Humanizing Geisel: The Podcast

Student Spotlight: Conversation with Rob Sandhu, Class of 2027

 
Short Bio:
Rob Sandhu is a M2 Student at Dartmouth. He was born and raised in Los Angeles to two Panjabi parents. For college, he attended the University of California, Irvine, where he was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa and Delta Omega honor societies. Upon graduation, Rob received the Chancellor’s Award of Distinction and Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research. In college, he served as first-author on one of the first studies in the nation to examine the e-cigarette use epidemic amongst young Latino college students. At Geisel, Rob is involved in student government as DICE Rep and serves as the president of several student interest groups. Outside of academics, Rob enjoys spending time with his family, practicing martial arts, and working with his MCAT students.

Student Spotlight: Conversation with Connor Bridges, Class of 2025

 
Name (pronouns): Connor Bridges, he/him
Hometown: London, UK
Year at Geisel: 2025
Career interest: General surgery
The best thing about Geisel is: The people!
Favorite spot in the Upper Valley: The rail trail
Favorite book/poem: Mountains Beyond Mountains
Favorite quote: “The true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members.”
Most treasured travel: Summer spent in China and Japan with high school friends
Guilty pleasure: Cheesy rom-coms
Unknown fact about you: I have a scuba diving license!
 
Short Bio:
"Hello, everyone! My name is Connor Bridges, and I am originally from London, England. I came to the U.S. in 2015 for my undergraduate studies at Princeton University, where I studied Operations Research and Financial Engineering with a minor in computer science. I then spent two years working in D.C. for an educational nonprofit that helps underserved students access and persist in college.
I am a current fourth year at Geisel and I am applying into general surgery. While here, I have served on the student government and the medical school admissions committee, led groups for first-generation and international students, and researched inequities in healthcare with a focus access to lung cancer screening.
Outside of school, I love playing and watching soccer and taking advantage of the natural beauty the Upper Valley has to offer!"
 
 

Faculty Spotlight: Conversation with Dr. Danette Flint

 
Name (pronouns): Danette Flint (she/her)
Hometown: Alexander, NY
Year at Geisel/Dartmouth: 2009-2013
Career focus/interest: Cardiovascular Critical Care / Inpatient Cardiology
The best thing about Geisel/Dartmouth is: An academic center located rurally!
Favorite spot in the Upper Valley: Anywhere I can sit in the sun and dip my feet in the water
Favorite activity in the Upper Valley: Spending time outside with close friends and family
Favorite book/poem: Nowhere Else on Earth (Josephine Humphreys)
Favorite song/piece of music: Ten Years Gone (Led Zeppelin)
Favorite quote: “All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost; the old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not reached by the frost” (kind of a poem, kind of a quote – Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings, JRR Tolkien)
Most treasured travel: I love national parks and have been to many. When I was 15 my family traveled around the US for 7 weeks (road trip/camping) visiting many of them. The last trip I took with my husband we flew into Salt Lake City, rented a car and drove through the Grand Tetons to Yellowstone, Big Sky, Snake River Plain, the Sawtooth Mountains, Columbia River Gorge, Mt. Hood and to Cannon Beach OR (where The Goonies was filmed) and then flew home from Portland OR.
Guilty pleasure: Mani/Pedi
 
Short Bio: Originally from Alexandria, NY, Dannette Flint is currently a staff Cardiologist and Cardiac Intensivist at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH. She obtained her medical degree from the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth in 2013 and her bachelor’s degree from Colgate University in 2009, where she majored in chemistry. Following medical school, she remained at Dartmouth and completed her training in Internal Medicine (2016), Chief Resident (2017), Cardiology (2020) and Critical Care (2021). Additionally, she is currently a course director for cardiovascular medicine course taught to second year medical students at Geisel School of Medicine. 

