Our authors

Writers with clinical experience

Every Clinical Odyssey learning module is written in-house by our team of authors and editors, all working closely together. Our authors are practicing clinicians trained to create engaging stories that deliver valuable knowledge. They develop their writing skills over time, learning to craft the simplest learning modules first before progressing onto our more elaborate content types.

If you are a practicing clinician and would like to become a member of our content creation team, click here.

Our authors

Dr. Afkar Aulia MD MS

Dr. Aulia is a senior resident in psychiatry at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), in Indonesia; and a lecturer in psychiatry at the Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, UGM. Dr Aulia’s areas of interest include community mental healthcare provision, telepsychiatry, and psychogeriatrics. He obtained his MD from UGM, and an MSc in Clinical Medical Science from UGM.

Dr. Ahmad Abu Srour MD MSc

Dr. Abu Srour is a urologist at the Damascus University Hospital, in Syria. Previously, he was a general practitioner for over 6 years. Dr. Abu Srour has a strong interest in medical education and has written medical articles for professional audiences. Dr. Abu Srour received his MD from Damascus University.

Dr. Ana Sofia Pessoa MD MSc

Dr. Pessoa is an internist with an interest in geriatric medicine and clinical nutrition. She has done a rotation in geriatric medicine at Oxford University, and has participated as a lecturer on various subjects of clinical nutrition throughout multiple conferences. Dr. Pessoa holds a Bachelor and Master of Science in Medicine from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto, in Portugal.

Dr. Andrea Boutros MD

Dr. Boutros is a resident in medical oncology at the Teaching Hospital of the University of Genoa, in Italy. He also conducts research on immunotherapy for skin cancer, at the Skin Cancer Unit of the Policlinico San Martino Hospital. Along with his clinical work, Dr. Boutros serves as a freelance medical writer targeting professional audiences. He received his M.D. with honors from Genoa University.

Dr. Branka Donevska MD

Dr. Donevska is a resident at Echuca Regional Health in Victoria, Australia. Prior to her residency, she spent more than 2 years working for the professional development unit at Eastern Health, one of Melbourne’s largest health care services. Dr. Donevska was born and raised in North Macedonia, graduated from St. Petersburg Pavlov State Medical University, in Russia; and specialized in Obstetrics & Gynaecology in Moscow.

Mr. Ciaran Mooney MS FRCPath

Mr. Mooney is a clinical scientist at the Rotunda Hospital, in Dublin, with 18 years of experience in haematology and transfusion medicine; and working in the private and public health sectors of Australia, Ireland, UK, and the United States. He has been a lecturer at the Dublin Institute of Technology and has also created medical educational apps for the iOS and Android platforms. In addition, he is an active member of the British Standards of Haematology (BSH) steering committee, involved in numerous guideline updates. Mr. Mooney holds a FRCPath in Clinical Science and Haematology, a MSc in Tropical Medicine from James Cook University, and a basic degree in medical sciences from the University of Tasmania.

Dr. Dinuka Ariyaratne MBBS MS

Dr. Ariyaratne is a PhD candidate in Immunology at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, in Sri Lanka. She also holds a MSc in Cellular and Molecular Immunology from the University of Colombo. Prior to her research career, she worked in the Hematology and Nephrology units of the National Hospital of Sri Lanka. Dr. Ariyaratne received her MBBS from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, in Sri Lanka.

Dr. Ernesto Lopez MD

Dr. Lopez is a lecturer in basic sciences at the Metropolitan University of Antigua, with additional experience as a medical educator for universities and medical student organizations throughout the Caribbean. Dr. Lopez received his MD with honors from the Universidad Nacional Pedro Henríquez Ureña, in the Dominican Republic. He also achieved certification from the American Education Commission of Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG), and will be pursuing a residency in internal medicine in the United States.

Dr. Hilal Abdessamad MD

Dr. Abdessamad is a senior resident in internal medicine at the Lebanese American University Medical Center, in Beirut. He has published several peer-reviewed research publications in the field of oncology; and serves as a freelance medical writer, focusing on professional audiences. Dr. Abdessamad holds a BS in Medical Laboratory Sciences and received his MD from the University of Balamand (all institutions from Lebanon).

Mr. Jordan G Roberts PA-C

Mr. Roberts is a CME medical writer, a neuroscience clinician with experience in neurosurgery and psychiatry, and an entrepreneur. Mr. Roberts is the CEO of Modern MedEd, has published multiple papers exploring the long-term effects of traumatic brain injury, and has spoken at regional and national conferences on the topic. He holds a Master of Science from the New York Institute of Technology PA (physician assistant) program and is the chair of the CME committee for the Illinois Academy of PAs.

Dr. Nayana Somaratna MBBS

Dr Somaratna is the CEO and Co-Founder of Medical Joyworks, LLC, with almost 20 years of entrepreneurship and business experience. In 2015 he created Clinical Sense, leading the design and development of its technology, and authoring many of its first clinical scenarios. Dr. Somaratna holds a MBBS from the University of Kelaniya, and a Bachelor of Information Technology (Honors) degree from the University of Colombo (all institutions in Sri Lanka).

Dr. Neil Chavarría MD

Dr. Chavarría is an aspiring internal medicine physician, having worked part-time as a medical writer throughout his medical studies. Dr. Chavarría graduated from the Universidad de Iberoamérica in San José, Costa Rica. He has achieved certification from the American Education Commission of Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG), after completing the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE).

Dr. Obinna Chukwuka MBBS

Dr. Chukwuka is a resident in internal medicine at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, in Ituku-Ozalla, where he aims to subspecialize in either pulmonology or nephrology down the line. Previously, Dr. Chukwuka served as the acting medical director of a rural hospital. He received his MBBS from the College of Medicine, University of Nigeria.

Dr. Phalguni Srivastava MBBS

Dr. Phalguni is a senior trainee in anesthesia at Swami Dayanand Hospital, New Delhi. Prior to entering postgraduate training, she worked in the Kamad Polyclinic and Trauma Center for 3 years. Dr. Phalguni received her MBBS from the Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences, in Dehradun, India.

Dr. Stanley Sack M.D., P.A.

Dr. Sack has over 30 years of experience as a general pediatrician. While practicing medicine part-time, he also works as a freelance medical writer for professional and lay audiences, and is the Senior Editor of Medical Joyworks, LLC. Dr. Sack is a former community faculty member at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, and completed his undergraduate education at Dartmouth College. In addition, he received his M.D. at Hahnemann University and completed his pediatric residency at Tulane University Affiliated Hospitals (all institutions in the United States of America).

Dr. Yi Chao Foong MBBS

Dr. Foong is a neurology advanced trainee at Barwon Health in Victoria, Australia. He attended University of Tasmania graduating with first class honours; and has published several peer-reviewed publications and presented at numerous international and national scientific conferences. Dr. Foong was a clinical lecturer at the University of Tasmania. He is also on the editorial board for The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, and remains actively involved in medical education.