Residency in Family Medicine at UNM

Directory of UNM Family Medicine Residents 2006-2007

Third Year Residents | Second Year Residents
First Year Interns, Albuquerque
Roswell 1+ 2 Interns | Santa Fe 1+2 Interns

2007-08 Third Year Residents - PGYIII+

Caline Cone

Hometown: Grants, New Mexico
Undergraduate School: University of New Mexico
Medical School: University of New Mexico School of Medicine
Professional Interests: Women's Health, OB, International and Underserved populations
I was born in Grants, NM, and grew up in New Mexico and Colorado before "dropping out" of high school in order to attend a 2-year international school in Wales, UK. This United World College was one of the most rewarding experiences I've had-- and this period of living, studying, and doing community work with peers from over 80 different countries probably set in motion many of my expectations for my medical career, although my path to medicine has been an indirect one. I studied American Studies at the University of New Mexico and worked in publishing for several years before launching into medical school at UNM and now residency. My clinic is at South East Heights, which suits my interests in women's health, obstetrics, international/immigrant/underserved populations, as well as my ongoing enjoyment of community service. During my time off, I hike, camp, and cave with my husband John, spend time with our dogs Maggie and Morris, and enjoy cooking fun and exciting ethnic food (Ethiopian is my current favorite!).

Gina Gregory

Medical School: Western University Health Sciences

2007-08 Third Year Residents - PGYIII

Benjamin Buxton
Chief Resident

Hometown: Johnson City, Tennessee
Undergraduate School: Davidson College
Davidson, North Carolina (BS Biology/German minor)
Medical School: East Tennessee State University College of Medicine (Rural Primary Care Track)
Professional Interests: : Universal healthcare; public health; international, social and community medicine; healthcare of Native Americans

My entrance into the third year of residency in New Mexico finds me with the feeling that I belong here. I’ve been made one of the chief residents this year, along with my good friends Felisha and Vanessa, and we're looking forward to making the program even better, helping to secure our status as one of the country's premiere Family Medicine training institutions.
How did I get here? I grew up on a small subsistence farm in rural Wisconsin, and then moved to suburban Ann Arbor, MI till high school, when my family moved to Zimbabwe for 3 years. There I attended a public school and learned some Shona, which I get to practice with my friend Matthew Khumalo, who just graduated from the program. Afterwards I returned to the US to finish High School in Johnson City, TN before heading off to college at Davidson College in North Carolina. After 2 years in Germany studying German Language and Theology in Würzburg and Göttingen I returned to Appalachia for medical school in the Rural Primary Care Track at East Tennessee State University where I discovered kindred spirits at AMSA, PHR and APHA functions. Like about half of my classmates here at UNM I spent a couple months in Ecuador during medical school, too. Don't worry if you've not been there, it's not a requirement for admission – just strongly suggested… ;)
For residency, I was looking for a diverse, full spectrum program to prepare me for practice in developing countries. I wanted a program that would apply the philosophy of family medicine to the holistic treatment of patients, motivated by a sense of social justice using a community based/oriented/etc. approach. I found so much more than I was looking for, and now marvel daily at the experienced, wise mentors and friends, both faculty and residents, who surround me.
My continuity clinic, where I spend half of my time, is the Albuquerque Indian Hospital, an IHS facility serving mostly urban Navajos and members of the state’s 19 living pueblos. The wonderful patients and Rez-seasoned attendings provide a unique experience in cross cultural medicine, and I truly get to feel like I’m providing a much needed service. My community project involves identifying and removing barriers to accessing a medical home amongst Albuquerque’s urban Indian population.
I guess you’ve figured out that two years into this adventure I can honestly say that I love it here. Of course, life outside of the department probably plays a big role in this: maybe its the mountain biking in alpine forests, the hikes in the Sandia Mountains with my girlfriend and our dogs, owning my own home for the first time, stopping off at my food coop while cycling home from work, getting to spend time with some of my best friends from all over the world and, of course, I can't leave out that great roasted green chili aroma in the fall! If you want to see what my friends and I have been up to in the southwest and elsewhere, check out my flickr photo-share site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/benbuxton .
If you have any questions about UNM, ABQ, biking, etc, please feel free to email me at bbuxton@salud.unm.edu and I wish you the best of luck in finding the best residency fit for you!