Student Spotlight: Conversation with Max Kutch, Class of 2026

 
Name (pronouns): Maximillian Kutch, but I go by Max
 
Hometown: Born in Houston and raised in Dallas, TX but I call College Station, TX home
 
Year at Geisel: MS3
 
Career interest: Still undifferentiated but I most like Emergency Medicine
 
The best thing about Geisel is: The genuine goodness of everyone I meet here
 
Favorite spot in the Upper Valley: My little piece of land in Bradford VT
 
Favorite activity in the Upper Valley: Spending time trudging through the woods with my kids
 
Favorite book/poem:  I can't narrow it down to just one favorite so I will give you a few. 
Meditations -Marcus Aurelius, Gregory Hays translation 
Blood Meridian -Cormac McCarthy
The War of Art -Stephen Pressfield
 
Favorite song/piece of music: 
"Atlantic City" Hank Willians III
 
Favorite quote: I also have to give more than one here
“We have two lives, and the second begins when we realize we only have one.” -Confucius
“There are more things, Lucilius, likely to frighten us than there are to crush us; we suffer more often in imagination than in reality.” -Seneca; Letter 13: on groundless fears
Most treasured travel: I can't narrow it down to just one because the act of traveling and the experiences gained is what is most treasured whether it's a small town in the midwest or an exotic tropical location. Everywhere is unique in its own right and everywhere can be amazing if you view it through that lens.
 
Guilty pleasure: raw cookie dough. It's one of the few places I can control myself and most of the time I will open the package in the store and start eating it before I check out.
 
Unknown fact about you: Most people don't know that I have had to relearn how to walk twice. 
 
Short Bio: "My name is Maximillian and I go by Max. I am a 34-year-old father of two wild toddlers, and calling them a handful is an understatement. Cain is my five-year-old son and Scarlett is my four-year-old daughter. Elizabeth is not only the glue that keeps us together, but my best friend. We met at a Misfits concert in 2014 and married shortly thereafter. As a couple we love to travel, and I have visited 49 of the 50 states and 31 countries. I am originally from Texas, but our family now lives in Bradford, VT, about thirty minutes north of campus. Prior to my pursuit of medicine, I served over twelve years in the United States Marine Corps as a Special Operations Scout Sniper. I cross trained as a medic and enjoyed practicing both trauma and clinical medicine over the course of my six deployments. In 2018, I was medically retired from the military which opened the door for me to move to College Station, Texas and pursue my BS at Texas A&M where I studied Exercise Physiology and competed as member of the TAMU powerlifting team. I am a zealous gymgoer with powerlifting and strength sports being my passion outside of medicine. I am also an avid reader with a deep interest in both eastern and western philosophy."

Conversation with Ila Kaul (Class of 2026) - Review of Geisel Pediatric Rotation

 
Ila is an MS3 at Dartmouth, and member of class of 2026. She is currently on a OB-GYN in California. Though Ila is unsure what she wants to specialize in she is passionate about incorporating health literacy and integrative medicine in her research and eventual practice. In this episode, we hear about her experience during Geisel Pediatric Rotation:
- Inpatient service - 3 weeks at CHOC (Children's Hospital of Orange County)
- Nursery - 1 week at DHMC (Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center) 
- Outpatient service - 2 weeks South Royalton Health Center
 
You can see the overview of Pediatric Rotation here: https://geiselmed.dartmouth.edu/ed_programs/clerkshipdb/view_clerkship.php/?cid=13
 

Faculty Spotlight: Conversation with Dr. Nena Mason

 
Name (pronouns): Nena Mason She/Her
Hometown: Melba, Idaho
Year at Geisel: 2nd
Career interest: currently in my dream career 
The best thing about Geisel is: work/life balance
Favorite spot in the Upper Valley: the white mountains
Favorite activity in the Upper Valley: ice climbing
Book/poem Recommendation: the stormlight archive series 
Favorite piece of music/song: tough, changes often
Favorite quote: to paraphrase from the above mentioned book series: the most important step you can take isnt the first step, where you align your efforts towards your goal, or the last one where you finally arrive where you endeavor to be, it's the “next one”. 
Most treasured travel: canyoneering trips in the southwest 
Guilty pleasure: video games  
 
Nena Lundgreen Mason is an Assistant Professor of Medical Education, Longitudinal Physiology Curriculum Leader, ultrasound educator, and gross anatomist at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth in Hanover New Hampshire. She earned her Ph.D. in Physiology and Developmental Biology from Brigham Young University. Dr. Mason spent 8 years prior to her appointment at Geisel teaching physiology and developing and directing clinical gross anatomy and ultrasound education programs at two newly opened medical schools. A celebrated educator, Dr. Mason has been honored with the “Faculty Member of the Year” award for excellence in teaching several times along with other teaching-related accolades throughout her career. She directs an innovative research program in medical education centered around the development of pedagogy in teaching clinical ultrasound skills to medical students using human cadaveric materials. Dr. Mason is also engaged in national service and currently sits on several committees with the American Association of Clinical Anatomists and the Point-of-Care Ultrasound Certification Academy.

