Click the plus signs below to learn more about each class of residents.
Mohamed Al Hajji, MD (Chief Resident)
Mohamed, originally from Syria, was born and raised in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Straight from high school, he joined his medical school at the University of Sharjah which is a six-year program.
He then moved to Morgantown in West Virginia to join a research fellowship in cardiology at the West Virginia University.
Mohamed chose to pursue a career in internal medicine and is interested to continue in the field of cardiology. Mohamed is a huge fan of soccer and enjoys playing ping-pong and badminton. He loves going on road trips to explore new places.
Sonia Geevarughese, DO (Chief Resident)
Sonia Geevarughese was born and raised in Coral Springs, Florida. She attended College Academy at Broward College for her final two years of high school and graduated with both her Associates
of Arts and high school diploma. She then went on to pursue her undergraduate degree in Applied Physiology and Kinesiology at the University of Florida. During her time at UF, she contributed to research at the Neuromuscular Physiology Laboratory
as a data collector, worked as an intern at the UF Hand and Upper Extremity Rehab Clinic, and coordinated intramural sports teams for a student association.
Her passion for service, research, and biomechanics made her determined to become a physician. She completed her medical degree at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine Georgia Campus. She also served as the Vice President of the Christian Medical and Dental Association, an organization that provided an avenue to discuss faith in the setting of medicine, volunteer at a local refugee clinic, and network with medical professionals in the Atlanta community.
She chose internal medicine because she wanted to serve the community as a primary care physician by establishing long-term relationships with patients and promoting active, healthy lifestyles. Sonia’s hobbies include baking, trying new restaurants, hiking, reading, and playing board games. Her clinical interests include geriatrics and academic medicine
Josh Oh, MD (Chief Resident)
Josh was born in Seoul, South Korea and came to the U.S. at the age of 11. He graduated from Stony Brook University with a bachelor’s in public health and attended the University of Queensland
- Ochsner School of Medicine.
His clinical interests include oncology and primary care, and he enjoys cooking, going to the gym, playing squash, and hiking during his free time.
Bryan Rogoff, DO (Chief Resident)
Bryan is originally from Long Island New York. After high school he originally planned on pursuing a degree in Computer Science, but decided that his craving for human connection was too strong
and ultimately found his dream and calling in being a physician. He graduated as a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from the Lincoln Memorial University - Debusk College of Osteopathic Medicine in Harrogate, Tennessee.
After originally pursuing residency in Emergency Medicine, his time in the Intensive Care Unit during medical school led him to realize that his passions lied in the field of internal medicine. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife who is from the Atlanta area, as well as giving back to the community.
Hironobu Takeda, DO (Osteopathic Chief Resident)
Hiro is a local graduate of Georgia. After high school, Hiro completed his undergraduate and graduate work at University of Georgia and Rollins School of Public Health at Emory, respectively.
He completed his medical school training in 2018 from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine – Georgia Campus. He returns to residency in Georgia after spending his first year in residency as a Traditional Rotating Intern in Lumberton,
NC.
His academic interests include ultrasound technology, academic medicine, and applying his osteopathic training whenever he can. In his free time, Dr. Takeda enjoys golfing, kayaking, fishing, and grilling.
Raguraj Chandradevan, MBBS
Ragu was born and raised in Sri Lanka. He graduated from University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. After graduation, he moved to US and worked at Emory University doing bench and clinical studies in inflammatory
bowel disease. After that he did a transitional year internship at Coliseum Medical Centers, In Macon before joining us at Northside Hospital Gwinnett.
He is interested in a career in gastroenterology. When he is not working, you can find him cooking up amazing dishes.