Enrique Cifuentes

Hometown: Phoenix, Arizona
Undergraduate School: Regis College, Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
Medical School: U Autonoma de Guadalajara, Mexico
Professional Interests:
I was born in Tucson, Arizona and at the age of 4 my family moved to Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico where I grew up and later finished my pre-med requirements. Then I applied to BYU in Provo, Utah to study English, LDS church studies and computer studies. At that time I realized that I wanted to become a Physician and I was accepted in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. I did my internship in Sonora State General Hospital and Social service requirement in Poblado Miguel Aleman and Kino Bay, both rural areas in northern Mexico. There I performed multiple duties as a Primary care provider. That is when I knew that I wanted to spend my life as a Family Doctor- at that time I did not know that I was going to be accepted in a program ranked #2 in rural medicine in 2005!
Having an ambition to pursue a medical training in the U.S. after obtaining my medical license, I traveled to Miami, Florida then to Rutherford New Jersey to study and apply for residencies. While applying for a residency position I worked in Phoenix, Arizona in 2 urgent care clinics, as well as pediatrics and internal medicine clinics.
Living in the Southwest makes feel at home especially, with all the outdoor activities. I was told about the UNM-Residency program, came for an interview and I feel blessed to have been accepted in such an excellent training Hospital. I am very happy living in the land of enchantment and really recommend it. When I am not seeing patients, I like to play guitar, travel, appreciate art and watch both Foreign and American movies.

Maria DeArman

Hometown: Pecos, Texas
Undergraduate School: University of Houston
Medical School: University of Texas - San Antonio
Professional Interests:

Erick Huarcaya

Hometown: Lima, Peru
Undergraduate School: U Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Peru
Medical School: U Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Peru
Professional Interests:

I am originally from Lima, Peru, and I studied in the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia. As a member of the Scientific Society of Students, I begun to be involved in research very quickly, and with the help of a couple of grants, I continued this activity after medical school. Two awards in research let me win a scholarship to study for masters degree.
My first job as a physician in my country was in a poor rural area of farmers without running water or electricity, and I had to work mainly as a family doctor in the attention of children, adults, minor surgeries, deliveries, pre-natal care, and the national health programs of diarrhea, TB, and contraceptive care. It was that experience that really defined my future, and the one I would like to repeat with more knowledge and better skills.
The beautiful geography of New Mexico, the diversity of population, historic places, ancient traditions, and amazing mountains are things that make me remember my country, but what really made me decide to come to UNM was the sincerely friendly environment of the program.

Vanessa Jacobsohn
Chief Resident

Hometown: Williamstown, Massachusetts
Undergraduate School: Brown University, Providence, RI
Medical School: U Massachusetts Medical School
Professional Interests: Immigrant & International Health, HIV/AIDS
Born and raised in the small dairy/college town of Williamstown, MA, at the young age of seventeen I decided to venture out into the world. I managed to land in the mafia's nest. With Providence, RI, as my new home base, I took a year off from college to work and play...first in Senegal, then Ecuador, then a brief time in Russia. My dad was convinced that I'd decided to drop out of school, so I returned to Brown (plus I was heartsick for friends there and homesick for Del's frozen lemonade).
After graduating (dad breathed a sigh of relief) I went back to Ecuador for a two year stint in and around Cuenca, where I worked on health education and other community based projects. Through the years, my interest in health and social justice grew, and the international boundaries became entwined with the home ones. I went to UMass Med with the goal of making these interests the focus of my studies and future career. Woostah, MA, - though not the haven I found Providence to be (have you checked out Waterfire if you're from New England?)- proved itself to be a great community for social action both within and outside the medical school. My decision to come to UNM was a natural progression of my focus in health care, as the program offers ample flexibility and support for the pursuit of one's purpose in medicine.
And plus, this place is totally beautiful. Maybe lacking a little water, but the rest makes up for it.

Tienanh Pham

Medical School: Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine

Felisha Rohan-Minjares
Chief Resident

Hometown: Gallup, New Mexico
Undergraduate School: University of Notre Dame
(GO IRISH!)
Medical School: Stanford University School of Medicine (It's not as exciting to cheer for the tree)
Professional Interests: Latino health, indigent care, health politics
Hey, hey! I was born and raised in Gallup, NM, about two hours west of Albuquerque. Most of my family is still there. I left the state after high school and had a blast in college. I also loved living in California for medical school. But the heart strings were being pulled to come back to this Land of Enchantment, not only because my family is here but also because this is the state I truly want to serve. My husband, Amador Minjares, is originally from El Paso and is an anthropologist/archaeologist. I have a weakness for pop music and pearl milk tea. I try to play a few music instruments including the piano, guitar, and vihuela (the little guitar in mariachi groups.)
My interests in Family Medicine are still not totally defined. I love working with kids and I love working with geriatric populations. I'm also very interested in psychiatry and sleep medicine as well as cultural competency and health literacy. I want to figure out how to get involved in health politics at a state level here in New Mexico. In other words, I have a lot of interests that will hopefully open doors that will lead me down the correct path(s).

Trevor Rohm

Hometown: Athens, Ohio
Undergraduate School: Brigham Young University
Medical School: St. George's University, Granada
Professional Interests:
Trevor hails from sunny Southern California and is excited to be out of the smog and overcrowded cities he once called home. He is married and had 3 little ones to keep him busy. After completing a BS and MS in Computer Science at Brigham Young University, he attended St. George's University for his MD. He is interested in combining Family Medicine and Medical Informatics once residency is complete.

