People

Resident Profiles

2023-2024 Residents

R1s

Sanna Alas, MD, MPhil (she/her)

Hi everyone! My name is Sanna Alas (she/her), and I am a second generation Syrian-Chechen-American born and raised in Southern California. I went to college not too far from home at UCLA where I studied Comparative Literature and Human Biology. My love of finding connections between seemingly disparate fields lead me across the ocean to the University of Cambridge where I completed an MPhil in the History and Philosophy of Science and Medicine. Along the way, I had the privilege to support environmental justice and community gardening efforts in South Los Angeles and explore untold stories as a videographer with UCLA’s Healthy Campus Initiative— experiences which ultimately lead me to the practice of medicine.  I completed my medical training at Columbia Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons in NYC and decided to pursue Family Medicine because of its ability to transcend generational, disciplinary, and institutional divides to provide care and advocate for the underserved. I am now thrilled to be starting my next chapter in the Harborview Family Medicine track at the University of Washington and am grateful for the opportunity to learn from the community here in Seattle. My clinical interests include adolescent medicine, global health, environmental and climate justice, reproductive health and obstetrics, immigrant/refugee health, culinary medicine, and the medical humanities. Outside the classroom/clinic, you can find me behind the pottery wheel making wobbly (but spirited) pots, coaxing veggies (mostly tomatoes) out of any available soil, and accompanying my sister on a perpetual quest for the ultimate snack

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Karime Bolivar, MD (she/her)

I am so excited to join the UWFMR team! I was born in Maracay, Venezuela, but I have been blessed to call many places home, including Kansas and Arkansas. I’ve spent most of my life in Rogers, Arkansas, with my two younger brothers, a Yorkie named Brownie, and my parents. I attended the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, where I studied Chemistry, and later attended the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock. During medical school, I continued to develop my passion for serving underserved communities through LULAC and LMSA, where I learned about social determinants of health and how I could begin to address those as a student. Now I aim to develop into a physician who tackles the barriers in communication and culture that vulnerable patient populations encounter within the PNW. I’m excited to build my advocacy and mentorship skills while serving my community one step at a time. In my spare time outside of work, I enjoy reading – especially historical fiction and dystopian novels – and roller skating.

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Trevor Carver, DO (he/him)

Hi, my name is Trevor Carver and I was born and raised in Boulder, Colorado. I was fortunate enough to stay in Boulder for undergrad where I studied Integrative Physiology at the University of Colorado. During my time there, I was also a member of the University of Colorado Football Team. Although we had tough years while I was there, the future is bright for Buffs Football! After undergrad I spent a few years in Colorado performing research with the University of Colorado Sports Medicine and Performance Center before starting medical school at Rocky Vista University in Parker, Colorado. During medical school I found my interests in medicine are broad which has led me to seek a career as a rural family medicine physician. I also have a special interest in sports medicine which I hope to make part of my practice in the future. Outside of academics, I am an avid outdoorsman partaking in sports such as skiing, fly fishing, mountain biking, camping, hiking, etc. If it’s outdoors, you’ll likely find me there! I am excited for the opportunity to train at the University of Washington and look forward to the years ahead within the rural training track.

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Robert Hall, MD (he/him)

As someone who grew up in Kent, WA and earned both my undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Washington, I am excited to continue my residency training here. I am Tlingit and dedicated to Indigenous healthcare justice. As an Indian Health Service scholar and lifelong teacher, my goal is to make primary care more equitable, accessible, and community-engaged. Before medical school, I served in the Peace Corps (Morocco) and learned how to speak terrible Arabic. Some of my favorite things to do include filmmaking and photography, video games, and traveling and exploring new places with my partner. In addition, I am passionate about water sovereignty

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Natalie Honan, MD (she/her)

My name is Natalie (she/her) and I am so excited to join the UWFMR community! I grew up in The Valley of the Sun (AKA Phoenix, Arizona) and completed a major in Human Biology at Pitzer College at The Claremont Colleges. After graduation, I spent a few years working as a science teacher, abroad in Galicia, Spain as a Fulbright Scholar, and stateside in Atlanta, Georgia. I continued on to the Medical College of Wisconsin, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where I was involved in inclusive sex education advocacy work, on leadership for White Coats 4 Black Lives and Wilderness Medical Society, and within the medical humanities department, as a storyteller and visual artist. My short time teaching affirmed my interest in accessible and inclusive health education, as well as working with and learning from young people. I’m also excited about the intersection of art and medicine, particularly creating zines and other illustrated resources for patients and fellow learners. My special interests within family medicine include adolescent medicine, addiction medicine, LGBTQ+ health, and health equity. Outside of clinic, I might be found playing soccer, baking bread, making art, bicycling with my partner and our sweet dog (E.T. style), or swimming in big lakes! 

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Aishwarya Iyer, MD MPH (she/her)

Hi, y’all! My name is Aishwarya Iyer (she/her) and I’m so excited to be joining UW Family Medicine. I am a child of immigrants and grew up in many places, from California to Illinois to Massachusetts, before settling in Texas. I’m thrilled to call the PNW home these next few years! I majored in Biology at the University of Texas at Dallas and did medical school at UT Southwestern, where I discovered a passion for public health conducting community-based participatory research on preferences for contraceptive care among patients seeking abortion. Between my third and fourth years of med school, I spent two years living and learning in Atlanta, where I graduated with a Master of Public Health from Emory University and had the opportunity to do qualitative, policy-focused research on the impact of the Global Gag Rule in Malawi. Both of these experiences really cemented my interest in making scholarly work an ongoing part of my career. I found myself gravitating towards family medicine based on my desire to see medicine through a public health and social justice lens, form lasting relationships with my patients, and provide holistic, patient-centered care. I also have many areas of interest (another reason I chose family medicine!), including reproductive health, abortion care, palliative care, advocacy, narrative medicine, research, and mentorship. Outside of medicine, I find joy in exploring new neighborhoods and visiting local coffee shops (so excited to explore this part of Seattle!), being a foodie, working out, existing by bodies of water, and reading novels.

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Nick LeMire, MD (he/him)

Hello! Nick LeMire here, and I am thrilled to be joining the UW community. I grew up in the better half of Michigan, the beautiful Upper Peninsula, and stayed to study at Northern Michigan University to obtain my undergrad degree in physiology. During my time there, I immersed myself in the humanities and was able to co-create a group aimed to dismantle gender stereotypes and toxic masculinity. Alongside this, I got acquainted with the health care system working as a care aide. I became aware of each individual role and gained an early understanding of how to care for our patients and their families as a team. From here, I went on to medical school at Michigan State University and was a part of their Rural Physician Program, which gave me the rich experience of serving a number of rural towns in the U.P. This, along with my global health experiences, helped me understand the skill set required to meet the needs of underserved and rural populations. Most importantly, I saw what a Family Medicine Physician can become and the impact they can have on a small community. I am grateful for being able to continue my rural journey toward becoming a full-spectrum Family Medicine Physician with the Chelan RTT family. My current interests within medicine include community medicine, lifestyle medicine, addiction medicine, global health, and advocacy. Outside of medicine, I enjoy hiking, camping, rock climbing, and learning the art of homesteading with my partner Alexis and our two cats, Peaches & Mango. Can’t wait to explore the PNW! 

