2018 Resident and Fellow Commencement

On Tuesday, June 5, 2018, we celebrated a group of 64 extraordinary residents and fellows at the University of Minnesota Family Medicine and Community Health’s annual commencement. Held at McNamara Alumni Center on a warm summer evening, the ceremony was a wonderful opportunity to honor the graduating class as they embark on the careers ahead of them.

Department Head James Pacala, MD, MS, addresses graduates

This year’s graduating class included:

• 52 family medicine residents from our eight programs 
• 3 pharmacy residents
• 1 primary care behavioral health fellow 
• 3 hospice and palliative medicine fellows 
• 3 human sexuality fellows 
• 2 sports medicine fellows 
• 16 faculty and fellows who completed Teaching, Evaluation, and Curriculum for Healthcare Professionals, also known as TEACH 
• 7 faculty who completed the Collaboration and Scholarship Intensive for Family Medicine (CSI-FM) program 

For a taste of what the evening was like, read our live tweets from the ceremony using the hashtag #umnfamilymedgrad on Twitter and view photos on Facebook.

Resident and Faculty Awards

After opening remarks by Department Head James Pacala, MD, MS, in which he encouraged graduates to consider their “role as an ambassador for an almost 50-year legacy of excellence,” several graduates and faculty were honored for excellence in teaching, research, and service.



Excellence in Research Award


The Excellence in Research Award was presented to Mankato’s graduating resident Andrew R. Bader, DO, for his impressive commitment to clinical scholarship. Dr. Bader was unanimously nominated by his program’s faculty, who described him as the “embodiment of the scientist-practitioner model.” What’s more, Dr. Bader amassed an impressive six peer-reviewed publications during his three-year residency - the highest publication rate of all residents across the department’s 8 programs.

[Dr. Bader] clearly recognizes that the practice of medicine becomes stagnant if not for ongoing clinical inquiry and scholarly investigation.
- award nominator

Leonard P. Burke, MD, Memorial Award

Graduating St. Joseph’s resident Thuy Duong Nguyen-Tran, MD, was presented this year’s Leonard P. Burke, MD, Memorial Award in honor of her unique service contributions to family medicine. Dr. Nguyen-Tran has been involved in several important projects at Bethesda Clinic that focus on increased community engagement and access to care for patients, especially Karen patients. In addition to serving as co-chief resident, she demonstrated excellent leadership and initiative in helping the clinic provide culturally competent care and develop multiple community partnerships.

[Dr. Nguyen-Tran] is hard working, enthusiastic, and welcoming, and she highlights the positive in every situation.
- award nominator

Faculty Awards

This year’s Affiliate Faculty Teacher of the Year went to Sandra Coffin, MD, (pictured below left) from St. Joseph’s. Nominees described Dr. Coffin’s passion and commitment to teaching, saying, “Often times, Friday afternoons can be one of the more challenging clinic days, but St. Joseph’s family medicine residents look forward to Fridays because they know Dr. Sandra Coffin will be precepting.”

Mankato faculty Erin Westfall, DO, (pictured below right) accepted the Faculty Teacher of the Year Award. As one nominee said, “Dr. Westfall has also taught me about the social responsibilities a great physician demonstrates…Dr. Westfall’s efforts show that it isn’t just about health in our clinic building – it’s about the health of our entire community that truly matters.”

STFM Resident Teacher Awards

Ten residents received the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM) Resident Teacher Award for demonstrated interest, ability, and commitment to family medicine. Awardees include Duluth residency graduate Charles S. Hackett, MD; Mankato residency graduates William Bensen, DO and Andrew R. Bader, DO; Methodist residency graduate Joshua Edward Scheck, MD; North Memorial residency graduate Melissa Pavek, MD; St. Cloud residency graduate Elina Lipovskiy, DO; St. John’s residency graduate Jennifer Svendsen, MD; St. Joseph’s residency graduates Daniel Smith, DO and Thuy D. Nguyen-Tran, MD; and University of Minnesota Medical Center residency graduate Alexandra Tsvilina, MD, PhD.

Congratulations to all graduates and award recipients!

Save the date for next year’s commencement: June 4, 2019

2017 Resident and Fellow Commencement

University of Minnesota Family Medicine and Community Health held its annual resident and fellow commencement on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 at the McNamara Alumni Center on the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities campus.




