An amazing group of fellows!
Meet our future clinician educators and research investigators
Clinical
Neha Deval, MD
Hometown: Hyderabad, India
Medical School: Gandhi Medical College, Hyderabad, India
Residency: Westchester Medical Center, Valhalla, NY
Hobbies: Chess, Travel, Board games, Cooking
Why UW?:
Interacting with the UW faculty and fellows over a virtual connection in a bizarre year was one of the best experiences I had during interviews. I could feel the enthusiasm and warmth from everyone I met along with their passion for Nephrology. I like the program's equilibrium between learning, patient care and research. I am excited to be a part of the UW Fellowship Program alongside fellows from different parts of the country. Moving across the country to a beautiful city like Seattle which happens to be one of the pet-friendly cities in the world is icing on the cake!
Alex Hawkins, MD
Hometown: Dallas, TX
Medical School: UT Southwestern, Dallas, TX
Residency: Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
Hobbies: Film, basketball, hiking, board games
Why UW?:
Everyone seems genuinely excited to be here. It offers a combination of excellent faculty and facilities, an amazing city to explore, and a customized schedule.
Eric Luitweiler , MD
Hometown: Audubon, PA
Medical School: Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell
Residency: California Pacific Medical Center, San Francisco, CA
Hobbies: Running, exploring nature, reading, learning random animal facts
Why UW?:
UW stood out to me for its well-balanced training and its collaborative culture. The faculty prioritize education and individual growth to prepare fellows to be excellent clinicians and to build on opportunities to explore areas of interest.
Laura Mayeda, MD
Hometown: Salem, OR
Medical School: University of Washington School of Medicine
Residency: Virginia Mason Medical Center
Hobbies: Running with friends, trips to my local library, exploring Seattle urban nature with kids
Why UW?:
There are a lot of wonderful programs out there. What really stood out to me about UW is how balanced the program is overall. Clinical duties are structured to maximize learning, team work, and patient-centered care. Research projects with Kidney Research Institute are accessible and clinically relevant. There is a focus on diversity, and an opportunity to care for Seattle's growing underserved communities. Faculty are excellent clinicians and teachers, and invested in the fellows as individuals. Overall fellows just seemed happy and well supported!
Karan Panchal, MD
Hometown: West Chicago, Illinois
Medical School: St George's University Medical School
Residency: UPMC Mercy
Hobbies: Sports, Anime, Food and Boards Games
Why UW?:
Being a part of this historic academic institution is just the tip of the iceberg. The faculty and staff are very kind and welcoming. I can’t wait to be a part of their community! They have a strong commitment to education that is rooted with the history of nephrology. I truly feel like the program will provide me with all the resources and training to achieve my goals. I look forward to working with the field's finest nephrologists and making lifelong friends. Living in a lively and beautiful city like Seattle just makes it even better
Amol Patel, MD
Hometown: Houston, Texas
Medical School: University of North Texas Health Science Center
Residency: Houston Methodist Hospital
Hobbies: Weightlifting, guitar, eating exotic foods and drinking coffee
Why UW?:
The strong commitment to education and the culture at UW were things that immediately stood out for me. Fellows not only have the opportunity but are encouraged to explore their specific area of interest to gear them in whatever career path they choose. It is was great to see a program as large and renown as UW to be equally warm and welcoming. In addition, Seattle is such an amazing and unique city!
Michelle Pengshung, MD
Hometown: Portland, OR
Medical School: University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
Residency: University of Colorado, Aurora, CO
Hobbies: Travel, trying new restaurants, board games
Why UW?:
I chose UW for many reasons. I wanted a program that would let me explore my interests especially in medical education. I also wanted a program that was well-balanced and took care of their fellows. Definitely I also felt the people I met during the interview were people I could talk to and work with and would be great mentors and teachers. Not to mention, I wanted to be back in the Pacific Northwest and be closer to family.
Lauren Ring, MD
Hometown: Spokane, WA
Medical School: Duke University
Residency: Duke University
Hobbies: Hiking, skiing, seeking out spicy vegetarian food, reading with my daughter
Why UW?:
UW Nephrology has the best of all worlds. It has amazing faculty who are not only brilliant, but approachable and love to teach. Fellow education is highly valued and is customizable to meet my interests/needs to build my future career. Also, the PNW is the best place in the world to live!
