Current Residents and Alumni in Medicine-Pediatrics

Anjali Fernandes, M.D.

Hometown/Education: Originally from Perrysburg, Ohio, Dr. Fernandes completed her undergraduate and medical school education at The Ohio State University.

Why UTSW Med-Peds: “I loved the warm welcome from the residents and the program leadership on my interview day. I really felt like I could feel at home here and have a great residency experience. I also was attracted to how strong the categorical programs are and how they work to support Med-Peds.”

Outside of Medicine: Dr. Fernandes enjoys reading, writing, being outside, swimming, playing violin, rowing, and exploring new places to eat.

Ask Me About: Moving to Texas (from far away), medical humanities, how awesome my co-residents are!

Robin Granberry, M.D.

Hometown/Education: Dr. Granberry was born and raised in Houston, where she attended Rice University and earned her degree in cognitive science. After college, she spent a year in San Francisco teaching as well as eating as much delicious food and going to as many parks as she could. She returned to Texas for medical school at UT Southwestern.

Why UTSW Med-Peds: “My favorite part about UTSW was the people—every Med-Peds resident and attending physician I worked with was so amazing, not only great doctors but also so friendly and welcoming. Being part of a program that was a family was one of the things I looked for most in a residency, and when I saw how close everyone was and how they had fun and got together even on rotation, I knew I wanted to stay at UTSW. I also knew that UTSW had such strong categorical programs on both sides that I wouldn't have to worry about being trained as a great internist as well as a pediatrician and would have opportunities in any fellowship that I end up choosing.”

Outside of Medicine: Dr. Granberry enjoys exploring Dallas with her dog Bella, baking for her friends and co-residents, and driving fast in her car.

Ask Me About: Living in Dallas, dating during residency, staying close to family

Christian Lumley, M.D.

Hometown/Education: Dr. Lumley was born in Grapevine, Texas, but has lived across the western U.S. as he grew up in a military family. He received his bachelor's degree in biology from the University of Texas at Austin, with two multidisciplinary minors in arts and cultural movements of enlightenment Europe and core texts and ideas. He pursued a master's degree in the medical humanities at King’s College London before completing medical school at UT Southwestern, where he received his medical degree with distinction in global health.

Why UTSW Med-Peds: “The Med-Peds residents and faculty I met on the wards as a medical student were truly some of the kindest, most interesting, and smartest people I encountered in medical school. I decided I wanted to be like them when I grew up (and still do!). When it came down to selecting a program, it was a no-brainer—I wanted to work with the incredible people who inspired me to this field in the first place. That, and to work at some of the best hospitals in the country—especially Parkland, with its commitment to offering world-class care to underserved populations.”

Outside of Medicine: In his free time, Dr. Lumley enjoys growing and cooking with chili peppers, playing trivia with friends, fingerstyle guitar, and film photography.

Ask About: My list of 300-plus Dallas restaurants and coffee shops; medical humanities at UTSW; staying on after doing medical school at UTSW; how to grow chili peppers

Nicholas Sevey, M.D., M.P.H.

Hometown/Education: Dr. Sevey was born in Austin, Texas, but grew up in the small West Texas town of Coahoma. After earning bachelor’s degrees in biology and psychology at the University of Texas at Austin, he spent two years in the South Bronx teaching middle school science while earning a master’s degree in education. He then returned to Texas where he taught high school biology in Dallas for an additional two years. Dr. Sevey went on to earn his medical degree from UT Southwestern and a master's degree in public health from UT Houston.

Why UTSW Med-Peds: “Experiencing Med-Peds as a student at UTSW made staying here for residency an easy decision. As a resident, I get to enjoy the three-in-one benefit of being medicine, pediatrics, and Med-Peds at an institution that does all three beautifully. This includes making a direct impact across the D-FW area through powerhouse hospitals like Parkland, Children’s, and Clements. Supported by a strong Med-Peds community and dedicated leadership across all three programs, UT Southwestern provides an exciting and rigorous training environment that I know will shape me into the Med-Peds physician that I want to become.”

Outside of Medicine: Outside of medicine, Dr. Sevey enjoys spending time with his fiancé, friends, and family; listening to music; cooking; and exploring the Dallas food scene.