McNamara Alumni Center

This year’s graduating class included:

• 55 family medicine residents from our eight programs

• 1 primary care behavioral health fellow

• 4 hospice and palliative medicine fellows

• 2 human sexuality fellows

• 2 sports medicine fellows

• 15 faculty and fellows who completed Teaching, Evaluation, and Curriculum for Healthcare Professionals, also known as TEACH

• 8 faculty who completed the Collaboration and Scholarship Intensive for Family Medicine (CSI-FM) program

Read tweets from the ceremony using the hashtag #umnfamilymedgrad on Twitter and view photos of all of our graduates on our Facebook.

Resident and Faculty Awards

A number of family medicine graduates and faculty were honored for excellence in teaching, research, and service.



Excellence in Research Award


The Excellence in Research Award was presented to Mankato’s graduating resident M. Aly Terra, DO, for approaching the crucial topic of symptom control for patients with terminal illness non-pharmacologically and non-invasively.


Mankato residency graduate M. Aly Terra, DO

“Completing a research project during residency training is challenging. Completing a research project that is a treatment study is even more difficult. Dr. Terra had the foresight to schedule elective time devoted to research. In doing so, she had a personally rewarding experience that positively impacted the quality of life for the patients she encountered.” – award nominator 

Community Service Award

The Leonard P. Burke, MD, Memorial Award is given to a graduating resident whose family medicine training has resulted in a unique service contribution. This year, the award was given to graduating Methodist resident Alice MacDonald, MBChB, for developing a new way to screen patients for food insecurity and a program that offers cooking classes to eligible patients.

Methodist residency graduate Alice Macdonald, MBChB

“Prior to this, there was no awareness of what food insecurity was, let alone how many of the clinic’s regular, long-term patients were food insecure and how it might be affecting their health and medical care. Beginning in 2015 residents began learning to recognize that bias, and acquiring the tools to screen and address patients’ food insecurity.

Dr. MacDonald’s enthusiasm for addressing this social determinant has been infectious and has continued to help us recruit residents to carry on the quality improvement work associated with it.” – award nominator  

Faculty Awards

This year’s Affiliate Faculty Teacher of the Year, went to, not one affiliated faculty, but a whole group – the University of Minnesota Health Women’s Health Specialists Midwifery group.

The University of Minnesota Health Certified Nurse Midwives

“We have appreciated our partnership with the whole OB/CNM team at Women's Health Specialists, but I am particularly grateful for the resident teaching and patient-care partnership that the midwives have embraced for the past six years.” – award nominator 

This year, department faculty Christopher Reif, MD, MPH, was recognized for his excellence in educating residents, medical students, and other health professionals.

Christopher Reif, MD, MPH, director of clinical services
 of the Community-University Health Care Center

Dr. Reif serves as director of clinical services of the Community-University Health Care Center and is involved in medical student education, co-directing the Urban Community Ambulatory Medicine (UCAM) clerkship and precepting for the Family Medicine Clerkship.

STFM Resident Teacher Award

Nine residents from our eight residency programs received the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM) Resident Teacher Award for demonstrated interest, ability, and commitment to family medicine. Awardees include Duluth residency graduate Megan San Giacomo, MD; Mankato residency graduate M. Aly Terra, DO; Methodist resideny graduate Jared Mell, DO; North Memorial residency graduates Erica Gathje, MD, and Meredith Bourne, MD; St. Cloud residency graduate Jason Huikko, MD; St. John’s residency graduate Anne Kennan, MD; St. Joseph’s residency graduate Charles Vang, MD; and University of Minnesota Medical Center residency graduate Arlene Rillo, MD, RN.

Below are recipients of the Leonard P. Burke, MD, Memorial Award, Excellence in Research Award, and Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM) Awards. STFM awardees are holding the large, framed certificates.

Front row, left to right: Methodist graduate Jared Mell, DO; University of Minnesota Medical Center graduate Arlene Rillo, MD, RN; Leonard P. Burke awardee Alice Macdonald, MBChB, from Methodist; St. John's graduate Anne Keenan, MD; and St. Joseph's graduate Charles Vang, MD.

Back row, left to right: North Memorial graduate Meredith Bourne, MD; Duluth graduate Megan San Giacomo, MD; North Memorial graduate Erica Gathje, MD; Mankato graduate and Excellence in Research awardee M. Aly Terra, DO; and St. Cloud graduate Jason D. Huikko, MD.

