|
Residents
First-year residents
Second-year residents
Third-year residents
Ingrid Kaijage, MD, MPH |  | Medical School: Muhimbili University College of Health Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
MPH: ULB Erasme School of Public Health in Brussels, Belgium
Why Smileys: The quality of faculty, residents, location, a state-of-the-art clinic and the program affiliation with the University of Minnesota make Smiley’s a great place to learn. Smiley’s family medicine program has a reputation for serving a diverse patient population and offers a lot of learning opportunities.
Career Goals and Professional Interests: To become a competent family medicine physician in a community or academic setting. I’m interested in women’s health, maternity care including surgical obstetrics, procedures, and pediatrics.
What I Like About the Twin Cities: Apart from a long cold winter in Minnesota, I found the Twin Cities among the best places to live, work, and raise a family in the U.S. The lakes, parks, theaters, and sport activities keep people active and happy.
| Charlton Lacerna, MD |  | Medical School: University of Santo Tomas, Philippines
Why Smiley’s: I chose Smiley’s because of its active participation in serving the underserved, the faculty's dedication to excellence, state-of-the-art facilities, and the very friendly and multicultural environment that provides the opportunity to learn from different cultures.
Excited by: I like that in family medicine, in order to be on top of the game, you have to keep yourself up-to-date with the latest protocols, and keep up with the trends. It keeps your mind in top shape and keeps you abreast of the basic principles of medicine. Smiley’s will prepare me to become a well-trained family physician who is well-versed in evidence-based medicine.
What I Like About the Twin Cities:The Twin Cities have a lot of things to offer. The people are very warm and hospitable. There is a commitment here to keep Minneapolis a thriving and diverse place for different cultures and people. | Tasaduq Mir, MD |  | Medical School: Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Why Smiley’s: When I visited Smiley’s for my interview it was like love at first sight. Smiley’s provides a complete package: state-of-the-art clinic, one of the best universities in the United States, excellent faculty, multi-ethnic and diverse patient population.
Career Goals and Professional Interests: To work as a family medicine doctor with special emphasis on chronic diseases and mental disorders.
What I Like About the Twin Cities: Great community, beautiful parks and lakes, and SNOW | Sabeen Munib, MD |  | Medical School: King Edward Medical College, Lahore, Pakistan.
Why Smiley’s: University-affiliated program with lots of learning opportunities with an experienced faculty. Diverse patient population in urban setting where residents are prepared for whomever and whatever walks through the door.
Excited About: I enjoyed the obstetrics rotation in med school but did not get a chance to practice much. I am looking forward to that part of training in particular; being part of a good team is another thing I am looking forward to.
What I Like About the Twin Cities: Amazing theaters and museums, and, most of all, friendly people | Sapna Patel, MD | 
| Medical School: Jawahar Lal Nehru Medical College, Ajmer, India
Why Smiley’s: I like the different patient population and patient centered care. I loved the Twin Cties.
Career Goals and Professional Interests: Practice family medicine in teaching environment.
What I Like About the Twin Cities: Friendly people and very good education
| Savita Thorat, MD |  | Medical School: Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences, Karad, India
Why Smiley’s: Smiley’s is a great program. When I interviewed here I was impressed with the dedication and enthusiasm of the program director, faculty members, program co-coordinator and administrative staff, pleasant work environment, and diverse patient population. To be specific, I liked the Smileyota way, chronic care model, and medical home model. The most distinguishing feature of Smiley’s is the people here who essentially made up my mind to choose this program as my residency program.
Excited About: Emergency medicine, women’s health, pediatrics
What I Like About the Twin Cities: Great cities, multi-cultural community. Beautiful lakes. Lots of museums and tourist attractions. | Anjali Vaidya, MD |  | Medical School: NDMVP Samaj’s Medical College, Nasik, India
Why Smiley’s: I believe Smiley’s diversity of patient population, various learning opportunities for residents and excellent faculty will help me to become a confident, competent family physician. I am very much impressed by Smiley’s state-of-the-art clinic. The residents and staff are very friendly, and I’ve always felt comfortable with them.
Career Goals and Professional Interests: Women’s health and ambulatory family medicine. After completion of residency, I want to practice full-spectrum family medicine in a mid-size U.S. city with a group of family physicians. I would like to actively participate in community service.
What I Like About the Twin Cities: Beautiful lakes and trails, spectacular fall colors, the Minnesota Zoo, and the Mall of America. There are also excellent schools and many job opportunities. This is a safe place to live. |
Juan Carlos Galvez-Vargas, MD | Medical School: Universidad San Martin de Porres, Peru
Why Smiley's: In addition to choosing a program that fits you academically, you have to feel comfortable and happy with the place and people you work with, and I found that at Smiley’s. The clinic is just amazing, and the people even better.
Career Goals and Professional Interests: Being an excellent family and sports medicine physician. I would like to start a family medicine residency in Peru.
What I Like About Living in the Twin Cities: I love the people who live here; Minnesotans are very nice. I am a big city person and love the idea of biking or skating around the city, the parks and the lakes, in summer obviously. |  | Sandeep Kalola, MD | Medical School: P S Medical College, Gujarat, India
Why Smiley's: Great teaching faculty, friendly staff and residents, diversity of patient population. Great clinic.
