 Ivy League Champion teams. After graduating, I joined Teach For America as a Biology teacher in Cincinnati Public Schools. I then moved back to Philly and taught Physics to seniors at Hardy Williams High School in Southwest Philly before coming to medical school. While in medical school, I had the privilege of working at Covenant House and as our class's Medical Student Government Co-Chair. I have always had a passion for learning and the process of building both knowledge and skills. This upcoming year, I hope to develop a better understanding of medical education and build the skills necessary to start thinking critically about how we can continue to change the way we shape future physicians. -
Read More about Erin TullyErin Tully
Erin Tully
Hi, I’m Erin (she/her/hers)! I grew up in Harrisburg, PA and graduated from Notre Dame before coming to Penn. I have had the opportunity to work with and help coordinate the Refugee Women’s Clinic during my time here and have recently signed on as a coordinator for Student Report this year. I have also spent most of my life figure skating and have been lucky enough to teach skating lessons at the ice rink on campus in my spare time. I have always enjoyed teaching and working with both children and adults, so I’m sure it comes as no surprise to my family and friends that I plan to apply into Med/Peds this summer. I am looking forward to growing into a more confident clinician during upcoming rotations this year and hope to be a helpful resource for underclassmen at Penn, both in the classrooms and the clinics. On a more personal note, I also hope to run my first marathon this fall and would love to help get my dog, Cody, certified as a therapy dog before graduating.
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Read More about Hanna ElmongyHanna Elmongy
Hanna Elmongy
(She/her/hers) - I am Egyptian American and spent half my formative years in New Orleans and half in Philly. I studied Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Penn for undergrad and graduated in 2015. Ask me about salmon blood and the coag cascade which was the basis for my senior design project. After volunteering as an Arabic language interpreter in refugee camps in Greece the summer of 2017, I decided to pursue a career in global health to provide equitable care in a sustainable structure to disadvantaged patient populations across the lifecycle after Med-Peds training. At Penn I’ve been working to establish a Muslims in Medicine group and have worked on stress relief workshops for women refugees who have recently arrived in Philadelphia, nutrition workshops for West Philly residents, and the Alianza seminar series on the Cuban healthcare system. This year I hope to be less internally focused now that I’ve learned some of this medicine thing and spend more time with friends before this crazy journey ends. -
Read More about Ilana Nelson-GreenburgIlana Nelson-Greenburg
Ilana Nelson-Greenburg
(She/her/hers) - I grew up in Brooklyn, NY, and graduated from Brown University in 2010, where I majored in Development Studies (developing countries – not babies or money!) with a focus on global health. I then spent a year in Kibera, Kenya, as the Health Services Director for Shining Hope for Communities, helping to open a clinic there. The following year, I went to work at Partners In Health (PIH), where I was on their Development team before becoming a Program Coordinator for the Haiti team. In that role, I traveled between our Haiti and Boston offices, helping to open Hopital Universitaire de Mirebalais, and then supporting Zanmi Lasante (the Haitian sister organization) throughout the Central Plateau. At PIH I decided I wanted to become a doctor; I completed my pre-med requirements at Bryn Mawr and joined the entering class of Penn Med in 2015. I want to be a primary care internist and focus domestically, working with poor and marginalized patients in the US. Currently, I’m finishing my MBA at Wharton to better understand and manage the institutions and policies that affect how people access and experience healthcare. I hope to continue to expand my world this year, and take (scary!) risks, which may not be successful in the traditional sense – i.e. not be afraid to “fail”! -
Read More about Jamie RolfingJamie Rolfing
Jamie Rolfing
I grew up on a ranch in Montana and working my family’s business as a backcountry trail guide. In college I studied philosophy and theology, then worked as an EMT in rural Montana, Chicago's inner city, and Afghanistan. I later served 5 years in the U.S. Army and several deployments to Afghanistan, where I developed a deep respect for our service members and their commitment to securing freedom and the peace we enjoy. While applying to med school I worked with my wife (Sarah) in disaster response at refugee camps in Eastern Europe, and with a public health project in Kenya. At Penn I’ve enjoyed rotating at the VA, sharing the stories of veterans, promoting rural health, and sweating with my comrades on “Tachy Tuesday” mornings. I’m currently an Army National Guardsman and will be away for the next year, deployed to Afghanistan. Through medicine I hope to serve military families and veterans, and alongside Sarah (an ICU nurse) in rural Montana and international disaster response. I’m no book wiz, and believe I can best contribute in the harsh environments where others cannot or will not go. -
Read More about Joshua BramJoshua Bram
