Medical Humanities Council Membership

Tova Tachau (she/her)

MS1 (MD, Class of 2029)

I studied Russian Literature during undergrad and earned my M.A. in Comparative Literature with a focus on Russian formalism and the medical humanities. Overall, I love reading books and theory that depicts medical encounters and thinking about ways the humanities can improve our practices as health professionals.

Favorite Media: Medical Storyworlds: Health, Illness, and Bodies in Russian and European Literature at the Turn of the Twentieth Century Book by Elena Fratto

Neha Mani (she/her)

MS1 (MD/PhD, Class of 2033)

I’m excited by medical humanities as a space where creative storytelling, science communication, and medicine intersect. Through leading a science journalism consortium and studying linguistics in college, where I further developed my interests in reading and writing, I’ve come to see language and narrative as central to how we practice and understand medicine.

Favorite Media: The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy

Lydia Chen (she/her)

MS1 (MD, Class of 2029)

I’m drawn to the medical humanities because they help contextualize illness and care within the broader lives of patients. I’m particularly interested in narrative medicine, and it was a medical anthropology course during undergrad that first sparked this interest!

Favorite Media: Photos of my family 

Melody Gao (she/her)

MS1 (MD, Class of 2029)

My primary interest has been in the history of medicine. I am especially interested in how the social and political history of the United States have shaped our medical institutions and perceptions of the field!

Favorite Media: Favorite artist: Del Water Gap

Andrew Scherffius (he/him)

MS3 (MD, Class of 2027)

I joined the board of the Medical Humanities Council at PSOM to facilitate all the amazing interests and talents my peers bring to the human side of medicine. My personal passion in this domain is the history of medicine—before I was a medical student, I was a graduate student unrolling ancient medical dissection scrolls and teasing apart the historical forces that shape contemporary medical practice. Medicine is messy, and the poetry, painting, music, and ethics with which we infuse it help us make sense of it all!      

Favorite Media: My screensaver of high-definition frog pictures  

Pierre Younes

MS1 (MD, Class of 2029)

I grew up in a musical household and almost became a professional musician before switching career tracks. I’m interested not only in how musical skills shape us into better doctors, but more importantly, how they restore our humanity so we can bring our full selves to every patient.

Favorite Media: My favorite movie is Kung Fu Panda and my favorite song is La Bikina (Luis Miguel)!

Haya Alkiswani (she/her)

My artistic interests lie in creative writing, poetry, and visual arts (painting, sketching, photography, digital art)! I am also drawn to narrative medicine and the intersection of art, patient care, and community-based advocacy. 
In my role as Community and Patient Engagement lead, I look forward to leading medical humanities initiatives that tell the stories of the patients and community members of West Philadelphia! :) 

“W;t” by Margaret Edson

Micaela Alpert (she/her)

MS1 (MD, Class of 2029)

During undergrad, I minored in anthropology with a focus in medical anthropology coursework. I am particularly interested in narrative medicine and the role that cultural values play in patient-centered care delivery and health outcomes.

Favorite media: Works by Agatha Christie! (and most British murder mysteries)

Kevin Bryan (he/him)

MS1 (MD, Class of 2029)

The intersection between music and neuroscience was among what drove me to medicine, which I pursued during my undergraduate years through coursework and music fellowships. I am also interested in narrative medicine and bioethics as a way to advocate for patients and their unique life experiences.  

Favorite Media: The Boys in the Boat

Amanda Finegold Swain, MD

Faculty Director for UME Medical Humanities