Editor-in-Chief. Kayal is a fourth-year medical student at UMass Med. She studied Medical Humanities and Politics at Baylor University, then pursued a fellowship in Theology, Medicine, and Culture at Duke Divinity School. She remains passionate particularly about the the intersection of the humanities, writing, and medicine, and found a home at the Interstitium. She hopes to create a place where creativity and storytelling can be available to those in the medical school.

Editor-in-Chief. Isabel is a third-year medical student at UMass Chan Medical School from Lexington, MA. She studied English and Neuroscience at Amherst College. She enjoys reading and writing and thinking about medicine from a humanities perspective. As part of The Interstitium team, she enjoys collaborating with fellow students to maintain a creative platform for all members of the UMass community to engage with. 

Creative Editor. Abby is a fourth-year medical student originally from Spokane, WA. During undergrad at Trinity University, she minored in creative writing and worked as a freelancer for her school’s marketing department. In part, she was drawn to medicine due to her love for stories, especially those that center on the patient experience. Abby is excited to be part of The Interstitium team and empower fellow classmates and community members to share their stories and insights on their path to medicine.

Arts & Design Editor. Maya is a fourth-year medical student at UMass Chan Medical School. She is drawn to narrative and photography as a way to deepen connections with others. She studied Neuroscience at Pomona College, and was the co-Editor-in-Chief of Young Minds for Mental Health, a student-run online publication about mental health topics, before attending UMass Chan Medical School. She is excited to help build The Interstitium into a space of creation and contemplation for the broader community.

Art & Design Editor. Margaret is a second-year medical student at UMass Chan Medical School originally from Nashville, TN. She majored in English at Duke University and was involved in a reproductive health publication in college. She joined the Interstitium to continue exploring the intersection of storytelling and medicine.

Art & Design Editor. Reshma Subramonian is a second-year medical student at UMass Chan Medical School. She studied Cellular and Molecular Biology with minors in Public Health and Japanese at Boston University, where she wrote a creative nonfiction ethnography exploring attitudes toward mental health in India. She is drawn to writing as a way to understand illness, culture, memory, and the quieter moments that shape care, and has long loved poetry and translation as creative outlets. She joined The Interstitium to continue exploring the intersections of medicine, storytelling, and the humanities, and to help create space for reflection within medical training.

Social Media Editor. A lover of Calvin & Hobbes and Peanuts comic strips, Jaein is fascinated by the power of art to connect people through storytelling. Although her passion for medicine and accessible healthcare is stronger, she strives to incorporate the humanities wherever she goes. Jaein studied Anthropology and Global Health & Health Policy at Princeton before becoming a medical student at UMass Chan Medical School and an excited member of The Interstitium.

Outreach & Communications Editor. Rahi is a fourth-year medical student at UMass Chan Medical School. She majored in Anthropology and Health Science at the University of Florida. She is very passionate about exploring the intersection between medicine and the humanities and wanted to continue to pursue this throughout medical school. As an avid reader and someone who loves to write, she joined The Interstitium to be a part of a space that supports the sharing of human stories.

Mariam is a first-year medical student at UMass Chan Medical School, originally from Tbilisi, Georgia. She completed her undergraduate studies in biology at University of Massachusetts Boston, where she also contributed to the university’s literary and arts journal, The Watermark. An avid reader and creative writer, she sees writing as a way to reflect on the human experience and the quiet moments that connect people to one another. She views medicine as both a science and an art, and is excited to share the experiences, emotions, and stories that shape her journey through medicine.

Haruna is a third year MD/PhD student at UMass Chan Medical School. She graduated from Johns Hopkins University where she majored in molecular and cellular biology and the medical humanities. She's interested in caring for marginalized communities and enjoys writing about her experiences in medicine. In her spare time, she enjoys being with her dog Ollie, reading, and climbing.

Sarah is a first-year medical student at UMass Chan-Lahey. She majored in Nursing at the University of Pittsburgh before completing her post-baccalaureate at Harvard. She has always loved photography, reflective writing, crafting, and journalism. She joined The Interstitium to dedicate time to these passions during medical school and to also connect with the broader community.

Neha is a third year medical student at UMass Chan Medical School. She writes as a reprieve from school and work, or as a way to find peace and make sense of life. Writing for the Interstitium gives Neha a way to make sense of being a medical student, a learner, and a provider of patient care. It has also introduced her to a huge community of individuals who similarly prioritize the humanities in our scientific careers, and they inspire her to work on her craft. Outside of medical school and the Interstitium, she likes to run, do watercolors, and be outside (particularly on a beach with a good book).

Lily is a first-year medical student at UMass Chan Medical School from Seattle, WA. She majored in Neuroscience and enjoyed taking creative non-fiction writing courses at Brown University. She is passionate about poetry, scrapbooking, and cross-wording, and joined The Interstitium to help foster a space for reflection and storytelling through creative community.

Lily is a first year medical student at UMass Chan Medical School originally from Nyack, NY. She studied Biology and English at Northeastern University, making The Interstitium an ideal home for her to keep up her love of writing and its inherent intersections with medicine. In college she wrote and edited for Spectrum Literary Arts Magazine as well as NU Sci, a student-run science magazine. She has been writing narrative essays and poetry for most of her life and has found writing to be more valuable than ever as she navigates medical school.