Global Mental Health ProgramCurrent Resident Projects

I aim to participate in the Global Mental Health track this year and hopefully in the following years of residency, motivated by my desire to work in my home country of Togo in the future. My intention is to carry out projects related to the mental health impacts of environmental and societal exposures in Togo. Some specific subjects/ exposures I am interested in are the effects of political violence and environmental pollutants, trauma/ PTSD, as well as how resilience is built in a collectivist society."

Alyssa Miawotoe, M.D.

I’m interested in joining the Global Mental Health track to explore how mental health systems function in different cultural and economic settings, particularly within East Africa. My interest in addiction psychiatry has grown from seeing how culture, resources, and access shape the way people experience and recover from substance use. I hope to study the treatments currently available in East Africa and the models of care that are being used on both community and clinical levels. In particular, I want to focus on substances that are more specific to the region, such as khat. I am interested in learning about its cultural role, its impact on mental health, and what local and national efforts exist to address dependence or misuse. Another goal of mine is to understand how the collaborative care model might be applied in low-resource settings. Finally, I hope to deepen my understanding of the broader global mental health framework."

Dahir Hassan, D.O.

My goal for this year in the Global Mental Health Track is to deepen my understanding of mental health care within Spanish-speaking and immigrant communities in California. I’m particularly interested in how language, trauma, culture, and access intersect to shape the way people experience and receive care. This work feels meaningful to me both professionally and personally, as I hope to develop the tools to provide more culturally responsive and linguistically attuned psychiatric care."

Uriel Martinez, D.O.

For the academic year 2025-2026, I aim to deepen my exploration of Global Mental Health, specifically focusing on Senegal. I am conducting a qualitative research study that examines the experiences of political violence in Senegal and their impact on mental health. The country has a complex history marked by various forms of repression, particularly against political activists. In examining the experiences of political violence in Senegal, it is essential to recognize the enduring impact of colonialism. The repression faced by political activists today can be traced back to historical injustices that have left deep psychological scars on the population. My research will also draw on decolonization frameworks to critically assess how the experiences of political violence are understood within the context of Senegal's colonial history. This approach will allow me to explore local perspectives on mental health and resilience in the face of repression."

Zeynab Blondin Diop, M.D.
PGY-3, General Psychiatry Residency Program
Medical school of graduation: Universite Cheikh Anta Diop Fac De Med De Pharmacie Et Dodontologie

Advocating for immigrants in the U.S. is a critical component of global mental health. Immigrants in California experience serious psychological distress at higher rates than native-born Californians, especially those who have been living in the US for fewer than five years. Therefore, pursuing immigration relief for people is preventing physical and mental injury. Asylum clinics advocate for the well-being of individuals on a global scale who often have been displaced by war, persecution, and violence. These experiences often lead to exacerbation of various mental health symptoms but especially those of PTSD, depression, and anxiety. In addition to providing a space to share traumatic experiences, the reports generated during asylum evaluations are used in court to support immigrants’ application to stay in the U.S. My goal overall this year is to create an elective in collaboration with Farah Shaheen, M.D. at the UC Davis Human Rights Initiative in which psychiatry residents are trained in and performing forensic asylum evaluations."

Lauren Nguyen, M.D.

The ability to make informed medical decisions is a key right of patients, but when this ability is in doubt, healthcare professionals must assess their decision-making capacity (DMC). While the principles of DMC assessment may be consistent across many countries (e.g., understanding, appreciation, reasoning, and communication), specific guidelines, criteria, legal frameworks, and cultural perspectives vary globally. My research aims to systematically compare these guidelines and the influence of culture, religion on such assessments across a set of diverse nations. I propose an 8 weeklong to focus on writing a literature review, a comparative analysis on medical decision-making capacity assessments from a global perspective under the supervision and guidance of Ladson Hinton, M.D."

Elif Sefika Duran, M.D.
PGY-2, General Psychiatry Residency Program
Medical school of graduation: University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine 

I am interested in looking at the history of mental health care in Thailand both before and after the arrival of Western Psychiatry, and how these healing modalities are incorporated in psychiatric care in Thailand across psychiatric model settings across Thailand. I am interested in perspectives of currently practicing psychiatrists around traditional forms of healing mental illness and what existing infrastructure exists in Thailand to support those experiencing mental health issues. Additionally, I am interested to learn more about Thai mental health practitioner perspectives on the current limitations of Thai mental health care and if there is a collective vision for the mental health care system’s future. I would love to potentially connect with a Thai mental health professional and spend some time in Thailand learning about the work that they do within the mental health field. This would not only be for my own education but in efforts to begin the process of establishing relationships with Thai mental health professionals in hopes of creating opportunities for collaboration/exchange of knowledge in the future."

Francis Tongpalad, M.D.
PGY-3, General Psychiatry Residency Program
Medical school of graduation: Medical College of Wisconsin