Start Year: 2017

College/University: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Medical School: University of California at San Francisco

Clinical and Research Interests

I am interested in liver transplantation and oncology. I'm drawn to the surgical and medical complexity, as well as the large impact these diseases and operation have on patient survival and wellbeing. My current research interests are organ allocation policy for dual-organ transplant, oncogenesis in and liver transplantation for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and the use of hepatic artery infusion for treatment of liver metastases.

What were you looking for in a residency program?

I was looking for an excellent surgical education with an opportunity to develop my personal skills and interests, and a community of residents and attendings where I could feel at home.

What are the strengths of the Duke program?

I think the Duke general surgery program does an excellent job supporting its contingent's diversity of interests at a high level, and this is reflected in the quality and diversity of our recent graduates. Duke also values academic productivity in whatever form it takes for you, and backs this claim by guaranteeing resident salary for research years. We are still strongly encouraged to seek out and apply for our own funding, but having a backup plan grants a lot of flexibility and independence.

Finally, I'm just so pleased with my incoming class, who are all different and interesting and talented people and have become my close family, as well as my extended family of other residents and attendings. And I think that we're continuing, as a program, to evolve for the better.

What advice do you have for incoming interns?

Don't be afraid to ask for help, everyone has something to teach you! Try to assume that people mean well even when you're frustrated. And at the end of the day, don't forget that your patients & their family are people too, and they're probably not feeling their best/happiest. A little bit of compassionate listening and empathy goes a long way. And it's always OK to say "I don't know" and think of a plan to fix it.

What do you like best about living in Durham and the Triangle?

Moving from a room in a 5br house in SF, I wasn't expecting to like living here as much as I do. But it's great! As an intern, I was so thankful to live 5mins away from the hospital & not worry about parking, have everything I needed within a 15-min drive, and be able to have a few favorite spots to hang out with my class. As I got settled in, I ventured more into the music & art scene, found some good food, spent some time in Raleigh. There's plenty to do!

What do you like to do outside of Duke?

I like to hike, run, lift weights, play tennis & squash. I've been spending more time reading, playing chess, & cooking this year, now that I spend more time at home. I also spend too much time cuddling my dog.

Honors and Awards

Funding

• T32- 5T32CA093245-13. 2019-2021. Mechanisms of regeneration and oncogenesis in fatty liver disease.

Conference Presentations

• Samoylova ML, Shaw BI, Sanoff S, Barbas AS, Patel Y, McElroy L. Utilization and outcomes of simultaneous liver-kidney transplants after change in allocation policy. Oral presentation at the American Transplant Congress, June 2020.
• Samoylova ML, Yerxa J, Horslen S, Jafri S, Mavis A, Schiano T, Summers B, Barbas AS, Sudan DL, Segovia MC. Trends in intestinal and multivisceral transplantation in the United States over 30 years. Oral presentation at the American Transplant Congress, June 2020.
• Samoylova ML, Shaw BI, Irish W, McElroy L, Ravindra KV. Increased graft survival following implementation of the kidney allocation score. Poster presentation at the American Transplant Congress, June 2020.
• Samoylova ML, Shaw BI, Kesseli SJ, McElroy L, Patel Y, Sanoff S, Barbas AS. Comparable outcomes for simultaneous liver-kidney transplantation with HCV NAT-positive donors. Poster at the American Transplant Congress, June 2020.
• Samoylova ML, Nash A, Brennan TV. Pumping donor kidneys reduces DGF and improves allograft survival without affecting rejection rates. Poster at the American Transplant Congress, June 2018.