Cat Zhang-Larson

Cat Zhang-Larson is a first-year student in the Master of Science in Biomedical Data Science and AI (MDSAI) program at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

In this Q&A, she explains how Mount Sinai’s investment in AI and data science inspired her to apply, and how the mentorship and resources at Mount Sinai are enabling her to pursue her clinical career goals.

What is your academic and career background?

I am a recent graduate of the University of Michigan (Class of 2025), where I completed dual Bachelor of Science degrees in Biomedical Engineering and Computer Science Engineering on a pre-medical track. As I progressed through my coursework and research, I found myself drawn to applying computational methods to clinically relevant problems, particularly in medical imaging. These experiences ultimately led to my current interests in surgical robotics and in integrating pre- and post-operative imaging to improve surgical outcomes.

What first attracted you to this field?

I developed a strong interest in coding and working with clinical data during my undergraduate coursework. At the same time, I started to notice how much untapped potential exists in clinical data. There is an overwhelming amount of patient information—electronic health records, imaging, and biosignals—but limited translation into meaningful, clinically actionable insights. This realization drew me toward machine learning and AI in medicine, where I became interested in applying data-driven approaches to support clinical decision-making. More recently, my interests have centered on surgical robotics, where I can integrate imaging and predictive modeling to guide procedures and improve patient outcomes.

Why did you choose to study at Mount Sinai?

As a native New Yorker, I was initially drawn to Mount Sinai because of its proximity to home, but I quickly came to appreciate both the institution’s guiding principles and the structure of the MDSAI program. I was interested in joining an institution actively investing in AI and data science, and Mount Sinai has demonstrated a clear commitment to this vision. I was also particularly drawn to this program’s flexibility, which allows students to pursue a wide range of research and professional directions. This structure fosters a diverse cohort, with students pursuing paths in industry, PhD programs, and medicine, and it has also broadened my perspective on how AI and data science can be applied across disciplines.

Who are your mentors, and what is the focus of your research?

My primary mentor is Xueyan Mei, PhD, and my research focuses on developing imaging-based machine learning models to improve patient outcomes. I have worked with large-scale imaging datasets, including RadImageNet—a dataset of over 5 million labeled images spanning PET, CT, ultrasound, and MRI—to build predictive and classification models that help clinicians better anticipate patient outcomes.

My personal research interests build on this foundation but are more focused, combining my engineering background with machine learning and medical imaging. Specifically, I am interested in surgical robotics, with the goal of developing models that enhance clinicians’ understanding and trust of robotic-assisted procedures. I am currently working on a project that analyzes arthroscopic video data to improve patient recovery time and procedural accuracy. Additionally, one idea I am exploring for my MDSAI capstone is a machine learning model that uses preoperative imaging to generate 3D anatomical reconstructions and guide robotic procedures. This direction was inspired by prior research on models that guide pedicle screw placement by generating 3D renderings of the spine from preoperative scans to improve alignment and accuracy.

What has been your greatest accomplishment in the program so far?

I think my greatest accomplishment in the program so far has been taking advantage of everything Mount Sinai has to offer outside the classroom. In addition to my coursework and research, I volunteer with the East Harlem Health Outreach Partnership and serve as the Master’s Year 1 Representative-at-Large on the Student Council. These experiences have allowed me to build meaningful relationships across the Mount Sinai community and have enriched my growth in the program beyond academics.

How have the resources at Mount Sinai contributed to your success in the program?

Access to both academic and clinical resources has played a significant role in my success. I feel confident navigating my coursework and research because my mentors and program leadership are consistently accessible and supportive. In addition, being part of a hospital-centered institution allows me to directly observe the clinical context behind my work. For example, in preparation for an upcoming study in orthopedics, I observed multiple knee arthroscopy procedures in the operating room, standing alongside surgeons and closely following intraoperative workflows. This direct exposure gave me a clearer, more grounded understanding of how imaging data is generated and how my research can be applied in practice.

What are your plans after you complete your MDSAI degree?

After completing my MDSAI degree, I plan to attend medical school. This program has given me the opportunity to further my academic, research, and clinical work in ways that are closely aligned with my long-term goals. Through this work, I have become increasingly motivated to pursue a career where I can directly contribute to patient care while also advancing the tools that support it. Moving forward, I hope to carry my background in AI and machine learning into my medical training, with a focus on surgical innovation. I am especially interested in continuing to explore how data-driven models and imaging technologies can enhance surgical robotics by improving procedural accuracy and making care more precise, personalized, and accessible for patients.