Jennifer Sparks

Hometown: Pensacola, Florida
Undergraduate School: University of West Florida
Medical School: U of S Florida School of Medicine
Professional Interests:

Sravanthi Vonguru

Hometown: Hyderabad, India
Undergraduate School: Stanley Girls Junior College, India
Medical School: Mahadevappa Rampure Medical College, India
Professional Interests:
I was born and brought up in southern India, and I love to eat Indian food. I think of myself as a friendly, traditional, jovial and hard working person- I believe in hard work rather than luck as the cause of success!
I always had hopes to pursue my higher education career in the U.S., and I fell in love with Albuquerque the day I interviewed at UNM. I am enjoying residency (though it can be hectic) and am very happy with the friendly atmosphere at UNM.

Laxmi Deepa Yerram

Hometown: Ahmedabad, India
Undergraduate School:
Medical School: BJ Medical College
Professional Interests:Community health, Preventive Care, Domestic Violence Issues

Hi, My name is Deepa Yerram. I was raised in Ahmedabad, a major city in western India. I attended medical school there and ended up in a surgical residency program. Though it was very much appealing because of the ‘Adrenaline rush’ which I craved, that residency left me unsatisfied, probably due to the lack of empathy in the program and teaching. I left that program after 2 years and moved to Sacramento, California in 2003 after getting married to a wonderful man, Bala. While considering the possibilities for a new career path, I stumbled upon the concept of Family Medicine (we don’t have it as a medical specialty in India.). I had always been interested in community medicine as a medical student and even tried to keep the interest up during my surgical residency period. The chance to really make a living out of doing something I loved thrilled me.
New Mexico came up as a natural choice because of the close similarities with the Indian health care needs. So here I am, in this enchanting Albuquerque, in a wonderful program with great people around. My special interests include working in a rural, underserved community, which stems from my experience in India, and working with elderly patients. I am pretty sure these interests are going to change with the progression of residency but I also believe that the basic desire to work with “the masses” will remain intact.
Currently I am busy exploring “the land of enchantment” with my dogs-Jake and Jenny and trying to understand and assimilate to the cultures and traditions of people here.
“Be still when you have nothing to say, when genuine passion moves you, say what you’ve got to say, and say it hot.” - D.H.Lawrence

2007-08 Second Year Residents - PGYII

Maryalse Adams Mercado

Maryalyse Adams Mercado

Hometown: Estes Park, Colorado
Undergraduate School: University of Denver
Medical School: University of Wisconsin School of Medicine & Public Health
Professional Interests: Integrative Medicine, International Health, Underserved Healthcare, Maternal Child Health

I am so happy to be back in the Southwest! While studying Spanish, French and art at the University Denver, I became interested in medical anthropology, international health, and the ever-growing need for bilingual healthcare providers...so I thought I'd give medical school a try. I started my pre-med classes at DU and finished up at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. I took some time off before starting medical school to work as an college admission counselor for Fort Lewis (which included lots of great recruiting trips to New Mexico) and as a clinical assistent in a hospital-based complementary medicine clinic in Madison, Wisconsin (taking out acupuncture needles for a physician acupuncturist and managing massage therapists...an incredible experience). I stayed in Madison for medical school, where I was involved with a wonderful longitudinal community service program (LOCUS), spent many rotations at community hospitals outside of the "the mad city," researched the use medicinal plants and offered basic health services in rural Guatemala and Ecuador, and had the opportunity to work with Dr. David Rakel and other family physicians trained in Integrative Medicine. Ever since conducting my undergraduate thesis research on the contemporary meaning of la Virgen de Guadalupe in Mexican-American culture in New Mexico, I've had the feeling that I needed to live in the Land of Enchantment. Needless to say, I was thrilled to interview with the Department of Family and Community Medicine here at UNM and be able to convince my husband, a native of Mexico City, that New Mexico would be a great next adventure (at least it's a lot closer to Mexico than is Wisconsin!). I am looking forward to serving a variety of patients in my clinic at South East Heights, becoming involved with some of the excellent community projects here, and expanding my international experiences with elective rotations in Mexico, Central America, and maybe even India during my 2nd and 3rd years. Hopefully, I'll make some great connections with a clinic along the U.S./Mexico border and be able to stay in New Mexico to fulfill my four year committment with the National Health Service Corps after finishing residency. In the meantime, I'll be doing my best to survive intern year, eat lots of green chile, learn a bit of Vietnamese, travel as often as possible, and have fun with my wonderful fellow residents...

Immanuel Amissah

Immanuel Amissah

Hometown: Axim, Ghana
Undergraduate school: University of Ghana
Medical School: St. Georges University
Professional interests: International medicine; adult medicine; maternal and child health, infectious disease and Procedures.

