Residents

Combined CAP Track 
Dr. Meghana Damaraju grew up in Fairfield, Connecticut. She earned a BS in Neuroscience from Union College and then spent a gap year as a research assistant at Albany Medical College and as a medical assistant at a dermatology clinic. While attending medical school at NYITCOM in Long Island, she worked as a Crisis Text Counselor and participated in an APA-led program discussing subspecialties within psychiatry. These experiences fueled her to pursue a fulfilling career in psychiatry. Her interests include child and adolescent psychiatry, consultation-liaison, perinatal psychiatry, and autism. Outside of the hospital you can find her baking, shopping at Trader Joes or Costco, or listening to true crime podcasts!

Annalise grew up in a small town in Northern California. She earned a BA in International Studies in Spanish with minors in Biology and Chemistry from Southern Adventist University and attended Loma Linda University for medical school. Her interest in psychiatry was sparked by an opportunity to teach Adolescent Depression Awareness Program classes to local high school students. As a way to combine her interests in psychiatry and lifestyle medicine, she also coordinated a plant-based cooking event to teach pediatric patients and their families about the role of nutrition in mood disorder treatment. Outside of psychiatry, Annalise loves creating new recipes, gardening, and going on runs with her husband.

Dr. Isaac Mitchell grew up in Sandy, Oregon, and attended Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa, Idaho, where he was team captain for the track and cross country teams. Isaac earned his MD at Loma Linda University. He was drawn to psychiatry because of the many opportunities it offers to listen to patients' stories and talk about what matters most to them. As a medical student, Isaac performed bench neuroscience research and led a research project investigating spirituality, meaning, and emotional well-being in medical students amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. When not working, he can most often be found at home, spending time with his wife and son. Isaac enjoys running, reading and writing and has a blog, Fresh Press.

Dr. Ariel Odlum was born in Illinois, but grew up in West LA. She attended University of Michigan (Go Blue!) for undergrad where she received a BS in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience. She then received her MD from California University of Science and Medicine and is excited to be continuing her training at Loma Linda University. Her interests include child and adolescent psychiatry, cultural psychiatry, and providing quality care for underserved populations. She is also invested in supporting and encouraging those who are underrepresented in medicine and increasing diversity of all forms in the field of psychiatry and health care as a whole. In her free time, Dr. Odlum enjoys reading, baking, watching action movies, painting her nails, and listening to true crime podcasts. She is not afraid to drive out of her way to get a good California burrito and will never say no to anything passion fruit flavored.

Dr. Rohit Duda completed his medical studies at California Northstate University College of Medicine. He founded his school’s first not-for-profit student-run anonymous support program to help destigmatize mental health among medical students and bring awareness to the intersection between mental health and academic success. Rohit also provided private tutoring to K-12 students with intellectual disabilities. Additionally, Rohit served as Vice President of his medical school’s Psychiatry Student Interest Group and mentored high school students in gaining acceptance to medical school.

Combined CAP Track 
Dr. Jasmine Kaura joins our program from Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine. During her medical studies, Jasmine was a part of the Academic Medicine & Leadership Track. She served as medical school curriculum representative, class council member, and a tutor. Prior to medicine, Jasmine served as a high school science teacher. She will continue to touch the lives of children & adolescents as she matched into our combined Child track.

Dr. Kang Lee is a board-certified family medicine physician who completed his residency at UC Irvine. Fascinated by the human mind, Dr. Lee joins us to pursue a second residency in psychiatry. He has experience in various mental health settings, including within the CA corrections system helping patients with substance use disorders. Dr. Lee is a member of the U.S. Army reserves and has experience working with the Soldier Recovery Unit.

Dr. Giorgia Maghelli joins us from Loma Linda University School of Medicine. In addition to completing her medical degree, Giorgia also holds a Master’s in Religion and Society. As president of the Adventist Medical Evangelist Student Association, Giorgia pioneered a mentorship program to connect medical students with providers who incorporate spiritual and whole person care into their practice. During her studies, she also served as an ADAP instructor to students at a continuation high school in San Bernardino, participated in a global health project in Malawi, and provided lectures on levels of psychiatric care to MS3 students.