Ben Fox, MS

Ben Fox, MS, is a fourth-year student in the PhD Biomedical Sciences at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. He is in the Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies (AIET) training area.

In this Q&A, he discusses how Mount Sinai’s access to data and clinicians enabled his research with signal data from sleep studies and the ICU to forecast risk for future disease.

What is your education and career background?

My research journey began while studying physics at Pepperdine University, where I investigated geophysical phenomenon manifesting in the aurora borealis measured from observatories in Svalbard, Norway. This introduced me to research, allowed me to attend my first conferences, and travel throughout Norway to collect data.

Shortly after, I began working with Sarah Faubel, MD, at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, Colorado, for a summer research internship, where I was first introduced to AI and machine learning to interpret metabolomics data from different organs in mice with acute kidney injury. This resulted in my first, “first author” publication and the thesis of my masters project at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), where I studied computer science.

Following graduating from UCSB, I switched from studying omics and joined Evidation Health where I worked for three years as a data scientist building new health metrics from consumer wearables (such Fitbit, Garmin, Oura) and analyzing sleep and activity data for new drug clinical trials. My work at Evidation inspired me to pursue a PhD in the AIET program at Mount Sinai to continue my work in AI, signal data, and wearable devices.

“I knew that I needed to work in the health care space, and I was particularly drawn to Mount Sinai being primarily a hospital, with access to health data, high-performance computing, clinicians, and other experts to drive research.”

Why continue your education with a PhD in Biomedical Sciences?

I wanted to continue my education to become an expert in my field and open doors to teach and become an independent researcher in my future career. Further, I wanted to learn more about the fields I was working in (wearables/signal data/AI/omics) and find ways to contribute to bettering human health and well-being. I was inspired by my previous colleagues (who had PhDs) and their ability to drive new research projects, teach complex topics, and help others. Lastly, I knew that I wanted to work in health and given that the PhD in Biomedical Sciences is physically located at a hospital, I knew it was a near perfect match.

 Why did you choose to study at Mount Sinai?

I knew that I needed to work in the health care space, and I was particularly drawn to Mount Sinai being primarily a hospital, with access to health data, high-performance computing, clinicians, and other experts to drive research. While interviewing for schools, it was noticeable how happy the students at Mount Sinai seemed compared to other schools. Also, I wanted to move to New York City. I am originally from Colorado, studied in California, and was excited to live in New York for a few years.

What made you interested in the Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies training area?

The AIET training area did feel like a perfect fit for me, given my background in health and computer science/machine learning research. Beyond that, the faculty research was the main appeal. Many faculty were doing research that matched my interests. I spoke with some of them while deciding if I should come to the program, and they assured me that I could devise my own projects with wearables/signal data and work across a multitude of different health domains. At some other programs, I did not envision getting the same support, nor having the access to data or clinicians that have been essential to my research.

Who are your mentors, and what is the focus of your research?

My mentors are Girish Nadkarni and Ankit Parekh. My research uses AI-derived representations of signal data, from sleep studies and bedside monitoring data in the ICU, to estimate risk. Signal data is routinely collected in the sleep clinic, at home, and via wearable devices. However, links between that signal data and disease risk has not been established. My work aims to utilize this signal data from sleep studies to assess risk for future disease and from ICU bedside devices to better monitor patients in real-time.

How have the resources at Mount Sinai contributed to your success in the program?

The resources at Mount Sinai have substantially contributed to my success. Specifically, the high-performance computing team and the Minerva supercomputer have made building scale AI models doable. Additionally, the data access and faculty connections have enabled more efficient data acquisition for developing my work. Clinician connections, internal Mount Sinai conferences, and the TL1 predoctoral fellowship have also allowed me to continue to learn about the medical domains I study and continue to get feedback on my work from a multitude of perspectives. Outside of research, the Mount Sinai climbing club and running club have helped me through the ups and downs of the program and meet some of my closest friends.

What are your plans after you complete your PhD?

After I finish my PhD, I plan to do a postdoc at Mount Sinai and switch projects to more wearable focused research, potentially alongside omics data. After that, I hope to eventually secure a faculty position at a university where I can teach and build my own research projects.

Mitali Choudhary, MBBS

Mitali Choudhary, MBBS, is a physician from India and a first-year student in the Epidemiology & Biostatistics concentration in the Graduate Program in Public Health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Her background is rooted in clinical practice as a Medical Officer at Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai, India, where she navigated the complexities of oncology and patient care management.

In this Q&A, she explains why she decided to study public health at Mount Sinai and how the curriculum, mentorship, and opportunities outside of the classroom have allowed her to grow both personally and professionally and continue in a career in public health.