Willie Gilbert, DO
Willie was born and raised in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. After high school, Willie joined the Air Force and was stationed at Ramstein Air Base, Germany where he worked with C-130s as a logistics technician. While
taking a biology course at the Air Force Academy, Willie decided to pursue a career in medicine. Willie then transferred to the University of Oklahoma where he earned a spot on the President’s Honor Roll while finishing his Bachelor of Science
degree in biology. Willie attended Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine and was selected as a member of Sigma Sigma Phi Osteopathic Honors Society by earning a spot on the Dean’s Honor Roll.
Willie is passionate about preventative medicine and working with the underserved, which drew him to the Internal Medicine Residency Program at Northside Hospital Gwinnett. He plans to work in primary care in a medically underserved area after residency. In his free time, he loves to spend time with family and friends. He also enjoys volunteering and mentoring to help increase the pipeline of underrepresented minorities applying to medical schools.
Brandon Hamm, DO
Brandon was born and raised in the small town of Hartwell, GA. After graduating from Hart County High School, he studied biological sciences at the University of Georgia as a first-generation student. Following his
undergraduate education, Dr. Hamm attended the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine and graduated in 2019. His motivation towards internal medicine includes an enthusiasm for serving the community, an eagerness to actively educate and advocate
for patients, a commitment to medically underserved populations, and a personal interest in providing continuity of care for a diverse group of patients.
Brandon is excited to empower patients to live their most meaningful lives each day by supporting them through their acute and chronic healthcare needs. After completing residency, he plans to continue practicing medicine in rural Georgia. Outside of medicine, he is an active volunteer in the community and enjoys serving others. In his spare time, he enjoys working out, sports (Go Dawgs!), writing poetry, cooking and spending time with family and friends!
Vaishali Jadhav, DO
During her free time, she enjoys cooking variety of dishes for her family and friends, watching detective and comedy shows on television, listing melodious Marathi and Hindi music, brisk-walking and stationary biking to remain physically fit. Vaishali’s clinical interests include primary care, preventive medicine and hospitalist medicine.
Arish Maknojia, MBBS
Born and raised in Pakistan, Arish attended medical school at Jinnah Sindh Medical University in Karachi, Pakistan. She came to the US with the dream of pursuing residency in Internal Medicine because of the
challenges it brings. Since then, she has married and now lives with her loving husband Shamshad in Lawrenceville. Dr. Maknojia is passionate about being part of a residency program who aids in their resident progress and desires.
In her free time, Arish enjoys volunteering at the local community center in Lawrenceville. Additionally, she enjoys watching movies, playing old board games, hanging out with my husband, cooking, singing, dancing on traditional music and hiking. All while following her life motto, “If not now, then never!”
Bina Malapur, MD
Bina was born and raised in Charleston, WV. She attended a liberal arts school outside of DC, Shepherd University, and majored in Biochemistry. She then continued her journey at Marshall University for medical school.
After graduating from Marshall University School of Medicine, Bina remained at Marshall and completed a preliminary internal medicine internship year before moving to GA and joining Northside Gwinnett Internal Medicine as a PGY-2 resident.
She passionate about primary care and women’s health and enjoys educating patients about their health. She looks forward to serving the state of Georgia. Her hobbies outside of work include reading, hiking, running, whitewater rafting, and skiing.
Muhammad Mufty, MD
Muhammad is a Syrian citizen who graduated from the University of Damascus – Faculty of Medicine in 2014. He came to the US right after graduation in 2014, and since then he lived mostly in Kentucky before
moving to Athens, Georgia in 2018. When Muhammad was in Kentucky, he worked as a research fellow at the University of Kentucky, in addition to working as an office manager in the Urgent Care Centers of Kentucky. He was the primary investigator on
a sponsored clinical trial about PICC lines in the University of Kentucky, while most recent scholar-activities included a quality improvement project on the over-utilization of telemetry devices in the hospital.
He completed a Transitional Year residency in Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center before starting Northside Hosptial Gwinnett in 2019. In the field of Medicine, and his interests include academic hospital medicine, working as a hospitalist, as well as cardiology. Muhammad is interested in staying long term in Metro Atlanta Area, specifically in Gwinnett County, because he finds it is an excellent location to raise a family with great schools system, while being rich in outdoor activities. In his spare time, Dr. Mufty enjoys hanging out with friends, dining out, family meetings, and traveling.
