Meet our Residents
We are priviledged to work with outstanding residents from over 15 of the best medical schools around the country. They reflect the camaraderie, commitment to patients, and the highest academic standards that are synonymous with Family Medicine.
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Class of 2012
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Class of 2011 |
Class of 2010 |
- Jacob Bryan, Ohio State U
- Michael Johansen, Ohio State U
- Nell Kirst, U of Michigan
- Michael Kopec, Wayne State U
- Elizabeth Nguyen, Pennsylvania State U
- Jasmine Parvaz, U of Wisconsin
- Puja Samudra, U of Michigan
- Tyler Southwell, Wayne State U
- Michelle Tortorello, Rush Medical College
- Kristi VanDerKolk, Wayne State U
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- Marisyl de la Cruz, Drexel U
- Elizabeth Jones, Wayne State U
- Jeffrey Kim, Eastern Virginia Medical School
- Kei Miyazaki, Nagoya U (Japan)
- Thomas O'Neil, Wayne State U
- Adaku Onyeji, UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School
- Suzanne Ross, U of Michigan
- Jamie Szelagowski, U of Toledo
- Alisa Young, Rush U
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- Brian Bluhm, Ohio State U
- Emily Brunner, U of Michigan
- Tammy Chang, U of Michigan
- Jillian Boroniec, Michigan State U
- Keri Denay, U of Michigan
- Phuong Huynh, Case Western Reserve
- Stephanie Kay, U of Illinois
- Mikel Llanes, U of Miami
- Huong Tran, U of Michigan
- Rachelle Wilcox, U of Michigan
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Our residents are known for their ability to create a strong and active social network. Dinners, pool, football, canoeing down the Huron, and participating in the active Ann Arbor nightlife are among the residents' regular activities. Traditions like the surgery potluck (hosted by the resident on Surg 1 due to no call and no weekends), Journal club, summer party by the lake, and shooting pool downtown with the faculty are just a few of the regular activcities that add to the camaraderie and informal environment that residents and faculty enjoy. Come meet our residents.
Jacob Bryan, MD, Ohio State University
My name is Jacob Bryan and I grew up in Twinsburg, Ohio in a 1-story home on a lake where I spent my summers wake boarding, water tubing and playing soccer. I went to undergrad and medical school at Ohio State (GO BUCKS!) I have a lot of different interests including health policy, international medicine, teaching, and ultrasound in ambulatory care – which is why I went into family medicine!!! I came to the University of Michigan because of the program’s excellent clinical training, amazing faculty, and strong research department. I came to love Ann Arbor because of the art festival, summer outdoor events, and fine restaurants. I like to travel, play piano, go camping, and play ultimate Frisbee.
Nell Kirst, MD, University of Michigan
I am a graduate of the University of Michigan Medical School, and I loved the UM Family Medicine department (and Ann Arbor) so much that after interviewing all over the country, I decided that the best place for me to do my residency training was right here. I grew up in Urbana, IL and after taking some time off after high school to do volunteer work, I attended Kenyon College in Gambier, OH. After college, I spent a year teaching high school biology in Indianapolis, IN before coming to medical school here. I am thrilled to be here for residency because it offers opportunities to pursue all of my interests within family medicine, including care of underserved populations, integrative medicine, and public health and advocacy.
I love Ann Arbor and enjoy hiking the natural areas, gardening in my front yard, writing, reading, woodworking, and seeing live music - my husband is in a local bluegrass band, so he helps me stay connected with the vibrant cultural scene in Ann Arbor.
