MSV Blog Posts

Member Spotlight: Scott Armistead, MD

By Paige Bishop posted 4 days ago
Where did you grow up? Mechanicsville, VA Why did you choose a career in medicine? I felt called to missionary medicine during my first year in college. What is your favorite part about being a physician and why? I value the bond with people and families formed by walking with them in their journey through the challenges of illness. Is there a specific event or learning experience that you had that served as an “a-ha” moment or growth opportunity? I was able to shadow a missionary doctor in Kenya during the summer after my junior year in college. I observed the demise of a young boy with Burkitt’s ...

Member Spotlight: Mark Townsend, MD

By Paige Bishop posted 25 days ago
Where did you grow up? I lived in 14 different places (all in Canada) by the age of 14, and then my family moved to a cabin in the woods of Shenandoah County, Virginia. I lived there until I went to college, and count it as my childhood home. Why did you choose a career in medicine? I actually wanted to be a Corpsman in the Marine Corps, and tried to enlist when I was 17 / before finishing college. When I brought a Marine recruiter home with me, rather than signing the paper work, my Dad encouraged me to complete high school and figure out how to go to college. That launched my medical career. What is your favorite part about ...

Member Spotlight: Therese Weidenkopf

By Paige Bishop posted 10-30-2025
Where did you grow up? Northern Virginia (NOVA) Why did you choose a career in medicine? I wanted to be a surgeon since I was eight and had an appendectomy. I liked the hospital, my surgeon, my abdominal scar, and really wanted to see my appendix. I figured the only way to get there was to be a doctor and I pursued it and became more interested in it throughout my life and ended up applying to be a neurosurgeon this year for residency. What is your favorite part about being a physician and why? I love operating. I find something so unique in understanding the anatomy of a person’s body and spirit. Giving someone function ...

Member Spotlight: Priyanka Kumar, MD

By Paige Bishop posted 10-10-2025
Where did you grow up? I grew up in Houston, Texas. I went to the University of Texas at Austin for undergrad, stayed for medical school at UT, and then came to Virginia for residency and fellowship—which has now become home for me and my family. Why did you choose a career in medicine? For me, medicine was always about making a difference for people who didn’t have resources or a strong voice in their care. Growing up, I saw my parents struggle with language barriers in the healthcare system, and it left a lasting impression. I wanted to become the kind of physician who could not only treat but also advocate for patients. That same passion for ...

Member Spotlight: Lee Ouyang, MD

By Paige Bishop posted 09-24-2025
Where did you grow up? Flemington, NJ. It was the garden part of the Garden State! Why did you choose a career in medicine? My undergraduate degree was in biomedical engineering, and while it was exciting and there were many opportunities from that, I felt that medicine was a natural fit. There are just as many opportunities to solve problems, but I am able to get to know my patients and their stories. What is your favorite part about being a physician and why? There are lots of great parts of being an OBGYN. Selfishly, when a patient comes back to my office for a post operative visit telling me that they are feeling the best ...

Member Spotlight: Kathleen Scarbalis, PA-C

By Paige Bishop posted 09-12-2025
Where did you grow up? Saratoga Springs, NY; the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains, a beautiful place I have family and continue to visit. Why did you choose a career in medicine? Two of my loves are science and education. Medicine beautifully combines these. I was a chemistry major with a teaching minor in college. In the days before the internet, my mother sent me a newspaper clipping about the PA program at Albany Medical Center. What a great idea! What is your favorite part about being a PA and why? Relationships are important to me. The collaborative relationship with work colleagues and patient relationships ...

Member Spotlight: Karina Parr, MD

By Paige Bishop posted 08-29-2025
Where did you grow up? I have lived overseas and traveled extensively throughout my childhood before moving to Texas, where I finished high school. All my subsequent education was there, including Texas A&M Medical School and Baylor Scott and White residency. Why did you choose a career in medicine? Both of my parents are physicians. My mother is a pediatric orthopedic surgeon and my father is a pathologist. They were always very generous with their time and medical training. My mom made house calls to check on her friends’ children any time there was a need. She volunteered as a team doctor for my and my sister’s athletic ...

Member Spotlight: Olaoluwa Omotowa, MD

By Paige Bishop posted 08-08-2025
Where did you grow up? I grew up in Idaho Falls, Idaho Why did you choose a career in medicine? My father was trained as a chemist, obtaining his PhD in Chemistry and my mother was trained as a bedside nurse, obtaining her PhD in Nursing Policy. From an early age I enjoyed meeting all the people my mother helped and loved having discussions about science with my father. A career in Medicine was a natural fit for me as it was a perfect blend of science and caring for others. What is your favorite part about being a physician and why? My favorite part about being a physician is caring for patients and answering ...

Member Spotlight: Trice Gravette, MD

By Paige Bishop posted 08-01-2025
Where did you grow up? West Springfield , VA Why did you choose a career in medicine? My father, and grandfather; who were not docs, told me I had to become one. What is your favorite part about being a physician and why? Seeing patients of all ages and walks as part of a family and our community. It is joy to walk with someone in all parts of their health What is the best piece of advice someone has given you? “If you listen to a patient long enough, they will tell you what is wrong with them” What advice would you give to new MSV members? We are the legacy and most respected force for Medicine ...

Member Spotlight: Raziuddin Ali , MD

By Paige Bishop posted 06-27-2025
Where did you grow up? The suburbs of RVA! Why did you choose a career in medicine? I knew I drew strength from interacting with people, hearing their stories, and wanting to improve people’s lives, but I did not know where to go with that. I candy striped at a local hospital as a teenager which piqued my curiosity in healthcare. When I was in high school, my father suffered a heart attack, and it cemented my desire to positively impact people’s health. That set off a cascade of events that led me to pursue medicine. What is your favorite part about being a physician and why? The relationship and trust with patients. ...

