Meet the Chief Residents & Leadership Tracks

Chief Residents:

Dr. Aqeel Khanani, DO, MS - Chief Resident

Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine

Academic Interests: Cardiovascular Medicine

LRH Leadership Excellence:

Chair of the IM Academic Curriculum Committee
Chair of the IM Medical Student Academic Experience Committee
Chair of the Graduate Medical Education Resident Forum

Research & Scholarly Achievement:

26+ peer-reviewed publications in leading journals (Heart Rhythm, JACC, Circulation)

Co-authored Amazon best-selling book in Medical Education (Intern Mastery Series, 2024)
Awards: Resident of the Year (2024), ACP Florida Poster Competition Finalist (2025)

Personal: Basketball enthusiast, cooking aficionado, future homeowner (active Zillow browser), passionate about mentoring medical students

Why LRH: "I was drawn to a resident-centered, innovation-focused program that values leadership development and academic excellence while maintaining strong community connections."

Dr. Emma Weiland, MD - Chief Resident

USF Health Morsani College of Medicine

Academic Interests: Hospital Leadership and Medical Education

LRH Leadership Excellence:

Chair of IM Mentorship and Wellness Committee
Former President of Tampa Bay Street Medicine at USF Morsani School of Medicine

Research & Scholarly Achievement:

Quality improvement and medical education focus with abstracts at the Society of General Internal Medicine/Journal of GIM
Co-authored Amazon best-selling book in Medical Education (Intern Mastery Series, 2024)
Strong interest in systems-based practice and holistic wellness approaches

Personal: Passionate about community service and mentorship, food enthusiast with a strong spirit of volunteerism

Why LRH: "I was attracted by the welcoming culture and the opportunity to shape a program into the best it can be, with genuine leadership connections that treat everyone like family."

Dr. Daniela Carralero Somoza, MD - Chief Resident

Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE) School of Medicine, Santo Domingo

Academic Interests: Hospital Leadership and Medical Education

LRH Leadership Excellence:

Chair of the IM Resident Recruitment and Selection Committee
Co-chair of the IM Community Action and Resident Engagement Committee
Former President of the IM Interest Group at UNIBE
Regional Leadership: Co-Chair of ACP Florida Chapter, Council of Residents and Medical Students

Research & Scholarly Achievement:

Published in high-impact journals including CHEST and Journal of the American Society of Nephrology
20+ abstracts and case reports presented at national meetings (SGIM, SHM, AHA, ACC) with vast scholarly output in medical education, nephrology, infectious disease, and pulmonary medicine

Personal: Caribbean heritage (Puerto Rico/Cuba), Argentina soccer fan, Netflix enthusiast, passionate food explorer

Why LRH: "I was drawn to passionate attendings who genuinely invest in our success, authentic leadership connections, and a team-oriented culture where everyone uplifts each other academically and personally."

Dr. Juan Carlos Rivera Martinez, MD - Chief Resident

Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE) School of Medicine, Santo Domingo

Academic Interests: Cardiovascular Medicine

LRH Leadership Excellence:

Member of IM Academic Board Curriculum Committee
Resident Representative on the IM Rapid Response (CCAT) Committee
ACP Florida Medical Jeopardy Competitor (2024, 2025)

Research & Scholarly Achievement:

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses in top journals (JACC, Cardiovascular Drugs & Therapy)
Quality improvement research: NPO duration reduction, thromboembolism prevention protocols
Author of the Cardiology Chapter in the Intern Mastery Series, 2024
Awards: Outstanding Professional Award (2024)

Personal: Tennis, food and cooking enthusiast, exploring outdoors with strong interest in evidence synthesis and statistical analysis, passionate about cardiovascular medicine

Why LRH: "The program's commitment to academic excellence, research opportunities, and resident leadership development aligned perfectly with my career goals in academic cardiology."