During the application process, was it easy to find information about the MPH program and get your questions answered? What resources did you use to make your decision?

When I began searching for graduate programs in public health, I wanted a school that combined academic rigor with practical opportunities. The application process at Mount Sinai’s Graduate School was straightforward, and easy to navigate. The program website provided clear information on curriculum requirements, faculty expertise, and career outcomes, and the admissions team responded promptly whenever I had questions.

Why did you choose to study at Mount Sinai?

I ultimately chose Mount Sinai because of its strong reputation in research, its location in New York City, and the clear commitment to addressing pressing public health challenges. The opportunity to learn in an institution embedded within a world-class health system was especially appealing. I felt confident that the MPH program would prepare me with both the theoretical knowledge and practical skills needed for a career in public health.

Can you tell us about a course that you found particularly interesting and why?

One of the courses I found particularly valuable was Epidemiology. The professor’s teaching style emphasized not only mastering foundational concepts but also applying them to real-world scenarios. Through case studies and hands-on data analysis assignments, I learned how to think critically about patterns of disease and health disparities. This course strengthened my ability to evaluate evidence and spurred my interest in pursuing research that translates into community-level change. This course coupled with other courses focused on bridging the gaps between health care and disparities gave me ways to work on my own solutions to address the problems that exist at a foundational level.

How are the opportunities for mentorship in the program?

Mentorship has been another defining feature of my experience. From the beginning, I was paired with a program advisor who took time to understand my academic goals and career aspirations. Informal conversations with professors after class have also been invaluable, as they are always willing to share advice and connect students with opportunities. In addition, the program’s alumni network has provided mentorship and guidance that extends beyond the classroom.

What activities are you pursuing outside the classroom?

Outside of academics, I have found a vibrant student community. I participate in student initiatives that bring peers together across public health concentrations. I also volunteer with local community health fairs, which allow me to apply what I am learning in the classroom to real-world service. Living in New York has added another dimension to my graduate school experience, as the city itself offers countless cultural and professional opportunities. Overall, my time at Mount Sinai has been deeply rewarding. The program has provided me with a rigorous education, supportive mentorship, and the chance to grow personally and professionally. I am confident that the skills I am building here will prepare me to make a meaningful contribution in the field of public health.

Dan Kwon, MD, left, a third-year resident in Mount Sinai’s integrated Internal Medicine-Geriatrics track, and Nick Safian, MD, Chief Resident in Internal Medicine, who will pursue his geriatrics fellowship at The Mount Sinai Hospital after completing his chief year.

Nick Safian, MD, remembers when his grandparents began showing signs of dementia while he was in college. His family faced difficult decisions about where they would live, how to keep them safe, and how to preserve their independence. He watched the strain on his mother and her siblings as they searched for appropriate care.

“There were limited options, and my grandparents weren’t always treated with dignity in medical settings,” Dr. Safian says. “No one seemed to step back and look at how everything was affecting them or how it was affecting our family.”

When he entered medical school, he knew he wanted to work with older adults.

Dr. Safian is a resident in Mount Sinai’s integrated Internal Medicine-Geriatrics track (Med-Geri), a four-year pathway combining three years of internal medicine residency with a fourth-year fellowship in geriatrics. He currently serves as Chief Resident in Internal Medicine and will pursue his geriatrics fellowship at The Mount Sinai Hospital after completing his chief year.

An Integrated Approach to Training

Helen M. Fernandez, MD, Vice Chair of Education and Professor of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, leads one of the nation’s largest geriatrics and palliative medicine training programs through the Brookdale Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine. The Department has trained an estimated one in five geriatricians and palliative medicine physicians nationwide.

Dr. Fernandez sees the integrated Med-Geri pathway as part of a broader effort to strengthen the pipeline of clinicians by introducing geriatrics at the start of residency and reinforcing that focus throughout training. The need is pressing as the nation’s aging population expands even as fewer physicians enter the field.

The United States currently has approximately 7,300 board certified geriatricians, according to the American Geriatrics Society—about one specialist for every 10,000 older adults. In the 2025 National Resident Match Program, only 213 of 382 geriatric medicine fellowship positions were filled, continuing a trend in which roughly half of training spots fill annually despite rising demand.

“Many students may enter residency with an interest in aging, often inspired by personal experiences or close relationships with older adults,” Dr. Fernandez says. “However, if that focus isn’t reinforced, if they do not see mentors practicing geriatrics or do not have consistent clinical experiences in the field, it can fade.”

