PGY 4 Residents
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Cynthia Francis, M.D.
Undergraduate: Saint Louis University, MO
Medical School: Indiana University School of Medicine
Internship: Brookwood Baptist Health
Career Interests: General Rehab, Neuromuscular Medicine, Spasticity and Movement Disorders
Personal Interests: Baking, collecting cookbooks, trying out new coffee shops and bakeries, yoga, tennis, spending time with friends and family, reading, listening to podcasts, and traveling
Why I chose UAB: From my interview day, I could immediately tell that the faculty, staff and the residents at UAB shared a strong camaraderie, supported each other and offered mentorship willingly. I chose UAB because I wanted a well-rounded residency program with a strong curriculum and that offered various opportunities for research. I also wanted a place where I could feel comfortable learning and growing as a resident and future physician and this seemed like the best environment for me. I'm originally from the Midwest and have loved my time in Birmingham so far. The southern hospitality, great food scene and beautiful outdoors here have been a great change of pace.
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Darien McNeill, M.D.
Undergraduate: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC
Medical School: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine
Internship: Brookwood Baptist Health
Career Interests: Sports medicine, interventional spine, electrodiagnostic medicine, MSK
Personal Interests: Playing basketball, playing tennis, weight training, snowboarding, grilling steaks, anything UNC-Chapel Hill sports.
Why I chose UAB: One of the biggest draws for me was the supportive people at UAB. The residents, faculty, and staff seemed to be genuinely excited about being a part of the UAB family. I also appreciate the well-balanced structure of the program which helps to promote resident wellness and academic success.
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Vinayak Memula, M.D.
Undergraduate: The University of Alabama at Birmingham
Medical School: The University of Alabama
Career Interests: Interventional Pain, Sports Medicine, Spinal Cord Injury, Traumatic Brain Injury, EMG
Personal Interests: I enjoy any type of outdoor activities such as hiking, tennis, basketball, golf, and spikeball. I also love trying new restaurants and breweries!
Why I chose UAB: I chose UAB because of the diversity in the patient population and the amazing faculty that work here. I really enjoyed attending medical school at UAB and am looking forward to return to the city of Birmingham!
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Jason Schroeder, M.D.
Undergraduate: Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge
Medical School: Louisiana State University School of Medicine, New Orleans
Internship: Brookwood Baptist Health
Career Interests: Interventional Spine, Sports Medicine, MSK, SCI Rehab
Personal Interests: Hiking with my wife (Kelly) and pup (Wallace), the Saints (Who Dat), kayaking, camping, fishing, hunting, music festivals, football, golf, fitness, tinkering on my cars, cooking good southern food, and all things cajun
Why I chose UAB: UAB is a strong, established, academic medical center and this program has an abundance of opportunities in many fields of PM&R. During my interview and talking with the residents, I could see the supportive and nurturing environment the faculty has created in this program. On top of that, Birmingham is a gem of a city nestled in the ridges and valleys region of the Appalachian Mountains. There are plenty of outdoor activities to take advantage of including state parks, mountain biking trails, lakes, festivals, and breweries. The combination of a robust, supportive, academic environment with the ease of living in Birmingham makes it a great place to grow as a physiatrist.
PGY 3 Residents
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David Berry, D.O.
Undergraduate: Michigan State University
Medical School: Lincoln Memorial University – DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine
Internship: Brookwood Baptist Health
Career Interests: Sports Medicine, Pain Medicine, Interventional Spine
Personal Interests: Family, eating healthy (ish), weightlifting, guitar, backpacking, pickleball, disc golf
Why did you choose UAB? I chose UAB for the culture of academic excellence but also for the chance to work alongside a group of dedicated, driven residents, faculty, and staff to serve the people of Alabama.
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Ian Cummins, M.D.
Undergraduate: Auburn University
Medical School: UAB Heersink School of Medicine
Internship: Brookwood Baptist Health
Career Interests: Sports Medicine, Interventional Spine, Interventional Ultrasound Therapies
Personal Interests: Fitness, dog walks, fly fishing, visiting national parks, playing soccer, tennis, pickle ball, watching EPL soccer, watching films, trying new restaurants
Why did you choose UAB? Picking UAB was an easy decision for me. Having completed medical school at UAB, I spent a great deal of time with the PM&R department. From my time spent there, I saw the excellent faculty, staff, and, most importantly, the exceptional residents this program produced. This program offers exposure to the major divisions of inpatient physiatry while also providing abundant opportunities to see the subspecialties available for outpatient physiatrists. Knowing that UAB’s PM&R department had clear plans for growth and development in the near future, including the construction of state-of-the-art rehabilitation hospital and development of a brand-new musculoskeletal ultrasound curriculum, choosing to train at UAB couldn’t have been an easier choice.
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Nandan Patel, M.D.
Undergraduate: Wake Forest University
Medical School: UAB Heersink School of Medicine
Internship: Brookwood Baptist Health
Career Interests: Spina Bifida and Cerebral Palsy Care
Personal Interests: Cooking, Anime, Fitness, and Pickle Ball
Why did you choose UAB? UAB is the best place to get a holistic training to all the different facets of PM&R. They have great mentors and resources in both adult and pediatric rehab. On top of it all, Birmingham is a wonderful affordable city that allows you to live a good life as a resident.
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Casey Roark, M.D.
