Loan Mitigation Pilot Program: 2024 Recipients
The ASN Loan Mitigation Pilot Program (LMPP) aims to reduce the loan burden of future nephrology leaders. Please join ASN in congratulating this year's recipients.
Mona Abraham, MD
Dr. Mona Abraham is a third year internal medicine resident at Johns Hopkins Bayview Residency. She was born and raised in Georgia from a family of Ethiopian immigrants. Although she is the first doctor in her family, she attributes much of her success to having a strong support system and work ethic that her family instilled in her. She completed her undergraduate degree at Georgia Tech where she received a bachelor's of science in business administration. She then went on to obtain her medical degree at the Medical College of Georgia. She is currently in her final year of internal medicine residency at Johns Hopkins.
Dr. Abraham will continue her training as an incoming nephrology fellow at Emory University. She looks forward to a career in Nephrology exploring her interests in glomerular diseases, lupus nephritis, health disparities and advocating for better access to health care. Outside of medicine she enjoys yoga, cooking, international travel and spending time outdoors.
Farhana Begum, MD
Dr. Farhana Begum was born in Bangladesh and came to the United States at the age of two. She is a first generation American who grew up mostly in the boroughs of Brooklyn and the Bronx in New York City. She was accepted into the Bronx High School of Science, one of NYC's Specialized High Schools. From there she went on to pursue a bachelor's degree in chemical biology, with a minor in history, from the Stevens Institute of Technology where she was recognized as a Stevens Scholar. Dr. Begum obtained her MD from New York Medical College and completed her internal medicine residency at North Shore University Hospital and Long Island Jewish Medical Center of the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. Having been selected as chief resident, she currently fulfills the responsibilities of this role at Hofstra/Northwell.
Since the beginning of her medical school career, Dr. Begum has taken a keen interest in nephrology. She finds the physiology of the renal system to be complex, the clinical work to be intellectually stimulating, and the nephrology community to be kind and enthusiastic. Dr. Begum will be starting her nephrology fellowship at Columbia University Irving Medical Center this July 2024. She is passionate about promoting women in medicine, medical education, and interest in the field of nephrology.
Colton Jensen, MD
Dr. Colton Jensen is an internal medicine chief resident at the University of Vermont Medical Center. He is originally from Waukee, IA. He completed his undergraduate studies in Chemistry at the University of Iowa and subsequently obtained his medical degree at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine. During his chief resident year, he is completing a medical education teaching fellowship with the Teaching Academy at the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine. Upon completion of his chief resident year, Dr. Jensen will begin nephrology fellowship at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD. Dr. Jensen is excited to begin his nephrology training and pursue his interests in medical education, chronic kidney disease, and transplant nephrology. Outside of the hospital, he enjoys hiking, reading, and following Iowa Hawkeye sports.
Lily Jeong, MD
Dr. Lily Jeong is an incoming nephrology fellow at the University of Washington. She was born and raised in South Korea and moved to rural Colorado during high school. Dr. Jeong completed her undergraduate degree in media production at Emerson College in Boston, MA. During college, she worked as a radio DJ and initially aspired to continue her career in radio but ultimately decided to pursue medicine. She completed medical school at the University of Washington in Seattle, where she is currently in the last year of the internal medicine residency in the clinician educator track.
Passionate about medical education and mentorship, Dr. Jeong received the Internal Medicine Excellence in Teaching Award in 2022. Rooted in her own experiences as a first-generation immigrant, she believes in the transformative power of empathy and its ability to profoundly alleviate the sense of isolation. Whether with patients or learners, she strives to create a space where people feel empowered to become their most genuine selves.
Outside of the hospital, Dr. Jeong enjoys cooking, baking, and spending time with her friends and family.
Cene Ovincy, DO
Dr. Cene Ovincy is a third-year Internal medicine resident at Broward Health North. He was born in Haiti and grew up in West Palm Beach, Florida. Dr. Ovincy received a Biomedical Science degree from the University of South Florida. After completing his residency, he plans to join the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville to complete a fellowship in Clinical Nephrology. Dr. Ovincy looks forward to building a career in an intellectually challenging and patient centered field such as nephrology.
Vanessa Thiel, MD, MPH
Dr. Vanessa Thiel is a third-year pediatric resident at Nationwide Children's Hospital/The Ohio State University. She was born and adopted from Guatemala, and grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She attended West Chester University of Pennsylvania where she received her B.S in Biology as well as a B.A. in Philosophy. She then obtained her medical degree from Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine as well as her Masters in Public Health from Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia.
Dr. Thiel found her passion for pediatric nephrology through connection with the transplant patient population. She maintains a passion for advocacy, health equity, and public health, and looks forward to starting her pediatric nephrology fellowship at the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago.