People Profiles: Dr. Daniel Jamieson
Dan Jamieson, MD (Pulmonary and Critical Care; Internal Medicine)
Dan Jamieson, MD (Pulmonary and Critical Care; Internal Medicine) has always called Maryland and the Washington, DC, area home – in fact he was born at Medstar Georgetown University Hospital! It’s no surprise then that after his fellowship, he ended up at MedStar Health, the largest healthcare provider in the region. Dr. Jamieson is the Program Director (PD) for the Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellowship at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital (MGUH) and one of the Associate Program Directors (APD) for Internal Medicine at MGUH.
Dr. Jamieson was inspired to pursue medicine while in high school when he developed a deep fascination with science and biology. His roles as a PD and APD at MedStar Health perfectly pair Dr. Jamieson’s medical skills as a clinician with his passion for mentoring and teaching the next generation of physicians.
“Number one will always be the students, residents and fellows,” Dr. Jamieson responded when asked what he enjoys most about working in graduate medical education. “There is an intentional focus on education in everything we do at Medstar Health. From our focus on the learning environment to the way we run daily rounds. I also love working with a dedicated team of educators to address current challenges in graduate medical education.”
There are always new challenges in healthcare, and MedStar Health is continually striving to find ways to build on current practices and better care for our patients and our communities. The knowledge that leaders like Dr. Jamieson are imparting on our residents and fellows are critical to that mission.
“The pace of change in medicine in the U.S. is impressive,” Dr. Jamieson said. “I know we will continue to support innovation and education of the next generation of learners.”
Dr. Jamieson doesn’t just envision a better future for healthcare – he is putting in the hard work to create that future. As one of three inaugural GME Leadership Fellows, Dr. Jamieson is gaining new insight into what it takes to run and improve our consortium and contributing his expertise to make it happen.
Dr. Jamieson and his wife have three children and they recently added two cats into the mix. “After intense negotiations with my daughter and wife, we have settled on Lola and Findus for their names,” Dr. Jamieson joked.
People Profiles: Dr. Christian Woods
Christian Woods, MD (Pulmonary and Critical Care; Infectious Diseases)
When Christian Woods, MD (Pulmonary and Critical Care; Infectious Diseases) walked into Washington Hospital Center for his internship more than 20 years ago, he only intended to stay for a few years.
“My residency turned into a Chief Residency, which turned into fellowship one to fellowship two, and now I’ve been an attending physician since 2010,” Dr. Woods recalled.
In addition to being a double board-certified physician, Dr. Woods is the Program Director for the pulmonary and critical care medicine fellowship at MedStar Washington Hospital Center as well as an Associate Program Director for the internal medicine program. Dr. Woods deeply enjoys teaching and watching each resident or fellow’s individual journey.
“I learn just as much from my trainees, I think, as they learn from me,” he said. “I have a lot of pride watching them accomplish great things and become great physicians.”
Part of what makes a Program Director great, Dr. Woods believes, is having a personal investment in the success of your trainees and being willing to serve as a mentor. He experienced this first-hand as an intern when the esteemed Chair of Medicine at Washington Hospital Center at the time treated a young Dr. Woods as a respected physician, and not “just another resident.”
“I can give you the smartest doctor in the world to be your attending. But if the environment is not right, and you don’t feel comfortable and you don’t feel like you can inquire and ask questions, it’s a wasted opportunity,” Dr. Woods explained.
A lot of things have changed in the more than 20 years Dr. Woods has worked at MedStar Health, but GME and medical education has always remained a focus. “What’s unique about MedStar Health is that medical education and GME are so well regarded within our institution, and that makes it a great place to work.”
That’s why Dr. Woods is excited about the opportunity to further contribute to the success of MedStar Health GME as one of three inaugural GME Leadership Fellows. This unique fellowship is helping Dr. Woods expand his leadership capabilities while giving him new insight into what it takes to run a world-class medical education consortium.
