By Viktoriya Kozlova, DO
Eastern Virginia Medical School
Norfolk
We are excited to announce that Old Dominion University has merged with EVMS to create a comprehensive university with EVMS continuing to be the medical school component of the larger university. Now named: Macon and Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University (VHS-EVMS).
Our residents continue to be involved in community outreach and support including staffing the Health Outreach Partnership of EVMS Students (HOPES) free mental health clinic. Established by medical students at EVMS in 2011, HOPES clinic supports the underserved Hampton Road community by providing primary and specialty medical care. Additionally, thanks to donations from the staff and community, the residents held an event to pack backpacks full of clothing and toiletries to be given to our patients most in need at discharge. We plan to continue events like this semi-annually.
We have had some faculty changes as well! We welcome Dr. Alana Dopp. Dr. Dopp comes to the Department from the Medical University of South Carolina, where she was the Chief Resident. Her specialties are maternal mental healthcare and women’s behavioral health. We also offer our congratulations to Dr. James Rapley for being appointed as our new Vice Chair for the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at VHS-EVMS. Additionally, our very own APD, Dr. Gregory Briscoe, received the Leadership and Excellence in Medical Student Psychiatric Education Award 2025 at this year’s national ADMSEP conference.
We are excited to welcome 6 new PGY-1s to our program. Joining the VHS-EVMS psychiatry class of 2029 are Dr. Rachel Billingsly, Dr. Diego Carreno, Dr. Rose Dever, Dr. Michael Gannon, Dr. Sabrina Ho and Dr. Wilson Yang.
Speaking of PGY-1s, we are also celebrating our recent ACGME approval to expand the residency class size – we expect to welcome 8 new residents in the 2026 Match!
Last but not least, our residents and faculty have been involved in several academic endeavors this summer.
- Inspired by her talk at the PSV Fall 2024 conference, our Program Director, Dr. Shriti Patel, presented at a Psychiatry Grand Rounds on “Ageism in Mental Health Care: Combating Grand Biases to Connect with Grandparents”.
- Several residents presented posters at the 8th Annual EVMS Psychiatry Research Day. Drs. Breeann Lansiquot and Evan Smith earned the Innovation Award for their poster titled “Case of Recurrent Catatonia in a Patient with Recurrent Deep Vein Thrombosis and Possible Antiphospholipid Syndrome”.
- Special thanks to Dr. David Spiegel for overseeing these projects as the attending.
- Drs. Melanie Gonzalez-Saavedra and Don Strehler have had an initial manuscript accepted to the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology.
- Drs. Viktoriya Kozlova and Taylor Wallace have had an initial manuscript accepted to The Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology.
- Dr. Janelle Milstead’s article has been accepted to The Primary Care Companion for CNS Disorders.