Ask About: Being a non-traditional student and resident; having a partner in medicine; all things education

Abel De Castro, M.D.

Hometown/Education: Originally from the suburban town of Arcadia in Southern California, Dr. De Castro studied organismal biology at Azusa Pacific University. He then moved to the Valley of the Sun, where he completed his medical education at the University of Arizona College of Medicine–Phoenix, where he was heavily involved in Street Medicine Phoenix, a student-led organization that provides care to the unhoused population of Phoenix.

Why UTSW Med-Peds: "Almost immediately during my pre-interview social, I felt the overwhelming sense that these were going to be my people. I saw how they genuinely enjoyed spending time with each other and how they felt supported by the program leadership. Being here for a year now, I have found this to be so true. I have been blown away by the kindness and camaraderie fostered by our faculty, fellows, and co-residents. Ultimately, this program felt like a small family with the support of largely successful categorical counterparts. Having opportunities to rotate at hospitals like Parkland, Childrens, and Clements, while also being supported in any academic endeavor makes the education here at UTSW unique. It also helps that the food scene here is absolute fire."

Outside of Medicine: Dr. De Castro is a HUGE foodie. He loves finding the next best date night restaurant or cocktail bar and supporting the Arizona Cardinals and Phoenix Suns.

Ask About: Medical education; being fed at UTSW; what it's like being married in residency; and being a doggo owner

Marisa Salazar, M.D.

Hometown/Education: Originally from Las Cruces, New Mexico, Dr. Salazar obtained her undergraduate degree in chemistry at Princeton University. She graduated from the Arizona campus of Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, with a detour with the NIH Medical Scholars Research Program to play with parasites. 

Why UTSW Med-Peds: “I am interested in global health in the broadest sense—working with marginalized communities to address systemic barriers that limit their access to quality healthcare. With the UT Southwestern Med-Peds program, I have started this career now working with the incredibly diverse populations at Parkland, Children’s, and Clements. Most of all, I appreciated the spirit of the program to build up global health opportunities that are mutually beneficial, and to make the most of glocal opportunities to work with local immigrant, refugee, and other underserved communities. During my intern year, I have found so many more reasons this was the right choice for me—would be happy to share some of them anytime!”

Outside of Medicine: Dr. Salazar enjoys finding the best taco shops in Dallas, hanging out with family and friends, baking and eating baked goods, and playing with her cats.

Ask About: Global Health; getting cats in residency; certifying as a bilingual provider; great restaurants

Vinita Shivakumar, M.D., M.P.H.

Hometown/Education: Dr. Shivakumar was born in San Diego, California, and grew up in Bangalore, India. She completed her bachelor's degree in biochemistry at Rice University in Houston, during which time she developed an interest in medicine and legislative advocacy. She went on to attend Stanford School of Medicine with a one-year sojourn to Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health for a master's degree in Health Policy.

Why UTSW Med-Peds: “From the pre-interview care package to the thoughtful questions I received, my interview with UT Southwestern immediately stood out as a program that had it all. Happy and genuinely close residents, program leadership that saw and cared for each resident in the program, and a faculty and patient population that provides unparalleled learning opportunities at multiple different institutions. I also love living in Dallas—never a shortage of experiences and community.”

Outside of Medicine: Dr. Shivakuma enjoys reading, playing board games, listening to music, and engaging in fun activities (hiking, pickleball, climbing).

Ask About: Health policy; finding things to do in Dallas

Tyler Shimfessel, M.D.

Hometown/Education: Born and raised on a cattle farm in Winchester, Kentucky, Dr. Shimfessel obtained his undergraduate degree in bioengineering from the University of Louisville. During this time, he worked for Johnson & Johnson designing custom joint replacements and surgical devices. He then moved a little closer to home, completing medical school at the University of Kentucky in Lexington.

Why UTSW Med-Peds: “When interviewing at UT Southwestern, each person in the program's leadership had a different approach to why UTSW would make me the best physician and person I could be. We discussed specific courses and mentors to aid me in individual growth, focused on the humanistic side of medicine and how UTSW, Parkland, and Children’s bring healthcare to everyone in Dallas, and emphasized that this program is Big M and Big P, creating a physician who is competent and confident in what they know. Each resident and faculty member is your friend and family (check out our buddy system and X+Y schedule!), and of course, the free food at noon conference!”

