Trainees in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences' internal medicine/psychiatry residency program participated in the Association of Medicine and Psychiatry’s 2026 Annual Meeting, held Oct. 8-10 in Newport Beach, California. 

The ten residents were joined by Laura Heckert, M.D., assistant professor and director of the training program. 

Participating residents gave the following poster presentations:  

• Nasam AlTawl, D.O., “Hypomagnesemia-Associated Psychotic Decompensation in Chronic Schizophrenia” 

• Carter Biskup, D.O., Sharon Edamala, M.D., and Rory McFarland, M.D., “Vagal Disruption and the Gut-Brain Interface: A Case Presentation of Uncontrolled PTSD, Anxiety, and Functional Neurologic Disorder in a Patient with History of Truncal Vagotomy, Roux-en-Y and Severe Dysautonomia” 

• Carter Biskup, D.O., and Rory McFarland, M.D., “New Onset Depression and Parkinsonism as Neuropsychiatric Sequelae Following CAR-T Therapy for Multiple Myeloma: JAK-2 Inhibitors as a Novel Approach in Neuroinflammatory Depression” 

• Christopher Conroy, M.D., “A Dash of Delirium with a Drop of Lidocaine: Visual Hallucinations in a Patient with Refractory Cardiac Arrythmias in an Intensive Care Unit” 

• Elissa Freberg, M.D., “ECT as a Safe and Effective Treatment for Akinetic Catatonia Iin the Setting of Parkinsonism and Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus: A Case Report” 

• Gina Gabrielli, M.D., “Intranasal Ketamine and Familial Susceptibility to Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy” 

• Kanwalgeet Hans, D.O., “Severe Lithium Toxicity Associated with Low-Dose Chronic Lithium Therapy Precipitated by Urinary Tract Infection and Hypovolemia” 

• Ryan McCormick, M.D., “A Case of Profound Ileus in a Patient on Xanomeline/Trospium” 

• Rachel Specht, M.D., “When GAD Isn’t Just Anxiety: A Med-Psych Approach to Unmasking Stiff-Person Syndrome” 

Additionally, AlTwal, a fifth-year resident, participated in the conference's Resident Vignette Competition, an opportunity that allows trainees to present a scholarly case report suitable for publication. AlTwal's vignette was titled "Lost in the Clearance: A Case of New-Onset Mania." 

The internal medicine/psychiatry residency program trains versatile physicians equipped to treat patients across a range of disciplines. Jointly sponsored by the Department of Internal Medicine and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, the five-year program leads to dual board certification in both specialties for trainees.

See more photos of our residents in action at this year's meeting.