Dr. Pedro Orta is a primary care physician who earned his medical degree from Loma Linda University School of Medicine. Following his studies, he completed his pediatrics residency at Children’s Hospital L.A. Noticing the deep need for psychiatric care among primary care patients, Dr. Orta joins our program to complete a second residency in psychiatry. He is currently a part of UCI’s Train New Trainers Primary Care Psychiatry fellowship, integrating psychiatric care into his primary care practice. As LGBTQ+ Health Curriculum Lead at LLU School of Medicine, Dr. Orta works with students and faculty to integrate a gender and sexual diversity lens in science didactics. During medical school, Dr. Orta was a logistics coordinator and student lead for Street Medicine, and also served as VP of Spirituality.

Dr. Madison Tsuchiya joins our program from Loma Linda University School of Medicine. As Psychiatry Interest Group Media Officer, Madison promoted psychiatry and mental health awareness among medical students and the broader community through engaging and educational digital and print content. She provided social media direction as Campus Ministries’ social media and public relations officer. Madison also served as a curriculum developer for the psychiatry clerkship and a project lead for two research initiatives through a Walter E. McPherson Society Scholarship.

Combined CAP Track 
Dr. Kathryn Wright joins us from Loma Linda University School of Medicine and has matched into our Child combined track. During her medical studies, Kathryn was a neurology/psychiatry simulation curriculum developer, Street Medicine leader, Adolescent Depression Awareness Program (ADAP) coordinator for Loma Linda University School of Medicine’s Psychiatry Interest Group, and a mentor with the Medical Strategic Network. She also provided extensive community outreach through Fusion Ministries.

Dr. John Yoo joins us from Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed missionary work in Mexico during his undergraduate years. During his medical studies, he worked as a research assistant at Roseman University and also served as Sunday School President, which instilled in him the value of curriculum development and effective teaching. He previously performed piano competitively and leveraged his music skills as a volunteer music instructor while in medical school.

Dr. Martin Zakarian completed his medical studies at Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine. He served as vice president of Western U’s Psychiatry Student Interest Group, actively engaging in mental health advocacy and promoting awareness. Martin also participated as a Lebanon Health Career Ladder volunteer and a student ambassador, helping increase interest in pursuing health careers in the community.

Sara Ahmed was born and raised in El Paso, Texas. She attended Texas A&M University for undergrad and completed medical school at the Dallas campus of the Texas A&M School of Medicine. During her clinical rotations she discovered her true calling in psychiatry—a field that resonated deeply with her sense of purpose and fulfillment. Sara is passionate about global healthcare and has been working on a grant initiative aimed at establishing a mental health clinic in Anekal, India. Beyond her professional endeavors, she finds joy in expressing her creativity through drawing, watercolor painting, and crocheting. She loves planning social events and cherishes moments with loved ones. She also enjoys going to the beach and exploring new restaurants!

Dr. Sam Fox was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah. Upon graduating high school, he spent two years living in the Philippines on a church mission, where he discovered his love for listening to people’s stories. After returning home, he attended the University of Utah where he earned his bachelor's degree in psychology. He then attended medical school at Eastern Virginia Medical School and decided to pursue psychiatry after his third-year rotation. He has a broad interest in psychiatry and is excited to continue his training here at Loma Linda. Outside of medicine, he loves spending time with his wife and kids, all things sports, and going to the beach.

Dr. Anika Iftekharuddin was born in New York and raised in California, first in Napa and later in Loma Linda, where she attended medical school. From the outset of her medical journey, Anika knew psychiatry was her calling. She continues to draw inspiration from her mother, a psychiatrist, as well as from her experiences in state hospital settings and mental health non-profits. During her psychiatry rotations in medical school, she found deep fulfillment in supporting individuals during their most challenging times. These experiences solidified her passion for the field, and the rest is history. Beyond psychiatry, she enjoys watching movies, running, and cherishing quality time with loved ones.

