First Annual Medical Student Scholarly Exhibit
This year marked the first time the Scholarly Poster Exhibits were open to medical students across Kentucky. This new opportunity was made possible through the efforts of KAFP Student Delegates to the Board of Directors, Meghan Harter and Philip Harter of the University of Louisville School of Medicine, along with the support of the KAFP Foundation. A total of five posters were submitted for consideration.
1st Place
Idhaya Vasu, MPH, MS2
University of Louisville School of Medicine
Idhaya Vasu is currently a 2nd year medical student at the University of Louisville School of Medicine. She received her Master’s in Public Health from the University of Virginia. Her research interests include substance abuse and mental health during pregnancy.
2nd Place
Onajia Stubblefield, MS4
University of Louisville School of Medicine
Onajia Stubblefield, originally from Mayfield, KY, completed both his undergraduate and graduate studies at the University of Louisville and is now a fourth-year medical student at the University of Louisville School of Medicine. He has a strong background in statistics and data science and is passionate about using these skills to improve population health, strengthen preventive care, and address health disparities in underserved communities.
Sarah Taheri, MS3
University of Louisville School of Medicine
Sarah Taheri is a native of Louisville, Kentucky and is a third year medical student at the University of Louisville School of Medicine. She is very active in her school’s chapter of the Kentucky Medical Association and American Medical Association, organizing the school chapter’s Physicians’ Day at the Capitol in Frankfort to advocate for prior authorization reform. Although she is still currently deciding her specialty, it’s of the utmost importance to her to stay in her home state of Kentucky to address the state’s physician shortage and provide medical care to her fellow Kentuckians.
3rd Place
Alicia Fields, MS4
University of Kentucky College of Medicine
Alicia Fields is a fourth-year medical student at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. Prior to entering medical school, she practiced as a registered nurse and nurse practitioner, having earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from Frontier Nursing University. During medical school, Alicia completed a research fellowship, authored publications, advocated for patients, led initiatives on skin cancer prevention, and chaired a first of its kind advocacy event in Kentucky. She has been a speaker at healthcare conferences throughout the nation and has presented at numerous research showcases. A respected leader in her community, she currently serves as president of the Daviess Community Hospital Foundation Board. Alicia is passionate about mentorship and enjoys guiding students interested in health professions, especially first-generation college students and those from rural backgrounds.
Jacqueline Leon, MS4
University of Kentucky College of Medicine
Jacqueline Leon is a fourth-year medical student at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. She completed her undergraduate education at Texas Christian University with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and Spanish. Jacqueline has a passion for mentoring pre-medical undergraduate students as a co-founder of MedPals, an undergraduate to medical student near-peer mentorship program, and for advocacy through her participation in the Kentucky Dermatology Trainee Advocacy Day. Outside of medical school, Jacqueline enjoys running and watching Formula 1 racing.
Kathryn Zalla, MS4
University of Kentucky College of Medicine
Kathryn Zalla is a fourth-year medical student at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine - Northern Kentucky Campus. She attended Xavier University where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology. Kathryn is passionate about bringing healthcare to underserved communities and acts as one of the managers for Compassionate Care Reaching yoU (CCRU) Outreach. Kathryn is planning to apply for a Dermatology residency and hopes to return to serve Kentucky upon completion of her residency.