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Khanh Luong, MD, MPH (she/her)

Hi everyone! I’m Khanh Luong (she/they), and I was born in the bustling city of Saigon where I spent much of my time at my family’s pho restaurant. I moved to North Carolina during high school, and my family’s interactions as immigrants with the US healthcare system largely influenced my decision to study medicine with a focus on family and community health. While at Davidson College (where Steph Curry studied sociology), I had an incredible opportunity to research abortion care in my birth city. This experience returning to Vietnam, as well as spending time volunteering in Ecuador and Honduras, opened my eyes to the state of health and healthcare disparities around the world. During my time at UNC for medical school, I had the immense privilege of taking care of underserved patients across rural and urban settings. Coming to UW for residency, I plan to further my passions for full-spectrum family medicine, global primary care, refugee/immigrant health, integrative medicine, improving cultural and language-concordant care, and diversifying the medical workforce. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my wonderful partner, cat, and loved ones. I look forward to exploring the incredible nature of the PNW, running, and sharing home cooked meals with new friends.

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Kevin McCawley, MD, MBA (he/him)

Hello!! My name is Kevin McCawley and I am so very grateful to find myself among the brilliant and welcoming community of UW’s Family Medicine Residency Program. Unsurprisingly, as one goes through medical training, the question of, “Why medicine?” comes up rather frequently. Despite the repetition, this dang question still catches me off guard. Medicine, I feel, is almost too intertwined of a concept (with art, nature, community, science, inequity, and justice, among other things) to possibly tease out as a singular concept. In my eyes, there is a bit of “medicine” in each facet of our lives. And so my answer to “why medicine” isn’t particularly succinct or sharply defined, but is rather a summation of my desire to listen and engage, to celebrate and comfort, to provide safety, create art and enact change within my community.  I’m training at the University of Washington to become an everywhere-and-anywhere doctor. I plan to practice both locally in the PNW and globally in places where medical care is needed even more greatly: environs like refugee camps and equatorially as climate change elicits new health problems for those who have contributed to it least. I’m also fervently interested in the future of primary care. I hope to contribute to research and policy that heralds AI into the world of medicine, and that promotes skilled providers like NPs and PAs to increase the reach of primary, preventative healthcare for patients everywhere.  

Cheers, until we meet! 

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Emily J. Smith, MD (she/her)

Hello! My name is Emily, but you can call me EJ. I grew up in the suburbs of Detroit and studied neuroscience at the University of Michigan. After undergrad, I worked as a case manager for families experiencing homelessness due to intimate partner violence and became passionate about providing empathetic care to trauma survivors. In my medical training at Central Michigan University, I led the Street Medicine program and coordinated free mobile healthcare for those living on the streets and in shelters and collaborated with the local health department and federally qualified health centers to provide wraparound, community-engaged care. My interest in community medicine and violence prevention also led me to initiate research related to sexual coercion and intimate partner homicide. Some of my clinical interests include public health, trauma and adverse childhood experiences, weight inclusive care, and reproductive justice. Outside of the hospital, you’ll find me painting while watching Bob Ross, searching for the best karaoke spot in town, and hiking. I couldn’t be more excited to start my journey in Seattle and explore the beautiful Pacific Northwest!  

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R2s

Lucia Carbajal, MD (she/her)

Hi y’all! I couldn’t be more excited or proud to be part of the UWFMR and Chelan RTT family! I grew up in a tiny Idaho town called Weiser (same pronunciation as the band, not the beer) and grew up fishing, camping, thunderegg hunting – all the things that make rural living fun. I ventured to ASU to study Biochemistry and Psychology, and though I loved Phoenix I was so excited to return home as an Idaho WWAMI student through UW for med school. As a daughter of Mexican immigrants living in rural America, I was in a unique position to witness first-hand the health disparities that exist in rural and underserved communities, especially among the Latinx community. Being a native Spanish-speaker, I became passionate about training to fill this particular gap and joined the Targeted Rural and Underserved Track at UW, providing me the opportunity to learned from wonderful providers all across the WWAMI region. My goal is to be able to provide rural full-spectrum family medicine, with particular interests in reproductive health including surgical OB and abortion care, adolescent medicine, LGBTQ+/transgender care, addiction medicine, and immigrant/refugee health. Outside of medicine, my favorite things to do are running, hiking, spending sunny days by a body of water, listening to true crime podcasts and fantasizing about having a second career as a detective, and reading while sipping coffee. 

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Madie Gore, MD (she/her)

Hi, friends! My name is Madie Gore, and I am beyond thankful to be a part of the UW family medicine team. I grew up in the suburbs of Minnesota and am the oldest of four kids. I grew up loving to swim, act in musicals and plays, and sing. I received my undergraduate degree at the University of Wisconsin – Madison with majors in Molecular Biology and Theatre & Drama. I went on to attend medical school at Loyola University of Chicago in Maywood, IL where I spent time working to increase community access to care at Loyola’s family medicine clinic during the start of COVID and teaching drama classes with a nonprofit organization in the community that provides free and reduced price arts classes for kids. Teaching drama has had a great impact on me and is where I grew a passion for working with kids and adolescents. In medicine, I am especially interested in gender-affirming care, full-spectrum reproductive health including abortion care, adolescent and pediatric care, and advocacy. Beyond medicine, I am new to the area so I’ve loved finding beautiful hiking trails around Seattle (and would love recommendations!), barre/pilates, reading books at coffee shops with my husband, and baking bread at home with our cat, Sesame.

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Jasper Kennedy, MD (they/them)

Hey y’all! I’m Jasper (they/them). I grew up in a small town in north Alabama and spent roughly the last decade in Birmingham, Alabama. I studied biology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and then worked for several years at a local HIV services organization doing advocacy on the state and local level on comprehensive sexual health education and the rights of LGBTQ students. I returned to UAB for medical school, where I was involved in a variety of research projects on transgender health. I am passionate about the possibilities of harm reduction, prison abolition, and body liberation to heal our communities. My clinical interests include gender-affirming care, medications for opioid use disorder, respectful care for people of all sizes, and full spectrum reproductive care, including abortion. I enjoy writing poetry and have had several pieces published in Screen Door Review, Rogue Agent, The New Southern Fugitives, beestung, and others. Any given golden weekend, you can find me foraging, reading the latest queer science fiction, or snuggling my two cats in a blanket cocoon.

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Alec Kurtz, MD (he/him)

Hello Everyone! I’m Alec (He/Him).  I was lucky to grow up in Tacoma, WA and have access to all the beauty of this state from kayaking in the Puget Sound, to backpacking on Rainier, cross country skiing in the Cascades and swimming in the Columbia.  I was ready for a new adventure and went to college at UC Berkeley, Go Bears, where I studied Integrative Biology and wine grape pathogens, continued my passion for pottery, worked in Sports Medicine and met my partner who I fortunately Couple’s Matched with.  Before medical school I worked in sports rehabilitation in Seattle where I solidified my love for movement and the notion that all people are athletes in their own ventures.  I then made my way to Albany Medical College in Upstate New York where I was the President of my class for four years and served to integrate comprehensive wellness, mentorship and environmental justice into the curriculum.  Through this, I discovered a newfound passion for the broad scope of family medicine and its emphasis on a holistic approach to medical care.  My current medical interests include Sports Medicine, Geriatrics, Integrative Medicine, and full spectrum family medicine. On my days off you’ll find me paddleboarding, cycling, hiking, cooking for my partner, and eating just about any vegan treat I can find. 