“Many students may enter residency with an interest in aging, often inspired by personal experiences or close relationships with older adults,” says Helen M. Fernandez, MD, Vice Chair of Education and Professor of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine. “However, if that focus isn’t reinforced, if they do not see mentors practicing geriatrics or do not have consistent clinical experiences in the field, it can fade.”

To sustain that early interest, the Icahn School of Medicine embedded structured exposure and mentorship directly into the Internal Medicine Residency. Close faculty guidance, Dr. Fernandez says, helps trainees see aging not as a niche focus but as central to medical practice.

Mount Sinai launched its Med-Geri pathway in 2020 as one of three pilot programs nationwide. The ACGME-accredited, four-year Primary Care-Geriatrics track introduces geriatrics at the outset of residency rather than as an afterthought and weaves aging-focused training across the residency.

Trainees complete six months of geriatrics training, participate in a continuity clinic focused on older adults, and then pursue a fourth-year fellowship offering advanced clinical experience and protected time for scholarship. About a dozen residents are enrolled across Mount Sinai Morningside and Mount Sinai West.

High Satisfaction Despite Lower Pay

Recruiting geriatricians remains challenging. Despite requiring an additional year of fellowship training, geriatricians earn lower salaries than many other internal medicine subspecialists. The field has historically carried less prestige within academic medicine, and outcomes are often measured in stability and quality of life rather than cure. Visits typically involve extended conversations about cognition, safety, independence, and family dynamics.

Yet physicians who choose geriatrics consistently describe deep professional satisfaction, citing the intellectual demands of managing complex conditions and the meaningful connections formed with patients and families.

Dr. Safian says what appeals to him most about geriatrics is the stories patients bring into the exam room.  “They have lived so much life,” he says. “Getting to know those stories and seeing how they guide the choices we’re making together invigorates me.”

He also finds fulfillment in supporting families as they navigate difficult decisions about safety and independence. “You’re helping families think through what matters most,” he says.

Dan Kwon, MD, a third-year resident in the program at Mount Sinai West, began volunteering with older adults long before medical school and built on that commitment during residency.

Growing up in a close-knit Korean American household, he watched his grandparents thrive through connection and community—his grandmother teaching knitting at a local senior center and his grandfather playing golf every other day. That example shaped his early understanding of healthy aging.

When the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted those routines, he saw how quickly circumstances could change. His grandparents rarely left home, and Dr. Kwon delivered groceries to them twice a week, often serving as their only in-person contact.

As isolation increased, he noticed gradual changes in their energy, mobility, and emotional well-being. “Watching that contrast, seeing how the health system and social systems affect older adults, solidified my interest,” he says.

The experience reshaped his understanding of clinical care. Housing, transportation, family structure, and social connection, he learned, often shape outcomes as much as medical treatment.

Preparing for an Aging Nation

Dr. Fernandez frames the Med-Geri pathway within a broader demographic shift reshaping health care. Americans over age 65 account for nearly half of hospitalizations and face elevated risks of falls, delirium, medication complications, and functional decline. Most are treated by physicians without formal training in geriatrics.

The U.S Census Bureau projects that by 2030 one in five people in the United States will be over 65. That population now represents 34 percent of physician demand and is projected to account for 42 percent by 2034.

“We have to train clinicians to care for our increasingly older and sicker population,” Dr. Fernandez says. “Medical education must evolve to reflect who our patients are.”

To advance this transformation, physicians across all specialties must embrace a new approach to aging that prioritizes careful frailty assessment, aligns treatment with patient goals, and champions independence. “Geriatrics embraces that complexity,” she says.

Strengthening the Model

Dr. Fernandez attributes the program’s progress to close mentorship and consistent engagement throughout training. Residents who commit to aging care often become ambassadors within their programs, encouraging peers to consider the specialty and broadening exposure to geriatrics across disciplines, she says.

Nationally, the combined Medicine-Geriatrics pathway now includes about a dozen programs, with additional sites in development.

Dr. Fernandez advises institutions exploring similar models and shares lessons learned about implementation and long-term program development. Accrediting bodies have expressed support, and formal recognition of the model as a permanent national pathway could occur within the next two years.

That broader vision extends beyond residency training. With the launch of the ASCEND curriculum in fall 2024, the Icahn School of Medicine redesigned its MD program to integrate geriatrics and palliative care principles from the first year. Geriatrics fellows also serve as educators during inpatient and ambulatory rotations, reinforcing aging-focused care across clinical settings.

Ultimately, she says, geriatrics is not confined to a single discipline.

“Every specialty now cares for older adults,” she says. “Our responsibility is to prepare physicians who understand aging in all its complexity and can bring that perspective into whatever field they choose.”