Anita Patel, DO
Anita was born in Pennsylvania but grew up in Canton, Michigan. She received her bachelor’s degree in biology with a minor in anthropology from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. After graduation,
she served in AmeriCorps in Detroit and started a local garden for students with disabilities. She has also worked as a rehabilitation technician at the University of Michigan Hospital. For medical school, she attended Michigan State University College
of Osteopathic Medicine.
Her clinical interests include osteopathic manipulation, integrative medicine, nutrition, and preventative medicine. In her free time, she enjoys gardening, yoga, cooking, and creating mixed media art.
Erica Pelote, MD
Throughout her education, she has fulfilled her passion for serving the uninsured and underserved. Studying and serving abroad were a priority in her medical training as she spent a month in Peru doing community health fairs, and took a mission trip to Colombia. Her clinical interests are hospitalist medicine and global health. Her hobbies include traveling, sewing, crocheting, hiking, and spending time with her family.
Mariam Baig, MBBS
Mariam was born and raised in Lahore, a city brimming with cultural diversity in the heart of Pakistan. She studied medicine at King Edward Medical University. It was here that she developed her passion for working with the medically underserved population which ultimately led her to organizing free medical camps for the underprivileged, before moving to Georgia.
Mariam strongly believes in integrative and personalized care. She is excited about the opportunity to provide comprehensive health care to patients at Northside Hospital Gwinnett. After the completion of her residency, she sees herself pursuing a future fellowship. Outside of work Mariam enjoys reading crime fiction, kayaking, and experimenting with food.
Aaron Chen, DO
Aaron was born in Atlanta, Georgia at Northside Hospital and lived in Atlanta until he was eight when he moved to Houston, Texas. He returned to Atlanta for college and graduated from Emory University with a double major in Biology and Psychology. After graduation, he worked as a Quality Improvement Analyst at Emory University for surgical site infection prevention. He attended medical school at the University of Pikeville – Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine and looks forward to return to Georgia for residency.
His motivation towards Internal Medicine include the dynamic, problem-solving nature of the field as well as the ability to work directly with various specialties and healthcare professionals, giving rise to many learning opportunities and collaborative decision making. His hobbies outside of medicine include sports, hiking, and spending time with family.
Jaemi Chu, DO
Jaemi was born and raised in Ocean City, NJ by her parents who immigrated from South Korea and worked as a general practitioner (father) and a pastor (mother). Her family went on medical mission trips to Tijuana where she realized her passion for serving under resourced communities. She attended Ursinus College in PA where she graduated with a B.S. in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and a minor in Mathematics. She subsequently worked at the University of Pennsylvania where she was directly involved in research for DNA vaccines targeting infectious diseases and cancers. Jaemi found an opportunity to volunteer at Penn’s ED when she became interested in medicine. She then attended Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine where she could learn additional skills in musculoskeletal medicine.
As a medical student, Jaemi served on medical mission trips in Merida, Mexico and Iquitos, Peru where it was further confirmed that she would pursue a career that trained her to serve patients globally. Dr. Chu also served as president of Student Osteopathic Medical Association when she developed a strong interest in advocacy and implementing health policies at the national level.
Jaemi’s professional interests include community medicine, preventative medicine, women’s health, and quality improvement projects. In her spare time, she likes to hike, run, climb, snorkel, travel, paint, and most importantly spend time with family and friends. Jaemi is driven to satisfy her inner foodie, so she is excited to explore all of the best that Georgia has to offer. A fun fact is Dr. Chu has been perfecting her red pasta sauce for a year, and she believes she is close to having the final recipe.