Chiefs of Scholarly and Leadership Tracks:

Dr. Michael Sabina, DO - Chief of Research

Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine

Role: Leading IM research initiatives and scholarly activity development

LRH Research Leadership:

37+ peer-reviewed publications and 20+ conference presentations
Researcher of the Year 2023-2024 (Lakeland Regional Health)
Co-authored Amazon bestselling educational book (“Intern Mastery” series)
Regional Leadership: Chair, American College of Physicians (ACP), Florida Chapter Research Subgroup (2024-Present)

Innovation:

Founder of SABIMETA (meta-analysis teaching initiative)
Co-Founder of IMERSE (resident scholarly enhancement program)
Creator of #OBSabina (observational study training for interns)

Recognition: First Place Best Research Poster (2025), Second Place (2024) at Central Florida Research Symposium

Dr. Amanda Rigdon, MD - Chief of Point-of-Care Ultrasonography

St. George’s University School of Medicine

Role: Advancing point-of-care ultrasound innovation, curriculum development, and bedside diagnostic excellence.

LRH POCUS Leadership:

Master of POCUS Award (2024, 2025)
IM POCUS Committee Chair (2023-2025)
Author of “The Art to Bedside Ultrasound: A Resident Guide to POCUS”

Research Achievement:

A growing portfolio of peer-reviewed publications and national conference presentations spanning cardiology, gastroenterology (SAGES), and metabolic disease (American College of Gastroenterology).
Her research excellence earned her the Central Florida Symposium Research Award (2023), and she continues to drive innovation in POCUS-related diagnostics and educational methodologies.
Awards: Central Florida Symposium Research Award (2023)

Personal: Professional chef skills, outdoor enthusiast, watercolor artist, scuba diver, half marathon runner, future gastroenterologist

Dr. Zein Barakat, DO, MS - Chief of Career Development

Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine

Role: Driving resident mentorship, scholarly excellence, and individualized career pathway development

LRH Career Development Leadership:

Founder and Co-Chair, Community Service and Advocacy Committee
Established the development and implementation of Lakeland Regional Health’s first resident-led, hospital-wide quality improvement initiative, “Be My Eyes,” introducing comprehensive and specialized blind precautions to improve patient safety
Regional Leadership: Co-Chair of ACP Florida Chapter, Council of Residents and Medical Students

Academic Achievement:

Scholarly portfolio spans over 25 national presentations and 15+ peer-reviewed publications, including original research in CHEST, Annals of Internal Medicine, and SAGES, as well as presentations at SGIM, ACC, SHM, and international forums.
Awards: Florida ACP Poster Competition Winner (2023), FOMA Second Place Poster Competition (2023), LRH IM Program Ambassador (2024)

Personal: Poetry writer, swimmer, furniture refurbishing enthusiast, painter, passionate about global health and volunteerism

Dr. Vivek Patel, MD - Chief of Health Policy & Advocacy

Xavier University School of Medicine, Aruba

Role: Leading resident-driven advocacy efforts, community engagement, and health policy initiatives.

LRH Advocacy and Community Leadership:

GME Representative, LRH Community Needs Analysis Committee
Vice-Chair, C.A.R.E. Community Service Committee, enhancing community health through diverse outreach activities, including LRH Barbershop ShopTalk, Great-American Teach-In, and Hoopin’ for Health events
Regional Leadership: Chair, Florida ACP Advocacy Subgroup of Residents and Students

Academic Achievement:

Robust portfolio in quality improvement and health policy research, including:
- Analysis of Risk Factors for Hemorrhagic Transformation Post-Mechanical Thrombectomy
- Selected participant for ACP Leadership Day in Washington, DC (2024, 2025), and Health Policy and Advocacy Tallahassee Visitation Program (2025)
- SGIM’s Leadership in Health Policy Program (LEAHP, 2025)
- Community Needs Analysis identifying key Social Determinants of Health
- Initiating Diabetic Pharmacotherapy Program at GME Ambulatory Clinic
- Extensive publication record with presentations at national conferences such as ACP, SHM, and SGIM

Personal Interests: Dedicated to public health advocacy, community service enthusiast, passionate educator, and communicator committed to improving healthcare equity and community wellness.

Collective Impact

Our Chief Residents and Leadership Track Chiefs represent the future of academic medicine, combining:

100+ combined peer-reviewed publications
National and international conference presentations
Award-winning research and quality improvement initiatives
Innovative educational program development
Strong commitment to mentorship and community service

This exceptional leadership team exemplifies LRH’s commitment to developing physician-leaders who will shape the future of internal medicine through clinical excellence, research innovation, and educational advancement.