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Home > Residency Programs > Smiley's Family Medicine Residency Program > Residents
Residents
2008-2009 Chief Residents
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Sara Hartfeldt and Roli Dwivedi
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First Year Residents
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Juan Carlos Galvez-Vargas
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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. |
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Sandeep Kalola
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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. |
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Sankari Kasi
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Medical School: Tirunelveli Medical College
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. |
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Rabin Nikjoo
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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. |
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Frank Melo
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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. |
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Parvathi Theerthakarai
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Medical School: Chenai Medical College, TamilNadu, 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. |
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Nadia Malik
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Medical School: Dow Medical College
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. |
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Second Year Residents
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Hanan Abu Alnaaj
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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. |
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Ben Baechler
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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.
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Maurice Lawton
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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. |
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Carrie Link
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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. |
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Fatima Nisar
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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.
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Jessica Sanchez
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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. |
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Azeb Yihune
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Medical School: Gondar College of Medical Science
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. |
Third Year Residents
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Jesus Cabrera
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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. |
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Roli Dwivedi
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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. |
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Sara Hartfeldt
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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 |
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Sowmya Kurtakoti
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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. |
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Solomon Woldegiorgis
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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. |
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Shazia Aslam
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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. |
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Robin Javaherian
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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. |
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Sara Johnson
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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. |
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Susan Keasling
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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 |
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