Please join us in congratulating the six energetic and talented residents who have been selected as the J. Willis Hurst Internal Medicine Residency Program’s 2023-2024 Chief Residents. They were selected from an exceptionally strong class based on input from residents, faculty, and stakeholders across the Department of Medicine. Each year, our chiefs serve as exemplary resident role models who exude intellectual curiosity, inspire curiosity in others, provide top-notch patient care, and invest in our program and our people. This group’s outstanding leadership and enthusiasm for resident education will enrich the legacy of our training program.
Please see below for additional information and hospital assignments for the 2023-2024 Chief Residents.
Alisha Arora
Location: Ambulatory Chief Resident
Medical School: Mercer University School of Medicine
College: Mercer University
Hometown: Warner Robbins, GA
Why did you choose to train at Emory?
When I interviewed at Emory, I immediately noticed how diversity was deeply rooted and celebrated within this program. From interacting with trainees, faculty, and staff, and learning about training at four unique hospital environments, I was assured that Emory would provide me with the foundation to provide equitable and culturally-competent care in my practice. Additionally, I was looking to train within a program that would challenge me and help me develop into a confident internist by the end of my three years. I knew this was a possibility with Emory’s emphasis on academia, research, and meaningful clinical experiences.
What is your favorite thing about our program?
I truly believe working within this program is like working with family. I feel blessed to work alongside compassionate and hard-working individuals who remind me everyday of why I chose medicine. My co-residents make the longer days feel shorter and the harder days feel easier.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself.
I believe boba should be it’s own food group!
Martin Campbell
Location: Emory University Hospital
Medical School: Morehouse School of Medicine
College: Morehouse College
Hometown: Minneapolis, MN
What is your favorite thing about our program?
The teaching and the camaraderie makes this place both an excellent place to train and wonderful place to grow.
What are you most excited about for Chief Year?
I am most excited about teaching! I’ve learned so much from wonderful educators during my time at Emory that I yearn to pass the torch through integrating innovative approaches to medical education.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself.
I use my kids as an excuse to watch cartoons and animated movies. The truth is, I probably enjoy them more than they do!
Alvaro Ceballos
Location: Grady Memorial Hospital
Medical School: Florida Atlantic University College of Medicine
College: Florida Atlantic University
Hometown: West Palm Beach, FL
What are you most excited about for Chief Year?
I’m beyond excited to contribute to the great legacy of this amazing program all while improving on my leadership and teaching skills. I am eager to pass down great lessons of my life to classes below me, in effort to hopefully make a difference in their own lives.
Why did you choose to train at Emory?
I always dreamed of training at an academic institution where I would be clinically challenged and where I would be able spend my years in service to those most in need. Emory is the complete embodiment of the aforementioned, along with bonus of being led by such inclusive faculty and leaders who on the day of my interview made me feel like family.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself.
I studied theatre during my middle school and high school years. Had the opportunity to play the character of Dracula in an 8th grade play; I wore red eye contact lenses, fangs, and along black cape. It was great!
Charlie Fortin-Leung
Location: Emory University Hospital Midtown
Medical School: Emory University School of Medicine
College: Princeton
Hometown: Atlanta, GA
What’s been your favorite residency experience?
My favorite part about residency has been the ability to connect closely with patients during medical encounters that are often very significant events in their lives. I recently felt the impact of these experiences when I received a text on my birthday from the daughter of a patient I cared for last year. She messaged to let me know that her mother had unfortunately passed away, but when she had been reading through her mom’s journal she saw that her mom had written about meeting me in the hospital, and that she had hoped to be able to reach out to me on my next birthday. Although it was sad to know that her mom had not been able to send me a message herself, this was a touching reminder of the impact we and our patients, as well as their loved ones, can have on each other just by taking the time to get to know each other.
Why did you choose to train at Emory?
I chose Emory for residency because I love the diversity of training sites and patient populations here. I also felt that the IM program was extremely supportive, so my partner, who is a med student currently, and I knew that it would be a wonderful place to train together. Being near family here in Atlanta was a big bonus as well.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself.
My partner and I recently grew our family with our adorable puppy Dumpling. Raising a pet together has been such a fun learning experience, and coming home to an excited and happy Dumpling is something I look forward to every day.
Deanna (Dee) Gill
Location: Grady Memorial Hospital
Medical School: Sidney Kimmel Medical College – Thomas Jefferson University
College: Temple University
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Why did you choose to train at Emory?
I really wanted to interview at Emory for the reputation but ultimately fell in love with Grady. I also interviewed on a Hoofbeats day which was so fun to watch how engaged the residents were.
What’s been your favorite residency experience?
For shock value I’m going to say EUH nights because my best friend (in another program) was on at the same time and we camped out in each other’s call rooms and got midnight grilled cheese in between admits/consults. It was really so much fun and this is a plug for befriending your TY colleagues!
Tell us a fun fact about yourself.
I love rock climbing and scuba diving. In summary, I just hate being at sea level.
Alex Matelski
Location: Atlanta VA Medical Center
Medical School: University of Illinois College of Medicine
College: Northwestern University
Hometown: Grayslake, IL
What is your favorite thing about our program?
The soul of Emory is interwoven with the soul of Atlanta. From Atlanta Medical College, through the Civil War, to the founding of Grady, to desegregation, to today’s population boom, Emory has always been here, growing, learning, striving to serve a diverse city that is marred, flawed, bruised but unbroken, and proud of what it stands for.
What are you most excited about for Chief Year?
I am most excited to hone my skills as both a thinker and a teacher. I hope I can convince others to join me on the journey as I force myself to ask the most important question: not “what are we thinking?” about a diagnosis, but “how are we thinking?” about it!
Tell us a fun fact about yourself.
A shocking number of people in my family were born on a holiday! To name a few: I was born on Leap Day, my mom on Labor Day, my dad on Father’s Day, my middle brother on Easter, my youngest brother on New Year’s Eve, my Grandma on Christmas, my cousin on Halloween, another cousin on Mother’s Day…it keeps going!
We would also like to reintroduce the 2022-2023 Chief Residents, who will assume their positions in July. We are excited to see how they lead and grow in their new roles!
Alex Galloway – Ambulatory Chief Resident
Jonathan Huang – Emory University Hospital Midtown
Sindhu Prabakaran – Emory University Hospital
Kevin Shah – Atlanta VA Medical Center
Shub Agrawal – Grady Memorial Hospital
Joey Sharp – Grady Memorial Hospital
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