Networking/Outreach Committee
Andrew is a native Northern Virginian. He attended the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), majoring in Biochemistry (Physical Sciences) and worked in translational immunology laboratories at the National Institutes of Health and the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Before medical school, he worked as a Research Technician at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (JHU SOM), investigating the molecular mechanisms of gastroesophageal neoplasia and developing biomarkers for Barrett’s Esophagus and esophageal malignancies.
Currently, he is a third-year medical student at the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University and collaborates extensively with the Hopkins Exploration, Research, and Advancement in Life support Device (HERALD) team and Thoracic Working Group at the JHU SOM. He hopes to enter academic cardiothoracic surgery, with clinical and research interests in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation/mechanical circulatory support, and heart and lung transplantation. Outside of academics, he can be found overhead pressing in the gym, running on the Schuylkill River, or trying to rock an AC-DC riff on his guitar. As the new TSMA Networking & Outreach Chair, he is excited to continue fostering relationships between fellow TSMA members and the overall CT Surgery community.
Committee Chair
Andrew Kalra
Committee Members
Samuel Hoenig
Preetha Pamidighantam
Kevin Xiao
Shubham Gulati
Sam is a native New Englander and graduated from Colby College in 2019 where he was a member of the varsity tennis team and a Chemistry major with a concentration in Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, and Biochemistry. Before matriculating to medical school, Sam spent 3-years in the Liau Chemical Biology Lab at Harvard University using CRISPR-Suppressor Scanning to investigate resistance mechanisms to small molecules in clinical trials for Leukemia models. He also served as a supervisor for the Harvard Square Homeless Shelter Street Outreach Team through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sam is a current 3rd year at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and discovered his passion for cardiac surgery through mentorship and research in medical school. His research interests focus on population health and the evolution of care paradigms for patients with congenital heart disease. He is passionate about bringing others together and is truly excited to serve on the networking and outreach committee this coming year.
Preetha Pamidighantam is from Ann Arbor, Michigan, and graduated with a degree in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience from the University of Michigan. She has recently completed her third year at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, and will be starting her research year shortly. Preetha is driven by a vision of equity and accessibility within the field of surgery and has co-founded chapters of the Association of Women Surgeons and Socially Responsible Surgery at her school. Since discovering her interest in cardiothoracic surgery, she has been engaged in clinical and animal research under her PI Dr. Tomasz Timek at the Corewell Health Meijer Heart Center. She foresees a career in cardiothoracic surgery where she can continue contributing to valvular surgical research and improving patient outcomes. Outside of medicine, you can find her volunteering with street medicine, enjoying concerts with her friends, or baking a new kind of pastry. She is very excited to be working with the incoming E-board to advance and achieve TSMA’s mission, and increase support for medical students pursuing cardiothoracic surgery!
Kevin is from Dayton, Ohio, and attended Emory University where he majored in biology and chemistry. Currently, he is a second-year medical student at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. During medical school, he conducts clinical outcome research as well as translational research under the mentorship of Dr. Bryan Whitson, the chief of Division of Cardiac Surgery at The OSU Wexner Medical Center. Driven by a deep passion for cardiac surgery, he aims to innovate new treatments for advanced heart failure and transplant patients. His inspiration stems from his own transplant research discoveries as well as hands-on experiences gained through the OSU Wexner Cardiothoracic Scholar Program. In his free time, he enjoys staying active through workouts, running, and engaging in motorsports. As a member of the Networking Committee, he is privileged to work alongside motivated peers and is eager to contribute to TSMA's mission of attracting and supporting the growing cohort of students interested in cardiothoracic surgery.
Shubham Gulati is currently a third-year medical student at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. Shubham grew up in Oklahoma City and graduated with a bachelor's and master's degree in biomedical engineering from Vanderbilt University in 2022. Since starting medical school, he has found an interest in general thoracic surgery and continues to explore this specialty through research, clinical experiences, and conferences. At Mount Sinai, Shubham works closely with Dr. Raja Flores and the rest of thoracic surgery department on a variety of research and translational projects.
He also spent the summer following his first year of medical school researching at Brigham and Woman's Hospital in Boston under the mentorship of Dr. Hassan Khalil and Dr. M.
Blair Marshall. Meeting these wonderful mentors and inspirational surgeons and hearing their stories has reinforced Shubham's desire to pursue thoracic surgery. These interactions led him to appreciate the importance of networking and join the TSMA Networking Committee. Outside of medicine, this year Shubham is hoping to improve his pickleball skills and pick up pottery as a new hobby!