As a student who became interested in the field of infectious disease after seeing how potent HIV medicines brought new hope to a devastating disease, and a physician who has experienced first-hand the challenges of providing evidence-based critical care in the face of a novel virus during the height of a COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Woods knows that medicine is always changing. What he sees on the horizon for medicine is an expansion of global collaboration and education to better care for patients. For example, using synchronous training to teach to residents and fellows at MedStar Health – and around the country. Or using a telehealth platform to help a physician across the globe manage a ventilator console.
When Dr. Woods is not practicing medicine or teaching residents and fellows, he enjoys spending time with family. He also turned to building complicated Lego sets during the COVID-19 pandemic to relieve stress – a hobby that he has continued alongside his two sons. Next up on his Lego list? A 9,000-piece replica of the Titanic.
People Profiles: Dr. Tanmay Singh
Tanmay Singh, MBBS (PGY-2, Internal Medicine)
“I have enjoyed my journey tremendously so far,” said Tanmay Singh, MBBS (PGY-2, Internal Medicine), when asked about his career in medicine.
Dr. Singh is an accomplished Internal Medicine resident at MedStar Health, and a representative on the Graduate Medical Education Committee (GMEC). But his journey in medicine started more than 7,500 miles away.
Dr. Singh grew up and attended medical school in Agra, India, home to the Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. That’s also where he completed his first residency in Radiation Oncology. He decided to study medicine after watching physicians in his own family treat patients.
“I developed a very strong interest in health and causes of ill health, and trying to figure out the pathophysiology behind this was really intellectually rewarding,” Dr. Singh said.
Dr. Singh enjoys the puzzle presented by Internal Medicine, since no two patients are alike – even those who may share a diagnosis. “Delivering personalized care is the most enjoyable part of medicine for me. It’s a very dynamic process. There’s never a dull moment,” he said.
He also finds the environment at MedStar Health to be very conducive to learning. “The Attending Physicians are very intent on teaching and passing on their knowledge to the next generation. I think that kind of atmosphere is very incredible.”
Having already completed a residency, Dr. Singh knows how difficult it can be and one reason he chose MedStar Health is because of its dedicated focus on robust mental wellness.
“Residency comes with its own challenges, and I think feeling overwhelmed is pretty natural. Understanding how much mental health can impact the performance of residents and physicians is a big component of wellness. It’s awesome that the GME leadership realizes this and has put an incredible support system in place,” Dr. Singh said.
Dr. Singh urged his colleagues to take care of their own wellbeing by reaching out and asking for help so they can be the best physician possible. “People should not think that if they reach out for help, it’s going to reflect badly on them,” he explained. “There is help available, and it will make them better doctors by using the resources available to them.”
This willingness to step forward and help others makes Dr. Singh a natural fit for the GMEC. “I don’t hesitate – and wouldn’t hesitate – to raise issues into the knowledge of GME leadership. My philosophy is that is anybody has a concern they can come to me, and I will help bring those concerns to the forefront through the GME Committee,” he said.
Dr. Singh has found that the GME program promotes an open dialogue that lends itself to feedback and continual improvement. As Dr. Singh said: “We are good but can always be better.”
When Dr. Singh is not treating patients, he is working on his bucket list of visiting each of the 63 National Parks in the U.S. So far, he’s crossed off about a dozen of them, including Grand Canyon National Park and Acadia National Park. “My wife keeps saying that in an alternate world, I would have made a pretty good National Park ranger,” Dr. Singh joked.
People Profiles: Dr. Jonathan Davis
It may appear that Jonathan Davis, MD (Emergency Medicine) is in perpetual motion. Dr. Davis is always investing energy into forward progress, whether working clinically in the Emergency Department (ED) at MedStar Georgetown or MedStar Washington Hospital Center, serving MedStar Health’s 1,150 resident and fellows as the Physician Chair for Graduate Medical Education (GME), or even doing yoga on a Saturday morning.
Dr. Davis also serves as the Academic Chair for Emergency Medicine, and the co-chair of the System Graduate Medical Education Committee (GMEC).