Karen de Wolski, MD
Hometown: Springfield, MA
Medical School: Quinnipiac University
Residency: University of Washington
Hobbies: Hiking, cycling, snowshoeing, jogging, cooking, reading novels, New England sports
Why UW?:
UW has been an incredible place for residency training with many dedicated and brilliant colleagues and faculty. The educational environment is nurturing and laid-back while still constantly pushing trainees to improve. I have already learned so much from the nephrologists here during residency, and I am so excited to continue to do so in fellowship!
Research
Catherine "Kate" Butler, MD
Hometown: St. Paul, MN
Medical School: Washington University, St. Louis MO
Residency: University of Washington, Seattle WA
Hobbies: Skiing, running
Why UW?:
I first came to UW for internal medicine residency and quickly felt at home in Seattle amongst the flavorful people who ended up in this city for love of mountains, coffee, rain, etc. I was thrilled to stay on for a research fellowship after developing strong academic and personal bonds with the nephrology faculty.
Jasleen Ghuman, MD
Hometown: Kent, WA
Medical School: University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Medicine, Kansas City, MO
Residency: Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
Hobbies: Long walks/hikes, food - cooking and eating
Why UW?:
Hands down, the people! The approachable, kind and humble people who make up the Division of Nephrology at University of Washington made choosing UW a very easy decision for me. The endless opportunities for collaboration and growth at UW are irresistible. Of course, geography and proximity to my family played a small, yet significant part in my decision as well. I feel very lucky.
Michael Granda, MD
Hometown: Scottsdale, AZ
Medical School: Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA
Residency: Univ of Miami, Jackson Memorial Hosp, Miami, FL
Hobbies: Cooking, kayaking
Why UW?:
While my choice to interview at UW was about the objective features we judge all fellowships, ultimately I chose to go to UW because of the intangible. This program made me feel the most at home, and clearly wanted to make a strong lifelong connection with its fellows and ensure everybody has the tools they need in work and life. At every step, UW and its fellowship leadership prove that you are a valued member of the department. As a research fellow, it was especially surprising to me how well versed UW was in my particular interests before I even arrived.
Simon Hsu, MD, MS
Hometown: San Jose, CA
Medical School: Jacobs School of Medicine, Univ at Buffalo, NY
Residency: University of California, San Diego
Hobbies: Film-making, hiking, cooking, board games
Why UW?:
Without question, the people. Not only are the faculty and fellows incredibly skilled clinicians, they are also generous, accessible, cultured, and importantly, fun. UW easily fulfills the other requisite attributes of a stellar nephrology training program: program leadership who listens; multiple training sites with diverse patient populations to match; an abundance of research opportunities with a T32 training grant for fellows interested in research. Cap that off with Seattle's food culture, summer festivals, blue waters and lush greenery. It's undeniable.
Ben Lidgard, MD
Hometown: Seattle, WA
Medical School: University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Residency: Harbor - UCLA, Torrance, CA
Hobbies: Climbing, hiking, camping, reading, board games with family and friends
Why UW?:
The combination of world-class faculty, excellent research opportunities, and great location were huge factors in choosing UW. What really sold me was how personable everyone was, and how invested the faculty are in fellow education.
Christine Limonte, MD
Hometown: Miami, FL
Medical School: Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Residency: Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
Hobbies: Film, music, board games, running
Why UW?:
I chose UW because I knew it would provide me with excellent clinical training by allowing me to engage with a diverse patient population across a range of hospital sites. Additionally, I knew UW would help me develop a successful career as a physician-scientist through strong mentorship and involvement in research opportunities as part of the Kidney Research Institute.
Frances Tian, MD
Hometown: Salt Lake City, Utah
Medical School: The Ohio State University College of Medicine
Residency: University of Illinois at Chicago
Hobbies: Hiking, skiing, photography, and hanging out with my 1 year old miniature golden doodle
Why UW?:
I am interested in both the research and medical education aspects of academic nephrology. Since my days as a teaching assistant in college I have found teaching and interacting with learners to be one of the most professionally satisfying aspects of medicine. During my interview, I was particularly impressed with how well established and accessible the medical education program is. Furthermore the abundance of resources, accessibility of successful mentors, and warmth of the department are indisputable. I feel strongly that training at UW will be exceptional for my personal and professional growth.
Transplant
Ben Boonpheng, MD
Hometown: Bangkok, Thailand
Medical School: Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
Residency: East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN General Nephrology Fellowship: UCLA
Hobbies: Reading, trying new restaurants.
Why UW?:
Strong clinical program with world-class research in a beautiful West Coast city of Seattle.