Global Health Scholars Program Current Awardees
The ASTRO/ARRO Global Health Scholars (GHS) program provides scholarships allowing senior residents to work on cancer care projects and encourages ongoing outreach and research in developing countries. Congratulations to the 2023 GHS awardees.
 | Sondos Al Khatib, 2023 Global Health Scholars Awardee- Institute: Henry Ford Health
- Visiting Country: Vienna, Austria
Sondos Al Khatib, MD, is a PGY-4 radiation oncology resident at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan. I grew up on the other side of the world in Amman, Jordan. There, I received a medical degree and began my work treating cancer patients. After completing my radiation oncology training in Jordan, I worked as a radiation oncologist for nearly two years. My desire to make a difference and help others has led me to seek out new development opportunities for myself and others. In 2020, at the peak of the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States and around the world, I relocated to the United States. Despite the challenges I faced, I never lost sight of my goal. Global oncology, medical student and resident education, health diversity, equity and inclusion are among my primary interests.
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 | Jim Leng, 2023 Global Health Scholars Awardee- Institute: Duke University School of Medicine
- Visiting Country: Mwanza, Tanzania
Jim Leng grew up between Minnesota, Arizona and California, attending Pomona College where I received a Bachelor of Arts in Molecular Biology. I worked in the oncology department at the University of California, San Francisco on Phase I clinical trials before attending medical school at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. Under the mentorship of Funmi Olopade, MD, I conducted research in Ibadan and Lagos, Nigeria, where my focus was on radiation access and breast cancer in this population. After completing my internship in the Department of Medicine at the University of Chicago/Northshore, I joined the Radiation Oncology Department at Duke. With the support of the ASTRO-ARRO Global Health Scholar Program, I will be working in Mwanza and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, under Kristin Schroeder, MD, MPH, and the Duke Global Health Institute to study pediatric cancers, with additional projects on brachytherapy under Junzo Chino, MD, and the International Cancer Expert Corps. My other academic interests include prospective clinical trials as well as genomic and imaging biomarkers in cancer treatment. Outside of work, I enjoy rock climbing with friends, backpacking in remote nature, and quality time at home with my partner and our cats.
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 | Rituraj Upadhyay, 2023 Global Health Scholars Awardee- Institute: The Ohio State University, The James Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Visiting Country: New Delhi, India
Rituraj Upadhyay is currently the chief resident in the Department of Radiation Oncology at The Ohio State University Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital. My primary areas of interest are CNS and pediatric radiation oncology, and my research focuses on improving patient-reported outcomes and therapeutic ratio of radiation, particularly by reducing late toxicities in pediatric patients. I am currently directing my efforts toward the implementation of AVATAR, an audiovisual assisted device aimed at reducing the need for pediatric anesthesia, in underserved regions, including low-middle income countries. I serve on the RTOG foundation communications committee as an intern and am also a part of the ASTRO/ARRO global health and communications sub-committee. I have published several scientific papers in reputable medical journals, including lead author publications in Neuro-Oncology, Liver Cancer, Frontiers in Oncology, Neuro-Oncology Advances, Surgical Oncology Clinics, the International Journal Molecular Sciences, Radiotherapy and Oncology, The Breast Journal, and Applied Radiation Oncology.
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