Resident Mentorship and Scholarly Activities

Our program is “just the right size” for broad academic exposure but close interaction with faculty. We recognize that both research and mentorship are vital in the development of the next generation of physicians. Therefore, we provide the opportunity for residents to select their own mentors (often more than one!) based on each resident’s preference for career counseling, personal guidance, research collaboration, etc. The program is also pleased to connect residents with researchers who are based entirely at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

We’re very proud of our residents’ many publications and presentations at regional and national meetings. Below is a list of their work from the 2022-2023 academic year.

Note: UPMC Mercy Internal Medicine resident authors are listed in bold.

Academic Year 2022 – 2023 Publications

• M. Pittappilly, X. Zhang, H. Joseph, A. Sharma, C. M. Puttarajappa. Simplified Questionnaire for Assessing Immunosuppression Adherence In Kidney Transplant Recipients. American Transplant Congress 2023; June 3-7, 2023; San Deigo, CA, USA.


• Ghady Haidar1, Kelly Friday1, Christopher Musgrove1, Xiaohong Wang1, Angela Pisarra1, Kailey Hughes-Kramer1, Kentaro Noda1, Naomi Agostino1, Andrew Craig1, Matthew Morrell2, Chadi Hage1, Mark Snyder1, Pablo Sanchez1, Alison Morris1, Georgios Kitsios1. Use of cell-free microbial DNA sequencing (the Karius Test (KT)) for surveillance of infection in the 1st month after lung transplant (LT): a prospective, observational, pilot study. ID Week 2023; October 11-15; Boston, MA. 2023.


• Shalit, B. & Gettas M. Mental Health Crisis: Depression, Anxiety, and COVID-19. Delaware Journal of Public Health. 2020; 6 (2A) : 44-46.


• Wilkie WA, Remily EA, Mohamed NS, McDermott, D., Shalit, B., Baird, A., Brand, K., Nace, J., & Delanois, R. Obesity in Total Hip Arthroplasty: Demographic Disparities and Outcome Incongruities. Cureus. 2020; 12 (5): 7955.

Academic Year 2022-2023 Research

• Heather Dixon, MSN, RN, CPHQ, CIC; Marrissa Durst BSN, RN, CIC; Amy Kinsler, MS; Mohamed Yassin, MD, PhD; Mownika Yadlapalli, MD; Saba Ali, MD. Reducing Hospital Acquired C. Difficile Infection through Infection Prevention: Best Practices and Active Surveillance. IRB Approved: Yes.


• Kenneth Fasanella, MD; Harkirat Singh, MD; Randall Brand, MD; Jennifer Chennat MD; Mownika Yadlapalli, MD. Clinical course and outcomes of surveillance in small (<3cm) GI stromal tumors. IRB Approved: Yes. 01/01/2023.


• Chris Musgrove, Ghady Haidar. Lung Transplant Microbiome. IRB Approved: Yes. 06/06/2022.


• Chris Musgrove, Ghady Haidar. The COIVD-19 Vaccine and Lung Transplant Outcomes. IRB Approved: Yes. 06/20/2022.


• Chris Musgrove, Ghady Haidar. Metagenomic sequencing for lung transplant recipients with respiratory tract infections: a pilot study. IRB Approved: Yes.


• Chris Musgrove, Ghady Haidar. Metagenomic sequencing for lung transplant recipients with respiratory tract infections: a pilot study. IRB Approved: Yes. 11/09/2022.


• Maria Tsikala Vafea, MD, Chris Musgrove, MD, MHSA, Ghady Haidar, MD. CMV Surveillance following Initiation CART Therapy. IRB Approved: Yes.


• Musgrove, Christopher, Effectiveness of EVUSHELD at preventing COVID-19 in Immunocompromised Patients. IRB Approved: Yes.

Academic Year 2022-2023 Presentations

• Mownika Yadlapalli, MD; Florent Sheriffi, MD; Anthony Ghobrial, MS4; Ibrahim Ghobrial, MD. The Case of Whippets. Presented at: Western ACP. 10/10/2022.


• Mownika Yadlapalli, MD; Aaron Walker, MD; Harkirat Singh, MD. Recurrent Diverticular Bleeding: A Diagnostic Challenge. Presented at National ACP; San Diego, CA. 04/20/2023.


• Bernard Shalit, MD; Mark Biedka, DO. Calciphylaxis In Non-uremic Patients, Unexpected And Easily Overlooked. Presented at: 2022 PA-ACP Western Region Competition. 10/15/2022.


• Khoury, F; Pezzone, D; Pezzone, M. Primary Gastric Synovial Sarcoma. Presented at 2022 ACG Conference; Charlotte, NC. 10/25/2022.


• Yadlapalli, N; Khoury. F; Ghobrial, I. Simultaneous Primary Biliary Cholangitis and Smoldering Multiple Myeloma: Etiologic explanations and therapeutic implications, case report and literature review. Presented at 2022 PA-ACP Western Regional Conference; McKeesport, PA. 10/15/2022.


• Katikaneni, P; Mohammadi, A; Monkeypox in Pennsylvania During the Multinational Outbreak: A Case Series. Presented at: PA-ACP Western Region Conference Poster Contest, Doctor's Dilemma and Awards Day. 10/15/2022.


• Chioma Ohammah, Chris Musgrove, Jacob, Lloyd, Tiba Abdulwahid, Rohan Tangri, Karen Selk. Ectopic Cushing's Syndrome of Unknown Primary Orgin with Etomidate Use. Presented at: Ohio River Region Society of Endocrinology. 07/30/2022.


• Nithya Yadlapalli, Tiba Abdulwahid, Chris Musgrove, Roa Afzal, Fadi Francis, Even Waxman. Purtscher Retinopathy: A rare Clinical Manifestation of Acute Pancreatitis. Presented at American College of Gastroenterology Conference; Charlotte, NC. 10/26/2022.