I have always had interest in the art of healing. I entered the University of Ghana in 1994, where I earned a Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition. In college, I participated in outreach programs organized by the school to educate the community on health-related issues such as the advantages of exclusive breastfeeding and healthy eating.
I came to the United States from Ghana in 2000, where I started working as an EMT in Los Angeles. Working as an EMT heightened my interest in medicine and exposed me to the direct impact that healthcare has on the lives of people.
Throughout medical school, I strove to become a well-rounded physician and a doctor who cares about families. I participated in “health fairs” organized by the school and also was a member of the emergency medicine club.
My long-term goal in the medical profession is to be involved in a residency program that provide an exceptional education in primary care, while at the same time maintaining some specialization options.

Matthew Caffrey Matthew Caffrey

Medical School: University of New Mexico School of Medicine

Agustine Chavez

Augustine Chavez

Medical School: University of New Mexico School of Medicine

Leena Cherukuri

Leena Cherukuri

Medical School: Osmania Medical College

Anne Christensen

Anne Christensen

Hometown: Moreno Valley, California
Undergrad: University of Southern California
Medical School: Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific

Since I was a young girl I have been fascinated by medicine and felt that it was a life direction I should pursue. I was greatly influenced by my uncle, a small city family physician in rural Nebraska, who was and continues to be an amazing physician and person. My journey through high school and college only confirmed my thoughts that I needed to pursue medicine. While in medical school, I met my wonderful husband and friend, Jasen, who currently is in his second year of psychiatry residency here in Albuquerque. We hope to someday practice along the far Northern coast of California. My current professional interests include Native American health, women’s health, international medical missions, and public health. Now that I have embarked on post-intern life I am more fully enjoying some of my non-medicine loves which include playing classical piano, being involved in our amazing church, cooking and baking, exploring New Mexico by car and foot (this state is awesome), and spending time with my dear husband and wonderful family and friends.

Lorene Garcia

Lorene Garcia

Medical School: University of New Mexico School of Medicine

Julie Harrigan

Julie Harrigan

Hometown: San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico
Undergraduate Education: Colegio Navarrette, Guaymas Sonora, Mexico
Medical Education: Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico

Hello all! I am a somewhat unconventional foreign medical graduate. Originally from Phoenix, Az, I moved to San Carlos, Mexico at the age of four and have lived in Mexico since then. My medical education started at a young age in Guadalajara, Jalisco and continued for four years… Furthering my education I proceeded to do an intern year in the northern part of Sonora. It was a year of little sleep, and lots of deliveries!
After completing my education and obtaining my medical license, I enrolled in a Social Service program and spent a year in a rural town (literally off the map) in the southern portion of Sonora and managed a small primary and urgent care clinic with a patient population of over 2,500 people. During that year I decided to improve services at the rural clinics and hospitals in the region; since my own clinic had so little materials for patient care, I went up to Arizona and solicited donations from Tucson Medical Center and oh boy! The materials and medical supplies donated from the medical center provided supplies enough for 13 clinics and 3 hospitals throughout the state of Sonora. It improved my practice and patient care…it was a fun and tough year and I have to say, my experience of practicing true rural medicine has been unforgettable!

During my rural clinic experience I decided that I wanted to further my education by doing a residency in the US and possibly expand my family medicine education by doing a maternal and child health specialty. I also met my husband some time around my decision process (who happens to be from Albuquerque! Nice coincidence!). So when I completed my year of rural medicine I decided to change countries once again and come back to the USA… returning to the US, I began the long and drawn out process of becoming a Family Medicine Resident at UNMH… I completed the USMLE requirements through the ECFMG (yucky process!) all the while working in many odd jobs including Spanish translator and geriatric home care. Then I met some great physicians UNMH and began to volunteer at various clinics. By the end of my second year in New Mexico, having completed all of my exam requirements, I was coordinating the Ketogenic Diet clinic and the Adult Cerebral Palsy clinic with the Center for Development and Disability at UNM and volunteering on the Bio-medical Ethics Committee. I also submitted proposal and participated in a study about the KGD, which is currently ongoing and awaiting completion. During the year prior to Residency I also worked as Medical Director of a new urgent care house call practice to learn better how our medical care system works.

Currently I am a new second year Family Medicine Resident. I am an active board member of the Make a Wish Foundation New Mexico and also a participant volunteer of the Bio-medical ethics committee for the hospital. So needless to say I keep myself busy… We have a wonderful program which allows you to be a great family physician while learning rural and community medicine! Hope to see you all here!

Jason Hefferman

Jason Heffernan

Medical School: Ross University

Allison Held

Allison Held

Medical School: New York University

After doing a year of OB/GYN residency here at UNM, I realized that Family Medicine was the right field for me and was fortunate that there happened to be a spot available here at this wonderful program! Some of the things I like most about being a Family Medicine resident here include the department's dedication to the underserved in our community and throughout New Mexico, flexibility in rotations to focus on my specific areas of interest listed above, and more than anything the interesting, diverse, and caring group of residents and faculty with whom I work.

