Chief Resident Introductions, 2017-18

Sheena CarlLee

I grew up in Nashville, Tennessee, where I did not love country music, but enjoyed everything else the city had to offer. I graduated from Vanderbilt University with a Bachelor of Arts in Medicine, Health, and Society. Afterwards, I moved to Little Rock, Arkansas for medical school at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. There, I met my husband Tyler, who has been a never-ending source of support, encouragement, and perspective. When I interviewed at the University of Iowa Internal Medicine Program, I was impressed with the dedication from program leadership to help residents achieve a solid foundation in general internal medicine while still pursuing success in fellowship placement. The enthusiasm which was exuded during my interview day continued through my intern and second years, eventually inspiring me to apply for Chief Resident. I hope to continue the tradition of strong academic training in a collegial environment and to be a resource and mentor for current residents. After my chief year, I hope to continue in academic medicine as a hospitalist.

When I am not working, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, cooking, and reading.

Amanda Grippen Goddard

I spent the first 6 years of my life in New Orleans, Louisiana. I learned to love red beans and rice, jambalaya, crawfish, and Mardi Gras parades. From there, our family moved to the Midwest—first living in the upper peninsula of Michigan, and then, Milwaukee. I attended the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and received a Bachelor of Science in Biology.

My interest in medicine has been influenced by two people in my life. My father worked in hospital administration for the VA healthcare system. I saw firsthand the challenges and rewards of caring for our veterans. During my undergraduate studies, I was fortunate to work with a wonderful mentor and internist at the VA hospital. While working as a research assistant, I interacted with internal medicine residents and tracked interruptions during their workflow. This experience not only increased my interest in the field of internal medicine, but also laid a foundation for my current role as VA Chief Resident in Quality and Patient Safety.

Iowa is beginning to feel like home. I spent four years at Des Moines University and 3 years in internal medicine residency here. The internal medicine department at Iowa was exactly what I was looking for to further my education and training. It provided a collegial atmosphere, dedicated teaching attendings, an abundance of mentors and research opportunities, and a community of physicians who put patient care first.

I am excited for the upcoming year as Chief Resident in Quality and Patient Safety at the VA hospital. Over the coming year, I look forward to improving the education and experience of internal medicine residents and medical students. Following this year, I plan to pursue a fellowship in Allergy/Immunology. When not at work, I enjoy spending time with my husband Aaron (a PhD candidate in biomedical engineering at U of Iowa) and our dog, Izzy. For fun, I love to travel, run, bike, bake, and spend time with our families in Iowa and Wisconsin.

Aaron Vose

I was born and raised in Franklin, North Carolina, a small town nestled in the Appalachian Mountains. I am a proud alumnus of UNC-Chapel Hill where I received a Bachelor of Science-Biology and attended The Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University for medical school.

I became interested in internal medicine during medical school, as I was attracted to the complexity of clinical cases seen in the hospital, with the opportunity for long-term patient relationships. There is a sense of mystery to many internal medicine cases, requiring a genuine spirit of curiosity and sometimes a bit of creativity to arrive at a solution.

As a North Carolina “lifer” prior to my residency program search, I knew it would take a special place to leave friends and family behind—and The University of Iowa Medicine Program remains that to this day. The University of Iowa is a top-rate institution when it comes to medical training and research. While that can be said of many places, what sets Iowa apart is the incredible support from our program leadership, clinical faculty, and co-residents. Internal Medicine at Iowa is committed to an authentic, individualized experience for our trainees and, perhaps most importantly, our patients; because of this, I knew Iowa was the right place for me.

Outside the hospital, I enjoy spending time with my wife Rory, who is a graduate student in Audiology. I’m a huge college basketball fan (Go Tar Heels!). I love barbecue, live music, and spending time outdoors.

I am excited to spend my year as chief resident working hard to recruit new, talented resident-physicians to continue to carry our program forward.  At the conclusion of my chief year, I will continue my training as a fellow in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine.

Josiah Zubairu

I was born and raised in Jos, Nigeria, and moved to the United States at age 19 to attend college. It has been a wonderful life experience thousands of miles away from my family. I went to State University of New York at Buffalo where I majored in Pharmacology. Afterwards, I lived and worked in Chicago, Illinois, for 2 years before attending medical school at Southern Illinois University in Springfield. I moved to Iowa for residency in 2014. I have made great friends and built lifelong relationships since then.

I knew I wanted to become a doctor sometime during my secondary school education in Nigeria. Medicine gives me the immense opportunity, not only for clinical exposure and management, but for self-learning and reflection. It affords me an avenue to critically analyze complex situations and make decisions based on skills and experiences garnered from years of training and practice. It serves as a medium for longitudinal care, learning, teaching, and fostering lifelong relationships with patients and their families. Medicine encapsulates the many things that make my life fulfilling.

My other interests lay in health policy/administration, politics, and advocacy. I believe that physicians should be at the forefront of enacting policies and creating an environment for better patient care and healthcare delivery. I actively participate in organizations which help achieve these goals. My hobbies include travel, biking, watching movies, and soccer. I am a big fan of Chelsea Football Club, England.

I was drawn to medicine at Iowa because of the many positive attributes of this program including its world-class infrastructure and faculty, the collegial environment, and the multitudes of opportunities in research, education, and clinical care. I look forward to my chief year where I will be able to play a large role in teaching and mentoring medical students and residents as they grow to become outstanding physicians for their communities. I plan to pursue fellowship training and career in Cardiology with some work in healthcare administration in the future.