Editors

Editors-in-Chief

Natalie Nabaty is a medical student from the class of 2025 at The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix. Between playing guitar, dancing traditional Assyrian line dances, learning about global health, and serving the community, writing is a skill she is happy to refine while in medical school. She graduated from ASU with a Bachelors in Biology and a minor in Psychology. When she’s not writing, Natalie also spends much of her time doing research in vascular aging with the VA. Feel free to contact her at nlnabaty@arizona.edu

Alec Simoni is a medical student of the Class of 2026 at The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix. He graduated from UCLA majoring in Psychobiology and minoring in Classical Civilization. When he’s not spending his time skating around the streets of Downtown Phoenix in search of a new lunch spot, Alec enjoys reading classical Roman and Greek literature and working out at the gym. Feel free to contact him at @alecsimoni on Instagram or alecsimoni@arizona.edu

Salman Azfar is a class of 2025 student at the University of Arizona, College of Medicine Phoenix. He graduated from UCLA in 2020 with a degree in Physiological Science. He loves dodgeball, swimming, playing games, and spending time with his friends and family.

Art

Asif Becher is a member of the class of 2024 at UACOM-Phoenix. She graduated in 2019 from the University of Michigan with a degree in History. She is passionate about public health and humanities in medicine. In her spare time, she enjoys music, crossword puzzles, and reading.

Business + Policy

Tina Samsamshariat is a Southern California native and a current 1st year medical student at the University of Arizona-COMPHX. She received her Bachelor of Science from the University of California, Los Angeles and her master’s in public health from the University of Southern California. She enjoys surfing, climbing, and rap music.
Twitter: @TSamsamshariat

Aaron Tran is a member of The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix Class of 2023. He graduated from the “Harvard of the West”, Arizona State University, in 2018 with a degree in Kinesiology. In his spare time, he enjoys training Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, bodybuilding, and hanging out with his labrador retriever, Rex, outdoors.

Data Visualized

Shivraj Grewal is a medical student at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix. He is a Los Angeles native and graduated from the University of Chicago in 2017. After graduating, he worked as a clinical research fellow at the National Institutes of Health for two years where he developed an interest in translational research, health disparities, and data science. In his spare time he enjoys hiking, taking pictures, and collecting records.

Interprofessional

Aaron Dowell is a member of the University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix Class of 2024. He graduated from the University of Evansville in 2020 with a degree in Neuroscience. He plans on obtaining his MD/MBA dual degree and is interested in reducing physician burnout, leadership, and healthcare-market trends. In his free time he enjoys hiking with his wife, weightlifting, training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and bowhunting. Contact information: aarondowell@email.arizona.edu

Salman Azfar is a first year student at the University of Arizona, College of Medicine Phoenix. He graduated from UCLA in 2020 with a degree in Physiological Science. He loves dodgeball, swimming, playing games, and spending time with his friends and family.

Medical Ethics

Chris Laube is a student in the class of 2023. He was an EMT prior to med school, where he met his wife, and attended most community colleges in the Phoenix area as well as ASU. He enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter, prepping for his son who is due in October, all things fitness, reading, and video gaming.

Medical Science + Technology

Spencer Bayless is a member of The University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix Class of 2023. He graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in Biological Sciences and an emphasis in Neurobiology. Spencer has special interests in health care economics, policy, and quality improvement. He enjoys traveling, ping-pong, and seeking new experiences.

Ankedo Warda is a member of The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, Class of 2024. He graduated with his BS in Exercise, Health and Wellness at Arizona State University before earning his MMS (Master in Medical Studies) at The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix as part of the Pathway Scholars Class of 2020. Ankedo is interested in the fields of emergency medicine and orthopedic surgery. During leisure, Ankedo enjoys spending time with his family, weight-training and drawing.

Op-Ed

Karishma Kothari is a member of University of Arizona College of Medicine Phoenix Class of 2023. She graduated from Arizona State University in 2019 with a major in medical microbiology. In her spare time, she enjoys film, the outdoors, painting, gardening, learning to play instruments, and skateboarding. She welcomes discussions of all topics, especially the odd anecdote.

Co-Founders

Haig Aintablian graduated from the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix in 2018, and is originally from Los Angeles, CA. By 21 years of age, Haig obtained his B.A. in Biological Sciences, Summa Cum Laude and his M.S. in Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry from the University of Southern California. He enjoys such weird things as: curling (the sport no one has heard of), collecting meteorites, and metal detecting.

Yael Kusne graduated from the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix as a member of the class of 2018. She completed her PhD in Neuroscience prior to starting medical school at ASU/BNI where she studied the complex signaling mechanisms of glioblastoma. Her passion lies in finding ways to incorporate research and medicine. She has four rescue dogs (yes, four) — who she loves more than life and thinks of as her children.

Kate Townley (lover of parenthetical afterthoughts) graduated from UA COM-P in 2018. She hails from the great, cold state of Montana but has come to truly love the diversity and proximity of adventure in Phoenix/Arizona. She tries to leave the country at least once/year (i.e., has a penchant for backpacking and sleeping on airport floors) and spends free minutes reading (fiction), hiking, backpacking and enjoying life with her husband, Chris, and two great mutts, Kula and Maia. Art and creativity have, and will continue to be, an important element of her being, as well is a strong commitment to serve the underserved.