Karla Marie Garcia Ortiz, MD, LaHouse Scholar 2022-2025

Dr. Garcia Ortiz earned her MD from Universidad Central del Caribe (UCC) School of Medicine, Bayamón, PR. She worked as a vaccinator and data entry personnel in the Vaccination center established by the UCC in collaboration with Puerto Rico's Health Department and the Puerto Rico National Guard
during the pandemic. While at UCC, she was also a founding member and Vice President of SE*RV*IN*G, the Sexual and Reproductive Health Interest Group, which advocates for equity between men and women, and promotes education among women, men, and the LGBTQ+ community regarding sexual health and healthy relationships.
Dr. Garcia Ortiz will be working on a quality improvement project, "Communication Is Better When We All Speak the Same Language – An Approach to Promote Better Communication with Latino and Hispanic Patients through MyChart" designed to increase the number of Latino and Hispanic patients that are registered on MyChart with the ultimate goal of improving communication between physicians and patients.
Kimberly Eide, MD, LaHouse Scholar 2021-2023

After having a successful 14-year career in the pharmaceutical industry, Dr. Eide’s ambition, work ethic, integrity, and willingness to help inspired her to obtain her medical degree. She completed her medical training at Ross School of Medicine in 2021.
Her commitment to patient care and service is reflected in multiple volunteer activities in which she has participated: Chair of the Social Committee Emory Family Medicine 2021, Board member at Georgia Communities, among others. Dr. Eide writes, “As I look to someday start a private practice in the Atlanta area to help bridge the gap in underserved areas, I will forever rely on my training and experiences Emory has taught me along the way.” Dr. Eide’s interest in disparities has led to her work on her project "Covid Response in Communities with Disparities: A Closer Look into the Latinx and African American Population."
Bernadette Baker, MD, LaHouse Scholar 2019-2022

Dr. Baker is recognized for her enthusiasm, empathy, and ability to connect with patients and staff. She earned her medical degree from Texas Tech Health Sciences Center School of Medicine. She has demonstrated strong leadership within her class and has represented the Emory Family Medicine Residency Program (EFMRP) with her participation in multiple committees and events for the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians (GAFP).
As a member of the GAFP Physicians Student and Resident Recruitment Committee and the Legislative Writing Group, she has participated in multiple recruitments, lobbying, and advocacy activities.
Currently, she is completing the quality improvement projects: “ACE-inhibitor Use in Reproductive Age Women” and “Family Medicine Resident and Faculty Wellness Improvement Through an App-Delivered Mindfulness Meditation Intervention”.
Sarah Dupont, MD, MPH, LaHouse Scholar, 2018-2021

Dr. Sarah Dupont obtained her doctorate in medicine and master’s in public health in 2018 from the Emory School of Medicine and Rollins School of Public Health, respectively. Her passion to serve the community is evident through her constant involvement in community outreach projects.
Dr. Dupont has a keen interest in helping the refugee population and has worked with refugee children to orient them to the expectations and norms of the school system in America. As a medical student, she participated in the South Georgia Farmworkers Health Program in Bainbridge, GA.
Dr. Dupont’s moral and ethical compass guides her desire to become an agent of change within family medicine. She clearly stated it in her residency personal statement: “The desire to challenge and change unjust systems is born out of my deep faith and sense of responsibility towards humanity.”
Dr. Dupont was the recipient of the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians (GAFP) T. A. Sappington Award, which is given to students who have demonstrated their commitment to family medicine in the state of Georgia. She has also served on the GAFP Legislative Committee and as a student member of the GAFP Board of Directors. As a family medicine resident, Dr. Dupont has begun to provide home visits to our patients with limited resources. During the home visits, she can evaluate the social and environmental challenges that our patients experience.
Kevin Pharris, MD, MPH, LaHouse Scholar, 2017-2020

Dr. Pharris is an exemplary resident and leader in his class. “Kevin demonstrated determination and perseverance in matching with our residency program despite the setbacks that most people in a similar position would have given up on,” says Lianne Beck, former director of the Emory Family Medicine Residency Program. “He is someone who never gives up on their dream and works hard to achieve it.”
Dr. Pharris graduated from Emory School of Medicine in 2012, and when he did not match as a resident, he earned a master’s degree in public health (epidemiology). Dr. Pharris remained engaged in medicine, studying and passing his medical licensing step exams and volunteering on the internal medicine service at Grady Memorial Hospital. There, H. Kenneth Walker, MD, noted that “Kevin’s biggest strength is his ability to relate to people. He has a very sincere, compassionate demeanor, keen intelligence,
Since birth, Dr. Pharris has dealt with food allergies, which gave him empathy for people with chronic health conditions. In elementary school, after his father died from pancreatic cancer, Kevin Pharris decided that he wanted to help people as a doctor. “I believe I can make a difference,” he says. “I’m inspired that family medicine provides for continued multifaceted care of individuals and their families, allowing the
Mohammed K. Ali, MBChB, MSc, MBA LaHouse Scholar, 2016-2019

Dr. Mohammed K. Ali has been a thoughtful leader in developing programs for diabetes, but because he completed his medical education in South Africa and the United Kingdom, he had not experienced a traditional U.S. residency program. As a LaHouse Scholar of Family and Preventive Medicine, Dr. Ali followed an individualized curriculum to learn the practical aspects of being a physician, so that he can bring his epidemiological work to the bedside as he continues his research. The LaHouse Scholarship gives the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine the flexibility to bring a non-traditional resident into our program, where he can benefit from our expertise in training, and we can benefit from his knowledge and leadership.
In addition to being Associate Professor of Global Health and Epidemiology at the Rollins School of Public Health, Dr. Ali is involved with the Diabetes Translation group at CDC as well as the Action to Control Cardiovascular Disease in Diabetes (ACCORD) Quality of Life and Cost-Effectiveness group. In addition to his research and teaching responsibilities, Dr. Ali serves as a faculty mentor to the Emory Global Health Institute's Student Advisory Committee and has been a key player in the development of the Emory Global Health Case Competition.
Priya Gulati, MD, LaHouse Scholar, 2015-2018

Dr. Priya Gulati grew up in Augusta, raised by parents who are physicians, and graduated from Emory in 2010 with a degree in human biology and anthropology.
Gulati volunteered with Project Open Hand to prepare and deliver meals to people in
She returned to Emory after graduating from Wayne State University School of Medicine. Her diverse research interests include physical medicine and rehabilitation, women’s health, underserved populations, addictions, dermatology, and quality improvement. She previously received fellowships from the American Dermatological Association and Institute of Research, Education, and Training in Addictions.
“I love the state of Georgia and look forward to serving the place that has given me so much,” Dr. Gulati said. “I am grateful to come home to a state that has so much potential, and my hope is that Emory will continue to grow its emphasis on primary care specialties and train primary care physicians who will practice throughout Georgia. My scholarship makes a difference to me and this community by allowing me to represent the Emory Department of Family and Preventive Medicine to a larger audience and highlight all the unique aspects of our program. My hope is to serve as an ambassador by engaging at the ground level in primary care. Please know how much I appreciate the opportunity to represent a new partnership between Emory Family Medicine and the LaHouse residency scholarship donors, stemming from a common goal of highlighting the importance of primary care.”