Congratulations to all graduates and award recipients!

2016 UMN Family Medicine Residency Grads: By the Numbers

In 2016, 55 medical residents graduated from University of Minnesota family medicine residency programs. An update on where those graduates are practicing or pursuing additional training follows.

Practice/Training Locations

Our graduates are currently practicing or pursuing additional training in the following locations.

• 36 (65%) - Stayed in Minnesota
• 9 (16%) - Stayed in Midwest
• 4 - Went West (Colorado, Oregon, and Nevada)
• 3 - Went East (Ohio, South Carolina, and New Hampshire) 
• 2 - Went out of the country (Zambia and New Zealand)
• 1 - Went South (Texas)

Of our 55 graduates, four of them went into fellowship programs in sports medicine (2), hospice and palliative medicine (1), and sleep medicine (1).

All other graduates pursued roles that were either hospital-based or private practice with health systems, medical centers, and clinics.

Family Medicine Midwest from a Medical Student's Perspective

The following piece was written by first-year University of Minnesota medical student Kyle Lau and describes his experience at the 2016 Family Medicine Midwest Conference.

First-year University of Minnesota
medical student Kyle Lau

Thank you for supporting my travel to the Midwest Family Medicine Conference. My experience in Indianapolis has strengthened my passion to pursue family medicine.

I was inspired by leaders like Dr. Clif Knight and Dr. Michael LeFevre who shared their perspectives and stories on family medicine. Also, I was able to connect with students from other medical schools and share ideas on how we can promote family medicine at each of our institutions.

Attending this conference was especially important for alleviating my concerns about entering family medicine. By understanding that my peers and predecessors have all had the same worries as me, it gave me a sense of unity and strength that I could draw from to overcome my challenges as a family physician.

Coming from a low socioeconomic background and continuing to work as I attend medical school, I became distracted by how other specialties could provide more financial support than family medicine. I was misguided on how other specialties receive the majority of the prestige and was measuring my success in ways that did not truly matter to me. I needed a reminder on why I went into medicine. A reminder on how I first fell in love with the service of medicine. I went into medicine because I could form long-lasting, trusting relationships with my patients and make a difference in my community. Coming to this conference allowed me to realign my values and pursue my vocation.

Another reason why I was worried about going into family medicine was because I cowered at the thought of being the only physician for my community. I am afraid that there will come times when I am not enough to serve the needs of my community. I am afraid I will not be able to provide adequate care because I do not have enough resources, enough bed space, enough knowledge, or worse, not enough compassion because I was working long hours.

Yet attending this conference connected me with peers and mentors that share and have overcome these same concerns. Dr. LeFevre discussed the future of medicine and said that we will never have everything our communities need, but we are all they have.

And when we give our best efforts and put our patients first, everything else will fall into place. Throughout my medical journey, I need to hold onto that sacred trust between my patients and me and have faith that I will be able to make a difference in their lives as a family physician.

Thank you,
Kyle Lau

Family Medicine Midwest 2016

The following blog post was written by U of M Department of Family Medicine faculty Andrew Slattengren, DO, chair of the Family Medicine Midwest Foundation and presenter at this year's conference.

Indianapolis, IN

On October 7-9, 387 physicians, residents, and medical students gathered at the JW Marriott Hotel in Indianapolis, IN for the annual Family Medicine Midwest Conference. The event combined scholarly work and research presentations, community-based practice and best practice sharing, and promoted cooperative and collaborative health care innovation. There was also a residency and fellowship fair, “speed date our specialty” session, poster presentations, and pre-conference sessions.

The University of Minnesota Department of Family Medicine and Community Health and other individuals contributed to provide scholarships for medical students. Because of these efforts, 11 medical students from Minnesota were able to attend the conference.

“I'm one of the recipients of the FMM scholarship that allowed my colleagues and me to attend the Family Medicine Midwest Conference and I just wanted to sincerely thank you for your contribution that made this possible. The conference was both informative and educational, and it provided me with an opportunity to learn more about family medicine--the challenges and means to overcome those challenges. I was also able to network with family physicians, residents, my fellow students, and other professionals from all around Midwest. Again, thank you very much.” 

