![](https://news.psva.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Karishma_Soni-200px.jpg)
Karishma Soni, MD
Psychiatry resident, PGY2
Carilion Clinic-Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine
Roanoke, VA
We welcome the incoming interns for 2024:
- Claribel Adeyemi, DO, MS – Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
- Trey Giorcelli, MD, MBA – West Virginia University School of Medicine Morgantown
- Matthew Leon, DO – Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine
- Obiaku Okoronkwo, MBChB – Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology School of Medical Sciences
- Jin Park, MD, MPH – St. George’s University
- Sushma Reddy, MD – University of Virginia School of Medicine
- Trevor Schlecht, MD, MS – Eastern Virginia Medical School
- Maximillian Striepe, DO – Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine
We also congratulate our rising seniors and wish them luck as new attendings:
- Oluwatomiwa Babade, MBBS, MPH accepting a new position at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital, Albany, GA
- Natalie Cagle, DO accepting a new position at Carilion Clinic
- Amirreza Fallahi, DO
- Darlon Jan, MD will be pursuing a Geriatric Psychiatry Fellowship at Carilion Clinic
- Milad Mirmomen, MD accepting a new position at Atlantic Permanente Medical Group, Rockville, MD
- Bharath Muppala, MBBS accepting a new position at Carilion Clinic
- Mounica Thootkur, MBBS accepting a new position at Carilion Clinic
We congratulate the following for recent accolades:
- Dr. Ratnakaran won the Inaugural Mindgames Masters Competition at the annual meeting for APA this year. He is a Carilion psychiatry resident graduate as well as a graduate from the Geriatric Psychiatry fellowship. He is now part of the Geriatric Psychiatry team at Carilion.
- Ahkil Pola won the Bob Zemple Mentorship award as part of the Big Hokie/Little Hokie Mentorship program. He was nominated by his mentees and the VTCSOM class of 2024 for his outstanding commitment to community service and education.
- Dr. Mounica Reddy Thootkur has been presented with the Most Cited Paper Award 2024 by the prestigious Journal, Schizophrenia Research (Elsevier Publications) for her paper entitled: The Role of Glutamate and GABA in Cognitive Dysfunction in Schizophrenia and Mood Disorders – A Systematic Review of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Studies.
- Congratulations to Dr. Mounica Reddy Thootkur for being presented the American Psychiatric Association (APA) Resident Recognition Award.
- Dr. Khalid (and team)’s manuscript titled Narrative Review: A Neurobiological Perspective on Resilience in Youth has been accepted to JAACAP Open for publication.
- Dr. Robert Trestman was quoted in the WSLS article, “Mental health issues are increasing in the Star City, according to experts.” The link to the story is: wsls.com
- Dr. Jen Wells has been re-elected by the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine faculty to the Medical Student Performance and Promotion Committee. Her term is renewed on July 1, 2024, and ends on June 30, 2027.
- Dr. Azziza Bankole has been invited to serve on the Annual Meeting Scientific Program Committee for the APA as a corresponding member for one year starting May 8.
- Obtaining an LCSW is the pinnacle of one’s career for many Social Workers. On Saturday, April 27, 2024, Taylor Cole achieved this accomplishment. Taylor has been with Carilion for 6 years, and has been on our Mental Health Therapy team since 2021. Taylor was one of our first few Consult Liaison Therapists, and transitioned to the inpatient Mental Health Therapy team once a position became available. Taylor is a valued member of our team, working alongside Dr. Greenage to provide the best possible care to our patients. We are so grateful to have Taylor on our team, and are excited to celebrate this amazing accomplishment with her. Congratulations, Taylor!
- Dr. Kemi Bankole is now a member of next year’s Annual Meeting Scientific Program Committee for the APA.
- Dr. Kye Kim and Dr. Darlon Jan co-authored End of life care for persons with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementing disorders that has been accepted in the American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine.
- Dr. Anilla Del Fabbro, the Director of Emergency Psychiatry, has accepted another opportunity outside of Carilion Clinic and will be transitioning to her new role on August 10, 2024.