Bhavik Bhulabhai, M.D.

American University of Antigua, College of Medicine
University of Western Ontario

I was born and raised in Toronto, Canada. I have wanted to be a physician since I was a teenager and that passion has only become stronger with time. Medicine always seemed like a perfect fit for me and I never thought about going into any other field. Knowing this, I volunteered at York Central Hospital throughout my high school years. It was through this volunteer experience that I truly learnt how hospitals operate. After high school, I attended the University of Western Ontario where I earned a Bachelor of Science through an Honors Specialization in Genetics. When I was accepted into the American University of Antigua College of Medicine, I was excited because I love travelling and this allowed me to live in a country with a completely different way of life. Even during my clinical years I got to experience life in different hospitals throughout various cities in the United States and I valued and enjoyed each experience.

I decided on family medicine after working out of a family medicine clinic in Brooklyn, NY. Being able to help nearly anyone that walks through the door is a trademark of what family physicians can do, and this is something that I definitely wanted to emulate. In addition, coming from a large extended family, the idea of helping not only the patient but their entire family was something that truly appealed to me.

Some of my major hobbies outside of medicine include camping under the stars, astronomy, watching sports with friends (especially hockey, GO LEAFS), reading science fiction and fantasy novels, and working with computers. 

I am very excited about joining the UConn/Saint Francis Family Medicine program and I look forward to this new step in my life.

Meghan Harding, M.D.

St. Matthew’s University School of Medicine
University of Prince Edward Island

I hail from a Canadian island in the North Atlantic the locals call “The Rock”, which is a very accurate description of the harsh environment of Newfoundland. However, despite the damp, foggy weather and snowy winters, Newfoundland shaped me into the friendly, resilient and outgoing person I am today. My family swears that I was only three when I stated that I would become a doctor, which I thought at that point meant a career helping people. Volunteering through the Girl Guides, my local animal hospital and tutoring grade school children gave me the drive to pursue medicine, in order to combine my passion for helping those in need, with the knowledge of how to do so. I completed a B.Sc. in Biology and a Masters of Medicine in Neuroscience before taking the next step at St.Matthew’s University to pursue medicine. I have always been a traveler and am up for any challenge, so moving to the Caribbean was not only educational but an adventure.

During my third year family medicine and OB stood out as being the two areas of medicine that I was most passionate about. Family medicine seemed like the perfect fit for me, as it allowed me to still see a wide scope of diseases and perform minor procedures, along with allowing me to continue practicing women’s health and maternity care. When I get to enjoy some downtime I love to travel and experience new cultures, especially the people and food. I’m also a massive movie buff and love to go whenever I get a chance. And as a longtime East coast girl, I’m excited to be completing my family medicine residency in beautiful Connecticut, being trained at a top notch program.

Alisha Lall, M.D.

St. George’s University School of Medicine
Tulane University

Although originally from Buffalo, NY, I have moved and started over many times during the past ten years. Since I was 14 years old, I have worked closely with children with special needs. I learned the importance of patient centered care by partnering with the parents, teachers, and therapists to provide each child with individualized care and support. I attended Tulane University in New Orleans, LA and studied business management and psychology. Following graduation, I worked in human resources before deciding to pursue a career in medicine. I completed a post-baccalaureate pre-medical program at Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia, PA before attending St. George’s University School of Medicine. I completed my first two years of medical school on the beautiful island of Grenada and the final two years in Brooklyn, NY. I believe family medicine allows you to not only be a physician for your patients, but also a mentor and a friend. Offering emotional support or providing pre-natal care to expectant mothers, delivering that child, and continuing to provide care for that new family is an experience only family medicine can provide. Connecting with patients during my clinical rotations made a lasting impact and solidified my decision to pursue family medicine. In addition, I enjoy exercising, cooking, traveling and singing! I am so thankful for all of the experiences and people I have encountered along the way and I am very excited to join the UConn/Saint Francis Family Medicine team!

Ashleigh McGregor, M.D.

Northeast Ohio Medical University
Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education

I was born and raised in the Bronx, New York and come from an all around Jamaican family. I attended college at a combined 7-year B.S./M.D. program named the Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education, located in Harlem, NY. I finished my clinical years of medical school at Northeast Ohio Medical University.

I became a physician to be an advocate. My passion has always been the underserved. I strive to aid those who are often marginalized from society. I want my patients to know that I’m here for people of all colors; I’m here for trans and non binary people; I’m here for disabled and mentally ill people; I’m here for insecure people; I’m here for overly confident people; I’m here for anyone struggling. I am devoted to this field as my career. In my spare time, I love cooking, blogging, traveling, reading and yoga.

Okwuchi Ogbonna, M.D.

Ross University School of Medicine
Wayne State University

I was born and raised in Nigeria until the age of 14 when my mother won the visa lottery and relocated the family to Michigan. My parents met at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, so it was like returning home for them. As the youngest of five there was no chance of getting a younger sibling so I wanted to be a “children’s doctor” as it allowed me to have kids around me all the time. Growing up, the dream remained but got put to the back burner in my early college years when I wanted to just finish school and start working. 

Fortunately, when you have a calling early in life and family who push you because they see potential in you, it’s hard to settle for less. My older sister would always tell me that I would regret doing anything else and that has remained with me as I never had the satisfaction doing anything else until now. 

Following undergrad, I started working on my Master in Public Health in Epidemiology. I learned the other side of health care that we don’t see in medical school including policy enactments and the under funded public health departments that affect us as physicians. I know that my MPH is an asset that will be beneficial for me when I begin practicing medicine after residency. 

While working on my MPH, I knew that I had one more thing to do and someone once said to me time’s going to pass anyway, you might as well do something that makes you happy and with that I made the choice to move to Dominica for Medical school where I did the didactic portion of my training. 

During my clinical rotations, I fell in love with family medicine because I really felt like the residents were genuinely happy with what they did. It was the first rotation where attending’s acknowledged me as a medical student and made me feel like part of the team. I saw wholesome care including different levels of prevention, something that is very important to me with my public health background so I knew I wanted to do family medicine. 

My journey hasn’t been straight or simple but what great story is. The one thing that remains is purpose and that keeps me going, knowing that I am doing what I should be doing. 

I always remind myself that the challenges of today are opportunities to grow for tomorrow and with that I am excited to continue my training with the challenges and opportunities for growth.

Manjot Reen, M.D.

University of Connecticut
UConn School of Medicine

I strongly believe that good health of a family is a cornerstone of a healthy and prosperous society, which is why I am excited at the opportunity to begin my career in medicine with the wonderful family medicine team at St. Francis. After completing my bachelors in Physiology and Neurobiology at UConn, I focused on research developing continuous glucose sensors for diabetic patients and then returned to UConn for medical school. Helping people lead a healthy and productive life, for me, would be the most gratifying accomplishment as a doctor.

Luyu Zheng, M.D.

St. George’s University School of Medicine
McGill University

Originally born in China, I lived in different places. I enjoy interacting with people from different ethnic backgrounds, and learning about their cultures and their views on the role of medicine in life. I strongly believe in achieving better health in my patients by involving them in the decision-making process. Being a family physician allows me to build a long-lasting relationship and trust with my patients, to empower them through teaching them about their medical issues, and to motivate them in making better choices and decisions life that would affect their health. I am excited to join the UConn/Saint Francis Family Medicine team.