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Hannah McKenna, MD (she/her)

Oh hey, everybody! I’m Hannah McKenna (she/her). I grew up in the suburbs of Federal Way, Washington before venturing out to the Midwest, where I studied psychology at The University of Chicago and completed a post-baccalaureate premedical program at Washington University in St. Louis. Prior to attending medical school at the University of Washington, my professional experiences involved health advocacy and engagement in the non-profit sector to patient care and clinical research for patients living with Alzheimer’s dementia. Halfway through medical school, I spent time in San Francisco working in early phase clinical trials to help broaden treatment options for cancer patients with advanced solid tumors. Though my experiences in health and medicine have varied widely, they are all firmly rooted in the belief that honest and open communication between patient and physician paves the way for patient education, empowerment, and quality care. I’m beyond thrilled to be back in Seattle as I begin the next stage of my training in family medicine and continue to explore my clinical interests in pediatrics, palliative care, and advocacy. When I’m not rocking those sweet baby blue scrubs, you can find me chasing fine dining destinations and craft cocktail bars in the Seattle area or taking home yet another plant baby to add to my urban jungle

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Tessa Moore, MD (she/her)

Hello everyone! I am Tessa Moore and I’m beyond excited to be part of the UWFM Chelan RTT residency program. I grew up in a small town in northeastern Washington (shout out to Colville) and from an early age fell in love with the wide open spaces and immense support of my rural community. I ventured out to the bay area for undergrad, studying biology, and then eagerly came back to Washington to work on rural health disparity research at the UW. Through this work I grew to more fully understand the complex factors affecting the health and happiness of folks living in rural or underserved areas, which further solidified my desire to pursue a career in rural family medicine. I was lucky enough to attend medical school at the UW and be a part of the Targeted Rural Underserved Track. This allowed me to longitudinally work in Port Townsend WA throughout medical school, and learn from incredible full-scope rural providers and their equally incredible patients. As a Chelan RTT resident, I am super  stoked to move out to Chelan next summer and continue this amazing journey of becoming a full-scope rural family doc! Outside of medicine I enjoy mountain biking, rock climbing, picnicking, hanging with my husband and dog, and sleeping.

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Reise Sample, MD (she/her)

Hello everyone! I’m Reise Sample. I’m from the suburbs of Detroit and attended BGSU in Ohio for undergrad, where I earned a BFA in Creative Writing. As a first-gen college student, I became interested in the ways that systems facilitate or create barriers to opportunities for people to survive and thrive, and I trained as a community organizer in AmeriCorps. After college, I joined the Peace Corps and worked for two years in a small community in Togo, West Africa. That community’s passion for advancing health equity and access was infectious: I fell in love with medicine and the transformative power of primary care. I went to Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, NY, and my experiences working with our free clinic and the amazing family docs in that community cemented my path in family medicine. I am so excited to train as a family physician in Washington State – I lived here after the Peace Corps and have been trying to get back to the mountains and Sound ever since! My clinical interests include reproductive justice, global health, infectious disease, and redistributive justice in medicine. Outside of medicine, I love hiking, photography, travel, birding, foraging, and spending time with my partner and our chatty 8-year-old cat.

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Ivy Sandquist, MD (she/her)

Hi there! I am Ivy (she/her).  I am excited by family medicine because it allows me to advocate for my patients and view medical care in the context of the whole person. I was born in Walla Walla, Washington but mostly grew up in the West Indies in the Caribbean and in southern Louisiana.  I went to college at the University of Chicago where I majored in Biology and Human Rights and then returned to New Orleans for medical school at Tulane University School of Medicine. I am glad to be back in the Northwest for residency where I can be closer to family and hopefully put down roots so I can grow relationships with my patients over many years as well as get to do the fun outdoor activities I love including hiking, camping, and swimming in beautiful lakes! As a Family Medicine physician, I strive to practice inclusive, equity focused full spectrum adult, pediatric, and obstetrical care. I am passionate about reproductive healthcare including prenatal, family planning, and gender-affirming care. I believe that individuals know the most about their bodies and deserve to be the final decision maker about their bodies. To support this goal, I am always working to practice patient-centered, holistic medicine in a trauma informed context, and I am excited to grow and learn at UW from some amazing physicians with similar goals!

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Jenny Tiskus, MD (she/her)

Jenny Tiskus is a Family Medicine physician who welcomes patients of all sizes, ages, genders, and states of health to her practice.  She has a special interest in reproductive justice, queer health, post-menopausal sexual wellness, and addiction medicine.  Dr. Jenny believes all bodies are good bodies and strives to practice medicine that never shames patients for their body or weight (body positive/size inclusive). She is from the Salish and Kootenai Reservation in Montana. She enjoys trail running with her sweet old dog and reading fiction. 

 

 

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Jimmy Yoder, MD (he/him)

Hi everyone, I’m Jimmy Yoder (he/him)! I grew up in Marietta, Georgia and attended Stanford University for undergrad where I majored in Human Biology. While at Stanford, I had the unique opportunity to swim at the NCAA level while being surrounded by so many other uniquely talented individuals. I made my way to New York City for medical school at Weill Cornell, which provided me with the rich experience of training throughout the different boroughs. My extracurricular work was focused on substance use disorders, and I co-initiated a student-run free clinic providing wound care for people who inject drugs. Furthermore, I was inspired by both my mentors who practiced comprehensive Family Medicine in the biggest city in the US and the patients who thoroughly enjoyed having a medical home to pursue a career in Family Medicine. I’m now balancing out my trip around the US by excitedly moving to the PNW with the goal of training to become a well-rounded family doc. My interests within medicine include community medicine, addiction medicine, advocacy, and pediatrics. Outside of medicine, I enjoy rock climbing, trail running, and making homemade pizzas.

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R3s

Matthew Acosta, MD (he/him)

Hi, my name is Matt Acosta. I grew up in Frelinghuysen, NJ and earned a Chemistry degree with a minor in theatre at Binghamton University. I started my career in the medical field volunteering with the town EMS squad and continued EMS volunteering through college. Over the years I’ve accrued many interests and enjoy anything outdoors oriented, snowboard regularly, play guitar and occasional video games. I attended medical school at SUNY Downstate in Brooklyn, NY where I started an outreach group for the local unsheltered population. My wife and I decided to start our careers in the PNW after taking a road trip through the 48 contiguous states and realizing that once we arrived in Washington we felt at home. My medical interests are wide and varied and I hope to learn as much as possible to be of service to rural communities. I’m looking forward to getting to know my patients and train with the UW family.

