Nearly 50 percent of 2023 IUPUI Elite 50 honorees are IU School of Medicine students
Each year, IUPUI honors 50 graduate and professional students who demonstrate excellence beyond the classroom in areas such as campus leadership, scholarly work and community engagement. This year, 23 Indiana University School of Medicine students were named among the IUPUI Elite 50, including seven IU School of Medicine students in the Premier 10. Class of 2023 Graduate Punit Vyas received the top honor as the 2023 Charles R. Bantz Award for Excellence recipient.
Meet the IU School of Medicine students named among the IUPUI 2023 Premier 10.
Megan Eigsti, MS4 (MD)
What are your interests/passions in medicine?
I am passionate about climate health, women’s health and gender affirming health care. I also enjoy learning and working in medical education to support students and to promote education that allows us to develop the skills necessary to practice medicine in an evolving world.
What service learning, leadership and/or volunteer initiatives have you participated in?
I was very excited to begin volunteering with the Navari Student Outreach Clinic in my first year of medical school, seeing patients under the supervision of our attending physician. In my second year, I joined the clinic board as the chair of research and education and planned events to orient new students to the clinic and host skills days. The following year, I moved into the role of Clinical Operations Manager and oversaw the training of clinic managers and the day-to-day running of the clinic. Most recently, I was elected co-president of the clinic and am excited to continue to serve my community and lead the clinic through a transition period.
I also serve on the board of the American Medical Women’s Association chapter in South Bend as the chair of physician outreach, and I have recently transitioned to the role of Women’s Health Liaison team lead for the Indiana University Student Outreach Clinic in Indianapolis. Additionally, I enjoy volunteering in the spring/summer to maintain the Memorial Hospital NICU garden for families and staff.
Is there a specific faculty member or mentor who has helped you through medical school?
Dr. Joe Kotva has been integral to fostering my passion for climate health and helping me to channel my interests into scholarly work and advocacy.
What other projects or initiatives you have helped lead?
My first year I became involved with the American Medical Student Association and took on the project of starting an undergraduate mentorship program on the South Bend campus. I matched interested medical students with premedical students from two local universities and personally provided mentorship to four students in the form of meetups, advice and editing applications. Over the years, over 70 undergraduates have been matched with medical student mentors. I have also enjoyed working with Maggie Holohan to develop the curriculum for a climate health elective that will be offered by IU School of Medicine this fall.
Mary Ann Etling, MS3 (MD/MPH)
What are your interests/passions in medicine?
I am interested in improving and mobilizing medical care to individuals in limited resource settings. My grandparents directed Catholic Charities in Terre Haute, Indiana, and now, my dad is the director. I witnessed my dad work into the night to get baby formula or find shelter for someone in our community, and I knew I wanted to love my neighbors in the same way he did. After majoring in biochemistry and global health at DePauw University, I received a Fulbright scholarship and moved to northern Uganda to learn about the barriers children with disabilities and their caregivers were experiencing. While in Uganda, I lived in a hospital, shadowed the intern doctors, and became interested in the conditions we were seeing daily that caused children to spend weeks or months in the hospital. After my third year of medical school, I moved to western Kenya with the CTSI/IU School of Medicine MedSTAR grant to conduct clinical research on how HIV exposure impacts infants in the neonatal period. Living in Uganda and Kenya has solidified my desire to pursue pediatrics in a global health context to understand ways to improve health delivery and early childhood outcomes.
What service learning, leadership and/or volunteer initiatives have you participated in?
As a first year in medical school, I started volunteering at the IU Student Outreach Clinic as a patient navigator. During my second year, I became the vice chair of the Medicine Board ran the partners’ board which included leadership from all 14 partners. Getting to provide wholistic and free care to neighbors from the near eastside of Indianapolis at the IU Student Outreach Clinic was one of the greatest honors while in medical school.
Is there a specific faculty member or mentor who has helped you through medical school?
