Current Residents

Tiffany Eisenbach grew up outside of rainy Seattle, Washington where she spent her winters whale watching in Puget Sound and her summers wakeboarding on the Columbia River. Through hiking in the Olympic and Cascade mountains and running for cross country and track, she developed a passion for the outdoors and nature. She attended St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN where she continued participating in choirs and furthered her interest in human biology, deciding to apply to medical school. She additionally studied abroad in India and Peru during college and developed a love for travel. Upon graduating, she attended medical school at the University of Washington where she eventually found her fit in neurology due to the patient relationships, fascinating diseases of the nervous system, and fun neuro exam. During medical school, she had the privilege of training in diverse locations, including Seattle; Spokane, Washington; Butte, Montana; and many other sites scattered throughout the states of Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho. Needless to say, when starting neurology residency, she was ready to settle down in one place for a while and was also excited for that place to be warm, sunny, snow-less Florida! In Gainesville, she has been able to enjoy all of her favorite activities including going to the beach, exploring nature parks and trails, visiting historical sites, learning about new wildlife, and calisthenics. As there is still so much in the world of neurology to explore, she is not sure yet what her fellowship choice will be, although she is considering pursuing a career in general neurology for the sake of maintaining a wide and varied patient population.

Lorena was born and raised in Havana, Cuba, and moved to the States when she was a teenager. Neurology has been a part of her life as long as she can remember. Both of her parents are in the field, and it was through them that she first learned about the fascinating intricacy of the brain and nervous system in general. As an undergrad, Lorena decided to further explore her passion for medicine by shadowing neurology attendings during Epilepsy clinic, and by joining a neurology research lab that gave her, her first direct exposure to electrophysiology. She went to medical school in Puerto Rico with an open mind regarding specialty choice, but neurology cases always stood out more for her than others did, and her love for the specialty solidified as she further exposed herself to the different pathologies. During her time as a medical student, she was the president of the SIGN Chapter at her school, and became particularly interested in Multiple Sclerosis which led her to do research on the topic and become an active advocate for MS patients. Pursuing medicine in a bilingual setting, with great exposure to rural and underserved communities, provided her with the skills to help in the care of patients with diverse backgrounds. One of Lorena’s goals as a physician is to make neurology more readily available to the underprivileged sector of the patient population. In her free time, she enjoys taking her camera out for a stroll. Gainesville has great scenery to help diversify her amateur photographer portfolio. She also really enjoys salsa dancing, which is something that helps keep her connected to her Cuban roots.

Edna Johnson was raised in sunny South Florida. She completed her undergraduate degree in Biology and Psychology here at the University of Florida. It was during this time that she first developed an interest in neurology. Edna completed her Masters in Medical Sciences at the University of South Florida and went on to complete medical school at Florida International University in Miami, FL. She is thrilled to return to UF to complete her training as a Neurologist.​

Vlad was born in Ukraine and moved to the U.S. with his family when he was 18 months old. He was raised in sunny South Florida. He grew up playing and watching sports, including hockey, basketball, soccer, and football. Vlad attended the University of Florida and graduated in 2015 with a B.S. in Applied Physiology and Kinesiology. During his time at UF, Vlad worked as a research assistant in the Department of Psychology to determine the effects of goal setting and feedback on memory performance. Vlad’s favorite subject in medical school was neuroanatomy and since taking the course, he has not looked back. He aspires to be a clinical neurologist with an interest in movement disorders. In his free time, Vlad enjoys playing the piano, weightlifting, and playing basketball.

Heather Panic grew up in Louisiana and took the long route to become a neurologist. After graduating with a degree in computer science, she spent a decade in Europe developing software for the NATO military alliance. She then decided to switch careers and completed a neuroscience PhD on the topic of spatial orientation and navigation at Brandeis University, followed by her MD at the University of Miami. She is interested in pursuing a career in academic medicine, likely in vestibular neurology. She is delighted to be completing her residency at UF Neurology, with its supportive atmosphere and broad range of subspecialty training. Outside of medicine, she is a fan of anything related to airplanes and space, and she enjoys games, cooking, creating electronic music and art, and traveling the world.

Gabriel Swords grew up in the small town of Eureka, Illinois where he went to college and studied chemistry and psychology. His interest in neurology first began in undergrad where he wrote his honor’s thesis on neuroinflammation in Gulf War Illness. He would later attend the University of Illinois College of Medicine where his love for the brain blossomed as he founded and led the Student Interest Group in Neurology and got involved in research involving Alzheimer’s disease and Dementia with Lewy Bodies. While in medical school he also served on the committee on health information and technology as part of the AMA-MSS and coauthored an official report on the future implications of machine intelligence in healthcare as well as blockchain technology. In his spare time, Gabriel enjoys grilling whilst chilling with friends, beach bummin’ in the sun, and whacking white balls with metal sticks.