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Ivonne Beltran, MD (she/her)

I am excited to be part of the UW family medicine team! I am originally from Bogota, Colombia, but I have the privilege to call multiple states home. I mostly grew up in Georgia (Atlanta and its suburbs) where I learned all about Southern hospitality and where I studied Psychology at Kennesaw State University. I made my way to the Windy City to attend medical school at the Loyola University Chicago where I experienced deep-dish pizza and runs by Lake Michigan. Now that I am in Seattle, I am enjoying the various neighborhood vibes and the breathtaking views when I hike the PNW terrain. Being undocumented for most of my life and now a DACA recipient paved my interesting and non-traditional journey into medicine which I love to share. This journey taught me about social determinants of health, my passion for addressing them, and about the power of mentorship and community. I look forward to providing healthcare to the vulnerable populations of the Seattle area and to participating in regional efforts to strengthen the pipeline for under-represented minorities in medicine. A few of my favorite activities include spending time with friends, anything that has to do with food and wine, and fun workouts!

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Esta Lai, MD (she/her)

Hello! My name is Esta Lai and I was born in Canada and moved to Hawaii when I was twelve. I studied Biology and Society at Cornell University and then did a gap year working at Project HorseShoe Farm, a nonprofit health care organization, in Greensboro Alabama. I returned to Hawaii for medical school and attended the John A. Burns School of Medicine. My love for family medicine was spurred on by my experiences working with varied populations in terms of age, geography, and socioeconomic status. I knew that I wanted to be able to serve as diverse of a group as possible and family medicine provided me the tools to do so. I am so excited to be training at the University of Washington and look forward to soaking up all that the Pacific Northwest has to offer.

 

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John Leatherman, MD (John/John’s)

I was born on local Bainbridge Island, and studied at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma for my undergrad, where aside from my Biology major I enjoyed immersing myself in the humanities and working as a wilderness ranger at Olympic National Park during the summer. After college, I was a science teacher for 3 years in rural Burkina Faso and Guinea in West Africa. This time in smaller communities sparked my interest in family medicine upon starting medical school at the University of Washington. I’m excited to be training in the Chelan RTT program where I can learn the rural full spectrum model with strong community involvement that I foresee wanting to practice in the future. Outside of medicine, I enjoy reading as widely as I can, learning other languages (especially have devoted time to French/Spanish/Turkish), travel, running, weightlifting, backpacking, mountaineering, and rock climbing.

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Christine Luu, MD (she/her)

Hi everyone! My name is Christine, and I was born and raised in the Seattle area. I love it here and am excited to serve this community as part of University of Washington Family Medicine Residency. I attended UW for my undergraduate degree in microbiology and later my medical degree. In between college and medical school, I worked as a patient care coordinator at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, addressing barriers to accessing care by arranging medical interpreters, connecting patients to financial counseling, and organizing local housing. During medical school, I completed the Rural Underserved Opportunities Program with International Community Health Services, investigating barriers to early diagnosis and treatment in children with autism spectrum disorder. I am excited to be a family medicine physician because this field offers us a unique position to address health disparities and be effective patient advocates. I also love having the opportunity to get to know patients and work with them over time, while applying a holistic approach to providing care. A few of my medical interests include preventative care, reproductive health, addiction medicine, and caring for underserved populations. In my free time, I enjoy running, hiking, traveling, yoga, and drinking coffee (I was a barista for four years!).

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Desirae Martinez, MD (she/her)

My name is Desirae Martinez (call me Des), a fourth-generation mestiza and first-generation college graduate born and raised in the Mile High City (Denver, CO). I grew up fishing in the Rocky Mountains, playing competitive basketball, and eating homemade tamales. Enticed by its unique Block Plan, I attended Colorado College, where I studied Mathemagics and Feminist & Gender Studies (two totally related subjects). My MD dream started after participating in a summer pipeline program (at the University of Washington!) and volunteering at the nearby Planned Parenthood in college. After graduation, I taught 6th– and 9th–grade math for AmeriCorps in Denver and English language classes in La Rioja (wine country), Spain. After returning home, I gained more clinical skills in Mental Health and Integrative Medicine before starting medical school at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. There, I was a member of the Urban Underserved Track, co-led my school’s SNMA chapter, spearheaded a mentoring program for first-generation medical students, and found my home away from home at the Seniors Clinic (the Geriatric Medicine clinic on campus). I chose Family Medicine for many reasons, some of which are connecting with people from all stages of life, embodying holistic primary care, and taking part in an ever-evolving counterculture. My medical interests include Integrative Medicine, Geriatric Medicine, LGBTQ+ health, teaching and mentoring, and caring for the underserved. In my oh-so-precious free time, I enjoy watching the Denver Nuggets (Jokic for MVP!), reading (historical) fiction, soaking up the sun after rollerblading in the park (in that order), mastering sous chef skills in the kitchen with my partner, and pretending that I run for fun. I am thrilled to begin the next stage of my training at the University of Washington Family Medicine Residency Program, Harborview Track.

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Nicolle Siegart, MD (they/them)

Hello! My name is Nicolle Siegart (they/them). With roots in New York, I grew up mostly in the beautiful mountains of New Hampshire. I became interested in community health while working for the Worcester (MA) Department of Public Health in college. I moved to Queens, NY and later attended SUNY Downstate College of Medicine in Brooklyn in the Health Equity Advocacy and Leadership pathway, where I connected with other students interested in equity and social justice in healthcare. With the support of our mentors, fellow students and I organized the first annual Social Justice in Health conference, a community-facing conference aimed at connecting healthcare professionals, community members, and grassroots organizers around a theme: community violence and transformative justice. The lessons learned from our conference came to the forefront of an institutional conversation about racism in medicine later that year.I worked on an interdisciplinary Social Justice Workgroup aimed at radically analyzing and restructuring our medical school curriculum to be anti-oppression centered. I applied to Family Medicine because of its long history of advocacy and driving change in the accessibility of primary care services. I’m thrilled to be at UW where much of this change is happening, and to continue this process of learning and finding my voice as an advocate. My interests are in academic medicine and health equity, and I hope to be a full spectrum provider with a focus on queer health and gender affirming care.

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Paula Trepman, MD MPH (she/her)

Paula Trepman, MD, MPH is a resident physician in family medicine who specializes in comprehensive primary care for all people, including newborns, children, adolescents, and adults. Her clinical interests include women’s and reproductive health services, prenatal/obstetrical care, LBGTQ care, preventative medicine, weight loss management, pediatrics and adolescent medicine, refugee health, thyroid disease, travel medicine, and integrative medicine. She also provides care for patients with Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19.
She provides holistic care in the context of a patient’s family and community and values shared decision-making and a multidisciplinary approach to care.
In her free time, Dr. Trepman enjoys dancing, playing violin, traveling, cooking, reading, and spending time with her family.

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Amanda Valdes, MD (she/her)

Hola! My name is Amanda Valdes and I’m a shiny new intern at UWFMR! I’m Cuban-American and originally grew up in Miami, FL for most of my life. I met my husband in undergraduate school in Miami

and finished my Bachelor’s degree at the University of Utah. I was an assistant academic researcher studying cone snail venom and their potential to treat pain at The University of Utah’s Department of Biochemistry for 3 years before going off to medical school at Ross University School of Medicine in the Fall of 2016. My husband and I currently reside in Bakersfield, CA and have been here for 2 years where I’ve recently completed my clinical years of medical school. It’s safe to say I consider both coasts home! We have since been exploring the beauty of Central California before making our way up Northern CA, along the Oregon Coast and finally to the Emerald City. My current academic areas of interest include obstetrics, postpartum health, women’s/reproductive health, abortion care and family planning. Research also holds a special place in my heart and I hope to make great strides at UW! Outside of medicine, you can find me spending time with my husband and daughter exploring parks and hiking trails, playing gin rummy with my family, reading fiction, salsa dancing, and teaching my sassy Bengal cat new tricks!