Member Spotlight: Lindsay Gould, MD

By Paige Bishop posted 06-13-2025
Where did you grow up? Virginia Beach, VA Why did you choose a career in medicine? Global health first made a strong impact on me during several service trips to a partner organization in Nicaragua, where I spent time at multiple feeding centers. I witnessed how these same children who were once malnourished and ill became noticeably healthier through the public health initiatives we helped support. Later, through conversations with physician leaders and witnessing the work they did every day, I came to realize that there are also many meaningful opportunities to make a difference locally, and that there is a significant need ...

Member Spotlight: Afifa Adiba, MD

By Paige Bishop posted 05-30-2025
Where did you grow up? I was born and raised in Bangladesh, where I also completed my medical studies. After graduating from medical school, I made the life-changing decision to move to the USA, ready to embark on a new chapter of my journey. Why did you choose a career in medicine? My journey toward medicine has been deeply personal, shaped by both my experiences growing up in Bangladesh and a profound desire to make a lasting impact. From an early age, I was exposed to stark inequalities in healthcare. I witnessed families struggling with illnesses simply because they couldn’t afford the necessary treatments or lacked access ...

Member Spotlight! Dr. Steven Lewis

By Paige Bishop posted 05-12-2025
Where did you grow up? My parents were both military so I grew up mostly moving between Northern Virginia and several countries overseas, including Germany, Korea, and Egypt. My family is originally from Mississippi and I often spent time there while my parents were deployed. Why did you choose a career in medicine? I initially did not plan on going into medicine. While I was living in Egypt in high school, I had the opportunity to see how medical care was provided to people with limited resources and that at times even lived in desert areas and I was amazed by the passion the physicians and interdisciplinary team provided ...

Member Spotlight: Courtney Corboy, PA-C

By Paige Bishop posted 04-18-2025
Thank you Courtney Corboy, PA-C for being our spotlight! Currently Corboy works clinically with Head and Neck Cancer at VCU Health as well as PA Educator at RMC PA Program. Read her spotlight below. Where did you grow up? I grew up in Smithfield, VA, affectionately known for “Ham, History, and Hospitality.” Why did you choose a career in medicine? Practicing medicine is a beautiful combination of my love for science and people. What is your favorite part about being a physician assistant and why? Learning from members of my team and educating patients make this career life-giving for me. I appreciate that every member ...

Member Spotlight: Ishan Perera

By Paige Bishop posted 04-04-2025
Today we spotlight Ishan Perera from our medical student section. Where did you grow up? I was born in New York, New York, but moved to Norfolk, VA, when I was about 3. I spent most of my childhood in Norfolk; in fact, I attended elementary, middle, high school, and college on essentially the same street! Why did you choose a career in medicine? I chose medicine while I was in high school after volunteering at my local hospital and by chance shadowing the Neurosurgery team. I immediately fell in love and decided I would pursue it. What is your favorite part about being a physician and why? I am not a physician just yet, ...

Member Spotlight: Dr. Thomas Eppes

By Paige Bishop posted 03-07-2025
Thank you to Dr. Thomas Eppes for being our March Member spotlight! 1. Where did you grow up? Amelia, Virginia, essentially Mayberry USA, in a town of 800. My father’s pharmacy was the shaping force of my work life. 2. Why did you choose a career in medicine? I was called at age19, to be a physician as a healer. On top of this I was called to be a Christian physician living this as the NorthStar of my life and practice. 3. What is your favorite part about being a physician and why? Patients and the trust that they put in me to guide their health care. Every day I knew that I was ...

Member Spotlight: Kimberly Sapre, PA-C

By Paige Bishop posted 02-07-2025
Where did you grow up? I grew up in Crawford, AL, a rural town outside of Phenix City, AL. Why did you choose a career in medicine? I chose a career in medicine to help eliminate healthcare disparities. Unfortunately, I was introduced to how the U.S. healthcare system functioned as a patient. I had several traumatizing experiences as a patient and decided that I could work to make a difference for patients in the future. What is your favorite part about being a physician assistant and why? The PA profession is an excellent career choice. One of my favorite parts of being a PA was the ability to take care of patients ...

Member Spotlight: Shaylyn Fahey

By Paige Bishop posted 01-03-2025
Thank you to medical student Shaylyn Fahey for kicking off the new year with her member spotlight! Where did you grow up? Newtown CT Why are you pursuing a career in medicine – and is there a specialty you have a passion for? I am pursuing a career in Emergency Medicine because it allows me to blend my clinical skills and my passion for social advocacy. I have always loved the wide breadth of medicine and in the emergency department I am able to see all different pathologies while also experiencing first-hand the problems that plague the communities in which we work. What is ...

Member Spotlight: Dr. Sharon L Sheffield

By Paige Bishop posted 12-05-2024
Thank you Dr. Sharon Sheffield for being our member spotlight for the month of December! Where did you grow up? I was born in Portsmouth, Virginia. My father was in the Navy, and when I was in the third grade, my father was transferred to the West Coast. He drove us from Portsmouth to live in Bremerton, Washington, in Navy Housing. After one year, we moved to Long Beach, California, and returned to Portsmouth when I was in the 6th grade. Why did you choose a career in medicine? I have always wanted to be a doctor for as long as I can remember. I recently realized that genetics affected my decision because ...