Career Goals and Professional Interests: I want to be a humane physician.
What I Like About Living in the Twin Cities: Lakes, parks, great restaurants and wonderful, courteous people. |  | Sankari Kasi, MD | Medical School: Tirunelveli Medical College, Tamil Nadu, India
Why Smiley's: It is a resident-oriented program with excellent award-winning and friendly faculty. The infrastructure is great as are the in-depth training opportunities available to residents caring for a diverse patient population.
Career Goals and Professional Interests: I want to pursue a career in geriatrics and my special interests include working in a rural, underserved community and developing my skills in clinical research.
What I Like About Living in the Twin Cities: I love the bike trails, parks, restaurants and the people. I am a big shopper and think the Mall of America is great. |  | Nadia Malik, MD | Medical School: Dow Medical College, Pakistan
Why Smiley's: I chose Smiley's because of its reputation and the quality of residents and faculty. I wanted to be in a program where I could work and grow at the same time. The strong affiliation with the University of Minnesota gives the program at Smiley's an edge.
Career Goals and Interest: I've always loved teaching, and my goal is to work in academic family medicine. My clinical interests include palliative medicine, women's health, and geriatrics. |  | Frank Melo, MD | Medical School: Universidad Autonoma de Ciencias Medicas, San José, Costa Rica
Why Smiley's: Smiley’s Clinic has a reputation for providing an outstanding level of care to individuals, families and the community. The friendly and enthusiastic faculty is wholeheartedly committed to the formation of well-rounded family physicians and molding them into leaders of the community. Some of the highlights of the residency program include strong clinical and didactic curriculum; generous procedural training and experience; educational and research opportunities; community involvement; culturally diverse residents, staff, faculty, and patient population.
Career Goals and Professional Interests: Research, emergency medicine
What I Like About Living in the Twin Cities: The Twin Cities often tops the charts when the best places to live, work and enjoy life are ranked. Theaters, museums, parks, and lakes keep people sharp and in shape. |  | Rabin Nikjoo, MD | Medical School: American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine
Why Smiley's: After almost three years of general surgery, I decided to continue my career as a general/family practitioner. Smiley’s is a great program with a great reputation.
Career Goals and Professional Interests: I love to care for my patients, and I hope someday to practice in an urgent care setting. |  | Parvathi Theerthakarai, MD | Medical School: Chenai Medical College, Tamil Nadu, India
Why Smiley's: This is the perfect place for me to attain my goal because Smiley's has highly experienced faculty who love to teach, a friendly and supportive environment, and rich resources from the University of Minnesota.
Career Goals and Professional Interests: My goal is to practice in an academic setting, and my professional interests include ambulatory family medicine and academic medicine. |  |
Hanan Abu Alnaaj, MD |  | Medical School: University of Damascus, Damascus, Syria
Why Smiley’s: Really impressed with the friendly faculty and staff and the relaxed environment.
Career Goals and Professional Interests: Women’s health and making a difference in the well-being of the community. | Ben Baechler, MD |  | Medical School: University of Minnesota Medical School
Why Smiley’s: The energetic environment and professionals at Smiley’s Clinic provide an excellent forum for the delivery of primary care and continued medical education. As well, the diverse patient population fosters the development of additional skills that will be useful in global medicine.
Career Goals and Professional Interests: I am excited to develop my clinical skills to be able to participate in the delivery excellent primary care within an environment which focuses on a holistic approach to patient care. I have a strong commitment to research activities and would love global opportunities. | Carrie Link, MD |  | Medical School: University of Minnesota
Why Smiley’s: For the outstanding evidence-based medicine, the innovative ideas, a fascinating and challenging patient population, a commuter-friendly patient-centered facility, the team approach, dedicated faculty, the opportunity to work with both diverse staff and patients.
Career Goals: To practice full spectrum family medicine in a community or academic setting, to be involved with teaching medical students and residents, to be a role model for my patients.
Professional Interests: Health care for GLBT-identified individuals, reproductive health care, health care access, obstetrics, chronic disease care, continuity of care. | Fatima Nisar, MD | Medical School: King Edward Medical College, Pakistan
Why Smiley’s: The location plus the reputation that comes from the highly respected and qualified faculty. I was especially impressed by the diversity of the program and the community.
Career Goals: Perfecting my knowledge of medicine as much as I can and becoming an excellent family physician.
Professional Interests: Geriatrics and women’s health. | Jessica Sanchez, MD |  | Medical School: Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia. Lima, Peru
Why Smiley’s: I loved the idea of trying everything during my residency: To work in a family medicine clinic and still have the opportunity to rotate and have electives at a university hospital was the kind of training I was looking for. The possibility of having international and/or rural rotations just perfectly completed the ideal picture I have about family medicine. The quality of faculty, the city, and the friendly environment that I felt at Smiley’s during my interview process was also very important for me.
Career Goals: To become a holistic primary care physician who is identified by her patients not only as an excellent doctor but also as a friend who is interested in their general well being.
Professional Interests: Quality of life in healthy and ill patients; occupational and integrative medicine. | Azeb Yihune, MD |  | Medical School: Gondar College of Medical Sciences, Ethiopia
Why Smiley’s: Smiley's patient population is diverse.
Career Goals and Professional Interests: I plan to do a fellowship in geriatrics after my residency. |
|
|