Justin Cruz, MD
Justin was born in Atlanta, Georgia and grew up just outside of Atlanta in Milton, Georgia. He graduated from Kennesaw State University with a Bachelor’s in Science and a Minor in Business Administration. He attended medical school at St. George’s University in the country of Grenada.
His clinical interests include pulmonology/critical care as well as primary care. He enjoys spending time with his dog, family, and friends, as well as playing soccer, basketball, tennis, and golf.
Ari Faber, MD
Ari born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the oldest of three siblings. He first moved to Atlanta in 2010 to attend Emory, where he also worked with the EMS service and worked on dance productions across Atlanta. He then attended University of New Mexico School of Medicine, where he developed an interest in medical education, and helped create and teach a biostatistics course and tutored in clinical reasoning and physical exam. In his fourth year, he became certified in the Stanford Clinical Teaching Method.
Outside of medicine Ari’s interests include skiing, dance, theater, cooking, and baseball. He’s been a lifelong Braves fan and has traveled both internationally and in the United States, including visiting all fifty states.
Charles “Jordan” Freeman, MD
Jordan is a Gwinnett native originally from Snellville, GA (right next door to Lawrenceville) and a graduate of Brookwood High School. He attended Vanderbilt University where he majored in “Medicine, Health, & Society” with a double-minor in Chemistry and Spanish. After that he moved to Winston Salem, NC and completed both a Master’s degree in Biomedical Science as well as medical school at Wake Forest University. He is excited to be back home for Internal Medicine residency! He is very interested in, and intends to pursue, critical care.
Outside of the hospital Jordan is an avid violinist and also plays piano and cello. He was a founding member of a small chamber orchestra in medical school that has since grown into a full orchestra. He is excited to see what the next few years hold!
Aamir Gilani, MBBS
Aamir was born and raised in the sunny, hustling and bustling, coastal city of Karachi, Pakistan. After completing his MBBS from Jinnah Sindh Medical University, he did an internship from Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center and National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, where he received the best intern award twice.
He then decided to pursue further training from the United States and joined the Northside Internal Medicine Residency family in 2020.
Although he loves all aspects of general internal medicine, he has a special interest in cardiology, pulmonary/critical care and gastroenterology.
In his free time he enjoys working out, hiking and socializing. He lives in Lawrenceville with his wife Naureen who is a commercial interior designer.
Levi Greene, DO
Born and raised in Jacksonville Florida, Levi joins us from Philadelphia College of Medicine. During the first year and a half of medical school, Levi was certain that neurology would be his calling in medicine because of his grandfather’s suffering from dementia. Even though he found neuroscience and dementia-related disorders interesting, he concluded that it was not a burning passion. This came after his first internal medicine rotation in his third year of medical school, he knew he had found his calling in medicine. His other professional interests include sleep medicine, pulmonology, nephrology, and hematology/oncology.
When he’s not studying he enjoys watching tv, exploring new restaurants, being involved in ministry and community outreach at his church, and Florida professional sports.
Osamuyi Idubor, DO
Osa was born and raised in Nigeria but has called Gwinnett County home for over a decade. He joins Northside Hospital Gwinnett to continue his training in internal medicine after completing an internship at Hackensack Meridian Health- Palisades Medical Center in New Jersey. He holds a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from Kennesaw State University. He earned his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree as well as a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Organizational Development and Leadership from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine Georgia Campus.
Dr. Idubor’s interests include global health and equity in healthcare delivery. In his free time, he loves to spend time with his wife and son, exploring nature, soccer and watching medieval movies.
Michael Marino, DO
Michael was born and raised in Ellicott City, Maryland. He went to college at the University of Richmond in Virginia and then spent the following year working in the research department at a Maryland-based biotechnology company before starting medical school. He went to medical school at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic medicine before completing internship at Medstar Health in Baltimore.
He is very excited to be moving to Georgia because it will give him the opportunity to live near his younger brother and his wife who live in the Atlanta suburbs as well as his cousin who works as a PA in Atlanta. In his free time, he loves to travel, ski, hike, golf, fish, play video games, and explore new breweries.
