Meet Our Fellows

Kory Dawson, MD

Residency: Duke University School of Medicine
Medical School: Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University

Primary Specialty: Emergency medicine

What are your areas of interest in addiction medicine: I am interested in the continuum of true chronic pain, treatment with opioids appropriately, and development into opiate addiction. Specifically, how can we mitigate and prevent this transition? I am also interested in building a systematic approach to allow patients who are addicted to get easier access to treatment whenever they arrive to the emergency department.

What led me to choose this fellowship? As an emergency medicine physician, I have treated all medical comorbidities of addiction, and worked with patients who want treatment for this condition but are unable to receive it. I believe this makes me uniquely suited to attempt to bridge care from the emergency department into long term addiction treatment.

What do you like about the Triangle area? I love the topography, the trees, and lots of biking paths and walking paths.

Fun facts about me? I have recently been part of a group of attending physicians who founded a residency in emergency medicine before coming here for fellowship.

Peter Le, MD

Residency: Carilion Clinic – Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine
Medical School: Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine

Primary Specialty: Internal Medicine

What are your areas of interest in addiction medicine: During my internal medicine training, I’ve seen and treated countless patients with complications from IV drug use including endocarditis, osteomyelitis, spinal abscess, hepatitis C, or other forms of substance use. I have come to realize that we don’t always provide the best care for these patients. We treat their presenting medical condition without fully addressing how they got in that situation or how to prevent it. Addiction medicine is a field where I feel we treat the patient holistically, addressing their medical comorbidities and social conditions. We treat their chemical dependency, address their mental health, and find resources to help with their living environment. I want to become a resource of support, where often patients struggling with addiction feel like the healthcare system has given up on them. 

What led me to choose this fellowship? When applying to fellowship programs the two main characteristics that I was looking for was the quality of training and the location. UNC has a multidisciplinary approach with physicians, pharmacists, social workers, therapists, and peer-recovery specialists all working together to provide excellent patient-centered care. The clinical rotations are diverse, so I can gain more exposure in different settings. Fellows also often come from a variety of medical fields where we can learn from each other’s unique experiences. I lived in North Carolina for about 20 years prior to my medical education, and I look forward to coming back to North Carolina so I can help make an impact in the community where I was raised. 

Fun facts about me? I’ve had brain surgery and had part of my skull removed

Huma Tahir, DO

Residency: Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center
Medical School: Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine

Primary Specialty: Family Medicine

What are your areas of interest in addiction medicine: As a primary care physician I have a passion for patient education. I hope to focus on outpatient therapy and learn more about the strengths of utilizing a multi-disciplinary team that works together to help patients restructure their way of thinking regarding substance use and their journey towards recovery. 

What led me to choose this fellowship? I initially applied to the program due to UNCs excellent reputation for education. I also appreciated the diversity of clinical experiences and innovative methods used to reach people in need of substance use treatment in rural areas. After completing my interview I was impressed by the faculty and current fellows and knew this was a team I wanted to join! 

Fun facts about me? I love to travel, I’m fascinated by the diversity of humankind all on the same planet, I enjoy trying new cuisine and learning about new cultures. I speak 2 languages and hoping to learn a third soon!