Mike Kopec, MD, Wayne State University
Greetings! I was born and raised near Flint, Michigan, and m y undergraduate studies brought me to Albion College, where I majored in biology. I have long had a strong interest in primary care, and my medical education at Wayne State only solidified my passion for Family Medicine. I enjoy Family Medicine because of the opportunities to practice prevention, continuity of care, full spectrum care, and community involvement. I am very pleased to be at the University of Michigan. After my interview day, I knew right away that this program would be a great fit for me! I was attracted to the strength of the faculty and residents, the blend of university and community training, and the plethora of opportunities available to residents. I have an interest in maternity care, procedures, and developing community-based interventions, and I would also like to incorporate teaching into my future career. Whichever path I choose, I know this program will provide the necessary resources to meet my goals. Up to this point I have had a great time building strong, supportive relationships with my U of M colleagues and faculty in a very collegial environment. When I’m not learning all of the ins and outs of taking care of patients, you can find me spending time with friends and family, watching movies and TV (comedies are my favorite…I like to laugh!), listening to music, or playing sports such as volleyball. Congratulations on choosing Family Medicine, and best wishes with your program choice!
Mike Johansen, MD, Ohio State University
My name is Mike Johansen and grew up in Dublin, OH. I went to The Ohio State University for undergrad, medical school, and a general surgery intern year (I bleed scarlet and gray). I decided to change course and come to the University of Michigan. The program has a full spectrum of excellent faculty and a great balance between community and academic medicine. I have a lovely wife and a beautiful daughter. We have enjoyed Ann Arbor's many parks, farmer's markets, and "cultural events".
Elizabeth Nguyen, MD, Pennsylvania State University
I grew up in Harrisburg, PA and really believed I lived in a real city until I moved to wonderful Philadelphia for undergrad. While at Bryn Mawr College, I fell in love with the French department and was able to spend a summer in Avignon, a charming little town in Southern France . After college, I spent a year as a 3rd-5th grade French teacher at a private school in the suburbs of Philadelphia. Not only did I get to work with adorable children during this year, I was also able to travel to Italy, France, and Miami. I returned close to home to Hershey, PA (the sweetest place on Earth) for medical school and became a Penn State Nittany Lion. Although the cold weather was almost enough for me to bypass the Midwest during my residency search, I quickly realized the University of Michigan was the perfect program for me because of the emphasis on academic medicine while still offering residents exposure to several other models of practicing family medicine. My interests within family medicine are working with adolescents and urban underserved populations. When I’m not working I like to travel, try new restaurants, and lounge in front of the TV.
Jasmine Parvaz, MD, University of Wisconsin
My name is Jasmine Bahar Parvaz. I grew up in Mashhad, Iran; Shepley, England; and Salt Lake City, Utah. I completed undergrad at the University of Utah, then moved to Madison, Wisconsin for medical and graduate school. I met my wonderful husband at a Worm Group Meeting in the University of Wisconsin. After 8 happy years in Madison, I looked for a residency program outside Wisconsin with strong academics, research opportunities, and community involvement in a friendly environment. So, we moved to beautiful, forested Ann Arbor. The University of Michigan's Family Medicine faculty, staff, and residents are incredibly supportive and knowledgeable. Like Tom, I appreciate 80s music and Sherlock Holmes but also love puppeteering and genetics and secretly imagine that combining both would be truly fabulous.
Michelle Tortorello, MD, Rush Medical College
My name is Michelle Tortorello, and I am elated to be part of a program where my last name isn’t the longest and most unpronounceable of all the residents. I was born in Chicago, Illinois, and completed my undergrad in psychology and cognitive neuroscience downstate at the University of Illinois. Approximately six days before Ph.D applications were due, I decided I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life in a laboratory and headed back to Chicago for medical school at Rush University. Almost everything in medicine appealed to me, but I chose family medicine both for the breadth of the specialty as well as for the opportunities for advocacy in advancing primary care. I am especially interested in preventative health, women’s health, developing guidelines/algorithms, and hospice, but it’s pretty hard to get me to focus on anything for more than 5 minutes at a time. After moving to Ann Arbor, I have developed an addiction to granola, purchased a bicycle helmet and found an amazing group of faculty and residents. I couldn’t be more excited to finish my residency here and to finally have a real football team to root for (the Lions, of course :)
Kristi VanDerKolk, MD, Wayne State University
Hey all...My name is Kristi VanDerKolk (the nice Dutch last name with all of its capital letters, comes from my home town of Holland, MI) and I am here in Ann Arbor after 4 years in “The Big D” (Detroit, MI), where I graduated from Wayne. I am trying to fit the crazy cool work of my intern year into my schedule of running, hiking, and biking in the nice parks around town while still having time to just chill with my buddies. I like to laugh and have a good time, and so far, U-M Family Medicine has given me just that. The residents and faculty have fun together both in and out of the hospital, there is always something sweet going on in downtown A2, and the combined big and small hospital environment with clinic added on always keeps you on your toes. I went into family medicine because of what it stands for, but I came here to become the best family doctor I can be. All of the faculty and staff support each resident reach their goals while the experience gained at the U supplements a complete knowledge base. It’s the perfect mix of a “small” program in a big place, and I am excited to be here.