After growing up in Minnesota and Wisconsin, I spent 7 years on the east coast with 4 years in NYC during medical school. I had a ton of fun exploring the city and enjoying what I love about it including diversity, art, music, food, and people watching. For residency I was looking for a more affordable, manageable, laid back city with better weather where I could enjoy my other love, the outdoors. It may be hard to believe, but even during my OB/GYN year I was able to explore Albuquerque and a variety of beautiful natural areas in this state. If interested in learning more about some of my favorite places or things to do in "Burque" or around NM, here's a list: hiking and mountain biking in the Sandia mountains (the beautiful range which forms the NE border of the city and peaks at 10678 feet), Mount Taylor, Santa Fe Baldy, hot springs in the Jemez, White Sands, weekends snowboarding in Durango, Wolf Creek, or Angel Fire, First Friday art gallery tours, salsa and jazz outdoor concerts at the Albuquerque Museum, The Launchpad and other venues for live music shows, and my favorite restaurants including Java Joe's, Crazy Fish, and Thai Orchid.

Work is important to me, but as you can tell I have many outside interests, and I look forward to creating a healthy balance between work and personal interests now that I'm done with intern rotations, and throughout my career in Family Medicine. New Mexico has turned out to be an ideal setting for my pursuits.

Brian Johnson

Brian Johnson

Medical School: University of Washington SOM

Hailing from the Great State of Washington, I'm ecstatic to finally be drying out in the Land of Enchantment. My wife, Laura, is relieved because my bad attitude has finally lifted (with the clouds) and the sun hasn't made me too cripsy (yet). Med school was at the UW where the department of Family Med instilled the values of patient advocacy and service to folks who need it most. An extended Family Medicine rotation in rural Idaho showed me that full spectrum practice was the direction I wanted to go, with rural and international work as goals for the future. Where we'll end up after this is hard to say, but Laura insists she's never moving out of our cute little adobe. I guess I'll need to forget the moss or find a wife-sized chisel.... Feel free to email with questions. I'd be happy to share thoughts about our great residency and this dynamite corner of the world.

Kimberlie Keller

Kimberlie Keller

Hometown: Marin county, CA
Undergraduate college: UC Santa Barbara
Medical School: Touro University, College of Osteopathic Medicine
Professional Interests: Community development, social justice, and global health.

When folks ask me where I am from, I usually say, “everywhere” then tell them I call home Marin county in the bay area of California. Occasionally, I will go through the list of states I have lived, Boston, MA, Virginia, Michigan, and California. And that was before college. I graduated from college in Santa Barbara, CA in 95, and decided to continue my “career” as a white water river guide. Each year I would raft on gorgeous rivers in Idaho, Utah, Colorado, Oregon and California, then in the off season move to new cities including Flagstaff, New Orleans, Santa Fe and San Diego. After about 4 years of this lifestyle I admitted I needed to start heading on a path towards a “real” career. I decided to start with massage school. I worked as a therapist for 5 years in the San Diego area. After about 3 years, I knew, once again it was time to move on. I had the opportunity to work with and for many types of practitioners including chiropractors, acupuncturists, orthopods, physical therapists and naturopaths. I enjoyed aspects of each of these but when I found osteopathy, I knew I had found my dream career. I decided to go to Touro located in the bay area, and finished in 2006. As you can tell, I like to take my time at making life decisions; in fact, I think sometimes life decides for me. But over the past few years, I have found the perfect career for me, and married my soul mate. I chose to come to New Mexico for residency because it is dually accredited for AOA and ACGME, it is a great broad spectrum program, and this area has all the things I love to do, such as; hike, mountain bike, climb, and live in a beautiful place that will support me through these challenging years. I hope to some day spend a few days a week doing mostly manipulation, and the other days working at a community clinic doing family practice with a focus on women’s health.

Patrick Moran

Patrick Moran

Hometown: Seattle, Washington
Undergraduate college: University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
Medical School: Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Professional Interests: Underserved medicine, community development, global health, and social justice.

I was born in Los Angeles, California, but at an early age my parents decided to escape the concrete jungles of LA and move to Seattle, Washington. I come from a large, tight-knit family (22 first cousins!) whose main cultural influences are from Quito, Ecuador, where my mom was born and raised.
Before medical school, I worked for five years in international health research and education; including stints with a Fogarty International program, in the Peace Corps, and in the University of Washington, School of Public Health. During this time, I lived and worked in small communities in sub-Saharan Africa, Caribbean islands, and in remote sectors of Central and South America.
My goals for the future involve full-spectrum rural medicine and international work. In particular, I am drawn to issues relating to migrant worker health, cultural competency, and the training of community health promoters.
My continuity clinic is part of the First Choice Community Health network that has helped to pioneer the “Health Commons” approach to primary care. We offer services with a sliding scale fee model that naturally attracts a variety of medically underserved patients, including seasonal workers. My current community projects include; evaluating and promoting nutrition in local schools; and a pilot study that evaluates a community-based model for the treatment of depressive symptoms in immigrant populations.
Please email with any questions about our residency program and about life in New Mexico!

