RAD Scholars
The RAD Scholars program recognizes an elite cohort of medical students and residents who demonstrate an exceptional passion for, and commitment to, the field of rural dermatology.
Hand-selected by the RADS Board of Directors following a rigorous peer-review of submitted abstracts for each event, these individuals represent the next generation of leadership in underserved medicine.
Being named a RAD Scholar is a distinct honor, celebrating both academic excellence and a dedicated focus on expanding dermatological care to rural communities.
RAD Scholars Archive
2026
Rafael Ozan Homer
Medical School: University of Washington School of Medicine
Hometown: Laramie, WY
Event: AAD Annual Conference | Denver, CO
Presentation: Higher Detection of Clinically Significant Skin Lesions and Preventable Sun-Safety Risk Patterns in Rural Communities
Mahak Sharma
Medical School: NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine–Arkansas
Hometown: Jonesboro, AR
Event: AAD Annual Conference | Denver, CO
Presentation: SkinScope: Expanding Access to Dermatologic Literacy in Underserved Communities
Katie Lu
Medical School: University of California, San Fransisco
Event: RADS 1st Annual Meeting | St. Louis, MO
Presentation: Sustaining Rural Teledermatology: An Eight-Year Evaluation of a National VA Teledermatoloy Program
Matthew Sanders
Medical School: University of Kentucky College of Medicine
Hometown: London, KY
Event: Wyoming Academy of Dermatology Annual Conference
Presentation: Stress-Testing AI Skin Cancer Triage Under Image Constraints Relevant to Rural Teledermatology
Roma Kishor Desai
Medical School: University of Kentucky College of Medicine
Hometown: Hopkinsville, KY
Event: AAD Annual Conference | Denver, CO
Presentation: Dermatologist Availability and Family Physician Skin Procedural Activity in Early Melanoma Detection
Jag Lally
Medical School: University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry
Hometown: Yuba City, CA
Event: AAD Annual Conference | Denver, CO
Presentation: 2025 RAD Scholar Update: Utilization of Existing Infrastructure and Geospatial Modeling to Mitigate Dermatology Deserts in Rural America
Sophia Kermet
Medical School: Florida State College of Medicine
Event: RADS 1st Annual Meeting | St. Louis, MO
Presentation: Trust Before Technology: Insights Into Rural Patients' Acceptance of Clinician-Guided AI in Dermatology
Sarisha Lohano
Medical School: University of Kentucky College of Medicine
Hometown: Lexington, KY
Event: Wyoming Academy of Dermatology Annual Conference
Presentation: Geographic Variation in Biologic and Non-Biologic Psoriasis Prescribing in Appalachian vs. Non-Appalachian Kentucky
Clayton Frazier
Medical School: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Hometown: Fayetteville, AR
Event: AAD Annual Conference | Denver, CO
Presentation: Access Is a Journey: A Patient-Centered, One-Hour View of Rural Dermatology Across States
Anisha Venkatesh
Medical School: Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine | Jefferson Einstein Montgomery Hospital
Event: RADS 1st Annual Meeting | St. Louis, MO
Presentation: Rural and Underserved Training Opportunities: A National Assessment of U.S. Dermatology Residency Programs
Rachel Thomas
Medical School: University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford
Event: RADS 1st Annual Meeting | St. Louis, MO
Presentation: Erosive Pustular Dermatosis of the Scalp: Two Rural Cases Highlight the Importance of Care Continuity
Angela Anaeme
Medical School: Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine
Hometown: Gilbert, AZ
Event: Wyoming Academy of Dermatology Annual Conference
Presentation: Patient and Provider Perspectives of Barriers to Dermatologic Care in a Rural Navajo Nation Hospital Setting
RAD Scholars Archive
2025
Natasha Salmen
Medical School: Northeast Ohio Medical University
Hometown: Columbiana, OH
Event: AAD Innovation | Chicago, IL
Presentation: Exploring Beliefs and Behaviors of Skin Cancer Prevention in Appalachian Ohio
Andres Parga
Residency: Transition Year Resident at HCA Florida Healthcare
Event: Wyoming Academy of Dermatology
Ty Theriot
Medical School: Louisiana State University
Hometown: St. Martinville, LA
Event: AAD Annual Meeting | Orlando, FL
Presentation: Tri-State Analysis of the Distribution of Southeastern Dermatologists and Dermatology Residency Graduates Among Rural and Urban Areas
Jag Lally
Medical School: University of Rochester Medical Center
Hometown: Yuba City, CA
Event: AAD Innovation | Chicago, IL
Presentation: Overcoming Dermatology Deserts: A Mixed-Methods Evaluation of Rural Residency: Implementation and Machine Learning Driven Coverage Optimization
Shelby Salisbury
Medical School: University of Missouri School of Medicine
Hometown: Centralia, MO
Event: Wyoming Academy of Dermatology
Brailyn Weber
Medical School: University of North Dakota
Hometown: Fargo, ND
Event: AAD Annual Meeting | Orlando, FL
Presentation: Pediatric Dermatology for the Upper Midwest ECHO: Virtual interactive sessions for healthcare professionals in resource-limited areas
Roma Desai
Medical School: University of Kentucky College of Medicine
Hometown: Hopkinsville, KY
Event: 1st Annual Research Symposium
Most Outstanding Presentation
Presentation: Dermatologist Availability and Family Physician Skin Procedural Activity in Early Melanoma Detection
Sarah Hayek
Medical School: University of Mississippi Medical Center
Hometown: Greenville, MS
Event: Wyoming Academy of Dermatology
Tharani Murali
Medical School: University of New Mexico
Hometown: Las Cruces, NM
Event: AAD Annual Meeting | Orlando, FL
Presentation: A Cross-Sectional Retrospective Review of Store-and-Forward Teledermatology in New Mexico
RAD Scholars Archive
2024
John Carl Barba II, MD, MPH
Medical School: The Ohio State University
Hometown: Byesville, OH
Event: AAD Innovation Academy | Seatle, WA
Presentation: 3 P’s of “Apppalachia” - Place, Poverty and People: Overcoming Appalachia’s Mountains of Melanoma Disparities