Faculty Spotlight: Conversation with Dr. Larry Myers

 
Name (pronouns):  Larry Myers
Hometown: Waitsfield, Vermont (currently resident of Norwich, VT)
Year at Geisel: 24th
The best thing about Geisel is: The students!
Favorite activity in the Upper Valley: Teaching
Book/poem Recommendation: Gather by Kenneth Cadow released in October 2023 (Ken Cadow is a Norwich resident and co-Principal of Oxbow High School just a few towns north of us in Bradford, VT)
Piece of music/song Recommendation: Recomposed by Max Richter: Vivaldi – The Four Seasons (as arranged and performed by violinist - Sayaka Shoji - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXxkiXi0T70) 
Unknown fact about you: When I ‘accidentally’ took a year off from college, among other things I was the sound engineer for the largest Spanish language public radio daily news report (broadcast out of Fresno, CA) in the United States at the time.
 
Short Biography:
Dr. Larry Myers received his undergraduate degree in physics, where he conducted research in low-frequency vibrational modes in DNA. He then earned a Ph.D. in biophysics doing research on the structural biology, and bio-inorganic chemistry of DNA repair mechanisms. His post-doctoral research was directed toward using biochemistry to reveal mechanisms of eukaryotic transcriptional regulation. When he joined the Department of Biochemistry at Dartmouth, his laboratory research extended this work and applied it to understanding the transcriptional mechanisms that underlie virulence and drug resistance in human fungal pathogens such as candida albicans. In 2015, he expanded his already well-developed interest in teaching by joining the newly created Department of Medical Education at Geisel. Since then, he has focused on creating, through research and teaching, a positive environment for medical and graduate students to learn biochemistry and genetics. He endeavors to keep his teaching up to date with the fast pace of development in these areas by continuing his laboratory research through collaborations.

Student Spotlight: Conversation with Michael Nguyen, Class of 2026

 
Name (pronouns): Michael Nguyen (he/him)
Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio
Year at Geisel: M2
Career interest: Undecided specialty
The best thing about Geisel is: Our close-knit community
Favorite spot in the Upper Valley: On the Connecticut in the summer
Favorite activity in the Upper Valley: Skiing at the Dartmouth Skiway
Book/poem Recommendation: In Waves by A. J. Dungo
Most treasured travel: Camping on a remote beach on Kauai
Guilty pleasure: All dressed chips. Glad that Canadian treasure made it south of the border!
 
Originally from a suburb outside of Cincinnati, Ohio, Michael Nguyen graduated from Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) with a degree in biology. As an undergraduate, he founded the Vietnamese Student Association, volunteered on an urban farm addressing Cleveland’s food deserts, and worked part time. After a year of working for a non-profit, he returned to CWRU to pursue a masters degree in bioethics and medical humanities. This program coincided with the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, which proved to be a timely reference for his interests in health equity, interdisciplinary healthcare, and research ethics. Michael further explored these while conducting research on the healthcare experiences of Southeast Asian Americans. His graduate studies helped him discern how, as a physician, he aspires to become a health change-maker for both individuals and the greater community. Now an M2 at Geisel, Michael continues his volunteer work addressing food disparities at the Upper Valley Haven and is a Global Health Scholar. 
 
In his free time, he loves cooking, yoga, and spending time with friends. He also loves getting outside to surf, hike, and camp. Skiing has also become a new favorite pastime, which he picked up on the Skiway this past winter. Being from Ohio, he feels especially fortunate to have had the opportunities to pursue these hobbies while traveling, living in Southern California, and now calling the Upper Valley home.

