Class of 2005: Profiles

Andrew Calvert
Andrew was born in central Illinois and raised in the St. Louis, Mo, area. His undergraduate degree came from the University of Illinois, where he was a James scholar, participated in research in the departments of ecology and physics, and was an emergency department health care technician at the Carlisle Foundation Hospital in Urbana. Andrew graduated from Rush Medical College where he was in the top 20 percent of his class, was vice president of the emergency medicine clinical orientation program, participated in the Rush community services initiative program, and was a research assistant in a study evaluating the care of chronically ill children. Andrew and his wife (a teacher) enjoy running, golf, biking, skiing and travel.

Max Davis
Max was born and raised in Ashland, Wisc. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin, where he was elected Phi Kappa Phi, was a student researcher on chemokine receptors and HIV, and worked and volunteered at the university hospital. Max graduated from the Medical College of Wisconsin, where he received honors in 70 percent of his clinical rotations, was captain of the intramural softball and football teams, and volunteered in the Big Brothers program, on the Council in AIDS and for the Hunger Task Force of Milwaukee. Max enjoys golf, football, cooking and music.

Mila Felder
Mila was born and raised in Odessa, Ukraine, where she was a champion rhythmic gymnast at the Odessa University and received her undergraduate degree in applied mathematics. At age 20, she and her family emigrated to California, where she worked as a rhythmic gymnastic coach, nutritionist and office manager for a medical practice, while taking university pre-medical courses. In 1998, Mila completed her Master’s degree in applied physiology at Finch University of Health Sciences and received her medical degree in 2002 from Chicago Medical School where she is in the top 20 percent of her class. While in medical school, Mila won an essay contest for humanism in medicine, was movie club co-president, on the admissions committee, treasurer of the clinical research interest group and published an article in Clinical Autonomic Research entitled “The Effects of Chronic Complications in Old Diabetic Patients with Autonomic Neuropathy." Mila also worked as a monograph reviewer for Blackwell Scientific Publishing. Mila enjoys spending time with her husband (computer scientist) and child, rhythmic gymnastics, art, classical music and travel. Mila is fluent in English, Russian and Ukranian.

Rehema Feleke
Born in the Phllippines, but raised in Tanzania, Rehema’s family emigrated to the United States when she was 18 years old. Rehema attended Andrews University in Michigan, where she worked her way through college as a cashier and billing supervisor. In 2002, she graduated from Loma Linda University School of Medicine where she was in the top 25 percent of her class and her test-taking abilities (USMLE) put her in the top 4 percent in the country. While at Loma Linda, Rehema was also a piano teacher, a volunteer at the children’s hospital, an instructor for the cervical and testicular cancer awareness program, and a research assistant in the emergency department. Rehema enjoys spending time with her husband (high school history teacher), music (she plays the piano every day), making chocolate desserts, reading and travel. She is fluent in English and Kiswahili.

Terri Hepps
Terri was born and raised in western Pennsylvania and received her undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania, where she played water polo, volunteered as a tutor to elementary students, and spent a month at the Smithsonian Institute in Panama conducting field research on South American birds. Terri received her medical degree from Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University. Terri was in the top 10 percent of her medical school class and her test-taking abilities (USMLE) put her in the top 9 percent of the country. During college and medical school, she participated in numerous pediatric research projects including infant mortality and retinopathy of prematurity, which resulted in publications in the American Journal of Public Health, Pediatric Research, and Annals of Neurology. Terri also has a long list of volunteer activities including coaching inner-city little league baseball, volunteering at student-run clinics, educating high schoolers on AIDS and STD’s, and acting as a group leader at homeless youth shelters. In her spare time, Terri enjoys spending time with her husband (urology resident), mountain biking, softball and cooking.

Christine Kulstad
Christine was born and raised in Chicago, but received her undergraduate degree from Rice University, where she was a member of the crew team, a volunteer at the Houston Zoo (working with elephants), and an emergency medical technician. During college and medical school, she worked as a genetics research assistant at both the University of Houston and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. Christine graduated from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, where she ranked No. 1 in her class (of 200) and was elected to Alpha Omega Alpha. Her test-taking abilities (USMLE) put her in the top 1 percent of the country. While at Southwestern, she was vice president of the American Medical Students Association, community service chair for the American Medical Women’s Association, and was an author on a paper published in Anesthesia and Analgesia entitled “Bisulfate-containing Propofol: Is it a Cost Effective Alternative to Diprivan for the Induction of Anesthesia?” Christine and her husband (Erik, EM Class of 2004) enjoy biking, hiking, snowboarding, roller blading, gardening, reading and travel.

