Faculty

Dr. Ahmad Obeidat joined the Division of Hospital Medicine as an Instructor in Medicine in June 2024. A native of Jordan, he graduated with honors from the Jordan University of Science and Technology in 2019. Dr. Obeidat's medical school experience was highlighted by his significant involvement in volunteer work, especially in refugee camps, where he collaborated with diverse international medical teams. Furthermore, Dr. Obeidat served as a national officer for the International Federation of Medical Students' Associations, where he advocated for medical education and fostered international cooperation to tackle global health challenges. Following his medical education, Dr. Obeidat completed his residency in internal medicine at MedStar Georgetown Washington Hospital\ Georgetown University in 2024. He was a distinguished and active resident in his program as he was elected to be the house-staff representative. His work focused on being a strong advocate for his peers, focusing on enhancing wellness and the working environment for his peer-residents, which underscored his dedication to the medical field. Dr. Obeidat is also passionate about education, having participated in the Teaching Physician Pathway to refine his teaching abilities. Dr. Obeidat is particularly interested in general inpatient medicine and critical care, actively engaging in quality improvement initiatives to elevate patient care through innovative research and practices.

Devin Odom, MD, is an Associate Professor of Medicine with the Division of Hospital Medicine at Washington University School of Medicine and recently completed a fellowship in Palliative Medicine. He will also join the Division of Palliative Medicine this fall. He completed training in Internal Medicine at WashU in 2013. Dr. Odom has focused his career on communication skills education beyond residency training. He developed and directs the BJC Communication Skills Academy which provides experiential learning opportunities for providers across the School of Medicine and BJC to practice difficult conversations and Advance Care Planning in a safe small group environment. Ongoing research is evaluating the impact of this work on provider and patient satisfaction and clinical outcomes. Dr. Odom also chairs the Division of Hospital Medicine’s EMR efficiency task force to improve EMR workflow and streamline provider level improvements.

Jessica Ohemeng-Dapaah, MD joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine as an Instructor in July 2025. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Human Biology from the University of Science and Technology in Ghana, West Africa, in 2011. She then completed her medical degree, a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery, in 2014. Ohemeng-Dapaah later relocated to the United States to pursue a career in Internal Medicine. She completed her internship and residency at SSM St. Mary’s Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. Her clinical interests lie in internal medicine, with a special focus on hematologic conditions and cancer care. Ohemeng-Dapaah is passionate about reducing healthcare disparities and working to bridge the socioeconomic gaps that impact patient care. In addition to her clinical work, she is actively engaged in research and has published several peer-reviewed articles in medical journals.

Ali Osman, MBBS, is an Instructor in Medicine within the Division of Hospital Medicine and a member of the Royal College of Physicians UK. He plays a dynamic role across various areas within the Hospital Medicine Division, demonstrating flexibility and commitment to patient care, research, and medical education. With a keen interest in retrospective clinical research, particularly in gastrointestinal diseases, Dr. Osman has been actively involved in publishing articles and contributing to scholarly publications. His dedication to advancing medical knowledge is evident through his ongoing participation in research endeavors and his role within the research committee of the division.

Anupam Pande, MD, MPH, is an Assistant Professor of Medicine and Fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America with special interest in the care of transplant recipients, and a special focus on opportunistic infections and antimicrobial prophylaxis in bone marrow transplant recipients. He attends on the bone marrow transplant hospital medicine service to help integrate transplant care and infection care for these complex patients. He has a joint appointment with the Division of Infectious Diseases and also attends on the transplant/oncology infectious diseases consult service teaching fellows, residents, and students. In addition, he sees patients in the oncology/bone marrow transplant infection clinic. He also serves as the Medical Director for Inpatient Infectious Diseases Consult Services for Barnes-Jewish Hospital and is a member of the Operations Executive Committee for the Department of Medicine. His other interests include clinical education, early diagnosis, multidisciplinary care, workplace diversity and work-life balance.

