Mohammad Salman Ansari, MD
I grew up in the multicultural metropolis of Toronto, Canada, where I received my Bachelors of Science from Ryerson University in downtown Toronto. At Ryerson, I was involved in teaching, leadership with the Students’ Union and medicinal chemistry research with my mentor creating small-molecule drugs for cystic fibrosis. These were my formative years that solidified my love of teaching and my drive to pursue medicine. My travels then led me to my second home in Saint Louis, where I completed my MD degree at Saint Louis University School of Medicine in 2016.
In medical school, I was drawn to internal medicine because of my mentors who embodied the “art” of medicine – both in clinical practice, as well as teaching. I knew I wanted to practice in a specialty which was versatile and truly captured the breadth of medicine as well as the acuity of illness, with the option of practicing in a variety of settings. At the University of Iowa, I found a nationally recognized institution with a long-standing reputation of excellence in clinical care as well as education of medical students and residents, which was the best fit for my long-term goals. Along with going from a 1.5-hour commute in undergrad to now a 10-minute one, I have been fortunate in getting to train under some of the best clinician-educators who are well known in their respective fields. As one of the Chiefs this year, I hope to continue to work alongside them to advance our reputation in teaching and education.
Outside of the hospital, I love to spend time with my wonderful wife, Madiha, and explore new places and restaurants. I am an avid news reader (often reading the same news from multiple different sources), and love reading about politics, religion, and culture. In the future, I hope to pursue a career path in Gastroenterology / Hepatology, which includes medical education and leadership.
Brenden Boyle, MD
As I child growing up in Omaha, Nebraska, I developed a love for math and science (and Husker football) early on. In high school I participated in quiz bowl and state math competitions as well as varsity soccer. I then moved on to the University of Nebraska – Lincoln where I received my Bachelor of Science in Biological Systems Engineering with an emphasis in Biomedical Engineering. It was during my time there that I realized I was destined for a life of patient care. Following completion of my undergraduate education, I headed east where I completed medical school at Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia, PA.
In Philadelphia I developed many life-long friendships, as well as an appreciation for a proper cheesesteak (with Whiz). Yet, when it came time to apply for residency, I knew that I wanted to venture back to the comfort of Midwest living. I found everything I was looking for at the University of Iowa. On my interview day I found the people here to be so friendly and welcoming. I was immensely impressed by the working relationships I observed where residents and faculty worked side-by-side as colleagues to not only foster learning and growth, but also to provide the best possible care for their patients. In the three years since I can truly say that training at UIHC is a one-of-a-kind experience.
During my upcoming year as the Chief Resident in Quality and Patient Safety, I am excited to do my part to continue the strong tradition of excellence that has been developed here at the University of Iowa. Following the completion of my year as Chief Resident, I intend to pursue fellowship training in cardiovascular medicine.
Andrei Schwartz, MD
I was born in Romania but moved to Israel at a young age. After high school, unlike most of my friends who joined mandatory service, I was accepted to the Medical Academic Reserve program. I attended the Sackler University in Tel Aviv, where I earned my Bachelor of Medical Sciences and completed medical school. After graduation, I joined the Israel Defense Force where I served as a medical doctor in a few positions including battalion surgeon, clinic commander in a boot camp, and flight surgeon.
My early years as a battalion surgeon practicing rural medicine and treating trauma in remote outposts taught me to enjoy direct patient care, and my last years managing complex cases while considering the extreme environment of fighter pilots, helped me become interested in internal medicine, with an emphasis on a broad spectrum of ailments and significant complexity.
After spending one year performing translational research in cardiology at the University of Iowa, seeing the camaraderie and the enthusiasm of the internal medicine residents, as well as the friendliness and approachability of the attendings, helped me decide to pursue residency in the Hawkeye State. Residency training was, as expected, immensely rewarding with daily challenging cases, which my co-residents and I managed with growing independence, knowledge, and level of comfort.
Outside the hospital I love to spend time with my wife, Maria, and young boys, Julian and Ari. We enjoy travelling around the world and in the last few years have been crossing amazing national parks off our list with our young kids on our backs.
I am excited about the next year as Chief and plan to work hard recruiting the next class of accomplished residents. Following Chief year I plan to pursue a fellowship in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine.
Jenny Strouse, MD
I was raised in a small Midwestern town and despite exploring both the United States and other countries, the Midwest remains a magnet exerting a strong hold over me. After college, I taught high school science for several years and did scientific research in immunology. When I interviewed at the University of Iowa, I appreciated the warm and welcoming environment with such an incredible sense of camaraderie and enthusiasm for learning.
During my time here, I’ve worked hard, learned more than I could have imagined, and always felt that everyone cared about my professional development and my personal well-being. Under the guidance of outstanding role models, I’ve grown so much as a physician while here. I’m thankful that this program provided me with the opportunities to become a well-trained, humanistic doctor. I look forward to continue fostering what I believe is the best training environment in the country.
One of the many areas I am interested in developing is a clinical educator pathway to provide additional opportunities to our residents. After this year spent cultivating my love of coffee, I plan to pursue a rheumatology fellowship and to continue to work in research and clinical education at an academic institution.