Past Graduate Assistants
2020-2021
2020-2021 Graduate Assistants
Nicolas Belliard
Nico is pursing the dual-degree MD/MA in Bioethics program at LLU. He earned a BS in Bioengineering from Walla Walla University in June of 2020 and will begin his medical training at LLUSM in August of 2021. He is interested in bioethical issues surrounding the stem cell industry, the opioid epidemic, and clinical research. While still unsure of the exact field of medicine he will pursue, he is interested in Internal Medicine and Emergency Medicine.
- MD Class of 2025
- MA, Bioethics Class of 2021
Graduate Assistant Responsibilities:
- Writing, photography, and editing for the Inside Look newsletter
- Assists with running institutional webinars
- Helps maintain and update the CCB website
Nathaniel Jung
Nathaniel is currently enrolled in the dual-degree MD/MA Bioethics program at Loma Linda University. He graduated from Andrews University with a BS in biology with a biomedical science emphasis. His academic interests include clinical ethics and healthcare policies. He plans to pursue a residency in Anesthesiology and hopes to be a part of the hospital ethics team.
- MD Class of 2022
- MA, Bioethics Class of 2021
Graduate Assistant Responsibilities:
- Leads out with regular website design updates and maintenance for CCB and ABC websites
- Assists in the production of institutional webinars
Hazel Ezeribe
Hazel is pursuing an MD/MA Bioethics degree here at Loma Linda University. She graduated from Andrews University in Berrien Springs, MI with a BS in Biology and Minor in Chemistry. She is interested in Transplant surgery. After graduating, she plans to pursue residency training in General Surgery and ultimately transplant surgery fellowship.
- MD Class of 2022
- MA, Bioethics Class of 2021
Graduate Assistant Responsibilities:
- Production of the CCB podcast A Medical History in Color
- Photography for the center
- Legacy video digitization project
- Survey Management
2019-2020
Breana Chin
Breana Chin is currently dually enrolled in the MD/MA Bioethics program at Loma Linda University. She is interested in topics related to end-of-life care including racial disparities in palliative medicine, advanced directives, outcomes of end-of-life care, elder self-neglect, physician assisted suicide, and more. After graduating, she plans to pursue residency in Family Medicine and a fellowship in Palliative Medicine. Breana's thesis, currently entitled "Artificial Intelligence: Cure or Obstruction for Building Trust in Healthcare Systems," discusses current research advances in medical AI, will highlight how AI usage in medical care can positively influence a population’s trust in healthcare systems and will explore obstacles and ethical considerations with AI implementation in medicine.
- MD Class of 2021
- MA, Bioethics Class of 2020
Graduate Assistant Responsibilities:
- Advocated for and contributed to a revision of the institution’s strategic plan
- Drafted and edited Sabbath Policy Guidelines for the Adventist Health Policy Association
- Maintained and updated the CCB Bioethics Library as its librarian
- Assisted in planning and set up of multiple CCB events including Grand Rounds, Provonsha Lectures, and more
- Wrote and edited quarterly newsletter
- Performed photography, graphic design, and web design for maintaining the CCB and ABC website
- Interviewed and assisted with production of podcasts
- Assisted with running institutional webinars
Thesis:
Chin, Breana, Dubov, Oleksandr, & McKellar, Derek. “Artificial Intelligence: Cure or Obstruction for Building Trust in Healthcare Systems.” In progress.
David Deemer
David Deemer is a dual-degree MD/MA Bioethics student at Loma Linda University. His academic interests include survey design and assessment, research ethics, and competing conceptions of justice. He plans to apply to Internal Medicine residency, followed by additional training in Quality Improvement and Clinical Informatics in fellowship.
- MD Class of 2021
- MA, Bioethics Class of 2020
Graduate Assistant Responsibilities:
- Advocated for and contributed to a revision of the institution’s strategic plan
- Developed IRB in-service education presentations
- Composed academic summary pieces on labor unions and conscientious objection to care of COVID-19 patients
- Developed, implemented, analyzed, and presented results from institutional surveys
- Wrote and edited quarterly newsletter
- Performed regular website design updates and maintenance
- Developed and implemented marketing strategies
- Assisted with production of institutional webinars
Thesis:
Deemer, David A, Chooljian, David M., Dubov, Oleksandr. “VA’s New VistA: best practices for EHR public procurement.” In progress.
Martha Duah
Martha Duah is an MD/MA Bioethics student at Loma Linda University. She graduated from Andrews University with a BS in Psychology with an emphasis in Behavioral Neuroscience. Her academic interests include topics on race, psychiatry, the problem of evil, and anything that affects black women. She plans to apply to a Psychiatry residency and one day work with African governments on medical ethics within the continent.
- MD Class of 2021
- MA, Bioethics Class of 2020
Matthew Hagele
Matthew Hagele is pursuing an MD/MA Bioethics degree at Loma Linda University. He is interested in clinical ethics, hospital policies, and end of life care. He is planning to apply to Psychiatry residency after graduation, with the additional goals of practicing as a clinical ethicist and completing a fellowship in Palliative Medicine.
- MD Class of 2021
- MA, Bioethics Class of 2020
Matthew worked on three major projects. He digitized, edited, and curated significant lectures given at the Center for Christian Bioethics. He also worked on drafting policy statements for the Adventist Health Policy Association. Finally, he served as a research assistant for the ethics committee at Patton State Hospital. This last responsibility allowed him to advise on the clinical consult process, gather relevant resources, and present the purpose of the ethics committee to departmental leaders.
His thesis is currently titled “Ethical Challenges of Historical and Contemporary Psilocybin Research.” The paper discusses the history of psilocybin research (a naturally occurring hallucinogenic substance) in the United States along with ethical failings of that research which resulted in criminalization. It then connects the significance of these ethical failings to current psilocybin research and call for study designs which address these unique problems. Finally, the paper argues for a classification change for psilocybin due to its potential benefits in psychiatric therapies.
Amanda Jacovani
DDS/MA Bioethics Combined Degree Program
- DDS Class of 2021
- MA, Bioethics Class of 2021
Karl Wallenkampf
Karl Wallenkampf is a candidate in the MD-MA Bioethics dual-degree program with an expected graduation in 2021. He has been committed to interdisciplinary studies since his time in Walla Walla University, where completed the honors general studies program and earned a BA in humanities with a concentration in English and a BS in biology. His professional interests include pursuing training in medicine and pediatrics to practice critical care medicine and palliative care—first in a major metropolitan area and then in a more rural setting. His academic interests include bedside patient-physician dynamics, beginning- and end-of-life care, and the tension of individual and communal moral commitments.
- MD Class of 2021
- MA, Bioethics Class of 2020