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Katherine Wainwright, MD (she/her)

With roots in Pennsylvania, New York, and North Carolina, Katherine made a big move in coming out to Washington for her training. She studied Math in undergrad at Duke and played lacrosse for the Blue Devils before she moved on to earn her MSc at Boston University. She then worked for a few years in college ministry in North Carolina before earning her MD at Wake Forest. She values promoting wellness in her patients and communities, public health, and practicing evidenced-based medicine. Her specific interests are in sports medicine, serving Spanish-speaking patients, obstetrics, and pediatric and newborn care. In her free time, she loves cooking, running, biking, skiing, sporting, exploring the PNW mountains, and hosting friends with her husband

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2022-2023 Chief Resident 

Matt Baer, MD (he/him)

Born and raised in Tacoma, WA, I have always loved the Pacific Northwest and am humbled by the opportunity to serve this community. My college studies took me to University of Portland where I studied Biochemistry, climbed as many Cascade volcanoes as I could, and volunteered my time in hospice care and aiding single mothers who were homeless. Between college and medical school, I worked as a test prep teacher. I attended medical school through Creighton University School of Medicine in Omaha, NE and in their regional campus located in Phoenix, AZ. Throughout my training, I regularly worked in free clinics focused on care for the underserved and worked to develop wellness-focused curricula. I plan to continue working on expanding access to high quality healthcare, practice full-spectrum family medicine, and care for my patients with empathy and compassion. When I have free time, I’ll be outdoors enjoying the wild beauty this land offers. I am looking forward to getting back into the mountains, rivers, and lakes which dominate this beautiful land we call home.

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Faculty Profiles

 

Paul James, MD (Chair of Family Medicine)

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Paul James, MD, attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he received his baccalaureate and medical degrees. He completed his Family Medicine residency training at the University of Virginia Hospitals in Charlottesville, Virginia then practiced family medicine in rural eastern North Carolina. Dr. James was recruited to SUNY at Buffalo, NY in 1992 where he completed a faculty development fellowship in Rural Health. While there, Dr. James began the Upstate NY practice-based research network (PBRN called UNYNET) and studied adherence to guidelines in primary care practices. He also conducted studies on ambulatory medical education instructional quality using the MedEd IQ instrument. In 2001, Dr. James was recruited to Iowa as the first Iowa Academy of Family Physicians Endowed Chair in Rural Medicine. He founded the Iowa Research Network (IRENE), a PBRN of Iowa family physicians. In 2005 he became Chairman/Executive Officer of the Department. In 2010, Dr James was named the Donald J and Anna M Ottilie Endowed Chair of Family Medicine. Dr. James joined the University of Washington as Chair of the UW Department of Family Medicine in 2017.
Dr. James is a well-regarded expert in rural medicine, ambulatory medical education, measurement of health care quality for patients with cardiovascular diseases and team-based care through pharmacist-physician collaboration. He is the recipient of numerous teaching awards, two international research awards, and grant funding from the National Board of Medical Examiners, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Nationally, he has served as Co-chair of the Eighth Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Pressure; Chair of the Association of Departments of Family Medicine (ADFM) Research Development Committee, President and Chairman of the Board for ADFM.

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Morhaf Al Achkar, MD, PhD, MSCR, FAAFP

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Morhaf Al Achkar, MD, PhD, MSCR, FAAFP, is an assistant professor in the departments of Family Medicine at the University of Washington. He completed his medical degree at Aleppo University in Syria in 2006. He finished his residency training at Florida Hospital in Orlando in 2012. Before joining the UW, he was a residency faculty at the Indiana University for almost five years. He has a master science in clinical research. He is a family physician providing full spectrum outpatient primary care. He is also a researcher conducting qualitative research studies on the experiences of patients with lung cancer and patients with chronic pain. In 2018, he completed his PhD in Education and his new focus is brining critical dialogues and reflections to the learning space and to patient care in order to better understand the lived experience of illness. Outside work, he enjoys reading philosophy, writing, volunteering, and spending time with family.

Interest: Critical social theory, doctor-patient dialogues and reflections, evidence-based medicine, theories of research, education theories, qualitative research methodology, and using video-recording in medical education.

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Chris Behrens, MD (Harborview Family Medicine Clinic Medical Director)

Dr. Behrens is a Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine with joint appointments in the Departments of Global Health and Medicine/Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of Washington. He has been providing HIV- and TB-focused technical assistance to multiple countries in Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, South America and the Caribbean region.
Dr. Behrens obtained a BA in Political Science at Stanford University and his medical degree from the University of California – San Francisco. He is board certified in Family Medicine.

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Ian Bennett, MD, PhD

Ian Bennett MD PhD, a physician scientist, is a professor in the departments of Family Medicine and Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at the University of Washington. He is a family physician providing full spectrum primary care including obstetric, pediatric and general adult health care. He also conducts health services research focusing on the implementation of evidence based care models for perinatal depression. He is the primary investigator or co-investigator of multiple grants funded by the National Institutes of Health as well as foundations to investigate perinatal depression care in low income and race/ethnic minority populations in diverse geographic settings. He has particular expertise in the delivery of health services within Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and is the PI of a national cluster randomized trial of implementation strategies for team based care for perinatal depression in FQHCs. He completed a fellowship in the Implementation Research Institute funded by the NIMH at Washington University. He has also been funded by the AHRQ and Grand Challenges Canada to study mHealth strategies to extend the reach of services for women from vulnerable populations with depression in pregnancy both in the US and Peru.

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Jeanne Cawse-Lucas, MD

Jeanne Cawse-Lucas, MD, graduated from the University of Massachusetts Medical School and trained at the Swedish Cherry Hill Family Medicine residency. She enjoys women’s health, integrative medicine, preventive medicine, and practice management and has been active in the state and local branches of the Academy of Family Physicians. Jeanne likes to cook (and eat!), cross-country ski, run, travel, and read good books.

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Dominika Breedlove, PsyD


Dr. Dominika Breedlove (they/them) is a licensed psychologist with ten years of experience, including past 7 years within the integrated primary care setting. Dr. Breedlove’s most recent position has been with Columbia Valley Community Health (CVCH), a Joint Commission-certified Patient Centered Medical Home in North Central Washington. At CVCH, Dr. Breedlove has served a dual role as a Behavioral Medicine Consultant and Director of Clinical Training. Dr. Breedlove is a past Board President for the Washington State Psychological Association (WSPA, 2019) and currently serves as Washington’s Council Representative to the American Psychological Association (APA). Dr. Breedlove is passionate about integration and team-based care and especially serving the underserved and marginalized populations from a trauma-informed lens. Dr. Breedlove believes that the optimal healthcare attends to the whole person and involves care for our physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs. Dr. Breedlove especially enjoys exploring creative ways of healing for individuals, communities, and systems in the pursuit of social justice and equity. Outside of work and other professional responsibilities, Dr. Breedlove enjoys spending time in meditation practice and yoga, running, reading, and connecting with their wife, pets, and farm animals.