- Jafary Fafara, University of Minnesota third-year medical student

In addition to medical students, 10 other University of Minnesota resident physicians, family physicians, and other medical professionals attended. A total of nine U of M Department of Family Medicine faculty and U of M medical students presented educational sessions and/or posters during the conference. This conference is an excellent venue to demonstrate the amazing works of family physicians in Minnesota. See photos from the conference.

UMN Presentations at FMM 2016

Educational Sessions

• Developing Resilience to Create Lifelong Physicians for the Underserved - North Memorial faculty Laura Miller, MD, and Tanner Nissly, DO 

• Increasing Rural Family Physicians’ and Vietnam War Veterans’ Understanding of Agent Orange Exposure and Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 - Adjunct faculty Linda Olson Bergum, MD, and U of M third-year medical student Kirsten Larson

• Opioids for Chronic Pain, CDC Guidelines and Family Medicine - North Memorial faculty Andrew Slattengren, DO, and Tanner Nissly, DO

• A model for Interprofessional Team-based Post-hospital Care in the Academic Family Medicine Clinic - North Memorial faculty Andrew Slattengren, DO, and Jerica Berge, PhD, MPH, LMFT

• Looking Back at a Community Family Medicine Resident Research Project: What Worked?- Methodist faculty Lynn Manning, MD

Posters

• Leaf Libraries: Promoting Childhood Literacy in Community Waiting Spaces - U of M fourth-year medical student Lucas Boyle 

• Increasing Rural Family Physicians’ and Vietnam War Veterans’ Understanding of Agent Orange Exposure and Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 - Adjunct faculty Linda Olson Bergum, MD, and U of M third-year medical students Kirsten Larson and Kayla Schenheit

About Family Medicine Midwest

The Family Medicine Midwest (FMM) Foundation launched in 2012 with a core mission of identifying and supporting students interested in Family Medicine. It is committed to communicating the value of family medicine to practicing colleagues, future colleagues, and the public. Andrew Slattengren, DO, University of Minnesota North Memorial Family Medicine Residency faculty, is chair of the FMM Foundation.

Next year's conference will take place in Rosemont, Illinois on October 6-8.

AAFP National Conference 2016 Recap

This year’s American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) National Conference of Family Medicine Residents and Medical Students was held on July 28 through July 30 in Kansas City, Missouri. The conference gives medical students an opportunity to attend workshops, network, and gain insights into family medicine.


Our faculty, residents, and staff went as exhibitors to promote our residency programs. We also sponsored scholarships for medical students to attend and learn more about family medicine.

This year’s conference drew a record number of attendees with 1,210 residents and 1,349 medical students from across the nation. From the University of Minnesota, 46 medical students attended the conference. Below is a list of all U of M family medicine residency program representatives.

Duluth

Mankato third-year resident Jared Colvert, DO and program director John McCabe, MD

• Kristin Comstock, MD, second-year resident
• Charles Hackett, MD, second-year resident
• E. Tolga Hanhan, MD, first-year resident
• John Wood, MD, associate program director

Mankato

• Jared Colvert, DO, third-year resident
• John McCabe, MD, program director

Methodist

• Jesse Klingelhoets, MD, second-year resident
• Josh Scheck, MD, second-year resident
• Stephen Schwartz, MD, second-year resident



Left to right: North Memorial faculty Laura Miller, MD, second-year resident
 Lauren Williams, MD, first-year resident Nat Fondell, MD, faculty Renee Crichlow, MD,
 and third-year resident Meredith Bourne, MD

• Jeremy Springer, MD, program director

North Memorial

• Meredith Bourne, MD, third-year resident
• Reneé Crichlow, MD, faculty 
• Nat Fondell, MD, first-year resident
• Laura Miller, MD, faculty
• Lauren Williams, MD, second-year resident (MAFP-sponsored)

St. Cloud

• Dennis Peterson, MD, faculty
• 
Noah Retka, MD, third-year resident

St. John’s

St. Cloud faculty Dennis Peterson, MD, and third-year resident Noah Retka, MD

• Bobby Kagigebi, MD, third-year resident

• Kaitlyn Schoeck, MD, third-year resident

• Angela Smithson, MD, MPH, program director
• 
Jennifer Svendsen, MD, second-year resident