Dr. Daniel Ko was born in South Korea and moved to Southern California when he was 2 years old. He received his BS in Human Biology from the University of California, San Diego. During college, Dr. Ko worked as a respite caregiver for children with autism and volunteered at an autism diagnostic clinic. He was also involved in research studying the therapeutic effects of lithium on bipolar disorder. While attending medical school at Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, California, Dr. Ko was drawn to psychiatry’s transformative impact on patients’ health and happiness. Outside of work, he loves spending time with loved ones, visiting new coffee shops, and traveling.

Dr. Tanya Kurien was born in India but grew up in Oman before moving to Southern California at age 10. She obtained her BS in Public Health from UCSD and then spent 3 years as an In Vitro Fertilization coordinator before attending medical school at A.T. Still University, SOMA. During her time in undergrad and medical school, she developed a passion for working with underserved communities and led mobile clinics in Peru, organized health fairs in NY, and worked as a Crisis Text Counselor. Outside of the hospital, she enjoys playing the latest New York Times game, convincing anybody and everybody to go to Disneyland with her, and hunting for the best matcha in SoCal.

Dr. Faiz Abdur-Rahman received his undergraduate degree in neurobiology from the University of Washington. He went on to earn his medical degree from USC Keck School of Medicine.

Combined CAP Track
Dr. Juhee Patel grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She attended the University of New Mexico, graduating with a BS in Biology. She continued her medical school journey at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine, where she found her calling in psychiatry and a passion for working with underserved communities. Dr. Patel is a 3rd-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do, meaning she can win an argument with her words and martial arts skills. She loves thrifting and enjoys spending quality moments with friends and family. Dr. Patel is thrilled to be in Southern California and is excited to continue her journey in psychiatry, where she hopes to make a lasting impact on her patients' lives.

Combined CAP Track 
Andrea Raymundo was born and raised in Pasadena, CA, and recently completed her medical education at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, graduating from the 6-year BA/MD program. Currently being in the CAP program, she has a strong goal of being a child psychiatrist and is driven by a passion for supporting and guiding young people through their unique journeys. Andrea enjoys traveling and her current favorite place to visit is Florence, Italy. She spends her free time relaxing with her cats, watching classic sitcoms, and spending quality time with loved ones. She’s excited to bring her background and enthusiasm for life to her new role and community.

Dr. Daniel Resnick was born and raised in sunny Southern California. After discovering a passion for psychology and neuroscience, he chose to study them at UC Berkeley completing a double major with premed requirements on the side. For medical school he attended Western University COMP-NW located in Oregon and was always sure to explore new waterfalls during his study breaks. He’s now proud to be working at Loma Linda University pursuing his dream of becoming an addiction and child and adolescent trained psychiatrist. When he’s not on duty, you’ll probably find him exploring the local food scene or traveling with his family to enjoy some natural beauty.

Shaan Shukla grew up in the Chicagoland area before attending the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He then attended Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University where he discovered his passion for psychiatry. He enjoys developing meaningful, supportive relationships with patients and taking a holistic approach to well-being. He is excited to continue his training at Loma Linda, surrounded by great co-residents while enjoying what Southern California has to offer. In his free time, he is often trying new restaurants, skiing, or being disappointed by his favorite sports team, the Chicago Bears. Shaan has traveled to five continents and hopes to make it to all seven soon.

Dr. Matthew Wade has spent his entire life in the Inland Empire, apart from his undergraduate years in San Diego. It was during his time in San Diego that he discovered a deep passion for philosophy, particularly existentialism and stoicism. The works of Albert Camus were especially influential, shaping his perspectives on living a meaningful life. This intersection of medicine and philosophy naturally led him to specialize in psychiatry. As a psychiatrist, Dr. Wade is dedicated to helping patients lead meaningful, fulfilling, and authentic lives. Outside of his professional life, Dr. Wade is an avid enthusiast of anime, manga, video games, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Dr. Jenny Xiao was born and raised in San Francisco, California. She completed her undergraduate studies at UC Berkeley where she earned a BA in Integrative Biology. She finally left the Bay Area to attend medical school at Creighton University. She started her preclinical education at the main campus in Omaha before heading to the Phoenix region campus for her clinical rotations. Her interests in psychiatry include minority mental health and transitional age youth. In her free time, Dr. Xiao enjoys propagating houseplants, watching Asian dramas, attending concerts, and going on nature walks. She is currently on a mission to find the best boba in the Inland Empire.