Undergraduate: Ouachita Baptist University
Medical School: University of Arkansas College of Medicine
Internship: Brookwood Baptist Health
Career Interests: Neuro Rehab, General Rehab, EMG, Spasticity Management
Personal Interests: Exploring Birmingham, going on walks with my family, playing/watching sports, and eating/cooking
Why did you choose UAB? During my away rotation here, I could tell this program was special. The academics are top notch. People here truly care about you and enjoy being together even outside of work. I also love the city of Birmingham and that it is centrally located in the Southeast.
PGY 2 Residents
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Victoria Christian, D.O.
Undergraduate: Campbell University
Medical School: Campbell University Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine
Career Interests: Sports Medicine, Pain Medicine, Spine, and MSK
Personal Interests: I enjoy hiking with my pup, backpacking, cooking, weightlifting
Why did you choose UAB? I chose UAB because of the camaraderie and the vast learning opportunities it has to offer. During my interview, I got the sense that the faculty and staff are truly invested in their residents, care for their well-being and their success as a physiatrist. The city itself is beautiful, filled with wonderful people and eclectic food!
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Charlotte DeRose, D.O.
Undergraduate: Georgia State University
Medical School: Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine
Career Interests: Spinal Cord Injury or Pain
Personal Interests: Rowing, watercolor painting, UGA Football, NCAA and elite gymnastics, golden retrievers
Why did you choose UAB? How friendly and welcoming everyone was! I did an AI here and immediately felt at home with the residents and faculty, I knew I’d get incredible training here and have the most fun while doing it. Plus Birmingham is cute and fun!!
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Casey Pierce, M.D.
Undergraduate: University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)
Medical School: UAB Heersink School of Medicine
Career Interests: Sports Medicine, Ultrasound, MSK, Interventional Spine and Pain Management, Spinal Cord Injury
Personal Interests: Playing basketball, summer wake-surfing, backpacking through national parks, and trying new breweries
Why did you choose UAB? I chose UAB due to a variety of factors. They are a well-established program in the Southeast which will provide ample inpatient, outpatient, and elective opportunities throughout my training. I had the privilege of working with the faculty and residents throughout medical school and found that they truly care about your growth as a physiatrist and as an individual. Further, Birmingham is a blossoming city, and I can’t wait to continue watching it grow.
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Katharyn Strong, M.D.
Undergraduate: Florida State University
Medical School: Florida State University College of Medicine
Career Interests: Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Personal Interests: cooking and sampling new cuisines with my husband, Jack; F45, traveling, hiking, SCUBA diving
Why did you choose UAB? The program's focus on providing both variety and quality of clinical experiences, supportive and friendly faculty and co-residents, and the opportunity to live in the Magic City!
PGY 1 Residents
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Cyrus Byramji, M.D.
Undergraduate: The University of Texas at Austin
Medical School: UAB Heersink School of Medicine
Career Interests: General Rehab, Spinal Cord Injury, Traumatic Brain Injury, Amputee/Prosthetics
Personal Interests: Spoiling my golden-doodle Travis Kelce Scott Barker. Forcing my better half to play pickle ball and backgammon with me. Perfecting my chocolate mousse pie recipe. Exploring Alabama nature. Spending quality time with family and friends.
Why did you choose UAB? As a native Texan completing medical school at UAB, I fell in love with the charming city that is Birmingham and everything it has to offer. The students, faculty, and staff also made this place home away from home. Even more so, there has been no greater joy than working with the UAB PM&R department by learning from distinguished educators in the field. The strong reputation of the program, camaraderie amongst residents, along with the diverse and balanced training at UAB medical center made it a no-brainer that I wanted to stay another four years!
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Hannah Howard, M.D.
Undergraduate: University of Kentucky
Medical School: University of Kentucky College of Medicine
Career Interests: Spinal Cord Injury, General Rehab, MSK, Neuromuscular Medicine, Spasticity Management
Personal Interests: Sand volleyball, pickle ball, all things UK sports (especially basketball), needlepointing, trying new coffee shops, going for walks
Why did you choose UAB? I chose UAB because even from a virtual interview, I could truly feel the collegiality among faculty and residents. I knew I would not only be getting excellent academic/clinical training and exposure to the breadth of PM&R at UAB, but also a program that cares about me personally as well. I also love the location of Birmingham in the Southeast!
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Chris Truong, M.D.
Undergraduate: University of Alabama at Birmingham
Medical School: UAB Heersink School of Medicine
Career interests: General Rehab, Brain Injury Medicine, Stroke Rehab, MSK, Ultrasound
Personal Interests: traveling, snuggling with my pup, trying new restaurants, spending time with friends at local breweries, gardening
Why I chose UAB: UAB was a natural choice for me. As a UAB Heersink alumnus, I witnessed the exceptional quality and evolution of the PM&R department, including its faculty, staff, and residents. I am excited to join a well-rounded program on a dynamic growth trajectory, especially with the upcoming new Spain Rehab building and interdisciplinary collaborations. I am honored to have the chance to train under renowned faculty and explore various subspecialties in both inpatient and outpatient physiatry. Additionally, the supportive community of therapists, nurses, and pharmacists made UAB the perfect place for my residency.
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Meaghan White, M.D.
Undergraduate: University of South Florida
Medical School: Florida State University College of Medicine
Career Interests: Interventional Pain, General Rehab, Spinal Cord Injury, Traumatic Brain Injury
Personal Interests: Cooking, gardening, playing volleyball, and spending time at the beach
Why I chose UAB: I chose UAB for a multitude of reasons with the most prominent being the unity displayed between residents, faculty, and staff. Additional factors revolve around UAB being a well-established medical center that serves a diverse patient population. Birmingham is a beautiful city filled with adventure and I am excited to call it home.