St. Joseph’s

• Robert Hlavacek, DO, third-year resident

• Manuel Idrogo, MD, faculty

• Michael Nasenbeny, MD, third-year resident

• Margaret Perko, MD, third-year resident

University of Minnesota Medical Center


• Andrea Larson, DO, second-year resident

• Carrie Link, MD, faculty
• Raquel Van Norman, administrator

Department Staff

• Tanner Nissly, DO, faculty advisor for the Family Medicine Interest Group (FMIG) on the Twin Cities campus and North Memorial faculty

• Laura Pham, residency programs coordinator

• Nkauj Shoua Vang, communications specialist

Social Media

The traveling Loon trophy

For the third year in a row, we held a friendly social media challenge between our eight residency programs. For the challenge, we specifically tracked Twitter usage using #aafpnc. The residency program and individual who tweeted the most using #aafpnc received prizes. 


This year’s winning team was our Methodist program, with a grand total of 359 tweets. They will receive the traveling Loon trophy (our version of the Twitter bird.) This year's individual winner was second-year Methodist resident Jesse Klingelhoets, MD, with a total of 189 tweets. He wins a $30.00 gift card to the University of Minnesota Bookstore.

Methodist program director Jeremy Springer, MD, with second-year residents Jesse Klingelhoets, MD, Josh Scheck, MD, and Steve Schwartz, MD.

Past winners:
2015: Program winner: North Memorial; Individual winner: Carrie link, MD, University of Minnesota Medical Center
2014: Program winner: North Memorial; Individual winner: Reneé Crichlow, MD, North Memorial

In addition to sponsoring a social media challenge on Twitter, we used the new Facebook Live feature to introduce our programs and encourage attendees to stop by program booths. Click here to see the videos. If you were unable to attend this year’s conference, you can view photos from our exhibit here.

We look forward to next year’s conference, which will be held on July 27 through July 29, 2017.

Medical students visiting with our program representatives

Mpls. St.Paul Magazine 2016 Top Doctors

Mpls. St. Paul Magazine released its 20th annual list of Top Doctors in the Twin Cities this month. We are proud to announce that a number of University of Minnesota Family Medicine and Community Health faculty were named in the specialties of family medicine, geriatrics, and sports medicine.

Metro area physicians and registered nurses were asked to nominate one or more doctors whom they would choose if they or a loved one were seeking medical care. Candidates who made the final list were grouped into 42 specialties and evaluated on a variety of factors, such as peer recognition, professional achievement, and disciplinary history. The highest scoring doctors were then invited to serve on a blue-ribbon panel and asked to evaluate candidates in their practice area. Physicians who acquired the highest total points from the survey, research, and blue-ribbon panel review were named to the Mpls. St.Paul Magazine 2016 Top Doctors list.

Congratulations to the following faculty who were named 2016 Top Doctors:

July cover of Mpls. St.Paul Magazine

Family Medicine

Patricia Adam, MD, MSPH
Sharon Allen, MD, PhD
Nancy Baker, MD
Nicole Chaisson, MD, MPH
Jon Hallberg, MD
Kara Pacala, MD
Shailey Prasad, MD, MPH
Christopher Reif, MD, MPH
Jamie Santilli, MD
Jeremy Springer, MD
Carolyn Torkelson, MD, MS
Mary Wagner, MD

Geriatrics 

Michael Dunkinfield, MD
Teresa McCarthy, MD, MS
James Pacala, MD, MS

Sports Medicine

Robert Johnson, MD
David Olson, MD
Steven Stovitz, MD, MS

Click here to view
the complete list of Top Doctors.

2016 Resident and Fellow Commencement

Welcome, Class of 2019!

U of M, Class of 2019

On Friday, June 17, University of Minnesota Family Medicine and Community Health department head Macaran Baird, MD, MS, welcomed 54 new residents at orientation. Below is a message to the class of 2019 from Dr. Baird.  

Welcome everyone,

We are thrilled that you are beginning your story in family medicine with us.

Our goal here at the University of Minnesota is to deliver on the promise of family medicine.

What does that mean? 

• We want to be a leader in training family physicians for Minnesota and beyond.

• We want to improve the health of underserved communities and populations.

• We want to drive research in health disparities and healthcare delivery.

• And, most importantly, we want to ensure quality care for the whole person.

