Membership

AAIM Member Spotlight

The Alliance turns the spotlight on members to highlight how they are making a difference and how they have benefited from AAIM membership. Share your story! To be highlighted on the AAIM website and in AAIM Connection,  submit your (or a colleague's) story online or fill out this pdf nomination form and submit it by email.

Member Spotlight Nomination Form

Current Member Spotlight

April 2024 Member SpotlightAlia Chisty, MD, MS, FACP

Program Director, Penn State Internal Medicine Residency Program
Vice Chair for Educational Affairs, Department of Medicine
Associate Professor of Medicine and Division of General Internal Medicine, Penn State College of Medicine - Milton S. Hershey Medical Center


How long have you been a member of AAIM? 
a. Since 2016 – when I went to my first AAIM meeting, I felt that I had found my people! 

What is your favorite part of your job?  
a. What isn’t?! I have the best job in the world! As a Program Director, I most enjoy mentoring my residents as they progress through training and prepare for their future endeavors.

How has the AAIM membership been of value to you and your career?  
a. AAIM membership has added significant value to my own growth and my career. I have met fantastic colleagues, found a network of professional mentors including peer mentors, had opportunities to learn from colleagues and share ideas, and discuss innovative approaches to improving medical education.

When did you know you wanted to pursue a career in the medical field? 
a. I probably knew early on in high school that medicine was my likely career path. When I was 14 years old, I volunteered at a pediatric AIDS clinic in a safety-net hospital in Queens, New York. This was the summer of 1995 before HAART became the standard of care for HIV. Many children were born with HIV and would struggle with health complications. Many passed by the time they were 10-years-old. Seeing their innocence, enthusiasm for life, and resilience inspired me to pursue a career in medicine.

What or who inspires you and why? 
a. I’m constantly inspired by my patients and my residents. My patients always push me to be a better physician who can meet people where they are and partner with them in achieving their healthcare goals. My residents inspire me because of their passion for learning, commitment to their patients, and their perseverance in improving their communities and themselves. 

What advice would you give to those who wish to pursue a career in this industry? 
a. Being a physician is a privilege. People entrust us with care of their loved ones, their greatest fears, and their deepest concerns. The vulnerability that others share with you is one that is unparalleled. This career of service, at times it can be challenging, but it is an extremely rewarding and fulfilling profession.

What is your favorite book or movie?  
a. I’m a romantic at heart! My favorite book is Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Whenever I need a pick-me-up, I reach for the book!

Previous Member Spotlights

AAIM Member Spotlight: Victor Kolade, MD, MS, FACP

Victor Kolade, MD, MS, FACP Core Clerkship Faculty Robert Packer Hospital/Guthrie Center How long have you been a member of AAIM? Member, Clerkship Directors in Internal Medicine, 2022 – Member, Association of Program Directors in Internal Medicine, 2012 – 2017, 2022- What is your favorite part of your job? I am a ‘teachaholic’ not wanting rehab! How has the AAIM membership been of value to you and your career? I have attended memorable APDIM meetings and enjoyed fruitful information exchanges on the APDIM and CDIM listservs. When did you know you wanted to pursue a career in the medical field? In my last year of medical ...

AAIM Member Spotlight: Joy Lyle

Joy Lyle Program Administrator Piedmont Athens Regional How long have you been a member of AAIM? I’ve been a member of AAIM since August of 2022. So, I’m fairly new. What is your favorite part of your job? The best part of my job has been meeting residents and faculty from all around the world. If the saying is true that, we are a sum total of all of the people we meet, then being exposed to various cultures and learning from each is sure to help me improve upon my world knowledge and become a multifaceted individual. How has the AAIM membership been of value to you and your career? AAIM has been valuable to me because ...

AAIM Member Spotlight: Claire Zeigler, MD, MPH

Claire Zeigler, MD, MPH Associate Program Director Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine How long have you been a member of AAIM? I joined AAIM in 2013. What is your favorite part of your job? As an associate program director and the Director of Global Health, I love sharing my passion for global health with residents and fellows. Global health is “an area for study, research, and practice that places a priority on improving health and achieving equity in health for all people worldwide.” The global in global health refers to the scope of problems and not the physical location, hence global health is often ...

AAIM Member Spotlight: Manajyoti Yadav, MD, FACP

Manajyoti Yadav, MD, FACP Clerkship Director University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria How long have you been a member of AAIM? I became a member of AAIM in 2014 when I started my role with the IM Clerkship. What is your favorite part of your job? It is the gratification of caring for patients with my team of dedicated learners while inspiring them to become excellent future physicians. The intellectually stimulating environment of working with medical students and residents ensures that every workday is infused with excitement. The opportunity to bring smiles to my patients’ faces serves as a perpetual inspiration. Moreover, ...

Member Spotlight: James Pippim, MD, MPH, FACP, FCCP

James Pippim, MD, MPH, FACP, FCCP Program Director, TY Residency Program Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center How long have you been a member of AAIM? Since 2010 What is your favorite part of your job? Teaching and mentoring learners (medical students and residents). How has the AAIM membership been of value to you and your career? Knowledge acquired from previous conferences and networking with other program directors. Committee membership helped bring a group of us together to write a paper on GME diversity. When did you know you wanted to pursue a career in the medical field? Growing up in the shadow of an uncle ...