Tyler Southwell, MD, Wayne State University
My name is Tyler, I'm originally from a small town (Lowell) in West Michigan. I went to Hope College for my undergrad and to Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit. Originally my interests in surgery lead me to Urology at the University of Toledo where I finished six months of Urology and six months of General Surgery. I discovered surgery wasn’t my bag, and I faced the difficult situation of needing to change residencies. Before interest in surgery lead me to Toledo, my ultimate goal was to be a classic village generalist by day, and a community organizer and activist by night. While at Wayne I discovered a passion for advocacy for the underserved, leadership, and local and national policy affecting medical education and health care. Family Medicine at UM was an obvious choice: the program is strong, the institution as a whole offers enormous opportunities, and the faculty are dedicated and well-positioned to help you achieve your goals. I have interests in local and national advocacy, health policy, international medicine, alternative medicine, and performing as many procedures as possible including colonoscopy. And by the way, it turns out that Ann Arbor is a nice place to live too.
Puja Samudra, MD, University of Michigan
Hi. People often ask me where I'm from, and I never know what the answer should be. I was born in West Lafayette, Indiana, moved to Bangalore, India when I was 3, then to Singapore when I was 5. I started in a British International School until I was 9, when I switched to the Singapore education system. I decided to come back to America for college because I really liked the idea of having a liberal arts education before commiting to medicine. After finishing a degree in biochemistry with minors in music and psychology at Case Western Reserve University, I decided to come to Michigan for medical school. Completely unintentionally, I have ended up spending over 8 years in the Mid West and have realized that it is culturally the perfect fit for me. It was an easy decision to stay here for my residency since I could not think of any other place I would rather be. My interests within family medicine are broad and constantly evolving, so I have no idea where I want to practice in the long term. I love that we get exposure to a huge tertiary care center as well as a small community hospital with strong ties to it's neighbourhood in this program. My hobbies are reading books, now mostly short stories, watching television, and ballroom dancing. All in all, I'm glad I decided to stay here and look forward to my 3 years of residency.
Mikel Llanes, MD, University of Miami
I was hatched in Cuba 28 yrs ago and in 1983, I immigrated to Miami via Spain where I plan to return to live and raise a family. My junior year in high school, I met my future wife, Tammy. I had no idea that she would bring me to Michigan. I eventually transferred from the Univ. of Miami to the Univ. of Michigan my sophomore year in college to be closer to her and returned back to Miami for medical school. Last year, we “couples matched” into family medicine and we could not think of a better place to be than Ann Arbor. We got married just before residency and are now expecting a little baby.
I plan to get certified to do colonoscopies during my time here, and after residency I plan to get cesarean and tubal ligation privileges as well. I love procedures and its one of the reasons I love this program. I have also been volunteering in the Dominican Republic for 5 years now and plan on contributing a significant part of my time as a doctor there. My first year here was amazing and I am very satisfied with the choice I made.
Tammy Chang, MD, University of Michigan
I was born and raised in Flint, Michigan and have been studying and living in Ann Arbor since 1998. My background is in public health and I hope to work in a career where I can improve health on a community level. A lot of my experience is in the Dominican Republic where my husband and I have a non-profit organization working to create sustainable change through interdisciplinary teams of students and professionals. I love every minute of my time spent here in Ann Arbor. Mike and I will move to Miami, FL eventually to be around his family, but in the meantime, we are enjoying the four seasons, the farmer's market, great food, cultural events/festivals, cheap air travel (NW has its hub in Detroit!), and being near my family. Residency has been an amazing experience- you know you are in the right place when you love going to work every day!
