News

Dr. Majd Mokbel joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine as an Instructor in July 2025.  He started his journey at the University of Michigan Dearborn for his undergraduate studies, graduating with a double major in biochemistry and Spanish. Following graduation, Dr. Mokbel followed his passion for community service by serving in […]

Michael Lin, MD, SFHM, is an Associate Professor of Medicine and Senior Fellow of Hospital Medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine. Dr. Lin is an integral part of the division and the hospital, having served on multiple committees for both WashU Medicine and BJC, and as the president-elect of the Barnes-Jewish Hospital Medical Staff […]

Below are the Department of Medicine providers who ranked in the top 20% for ambulatory patient satisfaction in the 2024-2025 academic year. Thank you for your exceptional commitment to enhancing the ambulatory patient experience over the past year. While all of our providers perform admirably, these individuals have distinguished themselves within our Department.

Dr. Aarthi Venkatramanan joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine as an Instructor in July 2025. Her diverse upbringing—spending her early years in the United States and later completing her education in India—has shaped a global perspective that enhances both her clinical approach and patient care. Dr. Venkatramanan graduated with Honors […]

Early this year, not long after President Donald Trump took office, his administration started terminating grants awarded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), disrupting studies and unmooring biomedical and public health research communities.

Researchers at the WashU Medicine  Sah Lab in the Center for Cardiovascular Research and their collaborators have published findings that provide a proof of concept for a  novel drug class to treat myocardial infarction and stroke. Rajan Sah, MD, PhD, a professor of medicine in the cardiovascular division, worked with multiple teams that collaborated to observe and describe a […]

Dr. Michelle Baliss joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology as an Assistant Professor in July 2025. Her clinical focus lies in advanced endoscopic procedures with expertise in therapeutic ultrasound, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), advanced endoscopic resection techniques (endoscopic mucosal resection and endoscopic submucosal dissection), peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) for the management […]

Dr. Melis Gokce Celdir joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology as an Assistant Professor in July 2025. Dr. Celdir earned her medical degree at Koç University School of Medicine in Istanbul, Turkey in 2017. She joined the Celiac Disease Research Group at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota as a research fellow (2018-2019). […]

June is national cancer survivorship awareness month. Siteman Cancer Center operates a survivorship clinic, a much needed community resource. As, thanks to cancer research, there are currently more than 18 million people living with a history of cancer in the US. 

Dr. Ali Abdelhay joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine as an Instructor in July 2025. Originally from Jordan, he earned his medical degree from the University of Jordan Faculty of Medicine in 2019, graduating among the top of his class. He later completed his internal medicine residency at Rochester General […]

Dr. Shuchi Pandey joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine as an Instructor in July 2025. Originally from India, Dr. Pandey earned her medical degree from the University of Delhi in 2021. She is a proud graduate of Lady Hardinge Medical College, India’s first all-women’s medical school, founded in 1914 to […]

Dr. Devvrat Yadav joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine as an Instructor in July 2025. He completed his medical school from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, the most prestigious medical institute in India. Following medical school, Dr. Yadav completed a two-year Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in the […]

Dr. Nikita Wadhwani joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine as an Instructor in July 2025. The stark differences in access to healthcare drew her into the field of medicine. Additionally, growing up in a household with varied cultural backgrounds and perspectives shaped her understanding of accepting and valuing different viewpoints […]

Dr. Mathew Thomas joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine as an Instructor in July 2025. He was born in Buffalo, NY and spent most of his upbringing in Eau Claire, WI. He graduated from Boston College, MA, with a major in Mathematics and a minor in Chemistry. During his undergraduate career, […]

Dr. Shaili Tapiavala joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine as an Instructor in July of 2025. She was born in New York and soon moved to Dallas, Texas. She attended the University of Miami with merit scholarship and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Biology and Public Health and a minor […]

Dr. Jia Tang joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine as an Instructor in July 2025. She grew up in the beautiful countryside of central China before attending Tongji Medical College, where she graduated with a medical degree and also completed the Internal Medicine residency program. Her early years in medicine solidified […]

Dr. Adnan Qureshi joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine as an Instructor in July 2025. Originally from Pakistan, he has pursued a path of academic excellence and dedication to patient care.  He earned his medical degree on a full scholarship from Nishtar Medical College. He was actively involved in co […]

Dr. Vinathi Polamraju joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine as an Instructor in July of 2025. She was raised in Dallas, Texas, and attended Texas A&M University, where she graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences and a double minor in neuroscience and business administration through […]

Dr. Kirtan Patolia joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine as an Instructor in July of 2025. He completed medical school at B.J. Medical College, Ahmedabad in India, before moving to Chicago for an Internal Medicine residency at John H. Stroger Jr., Hospital of Cook County. His desire to become an […]

Dr. Jessica Ohemeng-Dapaah joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine as an Instructor in July 2025. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Human Biology from the University of Science and Technology in Ghana, West Africa, in 2011. She then completed her medical degree, a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery, in […]

Dr. Bashar Natour joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine as an Instructor in 2025. He was born and raised in Amman, Jordan, he earned his medical degree from the Hashemite University Medical School in 2019 before moving to the United States to continue his training. Dr. Natour completed his internal medicine […]

Dr. Eric Mittauer joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine as an Instructor in July of 2025. He was born in Honolulu, Hawaii and grew up across the country in Florida, Virginia, Connecticut, and Iowa. He attended college at the University of Iowa, graduating with honors in 2018 with a BS […]

Dr. Nikita Melnikov joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine as an Instructor in July 2025. Originally from the southern seaside town of Taganrog, Russia, his upbringing fostered his joyful, passionate, and caring personality. During high school, he focused on foreign languages and natural sciences, presenting his projects at regional science competitions. […]

Dr. Brian Kocak joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine as an Instructor in July of 2025. He was born and grew up outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and he attended the University of Pittsburgh for undergraduate and medical studies. He graduated summa cum laude with dual degrees in philosophy and microbiology […]

Dr. Adam Kneepkens joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine as an Instructor in July 2025. He was born and raised in Duluth, MN, before attending Saint Louis University, where he received a bachelor’s degree in political science and biology. While at SLU, he was a member of the University Honors Program, […]

Dr. Parneet Kaur Hari joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine as an Instructor in Medicine in July 2025. She was born in Bathinda, a small town in the state of Punjab, India, in 1996. She has always been driven by curiosity and compassion, which naturally steered her toward the world […]

Dr. Richard Van Besien joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine as an Assistant Professor in July 2025. He first came to St. Louis for undergrad at WashU. Medical school brought him back to his home state to attend the University of Maryland on a full merit scholarship. While […]

Dr. Osler Guzon joined the Department of Medicine in the Cardiovascular Division as an Assistant Professor in July 2025. He is a board-certified preventive cardiologist with clinical expertise caring for patients with cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome, pericardial diseases, and obesity-linked conditions such as diabetes and obstructive sleep apnea.  Promoting nutrition and a healthy, active lifestyle as a […]

Dr. Fred Karaisz joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology as an Instructor in July. In residency, he loved teaching medical students and residents, particularly in bedside procedures, including lines, lumbar punctures, and paracenteses. These experiences translated well in gastroenterology, where he discovered my passion for therapeutic endoscopy. He hopes to work in […]

Dr. Sopiko Gogia joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine as an Instructor in July 2025. She earned her medical degree from the American MD Program at Tbilisi State Medical University in 2020. During medical school, she actively participated in several community serving projects. After graduation, she worked as a junior […]