Shaan Patel, DO
Shaan is a graduate from Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine. He is originally from Tampa, Florida and did his undergraduate at the University of Florida. After graduating he was able to spend time volunteering at a free clinic where he found his passion in working in a low resource setting. He is primarily interested in primary care and preventative medicine specifically in underserved populations.
He is an advocate of using of education to empower patients to participate in their own care. Thus, he is a strong believer that a thorough understanding of the pathophysiology of various disease processes will make him a stronger clinician educator for his patients. His other clinical interests include nephrology, critical care, hematology/oncology, and rheumatology. On his spare time, he is a big fan of watching football (specifically his Florida Gators), reading, working out, playing sports, and hiking.
Sharul Saxena, MD
Sharul is originally from Chicago Suburbs and did her medical school at Saint Louis University. Internal medicine always attracted her as a future career because she found it expansive yet holistic. While entering medical school, she was sure she was going to be a surgeon, she quickly fell in love with IM. She is not sure where IM will take me her, but she enjoys general inpatient medicine, heme/onc, hepatology, and cardiology.
Her focus in residency is to be the best doctor she can be. In her free time, she enjoys drawing, running and reading. Her favorite books are Harry Potter and Game of Thrones.
Debra Spears, DO
Deb joins us from Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine. Originally from Boca Raton, Florida, she spent the past few years in Sunrise, Florida prior to coming to Atlanta. Throughout her time in medical school, she found a passion for internal medicine, with a special interest in pulmonology and critical care. She looks forward to working in a community-based hospital where she can hone her skills as an internist before pursuing fellowship.
Aside from professional goals, she is looking forward to exploring all that Georgia has to offer as a new resident. From the changes of the seasons to the different cultures, I’m excited and ready to see what is to come. Her passions include outdoor activities like hiking, biking, and walking her French Bulldog, Bullwinkle. She also loves growing her own herbs and vegetables and cooking for family and friends.
Mansi Vadodaria, DO
Mansi was born in Baroda, India and came to Georgia with her family when she was two years old. Initially, she grew up in Roswell, Georgia, but has called Woodstock her home for the past 17 years. She attended the University of Georgia in 2012 and earned a B.S. in Biology and a B.S. in Psychology. Following her undergraduate education, she attended the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine –Suwanee, Georgia campus for medical school. Mansi is extremely humbled to be serving Georgia and the numerous communities and areas she has made connections with for the past several years.
Along with her love for medicine, Mansi loves spending time with her family and friends. She is an avid sports fan and is always willing to join in with friends for a game of soccer, badminton, football, cricket, as well as many others. Of course, she also loves cheering on her Georgia teams! Music and dance have always had a special place in her heart, so much so, that she played the flute years ago, and is learning the piano currently, as well as continuing to dance. The arts, specifically drawing and calligraphy are some of her pastimes, but she also loves baking for her friends and family. Overall, she is eager to try and learn new things and experience new adventures so she can continue to make special memories along the way.
Goitom Abraha, MBBS
Goitom was born and raised in the Northern part of Ethiopia, Tigray state in an ancient city of Axum. He completed Medical school at Mekelle University School Medicine, where he also practiced as a GP and Lecturer.
He was fortunate to attend and practice medicine at the same hospital that treated my acute ailment that he once had as a child. This granted him an opportunity to deepen his interest in health care advocacy and lifelong learning.
His future goal is to be a Gastroenterologist or Infectious Disease Doctor to give back to his community and engage in global health care advocacy. He loves playing soccer, volleyball, tennis, and is a huge Atlanta United FC fan. He also enjoys reading nonfiction and biography books.
Michael Araya, MBBS
Dr. Michael Araya was born and raised in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia. He completed his medical school at St. Paul's Hospital Millennium Medical College, Addis Abeba, Ethiopia.
Dr. Araya hopes to one day pursue a fellowship in Cardiology.
