Panacea Financial confirms ongoing dedication to fostering greater ethnic and racial diversity within the healthcare profession
LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas — Panacea Financial, a division of Primis that provides financial services for doctors through all stages of their education, training and practice, is once again thrilled to name the 14 current residents and fellows that have been selected for a Panacea Financial Foundation Resident & Fellow Grant during the winter 2023 application cycle.
The Panacea Financial Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization affiliated with Panacea Financial, aims to strengthen the underrepresented ethnic and racial minority pipeline of physicians through offering scholarships and grants yearly.
Applications for Panacea Financial Foundation grants were received from across the United States and evaluated by the foundation’s selection committee. Recipients were chosen based on their demonstrated dedication to advancing healthcare and community well-being, with each grant awardee receiving $1,000 in support of their endeavors.
Jeral Self, PhD, MPH, Executive Director of the Panacea Financial Foundation, said, “This year’s application grant cycle was exceptionally outstanding with numerous deserving individuals. Each of these residents and fellows was selected based on their dedication and commitment to the improvement of their community. We are excited to support them in their training programs.”
The winners are:
Mohamed Issah Jalloh, MD, MS, MPH – Rheumatology Fellow at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital
“While the overarching goal in rheumatology is often remission, the current landscape lacks comprehensive strategies for prevention and early intervention. With this grant, I aim to pioneer feasible initiatives that empower patients and enhance their collaboration with healthcare providers.”
Mina Milad, MD – Pediatrics Resident at Golisano Children’s Hospital, University of Rochester
“As someone who has lived in a developing country and who is dedicating his work to improving children’s health, my career is centered on serving underserved communities. I hope to [address healthcare disparities] through the Coptic Medical Association of North America organization which plans medical mission trips to the most impoverished regions of the world. The financial support from this grant will empower me to fund this trip in the future.”
M. Maher Hulou, MD – Neurosurgery Resident at University of Kentucky
“The financial support from the grant will alleviate the burden of educational expenses, allowing me to further enhance my skills and qualifications, including participating in specialized training programs, attending conferences, and pursuing additional certifications. Moreover, the grant will enable me to establish outreach programs and mentorship initiatives aimed at guiding aspiring minority healthcare professionals.”
Natalia Roque, MD – Psychiatry Resident at The University of Chicago Medical Center
“Guided by Nicole’s memory, I’ve initiated a new research project focused on educating clinicians to recognize bias and champion equitable patient care. I’ve created an art-based curriculum fostering community and discussions on bias in medicine, intending to integrate it into our weekly education sessions.”
Argin Haritounian, DO – Sports Medicine Fellow at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
“The funds will be utilized to expand outreach programs, enabling me to organize health and wellness initiatives within the underserved community. This includes workshops on injury prevention, nutrition, and fitness tailored to their specific needs.”
Valentina Ramirez, MD – Orthopaedic Surgery Resident at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
“The region where I am doing my residency has a large Hispanic population. I am a fluent Spanish speaker and I am passionate about health literacy for Spanish-speaking populations. Even though Spanish is my first language, I am often not allowed to translate medical information to my patients because I am technically not a certified translator. With this grant, I will be able to pay for my translator license to be able to better serve my Spanish-speaking patients.”
Kelly McGregory, DO – Child Abuse Pediatrics Fellow at the University of Minnesota Medical School
“When I started the academic pediatrician position in November 2020, I had no idea of the abundance of great opportunities that would follow or that I would discover a love for research and medical education. As a recipient of this grant, it will directly help my career by covering application costs for abstract submission, meeting registration fees and attendance, and poster production.”
Marimar Hernandez Hernandez, MD – Internal Medicine Resident at VA Caribbean Healthcare System
“Receiving this grant will support my career goals since I plan on doing an Endocrinology fellowship next year. I am the first person in my family to pursue a career in medicine; this goal has made me increasingly dependent on student loans, some of which I will start re-paying next year.”
Jessica Buck DiSilvestro, MD – Gynecology Oncology Fellow at Brown University/Women & Infants Hospital
“This grant will help support my participation at national conferences to learn about trial development and implementation, build networks, and establish mentors in the field.”
Jasmine M. Blake, MD, MSPH – Internal Medicine and Pediatrics Resident at Mount Sinai
“Through this grant I will fund a rotation to Kenya to work with children with autism and their families in a community-based center. The competence that I will develop in Kenya will lay the foundation for the rest of my career as a budding expert in international disabilities and complex care.”
Jenifer A. Akinduro, MD, MS – Obstetrics and Gynecology Resident at Indiana University School of Medicine
“As a physician-advocate, a champion for maternal health, and a 1st generation Nigerian-American, I have a strong desire to provide quality healthcare to those most in need in Lagos, Nigeria. I plan on participating in an international rotation in Lagos, Nigeria during the 2024-2025 academic year. This award will go a long way to helping me fund this incredible global health opportunity.”
Jennifer L. Aron, MD – Family Practice Resident at Midwestern University GME Consortium / Kingman Program
“Receiving this grant will propel my career by supporting my pursuit of the International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) certification. Aspiring to become the highest level of lactation consultant alongside my role as a physician, I aim to provide comprehensive peripartum care, particularly for mothers and babies in disadvantaged backgrounds with lower breastfeeding rates.”
Rhoda Asimeng, DO, MS – Family Medicine Resident at St. John’s Episcopal Hospital
“This grant will provide assistance in my plans on serving the underserved population, specifically women’s health in the NY/NJ area. I would love to start an initiative to have free weekly pregnancy-related classes in surrounding neighborhoods.”
Cibel Quinteros, MD, MS – Obstetrics and Gynecology Resident at NYU Linguine
“The Panacea Grant funds will help me implement, in collaboration with my partners in Ghana, a quality improvement research initiative for the Family Planning Unit at Tamale Teaching Hospital, the sole tertiary referral hospital in northern Ghana.”
Panacea Financial is a financial services company created for doctors, by doctors on the premise that traditional banks simply do not understand the financial needs of medical, dental and veterinary professionals. Panacea provides tailored product offerings and service delivery designed specifically for doctors throughout their career: from school, through training and into practice.
For more information about the Panacea Financial Foundation grants and scholarships, visit: https://panaceafinancial.com/community-engagement.
About Panacea Financial
Panacea Financial, a Division of Primis (NASDAQ: FRST), focuses on providing world class financial services for dentists, physicians, and veterinarians through all stages of their training and practice. Panacea offers a full suite of banking and technology solutions specifically built for doctors, by doctors. Through the Panacea Financial Foundation, its non-profit arm, the Company is dedicated to expanding ethnic and racial diversity within the medical field, providing more than $200,00 in scholarships and grants to underrepresented minority medical students, residents, and fellows since 2021. For more information, visit PanaceaFinancial.com. Follow Panacea Financial on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