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Nelson Chiu, MD 

Nelson Chiu, MD is the Clinic Chief at the University of Washington (UW) Neighborhood Northgate Clinic as well as a Clinical Assistant Professor in the UW Department of Family Medicine. He completed residency at the UW and graduated from Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School, where he was a Humanism Scholar, and Princeton University, where he studied public policy. He is particularly interested in medical administration, global health, and medical education. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with friends and family, volunteering at church, music, hiking, and triathlons.

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Allison Cole MD

Dr. Allison Cole is Associate Professor in Family Medicine and Director of the WWAMI region Practice and Research Network (WPRN).The WPRN is a network of more than 80 primary care practices across the five-state WWAMI region that collaborate on research and quality improvement.Dr. Cole attended medical school at the University of Iowa School of Medicine and completed a residency in Family Medicine at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.She completed the National Research Service Award Primary Care Research Fellowship and received a Master’s in Public Health at the University of Washington.Her research program focuses on implementation of evidence-based interventions in primary care settings.She provides outpatient family medicine care at the Harborview Family Medicine Clinic.

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Kimberly Collins, MD (Associate Program Director)

Kimberly Collins is an assistant professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Washington. She cares for patients at the UW Neighborhood Northgate Clinic and on the Family Medicine inpatient service at the University of Washington Medical Center. She is involved in teaching family medicine residents in both the outpatient and inpatient settings. Her interests include pediatric care, women’s health, prenatal care and obstetrics, and care of the underserved.

Dr. Collins completed medical school at Harvard and family medicine residency at the University of Washington. Prior to joining the faculty at the University of Washington, she practiced full spectrum family medicine at Community Health Center of Snohomish County. She joined the faculty in 2015.

She enjoys living in Seattle where she has the opportunity to hike, explore local parks, and travel internationally with her husband and children.

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Maegan Ashworth Dirac, MD, PhD

Maegan Dirac, MD, PhD, is a board-certified family physician who provides primary and prenatal care, general care for hospitalized patients, and maternity and newborn care. She believes in providing accurate and up-to-date scientific evidence, speaking frankly about areas of uncertainty, and providing respectful and empathetic support in applying this evidence to each patient’s unique set of values and life circumstances.
Her clinical areas of interest include evidence-based medicine, migrant health, outpatient gynecological procedures, the transition to parenthood, health-promoting behaviors for families with children, and complex care of patients living with more than one chronic condition.
Dr. Dirac is an acting assistant professor in the Department of Health Metrics and Department of Family Medicine at UW School of Medicine.
Personal Interests: In her free time, Dr. Dirac likes to run, practice yoga, watch superhero movies, and read books with her children.”

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David Evans, MD

Dr. Evans joined the Department of Family Medicine in April 2012. Prior to coming to Seattle he spent 15 years practicing in central Oregon where, in addition to providing broad spectrum clinical care, he was active in his local community and with organized medicine. Viewing the marketing tactics of the pharmaceutical industry as a negative force on patient care, he guided his clinic through a process to become pharm-free. Dr. Evans’s research interests include rural medical education and the rural health workforce. Dr. Evans is the recipient of several community service and teaching awards and enjoys the big city with his wife, two children and dogs.

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Joshua Fischer, MD, PhD (Program Director)

Joshua L. Fischer, MD, PhD, (he/him) is a board-certified family physician with fellowship training and additional Board of Certification in Family Medicine Obstetrics with surgical qualification. Fischer received a B.A. in Chemistry from Northwestern College, Ph.D. in Cancer Biology from Indiana University School of Medicine, and M.D. from University of Iowa. He completed Family Medicine residency at Georgetown and fellowship in surgical Family Medicine Obstetrics at Medicos Para la Familia in Memphis, TN. He has had fellowship and residency teaching and leadership roles since that time. Dr. Fischer is the Director of Obstetrical and Newborn Clinical Services for the Department of Family Medicine. Dr. Fischer’s clinical interests include preventive health for adults and children, obstetrics, pediatrics, and behavioral health.

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Nikki Gentile, MD PhD

Dr. Nikki Gentile is an Assistant Professor in the UW Departments of Family Medicine and Laboratory Medicine and Pathology and is the Primary Care Medical Director of the UW Post-COVID Rehabilitation and Recovery Clinic. She grew up in San Francisco and part-time in Hawaii. After earning her bachelor’s degree and PhD from the University of California, Davis, and her MD from Tulane University in New Orleans, she completed her Family Medicine residency and an additional chief resident year here at the University of Washington. Go Huskies! She currently practices both hospital and outpatient medicine. Her clinical interests include rheumatology, long COVID, hospital medicine, prenatal care, and complex chronic diseases. Nikki is passionate about residency education and mentoring future physician scientists. She is the developer and faculty lead for the Research Track and longitudinal Scholarship & Research curriculum in the UW Family Medicine Residency. Her research background is in sepsis, with a focus on bench and clinical validation testing of novel point-of-care (POC) tests for bacteremia. Her current research aims at advancing translational medicine on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, including examining (1) diagnostic/laboratory testing modalities and access, (2) impact of COVID on mental health and healthcare utilization, (3) health disparities related to COVID, (4) disease severity, associated symptoms, and comorbidities in long COVID, as well as performing clinical trials testing integrative medicine approaches to treat long COVID, including acupuncture and mindfulness. She is also passionate about translational medicine and research spanning direct clinical care and laboratory medicine. Outside of medicine, Nikki enjoys watching football (has had the same 4 fantasy football teams for 10+ years), skiing, paddleboarding, sailing, exploring breweries/wineries, and spending time with her family and husky pup!

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Emily Godfrey, MD

Emily Godfrey MD, MPH is an Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine and in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Division of Family Planning. Dr. Godfrey was selected to be the first Family Planning Epidemiology and Public Health Fellow at the CDC in Atlanta where she worked on the new US-based Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use. Dr. Godfrey is a graduate of the University of Rochester Fellowship in Family Planning. She obtained her medical degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin and completed her family medicine residency at West Suburban Hospital in Oak Park, Illinois. Other interests include yoga, traveling, bicycling, hiking, cross-country skiing and drinking fine wine with friends.

Interests: Family planning, sexual and reproductive health care, women’s health care, dissemination and implementation of clinical guidelines, mentoring.

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Misbah Keen, MD

Misbah Keen, MD, graduated from Government Medical College in Srinagar, India and subsequently completed a family medicine residency at Mercy Health Partners in Toledo, OH. He is currently pursuing masters degrees in Bio-Medical Informatics through Oregon Health and Sciences University and Public Health through Johns Hopkins University. Most recently, he has been practicing full spectrum of family medicine at Columbia Basin Health Association in Othello, Wash. He has interests in teaching and mentoring, patient safety & medical errors, and medical informatics. All this combined with his interest in exploring why golfers make better physicians leaves him with no free time…

Interests: Evidence based medicine. Medical Student Teaching. EMR Data acquisition and interpretation. Laboratory Medicine. Public Health.