Every day at GME is different, and Dr. Davis partners with Dean Jamie Padmore and the rest of the GME Executive Team to ensure that MedStar Health is always delivering an exceptional leaning experience. Dr. Davis draws upon his clinical experience in the ED to not only successfully triage challenges but also bring together multiple specialties and departments to quickly develop effective solutions. Within the world of GME, Dr. Davis must constantly interface with GME Program Directors, teaching faculty, residents, and fellows, MedStar Health and hospital leaders, and the Georgetown University School of Medicine leadership team.
Dr. Davis entered medicine because he always loved teaching and the life sciences and viewed physicians as the consummate teacher. That’s what inspired him to get involved in medical education.
“To me, foundationally, that’s what doctors do: they teach. Whether you’re teaching your patients or teaching their families. It’s such a meaningful role in GME, to provide education to those who educate others,” Dr. Davis said.
MedStar Health provides a unique learning environment for its residents and fellows. Being a consortium that straddles two major metropolitan areas gives it a distinct advantage.
Jonathan Davis, MD (Emergency Medicine)
“MedStar Health – with 10 hospitals and over 300 sites of care – is really a microcosm of health care delivery across the United States. We have rural sites of practice and suburban and urban populations. We have primary care and quaternary care,” Dr. Davis explained. “When we are teaching and training future generations of care providers, they get to learn in a wide-ranging environment that is likely to reflect some aspect of where our residents and fellows will ultimately work in the future.”
There is no question that the national health care landscape is adapting and evolving. MedStar Health GME is changing alongside it. MedStar Health places immense value on advancing health and GME is the centerpiece of its educational portfolio. We can’t advance health without investing in medical education and research and championing the innovation of MedStar Health training programs and faculty.
“That’s why I enjoy being at MedStar Health. We’re a forward-thinking organization that’s at the cutting edge of all these changes. What better system to not only adapt and evolve to the future, but also to create the future of healthcare,” he said.
For Dr. Davis, working at MedStar Health also brings him close to his hometown. He grew up in Gaithersburg, Maryland, but moved to California for residency where he met his wife who is in fact from Gaithersburg.
“All roads, at least for me, lead back to Gaithersburg,” he joked.
People Profiles: Dr. Namratha Meda
Namratha Meda, MD, (PGY-3, Internal Medicine)
Not too long ago, Namratha Meda, MD, (PGY-3, Internal Medicine) embarked on a 13-day long trek across the Himalayas to the basecamp of Mt. Kangchenjunga, the third highest peak in the world. This incredible accomplishment – and the positive attitude it required – is indicative of the determination, dedication, and joy that Dr. Meda brings to MedStar Health.
Dr. Meda grew up in Bengaluru, India, where her physician father saw patients in a clinic attached to their home. “My physiology lessons started even before medical school, and I got to a point where I couldn’t imagine doing anything else,” Dr. Meda said. After watching the impact her father made on his patients, internal medicine was a natural choice for Dr. Meda.
“It gives you a change to identify and address health before a person is truly sick, in terms of encouraging a healthy lifestyle. That’s where health begins,” she explained.
Dr. Meda’s willingness to take on new opportunities has led to her service as a resident representative on the Graduate Medical Education Committee (GMEC). She calls this role “one of the most important things that [she’s] been a part of in residency.” As a GMEC representative, she works with others on the committee, including Dr. Qingwen (Wen) Kawaji, to troubleshoot problems and streamline processes to make life easier for residents and fellows.
“We’re trusted with the residents’ concerns to create a conducive environment for learning, education, patient care, and just resident and physician wellbeing,” she said.
“Our voices matter. They’re certainly heard,” Dr. Meda continued. She encourages resident and fellows to provide input, whether it’s through peer-to-peer listening sessions or the anonymous Google form. “What is not measured cannot be improved, and the only way we can measure it is for them to believe that what they’re telling us is truly heard and to give us more and more feedback.”