Joshua Bram
Hello, my name is Josh (he/him/his)! I'm an MS3 originally from State College, PA who graduated from Penn State with degrees in Biology and Immunology/Infectious Disease. At Penn, I have enjoyed being involved in the Leo Leung Orthopedic Surgery Society, UCHC clinic, Morgan House Council, and pediatric orthopedics research. I am planning to apply into Orthopedic Surgery, but I'll first being taking a year off to do the Ben Fox Fellowship at CHOP in the Division of Orthopedics. Outside of the classroom, I love soccer, cooking, and hiking. My main goals for the next year are to explore more of the Philadelphia food scene and get back into reading books for fun! -
Read More about Julian LebjmanJulian Lebjman
Julian Lebjman
Hi, my name is Julian (he/him/his)! I grew up in San Diego and Las Vegas in a Jewish Argentinean family. I studied Biology and Latin American Studies at the University of Pittsburgh, then spent two years at the NIH studying prognostic biomarkers in traumatic brain injury. At Penn, I have had opportunities to connect with communities I care deeply about through work with Homeless Health Initiative, CHOP’s Gender Clinic for trans and gender non-conforming youth, and serving as an interpreter at Puentes de Salud. I am passionate about improving health care systems and am involved in various quality improvement projects at Penn. I am applying to Med-Peds residencies, ultimately hoping to focus on chronic illness in young adults and improving our health care systems to best serve them. In my free time I enjoy biking, several forms of martial arts, and reading fantasy novels. This year I hope to spend more time with friends and family, practicing this thing they call work-life balance!
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Read More about Julie CarneyJulie Carney
Julie Carney
Hello! I'm Julie (she/her/hers)--I'm an MS3 interested in family medicine and primary care. I grew up in NJ, went to Yale, and then spent seven years working on child malnutrition in Rwanda before deciding to embrace the siren song of medicine. During med school, I've been involved in the Human Rights Clinic, the Refugee Clinic, and Prevention Point. This year, I'm looking forward to re-engaging with meaningful work and building community. -
Read More about Kelly BoylanKelly Boylan
Kelly Boylan
Hello! My name is Kelly Boylan (she/her/hers), and I am a rising MS4 applying into neurology. I am from New Jersey, and studied Spanish and Psychology at Haverford College before taking SEPTA eastbound and starting med school at the Perelman School of Medicine. I can often be found running on the Schuylkill River trail while singing showtunes under my breath. This year, I am looking forward to reteaching myself anatomy as a Chief Anatomy TA, as well as fulfilling the Medical Education and the Spirituality in Health Certificate programs. One of my intentions for my time with the Gold Humanism Honor Society is to develop ways to connect with suffering peers; when we are struggling, it can be near impossible to ask for help, so implementing programs that infuse wellness and normalize the struggles of medical school can allow us to reach toward struggling peers rather that placing the burden of seeking help on students who are experiencing difficulty. -
Read More about Kenneth KuftaKenneth Kufta
Kenneth Kufta
Hi, my name is Kenny (he/him/his). I was born in Forty Fort, PA and raised by my amazing parents, a nurse and a pharmacist. I attended The Pennsylvania State University where I studied chemistry, and then studied at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine, where I received my Doctor of Dental Medicine degree (DMD). I am currently in the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS)/M.D. program at Penn. I entered into the field of medicine because there is no better profession than one in which you have the privilege of helping people become healthier and happier each day. After graduating in May 2019, I will continue OMFS residency. My professional goals involve building a practice that involves orthognathic/ reconstructive jaw surgery, temporomandibular joint disorders, oral and maxillofacial pathology, and dentoalveolar surgery. Outside of school, I enjoy exercising, going to sporting events, golfing, playing the guitar, and spending time with the people who I love (including my dogs). My intention for this year is to focus on staying connected with the people who matter most in my life. -
Read More about Leah RethyLeah Rethy
Leah Rethy
Hi, I’m Leah (she/her/hers). This year I am returning from a year at Northwestern University where I studied microvascular disease in people with HIV. I will be applying in Internal Medicine and am interested in preventative medicine and cardiology. I came to medicine through politics and organizing and am excited to think about ways to more fully bring my medical training into organizing work and organizing into treatment strategies! -
Read More about Moses MurdockMoses Murdock
Moses Murdock
My name is Moses Murdock (he/him/his), an MS4 applying into internal medicine. My family is from Costa Rica, but I grew up in Boston and Orlando. I went to undergrad at the University of Central Florida where I majored in molecular biology. I spent two years at the NIH before medical school, helping to discover new primary immunodeficiencies. At Penn, I’ve been involved with SNMA, the Heart Health Bridge to Care clinic, and research with the AML genomics group. This year, I will be returning from a year of research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute with the hopes of applying in Internal Medicine for residency. Outside of medicine, I love to run and read. This year, my intention is to stay connected to my friends and loved ones, whether they are geographically near or far. -
