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Home > Residency Programs > Smiley's Family Medicine Residency Program > Residents

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Residents


2007-2008 Chief Residents

Sara Johnson and Maya Miley

2007 Chief Residents

First Year Residents

Hanan Abu Alnaaj, MD
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
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.   

Maurice Lawton, MD
Maurice Lawton, MD Medical School: University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
Why Smiley’s: Wonderful people, great community, and a new state-of-the-art clinic.
Career Goals and Professional Interests: My interests are emergency medicine/urgent care, adolescent medicine, and medical genetics.

Carrie Link, MD
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, MBBS

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, MBBS
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, in a hospital in an essentially unopposed program, 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
Azeb Yihune, MD Medical School: Gondar College of Medical Science
Why Smiley’s: Smiley's is fundamentally an unopposed program and the patient population is diverse.
Career Goals and Professional Interests: I plan to do a fellowship in geriatrics after my residency.

Second Year Residents

Jesus Cabrera, MD
Medical School: Carlos J. Finlay, Camaguey, Cuba
Why Smiley’s: Very vibrant academic spirit. Contagious enthusiasm. Diversity. Community oriented humanistic medicine. Impressive concentration of brilliant minds per square meter of surface. 
Career Goals: Broad spectrum family medicine.
Professional Interests: Everything beneath the skin.		 Jesus Cabrera, MD

Roli Dwivedi, MBBS
Medical School: Dr V. M. Medical College
Why Smiley’s: Excellent education with good hands-on clinical experience and a lot of fun.
Career Goals: To become an excellent physician.
Professional Interests: Ob/gyn and procedures.		 Roli Dwivedi, MD

Sara Hartfeldt, MD
Medical School: University of Michigan
Why Smiley’s: Number one for me was the quality of the faculty—a variety of interests, combination of early career and longer term, smart and clearly enjoy teaching. I also had experience with another clinic in the neighborhood, so I know and like the unique urban patient population.
Career Goals: A combination of clinical practice and health care policy or public health work.
Professional Interests: Adolescent medicine, women's health, health care reform		 Sara Hartfeldt, MD

Sowmya Kurtakoti, MBBS
Medical School: B.L.D.E.A'S Shri B.M. Patil Medical College, Bijapur, India
Why Smiley’s: Community hospital, serves underserved population.
Career Goals: Would want to become an FP competent in serving underserved populations. My husband and I plan to go back to India 10-15 years from now and start a hospital/school for underserved population. I also plan to acquire a degree in MPH and geriatrics in the near future
Professional Interests: Underserved, geriatrics, alternative medicine.		 Sowmya Kurtakoti, MD

Solomon Woldegiorgis, MD
Medical School: Vitebsk State Medical Institute
Why Smiley’s: At Smiley’s I can see a diverse patient population with a variety of medical issues which makes it challenging and interesting, working here will prepare me to be one of the best family practitioners, Smiley’s is a prestigious family medicine program in Minnesota.
Professional Interests: Family medicine hospitalist.		 Solomon Woldegiorgis, MD

Third Year Residents

Shazia Aslam, MBBS
Shazia Aslam, MD Medical School: Dow Medical College, Pakistan
Why Smiley’s: I love working with the multicultural community.
Career Goals: To achieve an excellent understanding of medicine and to become a family physician who can play a vital role in the community.
Professional Interests: Obstetrics, chronic pain treatment, preventive medicine.

Robin Javaherian, MD
Robin Javaherian, MD Medical School: University of Sint Eustatius
Why Smiley’s: The most dedicated and knowledgeable faculty I've ever had the privilege to work with. You will be prepared for any clinical situation imaginable after you complete your residency. Community and university setting gives a taste of both worlds. Smiley's graduates are some of the most sought after physicians for employment throughout Minnesota and the surrounding states.
Career Goals: To eventually become a member of the University of Minnesota faculty
Professional Interests: Diabetes, asthma, adolescent medicine, obesity.

Sara Johnson, MD
Sara Johnson, MD Medical School: University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
Why Smiley’s: Great, award-winning faculty and teachers. Smiley’s has a long history of serving its surrounding community members, a lot of immigrants and low-income folks in need. Also, someone told me early on in medical school that Smiley’s is one of the best programs! It annually attracts quality applicants from out of state, as well as local Minnesota medical school grads.
Career Goals: To be a really great, humane family physician.
Professional Interests: Pediatrics, women’s health, international health.

Susan Keasling, MD
Susan Keasling, MD Medical School: University of Nebraska College of Medicine
Why Smiley’s: Multicultural environment, great faculty, emphasis on clinic training, overseas opportunities, training in procedures
Career Goals: Clinic-based practice with an emphasis on lifestyle (healthy eating and exercise)
Professional Interests: Public health policy and health care access, alternative medicine such as acupuncture, end-of-life care

Maya Miley, MD
Maya Miley, MD Medical School: Universidad de Ciencias Medicas, San Jose, Costa Rica.
Why Smiley’s: Known as “the best FP program in the Twin Cities,” multicultural patient population, strong internal medicine training unopposed, excellent friendly faculty.
Career Goals: The cliché: “to be a good physician” and to work part time!
Professional Interests: Academic medicine, OB, international medicine, alternative medicine, humanitarian medicine.

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  Last modified on Thursday Jun 05, 2008