This is a big promise, and it takes energetic, talented, dedicated people like you to make it happen. We are counting on you to help transform the field of family medicine. You are the future of this ever-changing field. A strong primary care workforce is a big part of the solution to America’s health problems, and you are leading the innovation and transformation in primary care.

Here at the U of M, you will work along side many talented people, not just family physicians. You will work with pharmacists, therapists of different kinds, social workers, medical assistants, care coordinators, and more. The teams that you will work with have many more components than they did some years ago. These teams need your passion, your energy, and your intellect.

We will also be learning from you. You raise questions and do things that teach us while we teach you. Because of your ideas and questions, faculty learn faster. If we are teachers, we need to learn at a faster rate than we would in traditional practice. Many of our faculty continue teaching because of you and the questions and ideas you bring.

Some of you may be familiar with the Triple Aim in primary care – enhancing patient experience, improving health, and reducing costs. Over the past few years, the Triple Aim has expanded to the Quadruple Aim, making the experience enjoyable for not only the patient, but also the provider—you.

We often forget about making the provider’s experience more enjoyable, but if you force someone to get things done, it doesn’t work. They become dispirited or dismayed about their work role and do not put forth their best ideas. They lose energy, not gain it, and the system gradually fails. It is important to take care of yourself and each other—the system works better if you are feeling reasonably managed, taken care of, and supported in your endeavors.

If you want to affirm the patient in front of you, help them feel capable enough to get through the next day despite the odds they are facing, you have to feel that way too.

On an easy day, you might be able to offer your smile, courtesy, or just decentness to a patient. But, on a tough day, feeling under supported, you might do something less accommodating to the patient, and you may walk away feeling worse, no matter the problem.

You can affirm people everyday by simply being the kind of person that you are now. Don’t let us take that part of you away. You’ve got it now, and if it starts to shrink, talk to us! Almost all of us hit the wall every now and then, but I want you to always remember that we are here for you. We support you. You matter to us.

Residency is the start of a new chapter in your lives. The next three years will be challenging, rewarding, and fun.
I look forward to watching you all grow as family physicians.

University of Minnesota Family Medicine and Community Health department head Macaran Baird, MD, MS

MAFP Spring Refresher 2016 Recap

On April 14-15, the University of Minnesota Department of Family Medicine and Community Health attended the 2016 Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians (MAFP) Spring Refresher at The Depot Hotel in downtown Minneapolis.



The MAFP Spring Refresher is an annual family medicine conference for family physicians, family medicine residents, medical students, and allied health professionals. The conference covers updates in medical knowledge, skills workshops, clinical practice improvements and innovations, and more. It's also a great opportunity for Minnesota-based family physicians to connect with colleagues from across the state.



A number of our residents and faculty were in attendance at this year's conference. Several gave presentations, including Reneé Crichlow, MD, on burnout prevention and mindful meditation; Barbara Elliot, PhD, MDiv, on end-of-life decision making; Nancy Baker, MD, on the use of mobile devices in medicine; Mary Wagner, MD, on clinician resilience.

Also among presenters was Kim Nagel, an undergraduate research assistant working with research faculty Alicia Allen, PhD. She presented on recruiting and retaining smokers in research studies.

View their presentations here.

What drives you to practice or teach family medicine?

Department faculty Reneé Crichlow, MD

We had a great time in the Exhibit Hall visiting with current and former faculty and residents, community physicians, and University of Minnesota medical students. 

We asked attendees to answer the following question--“What drives you to practice or teach family medicine?” This question corresponds to this year’s University of Minnesota marketing campaign, “We are the Driven.”

We took photos of our visitors with their answers on a chalkboard and posted the photos to our social media channels. See photos here.

MAFP Honors and Awards

Several department faculty and residents were also honored at the conference for contributions to family medicine education and research.


2016 MAFP Teacher of the Year 
Carrie Link, MD, University of Minnesota Medical Center faculty

Carrie Link, MD

2016 Resident of the Year
Elizabeth Lownik, MD, MPH, U of M North Memorial Family Medicine Residency Program

Elizabeth Lownik, MD, MPH




Also among awardees was fourth-year University of Minnesota medical student Mark Nelson, who won the Medical Student Award for Contributions to Family Medicine.