I would not be where I am without the extraordinary mentorship and investment of Dr. Megan McHenry. I got the opportunity to begin working with her during my first year of medical school to create an interactive map of resources for children with disabilities in Kenya. She has taught me so much about the technical aspects of conducting global health research from start to finish, as well as the more personable aspects such as hiring a research team, supporting and celebrating their efforts, and listening to your team. Other incredible mentors of mine include Dr. Tyler Severance and Dr. Terry Vik (pediatric hematology/oncology), Dr. Javier Sevilla (IU Student Outreach Clinic), Dr. Caitrin Kelly (AMPATH Kenya) and Drs. Dibyadyuti Datta and Chandy John (pediatric infectious disease).
What other projects or initiatives you have helped lead?
I received the CTSI/IUSM MedSTAR Grant to take a year off between my third and fourth year of medical school to pursue research and advocacy work in Eldoret, Kenya, under the mentorship of Dr. Megan McHenry. I am coordinating three projects, each with Swahili names. The Tabiri Neonatal Study ("to predict") is a longitudinal, cohort study that aims to understand how maternal HIV exposure may impact children during the neonatal period or first 28 days of life. The Lisilojulikana Film-Intervention Study ("the unknown") is a community-based study in six locations throughout Uasin Gishu County, Kenya, involving a narrative film and focus group discussions to understand the perception of disability in the community. The Kusoma Project ("to read") is a collaborative effort to create a children's book with a Kenyan author and Kenyan illustrator that will be sold as a fundraiser and distributed throughout western Kenya.
Mary “Maggie” Holohan, MS3 (MD)
What are your interests/passions in medicine?
I completed a gap year service-through-teaching program, so I have a long-standing passion for education and working with children. While living in Louisiana and teaching high school science, I decided that I wanted to pursue a career in pediatrics. Additionally, during my clinical rotations this year, I discovered a passion for surgery and knew that I wanted to become a pediatric surgeon.
I have also been committed to addressing the impact of climate change on health. Alongside a classmate and friend, Megan Eigsti, we created a four-year course that is now offered to students and aims to provide learners with a deeper understanding of the role of physicians and health systems in addressing climate change and its consequential disease burden. I am currently doing research in the areas of gender affirming surgery, breast reconstruction in cancer patients, and pediatric cleft and craniofacial anomalies.
What service learning, leadership and/or volunteer initiatives have you participated in?
I serve as a mentor for high school students interested in medicine, pre-med students at the University of Notre Dame, and medical students in the classes below me that are interested in surgery. I’ve also volunteered at the flu vaccine clinics at Notre Dame, Unity Gardens in South Bend, and the Navari Student Outreach Clinic at IU School of Medicine-South Bend. I am a leader in student interest groups on campus that focus on pediatrics, surgical subspecialties, women in surgery and service.
Is there a specific faculty member or mentor who has helped you through medical school?
Dr. Joe Kotva, assistant professor of medical ethics and passionate advocate for climate health, has been a constant source of encouragement and mentorship in my pursuit of addressing the impact of climate change on health. He has been instrumental in the development and success of our elective on climate health education. Another faculty member who has had an important impact on my journey is Dr. Mark Thompson, who is a skilled surgeon. However, what sets him apart is his humor and humility. His compassionate approach to patient care and rapport with patients have helped inspire me to pursue a career in surgery. Additionally, Kristina Borger and Stacey Patrick guide and advise students at IU School of Medicine-South Bend and have been helping me work towards my goals since my first year. I am very grateful for their leadership, energy and advice.
Sai Sripad Kodukula; MS3 (MD)
What are your interests/passions in medicine?
I’ve always been fascinated by the intersection of clinical medicine with topics like social determinants of health, preventative care and access disparities. Having the unique opportunity to learn medicine at IU School of Medicine–Northwest-Gary, I came across several health disparities vulnerable populations experience like poor health literacy and limited physician access. Over my time rotating and volunteering in these underserved areas, I became passionate about elevating health standards for such marginalized communities. As a future physician, I hope to alleviate these disparities in many ways–from direct medical care to supporting community-based health initiatives such as food security monitoring and vaccination programs.
What service learning, leadership and/or volunteer initiatives have you participated in?