• Chris Musgrove, MD Arber Frakulli, MD, Divya Sistla, MD. A case of severe hypertriglyceridemia induced pancreatitis unresponsive to conventional therapy. Presented at: PA-ACP Western Region Conference. 10/15/2022.


• Chris Musgrove, MD, Mar Roberge, MD. Emergent Thrombolysis for Pulmonary Embolism during a Pregnancy. Presented at: PA-ACP Western Region Conference. 10/15/2022.


• Chelsea Meyer, MD, Christopher Musgrove, MD, Ibrahim Ghobrial, MD. A rare case of Naproxen-induced pancreatitis. Presented at: Society of Hospital Medicine. 11/16/2022.


• Chris Musgrove, MD, MHSA, Manasi Sejpal, MD, Salahuddin Nasir, MD, Tanisha Kaur, MD, and Nicholas F. Maston, MD2. Lyme Carditis with Early Warning Symptoms Preceding a Sinus Pause. Presented at: Society of Hospital Medicine. 11/16/2022.


• Chris Musgrove, MD, Salahuddin Nasir, MD, Tanisha Kaur, MD, and Mark Roberge, MD. Rapidly Progressive and Severe Guillain-Barré Syndrome due to COVID-19 Infection. Presented at: Society of Hospital Medicine. 11/16/2022.


• Chris Musgrove, MD, MHSA, Manasi Sejpal, MD, Salahuddin Nasir, MD, Tanisha Kaur, MD, and Nicholas F. Maston, MD. Lyme Carditis with Early Warning Symptoms Preceding a Sinus Pause. Presented at Society of Hospital Medicine; Austin, TX. 03/27/2023.


• Kaur T, Douglas J, Dehinbo O, Nasir S, Musgrove C, Roberge M. Immunoglobulin A Vasculitis in the Geriatric Population. Presented at: Society of Hospital Medicine PA Chapter Annual Meeting. 11/16/2022.


• Kaur T, Bhatti W, Nasir S, Musgrove C, Douglas J, Ghobrial I. A Back Breaking Discovery. Presented at: Society of Hospital Medicine PA Chapter Annual Meeting. 11/16/2022.


• Nasir S, Makadia J, Kaur T, Musgrove C, Katikaneni P, Yassin M. Neuroborreliosis: An Unusual Presentation of this Tick-Borne Disease. Presented at Society of Hospital Medicine Converge 2023, Annual Conference; Austin, TX. 03/27/2023.


• Chris Musgrove, Chioma Ohammah, Jacob, Lloyd, Tiba Abdulwahid, Rohan Tangri, Karen Selk. Ectopic Cushing's Syndrome of Unknown Primary Origin with Etomidate Use. Presented at ENDO 2023; Chicago, IL. 06/15/2023.


• Chris Musgrove MD, MHSA, Mohamed Yassin, MD, Joel Levin. Longitudinal Multidrug Resistant Surveillance and Hospital Associated Infections in Severe Burns. Presented at: 21st Annual Department of Medicine Research Day. 04/24/2023.


• Musgrove Chris, MD, MHSA, Isebella Fons, Mohamed Yassin, MD2, Joel Levin. Longitudinal Multidrug Resistant Surveillance and Hospital Associated Infections in Severe Burns. Presented at: Fink Research Day. 04/11/2023.


• Berceli, S., Jiang, Z., & Shalit, B. The Role of the MCP-1/CCR2 Axis in Aortic Aneurysm Formation Driven by TGF-beta Signaling Disorders. Presented at 2015 Vascular Annual Meeting; Chicago, IL. 08/27/2022.


• Shalit, B., Arbulu, R., Ghobrial, K., Ghobrial, I., Roman, C., Perryman, S., Lang, A., & Irvin, E. Evaluating Penicillin Allergy in the Primary Care Setting. Presented at Resident/Fellow Research Poster Competition, American College of Physicians Internal Medicine Meeting; San Diego, CA. 04/27/2023.


• Shalit, B., Arbulu, R., Ghobrial, K., Ghobrial, I., Roman, C., Perryman, S., Lang, A., & Irvin, E. Evaluating Penicillin Allergy in the Primary Care Setting. Presented at Western Region American College of Physicians Pennsylvania Chapter Abstract Competition; Pittsburgh, PA. 10/15/2022.


• Shalit, B., Arbulu, R., Ghobrial, K., Ghobrial, I., Roman, C., Perryman, S., Lang, A., & Irvin, E. Evaluating Penicillin Allergy in the Primary Care Setting. Presented at 21st Annual University of Pittsburgh Department of Medicine Research Day; Pittsburgh, PA. 04/24/2023.


• Nasir, S., Makadia, J., Kaur, T., Musgrove, C., & Shalit, B. Neuroborreliosis: No longer a diagnosis of exclusion? Presented at Society of Hospital Medicine National Conference; Austin, TX. 03/27/2023.


• Sharma, Akanksha, A Complex Case of Anti-TNF alpha-induced Lupus due to Infliximab Therapy in a Patient with Concurrent Crohn's disease. First place, poster presentation at Pittsburgh Chapter, Fifth Annual Resident Poster Competition by Society of Hospital Medicine, Pittsburg, USA (2022).


• Sharma, Akanksha, Fitbit validity as an activity monitor in idiopathic inflammatory myopathy. Presented at: University of Pittsburg Department of Medicine - Research Day 2023. 04/24/2023.


• Sam Younes, MD. Morgan Stalder, DO; Buprenorphine vs. Suboxone - which agent is better for outpatient care retention in patients with opioid use disorder? Presented at: PICO Presentation. 05/26/2023.