Urban Bioethics alumni are working nationwide to address health disparities in their communities. We are incredibly proud of their ongoing commitment toward building a more ethical world.
Class of 2023
In 2022-23 another 45 alumni completed their theses and graduated with their Master of Arts in Urban Bioethics and 1 alumna completed the Graduate Certificate in Urban Bioethics.
You can learn more about our most recent alumni and their theses here.
Alumni Spotlight
We invite you to learn more about our alumni through their interviews, professional accomplishments, and publications.
(MD ’21, MA ’21)
Interview with Arianna Ahiagbe
(MD ’20, MA ’20)
Ikenna Achebe (MA ’21)
- Ertl, M.M., Jones, A., Hickson, R., Achebe, I., Gyamfi, S.L., Sichel, C.E., Campos, S., O’Grady, M.A., Tross, S., Wilson, P., Cohall, R.M., Cohall, A.T., Elkington, K.S. 2024. “Technology Access and Perceptions of Telehealth Services Among Young Adults Involved in the Court System.” Journal of Adolescent Health vol. 74 (3): 582-590.
- O’Grady, M.A., Elkington, K.S., Robson, G., Achebe, I.Y., Williams, A.R., Cohall, A.T., Cohall, R., Christofferson, M., Garcia, A., Ramsey, K.S., Lincourt, P., Tross, S. “Referral to and engagement in substance use disorder treatment within opiod intervention courts in New York: a qualitative study of implementation barriers and facilitators.” 2024. Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy.
Yasmeen Bruton (MA ’15)
- Blake CE, JO Fisher, C Ganter, N Younginer, A Orloski, RE Blaine, Yasmeen Bruton, and KK Davison. 2015. A qualitative study of parents’ perceptions and use of portion size strategies for preschool children’s snacks. Appetite 88: 17-23.
- DiSantis KI, LL Birch, A Davey, EL Serrano, J Zhang, Yasmeen Bruton, and JO Fisher. 2013. Plate size and children’s appetite: effects of larger dishware on self-served portions and intake. Pediatrics 131 (5): e1451-e1458.
- Malhotra K, AN Herman, G Wright, Yasmeen Bruton, JO Fisher, and RC Whitaker. 2013. Perceived benefits and challenges for low-income mothers of having family meals with preschool-aged children: childhood memories matter. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics 113 (11): 1484-1493.
Andrew Coulter (MD ’16, MA ’16)
- Coulter, Andrew. 2014. Lessons from western PA: A proposed local regulatory body for health care advertising. The American Journal of Bioethics 14 (3): 49-51.
- Coulter, Andrew. 2013. Deep brain stimulation research protocols and depressive patients with previous suicidality: We can’t afford to lose focus. AJOB Neuroscience 4 (1): 41-2.
Adys Mendizabal (MD’16, MA’16)
- Mendizabal A, Thibault DP, Crispo JA, Paley A, Willis AW. “Comorbid disease drives short-term hospitalization outcomes in patients with multiple sclerosis” Neurol Clin Pract. 2020 Jun;10(3):255-264. doi: 10.1212/CPJ.0000000000000838. PMID: 32642327
- Mendizabal A, Ngo Vu AT, Thibault D, Gonzalez-Alegre P, Willis A. “Hospitalizations of Children with Huntington’s Disease in the United States. Mov Disord Clin Pract. 2017 Sep 11;4(5):682-688. doi: 10.1002/mdc3.12506. eCollection 2017 Sep-Oct. PMID: 30363491 Free PMC article.
- Mendizabal A, Thibault DP, Willis AW. “Patient safety events in hospital care of individuals with epilepsy.” Epilepsia. 2016 Aug;57(8):1301-9. doi: 10.1111/epi.13440. Epub 2016 Jun 28. PMID: 27350435 Free article.
- Thibault DP, Mendizabal A, Abend NS, Davis KA, Crispo J, Willis AW. “Hospital care for mental health and substance abuse in children with epilepsy.”
Research Projects - Editing Manuscript on “Adverse Childhood Experiences in Adults with Neurological Disease” – Manuscript accepted to Neurology Clinical Practice with Major Revisions (currently working in editing process)
Other Activities - Implemented a Health Equities Curriculum for University of Pennsylvania’s Neurology Residency Program (submitting manuscript with results)
- Actively involved with the Huntington’s Disease (HD) Center of Excellence at UCLA. Career goal is to ultimately be an HD specialist and focus on epidemiology, health equities, and advocacy within HD
Christy Santoro (MA ’21)
- Santoro, Christine M., Mari-Carmen Farmer, Gloria Lobato, Monica James, and Sharon J. Herring. 2022. Antiracism Training for Nutrition Professionals in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC): a Promising Strategy to Improve Attitudes, Awareness, and Actions. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities.
Cara Smith (MD ’17, MA ’17)
- Smith, Cara. 2014. Shifting the balance: Equalizing protection for both participants and beneficiaries of research. The American Journal of Bioethics 14 (12): 20-22.
Sarab Sodhi (MD ’15, MA ’15)
- Sodhi, Sarab. 2015. “Stayin’ alive”. Academic Emergency Medicine 22 (4): 496.
- Sodhi, Sarab. 2014. A labor of love. Annals of Internal Medicine 160 (9): 653.