Sadia Rabael Bhatti, OD

Behrad Garmsiri is an optometrist and instructor of ophthalmology at the White Marsh, Maryland, location of Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins Medicine. His areas of emphasis include comprehensive eye care, glaucoma management, and ocular pathology triaging and management. Dr. Garmsiri was involved in vision science research as early as 2009, with a main focus on electroretinography. He eventually returned to graduate school to pursue a career in optometry and more directly serve the communities of which he is a part. He completed his doctor of optometry degree at the State University of New York in New York City, while concurrently obtaining a master’s degree in vision science, specifically on use of electroretinography in the management of optic nerve head disease. He then completed a primary care/ocular disease optometry residency at Salus at Drexel University in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, from 2023–2024. His approach to eye care is based on sharing pertinent knowledge with his patients and using evidence-based approaches for treatment and management of their vision health.

Dr. Helene Hedian is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, the Director of Clinical Education at the Johns Hopkins Center for Transgender and Gender Expansive Health, and the Assistant Vice Chair for LGBTQ+ Equity and Education in the Department of Medicine. Her academic interests include internal medicine, medical education, and the specific health needs of LGBTQ patients. Dr. Hedian studied biochemistry and Spanish at the University of Dayton, attended medical school at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, and completed an internal medicine residency at the University of Maryland, where she was selected as a chief resident. She joined the faculty at Johns Hopkins University in 2016.Her research focuses on provider attitudes and knowledge regarding LGBTQ health, with the goal of expanding competent and compassionate healthcare practices. In her clinical practice, she has cared for hundreds of transgender and gender diverse patients.To support primary care providers who prescribe gender-affirming hormones, she authored the Quick Guide: Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy by the Primary Care Provider. As of February 2024, the Quick Guide has been downloaded over 1,500 times and in the following locations: Australia, Canada, Colombia, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Puerto Rico, Russian Federation, Singapore, Thailand, United Kingdom, and the United States.