Shuchi Pandey, MD, joined the Division of Hospital Medicine as an Instructor in July 2025. Originally from India, Dr. Pandey earned her medical degree from the University of Delhi in 2021. She is a proud graduate of Lady Hardinge Medical College, India’s first all-women’s medical school, founded in 1914 to improve healthcare access for women and reduce gender disparities in the medical profession. During her medical training, Dr. Pandey completed her internships at SSKH and KSCH hospitals, which provide subsidized tertiary healthcare services to a sizable underprivileged population in New Delhi. She then moved to Washington, D.C., where she completed her internship and residency in 2025 at MedStar Health Georgetown/Washington Hospital Center. Dr. Pandey now looks forward to fostering a shared enthusiasm for medicine with her junior colleagues in her new role as a clinician educator at Barnes-Jewish Hospital/Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Her clinical interests are varied and include inpatient medicine, pulmonary and critical care, and medical education.

Brandon Parker, MD, is an Instructor in Medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine. He joined the division in 2022 after completing residency at the University of Texas Dell Medical School in Austin, Texas. He currently serves as an attending physician on multiple services including hospitalist, cardiology, oncology, renal transplant, and emergency department hospitalist. He serves on the recruitment committee for the division. He enjoys bedside teaching on resident teams and individually with students and interns on the hospitalist service. His areas of clinical interest include point-of-care ultrasound, inpatient palliative care, medical education for students and residents, and continuing medical education for interdisciplinary professions such as advances practice clinicians and nursing staff.

Dr. Cameron Parker joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine as an Instructor in November 2025. He was born and spent his early years in Oklahoma before moving to Alabama. He attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and he graduated in 2010 with a degree in Civil Engineering. After briefly working in engineering, he chose to change fields to pursue a career in medicine. He went back to college and completed a post-baccalaureate degree with a major in Biology and a minor in Chemistry. His post-baccalaureate years solidified his desire to serve others, as he volunteered to bring improved access to healthcare in Alabama's rural communities. He received his medical degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine. Dr. Parker completed his internship and residency at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia, in 2021. His areas of clinical interest include general internal medicine with a focus on inpatient care, underserved patient populations, and preventative care.

Kieran Patel, MD, is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in Hospital Medicine. He joined the Division in 2023, having previously served as Chief Resident for the Internal Medicine Residency Program. Dr. Patel is Co-director of Education for Learners in the Division of Hospital Medicine and Co-director of the Gateway Medicine Conference task force. He is also an active member of the Division’s Education and Faculty Development Committees. He participates in a variety of roles, including the General Medicine Inpatient teaching service, the Procedure team, and Hospitalist Direct Care. Within the Internal Medicine Residency Program, Dr. Patel is a member of the Core Faculty and Co-director of Coaching and Remediation. Dr. Patel’s professional interests encompass medical education, mentorship, and clinical operations.

Mrunal Patel, MD is an Instructor in Medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine at Washington University. He completed his Internal Medicine residency at Trumbull Regional Medical Center, Ohio, where he gained extensive experience in managing a diverse range of complex medical cases. Originally from Gujarat, India, he pursued his medical degree at Smt. NHL Municipal Medical College and has been dedicated to providing compassionate and evidence-based patient care. Patel developed a passion for internal medicine during his clinical rotations, appreciating the specialty’s emphasis on diagnostic reasoning and patient-centered care. With a particular interest in inpatient care, quality improvement, and evidence-based medicine, Patel is dedicated to optimizing patient outcomes through personalized treatment plans. He looks forward to providing effective and efficient care to his patients as a hospitalist.