Over the past three years in medical school, I’ve worked closely with the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana to analyze the impact of food insecurity and mental health outcomes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Through this project, we raised awareness about proper nutrition and the role food insecurity plays on mental health outcomes like anxiety and depression. I also served as a student vaccinator during the COVID-19 Indiana vaccination campaign.
Is there a specific faculty member or mentor who has helped you through medical school?
Two faculty members who have guided me since my first day are Dr. Elizabeth Ryan, Associate Dean at IU School of Medicine—Northwest-Gary, and Dr. Amy Han, clinical education director. Drs. Ryan and Han have an excellent temperament and a knack for cultivating student interest within the various disciplines of medicine. Not only did they guide my scholarly and voluntary work, but also helped me navigate academic and personal challenges associated with starting medical school amidst an unprecedented pandemic.
Abhipri Mishra, MS4 (MD)
What are your interests/passions in medicine?
During my early years of medical school, I discovered my passion for public health, which has only been fueled by events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, Black Lives Matter movement, and Roe v. Wade overturn. I have been fascinated by the intersection of social disparities, medicine and public health, and have been deeply moved by the health care implications of social and political injustice. This passion led me to become an active member of the Indiana State Medical Association, through which I have written and successfully defended policies that have passed at the annual convention. It also led me to pursue a master's in public health at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School, where I am gaining a deeper understanding of policymaking and learning how to take action to create tangible and positive change on a large scale.
What service learning, leadership and/or volunteer initiatives have you participated in?
I have been fortunate to participate in two impactful service-learning trips—one to Flint, Michigan, and another to the Dominican Republic. The first trip was led by Niki Messmore (program director of community and civic engagement) and aimed to provide aid to the community in the aftermath of the 2015 water crisis. My second service-learning trip took me to the Dominican Republic, where I volunteered at a free clinic serving a rural population that lacked access to nearby hospitals. Alongside a Haitian physician, I gained first-hand experience in the challenges of providing health care to underserved populations, and I helped create a water irrigation system in a nearby neighborhood.
My involvement in leadership roles at IU School of Medicine has been extensive and diverse. As the vice president of statewide affairs on the Executive Board of the Medical Student Council, I was responsible for coordinating communication and managing the work of all statewide Student Interest Groups (SIGs). Additionally, I have been serving as the Surgery and Emergency Medicine ACE Representative and as a student member of the Clinical Curriculum Committee.
Is there a specific faculty member or mentor who has helped you through medical school?
Dr. Antwione Haywood and Niki Messmore have been invaluable advisors and supporters since my first week of school. Similarly, the surgery clerkship coordinators, Dr. Katie Stanton and Megan Rendina, have been incredibly supportive and uplifting. I have looked to Drs. Stanton and Clark Simons, both trauma surgeons at Eskenazi Hospital, as career mentors, and their guidance and wisdom have been invaluable. My home campus clerkship coordinator, Lori Gonyer, has also been instrumental in improving my med school experience, and my campus dean, Dr. Steven Becker, has been a constant source of support. I am grateful for his guidance and wisdom, as well as his reassurance and encouragement during some of the toughest years of my life.
Meg Tharp, MS3 (MD/MPH)
What are your interests/passions in medicine?
My interests are sustainability, public health, global health, ophthalmology, pediatrics, nutrition, humanities and research.
What service learning, leadership and/or volunteer initiatives have you participated in?
Many leadership experiences including: Indiana State Medical Association, Indianapolis Campus Representative, resolution author/reviewer; American Medical Association voting delegate; Medical Students for a Sustainable Future–IU School of Medicine chapter co-founder; Waste Audit at an Outpatient Surgical Center, study co-coordinator; Emerging Physician Leader Award grant recipient, Health Care Without Harm USA; First-Year Experience Committee–Zoom Into First Year (ZIFY) co-chair; Ophthalmology Student Interest Group; Ophthalmology Student Interest Group Eye Clinic at the IUSM Student Outreach Clinic, general manager; Consortium of Student-Led Eye Clinics, co-director; iCare Gala 10th Anniversary and Silent Auction; NIH T35 Short-term Training in Ophthalmology, Indiana Medical Student Program for Research and Scholarship (IMPRS); EyeSustain Editorial Board member; CleanMed 2023 session co-host; and American Academy of Ophthalmology Midyear Forum 2023 speaker and medical student advocate.