Lizmarie Tirado-Castro is originally from Bayamón, Puerto Rico. While completing her bachelor’s and medical degree on the island, she became fascinated by neurological diseases and their treatments. She moved to the sunny state of Florida to pursue neurology. She enjoys cooking and baking, so be on the lookout for her famous red velvet cookies!

Briana Wasserstrom is originally from south Florida, but spent most of her summers in her favorite Smoky Mountains near Asheville, NC. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Microbiology & Cell Sciences from the University of Florida, where she spent four years researching AML treatment modalities, as well as juggling three jobs as a preschool teacher, sushi roller, and marketing assistant for a tutor company. She then ventured to the Hudson Valley, NY where she obtained a master’s degree and her medical degree at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine. It was during medical school that she developed a deep interest in neurology. Briana is thrilled to be returning to her alma mater for her neurology residency training. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, hiking/camping, musical theater and spending time with family/friends.

Ziyad is a native Floridian from Jacksonville. Growing up he enjoyed outdoor activities such as swimming, weight-lifting and fishing with his three brothers. Ziyad completed his undergraduate degree in Chemistry at Florida State University and attended medical school at William Carey University in Mississippi. During his clinical training, he met a number of Neurologists who served as mentors that guided his path to residency. In the future, he has aspirations to practice in the great state of Florida.

Freddy Abraham is from Western Pennsylvania, not far from Pittsburgh. He received a B.S. in Biology from Grove City College, where he also minored in Theology and met his wife, Emily. After one year working for a pain clinic, Freddy enrolled in Liberty University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine. Freddy is excited to join University of Florida’s Neurology Department. When he isn’t studying puzzling Neurological pathology, Freddy enjoys strategy games–like Chess and Settlers of Catan, hiking, and other outdoor activities with his wife, and spending time with family and friends.

Ramsha Farrukh was raised in Birmingham, Alabama. She was fascinated with neurology early on when she majored in Neuroscience at the University of Alabama in Birmingham (UAB). She completed her medical degree from UAB as well and took advantage of research, leadership, teaching, and service opportunities. She is thrilled to continue with her next steps in training at the University of Florida. In her spare time, she loves reading, trying new recipes, and spending time outdoors.

Kristin Hedtke is originally from Delano, Minnesota and grew up reading everything she could get her hands on and exploring the great outdoors. She moved south for college at the University of Houston in Houston, TX where she studied biochemical and biophysical sciences. It was here that a neuroscience course first introduced her to the exciting possibility of a career in neurology. She attended medical school at UT Health San Antonio and was further drawn to the field of neurology by the fascinating cases she studied and took part in. She is looking forward to residency training at the University of Florida. Outside of medicine, Kristin enjoys reading, playing tennis, hiking, and other outdoor activities.

Claudia Hernandez is originally from Havana, Cuba and moved to Florida at a young age where she obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry from Florida Gulf Coast University. Her passion for Neurology manifested at an early age when her family member was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome. Her journey in medicine continued at the Medical College of Georgia. During medical school, her love for the complexity and beauty of the neurological system combined with the rapidly growing field of research and understanding solidified her pursuit of becoming a Neurologist. During medical school, she spent much of her time volunteering for Clínica Latina, a free clinic for the underserved Spanish speaking population of Georgia. With the resources and supportive faculty at the University of Florida, she strives to continue her efforts to bridge the gap between the underserved populations and access to care. In her spare time, Claudia enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, and embroidering. She also spends much of her free time tending to her garden and looks forward to all that she can grow in sunny Florida!

Marcos spent his early childhood at the Brazilian Cerrado then moved to the Atlantic Forest, where he spent most of his life. He grew up dedicated to music, as most of his family, and various sports. The curiosity for what controls the minds and bodies that learn, reason, create and execute ignited a genuine desire to understand the central nervous system. After graduating from medical school, Marcos became a research fellow at MGH/Harvard Medical School. There he investigated the EEG patterns of patients on ECMO , the neurotoxicity of CAR-T therapy, the use of Dexmedetomidine to prevent delirium, methods to predict the neurological outcome of comatose patients, among other research projects. His main areas of interest are Behavioral Neurology and Computational NeurosciencesIn his spare time, Marcos enjoys playing the Accordion and Guitar, meeting family and friends, playing soccer, and exploring new places and cultures. Marcos is thrilled to have just joined a team of uniquely creative, passion-driven, and supportive professionals at UF!