Raechel Torres

Raechel Torres

Medical School: University of Hawaii

Johnny Woo

Johnny Woo

Medical School: Ross University

"Nothing great was ever achieved without persistence". This was one of Ralph Waldo Emerson's famous quotes, which I believe best describes my philosophy towards life. It points out the importance of having a positive and persistent mindset when achieving one's goals.
However, it is much easier to say that one will be persistent than to actually be so. Throughout my educational endeavors, my goal and dream of becoming a doctor was frequently put to the test. College classes, standardized tests, GPA’s, admissions offices, medical school classes, etc, etc.. I could go on and on about the many barriers and challenges! It sometimes took a big effort to remind myself to not give up and remain true to my dream.
Despite the above experiences that we all had, I did have an excellent opportunity to experience the variety of medical specialties during my clinical rotations. I kept an open mind about each field and I learned from each one. After my experiences, I decided that my dream in medicine was to “serve the masses,” ranging from little babies to the elderly. This is why I decided to pursue Family Medicine.
Family Medicine provides the chance to experience an atmosphere where one learns how to apply knowledge from a wide variety of medical disciplines, thereby improving patients' quality of life. I know that I can become an excellent Family Medicine Physician because it provides me with the satisfaction of providing quality health care to people from all walks of life, in all age ranges.
Through my experiences in clinical clerkships, volunteering in hospitals, as well as working in various private clinics I learned to provide quality patient care, and to always listen to the patient, no matter what a certain machine or laboratory test reads.
In conclusion, I look forward to long-term happiness and satisfaction in helping people through Family Medicine. Sophocles, an ancient Greek philosopher, summed up my passion the discipline best when he said: "Success, remember, is the reward of toil.”

2007-08 Family Medicine Interns, Albuquerque

Jesse Barnes

Medical School: University of Massachusetts

It was only a few months ago I was reading through these bios on different residency programs’ websites trying to decide where I thought I might fit in. So, while it’s tempting to borrow the character descriptions from http://www.chucknorrisfacts.com, I guess I’ll try and write something that would have been helpful to me at the time.

I grew up in Boston, MA, went to MIT for undergrad and then UMass Medical School. Interspersed in all that I found a way to spend a couple years working on various projects in Latin America; mostly Honduras, Mexico and Argentina. In Honduras I lived in Tegucigalpa and Trujillo, volunteered at a homeopathic clinic, helped a community organize against a gold mine polluting their water, and worked with several Garifuna villages on the north coast to strengthen their international solidarity network. In Mexico City I tested street tacos to see what bacteria they contained, and often ate the leftovers. In Argentina, where my longest and most recent trips have been, I’ve lived and worked with a community of unemployed workers outside Buenos Aires who are struggling to gain autonomy and self-sufficiency. In terms of health care, they’ve been building their own health center and training neighborhood health promoters.

I decided to come to UNM primarily because of the people I met our here: residents, faculty/staff, and community organizers with no direct connection to the hospital. I felt like it was a place where I would get top notch training, be connected to cutting edge public health projects, and have further opportunities to travel abroad. But, most importantly, I knew it was somewhere I would find other folks—both inside and outside the hospital—committed creating health care systems that are directly designed and governed by the communities they intend to serve.

Hope this was helpful. Good luck with applications; have a great 4th year.

Caitilin Chestnut

Hometown: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Undergraduate School: Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
Medical School: University of New Mexico School of Medicine
Professional Interests:

I was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico. My interest in a medical career began at Albuquerque High School, but my interests expanded during my time at Brown University where I majored in American Civilization. During my junior year in college, I lived and studied for five months in Nepal where I did research on a wonderful and interesting women’s development project. Following graduation from college, I worked in Rhode Island as a research assistant in psychiatry and psychology where I contributed to the development and testing of innovative treatments for depression. In 2003, I happily returned to the sunshine in New Mexico to attend medical school. I brought my husband, who is originally from Vermont, out west and now he loves New Mexico too. We enjoy camping, traveling, and spending time with friends and family. I also like to hike, read fiction, and garden.
I am very excited to be staying in New Mexico in family and community medicine. I love taking care of people at all stages of life and being present for so many of the most challenging and important moments. I am particularly interested in preventative medicine and how we can not only help individuals, but also families and communities promote health and wellness.

