MCQ Faculty

Dr. Moscatello has been in medical education for 25 years, serving as a faculty member, Dean, author, and lecturer for Kaplan Medical, with a specialization in Microbiology and Immunology for the USMLE Step I and COMLEX Level I. Her priority throughout has always been student success. She received her B.S. degree in Microbiology from Auburn University and graduated magna cum laude. She then went on to pursue her Ph.D. In Immunology from Louisiana State University. And while she enjoys research, her passion lies in working with students and helping them achieve their goals and dreams. Along the way, she received numerous teaching awards that reflected her efforts with the students. She was the lead author of the Microbiology and Immunology notes for Kaplan Medical and the accompanying Step I videos for several years until she resigned to launch MCQ. Her experience in medical education began as an Assistant Professor, and she has progressed to become a full Professor and Assistant Dean of Preclinical Education. She was a consultant for Kaplan Medical and the discipline lead for Microbiology and Immunology. Dr. Moscatello is excited to utilize her experience as a medical educator to help even more students achieve their goal of becoming a physician. Likes: My family (ok, this is a big <3), kayaking, pickleball, good wine, P!NK (love actually), cool people, equality, N.Y. Jets (been fan since the ’80s, can’t quit now..wish I could), dogs, cooking and getting into vaccine arguments on social media (Come on! I am an Immunologist…it’s so much fun)! Dislikes: N.Y. Jets (LOL), people who are assholes (See Maricely's Bio. LOL), mint toothpaste, cancer, and injustice! Kindred spirit: dolphins

Dr. Erika Allen is a connoisseur of pharmacology knowledge and has taught pharmacology (the most fabulous discipline) for the past ten years. Dr. Allen received her Ph.D. in Pharmacology from Duquesne University and her B.S. in Biochemistry from Allegheny College. She is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physiology & Biophysics in the School of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University. In her free time, she has written questions and content for both Kaplan Medical and First Aid for the USMLE Step 1. Dr. Allen has contributed to multiple publications and abstracts in her field and is involved in Medical Education research. She is passionate about student success and has received multiple teaching awards. Her other passions include her two wild and wonderful children and her fiancé. As the oldest child of five, Dr. Allen knows what it takes to make the middle child successful… ask her siblings, they know she’s right. Likes: family, pickles (dill only, sweet is a waste of a good cucumber), chips, fish, kayaking, reading (all the books), P!NK, wine, rap music, and crime shows. Dislikes: Cheese (I knooooow), chewing with your mouth open (gross), hugging, man-splaining, cats (except Gibson..he’s ok). Kindred spirit: Wolf

Joann Melnik is a senior software engineer and open-source technologist with over 30 years of experience delivering enterprise-grade solutions across healthcare, telecommunications, R&D, and IT services. As Lead Software Engineer at Northwell Health, she architects and maintains web applications that support infrastructure governance, documentation, and analytics—using technologies like the Drupal Content Management Framework as well as the Microsoft O365 suite of products, including PowerApps and Power Automate flows. Her development portfolio includes extensive work with Broadcom Clarity and IBM Target Process project management platforms, where she designs custom integrations and reporting solutions to support enterprise operations. Joann also brings deep expertise in data analytics and visualization, leveraging Power BI and Tableau to deliver actionable insights across infrastructure and QA domains. Joann’s career includes roles at IBM, Bell Labs, and Allscripts, where she specialized in process architecture, usability testing, and systems analysis. She earned a quarterly Innovation Award for her work on IT process documentation platforms and has led the development of flagship QA web applications at Northwell. She holds a Master of Science in Computer Science from Georgia Institute of Technology and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Allegheny College, graduating with honors. Joann is a Certified ScrumMaster and an Acquia Certified Grand Master Developer. A passionate advocate for libre technology, Joann has contributed to the Drupal community for over nine years, maintaining more than a dozen modules and serving as a support forum moderator. Her work reflects a commitment to solving real-world problems through sustainable, open-source solutions. Kindred spirit What's a kindred spirit? LOL, depending on the particular quiz, my kindred spirit can be: owl, whale, turtle, or otter. Weird Fact I was married in full zombie attire and prosthetic makeup in Las Vegas by Gold Lame Zombie Elvis! Favorite Quote “When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it–always.” -- Mahatma Gandhi

