Senior Fellows
Yumi Kovic, MD
Psychiatry Residency: University of Massachusetts, T.H. Chan School of Medicine
Medical School: University of Connecticut School of Medicine
Masters: Public Health, University of Connecticut School of Medicine
Undergraduate: Connecticut College
Dr. Kovic completed her undergraduate degree at Connecticut College with a major in biochemistry. She then obtained her medical degree at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. During her time in medical school, she also completed a Masters of Public Health (MPH) degree. She went on to complete her adult psychiatry residency training at the University of Massachusetts T.H. Chan School of Medicine. Throughout her medical training, she developed an interest in the role of food in mental health. While in medical school she completed an internship at a non-profit organization advocating for the removal of junk food advertising directed towards children, and for her MPH thesis she studied the effectiveness of national junk food marketing policies. As a psychiatry resident she led in the development of a hands-on, medical student-run nutrition program for people living with serious mental illness. Additionally, she has spent several years as an editor for medical education materials. Outside of psychiatry, Dr. Kovic enjoys spending time with her family, traveling locally and abroad, hanging out at nearby farmer’s markets, and cooking healthy meals.
Andrew Silverman, MD
Psychiatry Residency: Zucker School of Medicine/Northwell Health at Mather Hospital, Port Jefferson, New York
Medical School: St. George’s University School of Medicine
Undergraduate: University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
Bio: Dr. Silverman was born in Boca Raton where he attended Pine Crest Prepatory School. He played on multiple athletic teams, learned to play the cello in the orchestra and took part in multiple community outreach projects to help improve the community in South Florida. He attended the University of Florida through the Honors Program and continued to participate in community outreach projects, including international projects. He earned his BS in Food Science and Human Nutrition as well as Minors in Leadership and Communication. While at UF, he was awarded multiple research grants from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute as well as the University of Florida Scholars Program. After graduation, he traveled to Grenada to attend medical school and continued working in community outreach projects, which he continued during his third and fourth year of medical school in Georgia and New York. He worked with Dr. Nadine Kaslow at Emory University while participating in clinical rotations to publish a research paper that examined factors of intimate partner violence. After successful completion of medical school, he moved to begin his general psychiatry training in New York, where he continued his research efforts and published multiple papers as well as participated in multiple national conventions as well as an international convention. Dr. Silverman’s professional interest involves working with children and families to understand family dynamics and improve communication between family members, which has led to his interest in child and adolescent psychiatry through the UF Fellowship Program. His professional interests include working with children with neurodevelopmental disorders and mood disorders. Outside of work, Dr. Silverman enjoys spending time working on fitness and nutrition, playing intramural sports, participating in competitive races, writing poetry/conducting research and whenever and wherever possible participating in outreach projects to help improve the community he lives in.
Andrew Thompson, DO
Psychiatry Residency: University of Florida, Gainesville Florida
Medical School: Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM), Virginia Campus, Blacksburg Virginia
Undergraduate: College of William and Mary, Williamsburg Virginia
Dr. Thompson hails from the great state of Virginia where he completed his undergraduate studies at William and Mary and later medical school at the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine. He was thrilled to fast track from the general residency program at the University of Florida and is looking forward to continuing his training with the Child and Adolescent team. His passion for working with children and adolescents began during his time as a camp counselor where he led wilderness trips in the mountains of Pennsylvania. He later spent several years working in church related ministry in Northern Virginia where he also completed a fellows program in leadership and community service. Outside the clinic, he enjoys running, backpacking, camping (in the winter), kayaking the springs around Gainesville, and avoiding Florida’s numerous insects and sweltering sun.
Junior Fellows
Jeena Kar, DO
Psychiatry Residency: University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
Medical School: Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Undergraduate: University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
Dr. Kar completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Florida. While completing pre-med coursework, she majored in Religion which helped broaden her worldview and understanding of cultural and religious factors impacting health decisions. She then completed a graduate certificate in Arts in Medicine. She used music and visual arts as a treatment modality in pediatric populations for her Arts in Medicine Graduate Practicum.
For medical school, she attended Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine and took a special interest in researching health disparities. In residency at the University of Florida, she became increasingly involved in advocacy and health policy. She currently serves as APA Delegate to the Resident/Fellow Section of the American Medical Association. Dr. Kar’s goals for fellowship are to continue health policy work to advocate for her patients and profession, to continue Arts in Medicine research and treatments, and to get further involved in teaching students and residents.
She also hopes to be a lifelong learner of the latest evidence-based pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic interventions to help patients with psychiatric conditions.
Outside of psychiatry, her interests include painting, henna art, and spending time with family/friends.
Jasmine Murchison, MD
Psychiatry Residency: Gateway Behavioral Health Community Service Board, Savannah, Georgia
Medical School: Morsani College of Medicine-University of South Florida
Undergraduate: Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, Tallahassee, Florida
Dr. Murchison completed her undergraduate degree at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University in Tallahassee, FL. She then obtained a Master’s in Medical Sciences at the University of South Florida in Tampa, FL, and a Master’s in Public Health at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, SC, before attending medical school at the Morsani College of Medicine at the University of South Florida.
She completed her adult psychiatry residency training at Gateway Behavioral Health Community Service Board (CSB) in Savannah, GA. As a CSB, Gateway functions as a “safety net” for the citizens of Georgia who otherwise would not receive care. This experience cemented for Dr. Murchison that she would like to practice within a community setting.
She also has an interest in racial disparities within medicine. With the historical mistrust some under-represented minorities (URM) have towards health care providers, she hopes to use her public health training to implement mental health initiatives in areas of under-represented minorities to build community relationships to better serve patients. Outside work, her interests include reading, trying out new coffee shops, hanging out with family, and spending time with her two dogs.
Hemraj Persaud, MD
Psychiatry Residency: East Tennessee State University
Medical School: St. George’s University School of Medicine
Undergraduate: York University, Toronto Canada
Dr. Persaud hails from Toronto, Canada where he completed his undergraduate studies at York University majoring in Kinesiology and Health sciences. There at York university, he took special interest in child pedagogy and sports psychology courses which helped implement the use of physical activity in the child and adolescent population while understanding the value it provides for mental health. He completed his pre-med coursework at York University obtaining a Bachelor’s of Science to then transition to Grenada for medical school at St. George’s University in the Caribbean.
After completing his first 2 years of medical school on the island of Grenada, he headed back north to New Jersey for his clinical rotations and gravitated to the field of psychiatry with a collection of experience from undergraduate years and medical school. He matched into East Tennessee State University for his General Psychiatry Residency training program before fast tracking into the University of Florida for specialization of Child and Adolescent psychiatry. Dr. Persaud intends to further grow his knowledge in the child and adolescent population to broadly serve the growing and developing population.
Outside of psychiatry, Dr. Persaud is an avid basketball follower (Toronto Raptors fanatic) and loves playing basketball and working out in his spare time. He also likes to travel (preferred destinations: tropical), participate in his religious activities when possible, watching movies, and hanging out with his family and friends.