Dr. Rushin Patel joined the Division of Hospital Medicine as an Instructor in Medicine in July 2024. He grew up in Ahmedabad, India, where he also obtained his medical degree from BJ Medical College, Ahmedabad, in 2017 through Gujarat University. Dr. Patel's professional journey includes completing his internship and residency at SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital, St. Louis, MO, in 2022. Post-residency, Dr. Patel served as an internal medicine hospitalist at the Community Hospital of San Bernardino, CA, for two years before transitioning to the Hospital Medicine Division in 2024. He finds fulfillment in patient care, especially in providing comprehensive treatment and support to vulnerable patients. Dr. Patel has been very active and engaged in scholarly and research activities and has published various peer-reviewed publications, including meta-analyses, case reports, literature reviews, etc.

Dr. Zalak Patel assumed the role of Instructor in Medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine in July 2024. Originally from Ahmedabad, India, she earned her medical degree from Gujarat University in 2019 after attending Smt. N.H.L. Municipal Medical College, Ahmedabad. After graduating, she served as a medical officer in various Indian hospitals, focusing on providing healthcare to the less privileged population of India. During her time in India, Dr. Patel also volunteered at the Blind People Association, where she played a significant role in creating audiobooks for visually impaired physiotherapy students. Dr. Patel relocated to the USA in 2021 and completed her internship and residency at the University of California, Riverside School of Medicine, St. Bernardine Medical Center, CA, before joining the hospital medicine division at Washington University in 2024. Throughout her training, she demonstrated a wide range of interests and actively participated in numerous research projects and quality improvement initiatives. Dr. Patel is extremely passionate about teaching and dedicated to working with both medical students and residents. Her primary focus in medicine lies in general internal medicine with an emphasis on inpatient care, and she has a particular interest in rheumatology.

Kirtan Patolia, MD joined the Division of Hospital Medicine in the Department of Internal Medicine as an Instructor in Medicine in July of 2025. He completed medical school at B.J. Medical College, Ahmedabad in India, before moving to Chicago for an Internal Medicine residency at John H. Stroger Jr., Hospital of Cook County. His desire to become an academic hospitalist stems from his passion for clinical reasoning and teaching. He harbors a deep appreciation for collaborative teamwork, which is essential for lifelong learning, and highlights the importance of respectful interactions among team members to optimize patient care. His passion for diagnostic curiosity resonates with the pragmatic attitude and zeal for clinical excellence seen at WashU School of Medicine in St. Louis.

Mirjana Petrovic Elbaz, MD, joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine as an Instructor in Medicine in July 2023. Dr. Petrovic Elbaz completed her training at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Bronx, New York. During her residency she enjoyed teaching medical students and working in research group with residents.  She continued her education in Internal Medicine serving as PGY4 Chief Resident at Jacobi Medical Center /North Central Bronx Hospital, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Internal Medicine residency program prior to joining the Division of Hospital Medicine. Her academic interests include general inpatient medicine with special interest in cardiovascular diseases and clinical research. Dr. Petrovic Elbaz looks forward to providing care for her patients and teaching students and residents as a member of the Division of Hospital Medicine.

Mark Pinkerton, MD, is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine. He joined the division in 2019 after completing his residency at Washington University in St. Louis. He serves as an attending physician on a variety of services including general hospitalist, medical oncology, bone marrow transplant, emergency department hospitalist, nocturnist, and medicine triage. He works at BJH as well as Barnes-Jewish West County. He serves on the recruitment committee for the division. He enjoys teaching medical students and resident physicians in the clinical setting. Areas of interest include care of the hospitalized patient and antibiotic stewardship.

Dr. Thabet Qapaja assumed the role of Instructor in Medicine within the Division of Hospital Medicine in July 2024. Born and raised in Amman, Jordan, he has always been driven by a passion for medicine. He attended the University of Jordan School of Medicine, graduating with honors in 2018. Dr. Qapaja completed his internship and residency at the Cleveland Clinic Main Campus, Cleveland, OH, from 2019 to 2022. Following his residency, he served as a hospitalist and Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic/Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine (CCLCM) of Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, from 2022 to 2024 before joining the Department of Internal Medicine at Washington University, St. Louis, in 2024. Throughout his training, he engaged in various interests and participated in numerous research projects. He finds great fulfillment in teaching and collaborating with medical students and residents.