Jessica Chynoweth

Medical School: University of New Mexico

After completing my BS in Zoology at the University of Florida (Go Gators!!), I moved out to Albuquerque with my husband when he became employed at Intel as a software engineer. While I was finishing up pre-recs for med school and trying to establish my New Mexico residency, I worked here at the Cancer Research Facility researching oncogenes. We briefly moved away to the bay area and then came back to Albuquerque so I could attend University of New Mexico School of Medicine. I first realized that I wanted to be a Family Medicine physician during a rural preceptorship in Crownpoint, New Mexico on the Navajo reservation. It was an amazing experience living and working on the reservation. My professional goal is to become a full spectrum family physician in an underserved area. I love all areas of family medicine including obstetrics and performing procedures. I am also interested in public health and I hope to continue to work towards either my public health certificate or my MPH. I am really excited to be staying here at UNM for residency. The program is exactly what I was looking for when I was interviewing, a high quality full spectrum program that is strong in public health with wonderful residents and faculty. Outside of medicine, I love hiking, cycling, traveling, snowshoeing, gardening, and just about any other outdoor activity. I try to spend as much time as I can with my husband, Mike, and our rambunctious golden retriever, Tebow. During the season, I also enjoy watching college football particularly if the Gators are playing.

Deidre Dietz

Medical School: University of New Mexico

I grew up in Taos, New Mexico, a small town in the northern part of the state. When I was in high school I couldn’t wait for a change of scenery, so I went to California and attended Pitzer College in Claremont. I started out as a psychology major, but right away found myself taking biology classes “for fun” in addition to my social science courses, which is how I ended up with a major no one has ever heard of, Psychobiology. The summer between my third and fourth year at Pitzer, I joined a group of pre-med, pre-nursing, and public health students on a program in Costa Rica where I spent time in clinics and hospitals and decided medicine was where I was headed. I had an amazing four years in California, but soon figured out that New Mexico was really where my heart was. I missed the friendly mix of unique cultures, the beautiful landscape, and the delicious green chile. I moved back and finished up my pre-med requirements at UNM while working for the UNM Cancer Research and Treatment Center on a breast cancer research study. I was thrilled to get into UNM medical school. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to go into when I started, but when I did my third year family medicine rotation I knew it was a perfect fit for me. I am excited to be a new UNM Family Medicine resident. The faculty and residents here have been great people to work with. Outside of the hospital, I enjoy spending time with my husband Rob (an MD/PhD student who we will soon get to torture on the wards), being outdoors, hiking, and salsa dancing.

Heidi Finucane

Medical School: Indiana University SOM

My name is Heidi Schapker Finucane. I married my college sweetheart, Colin Finucane on Sept. 2, 2006 in Newburgh, IN, my hometown. My parents, Anthony and Nieva, still live in Newburgh, IN, and I have a brother, Peter, and a sister, Liesl. I attended University of Kentucky in Lexington, KY for my undergraduate degree in Biology with a Spanish minor and went to medical school at Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, IN. I have traveled abroad extensively (England, Ireland, France, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Canada, Bahamas, Grand Cayman Islands, Mexico, Honduras, Philippines) some for business but mostly for pleasure. I have put my spanish language skills to use in Spain, Mexico, and Honduras, mostly for medical mission trips during medical school. We just moved to Albuquerque from Cincinnati, OH, where my husband had been working for the last 2 years as an electrical engineer for Belcan. He is still working for them remotely, and he also plans on starting graduate school at UNM in the fall. He would like to obtain a PhD in electrical engineering. We have 2 pets, a black labrador retrieve mix named Emma and a blue prussian cat named Isis. Colin and I love Albuqueruqe because there are so many opportunities for us to pursue our hobbies. We like to go camping, hike, mountain bike, ski/snowboard (although we aren't very good yet), canoe, kayak (although we need some lessons), etc.; mostly, we like to be outdoors.

Kevin Henry

Medical School: University of New Mexico

Tasha Ludwick

Medical School: U of NE College of OM

Strong work on checking out the bios first….the most important thing for me was my future resident family so I hope you find what you are looking for. So about me… I was born in Boulder, CO…and though lovely, I had to see the real world as soon as possible so I moved to Oregon for college. Spent my time there some in classes, some dancing, and mostly traveling to and doing projects in Latin America, South Africa and Europe. At that time I was interested primarily in alternative medicine and was planning on applying to naturopathic schools only. However, while traveling and working with underserved populations in the US and abroad I realized I wouldn’t be able to access these populations as easy. Around this time I met a group of Osteopathic doctors that were practicing part family medicine and part osteopathic medicine (using manual manipulation in most of their visits with great success). I worked with them for a few months and felt as if I found a great balance. I took a year off before medical school and worked with a grass roots group in Kenya for 6 mo doing everthing from healthcare to agriculture. And then I was off to New England to live on the beach and learn medicine and osteopathic manipulation in Maine. I continued to travel as much as I could squezze in during school . For reisdency I was ready to move back west, and was looking for a program with great diversity, good training, a strong support for community medicine, and of course cool residents. Albuquerque has an amazingly diverse population and opportunities for community medicine are endless. One of the other drawing points of this program for me was that it offered duel AOA/ACGME credit which is hard to find in the west. I have been able to continue my practice as an Osteopath integrating manipulation when I can in clinic. They continue to support me in using my manipulation skills and when I pipe in during rounds that manipulation might help this case just for their fyi. DO’s feel free to email me with questions about the AOA part of our program. Good luck on your search can’t wait to meet all of you.

