Michael Petrany
2026 Co-administrative Chief
Co-administrative Chief
Where I’m from
Huntington, West Virginia
Brief background about my education/training
I moved to Cincinnati, Ohio for college at Xavier University and stayed in the city for the MD/PhD program at University of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. I completed my PhD in Doug Millay’s lab studying mechanisms of myoblast fusion and multinucleation in skeletal muscle development and disease.
What drew me to neurology
Even in high school biology, there was something about the nervous system that grabbed my interest, and this never let go throughout my studies in biology and philosophy in college. The brain and peripheral nervous system sit at the intersection of so many fascinating questions regarding physiology and molecular mechanisms, but also selfhood and identity and what it means to be a human moving about through the world. Most importantly, I found that the patients served in neurology had so many unmet needs and being part of a field working to fill those gaps is very meaningful.
How my interests developed at WashU
WashU is an incredible training environment, and I believe it has helped me grow towards being a “total neurologist” seeing patients from every type of background and with every conceivable disease process. I was particularly drawn to early experiences in the EMG lab which cemented a pre-existing interest in chronic and progressive neuromuscular disorders.
How I spend my time outside the hospital / in STL
I spend as much time as I can with my wife and our two young boys. We visit a lot of parks and frequent the Missouri Botanical Garden, and love to meet up with friends and other families at the innumerable playgrounds and museums in the city. I’m an obsessive audiobook reader on my daily bike commute. When on vacation, you can find me checking another National Park off my life list (up to about forty and counting).
What my future plans are
I will be completing a Neuromuscular Medicine fellowship here at WashU Medicine. After fellowship, I plan to pursue a career in academic neurology. In addition to clinical practice and teaching, I have an interest in clinical and translational research.
Isobel MacKenzie
2026 Co-administrative Chief
Co-administrative Chief
Where I’m from
Brief background about my education/training
What drew me to neurology
How my interests developed at WashU
How I spend my time outside the hospital / in STL
What my future plans are
Megha Gupta
2026 Wellness Chief
Wellness Chief
Where I’m from
Dakota Dunes, South Dakota/Sioux City, IA
Brief background about my education/training
I escaped the upper Midwest to sunny California for my bachelor’s in Neuroscience from the Univ. Of Southern California. I then hopped across the country for medical school at Duke University where I just fell in love with the brain more!
What drew me to neurology
What started as a fascination for better understanding neurologic ailments that have run in my family transformed into an earnest desire to be part of the force to make their lives better. After meeting some amazing mentors who were exemplary educators and were so enthusiastic for the field, I decided that is exactly what I wanted to be when I grew up. I have always been super excited to be part of a field where within my lifetime things are going to grow and change in a way we could only have ever imagined before, but it’s really the patients and their trust in us that makes this field so rewarding.
How my interests developed at WashU
Coming in, I knew that I had a preference for acute care neurology but this program allowed me to dive deep into subspecialties of Neurology I’d barely heard of, let alone understood. With the incredible breadth of pathology and the autonomy afforded to us throughout our training, along with really empowering and educational experiences in the Neuro ICU along with our Palliative Care teams, I felt that Neurocritical Care would still allow me to see a bit of everything and dive deep into understanding and caring for my patients during extraordinarily difficult times in their lives.
How I spend my time outside the hospital / in STL
I love staying plugged into the sick music venues, bars, restaurants, and events going on throughout St. Louis and always have something to check out! If not that, you can find me strumming a guitar or bass (poorly), crafting something, cooking something, attending thrift/vintage events, asking the tarot cards to make life choices for me, or fitness kickboxing.
What my future plans are
I’ve applied for a fellowship in Neurocritical Care and will hear back in August where I’ve matched!
Ammar Ujjainwala
Quality Improvement & Ambulatory Chief
Quality Improvement & AMbulatory Chief
Where I’m from
Round Lake, Illinois
Brief background about my education/training
I’ve spent most of my training in Illinois and started my education at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign for undergrad. I then attended the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Peoria (best campus) for medical school and finally made my way across the Illinois border into Saint Louis for residency. I majored in Molecular-Cellular Biology and Psychology in undergrad, and was fortunate enough to have phenomenal experiences that drew me to medicine.