Keri Denay, MD, University of Michigan
I grew up in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and have been in Ann Arbor since 1999 for my undergrad and medical school at the University of Michigan. I bleed maize and blue and love Ann Arbor and the U-M so much that I decided to stay for residency! I am interested in Sports Medicine, and I hope to stay in the area to practice when my training is complete.
Stephanie, Kay MD, University of Illinois
I was born and raised in Chicago. After finishing medical school, my husband and I entered the couples match. We interviewed coast to coast, had a ridiculous amount of interviews, and had plans to do residency out west. However, despite dreaming of no more winter's, we realized that Michigan was just too good of an opportunity to pass up. Since coming out here, I’ve realized even more how strong our department and residency program really is. I’ve also discovered the joys of non-city living. Rush hour doesn’t exist, downtown parking is basically free, and rent is very affordable. I’ve also discovered I’ve been driving way too aggressively for my own good. Life is good here, and I even had time to get certified in SCUBA diving and started taking horseback riding lessons my intern year. And although cleaning snow off my car isn’t exactly fun, I am still happy that I came here.
Emily Brunner, MD, University of Michigan
I grew up in Connecticut, and then went to MIT for undergrad followed by University of Michigan medical school where I grew to really like Ann Arbor. I plan to return to the northeast someday, but, as a student, I got to know the family medicine program and couldn't find any other program that I liked as much and stayed on. Now I have a 5-month-old and have discovered Ann Arbor is an awesome place to have kids and is full of lots of fun grown-up restaurants, bars and activities as well.
Brian Bluhm, MD, Ohio State University
I grew up in Haskins Ohio and went to Ohio State University for medical school. I enjoy all aspects of medicine so Family Medicine was an easy choice. I was originally drawn to the University of Michigan Family Medicine program because of their great reputation and diverse faculty. Once I had the opportunity to meet their residents, I knew the program was the perfect fit for me. I enjoy the outdoors, so Ann Arbor is a great place to live.
Suzie Ross, MD, University of Michigan
While I grew up in a small town in St. Clair County, Michigan, I consider Ann Arbor to be my second home since I've been here for so long! I started as an undergraduate in the College of Engineering in 1995 and I've loved living in and around Ann Arbor ever since. I spent some time in graduate school studying Biomedical Engineering and then I realized I'd rather be a clinical physician so I began the journey. I attended the University of Michigan Medical School and graduated in 2008. My husband Brian works for Ford Motor Company and we have a son, Noah, who was born in 2006. He's our main hobby, but we also enjoy home improvement projects, gardening, watching movies, cooking/baking and traveling. My interests in Family Medicine are still broad and I'm planning to return to my home town to practice after residency.
Beth Jones, MD, Wayne State University
I was born and raised in Royal Oak, MI, a suburb of Detroit. I went to Wayne State University for undergrad and medical school and now moved 30 minutes west to become a Wolverine at U of M Family Medicine. My husband and I recently bought our first home in Canton, MI. We have been exploring our new city and love taking our dog Buckley for walks through the many parks nearby.
I am just starting my intern year and loving U of M already. I chose this program for its balance of University and community hospital exposure, the emphasis on academics, and for the great people who provide fantastic support for the residents here.
I have an interest in teaching and would like to incorporate teaching medical students and residents into my practice after finishing residency. Otherwise, my long term goals are pretty vague, but I know that whatever interests I decide to pursue, there will someone here to help me along the way!
Kei Miyazaki, MD, Nagoya University (Japan)
I grew up in Gifu, Japan and also spent my early days in Detroit. I developed an interest in medicine as a young child because my grandfather was a General practitioner who served in the rural areas of Japan. With him as a role model, I decided to become a family physician and graduated from Nagoya University School of medicine in 1997. However, Family Medicine did not exist as a specialty in Japan at that time, so I became a general internist instead. Throughout my ten years in practice, my desire to become a family physician grew stronger and I decided to train in a US residency program.