Patricia Quinley, MD, is an Instructor in Medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine and works primarily as a hospitalist in the Pulmonary Progressive Care Unit where she is the Medical Director. She has been a hospitalist at Barnes Jewish Hospital since 1993 in multiple roles. She currently works with a multidisciplinary team that focuses on patients with prolonged intensive care unit stays who require ongoing medical management as well as intensive rehabilitation in order to successfully transition to home.

Adnan Qureshi, MD, joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine as an Instructor in July 2025. Originally from Pakistan, he earned his medical degree on a full scholarship from Nishtar Medical College. Following medical school, he worked extensively as a medical officer in cardiology CCU and ER, providing care to underserved patient populations and managing a diverse range of patients. Additionally, he served as a general practitioner in an urgent care center, providing primary care services to patients with various medical needs. He then spent nearly three years at the University of Louisville researching the impact of HIV and SARS-CoV-2 on cardiovascular complications. After his research work, Qureshi completed his internal medicine residency at St. Barnabas Hospital in Bronx, New York. His current areas of interest are General Internal Medicine with a focus on inpatient care and with a special interest in cardiology.

Dr. Rehan Rais is an Instructor in Medicine at the Division of Hospital Medicine since June 2024. Originally from Karachi, Pakistan, he completed his medical education at Liaquat National Medical College. Dr. Rais completed his residency in anatomic and clinical pathology at Barnes-Jewish Hospital/Washington University School of Medicine, where he also served as a chief resident and participated in recruiting new residents. He further specialized in hepatobiliary and gastrointestinal pathology and is now a board-certified anatomic and clinical pathologist. Driven by his clinical interests, he pursued additional training in Internal Medicine, completing his internship and residency at Barnes-Jewish Hospital/Washington University School of Medicine. He is actively involved in quality improvement projects focusing on heart failure and improving primary care-patient continuity.

Lois Richard, MD, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Medicine in The Division of Hospital Medicine. She divides her time between the inpatient Hospitalist Service at Barnes Jewish Hospital and the IM Consult Service at The Rehabilitation Institute of St. Louis. She is also a Senior Fellow in the Society of Hospital Medicine. Having established the St. Louis Chapter of SHM in 2010, she continues to be active on the local chapter Advisory Board. Dr. Richard has been Course Chair for “Care of the Hospitalized Patient” CME course since 2007, which now continues as “The Gateway Hospital Medicine Conference.”

Corey Shy, MD, is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Washington University School of Medicine, committed to patient-centered care, education, and promoting diversity and inclusion within the medical community. Since joining the Division of Hospital Medicine in 2020, he has provided exceptional care to patients with complex medical needs, emphasizing interdisciplinary collaboration to optimize patient outcomes and reduce readmission rates. Dr. Shy is passionate about mentoring residents and medical students, especially in addiction medicine, aiming to bridge educational gaps and equip future physicians with necessary skills. His community service includes advocating for underrepresented minorities in medicine, reactivating the SNMA chapter at Texas A&M, and enhancing minority representation in residency programs. Dr. Shy's research focuses on improving patient care through innovative approaches, with significant contributions to colorectal cancer screening and addiction medicine.

Kevin Stephenson, MD, is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine. Dr. Stephenson has two career foci: attending on inpatient general medicine teaching services at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and improving the treatment of undernourished children and pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa. Alongside Mark Manary, Professor of Pediatrics at WUSM, Dr. Stephenson leads a research group that operates clinical trial networks in Sierra Leone, Malawi, and Ghana, across which novel formulations of therapeutic, supplementary, and school foods are tested in the hopes of treating undernutrition and improving physical and cognitive development in vulnerable populations. He had the good fortune of living in Malawi and Sierra Leone for several years; these experiences form the basis of his research career. Most recently, a trial published by Dr. Stephenson’s group was integral in changing the United Nations Codex Alimentarius regulations for the fatty acid content of ready-to-use therapeutic food, after showing that improved fatty acid balance led to superior cognitive development in children with severe acute malnutrition.

