Editor-in-Chief
Darshana Shah, PhD – (Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, West Virginia, USA)
Dr. Darshana Shah completed her postdoctoral research training within the Department of Pathology at the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine. She has been a member of the School of Medicine faculty since 1997. The focus of Dr. Shah’s work has been working with institutional leaders in supporting faculty by creating resources, guiding policy-building, and contributing to developing programs and practices that have positively impacted the career advancement of faculty. Her research and scholarship delve deeply into faculty vitality and retention. Dr. Shah currently serves as a senior advisor for the mentor training program and leads professional development in Team Science for the West Virginia Clinical and Translational Science Institute (WVCTSI). She also has a special interest in microbiology and immunology.
Editorial Board
Sutoidem Akpanudo, MD, PhD, MPH, FACP – (Fayetteville VA Medical Center, North Carolina, USA)
Dr. Sutoidem Akpanudo is a primary care doctor in Durham, NC specializing in primary care and internal medicine (adult medicine). He graduated from the University of Port Harcourt College of Health Sciences. Dr. Akpanudo is affiliated with the Veterans Health Administration (VA) and Durham VA Medical Center. Dr. Akpanudo’s research interests include smoking cessation, survey research methods, patient satisfaction, school health and rural health.
Osama Al-Omar, MD, FACS – (West Virginia University, West Virginia, USA)
Dr. Osama Al-Omar is a Professor and Vice Chair; Chief of Pediatric Urology at WVU Healthcare. Dr. Al-Omar has a special interest in pediatric urology including: external genitalia reconstructive surgery (hypospadias, undescended testes, hydrocele), fetal evaluation of urological anomalies (prenatal hydronehrosis), vesicoureteral reflux, UTI, ureteropelvic junction obstructions, spina bifida and neurogenic bladder, and kidney and bladder stones. He earned his medical degree at Aleppo University School of Medicine in Aleppo, Syria. Dr. Al-Omar completed a urology residency at Tishreen Military Hospital in Damascus, Syria, and a pediatric urology fellowship at Children’s Hospital of Michigan, Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan.
Alice Fornari, EdD, RDN – (Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, New York, USA)
Dr. Alice Fornari is the Associate Dean of Educational Skills Development Zucker Som at Hofstra/Northwell and is the Vice President of Faculty Development for the 23 hospitals of the Northwell Health organization. Her faculty development role at both institutions is designed to align the UME, GME, and CME continuum. Serving in these roles for the past 8 years allows her to bring UME curricular innovations to the GME programs and recruit educators from GME to participate in faculty development and teaching at the Zucker School of Medicine. Dr. Fornari obtained her EdD in higher Education, College Teaching, and Academic Leadership at Columbia University, Teachers College in 2001. Her research interest was focused on curriculum to support ethical decision-making for healthcare professionals.
Steven T. Haller, PhD – (The University of Toledo, Ohio, USA)
Dr. Steven T. Haller is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Toledo Department of Medicine. His research focuses on the molecular mechanisms leading to the development and progression of end stage renal disease as well as on the health effects of cyanotoxin exposure in pre-existing disease states. Dr. Haller obtained his PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Toledo Health Sciences Campus in 2012.
Aaron McGuffin, MD – (West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, West Virginia, USA)
Dr. Aaron McGuffin is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine. He obtained his MD from the Marshall University School of Medicine specializing in pediatrics. Dr. McGuffin’s research interests include pediatric case reports and medical education.
Zuber D. Mulla, PhD, CPH, FACE – (Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, Texas, USA)
Dr. Zuber D. Mulla serves as a professor of obstetrics and gynecology and assistant dean for faculty development at TTUHSC El Paso. Dr. Mulla earned his Ph.D. in epidemiology from the University of South Florida College of Public Health in Tampa. He has published over 80 papers in peer-reviewed journals. He is a recipient of the Outstanding Teacher Award from the El Paso Regional Campus of the University of Texas School of Public Health at Houston, and a recipient of the 2017 University of South Florida College of Public Health Outstanding Alumni Award. Mulla’s professional interests include faculty development, clinical simulation research, women’s health, and perinatal epidemiology. He joined TTUHSC El Paso in 2006.
Aravinda Nanjundappa, MD, FACC, FSCAI, RVT – (Cleveland Clinic, Ohio, USA)
Dr. Aravinda Nanjundappa is an interventional cardiologist in Cleveland, Ohio, and is affiliated with Cleveland Clinic. He has training in peripheral vascular interventions, large bore access, treatment of PE and DVT and focuses on the prevention of heart disease by prompting a healthy plant-based diet, exercise, steps to reduce stress, and meditation. He received his medical degree from the Adichunchanagiri Institute of Medical Sciences and has practiced for over 20 years.