During his free time, he enjoys hanging out with family and friends, running, playing chess and video games, and going to church.
Kristina Carlson, DO
Kristina grew up in New England, specifically in southern New Hampshire. She attended the University of New England for undergrad and remained in Maine at UNE's College of Osteopathic Medicine for her medical
education.
She is thrilled to be moving to the Atlanta area to complete residency! Areas of clinical interest include hospital medicine, palliative care, and harm prevention. She has volunteered her time in the past to soup kitchens, as a camp counselor, and to science outreach in schools. Outside of medicine, her interests include ballroom dance, needlepoint, and exploring new cities.
Bernard Cheng, MD (preliminary intern)
Bernard was born in New York City but grew up mainly in Georgia. He attended the University of Georgia majoring in biology, and then moved on to study at Morehouse School of Medicine.
In his spare time, he enjoys exercising and working out, watching horror movies, trying out new restaurants, and playing video games. After his internship, Bernard will start residency in interventional radiology.
Shelby Comeaux, DO
Shelby grew up in Georgia and went to Georgia Institute of Technology for her undergraduate studies in Biomedical Engineering. Prior to joining medical school at Georgia PCOM, she served as a consultant at the
CDC and the director of digital marketing at a local startup.
Shelby is looking forward to exploring her options in internal medicine while being able to blend it with her prior experiences in consulting.
Beza Gebremedhine, MD
Beza was born and raised in Ethiopia prior to moving to Georgia.
She attended Kennesaw State University and then joined Meharry Medical College to pursue her dreams of becoming a physician. She is interested in global health.
She is fluent in Amharic. Her interests outside of medicine include cooking, reading and traveling.
Kelsey Kreyche, DO
Kelsey came to GA from the Northeast, USA. She grew up in Princeton, NJ and developed a love for the natural world and the arts. She pursued these passions at Franklin & Marshall College, in Lancaster, PA,
and received degrees in Biology and Music Performance. During college, she encountered the God’s love in Christ Jesus, and has delighted to follow Him ever since. For several years, she served in campus ministry, and then transitioned into medical
ministry. She attended medical school at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine -Philadelphia prior to matching at Northside Hospital.
She is interested in training in a diverse population for a future in global missions. In her non-medical time, she loves new adventures, creative cooking, and nurturing plants.
Lan Lei, MD
Lan was born and raised in North Guangdong, China. She obtained her medical school degree and master’s degree in Medicine at Sun Yat-Sen University, China. She also completed her breast surgical oncology research
fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital - Harvard Medical School. Dr. Lei furthered her studies in public health at Stony Brook University.
Her professional interests include breast cancer prevention and intervention, clinical trial design and data analysis.Outside of work, Dr. Lei enjoys Chinese calligraphy, traveling/exploring national parks and watching movies.
Mubeen Mandani, DO
Mubeen was born in a small town in India, and he moved to Dallas at the age of 8. He grew up watching and falling in love with all sports, especially baseball. He went to college at the University of Arkansas at
Little Rock, and then got a job as a purchasing manager at a wholesale distribution company. Mubeen later left that job to pursue his dream of practicing medicine, and graduated from the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2021.
In his free time, Mubeen loves to cook, watch sports, and spend time with close friends. Mubeen wants to be a hospitalist after the completion of his residency training.
Amsi Medina, DO
Amsi was born in San Diego California. Her father, a pastor for a Christian church, would get relocated every two to three years to a different city, so a few months after she was born she moved to Mexico. She spent
most of my childhood traveling from town to town, to name a few: Tijuana, Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta, and Mexico City.
After years of moving around between the US and Mexico, she entered college at San Diego State University and majored in Biology. She then moved to Philadelphia to complete a Masters in Health Sciences at Drexel University. While in Philadelphia, she had the opportunity to conduct research in forensic pediatrics and worked on several community projects with her church community. After graduating from Drexel in 2016, she moved back to Mexico and worked full time while applying to medical school. She attended Burrell College in Las Cruces prior to matching at Northside Hospital Gwinnett.
