Hiba Ali, MBBS
I was born and raised in Sudan, where I completed medical school at the University of Khartoum and developed a deep passion for neurology and neuroscience. After the outbreak of war in Sudan, I moved to Egypt, where I started pursuing my dream of becoming a neurologist in the United States. I feel truly blessed to have matched at the Medical College of Georgia for my neurology residency—a place filled with opportunities, a strong commitment to education, and incredibly kind people. Within neurology, I have a particular interest in movement disorders, though I’m also exploring other areas such as stroke and general neurology.
Outside of medicine, I enjoy calm and creative activities like canvas painting, sewing, DIY crafts, and listening to Islamic lectures and recitations. My favorite part of the day is the early morning, when I ease into the day with slow, peaceful routines
Mohamed Ahmed, MBBS
Dr. Mohamed Ahmed earned his medical degree from the University of Khartoum, Sudan, and completed a one-year clinical internship. Before joining the Medical College of Georgia, he was involved with a geriatrics research program as a fellow with the Combined Research Foundation, and tele-medical education projects with Project ECHO. He has also contributed to simulation-based training programs through the Sudanese American Medical Association (SAMA). Dr. Ahmed is a member of the American Neurological Association and the Alzheimer’s Association. His clinical interests include neurodegenerative diseases, cognitive disorders, and stroke.
Sara Elawad, MBBS
I am Sara Elawad, an aspiring neurologist and graduate of the University of Khartoum Faculty of Medicine. Born in Saudi Arabia, I completed my internship in Egypt and gained four years of experience at a neurology outpatient clinic, where I conducted research and traveled across Sudan to raise awareness and fight the stigma surrounding epilepsy. I am deeply passionate about neurology, and my goal is to become an efficient neurologist who provides compassionate and evidence-based care. In my free time, I enjoy cooking, spending time with friends and watching Korean dramas and comedy shows.
Deeksha Barman, MBBS
Hi, I’m Deeksha. I am from a small town in the northeastern region of India called Siliguri, where I was born and raised. At 18, I moved to Kolkata, the state capital, to pursue my medical education at Kolkata Medical College and Hospital. As someone who loves exploring new things and adventures, I believe I have always thrived outside my comfort zone. After finishing medical school, I was curious to see what the world has to offer, hence I decided to pursue my residency in the U.S. in my dream specialty of Neurology. (Also, neurologists are the nicest and most fun people in the hospital!) During my application season, I came for a short-term observership at MCG, and that is when I fell in love with both the place and the people. Fast forward one year later, if you ask me how it feels to be here, it still feels like a dream come true. Here, I hope not only to do my best during residency but also to build lasting friendships and relationships, who will be my family away from home. Outside of medicine, I’m trained in Indian classical music (Hindustani) and classical dance (Bharatanatyam). I love cooking (though it’s become more of a life skill than a hobby), discovering new hiking trails, playing table tennis, and learning new skills—lately, I’ve been learning how to play pickleball. But if I’m honest, since residency has begun, I have to admit my new favorite pastime is catching up on sleep!
Lina Mustafa, MD
Ankita Agrawal, MBBS
I am Ankita Agrawal, a resident of Kathmandu, Nepal. I am passionate about bridging the gap between whole-body insight and a deep fascination with the brain. From Internal Medicine to Neurology, my career aspirations revolve around Vascular Neurology. This field allows me to combine the systemic medicine background with a commitment to providing rapid, precise stroke care and ensuring long term recovery. Driven by the belief that every moment saved can lead to cherished memories, I am determined to make a positive impact in the growing field of Neurology. In my free time, I enjoy dancing, exploring new places, and making new friends.
Robert Hill, MD
BIO
Abdul Majeed, MD
Jayachandra Muppa, MBBS
Sam Natla, MD
Jing Wang, MD
Sandro Pasagic, MD
I was born in Bosnia and came to the United States as a refugee. Before medical school, I worked as a neurology nurse for seven years, which deepened my passion for the field and led me to pursue a career as a neurologist. I attended the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. Outside of medicine, I enjoy training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Jessica Lier, MD
My name is Jessica Lier. I was born and raised in Jackson, MO and went to medical school in Columbia, MO. Coming south to Augusta for residency has been a big change, but one that I have enjoyed. At this time my interest in neurology is widespread but the areas that fascinate me the most are epilepsy, ALS, headache, and sleep medicine. My current career plan is to pursue general neurology but to have a focus in one or multiple of these areas in the future. I am looking forward to discovering more areas that intrigue me as I pursue my career.