Stephen Peterson, MD, MACP, FAHA – (New York Methodist Hospital at Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, USA)
Dr. Stephen J. Peterson is a top internist who lends his skills and expertise to serve patients at Park Slope Medicine PC at New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital in Brooklyn, New York. He additionally serves as chairman of the Department of Internal Medicine at New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital (2013-present), Professor of Clinical Medicine in the Joan and Sanford I. Weill Department of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College (2015-present), and Assistant Dean of New York Methodist Hospital at Weill Cornell Medicine (2016-Present). With thirty-five years of experience as an internist, Dr. Peterson specializes in diagnosing and treating a wide range of conditions, including asthma, anemia, arrhythmia, arthritis, acid reflux, atrial fibrillation, bronchitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, cholesterol management, complementary medicine, congestive heart failure, diabetes, diabetes, hypertension, mitral valve prolapses, and obesity.
Juan Sanabria, MD, MSc, FRCSC, FACS – (Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, West Virginia, USA)
Dr. Juan Sanabria is a Professor of Surgery as well as the Vice-Chair and Scientific Director at the Marshall University School of Medicine. Dr. Sanabria grew up in South America, where he obtained his M.D., a degree that subsequently was validated at the University of Toronto. During his stay in Toronto, he published more than 20 peer review papers and was part of the team that started the living-related liver transplantation program, nowadays the most successful program of its kind in America. He was also part of the team that started the Mount Sinai Cancer Registry for patients with familial polyposis, which has evolved to become today the Ontario Cancer Registry, the largest in Canada. Dr. Sanabria’s interests include primary liver tumors and liver regeneration, treatments for locally advanced liver and pancreas tumors, and patient/population outcomes.
Errington C. Thompson, MD, FACS, FCCM – (Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, West Virginia, USA)
Dr. Errington Thompson is board-certified in general surgery and surgical critical care. He was born in Kansas City, Missouri but grew up in Dallas, Texas, and went to college at Emory University, where he graduated with a BA in Chemistry. Dr. Thompson attended medical school at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas. Dr. Thompson is an active member of a number of medical organizations, including the American Medical Association, the American College of Surgeons, the Society of Black Academic Surgeons, The Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma, The American Association for the Surgery of Trauma and the Society of Critical Care Medicine. He has published more than two dozen articles and 5 book chapters. His interests include ventilator management, end-of-life decision making, and invasive patient monitoring.
Wendy L. Ward, PhD, ABPP, FAPA – (University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Arkansas, USA)
Dr. Wendy L. Ward is currently a professor with tenure in the College of Medicine and associate provost for faculty in Academic Affairs at UAMS. She received her doctoral degree in 1996, followed by a residency at Rush-St Luke’s-Presbyterian Medical Center in Chicago and a postdoctoral fellowship at UAMS. She oversees the Center for Faculty Excellence, which provides recruitment, onboarding, orientation, faculty development, mentoring, promotion/tenure review, retirement transitioning, and other supportive services across the faculty life cycle. She also oversees the Office of Continuing Education, which provides interprofessional continuing education credits for events throughout the state. She specializes in faculty affairs, development, and integrated team-based care. Dr. Ward is an American Psychological Association Fellow and received the UAMS Chancellor’s Teaching Award in Teaching Excellence in Society and Health for her faculty development efforts. Her clinical practice is focused on coping with chronic illness/injury, adherence to medication protocols, and nonpharmacological pain management.
Tamela J. White, BSN, MPH, JD – (Farrell, White & Legg, PLLC, West Virginia, USA)
Tammy White is a member and one of the founding attorneys of Farrell, White & Legg, PLLC. A premier trial lawyer, she was the first female trial lawyer from West Virginia to be elected to the International Association of Defense Counsel. Chambers USA has recognized her as an outstanding litigator. With a nursing degree from Ohio State University, where she was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, she had ten years of experience as a critical care and oncology nurse and hospital administrator before her distinguished legal career. In 2011, Tammy completed a Master of Public Health degree from Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health. This achievement substantially enhances her role as an accomplished advocate for clients in the public health industry.
Production Editors
Anna Hughes, M.A., MLIS
Julie Robinson, MPA, MLIS
Mackenzie Fravel, BS
Emily Price, MAE, BA
For questions or general inquiries, please contact the MJM Editorial Office at MJM@Marshall.edu
1600 Medical Center Drive Huntington, WV 25701