Riley grew up in the small Midwest town of Galesburg, Illinois. He later attended college nearby in Monmouth, Illinois where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Biopsychology from Monmouth College. During his time there he developed a passion for neuroscience and decided to pursue a career in the field. Interested more in the clinical application of neuroscience, he attended medical school at the University of Illinois and graduated with neurology as his chosen specialty. Outside of medicine, Riley enjoys playing guitar, golfing, camping, and hiking.

Jessie Walker was born and raised in Miami, Florida. She attended the University of Florida, where she graduated with her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology. She obtained a second Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Florida International University. She went on to study medicine at Indiana University School of Medicine, where she developed her strong passion and interest in the field of Neurology. She is so thrilled to return to Gainesville to become a Neurologist at her alma mater! During her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, being outdoors, running, photography, and Gator Football.

Brianna Alex grew up in Indianapolis, IN and graduated from the hilly and beautiful Indiana University with a BS in Neuroscience. She then served in AmeriCorps as a health educator to refugees. After her grandmother had a stroke, Brianna’s desire to help patients with neurological conditions grew, so she returned to Indiana University for medical school. She is thrilled to join UF’s neurology program and explore opportunities in medical education and advocacy. She enjoys hiking, landscape photography, listening to podcasts, and a good pour-over coffee.

Leonid Gozman was born in Ukraine but moved to the US when he was two years old. He grew up in an immigrant neighborhood in Brooklyn and completed his undergraduate degree in History and Psychology at CUNY Macaulay Honors College/Brooklyn College. After that he completed his M.D. at Tel Aviv University where he discovered his love for neurology while completing his second year module. Leonid was drawn to UF because of the strong academic neurology program, the warm and welcoming department, and the promise of no more New York traffic. In his free time, Leonid likes to be outdoors, either skiing in the winter, or hiking, golfing, and mushroom hunting in the summer. At home he enjoys reading, drinking tea, and cooking.

Whitney King grew up in Kentucky. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Microbiology and her Master’s Degree in Health Promotion from Mississippi State University. During medical school, she enjoyed rotating within the Neurology department.

Whitney and her family always traveled to Florida every summer, fall break and in the spring. Florida is now home and she loves it. She is so excited to be part of the University of Florida Neurology family and cannot wait to explore the different sub-specialties of Neurology.

In her free time, Whitney loves spending time with her family and traveling.

Karina Maria Rodriguez, was born and raised in the Dominican Republic, so she is an island gal. Karina went to medical school in her hometown at the Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo. She knew she wanted to go into the Neurology field very early in her career because of its complexity and beauty. Also, she enjoys teaching and supporting students interested in the Neuro world in any way she can. Karina is very drawn to Headache Medicine because even though headaches are a frequent complaint among patients, how much they can impact their lives is not always understood. In her free time, Karina loves to practice creative writing, binge-watch TV series, and go out and discover new places to eat.

Bhavin Patel was born and raised in the small beach town of Fort Pierce, Florida. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Florida. It was during this time that he worked as a free-lance photographer that he developed his love of working with others. Having a curiosity for the complexity of the human mind, he was drawn to Neurology while completing medical school in the Appalachian Mountains at Lincoln Memorial University. This curiosity grew into a pursuit after working with two of his clinical neurology mentors on a variety of fascinating cases. Outside of medicine, Bhavin enjoys cooking, reading, video gaming, and playing basketball with friends.

Neha Pirwani grew up in Chicago, IL and moved to Upstate New York to pursue her bachelor’s and MBA in healthcare management degrees. She then went on to obtain her medical degree from Albany Medical College. During medical school, Neha became eager to learn about different neurological diseases, explore a multitude of neurological subspecialties, and help patients through her clinical practice. Neha graduated from medical school with a distinction in Health Systems Analysis and is also passionate about quality improvement projects in health care. Her family moved to Ocala, FL about 4 years ago, and she is honored to be able to join the Gator family by completing her residency here. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, traveling, and spending time with her family.

William “Bill” Remley was born and raised in Jacksonville, FL. He received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida and completed medical school at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine – Bradenton. He is excited to be back in Gainesville, FL, although this time with his fiancé who is a pediatrics resident also at UF. They enjoy the outdoors, fitness, and nutrition. He is a long-time sports fan, especially Gator football and baseball. Prior to residency, he spent much of his free time officiating youth baseball. He is undecided on his neurology subspecialty interests but looks forward to exploring all UF has to offer!

Rory Weston has been interested in neurology since college, having majored in behavioral neuroscience at Western Washington University. He subsequently attended Virginia Commonwealth University where he received a PhD in neuroscience in addition to his medical degree. He has a strong interest in research and has worked on the molecular neurobiology of alcohol use disorder, Huntington’s disease, and schizophrenia. Rory enjoys the outdoors, board games, VR, and BBQ.