What drew me to neurology
My first interaction with a neurology patient was on the neurology floor at Carle Hospital in Urbana, but even before this I was interested in neurology as the intersection between biology and psychology. As many budding neurologists, I read Oliver Sacks’s The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and was moved by his narrative of patients with neurologic diseases. While I tried to enjoy my other rotations as a medical student, my time seeing and learning neurology was unmatched by any other experience. It was a perfect fit and I haven’t looked back.
How my interests developed at WashU
At WashU, I have had the ability to experience basically every subspecialty within neurology with some of the best minds in each field. There is no shortage of mentors in both the research and clinic fields, and I’ve been encouraged to explore every opportunity out there. The program here does an excellent job of encouraging graduated autonomy and confidence in clinical decision making. I have felt myself grow as a clinician and an educator and I hope to capitalize on this growth as the clinic and QI chief.
How I spend my time outside the hospital / in STL
I love being outside, and one of the most beautiful locations in STL is the Missouri Botanical Garden. It is a perfect place to go year-round, and I often go on my days off. Otherwise, STL has many free outdoor activities not being limited to Forest Park and Art Hill or the zoo. There are plenty of outdoor patio bars as well which is perfect for when the weather heats up.
What my future plans are
I will be pursuing a career as an outpatient general neurologist in Illinois. The training here has allowed me to feel comfortable practicing right away, and I am excited to provide high-level care to patients with neurologic conditions out in the community. I plan to remain active in the academic community through AAN and other clinical conferences.
Rachel Miller
2026 Education Chief
Education Chief
Where I’m from
Davis, Illinois
Brief background about my education/training
I went to Case Western Reserve University for college and majored in Chemical Engineering. I found a passion for medicine while volunteering at University Hospitals and decided to pursue a Master’s in Medical Physiology also at Case. During my Master’s, I completed an Area of Concentration in Neuroscience, allowing me to spend 6 weeks with the neurology inpatient teams at UH and growing my love of the field. From there I spent a few months as a research assistant at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford. I was then accepted as a medical student at UICOM-R and during my time there confirmed my love for neuro!
What drew me to neurology
From the moment I started medical school, I knew I wanted to be a Neurologist. I loved all of my rotations (yes, even surgery) but no other field could capture my attention the same way as neurology. Neurologists are there for the most meaningful moments in their patients’ lives- from helping a 27-year old woman with Epilepsy through her first pregnancy to supporting a 91-year-old man with Parkinson’s find dignity in his final days. A Neurologist has the chance to be a part of someone’s hope. Nothing can stir one’s emotions quite like the tears of a painter during DBS Surgery when her debilitating essential tremor subsides, knowing she may once again capture the beauty of the world around her. I am honored and proud to be apart of such an amazing community of providers.
How my interests developed at WashU
I came into residency without a clue if I wanted to be a general neurologist or subspecialize. At WashU I was exposed to so many fields of neurology from common specialties like Stroke to unique areas like Neuro-Otology. Seeing all of the many paths I could walk was so amazing! I found my passion in Movement Disorders. What I love about Movement is the chance to really be a part of someone’s story and help them reach their goals for the best quality of life. Also, our Movement Disorders group is fantastic! They regularly receive our resident-elected teaching awards and are genuinely just kind, caring, and wonderful people. I do plan on doing some General Neurology/Headache as part of my career as well. Hard to pass up the chance to use the skills WashU helped me develop!
How I spend my time outside the hospital / in STL
I have spent most of my life playing volleyball and have used a lot of my residency free time playing in indoor and beach recreation leagues- including one with my Neurology and Internal Medicine co-residents. I adore the theatre too with many summer days spent at The Muny, America’s largest and oldest outdoor theatre and a recent Tony award-winning theatre, and my autumn nights at the Fabulous Fox Theatre to see traveling Broadway shows. Otherwise, you can find me at one of our numerous local breweries, picnicking on Art Hill, or snuggling with my two black cats Phoebe and Olive.
What my future plans are
I am applying for a Movement Disorders fellowship! As one of the latest application cycles in neurology not sure where I will be just yet but excited to find out! Longterm, I see myself in academic neurology as a Clinician Educator.