Kristen McCabe-Kline
Born and raised in Ann Arbor, Mich., Kristen’s undergraduate education took place at both the University of Michigan and Rice University, where she was an honor student, captain of the Rice Owls Performance Dance Team, Student Volunteer Outreach Day coordinator, and student ambassador. After completing a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and prior to entering medical school, Kristin held various positions including: University of Michigan undergraduate admissions public relations assistant, legal assistant for the firm of Dean & Fulkerson, P.C., Emergency Department unit clerk at McPherson Hospital, as well as research and administrative assistant in the Center for Clinical Effectiveness at Henry Ford Health System. While at Henry Ford Hospital, Kritin co-authored a poster presentation for the American College of Cardiology entitled "Acute Coronary Syndromes in the Emergency Room." Kristen graduated from the University of Texas School of Medicine at San Antonio, where she ranked in the top 15 percent of her class, honored nearly 95 percent of her clinical rotations and her test-taking abilities (USMLE) put her in the top 12 percent in the country. Additionally, she was chosen as medical student representative for the Emergency Preparedness Committee of the Bexar County Medical Society, was a member of the Medical School Admissions Committee, and was an elected officer of the Emergency Medicine Students Association. Kristen and her husband Tom Kline (Illinois College of Optometry student) enjoy spending time with their dog Maverick, a 125-pound English Mastiff, jogging, reading, and participating in various church activities including bible study, singing in the choir, and supervising the youth group activities.

Laura Pittman
Born in Reno, Nev., Laura’s hometown is Rockford, Ill. Laura received her undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin, including a half year at the School for International Training in Lagos, Nigeria. Between college and medical school, she was a University of Chicago research assistant, studying the impact of managed care on home health care. She also worked at San Francisco’s Mission Neighborhood Health Center as an assistant to the medical director and volunteered at an AIDS hospice in San Francisco. Laura graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago Medical School. While in medical school, Laura received A’s in over half of her clinical rotations and her test-taking abilities (USMLE) put her in the top 8 percent in the country. While in medical school, she was co-president of the emergency medicine interest group, and a steering committee member for the newly formed UIC student-run clinic. In her spare time, Laura enjoys running, reading and sailing.

Thessa Robertson
Thessa’s hometown is Chicago, and she is the tenth of 10 children. While obtaining her undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana, Thessa worked part-time to pay her way through college and was a research assistant in the department of psychiatry (studying treatment of ADHD). Thessa graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Medicine, where she was awarded numerous scholarships (Reverend Martin Luther King, Illinois General Assembly, Dr. C.M. Craig Fellowship and Albert Schweitzer Fellowship). Thessa was elected vice president of her medical school class, contributed to research on vestibular ganglia receptors in the department of anatomy, and was involved in numerous extracurricular and volunteer activities (Student National Medical Association, U of I Reach Out and Read program, Alivio Medical Center, Cook County Hospital-Robert Wood Johnson’s education, and tutor for Essentials of Clinical Medicine). Thessa enjoys spending time with her family, (including her 4-year-old son), skiing and bowling.

Dennis Ryan
Dennis was born and raised in the Chicagoland area. He received his undergraduate degree at the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana, where he worked as a doorman and disc jockey. He received his medical degree from the University of Illinois College of Medicine, where he received A’s in over 60 percent of his classes, and his test-taking abilities (USMLE) put him in the top 1 percent in the country. During medical school, Dennis was elected student representative (equivalent to class president) for the Rockford campus. He worked as a teaching assistant in pathology and volunteered for numerous extracurricular activities (including speaking to 4th and 5th graders about substance abuse, being a member of the student evaluation team for curriculum didactics, and being a student representative for the access to health care committee). Dennis enjoys 16-inch softball, jogging, mountain biking, music and reading.

Matthew Stilson
Although born in St. Louis, Mo., Matt was raised in southern California (his dad is an EM physician). Matt received his undergraduate degree from the University of California at Davis, where he was Phi Sigma biological science honor society and cited for outstanding accomplishments in genetics. During this time, he also trained and worked as an ambulance emergency medical technician in Orange County. Between college and medical school, Matt was a substitute teacher for Yolo County California, teaching grades 1-12. Matt graduated from the University of California Irvine College of Medicine where his test-taking abilities put him in the top 1 percent of the country. Matt was also the second author on a physostigmine review article for the California Journal of Emergency Medicine. Matt enjoys skiing, mountain biking, hiking, surfing, basketball, softball, football and reading.