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Kim Kardonsky, MD

Dr. Kim Kardonsky did the Teach for America program followed by work at a women’s clinic prior to returning to medical school.  She attended the Medical College of Wisconsin then trained at the Swedish at Cherry Hill Family Medicine Residency program.  She worked at the Seattle Indian Health Board (in residency), Indian Health Board of Minneapolis and the Tulalip Tribal Health Clinic prior to her start at UW.  She was inspired to come to UW because of all the learners.  Her current clinical work is at the Family Medicine Clinic at Harborview.  Some special interests include Native health and reproductive choice.  She loves spending time with her two kids, family, and friends.

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Amanda Kost, MD

Dr. Kost is Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Washington where she teaches, conducts medical education research, and cares for patients. She attended medical school at the University at Buffalo and completed a Masters of Education at the University of Washington with a focus on educational research and statistics. After finishing her residency in family medicine at the University of Washington, Dr. Kost practiced at a community health center for two years before joining the faculty. At UW, she has been active in the School of Medicine curriculum renewal process through the development and implementation of clinical immersion, intersessions and the themes curriculum. She teaches medical students through the College system, directs the Teaching Scholars faculty development certificate program, and is an associate director for the Center for Learning and Innovation in Medical Education. In the past, she has been Underserved Pathway faculty, directed family medicine medical student advising, developed a longitudinal family medicine preclinical preceptorship, advised the Community Health Advancement Program and co-directed the Community-focused Urban Scholars Program. Nationally, she has served on the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM) Committee on Medical Student Education, Research Committee, and was the conference chair for the 2020 STFM Medical Student Education Conference. She completed an editorial fellowship with the journal Family Medicine and is an associate editor of PRiMER (Peer-Reviewed Reports in Medical Education Research). She continues to practice full spectrum family medicine at Harborview Medical Center where she serves as the medical director.

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Joey Nelson, MD (Associate Program Director)

Dr. Joseph Nelson (he/him) is an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation and is the inaugural Associate Program Director for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion with the UW Family Medicine Residency. His passion for teaching has carried into his work combating racism and all forms of discrimination and oppression that occurs in patient care and the learning environment. Dr. Nelson continues to practice broad spectrum family medicine as an attending physician and provides support and oversight for family medicine residents in the hospital who provide care for adult, adolescent, obstetric, and newborn patients. He enjoys the outdoors and will often be found at a local restaurant, hiking the Cascades, or fishing in any body of water nearby.

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Pamela L. Pentin, JD, MD, FAAFP

A New Englander by birth, Dr. Pam Pentin was an English major at the University of Pennsylvania, then earned a law degree and practiced as a corporate trial attorney before attending Jefferson Medical College on a U.S. Navy scholarship. After completing her Family Medicine residency at the University of Vermont she served on active duty as a Navy medical officer for 7 years before transferring to the Reserves where she still proudly serves and sometimes still travels the world. The Navy brought her to the Pacific Northwest and to the University of Washington.

Dr. Pentin is an Assistant Professor in the Residency Section and Site Coordinator for the 3rd year Medical Student Clerkship at UW Medicine at Northgate. She enjoys practicing and teaching the full spectrum of Family Medicine. In her time off Pam loves to spend time with her family, travel, cook, hunt for antiques and walk and swim at the beach.

Interests: chronic pain management, treatment of addiction, the interface between Corporate America and the medical profession.

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Jackie Raetz, MD (Associate Program Director)

Dr. Raetz is an Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Washington. She provides full-spectrum family medicine including inpatient and outpatient care, obstetrics, nursing home care and palliative care. She holds a certificate of added qualifications in geriatrics and palliative care. She attended medical school at Duke University, residency at the University of Washington and completed at geriatrics fellowship at Swedish Hospital in Seattle, Washington. She is a member of University of Washington Family Medicine Residency faculty and also holds clinical appointments in Long Term Care and Palliative Care.

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Ashwin Rao, MD

Ashwin Rao is board-certified in family medicine and sports medicine. He completed his undergraduate studies at Swarthmore College and his medical degree at Case Western Reserve University. Dr. Rao completed his residency training in family medicine and his sports medicine fellowship at the University of Washington. In 2008, he assumed the role of clinical assistant professor in UW’s department of family medicine and the Hall Health Sports Medicine Clinic. Currently, Dr. Rao serves as a team physician for University of Washington Husky Athletics and the Seattle Seahawks. He works in both primary care and sports medicine settings. He is a member of the American Medical Society of Sports Medicine (AMSSM), the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). He serves as the chair of the University of Washington ’s sports academic conference curriculum. He also serves on the Research Committee of AMSSM. Dr. Rao’s special interests include musculoskeletal ultrasound guided procedures, including tenotomy with platelet rich plasma and autologous blood injection, medical student and resident education, patient-centered care, injury care and prevention, and emergency preparedness.

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Valerie Ross, MS

Valerie Ross M.S., trained at Group Health Cooperative and UW Family Medicine, both sites specializing in collaboration between mental health practitioners and primary care physicians. Her professional interests include mind-body medicine, relationship-centered care, and health behavior change. Clinically she is experienced in treating anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions common in primary care. She is an active cellist and performs regularly in a semi-professional orchestra. She also enjoys yoga, tai chi, chi gong, hiking and kayaking.

Interests: Doctor-patient communication, relationship centered care, mindfulness in medicine, mind-body medicine, humanities and medicine, and genetics and primary care.

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Tomoko Sairenji, MD

Dr. Sairenji joined the Medical Student Education Section in 2015. She is Director of the FM Department Career Advising Program, and is faculty advisor of the Family Medicine Interest Group (FMIG). She is also a College mentor at the UWSOM. She does clinical work at the Northgate Clinic and UWMC. Dr. Sairenji graduated from Okayama University Medical School in Japan, and did a 2-year junior residency at Aso-Iizuka Hospital in Fukuoka, Japan. She then came to the US where she completed her Family Medicine residency at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Shadyside, Pittsburgh, PA, where she also served as Chief Resident. Following residency, Dr. Sairenji did a two-year in Faculty Development Fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh, which included being a visiting scholar at the American Board of Family Medicine, Lexington, KY, and was awarded a Master of Science in Medical Education.
She enjoys baking and gardening in her free time.

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Chris Sanford, MD MPH DTM&H

Christopher Sanford, MD, MPH, DTM&H, is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Family Medicine and Global Health.  He has practiced at the University of Washington since 2000; he joined UW’s Family Medicine Residency in 2009. In addition to serving as Director of the UW Dept. of Family Medicine Global Health Fellowship, he is Director of the Travel Clinic at the UW Neighborhood Northgate Clinic, which offers a full spectrum of pre- and post-travel services.

Every fall he travels to Uganda to teach in the Professional Diploma in Tropical Medicine & Hygiene (East African Partnership), a three-month course in clinical tropical medicine for physicians from both Africa and the Global North. This course is coordinated by a consortium of five institutions (UW, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Makerere University [Uganda], and Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center [Tanzania]).

He is Chair of a biennial CME course, Update, Travel Medicine & Global Health. During this two-and-a-half day conference experts speak on a variety of topics within travel and tropical medicine, and global health.

He is lead editor of Travel and Tropical Medicine Manual, Fifth Edition (Elsevier, 2016), and author of Staying Healthy Abroad: A Global Traveler’s Guide (University of Washington Press, 2018).

Interests: Tropical medicine,  Travel Medicine, Global Health, Public Health, Disaster Medicine.

