Annual Publication 2025 FINAL 05292025 accessible - Flipbook - Page 23
“There wasn’t a whole lot of interactions with people,” says Dr.
Chun, “and I didn’t feel like I made a huge impact in the work that
I did … and in the back of my mind during college, the idea of
medicine had always been there. I took a lot of medical-related
courses for the chemical engineering degree and fell in love with
medicine.”
He then went to medical school at Tulane University and was
happy to match at his 昀椀rst choice for residency, the Kirk Kerkorian
School of Medicine at UNLV.
Although his career track de昀椀nitely changed, the focus on
research has always been there. “I actually started doing research
all the way back in college, speci昀椀cally in bench research … so I’ve
been lucky to gain a lot of experience in the research 昀椀eld. And
that’s translated to the projects I’m doing now and then trying to
also help some of the medical students or the residents get on
board with projects.”
Now, as a resident in internal medicine, he de昀椀nitely has a
preference for his research. “My main focus is in gastroenterology,”
says Dr. Chun, “... I’m interested in all topics of gastroenterology …
all of the GI [gastrointestinal] organs.”
Three big research projects for Dr. Chun recently included
in昀氀ammatory bowel disease, pancreatitis, and autoimmune
hepatitis. The latter project is a partnership with Stanford Health
Care Hospital. All projects seek to advance patient care and
achieve better health outcomes.
With so many research publications and presentations under
his white coat, you’d think it would be hard for Dr. Chun to pick
a favorite. Such is not the case. “It actually would be the ACP
national conference [at which he just presented]. And the reason
But, there’s a deeper reason for this presentation to be his
favorite. “I’ve gotten comments and feedback in terms of posters,
in terms of research, how I conduct it,” says Dr. Chun, “and I’ve
been able to improve every time … I’ve never actually been able to
qualify for the national competition as the state winner until this
particular conference, and getting in was probably the high point
just because it was an accumulation of the failures that I’ve had,
and learning from those failures and then incorporating them, and
being able to 昀椀nally see the success that I want to.”
Although he’s a standout in his research activities, he admits the
challenges of being a resident are ever-present. Maintaining a
work-life balance, for one, is something that he tries to preserve
with swimming, strength training, and other physical activities.
A bigger challenge for him, though, is seeing patients not doing
well and even passing away. “And every night you’re thinking
about those patients and feeling that you’ve tried to do everything
you can, but there’s nothing you can do, especially critical patients
in the ICU. And I think it takes a lot of courage to admit that you’ve
tried your best and … you have to live with the feeling that, yes,
you’ve done your best, but at one point, there’s only so much you
can do …”
On the positive side, Dr. Chun says the help and support from
the o昀케ce of research has been key and, speci昀椀cally, that of
Kavita Batra, PhD, MPH, assistant professor, medical research
biostatistician, and executive director of research and scholarly
activity for the o昀케ce of research. “I wouldn’t be where I am
without the department here,” says Dr. Chun. “They’ve been really
supportive. They’ve helped me with data analysis a lot …”
PHOTO: JULIAN FOX
That’s why it’s a little surprising to learn that his undergraduate
degree was in engineering from the Colorado School of Mines,
and he worked one year in the oil and gas industry. There was a
lot of opportunity, he says, but something was lacking.
why is, since medical school, I’ve actually submitted posters to
this national conference and I’ve never actually been able to win
until my second year here in residency.”
Dr. Chun also notes the leadership and guidance of Aditi Singh,
MD, professor and residency program director for the department
of internal medicine, as essential to his success in his residency.
“She was a big part of why I chose to come here,” says Dr. Chun.
“She is very supportive of, not just the research side of things, but
internal medicine in general and the well-being of residents and
creating programs to facilitate well-being and making sure all the
residents are doing the best that they can.”
Although his plans are to seek a fellowship in gastrointestinal
medicine, he acknowledges that, with the match process, he
may not be able to stay in Las Vegas. “I’ll de昀椀nitely be happy to
stay here for fellowship, but the match process is one of those
processes that you don’t really have too much of a say in … we’ll
have to see where I end up, but there’s been a great support
system here in place … it would be amazing to come back here
and continue my fellowship.”
SUMMER 2025 MAGAZINE
23
MAGNUS CHUN, MD
I
n a medical school chock-full of proli昀椀c researchers,
Magnus Chun, MD, second-year resident in internal
medicine, clearly stands out. According to Deborah Kuhls,
MD, FACS, professor and acute care surgery chief for the
department of surgery and associate dean for research,
Dr. Chun is currently the highest producing resident. In
addition to racking up 26 peer-reviewed articles, and 17 poster
and 12 podium presentations, he was the state poster winner
in the clinical research category for the American College of
Physicians (ACP), and recently represented Nevada at the 2025
ACP national poster competition. If that’s not enough, he also
serves on the editorial boards for the International Journal of
Clinical and Medical Case Studies, as well as the Open Access
Journal of Microbiology & Biotechnology.
