Meet Our Residents
PGY-1 Class
Rohitha Baskar, MD
Medical College of Georgia
Dr. Baskar was born in India and raised in Atlanta, GA. She completed a seven-year BS/MD program at the Medical College of Georgia. During medical school, she served as the Curriculum Vice President of her class where she fought to bring important changes to grading policies, curriculum schedules, and much more. After completing residency, she hopes to move back to the South and take on an academic role in her hometown. In her free time, she likes to plan her next trip, eat at new restaurants, hang out with her friends, and watch a lot of crime docu-series.
Samantha Cronin, MD
Weill Cornell Medical College
Dr. Cronin grew up in West Orange, NJ and Brewster, NY before going to Vassar College and majoring in Anthropology. She received her medical degree at Weill Cornell Medical College where she was actively involved with the Weill Cornell Center for Human Rights. In her free time, she enjoys dancing, reading, trying new cuisines, and going to the theater with friends.
Mariem del Rio, MD
St. George’s University
Dr. Del Rio was born in Cuba and raised in Tampa, FL. She completed a BS in Biology and a Master of Public Health at the University of Florida. She worked as a clinical research coordinator before pursuing her medical degree at St. George’s University School of Medicine. She mentors and tutors medical students at First Step that are studying for their USMLE boards. During her free time, she enjoys traveling, exploring NYC hot spots, and spending time with friends, family, and her husky Max.
Michael Kim, MD
Albany Medical College
Dr. Kim was born in Maryland, and grew up in South Korea and Los Angeles. He obtained his undergraduate degree at UCLA and his medical degree at Albany Medical College. He loves to both teach and learn new things, having also completed a year serving with AmeriCorps. His favorite season is winter, and can be found skiing the slopes throughout the world.
Abigail Lauder, MD
Temple University
Dr. Lauder grew up in Camden, Delaware. As an undergraduate, she double majored in Economics and Biology at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania. While in college, she was also captain of the Women's Varsity Field Hockey team. Dr. Lauder attended Temple Medical School where she was chair of the Honor Board. In her free time she enjoys catching up with friends, reading, and going sailing. She is looking forward to exploring Brooklyn by bike!
PGY-2 Class
Larysa Aheyeva, DO
New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine
Dr. Aheyeva was born and grew up in Belarus. She obtained her medical degree from Vitebsk Medical University with Cum Laude Distinction. She completed an Ob-Gyn residency in Belarus before moving to the USA. Dr. Aheyeva received her medical degree in America at NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine. She loves spending time and travelling together with her family and friends. She enjoys outdoor activities, exploring the magic of the city and watching Christmas movies.
Mahmood Al-Orphaly, MD
Weill Cornell Medicine in Qatar
Dr. Al-Orphaly is Iraqi, born in Iraq, raised in UAE, and went to Weill Cornell Medicine in Qatar. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with family and friends, gaming, or watching movies and TV shows.
Liann Ammar, MD
St. George’s University
Alexandra Hamilton, MD
St. George’s University
Dr. Hamilton grew up in Kingston, Jamaica. She completed a BA in Neuroscience at Vassar College, a MS in Physiology and Biophysics at Georgetown University, and a MD at St. George’s School of Medicine. She serves as a mentor and tutor to many as an academic curator at First Step. In her free time she enjoys working out, reconnecting with friends over dinner and a glass of wine, and planning her next big vacation!
PGY-3 Class
Kiara Blough, DO
Rocky Vista University
Dr. Blough grew up outside of Boston, but has spent the last 10 years in Denver, CO where she obtained her medical degree from Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine. Along with her clinical roles, she is a health policy nerd, a patient advocate, and is committed to combating disparities in our health care system. Outside of work, she enjoys coffee shops, breweries, and live music. In her off time, she escapes to the mountains to recharge by rock climbing, mountain biking, fly fishing, and snowboarding! She loves the energy and diversity of Brooklyn and is excited to start as an intern!
Erin Caraher, MD
New York Medical College
Dr. Caraher grew up in Massapequa, NY. She went to the University of Pittsburgh for undergrad and earned her medical degree from New York Medical College. In her free time you can find her at the beach, snowboarding, working out or spending time with her friends and family.
Katherine Ida “KI” Halper, MD
Ben Gurion University
Dr. Halper grew up just over the bridge in Manhattan. She went to undergrad at Wesleyan University and after graduating spent time abroad teaching in Thailand. She then made the leap overseas again to get her MD in Israel at Ben Gurion University. When she has time off she loves to watch movies, eat sushi, go to Broadway musicals, and bake banana bread.
Stanislas Monfront, MD
New York Medical College
Dr. Monfront was born into a French family and grew up in London, UK. He came to the states in 2009. He obtained his BA from Williams College and his medical degree from New York Medical College. In his free time, he enjoys cooking, playing board games, reading for his Sci-Fi book club, or biking around NYC. He’s usually seen with his cat Pamplemousse!
PGY-4 Class
Natalie Harris, MD
Rush University
Dr. Harris grew up in Miami, Florida and went to University of Michigan where she majored in biopsychology, cognition, and neuroscience, worked as a first aid responder, and taught Spanish through the Ann Arbor Language Partnership. She obtained her MD from Rush Medical College in Chicago, where she served as class co-president. In her free time she enjoys meditation, live music, hip hop dance, travel, hiking, and astrology.
Rachel McKean, MD
University of Miami
Dr. McKean is from Shohola, PA. She went to undergrad at University of Miami and got her MD and Masters in Public Health from University of Miami. In her free time she likes working out, watching football, and escaping the city to be in nature. Her favorite thing about this residency program is spending time with her co-residents in and outside of the hospital.
Ahmed Saleh, MD
Weill Cornell at Qatar
Dr. Saleh was born in Cairo, Egypt and grew up in Doha. He obtained his medical degree from Weill Cornell in Qatar and an MPH from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. He enjoys traveling and has been to 35+ countries!
Jing Ye, MD
New York University
Dr. Ye grew up in China and Canada, went to undergrad at University of Toronto for Neurosciences, and attended medical school at New York University. Favorite pastimes include travel, food, board games, hockey, using the word “labor” in every note, and hanging out with her cat Nola!