Anesthesiology Residency

Education
Master of Science, Clinical Investigation Sciences — University of Louisville, School of Public Health & Information Sciences, Louisville, KY
Doctor of Medicine — University of Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 
Bachelor of Science in Business Management, Certificate in Management Information Systems — University of Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 

Postgraduate & Specialty Training 
Fellowship in Hospice and Palliative Medicine — Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine & Carilion Clinic, Roanoke, VA
Fellowship in Surgical Critical Care / Acute Care Surgery — University of Louisville Hospital, Louisville, KY 
General Surgery Residency — East Carolina University, Brody School of Medicine, Greenville, NC

Board Certifications
American Board of Internal Medicine – Hospice & Palliative Medicine 
American Board of Surgery – Surgical Critical Care 
American Board of Surgery – General Surgery 

Background
Dr. Bower is an Associate Professor at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and is Vice Chair of Research for the Department of Surgery

Dr. Bower has an exceptionally active academic portfolio with more than a decade of peer‑reviewed publications, book chapters, multicenter collaborations, and national presentations. Her research spans trauma outcomes, surgical infections, geriatric trauma, health services utilization, education science, and multidisciplinary critical care and has authored or co-authored numerous manuscripts. A committed research mentor, Dr. Bower has guided medical students, residents, and fellows through IRB‑approved projects, quality improvement initiatives, and national presentations across trauma, surgical critical care, and palliative care. Her teaching contributions are extensive. She serves as Trauma Surgery Clerkship Director and Associate Program Director for Research for the General Surgery Residency, developing curricula and mentoring dozens of trainees in clinical research.

Dr. Bower’s professional service includes leadership positions in the Carilion Clinic Code Blue Committee, Tissue Safety Committee, Emergency General Surgery Peer Review Committee, and several Virginia Chapter American College of Surgeons committees. She also serves as a council member, faculty advisor, and committee chair across multiple regional and national surgical organizations. Outside of work, she enjoys multisport athletics with her family and tending their chickens.

Education
Post‑doctoral Researcher, Interdisciplinary R&D Team — Iowa State University, Ames, IA  
PhD, Curriculum & Instructional Technology — Iowa State University, Ames, IA 
Master of Education, Educational Technology — University of Missouri–Columbia, Columbia, MO
Bachelor of Science, Mathematics Education — Balikesir University, Turkey 

Postgraduate & Specialty Training 
Post‑doctoral Research Fellowship, Interdisciplinary R&D Team — Iowa State University, Ames, IA 

Background
Dr. Toy is an Associate Professor at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and the Department of Basic Science Education & Department of Health Systems and Implementation Science. He is a learning scientist and academic leader with more than 15 years of experience in medical education, healthcare simulation, learning analytics, and program evaluation. His scholarship integrates learning sciences, network neuroscience, human factors engineering, and data science to improve clinical decision‑making and performance. He leads federally funded interdisciplinary research programs supported by the U.S. Department of Defense and the National Science Foundation, focusing on simulation‑based training, multimodal assessment, and adaptive human‑AI teaming. 

Dr. Toy is widely published, and his academic work includes extensive peer‑reviewed publications, book chapters, systematic reviews, and international presentations spanning simulation science, cognitive load theory, human performance assessment, emergency medicine education, telemedicine education, digital learning tools, and neurocognitive measurement in medical training. Dr. Toy also contributes significantly to national and international professional organizations. He serves as Chair of the Research Committee for the Society for Simulation in Healthcare, has reviewed grants for the National Science Foundation and the Association of American Medical Colleges, and serves as an associate editor for Advances in Simulation.

In addition to his research and service roles, Dr. Toy is a highly engaged educator. He has developed and taught graduate‑level courses, simulation‑based curricula, faculty development programs, and has mentored numerous medical students, residents, fellows, post‑doctoral researchers, and interdisciplinary design teams. His teaching emphasizes educational scholarship, instructional design, and data‑informed approaches to improving clinical education and performance. Outside of his academic work, he enjoys traveling, road trips with his wife and three children and exploring diverse world cuisines through cooking and baking. 

Education
Advanced Learning Certificate in Artificial Intelligence Applications for Health Data — Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 
PhD in Global Community Health & Behavioral Sciences — Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA
Master of Public Health in Epidemiology — Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA
Bachelor of Medicine in Preventive Medicine — Capital Medical University, Beijing 

Postgraduate & Specialty Training 
Postdoctoral Fellowship, Global Community Health & Behavioral Sciences — Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine 

Background
Dr. Zhang is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Systems and Implementation Science, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine. She is a population health scientist specializing in epidemiology, geospatial analytics, implementation science, and health disparities research. Her work examines how human mobility, environmental context, and social determinants shape health outcomes among vulnerable populations, including immigrants, refugees, and displaced communities. She holds a joint appointment in the Department of Geography at Virginia Tech, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of her research and teaching.

Dr. Zhang’s academic career includes research in global community health and disaster‑related health impacts. Her expertise spans quantitative epidemiology, spatial data science, machine learning, and population‑based health assessment. She has secured multiple research grants as Principal Investigator or Co‑Investigator, including projects on veterans’ healthcare access, wearable‑based health monitoring, maternal and child health, and community‑engaged infectious disease prevention. Dr. Zhang is widely published in public health, epidemiology, and global health investigations into COVID‑19 transmission.

Dr. Zhang is also active as a member of editorial boards, peer reviewer for major journals, member of national and international professional societies, and frequent invited speaker at academic conferences and workshops.