Read More about Nancy LiuNancy Liu
Nancy Liu
(She/her/hers) - I studied biology at Swarthmore College and spent time before medical school out in San Francisco working in patient advocacy and education for people living with diabetes. Those experiences gave me an interest in patient safety and quality improvement which I've been able to pursue while at Penn and in my research experiences. During medical school, I have loved being able to participate in leading the MS1 backpacking trip, coordinating the Dance4Health program in West Philadelphia, and volunteering at the UCHC clinic. This year, I want to challenge myself to reduce the amount of waste I generate, spend more -
Read More about Sara RendellSara Rendell
Sara Rendell
(She/her/hers) - Hi! I am an MD/PhD candidate planning to go into internal medicine. My PhD work is in medical anthropology, and I study inequality and health care, particularly the lives, family ties, and health of immigrants and refugees. I also do some consulting for the World Health Organization in the area of maternal and child health and maternal immunization. I love in-person conversation, writing and reading poetry, movies and running/cycling.
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Read More about Stephanie TeepleStephanie Teeple
Stephanie Teeple
Hi, I’m Steph (she/her/hers)! I’m an MD-PhD candidate in Epidemiology specializing in Emergency Medicine. I’m from small-town Virginia and studied global health at Princeton for undergrad. Before coming to Penn, I worked as a Post-Bachelor Fellow at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation in Seattle, WA. My PhD work focuses on how nascent data technologies (machine learning, artificial intelligence) stand to harm marginalized populations in the healthcare setting and how we can do better. During my medical school years, I’ve been involved with Students Opposing Racism in Medicine and also conducted research with Partners in Health Rwanda. Outside of school and work I enjoy being active in nature, cooking for and lingering over long meals with friends, and porch-sitting.
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Read More about Steven ScarfoneSteven Scarfone
Steven Scarfone
I'm Steve (he/him/his), a Voorhees, NJ native who moved a whole 20 miles to come to Penn for undergrad, and has stayed in Philly ever since. I majored in Biophysics, and am now one of those people who misses math. Between college and medical school, I served with City Year Philadelphia, working to help a class of 7th graders succeed in and out of school. While in med school, I have become invested in working with the population of people experiencing homelessness here in Philly. I've been educating myself as much as possible about what the average person can do to help intervene on this massive issue (hint: saying "Hi" goes a long way). Looking forward, I plan to pursue a career in cardiology, though I'm struggling to decide whether I want that to be within medicine or pediatrics. Either way I want teaching, especially of medical students, to be a focal point of my career. In the next year, I will be making an effort to re-incorporate reading for pleasure into my daily life, reduce my consumption of animal products, and watch as many Mets games as possible.
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Read More about Sutton HigginsSutton Higgins
Sutton Higgins
Hi, my name is Sutton (she/her/hers)! I am a Minnesota native and I graduated from Dartmouth College in 2015 with a degree in Biomedical Engineering. While at Penn, I’ve led the MS1 Backpacking Trip, served as a coordinator for Covenant House and helped TA and mentor for various pre-clinical and clerkship courses. I will be applying to Med-Peds residencies this upcoming year and long-term hope to work primarily with adolescent populations with an emphasis on patient advocacy, healthcare access and equity. Outside of medicine, I enjoy running and biking on the SRT, exploring my West Philly neighborhood and reading or doing the crossword at one of the many local coffee shops. This year, I look forward to deepening relationships with fellow classmates, learning more about my local community and spending as much time as possible outdoors!
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Read More about Whitney OrjiWhitney Orji
Whitney Orji
(She/her/hers) - I'm an MS4 originally from just outside Austin, Texas. Before moving north, I majored in bioengineering and minored in global health technologies at Rice University in Houston, Texas. In med school, I have been involved with Students Opposing Racism in Medicine (StORM), diversity recruitment via SNMA, and was a Covenant House coordinator. I am broadly interested in global public health, especially global surgery and maternal child health. After a year out, I plan to apply into ob-gyn or general surgery. Outside of school, I love travelling, music, reading, and cooking Nigerian food and hope to enjoy those things more in the coming year, in addition to re-engaging with the Philadelphia community outside of Penn.