She’s had the opportunity to work on several initiatives with the GMEC, from helping increase healthier options in the cafeteria and improving food access, to providing input on a pay raise for residents. “That’s a very valuable way of showing us that we matter, and that the work that we do matters,” she said.
Throughout her career, Dr. Meda has also learned that a willingness to learn is key to success in medicine. “It’s ok to say, ‘I don’t know.’ That opens a huge door of opportunities and learning,” she said.
When Dr. Meda is not practicing medicine or embarking on global expeditions, she is calling back home to Bengaluru to FaceTime with her Husky, Maya, and her family, or practicing the Indian classical dance form Bharatanatyam, an intricate balance between footwork and rhythmic patterns and music.
People Profiles: Dr. Neil Weissman
If you ask Neil Weissman, MD, what he loves most about his job, he’ll tell you how much he appreciates that MedStar Health is not just “in the medicine business,” where the core goals are simply to diagnose and treat someone when they get sick, but rather we are committed to health, wellbeing, and preventing illness. That’s because as an academic health system, MedStar Health recognizes that there are many aspects of advancing health that transcend the traditional clinic setting.
“To address health, you’ve got to go beyond the four walls of a hospital. An academic health system lives at the crossroad of academia and the real world. It addresses real-life issues and determinants of health: social, racial, economic, cultural, environmental factors – all those things affect health,” he said. “We’re a true health system that connects to the community, which is an ideal place to do research and a great place to train. It means the things we discover and learn are applicable to all those within our community.”
At MedStar Health, both research and education are core to the mission of providing high-quality health care. Dr. Weissman serves as the President of the MedStar Health Research Institute, where his responsibility is to support research within the system, and the Chief Scientific Officer of MedStar Health, which positions Dr. Weissman as an ambassador for the research being conducted at MedStar Health.
A trained cardiologist, Dr. Weissman originally decided to pursue medicine thanks to a very dynamic professor at the veterinary school where Dr. Weissman was taking a physiology course. “I wanted to go into a field where I could be a lifelong learner,” Dr. Weissman said. “Intellectual curiosity has been one of the big motivators for me.”
Dr. Weissman has been fortunate to have his career span clinical, educational, research, and administrative roles and all of these different roles were within the Georgetown University—MedStar Health system. As a researcher, Dr. Weissman was never interested in theoretical research. “What I always really loved as an investigator was to see my research put into practice. When I’m done with a research study and the results are immediately applicable for patients,” he said.
Now, he’s overseeing researchers at MedStar Health who are conducting research that has real-world impacts for communities here in the Washington/Baltimore region, and for countless others around the world. As Dr. Weissman said, “We are the future of academic medicine.”
What does that future look like exactly? Dr. Weissman is enthusiastic about the role that technology can help play in connecting medicine and clinicians on a real-time basis with patients. Technology that we’ve already integrated into our day-to-day lives, such as smart watches, could help foster a healthier future. “There’s all kind of technology out there that could passively help identify early symptoms of disease and allow us to implement early interventions. That’s where the future of medicine is, and how we’re going to become even more connected to our community,” he said.
While Dr. Weissman’s job keeps him busy, he also enjoys going on hikes with his dog Max, who joined the family as a so-called pandemic puppy, and tending to his vegetable and fruit garden.
People Profile: Dr. Danielle Grossman
One day, Danielle Grossman, MD, (PGY-5, General Surgery) would like to own a vineyard in Napa Valley, California. California is far from her home state of Florida, where she grew up the daughter and granddaughter of physicians, or Boston where she majored in stem cell biology during undergrad, but owning a vineyard is right on track with Dr. Grossman’s enthusiasm to dive into new challenges.
“I’ve always been a hands-on problem solver,” she said.
Even though both her father and grandfather practiced medicine, she was never pushed towards the field. Instead, she felt called towards a career that would allow her to remain a lifelong learner and use that knowledge to help other people.