Dr. Thomas Chandy was born in the UK and moved to Southern California at the age of 3. His experience volunteering in India inspired him to pursue degrees in Urban Studies and Architectural History at Cornell University. After graduation, he worked at the UN World Food Program in Rome where he helped quantify the UN’s contributions to the Millennium Development Goals. After graduating with his Masters in City and Regional Planning, Thomas helped to create medical education platforms including Wikidoc.org, PocketMedicine.com, VeoMed, the Columbia University Psychopharmacology Forum, and RadX. He is inspired by Loma Linda's mission to train compassionate Christian psychiatrists. In his free time, Thomas loves to spend time with his wife and son at the beach, surfing, hiking, and skiing.

Combined CAP Track 
Dr. Meghana Damaraju grew up in Fairfield, Connecticut. She earned a BS in Neuroscience from Union College and then spent a gap year as a research assistant at Albany Medical College and as a medical assistant at a dermatology clinic. While attending medical school at NYITCOM in Long Island, she worked as a Crisis Text Counselor and participated in an APA-led program discussing subspecialties within psychiatry. These experiences fueled her to pursue a fulfilling career in psychiatry. Her interests include child and adolescent psychiatry, consultation-liaison, perinatal psychiatry, and autism. Outside of the hospital you can find her baking, shopping at Trader Joes or Costco, or listening to true crime podcasts!

Annalise grew up in a small town in Northern California. She earned a BA in International Studies in Spanish with minors in Biology and Chemistry from Southern Adventist University and attended Loma Linda University for medical school. Her interest in psychiatry was sparked by an opportunity to teach Adolescent Depression Awareness Program classes to local high school students. As a way to combine her interests in psychiatry and lifestyle medicine, she also coordinated a plant-based cooking event to teach pediatric patients and their families about the role of nutrition in mood disorder treatment. Outside of psychiatry, Annalise loves creating new recipes, gardening, and going on runs with her husband.

Dr. Peggy Galvez was raised in Southern California in the city of Arcadia. She attended UC Irvine for her undergraduate studies and completed medical school at Des Moines University in Des Moines, Iowa. In her third year of medical school, she was intrigued by the different stories of patients’ lives and ultimately led her to discover that psychiatry was the best field for her. Outside of work, she loves cooking, road trips in her RAV4, discovering new coffee shops and restaurants, going on hikes, exploring new dog friendly places with her beagle Milo, reading novels, and spending quality time with friends and family.

Dr. Brian Gross was born and raised in Los Angeles. He received his bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Alabama and went on to earn his medical degree from Florida International University College of Medicine.

Combined CAP Track 
Dr. Amanda Khalil was born at Loma Linda Hospital and stayed local until high school. She got her BS in psychobiology at UCLA, then did a 1-year Masters in Theological Studies. Things came full circle when she was accepted into med school and residency at Loma Linda University—the same hospital where she was born. As a medical student, Amanda was involved in research projects that identified regions in San Bernardino/Riverside that suffer most from food insecurity and created after-visit summaries with resources for Social determinants of health (SDOH) factors that were implemented at various hospitals in the nation. In her free time, Amanda enjoys taking nature walks, studying theology, and creating art.

Dr. Tim Kung received his undergraduate degree from Pomona College and went on to earn his medical degree from Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo. His hobbies include collecting vintage sports cards, swimming, and playing violin.

Dr. Salisbury is originally from the small town of Sumner, Washington. He received his BS in human biology from Boise State University and his MD from California University of Science and Medicine. As a medical student, Dr. Salisbury enjoyed volunteering in his church, researching substance abuse among medical trainees, and podcast development for medical professionals. Dr. Salisbury was drawn to psychiatry because of the field’s great impact on quality of life. He is passionate about helping those struggling with substance use and caring for the spiritual needs of his patients. Outside of medicine, he loves spending time with his wife and son, being active outside, and reading with his cat.

Dr. Arabela Virata-Kim was raised by her maternal grandparents in the Philippines. She graduated cum laude from Columbia University with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology. She completed medical school at Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine in Las Cruces, New Mexico. In her free time, Dr. Virata-Kim enjoys reading, doing early morning walks to meditate, spending time with family, watching philosophy/politics videos, and making healthy meals using her microwave.