The reason I chose Ann Arbor is very clear. To enjoy the combination, best of community and academic training! I enjoy practicing in the beautiful rural community of Chelsea for my continuity clinic. There are great resources here and you will find excellent faculty with interests in every aspect of family medicine. The program also has an expanded international track and research support for the residents. And my co-residents, what can I say? We get together often, enjoying our social life.
The Japanese Academy of Family Medicine just started the accreditation of a Family Medicine Residency Programs in Japan, and I am planning on bringing back all the excellent aspects of the program’s family medicine training and become a role model and teacher for the future Japanese residents.
Thomas O’Neil, MD, Wayne State University
I was born in the suburban city of Troy, Michigan. After an ideal childhood that was spent mostly in a swimming pool I went off to school at the University of Michigan. I majored in computer science, with no intention of going into medicine, and moved to Chicago to work on the stock exchange. It was a great time in Chicago but I always felt something was missing from my career. So after the typical amount of soul searching, I left paradise and moved into my parent’s basement. The ends justify the means, and I graduated from Wayne State medical school in 2008. Family Medicine was always on my radar. The romantic part of my brain really wants to be the small town doctor. University of Michigan's Family Medicine program stood out because it had the best of both worlds: unopposed service at the Chelsea Hospital with the services and knowledge from a large University hospital. Above that though, were the residents. The people that work here are smart, hard working and most of all friendly. I felt at home within my first 5 minutes of the interview day. Ann Arbor is a great city with everything from canoeing to the Art Fair. What makes me pretty awesome is a deep appreciation of music from the 80s, an unhealthy liking of Sherlock Holmes and the TV show MASH, and the fact that I am a licensed fisherman.
Jamie Szelagowski, MD, The University of Toledo
I was born and raised in Botkins, a small town in Ohio. I loved growing up in the friendly atmosphere and was active in about every sport and extracurricular activity possible. I earned a degree in Zoology at Miami University of Ohio before attending the University of Toledo College of Medicine. I met my husband while in medical school and we have a beautiful, spirited little girl. My medical school experiences cemented my choice to practice family medicine because I love the continuity of care we enjoy with our patients, the myriad of clinical encounters, and the family and community interaction. My husband and I were very excited to go to residency together at the outstanding University of Michigan. The family medicine program here was perfect for me because it is a strong program with the ideal blend of training in a top university and a community setting as well as an incredibly friendly and supportive atmosphere among faculty and residents. In the future, we plan to move back to Buckeye country to practice our respective careers in Ohio. I have strong interests in women's health, palliative care, and sports medicine and hope to integrate these into an exciting, diverse practice. For now, we'll cheer on the Wolverines, except when they play the Buckeyes, and continue to enjoy our time in Ann Arbor. Outside of family medicine, I love spending time with my family and friends, including jamming out to Rock Band with my husband, playing anything outside with our energetic little girl, scrapbooking, and watching football and movies.
Alisa Young, MD, Rush University
Congratulations on picking the challenging and yet utterly satisfying field of Family Medicine! I'm Alisa Young, formerly Alisa Pantanakasame. I was born and raised in Bangkok, Thailand where my last name wasn't considered long and unpronounceable. I came to the Midwest to get Biology and French degrees at Knox College in Galesburg, IL and then went on to medical school at Rush University in Chicago. My husband and I are elated to start our residencies in awesome Ann Arbor. I might be a little happier than he is since Family Medicine is the coolest department in the hospital, and Michigan has one of the finest FM programs around! I intend to take this great opportunity to learn, work hard, and expand on my interests - from Geriatrics and Underserved Populations to the great food and outdoor activities A2 has to offer. The future is full of possibilities - joining Doctors without Borders, doing a fellowship/research, children, etc. If you have questions about potentially joining our proud family at the University of Michigan, please don't hesitate to ask! Good luck.