Dr. David Tabagari joined the Division of Hospital Medicine as an Instructor in Medicine in July 2024. He was born and raised in Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia, and moved to the United States in 2021 to complete his Internal Medicine residency training. He attended and received his medical degree in 2017 from Tbilisi State Medical University. After graduating, he worked at “Multiprofile Clinic Consilium Medulla” in Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia, as a junior doctor and later as a resident physician in the hematology-oncology program, where he participated in various projects and was working on several major clinical trials. He is currently a co-founder of “Multiprofile Clinic Consilium Medulla” and is using his training and experience to be actively involved in implementing international standards to provide the highest quality medical care for patients in his home country. Dr. Tabagari completed his internship and residency at the University of Missouri School of Medicine in Columbia prior to joining the division in 2024. His current areas of interest are general internal medicine with a focus on inpatient care, with a special interest in hematology and oncology, as well as the detection and management of immunotherapeutic adverse events requiring hospitalization.

Jia Tang, MD joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine as an Instructor in July 2025. She grew up in the beautiful countryside of central China before attending Tongji Medical College, where she graduated with a medical degree and also completed the Internal Medicine residency program. After completing her residency training, Tang spent several years serving factory workers with work-related lung diseases in the rural areas of Shenzhen. While practicing medicine, Tang continued to nurture her passion for further medical education in the U.S. She began her journey with the USMLE and was accepted into the Internal Medicine residency program at St. Luke’s Hospital in Missouri. Along with her ongoing community service, she worked on a quality improvement project promoting the use of GLP-1 agonists and SGLT-2 inhibitors in diabetic patients and cultivated a love of teaching by tutoring medical students. Tang completed her Internal Medicine internship and residency at St. Luke’s Hospital in St. Louis from 2022 to 2025.

Shaili Tapiavala, MD joined the Division of Hospital Medicine in the Department of Internal Medicine as an Instructor in July of 2025. She was born in New York and soon moved to Dallas, Texas. She attended the University of Miami with merit scholarship and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in biology and public health and a minor in chemistry. She subsequently received her medical degree from Texas A&M College of Medicine in 2022. Tapiavala completed her internship and residency at Barnes-Jewish Hospital/WashU School of Medicine in St. Louis prior to joining the division in 2025. In addition to her clinical skills and research work, Tapiavala developed a strong interest in medical education and further enhanced her leadership abilities by completed the Forum for Women in Medicine Leadership Development Program. Her current areas of interest focus on health equity in oncologic care and treatment-related toxicity and its implications for patient morbidity.

Mark Thoelke, MD, is a Professor of Medicine and a Senior Fellow of Hospital Medicine. Mark was the first hospitalist at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in 1998. He helped found the division in 2000 and was Clinical Director, and then Chief until 2020. He now enjoys spending time on the teaching service.

Alex Thomas, MD, is an Assistant Professor of Medicine within the Division of Hospital Medicine. Specializing as a nocturnist, he tends to the diverse needs of patients across various service lines at Barnes-Jewish and Barnes-Jewish West County Hospitals. His dedicated focus extends to oncology, bone-marrow transplant, and general hospitalist services. Beyond his clinical pursuits, he is deeply committed to medical education, sharing his expertise on the Medicine Firm services. His passion for advancing healthcare extends to the realm of electronic health records, where he actively collaborates with fellow hospitalists across the BJC system to develop AgileMD pathways, setting a standard for patient care. He also serves on multiple committees and has played a pivotal role in the creation of the Roads to Success program, providing support to junior faculty members.

