Medical Student
Eastern Virginia Medical School
Ramzy Ahmed is a medical student from Eastern Virginia Medical School completing a dedicated research year with the Goodwin Lab in the Department of Neurosurgery at Duke University. As an undergraduate at the University of Maryland, he studied neuroscience, where he developed an early interest in nervous system physiology and anatomy. He later expanded on this foundation as a clinical researcher at Children’s National Hospital, studying pediatric traumatic brain injury and febrile status epilepticus. During the COVID-19 pandemic, his work investigating the association between respiratory viruses and seizures was recognized with a Top Clinical Research Project Award at the Children’s National Hospital Annual Research Symposium.
Ramzy’s interest in neurological disease ultimately led him to pursue neurosurgery. As a medical student, he spent a summer at the National Institutes of Health researching fibrous dysplasia, where he was recognized as the top summer medical student in the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. He has also remained actively involved in mentorship and medical education, serving in leadership roles within the Neurosurgery Interest Group, Surgery Club, and Vascular Surgery Interest Group.
During his research year at Duke, Ramzy focuses on spinal oncology and translational outcomes research. His work examines the relationship between ambulatory deficits and outcomes in metastatic spine disease, with particular attention to the role of paraspinal sarcopenia in functional recovery. Using translational mouse models, he studies mechanisms of muscle degeneration and neurologic impairment in metastatic spine disease. He is also coordinating a multidisciplinary project with radiation oncologists to investigate the impact of novel irradiation strategies, including FLASH radiotherapy, on muscle structure and function in brain tumor models.
Clinically, Ramzy is interested in improving perioperative risk stratification in spine oncology patients, particularly through the identification of biomarkers that may enhance the screening and prevention of postoperative thromboembolism. As he prepares to enter neurosurgical residency, he remains broadly interested in spine, oncology, and vascular neurosurgery and is committed to maintaining a strong sense of curiosity and academic engagement throughout his career.
Ramzy is a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society and has received several distinctions, including the American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting Award, the Society of Vascular Surgery Travel Scholarship, and institutional Awards of Distinction in research, medical knowledge, and patient care. Outside of medicine, he enjoys staying active through soccer, basketball, and weightlifting, as well as playing chess, reading philosophy, and reviewing films.
Disclosure(s): No financial relationships to disclose
Modeling Tumor-Induced Sarcopenia and Ambulatory Dysfunction in Spinal Metastases
Sunday, May 3, 2026
4:09 PM - 4:11 PM CT