Dr. Leah Labranche decided she wanted to be involved in delivering quality education to students at the young age of 6 years old, and never looked back. Her enthusiasm for anatomy began during her B.Sc. in Bio-Medical Sciences at the University of Guelph in Guelph, ON. She continued to pursue her passion for both teaching and anatomy through an M.Sc. in Clinical Anatomy at Western University in London, ON, before moving to the United States to teach medical school anatomy as a full-time Instructor. While teaching full time she received her Ph.D. in Anatomy Education at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) in Erie, PA and planned her wedding (this was a very busy few years – she does not recommend this juggling act to the weak). Her research focuses on the use of 3D digital anatomy models in preclinical education, and the relationship between anatomy resources and spatial ability (super cool!). Currently an Assistant Professor of Anatomy at LECOM, Dr. Labranche further demonstrates her dedication to student success through her involvement in curriculum development and leadership of extra enrichment sessions for students. She has also reviewed anatomy content for the online learning platform Osmosis. In her free time, Dr. Labranche enjoys spending time with her family and her fluffy cat Watson! Likes: being outdoors, hiking, wine tasting, a good IPA, cheese, dancing, quality family time, Starbucks, and board games (really any game…I’m pretty competitive). Dislikes: orca whales (they’re too big and they look like they have ghost eyes), bugs, rude people, cilantro, scary movies, and haunted houses. Kindred spirit: cat

Dr. Yusra Mansour is currently finishing her residency in Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at Henry Ford Macomb Hospital in Michigan and is looking forward to a fellowship in Pediatric Otolaryngology at the University of Michigan. Dr. Mansour plans to be a clinician-scientist, focusing on pediatric complex ear and cochlear implantation. She is a graduate of the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) in Erie, PA. Dr. Mansour also holds a Ph.D. in Anatomy Education, where she researched head and neck anatomy and the effectiveness of novel and traditional teaching resources. In addition to her dissertation research, Dr. Mansour conducts research at the Auditory Research Center and has contributed multiple publications centered on changes in the auditory and vestibular pathways in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Dr. Mansour is excited to share her passion for anatomy, medicine, and surgery with future physicians in training. Outside of work, school, and research, Dr. Mansour has a passion for art, particularly drawing. She has been a part of two art shows in the past and loves finding new art mediums to explore. She finds peace in spending time with her family and her cat, Bronco. Likes: All things art, baking, conquering her fear, football, and THE Ohio State University in particular. Dislikes: Mustard, snakes, people that don’t like cats (…Dr. Allen), racists, University of Michigan (oops). Kindred spirit: fat cats.

Dr. Diana Speelman has been teaching biochemistry for over 17 years and doing research for over 25 years, and loves doing both! She loves learning about a variety of different topics. Dr. Speelman earned her B.Sc. in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology from the University of Maryland – Baltimore County, and her Ph.D. in Medical Biochemistry from the University of Maryland – Baltimore, followed by a postdoctoral training fellowship at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Dr. Speelman enjoys helping medical and graduate students get a good grasp on the biochemical and molecular basis of health and disease, and helping students appreciate the cool side of biochemistry (not memorizing pathways!). She also enjoys conducting and mentoring students in research related to metabolism, endocrinology (especially PCOS and diabetes), and psychology. Dr. Speelman has two amazing kids, four cats, and a very energetic dog that she enjoys spending time with. Likes: Spending time with her kids & pets, running, kayaking, rollerblading, hiking, generally being outdoors, reading, learning, and crocheting. Dislikes: Bigots, injustice, people who aren’t kind, mosquitoes, and close-mindedness. Kindred spirit: lioness.

Maricely has worked in higher education for over 15 years, serving in various roles such as Administrative Coordinator, Registrar, and now a Student Success Coach. Maricely received her Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Language from Edinboro University. She thought that teaching would be her career, but she decided to move out of the country to gain life experience and go home to Puerto Rico for a few years to experience the island life, and started working in customer service at one of the Hilton Hotels. Her higher education career started after she moved back to the States and returned to her alma mater to work in Student Affairs. There she found her love in assisting students succeed in their college careers. After a few years there, she decided to move on to Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine to become the Administrative Coordinator of the Post Baccalaureate program, which is now the Master of Medical Science program. This is where she met Dr. Moscatello and Dr. Allen!!! There, she collaborated with faculty to advise students in the program and prepare them for medical school. She continues to work with students as a Student Success Coach at Mercyhurst University, collaborating with faculty to continue advising students through their undergraduate college careers. She is passionate about student success! Likes: Well, LOVES my daughters!! LOVE sports, especially softball. My oldest daughter plays D1 softball. My youngest daughter plays basketball in high school! Family of athletes here! Love the beach and countryside, anything that brings peace and is calming! Spanish music, especially salsa and merengue, and of course R&B and some rap music (the old school rap, LOL, not the new stuff!) I am a hugger, and Dr. Moscatello gives the best hugs! <3 I love snacks, especially kettle cooked chips that are salty and crunchy! Dislikes: Bowties at work (Tuxedo bowties ok)! People that are assholes!!, Ask Dr. Moscatello, she can tell you! Kindred Spirit: Black Panther