Mathew Thomas, MD, joined the Division of Hospital Medicine as an Instructor in Medicine in July 2025. He was born in Buffalo, NY and spent most of his upbringing in Eau Claire, WI. He graduated from Boston College, MA, with a major in Mathematics and a minor in Chemistry. Thereafter, he went to medical school at Kasturba Medical College, India. He developed a particular interest in hematology/oncology and was involved in the Hemophilia Society of Manipal, educating and treating patients with recombinant clotting factor infusions for patients with hemophilia. During his residency in Internal Medicine at Riverside Medical Center in Kankakee, IL, he co-authored a quality improvement project detailing the unnecessary use of antibiotics in the treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria. His clinical interests include preventative medicine, hematology/oncology, inpatient care, and delivering high quality patient care in underserved areas.

Lauren Van Buren, MD, is an Instructor in Medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine. She received her medical degree from Indiana University School of Medicine and completed her internal medicine residency at Washington University in St. Louis. Her areas of interest include inpatient medicine, gastroenterology, physician wellness, and medical education. She is a member of the Social and Wellness committee within the division. She works as an attending physician primarily on the general medicine and oncology hospitalist services. 

Aarthi Venkatramanan, MD joined the Division of Hospital Medicine in the Department of Internal Medicine as an Instructor in July 2025. Her diverse upbringing—spending her early years in the United States and later completing her education in India—has shaped a global perspective that enhances both her clinical approach and patient care. Venkatramanan graduated with Honors from Kasturba Medical College in Manipal, India, in 2021. Following medical school, she worked as a medical scribe in Texas, gaining valuable experience in outpatient rheumatology before beginning her Internal Medicine residency at Georgetown University/Hospital Center in Washington, DC. She is passionate about mentoring medical trainees and aspires to integrate medical education into her long-term career. Her clinical interests include General Internal Medicine, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, and Transplant Medicine, with plans to pursue subspecialty training in the future.

Mallorie Vest, MD, joined the Division of Hospital Medicine in the Department of Internal Medicine as an assistant professor in December 2023. She received her bachelor's degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology with a minor in Chemistry from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In 2020, she completed her medical degree at St. George's University School of Medicine in Grenada, followed by clinical rotations in Miami, Florida, and New York City. Dr. Vest further pursued her medical career by completing her internship and residency in Internal Medicine at Icahn School of Medicine, New York City Health and Hospitals, Queens. Dr. Vest is also certified in various hospitalist procedures. Throughout her professional journey, Dr. Vest has demonstrated a range of interests. She has authored papers on internal medicine topics such as pancreatitis, neuroendocrine carcinoma, and breast cancer.

Nikita Wadhwani, MD, joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine as an Instructor in July 2025. Wadhwani received her medical degree in 2018 from the University of Delhi and recently completed her Internal Medicine residency training at Hackensack Meridian Health in NJ. She actively partook in the development and implementation of resident mentorship initiatives and worked closely with other co-mentors to strategically devise tailored plans aimed at easing the transition, and progression of mentees through various clinical competency milestones. She worked toward eliminating impediments to healthcare access and facilitating provision of resources to the medically underserved cohorts through her continual participation in community outreach events, health education initiatives, health & wellness fairs, and curbside/drive-through vaccination programs. Wadhwani is greatly passionate about diversity, equity, and inclusion, and graduate medical education, and she looks forward to teaching and working with medical students and residents.

Devvrat Yadav, MD joined the Division of Hospital Medicine in the Department of Internal Medicine as an Instructor in July 2025. He completed his medical school from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, the most prestigious medical institute in India. Following medical school, Yadav completed a two-year Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Mayo Clinic School of Medicine in Rochester, Minnesota. He went on to complete his Internal Medicine residency at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, Maryland. During residency, he continued to explore the role of the gut microbiome, with a particular focus on gastrointestinal cancers and CAR T-cell therapy. Yadav’s academic passions include medical education, clinical research, and mentoring. He is particularly interested in bedside physical examination, high-value care, and delivering efficient, patient-centered treatment in the inpatient setting.

