Meet Our Rheumatology Fellows and Alumni

Samantha Coss, MD, PhD

• Medical School: The Ohio State University College of Medicine (Columbus, OH)
• Residency: Nationwide Children's Hospital (Columbus, OH)

About Dr. Coss:

• Favorite thing about Nationwide Children's: Butterfly Paws program
• Favorite thing about Nationwide Children's Rheumatology: Everything! (but really, the people and how it feels like a family)
• Favorite part of Columbus: All of the green spaces and low-key outdoors activities, like biking all the trails, walking along the river, playing disc golf, etc.
• Scholarly interest(s): Bench research, understanding why/how autoimmune disease develops, and JDM specifically
• Hobbies/Interests: Reading, crafting (crochet, sewing, felting, leatherworking, jewelry making), and board games

Alison Brittain, DO, PhD

• Medical School: Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine (Athens, OH)
• Residency: Nationwide Children’s Hospital (Columbus, OH)

About Dr. Brittain:

• Favorite thing about Nationwide Children's Rheumatology: The people in our department are amazing. Really. Everyone who works here loves helping our patients and our community, and they are a joy to work with. It's really nice to be able to work with awesome people who are passionate about fixing rheumatologic diseases.
• Favorite part of Columbus: Food. Columbus is an underappreciated gem in terms of food options. There are several indoor markets with excellent food options, and really good restaurants in a variety of food categories. Columbus has really blossomed in the last decade in terms of food choices and quality.
• Scholarly interest(s): Lupus, specifically using serum biomarkers and genetic studies to understand the heterogeneity of lupus, with a specific focus on responses to treatment.
• Hobbies/Interests: Hanging out with my wife and 2-year-old is the most fun thing I get to do. I love spending weekends at the park, zoo, pool or splash pad, watching my kid discover the world. I love traveling, which can be an adventure with a small child.

Elizabeth (Tess) Murray, MD

• Medical School: SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine (Brooklyn, NY)
• Residency: Nationwide Children’s Hospital (Columbus, OH)

About Dr. Murray:

• Favorite thing about Nationwide Children's Rheumatology: I appreciate how well-supported we are with our nursing team, research team, psychology, pharmacist, and social workers.
• Favorite part of Columbus: I love running the Columbus Half Marathon each year - the race has such great energy, partly because it benefits the hospital and a Nationwide patient sits at every mile marker to cheer the runners on.
• Scholarly interest(s): Spondyloarthropathies and the GI/Rheumatology overlap
• Hobbies/Interests: So many things to do! Grabbing a pastry from Fox in the Snow bakery, watching the eagles along the Scioto River, seeing a Shakespeare in the Park production in Schiller Park, running or biking the Olentangy Trail, long walks at Highbanks Metro Park, the annual German Village Haus und Garten Tour in the summer and German Village Lights in the winter!

Wafa Ahmed, MBBS

• Medical School: Ahfad University for Women School of Medicine (Sudan)
• Residency: Gaffar Ibn Auf Specialized Hospital for Children (Khartoum, Sudan)/National Guard Hospital (Dammam/Alhasa, Saudi Arabia)

About Dr. Ahmed:

• Favorite thing about Nationwide Children's Rheumatology: I am looking forward to being a part of the Rheumatology team.
• Favorite part of Columbus: I am excited to explore the city's nature.
• Scholarly interest(s): Pediatric Rheumatology, Arabic Literature
• Hobbies/Interests: Cooking, biking, reading

Dominique Cross, DO, MPH

• Medical School: Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (Philadelphia, PA)
• Residency: Tulane University School of Medicine (New Orleans, LA)

About Dr. Cross:

• Favorite thing about Nationwide Children's Rheumatology: Playing with the littles while helping them feel better!
• Favorite part of Columbus: Looking forward to getting into the food scene, the arts scene, and road-tripping around the Midwest...and of course, becoming a BUCKEYE!
• Scholarly interest(s): Loving lupus, but still open-minded
• Hobbies/Interests: Catching a festival or a Broadway show, traveling, journaling, playing with her dog, Dino. She also plans to orient (and indoctrinate) her Nationwide Children's crew to all things New Orleans.