Medical Student Leadership
4 Executive Board Members
9 Committee Chairs
26 Committee Members

Our Executive Board

Nina uzoigwe

Nina Uzoigwe was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY and is a 5th year MD/PhD student within the NIH Medical Scientist Training Program at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. She graduated from Harvard University as a John Harvard Scholar and concentrated in Bioengineering with a Secondary in Global Health and Health Policy. Her senior thesis, which won the Thomas T. Hoopes Prize (an award which recognizes outstanding scholarly work or research by students selected by a committee of faculty from Harvard University’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences) examined pulmonary valve replacement in neonates with congenital heart defects at Boston Children’s Hospital. Now, as a MD/PhD candidate, she is investigating cardio-immunology and is extremely passionate about cardiothoracic surgery, global health equity, and improving health systems. She aims to use her education and training as a surgeon-scientist to expand research, clinical, and social sectors to address the burden of cardiovascular disease, especially in marginalized communities. Outside of school, she could be found leading a URiM physician scientist outreach program named RISE UP for high school students in NYC as well as dancing, weightlifting, and spending time with family and friends. With such an inspiring team, she is honored and thrilled to serve on TSMA’s Executive Council as the Executive Board President and play a crucial part in uplifting the next generation of CT surgeons.

Althea Tapales

Althea, a native Pacific Islander from Guam, embarked on her academic journey at the University of Guam (UOG), where she pursued dual majors in Biology and Chemistry alongside a minor in Sociology. Currently in her fourth year at the Robert Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont, she holds the esteemed title of Sarnoff Cardiovascular Research Fellow. Her current focus is her second-year fellowship at Stanford University, delving into research on familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. With a steadfast commitment to her community, Althea harbors ambitions of returning to Guam as a physician-scientist. Her goal is to address health disparities among the underserved Micronesian population through a multifaceted approach encompassing outreach, research, and clinical care. Aspiring to pioneer Micronesia’s inaugural local cardiothoracic surgery clinic, she aims to enhance medical accessibility within her island homeland. Beyond her medical pursuits, Althea actively advocates for marginalized populations, particularly minority doctors in Micronesia. She plays a pivotal role in mentoring future physicians through initiatives like the Guam H.O.M.E. Program and UOG Alumni Series, guiding pre-medical students toward their professional aspirations.

Keyana Zahiri

Keyana Zahiri is a current MS3 at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. She grew up in New Orleans, LA and attended Brown University in Providence, RI, where she graduated with a Sc.B. in Health & Human Biology and Cognitive Neuroscience with honors through the Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME) BS/MD program. She aspires to become an academic cardiothoracic surgeon and her research interests lie in the intersection between artificial intelligence and cardiac surgery. She has conducted research at the Stanford Cardiovascular Institute and at a cardiac tissue engineering lab at Brown, and now does clinical cardiac surgery research at Rhode Island Hospital. She was a Massachusetts General Hospital CT Surgery Summer Scholar in 2024, where she had the opportunity to gain significant clinical exposure to CT surgery and further her passion for the field. Outside of academics, she enjoys swimming, karate, hiking, and spending time with family and friends. She has been involved with TSMA leadership for two years on the communications committee and is now excited to serve on the executive board as Secretary and build community amongst the next generation of CT surgeons.

Andrew Kalra

Andrew Kalra is a native of Northern Virginia and a fourth-year medical student at Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University. He completed his undergraduate studies at UCLA, majoring in Biochemistry (Physical Sciences), and conducted translational immunology research at both the National Institutes of Health and the David Geffen School of Medicine. Prior to medical school, he worked as a research technician at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where he investigated molecular mechanisms of gastroesophageal neoplasia and developed biomarker platforms for Barrett’s Esophagus and esophageal cancers.

Andrew currently collaborates with the Hopkins Exploration, Research, and Advancement in Life Support Devices (HERALD) team and the Thoracic Working Group at Johns Hopkins, with a research focus spanning ECMO, mechanical circulatory support, and transplantation. He is passionate about pursuing a career as an academic cardiothoracic surgeon.

Outside the hospital and lab, you can likely find him lifting at the gym, jogging along the Schuylkill River, or listening to some Classic Rock. As TSMA Treasurer, Andrew is excited to leverage his connections within the cardiothoracic surgery community to support the mission and growth of the organization.