Is there a specific faculty member or mentor who has helped you through medical school?
Dr. Louis Cantor has lifted me up in ophthalmology and sustainability interests and has made me a better researcher. Both Drs. Cantor and John Lind have opened doors for me and helped expand my clinical knowledge while showing me what compassionate care looks like. Dr. Chi Yung has been a role model and unwavering supporter for the efforts of the Ophthalmology Student Interest Group and Eye Clinic at the Student Outreach Clinic. Dr. Erica Eugster has supported me in my medical and career pursuits since high school; knowing her has given me a better idea of the kind of doctor I hope to be. Emily Beckman and Jane Hartsock have been phenomenal leaders in my scholarly concentration in medical humanities and have given me the space to grow as a more empathetic and culturally aware physician. Drs. Javier Sevilla and Ruben Hernandez are phenomenal instructors and community leaders and have always encouraged my development as a Spanish speaker and make me feel more confident in my goal of becoming a multilingual physician.
What other projects or initiatives you have helped lead?
Stella Protopapas, Eashan Kumar and Taylor Diedrich have been sustainability role models and collaborators since the start of my medical education. Together we have been able to lead important projects related to sustainability in medical education, surgery and medicine in general while working to increase awareness of these issues through advocacy efforts. Lucy Brown and Abigail Deal have shaped me as an advocate and shown me how to engage in efforts related to medical policy. Nirupama Devanathan, Melanie Schieve, Sophia Bertot and Jay Chopra have shaped my ability to understand the needs of my community and shown me compassionate innovation through their dedication to the student-run free eye clinic at the IU Student Outreach Clinic. It is efforts like ours at the eye clinic at the SOC that keep me always engaged and looking to grow in medicine so I can continue to work with others to create community solutions and improved, more equitable and sustainable access to eye and general medical care.
Punit Vyas, MS4 (MD)
What are your interests/passions in medicine?
I want to be at the forefront of innovation within surgery. As a formerly trained engineer, I find excitement in the development of novel procedures and in the world of device development. I hope to blend surgery and engineering in this way. Additionally, I am still attached to my work as a personal trainer, and I will one day find a place in my career for preventative medicine and the promotion of the initiative that exercise is medicine.
What service learning, leadership and/or volunteer initiatives have you participated in?
I have been involved in a variety of experiences during my time at IU School of Medicine. To name a few, I have served as a class representative for our student government, I am serving as the vice president of the Gold Humanism Honor Society, and I had a role in supporting the Emergency Medicine Department Wellness Taskforce during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
What other important projects or initiatives you have helped lead?
My two favorite initiatives to share are the wellness presentations I developed for local high schools, and my personal training business that has been running for the past several months. I started the wellness presentations several years ago to increase awareness and educate high school students on the importance of prioritizing their mental, emotional and physical health. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I adapted these into Zoom presentations and, as I prepare for residency, I am training college students to continue these presentations. As for my personal training business, I have been a certified trainer since I was 18. I found a lot of reward in being part of people’s fitness journey and was inspired to startup my own business.
Is there a specific faculty member or mentor who has helped you through medical school?
My lead advisor, Kristen Heath, has been a tremendous advocate and supporter for me during all four years at IU School of Medicine. She made herself available, easy to talk to, and was always invested in not only my education, but also my well-being.
IUPUI 2023 Elite 50
Other IU School of Medicine students named among the IUPUI 2023 Elite 50 are Olivia Bednarski, Christopher Blanco, Jourdan Carroll, Alexi Christodoulides, Anna Feliciano, Sierra Froehlich, Kristen Lentsch, Amira Nafiseh, Amrit Parihar, Christopher Schorr, Chevy Singh, Paul Sohn, Ashton Spencer, Julie Vaughan, Ting Wang and Meghan Willoughby.
Congratulations to all 2023 Elite 50 honorees!