Maryellen Campbell grew up in the Midwest and Northeast, and now calls Florida home. She completed her undergraduate studies in economics at Georgetown University, where she also competed on the swim team. She went on to earn her medical degree from Florida Atlantic University. Maryellen is excited to join the neurology residency program at the University of Florida. She enjoys swimming, playing Spikeball, and reading novels in her free time.

Steven Carter grew up in Tampa, FL, and completed his undergraduate studies at Florida State University before obtaining his master’s degree in human anatomy at the University of South Florida. He finally left Florida to obtain his medical degree at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Even though he enjoyed his time out of state, he decided that he wanted to come back home and complete his residency training in Florida with the University of Florida Neurology Program. He is unbelievably excited to become a neurologist and expects this excitement to continue throughout his training. He enjoys many of the subspecialties of neurology, including Traumatic Brain Injury, Headaches, and Vascular Neurology, and is currently trying to choose his favorite between them. When he is not in the hospital, Steven enjoys exercising at the UF Fitness Center, playing golf, and enjoying Florida’s sunny weather at the beach.

Scott Crawford was born and raised in Frisco, Texas, where he developed a lifelong love of music, drumming, and running. After a year of college, he took time off and spent two years in Brazil on a mission trip. He ultimately returned and received his Bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience from Brigham Young University. After that, he moved back to Texas to complete his MD at UT Southwestern Medical Center, where his curiosity and passion for the central nervous system came to full fruition. He is excited hone his skills and interest in neurology at UF! In his free time now, he still enjoys drumming, video games, and reviewing horror movies.

Michaele Garrison grew up in a quiet beach town in Central Florida. She first became a gator during her undergraduate education at the University of Florida. She then used her time between undergraduate and beginning medical school to work at UF Health Shands Hospital as a tech, where she cultivated her passion for working in a healthcare team. During medical school at Lincoln Memorial University-DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine, her interest was piqued by neuroanatomy and clinical applications of neuroscience, making neurology a clear choice. During medical school, she found it particularly rewarding to tutor and mentor her classmates, which has propelled her to pursue a career as a clinician educator. She is beyond excited to be returning to the University of Florida for residency. Outside of medicine, she enjoys paddle-boarding, yoga, weightlifting, watching Gator football, and thrifting.

Edwin A. Glueck IV was born and raised in WA state. From a young age he was interested in neuroscience and pursued his education at Western Washington University, obtaining bachelor’s degrees in both behavioral neuroscience and biochemistry. During that time he contributed to several scientific publications pertaining to brain structure, behavior, and neuronal intracellular signaling pathways. He subsequently obtained a master’s degree in biomedical science and doctor of osteopathic medicine degree from Kansas City University. He has completed a fellowship in clinical anatomy where he taught medical students gross human anatomy and dissection technique. While completing his fellowship, he achieved the Vesalius Award for exceptional performance in neuroanatomy and contribution to the anatomic scientific literature. The award is named after Andreas Vesalius, widely considered the founder of modern human anatomy. Dr. Glueck is a current University of Florida neurology resident physician with interests in vascular neurology. He enjoys spending his spare time with his family. Of note, his younger brother is an officer in the United States Air Force completing his pilot training, and Dr. Glueck is very proud of him.

Lindsey Le is from Fairfax, Virginia outside of Washington DC and moved to sunny South Florida to complete her undergraduate degree in Biology and medical school at Nova Southeastern University. Her passion for medicine was shaped from her experiences with people, patients, and mentors, where it further guided her journey to pursue neurology. Creating tutoring programs in high school and college for underserved populations cultivated her love of teaching and mentorship, where she aspires to have an avid role in academic medicine. In her free time, you will most likely find Lindsey playing tennis, at a local coffee shop, or at Trader Joe’s.

Michael Siegel was born and raised in Erie, Pennsylvania. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience from Allegheny College, where he was a member of the Allegheny Gator’s men’s tennis team. He then completed his medical school training at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, during which time he developed a further love and passion for helping patients who were struggling with neurologic conditions. Michael is very excited to be a “Gator” once again, this time at the University of Florida. Outside of medicine, Michael enjoys tennis, pickleball, hiking, traveling, cooking, and spending time with family and friends.

Nishita Varde spent her childhood in New York and New Jersey before moving to Jacksonville, Florida. She completed her bachelor’s degree at the University of Florida where she studied Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience and became interested in pursuing neurology. At UF, she was a research assistant and teaching assistant for health disparities research, and she became passionate about patient advocacy and increasing awareness of social determinants of health. She continued her education further south in Florida, receiving her master’s degree in Medical Sciences before earning her medical degree, and was ecstatic to return to her alma mater for neurology residency training. While in school, Nishita balanced her studies with travel when her family relocated to Tokyo, Japan. She loves to experience new places and has been to over 15 countries – she hopes to continue adding more to her list!