Staff Spotlight: Conversation with Kate Adams

 
Name (pronouns): Kate Adams (she, her, hers)
Hometown: Dennis, MA
Year at Geisel: 4
Career interest: Mental Health, Wellbeing, Coaching, Live Performance, Music, Dance, Yoga, Movement Therapy
The best thing about Geisel is: the small, tight-knit community
Favorite spot in the Upper Valley: Putnam’s Vineyard for an indoor spot, the white river branch near South Royalton for an outdoor spot
Favorite activity in the Upper Valley: Searching for good finds at Listen
Book/poem Recommendation: Braiding Sweetgrass & anything by Mary Oliver
Favorite piece of music/song: To many to list but right now I’m into the band Palace
Favorite quote: “Precision is suffocating”. Also, anything uttered by Aldo Leopold or Ralph Waldo Emerson. 
Most treasured travel: My 36 trips around the sun
Guilty pleasure: Reality TV- Real Housewives, anything on Bravo really
Unknown fact about you: I’m chainsaw certified, live in the woods for 8 months and can move big rocks with the correct mechanical advantage
 
Bio:
Kate grew up in Dennis, MA a small beach town on Cape Cod. She earned her BA at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams, MA (Berkshires) and pursued a career in performing arts and arts administration. She is also a registered yoga teacher, level III Reiki practitioner, Barre instructor, and will soon be a certified Health and Wellness Coach.
After a few years in Manhattan and a year in Maine, she moved to New Hampshire to work at the Hopkins Center for the Arts at Dartmouth College working on student engagement & marketing. She joined Geisel in February 2020 and is currently the Wellness Program Coordinator for the Office of Student Life.
When she’s not in the office Kate enjoys traveling, hiking (ask her about the NH 48), tending to her garden, and watching the Great British Baking Show. She is a dog Mom of a mini–Australian Shepard named Lola who is currently living with her grandparents on the cape.

Student Spotlight: Conversation with Matthew Goff, Class of 2025

 
Name (pronouns): Matthew Goff (he/him/his)
Hometown: Plattsburgh, NY
Year at Geisel: 2025
Career interest: Triple Board (Pediatrics, Psychiatry, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry)
The best thing about Geisel is: My classmates (of all years)!
Favorite spot in the Upper Valley: Abracadabra Coffee in Woodstock, VT
Favorite activity in the Upper Valley: Trail running and cycling
Book/poem Recommendation: Medical History by Nicole Sealey
Favorite quote: I’m not sure I have a particular favorite quote, but one quote that has had an impact on me was when Yo-Yo Ma spoke at Dartmouth my senior year and said, “I am a human first, a musician second, and a cellist third.” I often rephrase this in the context of medicine to, “I am a human first, a doctor second, and a cellist third.” In medicine, we often put up barriers between ourselves and our patients, but I think it is important that in this physically, mentally, and emotionally grueling field we don’t let our job get in the way of our humanity.
Most treasured travel: Any chance to adventure in the mountains, but I am especially fond of a backpacking trip in the French Pyrenees following a study abroad program in college, which is where my now fiancé and I trace the beginning of our relationship.
Guilty pleasure: period/historical fiction movies and books
Unknown fact about you: In college I got to play Yo-Yo Ma’s cello!
 
"I am originally from rural, upstate New York and did my undergraduate degree at Dartmouth where I majored in Neuroscience and minored in Anthropology of Global Health. While at Dartmouth I also studied French and studied abroad for a term in Toulouse, France. I also spent a term working for a community health non-profit organization in rural Alabama. After undergrad, I spent 2 years working as an Admissions Officer for Dartmouth College, where I was a member of the Visitor Relations team working on redesigning the visitor experience, as well as the Communications team working on developing institutional branding and messaging around affordability and accessibility. I am now an MD/MBA student, so for the three years prior to Tuck I have been attending medical school. I am planning to complete medical residency following Tuck in a combined program of Pediatrics, Psychiatry, and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. I am still exploring options for applying my MBA to healthcare, but I am especially interested in improving healthcare delivery, particularly in the area of pediatric mental health."