Jeff Kim, MD, Eastern Virginia Medical School
Hi. I grew up in Roanoke and Richmond, VA but also consider Philly a second home. I went to school at Eastern Virginia Medical School, home of the first IVF in the states. I’m especially interested in International Medicine and preventative medicine. I came to the University of Michigan and Ann Arbor because I love colder weather, great food, and had friends in the area. Michigan has an awesome faculty, outstanding, down-to-earth residents and I love how resident education and EBM is emphasized here. Around Ann Arbor, I love to explore new restaurants, walk around the city and U of M campus, paddle boat down the river, and hopefully do some fishing soon. In the future, I hope to go overseas to do medical mission work in a Third World country - focusing on local physician education and training. Some other interesting things about me was that I was a Latin major in college and taught upper school Latin at a private all girl's school for two years before starting medical school. I play the guitar, love to cook, and am addicted to high tech gadgets and bookstores.
Marisyl de la Cruz, MD, Drexel University
Congratulations! If you’re reading this, hopefully it means that you’ve chosen the field of family medicine and are interested in a great training program.
I grew up in a small town in central PA, somewhere between the Amish trails and chocolate-scented streets. Afterward I decided to explore city college life at Georgetown, where my experiences inspired interests in public health and policy, mental health, and humanism in medicine. So naturally in med school, I was drawn to family medicine because it enveloped all of those components, emphasizing treating the whole person with caring and compassion at its core. During med school at Drexel, I also got interested in issues of community health, health disparities, and working with the underserved.
My search for a residency program took me to both the East and West coasts, but I finally decided on U of M because it had the combination of strong academics in a supportive, nurturing setting. The faculty is large and diverse so you can easily find someone who shares and supports your interests. Plus, the faculty, residents, and staff do everything they can so we get the best residency experience, and all with amazing enthusiasm!
Ann Arbor is great place if you like food (which I do!), outdoor activities, live music, and art. So far I’ve enjoyed spending time with my new friends discovering new restaurants, canoeing, and wandering around farmers markets and art fairs. In my spare time, I enjoy reading, watching TV (an unhealthy amount I’m sure), movies/musicals, baking, dancing, and singing (Rock band rules!). Hope to meet you here at U of M.
Jill Boroneic, MD, Michigan State University
I grew up not far from Ann Arbor in and around Detroit area. Having attended the University of Notre Dame for my undergrad years and Michigan State University for medical school, I am really thrilled to now be a Wolverine. I chose to come to Michigan for residency because of the excellent educational experience it promised, as well as the outstanding faculty and multitude of opportunities available to UM graduates. I am truly happy here for many reasons, not the least of which are my incredible co-residents!! My interests in medicine lie primarily in the care of adolescents, women, and the underserved populations. I hope to eventually earn an MPH and work in community medicine in an urban area. In my spare time, I enjoy reading, yoga, travel, political activity, good food and, if I’m being honest, reality TV!! Thanks for taking the time to check out the UM; hope to see you during interview season!
Resident Honors and Achievements
Residents of the program have a very impressive record of scholarly and educational achievements. Accomplishments include:
Jake Bryan was selected to serve as the AAFP Resident Alternate Delegate Representative to the AMA House of Delegates for 2009-10.
Tammy Chang, M.D., MPH, was selected to serve as the Academic Department of Family Medicine appointee to the AAMC Organization of Resident Representatives from 2008-2010.
Katherine Gold - 2007 AAFP Resident Scholars Competition winner.
Curi Kim - 2006 AAFP Resident Scholars Competition winner.
Christine Kistler - 2006 AAFP Award for Excellence in Graduate Medical Education
Amy Blair - 2005 AAFP Award for Excellence in Graduate Medical Education
Katherine Gold - 2004 AAFP Award for Excellence in Graduate Medical Education
Justine Wu - 2002 AAFP Award for Excellence in Graduate Medical Education
We would also like to acknowledge Drs. Christine Kistler, Ramsey Shehab, Mark Mirabelli, and Curi Kim for their publications.
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