Outside of Medicine: In his free time, Dr. Shimfessel enjoys playing volleyball, hiking (he’s been to over 15 national parks), watching reruns of "Friends," going on dog daycations, trying every coffee shop in Dallas, and exploring new restaurants and bars with friends.

Ask About: Moving to Texas without knowing anyone here; medical education; all things cardiology

Brittany Hopkins, M.D.

Hometown/Education: Born in Greensboro, North Carolina, but raised in Tampa, Florida, Dr. Hopkins obtained her undergraduate degree from Florida State University and then taught high school for two years. She eventually completed her medical education at Meharry Medical College in Nashville.

Why UTSW Med-Peds: “During the pre-interview social, it was clear to me that the residents at the program genuinely liked each other and were clearly friends outside of working at the hospital. This was followed by my interview the next day where I fell in love with the mission of Parkland and was simultaneously impressed by the passion that Dr. Walsh and Dr. Albin had for their program and supporting their residents. All this led me to be assured that I would be going to a program that would be supportive and allow me to become the best Med-Peds doctor possible.”

Outside of Medicine: Dr. Hopkins enjoys exploring new restaurants/bars around Dallas, traveling, and cooking.

Ask About: The best places to take your pup in Dallas

Precious Ndukwe, M.D.

Hometown/Education: Born in Ikeja, Nigeria, Dr. Ndukwe moved with her parents to the U.S. when she was an infant. Growing up in Maryland, she decided to pursue her undergraduate degree at Howard University. She then performed a year of service working as a patient care coordinator in Detroit, Michigan, before returning to Howard for her medical degree.

Why UTSW Med-Peds: “I chose UT Southwestern first and foremost because of my desire to work with the underserved. My alma mater instilled the importance of pouring back into the community. I loved that UTSW was actually making an impact in the community and providing much-needed resources to the D-FW area. Second, the leadership here is like no other. Even before my interview day, Dr. Walsh was on it, answering every question I had about the UTSW Med-Peds Program. Talking to her and Dr. Albin on my interview day further confirmed how dedicated the leadership is to the residents and to meaningful health care. Last, I believed I would thrive here. Both categorical programs are absolute trailblazers. I knew I would receive the training I needed to be an excellent doctor. I feel like I belong here.”

Outside of Medicine: When she's not at the hospital, Dr. Ndukwe enjoys exploring Dallas' food scene, reading, cooking, and talking to friends and family.

Ask About: Residency as an under-represented minority in medicine

Dale Oommen, M.D.

Hometown/Education: Originally from Long Valley, New Jersey, Dr. Oommen obtained his undergraduate degree from the College of New Jersey in Ewing and his medical degree from the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick.

Why UTSW Med-Peds: “What immediately drew me in was the program leadership. There was an authentic kindness and passion in how they carried themselves that really resonated with me. Taking a closer look at the program, it was clear that it had incredibly strong categorical programs and an incredible range of training opportunities you could use to become whatever kind of physician you wanted to be. I have been blown away by the support I have gotten since being here and am loving living in Dallas!”

Outside of Medicine: Dr. Oommen loves being outside (hiking, biking, camping), playing video games, cooking, listening/playing music, and exploring the food scene.

Ask About: Couples matching; moving to Texas after spending all your time in another state; medical education

Tyler Wall, M.D.

Hometown/Education: Born and raised in Sault Ste. Marie in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Dr. Wall completed his bachelor's degree in biochemistry at Lake Superior State University, during which time he developed an interest in the human body and medicine. He then completed medical school at Michigan State University's College of Human Medicine in East Lansing.

Why UTSW Med-Peds: “So many things stood out to me with UT Southwestern that made this opportunity incredibly hard to pass up. The strong clinical training on both the medicine and pediatrics sides combined with the supportive program leadership and close-knit residents couldn't be beat. Also, after 28 years of Michigan winters, the opportunity to experience sunshine year-round while exploring the city of Dallas didn't hurt, either.”