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Grace Shih, MD MAS

Dr. Grace Shih is Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at University of Washington. She is originally from Florida and completed her medical degree at University of Florida. Following medical school, Grace spent a year in Ecuador and Mexico, working with a non-profit family planning organization. She completed her family medicine residency at Brown University and her Family Planning Fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco. She is the RHEDI Director for the UW Family Medicine Residency and Director of the WWAMI Family Medicine Residency Network. She has been involved in resident and faculty education for 10+ years. Her clinical and research interests focus on faculty development, vasectomy, self-managed abortion, and integration of abortion into primary care.

Dr. Grace Shih runs the Reproductive Health Clinic at the UWNC Northgate Clinic. Outside of work, Grace enjoys spending time with her family, fussing over her dog and indoor plants, cooking, and playing piano/guitar.

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David Siebert, MD

Dave Siebert, MD, CAQSM is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Family Medicine, practicing and teaching Sports Medicine and Family Medicine. He is the Associate Director of the Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship and a team physician for the University of Washington (UW) Huskies and Seattle Seahawks. His other team physician experience includes sideline coverage for Seattle-area high school football since 2013 and UW’s ACHA Division II club hockey team from 2014-16.

Dr. Siebert received his medical degree from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine in 2013. He completed his Family Medicine residency training at the UW in 2016 and Primary care Sports Medicine fellowship training, also at UW, in 2017. He is a member of the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM) and serves on the AMSSM Education and Research committees. His other memberships include the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) and Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Honor Medical Society.

Dr. Siebert sees patients at the Sports Medicine Center at Husky Stadium and the Northgate branch of UW Neighborhood Clinics. Outside of his clinical roles, he is actively involved in resident education, the residency Sports Medicine Interest Group, and the Sports Medicine Area of Concentration. He is fellowship trained and privileged in diagnostic and procedural musculoskeletal ultrasound and oversees the residency’s longitudinal point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) curriculum. Regionally, he chairs the Seattle-area Sports Medicine Grand Rounds series.

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Christopher Vincent, MD

Coming soon!

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Megan Wilson, MD

Studio portrait of Megan Wilson.Megan Wilson, MD is an assistant professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Washington. She provides full spectrum care and sees patients at the UW Northgate Clinic and at the UW Medical Center on the Family Medicine inpatient service. She completed medical school at the University of Virginia and family medicine residency at the University of Washington. Prior to joining the faculty at the University of Washington in 2017, she practiced full spectrum family medicine at the Neighborcare 45th Street community health center in Seattle. Her interests include women’s health, caring for patients with developmental disabilities, mental health, addiction treatment, and resident education. In her free time, Megan volunteers at a horse rescue and enjoys horseback riding, cooking, gardening, and exploring the Pacific Northwest with her husband.

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Mari Yamamoto, Ph.D.

Mari Yamamoto (she/her) graduated with a BA in psychology from the University of Washington in 2007 and earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Seattle Pacific University in 2016. She completed her internship training at the VA Northern California Healthcare System in Martinez and Oakland, California and a postdoctoral fellowship at VA Puget Sound – Seattle Division in Primary Care Mental Health Integration. She has previously worked in Primary Care Behavioral Health Integration at Cambridge Health Alliance, a Harvard Medical School teaching affiliate, and Iora Primary Care in the Greater Seattle area, working in an integrated primary care clinic for older adults. She enjoys working in integrated care settings and has interests in behavioral medicine/health psychology (e.g., sleep, pain, chronic disease management), and integrated primary care program development and implementation.

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Ying Zhang, MD, MPH

Dr. Ying Zhang is a family physician and faculty in the UW Family Medicine Residency since 2016. She completed her residency at the UW Family Medicine Residency and then completed a National Research Service Award Fellowship and Master of Public Health at UW prior to joining the faculty in the Department of Family Medicine at UW. Dr. Zhang is faculty at the Harborview Family Medicine Clinic and practices full spectrum family medicine, including outpatient, inpatient, and OB care. Her clinical and research interests focus on reproductive health and family planning among refugee and immigrant communities in the U.S. This curriculum focuses on developing clinical, advocacy, and leadership training in reproductive health among family medicine residents. In addition, Ying is the AAFP Liaison for the Washington Reproductive Health Access Project (RHAP) Cluster. Outside of work, Ying enjoys spending time with her family, outdoor adventures, and exploring new restaurants.

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Team Residency Profiles

 

Gwen Credit, MA  (Associate Director of Education)

Gwen Credit, MA (she/her), is a seasoned professional with nearly 30 years of experience at the University of Washington. Her work centers around graduate medical education, medical student education, hospital and clinical administration, policy research, and legislative advocacy, particularly focused on health insurance coverage and services for low-income children and families.

Passionate about social justice in healthcare, Gwen advocates for affordable health coverage and equitable access to quality care. She has been actively involved in promoting diversity and inclusion within the healthcare system.

For the past decade, Gwen has served in significant roles at the UW Department of Family Medicine, including the Associate Director of Education for the top-ranked Family Medicine Residency Program and Medical Student Education Section. Prior to this, she played a key role in establishing the Harborview Family Medicine Clinic in 1997 during her time as the Harborview Department of Family Medicine Administrator.

Additionally, Gwen served as the Director of Operations for the Herndon Alliance, a national coalition of over 200 organizations dedicated to achieving affordable quality healthcare for all Americans. In this role, she mobilized the public on various health policy issues while overseeing press and business operations.

Gwen’s profound commitment to health equity and social justice continues to drive her advocacy efforts for accessible and inclusive healthcare for all.

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Seo Song  (HMC Administrator – Program Operations)


nophotoSeo graduated from the University of Washington and returned to the UW to join the Family Medicine Residency Program in 2015. She is currently one of our administrators and has been with Harborview for almost six years. She enjoys working with and supporting the amazing team of residents, staff, and faculty at UWFMR.

 

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Christina Davis  (Northgate Administrator – Program Operations)

 

Coming Soon! 

 

 

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 Des Villa  (Residency Program Operations Specialist)

nophotoDes joined the UW family in 2017 at the UW Northgate Neighborhood clinic in patient services. She left the neighborhood clinics as a coordinator and united with the Residency team in 2020. She enjoys office gardening and working together to support our wonderful family medicine residents, staff, and faculty at UWFMR.

 

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 David Wells  (Residency Curriculum Administrator)

David joined Team Residency in early 2023. Previously he was the Chapter Executive for the King County Academy of Family Physicians for over 5 years. In that role, he exclusively supported family doctors at various points of their career whether that was before they decided on the Family Medicine specialty as medical students all the way through retiring into clinical practice. He has acquired a deep respect for and desire to support family doctors practicing in the current healthcare system(s) and is thrilled to be a part of the University of Washington’s Family Medicine Residency Program.  
David has additional professional experiences through a variety of non-profit institutions including the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Pro-Choice Washington, Minnesota Public Interest Research Group, and Clean Water Action. He obtained a Master of Arts in Transformational Leadership from Seattle University (Seattle, Washington) and an undergraduate degree in Youth and Family Ministry from Augsburg University (Minneapolis, Minnesota). David self-describes himself as a collaborator, solution finder, & connector.  

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