Kajol Patel, MD
Parth Patel, MD
Asif Sheikh, MD
Sijia Tian, MD
Ihor Hryb, MD
Brian Brown, DO, Chief Resident
I was born in Texas, but growing up in a military family I was raised all over the country. I completed undergrad at the University of Wyoming and went on to medical school in the inaugural class of the Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, golfing, playing board games, and used to love flying light aircraft which is a hobby I hope to get back into one day!
Specialty interests are neuroimmunology and I have matched to the Neuroimmunology fellowship at Baylor.
Hesamoldin Khodadadi Chamgordani, MD, PhD, Chief Resident
I was born and raised in Isfahan, Iran. I received my medical degree from Isfahan University. After graduating from medical school, my wife and I moved to the United States and I started working as a post-doctoral research fellow in the field of neuroimmunology. I was very lucky to have mentorship of excellent scientists and clinicians on my journey which led me to pursue my passion as a clinician-scientist by getting PhD in neuroscience and molecular medicine. My main area of interest is dementia and neurocognitive disorders, and I am very excited to start a new chapter of my life as a neurology resident at Augusta University. I spend my free time watching true crime documentaries with my wife, playing with our little puppy (Benji), and playing piano. I can’t wait to dig in deeper into the amazing world of neurology.
Shane Musick, MD
Born and raised in southern West Virginia, where I completed both my undergraduate studies and medical school, I felt it was time to spread my wings elsewhere. Having been to Augusta several times, and learning more about the program, I knew it was an ideal fit. My current neuro interest is in neurointerventional, albeit I’ve been obsessed with all things under the neuroscience umbrella since beginning this journey. My hobbies include playing video games (mainly on Xbox), lifting weights (where I once won a powerlifting competition), listening to podcasts (hardcore history is my favorite), and playing basketball (RIP Kobe).
Mitchell Oei, MD
I was born and raised in sunny Santa Monica, California where I developed a love for the ocean and two of my favorite hobbies, surfing and SCUBA diving. I did my undergrad education at Cornell University in upstate New York, where I studied marine biology. I attended medical school at the University of Queensland-Ochsner Clinical School, where I spent two years in Brisbane, Australia and two years in New Orleans, Louisiana. In addition to my outdoor hobbies, I enjoy building computers,working on my car, and following up on aerospace and world news! Although there is still much for me to learn in the realm of neurology, I am currently interested in pursuing the fields of Interventional Neurology, Neurocritical Care, or Vascular Neurology after completing my residency training. I can’t wait to see all that Augusta has to offer, and am excited to train at MCG!
Brandon Pope, MD, PhD
I am originally from Decatur, Georgia. I attended the University of Georgia for undergrad in Athens, Georgia. Go DAWGS!! From there, I spent four months as a Lab Technician at MCG in the Department of Cell & molecular Biology and 18 months as a Postbaccalaureate IRTA scholar in Maryland at the NINDS. Next, I went to UAB and completed both my Ph.D and MD as a part of the medical scientist training program there. I am a father of two lovely children, husband to my amazing wife Rachel, lover of all things travel, basketball, and finance! I love the brain and am
most interested currently in neuroimmunology and interventional neurology! I’m excited about the opportunity to grow my knowledge and clinical skills in Neurology. Moreover, I feel fortunate to be able to train at MCG and develop great relationships with the residents, faculty, and patients that we serve. Specialty interests include, Neuroimmunology/MS, Interventional Neurology, and Clinical Neurophysiology.
Han Saem Yoo, DO
I was born and raised in Seoul, South Korea. I went to Yale for undergrad, studied molecular, cellular, and developmental biology and went to NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine for medical school. In my free time, I enjoying practicing and performing the violin. I also like to cook Korean food and home-garden my sesames and lettuces. My subspecialty interests are movement disorder, behavioral neurology and stroke.
Jaknel Brown, MD
Giandor Saltz, MD
Hi! My name is Giandor, and I was born and raised in Wyoming. I grew up in a small town and really enjoy the outdoors. I attended the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, Washington. I moved across the country to Georgia with my family and am loving living in Augusta so far. I really love inpatient medicine and am interested in pursuing stroke or electrophysiology after I finish my residency.
Denis Babici, MDP
Ajay Sethi, MD
Esha Kataria, MD
Matthew Abbott, MD