“Surgery uniquely combines all my favorite things about being a doctor: a patient comes to you with a problem, and you collaborate with your colleagues to figure out the cause. Then, the best part is that a lot of time you can physically fix that problem, right then and there,” she explained.
Dr. Grossman partially credits her success at MedStar Health to her colleagues and is grateful to her mentors and co-residents for getting her though tough times, including the pandemic. “Find your people,” is her advice to others.
“Medicine, especially surgery, is a team sport,” Dr. Grossman continued. “There’s a famous Isaac Newton quote where he said, ‘If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.’ I believe that’s particularly true of success in a medical career.”
She’s working to help the next generation of MedStar Health residents see further by serving as a resident representative on the Graduate Medical Education Committee (GMEC). It’s been a rewarding experience. “I’m proud to be part of the team that’s working to improve food access, optimize interview protocols and orientation programs, and generally increase GME decision-making transparency for trainees. That’s really important,” Dr. Grossman said.
The GMEC has recently worked on a range of issues affecting residents, fellows, and faculty, from increasing access to food as well as increasing access to, and awareness of, mental health resources. “Access to mental health resources is more important than ever, and healthcare systems in America are finally really investing in resident and trainee wellness. Our GME Committee has really leaned into that which has been awesome,” Dr. Grossman said.
She encouraged her colleagues to reach out if they have feedback. “I hope that any resident or fellow in the system would feel comfortable coming to one of our GMEC members including myself, with any issue or any suggestion that they might have.”
Dr. Grossman also shared a very important message: Please get a screening mammogram at age 40 and a screening colonoscopy at age 45.
“Prevention is the best form of treatment.”
People Profiles: Dean Lee Jones
Leon “Lee” Jones, MD
For Leon “Lee” Jones, MD, dean for medical education at Georgetown University’s School of Medicine, his commitment to medical education is personal.
“I’m not only an educator, and the Dean for medical education, but I’m also a son and a husband,” he said, pointing to the exceptional medical care that both he and his family have received at MedStar Health. “Those [physicians] are the people who are educating Georgetown students.”
At Georgetown University, Dean Jones oversees the medical education for more than 800 medical students. His job is to ensure that students are receiving the best possible education. It requires working across multiple disciples and departments and working in close partnership with MedStar Health graduate medical education (GME).
A psychiatrist by training, Dean Jones first pursued medicine because of his interest in science, his curiosity for learning, and his love of people. “I thought, how can I pull those three things together? It was medicine.”
It is no surprise then that Dean Jones cites the people at Georgetown University and MedStar Health as one of the reasons he loves being a medical educator. “Medical students, and also my faculty and colleagues, are energetic, they’re passionate, they love what they do, and they want to change the world,” he said. “I get to learn a lot from everybody… I’d have to go out of my way to avoid learning new things.”
More than 80% of medical student teaching at Georgetown University is delivered by Medstar Health GME residents and fellows and clinical training is conducted primarily at MedStar Health sites.
“There are 10 amazing hospitals and hundreds of phenomenal clinics that our students get to avail themselves of, where outstanding clinicians and outstanding teachers provide outstanding services to our communities,” Dean Jones said. “Our students benefit from a combination of great hospitals and great teaching from people who care.”
As dean, he has unique insight into the future of medicine. Figuring out how to provide everyone with great health care is top of his list, pointing to the income and health disparities present right here in Washington, DC. “My vision is that we train an interdisciplinary healthcare workforce so that can take of everyone, and everyone’s health is addressed,” he said. “I think we can do that. We’re making great progress. But we still have a lot of work to do.”
Outside of the medical school, Dean Jones is recognized more often for his large dogs, with people often stopping him to take pictures of his three dogs: two Saint Bernards and a Mastiff. The dogs, plus two cats, make for a lively household. “My husband and I treat them like our kids,” he laughed. “Our Mastiff had a knee surgery and can’t do stairs, so we bought a house that’s all one level so that he would be more comfortable.”
From canine companion to education leader, its apparent that Dean Jones cares deeply about others.