Dr. Kristen Kim considers sunny Loma Linda her home and has been a local since high school. She completed her undergraduate at Andrews University and spent one year abroad at Valencia, Spain, to complete her Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Studies with double minors in Chemistry and Psychology. She then graduated from Loma Linda Medical School, where she frequented Hawaiian barbecue, Ding Tea, and the beach on the weekends. While in medical school, she received the Inland Empire Medical Community Service Award, served as Psychiatry Interest Group President, worked to develop CBT demonstration videos, and published a podcast on psychotherapy for Borderline Personality Disorder with Dr. Puder. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, shopping for snacks at Trader Joes, and enjoying all the delicious food Southern California has to offer.

Yifan Lii grew up in Indiana and Bay Area, California. She earned a BS in Biochem/Cell Bio from UC San Diego, went to a two-year Bible school, then completed a PhD at UC Riverside studying plant diseases before deciding to switch careers from being a plant doctor to a human doctor. During her clinical year as a medical student at Loma Linda University, she was drawn to connecting with patients and listening to their stories and decided to pursue a residency in Psychiatry. As a medical student, she helped update the Maternal-Fetal-Medicine chapter of the Ninja’s Guide to PRITE and collaborated with faculty to develop a Spiritual OSCE for preclinical students. After work, Yifan enjoys spending time with her husband, their children, and pets. She won’t say no to a Monday crossword puzzle, trying new restaurants, checking out museums/zoos/aquariums, or a dip in the pool on a warm summer day.

Dr. Catherine Liu was born in Illinois and spent much of her childhood in Oregon before later moving to Southern California. She attended the University of California, Irvine, where she received a BS in Quantitative Economics and a minor in statistics. After college, Catherine completed a year of AmeriCorps with the American Red Cross. She then attended medical school at Kansas City University where she became interested in psychiatry after her third year medical school rotation. In medical school, she was actively involved as a group facilitator where she helped to lead support groups for adult survivors of abuse and trauma. She has a broad range of interests in psychiatry and is keeping an open mind regarding further psychiatry sub-specialties. In her free time, she enjoys trying new restaurants, traveling, re-watching Arrested Development, and playing video games.

Dr. Isaac Mitchell grew up in Sandy, Oregon, and attended Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa, Idaho, where he was team captain for the track and cross country teams. Isaac earned his MD at Loma Linda University. He was drawn to psychiatry because of the many opportunities it offers to listen to patients' stories and talk about what matters most to them. As a medical student, Isaac performed bench neuroscience research and led a research project investigating spirituality, meaning, and emotional well-being in medical students amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. When not working, he can most often be found at home, spending time with his wife and son. Isaac enjoys running, reading and writing and has a blog, Fresh Press.

Dr. Ariel Odlum was born in Illinois, but grew up in West LA. She attended University of Michigan (Go Blue!) for undergrad where she received a BS in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience. She then received her MD from California University of Science and Medicine and is excited to be continuing her training at Loma Linda University. Her interests include child and adolescent psychiatry, cultural psychiatry, and providing quality care for underserved populations. She is also invested in supporting and encouraging those who are underrepresented in medicine and increasing diversity of all forms in the field of psychiatry and health care as a whole. In her free time, Dr. Odlum enjoys reading, baking, watching action movies, painting her nails, and listening to true crime podcasts. She is not afraid to drive out of her way to get a good California burrito and will never say no to anything passion fruit flavored.

Dr. Akash Patel is a Loma Linda Lifer, born here at our very own medical center and raised down the street at Loma Linda Academy. He received a BS in Business Administration with an emphasis in Healthcare Management at Pacific Union College in Napa Valley. He then earned his MD from Loma Linda University School of Medicine. Dr. Patel’s current interests include medical student and resident education stemming from tutoring, mentoring, and creating an updated ANKI flash card deck from Loma Linda’s PRITE Question Guide as a fourth year medical student. When not working, Dr. Patel enjoys watching Netflix and anime with his wife, playing basketball, sharing delicious meals with friends and family, and pretty much all things Pokémon.