Medical Student Biographies (Class of 2026)
Justin Britt is from Richland, Missouri, and earned his undergraduate degree in biology from Truman State University. He is a medical student at A.T. Still University-Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine and is expected to graduate as part of the Class of 2026. Medicine is personal for Justin. After watching his grandmother fight multiple myeloma (a blood cancer), he became interested in anatomy, physiology and health in general. Her caring providers inspired Justin to also want to help others. And medicine is a family business. Justin’s mom is a nurse at an internal medicine clinic, and his sister works in cardiac rehab. He is considering specializing in neurology or anesthesia and is fascinated by regenerative medicine. At Phelps Health, Justin hopes to grow his skills as a young physician and gain valuable healthcare knowledge and experience. Outside of school, he loves going to the gym and powerlifting. He also enjoys anything outdoors, including fishing, hunting and archery.
Mariah Hall is from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and earned her undergraduate degree in biology from Langton University. She is a medical student at A.T. Still University-Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine and is expected to graduate as part of the Class of 2026. Mariah grew up in a family with significant health problems, piquing her healthcare interest from an early age. She loves helping others and sees becoming a physician as one of the ultimate ways to give back to one’s community. At this time, Mariah is interested in family medicine or anesthesiology. She’s excited to apply her classroom knowledge to a clinical setting at Phelps Health. In her downtime, Mariah loves going to the movies and, in another life, she might have been a movie critic. She also enjoys reading books (especially fiction) and baking. Mariah volunteers with a crisis text line and is looking forward to finding local service opportunities.
Alaina Henry hails from Waterloo, Illinois, and graduated from Saint Louis University with a Bachelor of Science in health sciences. She is a medical student at A.T. Still University-Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine and is expected to graduate as part of the Class of 2026. Alaina is a first-generation medical student and initially became interested in healthcare after volunteering at a hospital. She went on to work in an ER (emergency room) for 2.5 years during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this stressful time, Alaina was inspired by the physicians’ abilities to lead their teams and help their patients through a variety of diseases. She plans to specialize in emergency medicine, as she’s drawn to the investigative aspect of medicine. At Phelps Health, she’s excited to gain hands-on experience in a wide variety of specialties. Alaina is a big Cardinals baseball fan and loves spending time with her family. She has a variety of interests, including cooking, Brazilian jiu-jitsu and playing with her black lab, May. While in Kirksville, Alaina volunteered on an AED electronic mapping project, helping locate defibrillators for first responders. She hopes to continue this work in Rolla.
Tony Ho is from St. Charles, Missouri. He graduated from Saint Louis University with a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences. Tony is a medical student at A.T. Still University-Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine and is expected to graduate as part of the Class of 2026. He is a first-generation student, both in college and in medical school, which signifies that he is the first member of his family to undertake higher education and pursue a career in medicine. In high school, Tony volunteered at hospitals, fueling his interest in healthcare. He is currently trying to decide between specializing in family or internal medicine. When he’s not studying, Tony can be found playing tennis, gaming, working out or cooking. He considers himself a home cook and enjoys cooking for others and testing new recipes.
Medical Student Biographies (Class of 2025)
Michala Clark is a native to the area, raised in Vienna, Missouri. She graduated from Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) with a Bachelor of Science in biological sciences and minors in chemistry, cognitive neuroscience and biomedical engineering. Michala is a medical student at A.T. Still University-Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine (ATSU-KCOM) and is expected to graduate as part of the Class of 2025. Michala’s drive to become a doctor is personal: Her mom has multiple sclerosis (MS) and motivates Michala to become the kind of doctor her mom deserves. She also desires to serve her community and use her love of science on a daily basis. Michala is considering becoming an obstetrician/gynecologist (OB/GYN) and is looking forward to learning more about what it takes to become a doctor, outside of the classroom. In her free time, Michala enjoys reading, gardening, boating, attending spin classes and spending time with her family, friends and cat, Cleo.
Austin Faerber is from St. Louis, Missouri, and earned his undergraduate degree in health science from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He is a medical student at Kansas City University and is expected to graduate as part of the Class of 2025. Austin is particularly interested in how lifestyle factors can play a part in the prevention and treatment of chronic disease. At Phelps Health, Austin is looking forward to mentorship opportunities from practicing physicians and forming relationships with patients. Outside of school, Austin competes in the sport of triathlon.
Karissa Hill hails from O’Fallon, Missouri, and graduated from Truman State University with a Bachelor of Science in biology. She is a medical student at A.T. Still University-Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine (ATSU-KCOM) and is expected to graduate as part of the Class of 2025. Karissa grew up around medicine, as her father is a hospitalist in St. Louis, Missouri. Hearing stories from her father piqued her interest in healthcare and gave her a desire to make a difference in her community. Karissa is currently interested in the cardiology and infectious disease specialties. She is looking forward to using the skills she has learned and interacting with the community, while at Phelps Health. When she’s not studying, Karissa loves walking her dogs (a mini-Aussie and a Shih Tzu), going to the gym, and reading and watching anything fantasy-related.
Laura Mackrides is from Golden, Illinois, and graduated from Quincy University with a Bachelor of Science in chemistry. She is a medical student at A.T. Still University-Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine (ATSU-KCOM) and is expected to graduate as part of the Class of 2025. Her mother is a primary care physician, which sparked Laura’s interest in science and healthcare from a young age. Laura, who grew up in a town of less than 1,000, hopes to bring quality, whole-person healthcare to rural and medically-underserved areas. Laura hasn’t decided her specialty just yet, but is interested in cardiology, internal medicine and surgery. While at Phelps Health, she would like to determine her specialty and also improve her clinical and hands-on skills. Laura’s interests include music, theology and travel, and her hobbies are baking, cooking, playing piano, photography and horseback riding.
Duyen Pham is from Worcester, Massachusetts, and earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. She is a medical student at Kansas City University and is expected to graduate as part of the Class of 2025. Watching her grandfather pass away from cancer was a particularly difficult and impactful memory for Duyen. She felt powerless at the time, but hopes to be able to change that in the future. Duyen has been – and continues to be – motivated by seeing patients improve. She is planning to specialize in hematology and oncology. At Phelps Health, Duyen is excited to gain hands-on experience and to interact with patients. Outside of school, she loves swimming and skiing, and has previously volunteered at a homeless shelter and a hospital.
Mariem Towakoli is from Overland Park, Kansas, and graduated from University of Missouri-Kansas City with a Bachelor of Science in biology. She is a medical student at A.T. Still University-Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine (ATSU-KCOM) and is expected to graduate as part of the Class of 2025. When Mariem was 9 years old, she spent a month in the hospital and was fascinated by the physicians taking care of her. She decided that one day, she would like to care for patients in the same way. Mariem also attributes her interest in medicine to her mother, who went back to school to become a nurse when Mariem was in high school. While at Phelps Health, Mariem aspires to become a genuinely amazing physician. She adds that doctors must go above and beyond what is expected to make sure patients feel valued and understood, via active listening skills. Mariem wants to be a physician who balances medical knowledge with compassion, and she believes she can learn this at Phelps Health. She is currently interested in oncology, but is still open to several specialties. When she has a break in the action, Mariem enjoys kickboxing, going to the lake with her family and walking her golden retriever pup, Stella.