Fourth-year U of M medical student Mark Nelson

In addition to being a medical student, Mark is a Julliard alumnus who has been performing with Hippocrates Cafe, since its first show. Mark will continue his career in medicine with the University of Minnesota North Memorial Family Medicine Residency Program.

Last, but not least, department head Macaran Baird, MD, MS, won the “Most School Spirit” award and faculty David Power, MD, MPH, won the "Most Shocking" award for participating in MAFP’s Sunglasses Selfies Contest.

Department head Macaran, Baird, MD, MS

Department faculty David Power, MD, MPH

Congratulations to all who received an award!

Looking Ahead

The MAFP Spring Refresher is an annual event that happens in the spring for Minnesota family physicians. For more information and next year's schedule, visit the MAFP website.

University of Minnesota Family Medicine Match Results 2016

On Friday, March 18, graduating University of Minnesota medical students gathered with family and friends at McNamara Alumni Center to find out where they will begin the next phase of their careers.

Match Day is an important date shared by medical students across the country. Students receive an official letter from the National Residency Match Program (NRMP), letting them know which residency, and in what city, they will start their medical training.

We are proud to say that this year was a success for all U of M family medicine residency programs.

2016 Match Day ceremony at McNamara Alumni Center

Match Day Highlights

• All eight U of M family medicine residency programs filled.

•  The 2016 Match saw the most medical students and graduates matched to family medicine in the history of the specialty.

• A record 3,105 graduating medical students across the country chose family medicine. 

University of Minnesota Family Medicine, Class of 2019

DULUTH

• Becky Davies - Creighton University
• Elizabeth Feist - University of Minnesota
• Caryn Gerber - Stellenbosch University
• Eric Hanhan - University of Minnesota
• Joshua Kropko - Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Jessica Olen - University of Minnesota
• Steven Schumacher - University of Wisconsin
• Jessica Stay - University of Minnesota
• Jesse Susa - University of Minnesota 

MANKATO

• Emily Bastyr - Des Moines University
• Beth Brinkman - Loyola University Chicago
• Ryan Brower - University of Wisconsin
• Zachary Maass - Michigan State University
• Jacob Reynolds - University of Vermont 

METHODIST 

• Christopher Leonard - University of Minnesota
• Elizabeth McNiven - University of California, San Francisco
• Oluwaseun Oladokun - Poznan University of Medical Sciences
• Chelsey Sand - Des Moines University
• Allyson Stevenson - University of North Texas
• Isaac Zoller - University of Minnesota

NORTH MEMORIAL

• Christopher Childs - University of Southern Florida
• Nathaniel Fondell - University of Minnesota
• Alexandra Gits - Eastern Virginia Medical School
• Kari Halvorson - University of South Dakota
• Theang Ho - University of Iowa
• Priya Nagarajan - Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Mark Nelson - University of Minnesota
• Samantha Ngaw - Eastern Virginia Medical School
• Lonzale Ramsey, JR - Howard University
• Jessica Wilson - State University of New York 

ST. CLOUD

• John Hokanson - University of Minnesota
• Brittany Kirkeby - Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Leesa Larson - Ross University
• John Tronnes - University of North Dakota
• Sujitha Yadlapati - Kasturba Medical College Mangalore

ST. JOHN'S

• Kyrstin Ball - Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Donald Fahey-Ahrndt - University of Minnesota
• Lorelli Lewis - Loma Linda University
• Tony Huy Nguyen - University of Minnesota
• Heidi Nichol - University of Minnesota
• Molly Nustad - University of Minnesota 

 ST. JOSEPH'S

• Leah Duvor - Des Moines University
• Abigail Elliott - University of Minnesota
• Robyn Hegland - University of Minnesota
• Katie Hinderaker - University of Minnesota
• Brandon Ng - University of Minnesota
• Lindsay Schroeder - A.T. Still University of Health Sciences
• Jaimi Weber - Des Moines University
• Lindsay Williams - Creighton University 

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA MEDICAL CENTER

• Baheer Ashna - Windsor University School of Medicine
• Marshall Clyde - American University of Antigua
• Nicole Kilby - Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine
• Sharondeep Toor - St. George's University
• Yana Torres - Universidad de Ciencias Medicas Sancti Spiritus
• David Peter - St. George's University 

Congratulations to all--we cannot wait to see what the future holds for our incoming family medicine residents.

Welcome, Class of 2019!