Robert Young, MD, MS, is a dedicated geriatrics hospitalist at Washington University School of Medicine, specializing in providing excellent inpatient care for vulnerable elderly patients. His clinical activities include attending to patients on hospitalist floors, performing geriatrics consults, and collaborating with interdisciplinary teams to improve care outcomes. Dr. Young has a particular focus on delirium care models, post-acute care transitions, and interdisciplinary teamwork to maintain patient functionality. He has contributed to quality improvement and patient safety by implementing diagnostic excellence programs and developing protocols to enhance patient mobility and reduce falls. In education, Dr. Young mentors medical learners, teaches on geriatrics consult service, and develops simulation-based training programs. Dr. Young is also actively involved in service and citizenship, participating in various committees and task forces to advocate for better patient care and support for underrepresented groups.

Dr. Yu joined the Division of Hospital Medicine at Washington as an Instructor in Medicine in July 2024. She grew up in Iowa City, Iowa, and completed both undergraduate studies, medical education, and residency training in the Midwest. She attended college at Washington University in St. Louis and graduated cum laude in 2017 with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering in Biomedical Engineering. After college, she attended medical school at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine and received her medical degree in 2021. She was inducted into the Carver Humanism Honor Society in 2020. She then completed her residency training in Internal Medicine at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics from 2021 to 2024. Her wide range of exposure and her various experiences during residency training pushed her interest toward hospital medicine, and she decided to pursue a career as an academic hospitalist.

Dr. Samuel Zetumer joined the Division of Hospital Medicine in the Department of Internal Medicine as a current Assistant Professor of Medicine in October 2025. He was born and raised in San Diego, California, and graduated cum laude from Princeton University with a degree in Mathematics. He then attended the University of California, San Francisco, where he obtained a medical degree and a master’s in clinical research and study design. Afterwards, he attended the University of Iowa for his internal medicine residency. Dr. Zetumer specializes in the creation and deployment of software to facilitate clinical research, enhance and monitor care quality, improve operational efficiency, and augment patient care directly. As the CHIO, Dr. Zetumer worked across multidisciplinary teams to upgrade clinical data servers safely, overhaul inpatient electronic medical record (EMR) functionality, translate primary research into dashboards for specialists to use during consultation, and migrated on-premise platforms to the VA’s Azure environment.

David Zhang, MD joined the Division of Hospital Medicine in the Department of Internal Medicine as an Instructor in June 2025. He was raised in San Antonio, Texas. He attended Washington University in St. Louis, where he studied physics and graduated with college honors. During his time in college, was inducted into the physics honor society, Sigma Pi Sigma, and did research in biophysics and epigenetics. Zhang then completed his internship and residency at Barnes-Jewish Hospital / WashU School of Medicine prior to joining the division in 2025. During his time in residence, he has maintained an interest in medical education. His current interests are general internal medicine with a special interest in pulmonology and critical care. He is also eager to mentor trainees and students, and to further his interest in medical education.

Dr. Jiahua Zhang joined the Division of Hospital Medicine as an Instructor in Medicine in July 2024. He was born and raised in Changsha, China, and came to the United States in 2011 for college. He attended the University of Washington in Seattle and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry in 2015. After graduation, he worked as a lab technician, serving patients in need of diagnostic tests for 2 years. He started his medical training at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine in Middletown, New York, in 2017 and received his medical degree in 2021. Dr. Zhang completed his residency in internal medicine at the Mercy Hospital in St. Louis in 2024 and joined the division in the same year. He was enthusiastic about developing clinical skills in using point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) during his practice and received the certificate to perform a full-body POCUS exam during the third year of his residency. His clinical interests include general internal medicine with a focus on inpatient care, hematology and oncology, and the clinical education of medical students and residents.

Diana Zhao, MD, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine and works primarily as a night hospitalist. She has an interest in teaching and mentorship of students on the hospitalist service and aids in recruitment of internal medicine resident candidates through the IM program as an interviewer. She also serves on the Patient Care Operations Committee.