Outside of medicine: Dr. Wall enjoys being active and utilizing the Katy trail in Dallas has been incredibly helpful for this. He has recently taken up golf, which has become his latest work-in-progress hobby. He’s also an avid Detroit sports fan and love watching the Detroit Red Wings and Lions on his time off.

Ask About: Moving across the country or Life in uptown Dallas

Zach Blair, M.D.

Hometown/Education: Born in Frisco, Texas, Dr. Blair obtained his undergraduate degree in biology from the University of North Texas in Denton. He then completed his medical degree at UT Southwestern.

Why UTSW Med-Peds: “The faculty push you to be the best you possibly can be in a supportive environment. You get to work alongside world leaders in their respective fields, but you would never know it because of how humble everyone is. At UT Southwestern you truly can find multiple faculty mentors who are interested in whatever niche of medicine you find most fascinating, no matter how specific. In the end I wanted to train in an environment that values discovery and individual growth while also never forgetting the human side of medicine.”

Outside of Medicine: In his free time, he enjoys watching and playing hockey, exercising, exploring local Dallas eats, and hanging out with his wife and their cat.

Ask About: Dallas coffee and food; pulmonary crititical research at UTSW; the Dallas music scene

Upasana Chandra, M.D.

Hometown/Education: Originally from Alpharetta, Georgia, Dr. Chandra attended Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, where she earned her undergraduate degree in neuroscience. She then returned to Georgia for her medical education at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta

Why UTSW Med-Peds: “Going through an entirely virtual interview season was intimidating, but my UT Southwestern interview felt like I had found the next home in my medical journey. I was looking for a Med-Peds program with supportive program leadership, strong categorical training on both sides, underserved patient populations, and a close-knit resident family—UT Southwestern had it all. Finally—living in a diverse and growing city like Dallas has been an added bonus!”

Outside of Medicine: Upasana loves reading (her favorite genres are literary fiction and horror), puttering around in the kitchen trying new recipes, going to concerts and growing her collection of vinyl records, and exploring local restaurants and yoga studios!

Ask About: Health equity and narrative medicine; life as an LGBTQ resident; moving to Texas from out of state

Suraj Rama, M.D.

Hometown/Education: Growing up in Lexington, Kentucky, it seemed almost inevitable that Dr. Rama would attend the University of Kentucky for both his undergraduate and medical school.

Why UTSW Med-Peds: “I chose UTSW for so many reasons. Everything is bigger in Texas—including the hospitals we rotate through. It allows for lots of patient exposure with some interesting pathologies. This is a program where the IM and Peds sides are so strong and we have lots of opportunity to make so many friends and connections. We also get the luxury of having our close-knit Med-Peds family who make this transition so much more fun. I truly felt like I found my people on interview day.”

Outside of Medicine: Dr. Rama enjoys playing with his new puppy Maui Rama, exploring the food scene in Dallas, and being a true Netflix enthusiast. He loves that Dallas provides access to so many sporting events, Broadway shows and concerts—always something to do during our Golden Weekends!

Ask Me About: Medical education; Med-Peds hospitalist career; moving after spending all of his time in his hometown

Samarth Shrivastava, M.D.

Hometown/Education: Originally from Philadelphia, Dr. Shrivastava attended the University of Pennsylvania for his undergraduate degree. During college, he spent time working at an LGBTQ community health center, which sparked his interest in medicine. After graduating, he spent a year working for Planned Parenthood in Pittsburgh focused on sexual health education among adolescents. He then decided to head south to UT Southwestern where he completed his medical education.

Why UTSW Med-Peds: “I really wanted a big M, big P program that didn't compromise on either front! UT Southwestern has that with stellar faculty on both sides and the facilities to match. If you want to be a general med-peds hospitalist or have the broad training base and research experience needed to be an excellent subspecialist, I can't imagine a more thorough education than the one we get at UTSW.”

Outside of Medicine: Hanging out with his dog/son, taking care of the houseplant jungle in his apartment, learning Japanese, competing with Upasana for the best time on the NY Times cross puzzle, reading novels, and honing his espresso craft.

Ask Me About: Gastroenterology; research; quality improvement; LGBTQ experience