https://medicine.ouhsc.edu/academic-departments Parent Page: Academic Departments id: 24312 Active Page: Meet the Associate Program Directorsid:23516

Meet the Associate Program Directors

Brian Lich, MD, DTM&H

Dr. Brian Lich is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine. Originally from Missouri, he moved to Texas in 2004 to complete his undergraduate degrees in Biology and Chemistry at Southern Methodist University. Dr. Lich then came to the Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center in 2009 for his medical and residency training. After serving as Chief Resident in 2015-2016, Dr. Lich joined the OU General Internal Medicine faculty.

Prior to his medical training, Dr. Lich developed a strong interest in global health and social inequality. In 2006, he first travelled to Ghana to work with the NGO Unite for Sight which focuses on screening and treatment of preventable causes of blindness. He then returned to Ghana in 2008 with a research grant where he focused on the impact and role of foreign aid on health outcomes. During his medical training, Dr. Lich helped to develop and now serves as the director of the OU Internal Medicine Global Health Program. In the fall of 2017, Dr. Lich completed his Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. In the future, he hopes to grow the impact of OU’s Global Health Program with a focus on research and educational development in low resource areas. 

Outside of the university, Dr. Lich is an avid soccer and tennis player. He retains a strong connection to his hometown of St. Louis through friends, family, and the St. Louis Cardinals. Dr. Lich met his wife in Texas who now works as a pediatrician at an OU satellite clinic in SW Oklahoma City. They enjoy travelling and playing with their young children, Eva and Henry. 

Salar Faiazi, MD

Dr. Salar Faiazi is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine. He was born and raised in Oklahoma City, OK. He received a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from the University of Oklahoma in 2012 and an M.D. from the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine in 2016. He completed his residency at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in 2019 and a Chief Residency at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in 2020. He joined the Department of Medicine Faculty in 2020 and serves as an attending in both the inpatient and outpatient settings. Dr. Faiazi is the Assistant Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program’s POCUS course, serves on the Curriculum Evaluation Subcommittee for the OU College of Medicine, and is a Council of Early Career Physicians Co-Chair for the Oklahoma Chapter of the American College of Physicians. Dr. Faiazi is also the Clerkship Director for the 3rd year Internal Medicine Clerkship. His interests are medical education, administration, and medical humanities.

 

Dr. Faiazi lives with his wife in Oklahoma City and enjoys traveling and spending time with family and friends.

Kastens Valerie

Valerie Harwell, MD

Dr. Valerie Kastens Harwell is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine. She was born and raised in Oklahoma City, OK. She moved to Norman to attend the University of Oklahoma and graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor's degree in Biochemistry in 2015. She moved back to OKC to attend the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, graduating with distinction in 2019. She elected to remain at OU for Internal Medicine residency, which she completed in June 2022. She went on to serve as Chief Resident during 2022-2023. Dr. Harwell is passionate about resident advocacy and medical education, and was thrilled to remain at OU to continue her career in academic general internal medicine. She works in both the inpatient and outpatient settings, and is also the faculty advisor to the medical student Internal Medicine Interest Group. Dr. Harwell also serves as the APD for Ambulatory Care. 

 As a native Oklahoman, she feels fortunate to have witnessed the incredible growth and change that Oklahoma City has gone through over the last 20 years, and enjoys taking advantage of all the city has to offer, from new restaurants, concerts, parks and walking trails, and cheering for the OKC Thunder. Dr. Harwell lives with her husband and their two cats in Edmond.

Chris Beard, MD

Dr. Chris Beard is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine. He is originally from New Albany, Mississippi and he graduated from West Union Attendance Center in 2012. He then went to the University of Mississippi where he majored in Biochemistry and graduated in 2016. He completed his medical school education at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in 2020 and then started his Internal Medicine Residency at the University of Oklahoma. He went on to serve as Chief Resident for 2023-2024. Dr. Beard has a passion for working with residents and advocating for resident wellness.  In his free time, he enjoys riding his bike, cooking, and watching sports with his friends. He and his wife live in Oklahoma City with their dog.