Sean Montgomery, MD
Sean is often referred to as “the big guy with an even bigger heart.” Medicine was not his first career, but after years of soul searching in Colorado, it was the one he knew he was meant to have.
He worked in public relations and non-profit fundraising before a job with Pikes Peak Hospice and Palliative Care helped him realize his passion for working with people facing serious medical conditions. He has been fortunate enough to study in Brisbane,
Australia and New Orleans, LA through the University of Queensland – Ochsner Clinical School. There he further realized his desire to train in internal medicine, and has enjoyed working with patients across various specialties including endocrinology
and palliative medicine.
More than anything he appreciates getting to know his patients, working to help improve their quality of life, and developing plans that may reduce unnecessary hospitalizations. He is thrilled to be part of the team at Northside Hospital Gwinnett because of the variety of patient cases and the compassionate faculty and staff. He looks forward to exploring Atlanta and hopefully seeing a few concerts in his downtime.
Kelsey Parks, MD (preliminary intern)
Kelsey was born and raised in Northwest Arkansas. She earned her undergraduate degree in biology from the University of Tulsa, where she also competed on the women’s volleyball team. She
attended medical school at The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and graduated with Honors in Research.
In her free time, she enjoys entertaining her golden retriever, listening to podcasts, watching college sports and enjoying the outdoors. After her internship at Northside, she will continue her post-graduate training with the Department of Dermatology at Vanderbilt.
Vini Patel, DO, MPH
Vini is a Tennessee native and has spent her entire life in Tennessee (she’s a Vol for life!). She completed her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from East Tennessee State University. She then went on to
complete a Masters in Public Health from Liberty University.
In addition, she completed a Masters in Science in Biomedical Sciences from Lincoln Memorial University, and finally, went on to complete medical school at Lincoln Memorial University DeBusk College of Medicine.
Arjun Rangan, MD (Preliminary Intern)
Arjun was born in Bangalore, India but grew up in the Metro Atlanta area. He went to undergrad at Augusta University majoring in Cell & Molecular Biology as part of the combined 7-year BS/MD
program. He subsequently attended the Medical College of Georgia where he came to realize his passion for Neurology.
He is very excited to return to his hometown for his preliminary internal medicine year at Northside Gwinnett! Besides medicine, he enjoys aviation and recently obtained his private pilot’s license. Other things he enjoys are cooking, playing video games, going camping, and indulging in anything related to Star Wars. After his internship, he will start residency in neurology at the University of Miami.
James Rizor, MD
Born in Atlanta, GA, James split his childhood between there and rural Virginia before pursuing anthropology at Rollins College. After college, he continued to pursue anthropology while living in Shanghai, China.
While volunteering in a cholera clinic in Cap-Haïtien, Haiti, he was inspired to dovetail anthropology and medicine to help others. After working as a laboratory technician for a few years, he attended Eastern Virginia Medical School, and went
on to complete an internship in General Surgery at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown, NY.
Working in the ICU during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, he discovered an affinity for Internal Medicine, which eventually lead him to decide to change specialties. His interests in medicine include critical care and infectious disease. Outside of the hospital, he enjoys wood-working and drawing. James is excited to be back in his home state working within one of the hospital systems he grew up around.
Christopher Shoji, DO
Christopher Shoji was born in Staten Island, NY. He went to undergraduate at the University of South Florida, where he majored in Health Sciences and minored in Astronomy.
He was on the powerlifting team and BJJ team in college.
He went to medical school at ACOM in Dothan, Alabama. His hobbies include fitness and nutrition.
Andrea Marianina Theodoru, MD
Andrea is a native Marylander. She completed medical school at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, and aspires to be a skilled physician incorporating clinical research and patient
advocacy into her practice.
She has an interest in women’s health.