Jennifer Southard

Medical School: University of Colorado

I was born and raised outside of Denver, Colorado, so I grew up loving the mountains and the outdoors. I left Colorado for four years to attend Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where I competed as a Division 1 track and field athlete and also earned a Bachelor's of Science degree in Biochemical Engineering and a Master's of Science Degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry. I then returned home to the University of Colorado for medical school where I met (among other incredible friends) the man of my dreams whom I married at Zion National Park three weeks before begining residency. My husband, Drew, is an intern in the Emergency Medicine Program. We are extremely excited to be at UNM for residency and look forward to exploring the New Mexico outdoors on our time off. I'm interested in all aspects of family medicine and hope to one day work in a rural or underserved community.

Autumn Stevenson

Medical School: University of Arizona

Hi! If this is the first place you go on the website, searching out residencies, you’re like I was this time last year! I readily remember how confusing and uncertain the process of choosing a residency is, and I would be glad to help out any way I can. Email me at astevenson@salud.unm.edu with any questions or concerns, and I’ll get back to you as soon as the busy intern year schedule permits.

A little about me: I was born here in Albuquerque, but I have never lived here until now. I grew-up in a tiny town of about 7,000 people in southeastern Georgia. Then, off to college in New York City. Still, I am more of a desert rat than anything. I went to medical school at the University of Arizona in Tucson, and lived there teaching at a Montessori school and working at the Biosphere2 Center for the years between college and medical school. If I wasn’t a doc, I’d be a Montessori teacher, astronomer or field biologist. I love desert sunsets, hiking, camping, swimming, and just being outside. Inside, I like cooking, taking care of my plants, napping and listening to good music. My interests in medicine include full-spectrum family practice care, including advanced obstetrics (i.e. C-sections) & impatient medicine, pushing and advocating for nationalized-universal healthcare coverage, greatly limiting the influence of drug companies in our residency program and hospital as a whole, global & border health issues, the link between environment and health, and helping to maintain the supportive atmosphere that exists between fellow residents here at UNM. I chose this program for its excellent and high volume OB service, the opportunity to work in a severely underserved area/state, because I wanted to speak lots of Spanish with patients and their families, and the wonderful, warm hugs I got when I was leaving the informal resident dinner. If anything I’ve said strikes a cord with you, you may belong here. So, please keep us in mind – choosing a residency is really a process of “fit.” Best wishes!

Steven Stewart

Medical School: Ross University

Timothy Wilcox

Medical School: University of New Mexico

2007-08 Roswell 1+2 Program Interns

Erasto Gutierrez

Medical School: Ross University

Peter Jewell

Medical School: Ross University

Sridevi Kandula

Medical School: Jawaharlal Institute, India

Omar Khan

Hometown: Hyderabad, India.
Medical School: Deccan College of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, India.
Professional Interests: Geriatrics and Underserved healthcare.

Hello everyone! Just a little bit more about me. I hail from a beautiful, cosmopolitan city in India named Hyderabad. After completing my medical school there, I moved to Toronto, Canada with my wonderful wife, Sana and daughter, Alina. Being a new immigrant without any immediate family support was really tough, emotionally,financially and culturally. I worked my way up as a research associate while doing my licensing exams and before I realized, was a part of this enchanted land of New Mexico. For some reason beyond my comprehension, this place reminds me of home; it's probably the warm climatic conditions plus the warmth of the people that dwell in the community . I opted for a residency program in Family Medicine because I feel this is one speciality which gives one the right and balanced blend of professional and personal life. I want to specialize in Geriatrics and eventually be a part of underserved healthcare. I am thoroughly enjoying every bit of this experience as an intern at this splendid institution which has cultural diversity and a very friendly atmosphere. I want to take this opportunity to thank my wonderful parents, grandparents, my beautiful wife and doting daughter for all of their support and blessings during my struggle.

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep............" - Robert Frost.

2006-07 Santa Fe 1+2 Program Interns

Ali Azizi

Medical School: Texas A&M

Whether it was through my family’s adventurous immigration from Iran to the United States, my experience as a Peace Corps volunteer in Turkmenistan, or my work as an aid worker in post-war Afghanistan- traveling, living, and working in various countries has shaped who I am today. Naturally, I would like to work in developing countries in the future.
I was looking for a program that would give me the tools to do that, with full spectrum family medicine training. New Mexico with its mountains and deserts, its spiritual aura, and its unique mix of cultures was an immediate attraction. I enjoyed my fourth year rotation in Santa Fe and met some very dynamic physicians that I looked up to.
In my spare time I like to run, bicycle, or have a great dinner conversation with friends. I am looking forward to the experience of residency.

Julie Craig