Residents

Where are you originally from?

Colville, Washington

Undergraduate College:

I earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa, Idaho and a Master of Arts in Medical Sciences degree from Heritage University in Toppenish, Washington.

Where did you attend Medical School?

Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences in Yakima, Washington

Why did you choose PTHA?

I chose PTHA foremost because of the authenticity of its faculty, staff, and residents. It was clear that everyone truly enjoyed being a part of this program and encouraged residents to immerse themselves in the community, not be apart from it. The rigorous curriculum covers all aspects of traditional family medicine while also providing a very unique approach to treating rural and underserved communities, which aligns with my personal and professional interests.

What are your interests?

My medical interests include collaborative care, rural medicine, and behavioral health. Outside of medicine, my wife and I have two young boys who keep us very busy. We love spending time together outdoors going on hikes, enjoying wildlife, and just playing in dirt.

What are some fun facts about you?

When I was young, I learned how to tie my shoes by dreaming. When driving, I have a knack for missing the exit. If I ate tacos for breakfast and dinner every day for the rest of my life, I would still pick a taco to be my last meal on Earth. I was today years old when I learned the FedEx logo has an arrow in it. Lastly, I’m not superstitious, but I am a little stitious.

Where are you originally from?

Philadelphia, PA

Undergraduate College:

Oberlin College

Where did you attend Medical School?

Western University of Health Sciences - College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific

Why did you choose PTHA?

Wow, where to begin! First, as an occupant of this land-- and having been blessed with immense privilege in my life-- the opportunity to leverage my medical education to serve Indigenous communities felt meaningful and important to me. During my time rotating at PTHA as a medical student, the closeness of the community and beauty of the clinic itself formed a strong impression. I felt at home. Second, I was looking for a program with a sincere interest in osteopathic medicine, which I found at PTHA to extend from residents to attendings to patients. Beyond the patients and the osteopathy (not that I needed a beyond), the natural beauty of the PNW has been easy to fall in love with.

What are your interests?

Medically, I am interested in the areas where healthcare overlaps with social justice and an exploration of what it means to be fully human: structural origins of health disparities, population health, behavioral health, women’s health, group visits, hospice & palliative care, and traditional osteopathic medicine. Personally, I am easily lost in music and nature (I am a former DJ and a fledgling backpacker), and love connecting deeply (or shallowly!) with dear pals.

What are some fun facts about you?

Prior to medical school, I worked as a community organizer, paralegal, after-school teacher, and meditation instructor. In 4th grade, I won the MVP at a basketball camp-- my skills have been downtrending ever since. Bill Murray once threw me a beer on a golf course which my parents saved in the basement until I turned 21, at which point it was decided that we should probably just pour that old can down the drain.

Where are you originally from?

Delta, Utah

Undergraduate College:

BS- Utah State University MIA- Penn State University MS- PCOM

Where did you attend Medical School?

Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine

Why did you choose PTHA?

I’ve always been impressed and moved by natives across the Americas: my Navajo neighbors growing up, the Inca people of Peru, the Inuit of Canada’s northern Territories. When I discovered that I could complete my residency with a Coast Salish tribe, it was a no brainer. The empathy and spirit that is being lost in Medicine is fully ingrained into the curriculum. I’m also drawn to Full Spectrum Family Medicine, which is a dying field in the East where I trained. During interviews, the ‘family’ dynamic at PTHA was strong, and apparent, and I’m so grateful I’ve been welcomed into the family with gusto. I’m so proud to be a resident at PTHA.

What are your interests?

Reading/Writing, Trail Running, Nature, House Plants, Wildlife, Yoga/Fitness, Adventure-Traveling, World History, American Indigenous, Foreign Language, Nutrition, Plant-Based Living, Weight Loss, Disparities in Healthcare, Medical Education, Global Medicine, Maternal/Fetal Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Ultrasound, Hospital Procedures, Addiction, Community Development, BLM Movement, Racial Injustice, Global Citizenship, Mental Health, Osteopathy, Spinal Mechanics, Plant and Ceremonial Medicine.

What are some fun facts about you?

I speak Spanish, German, and French. Visited 40 countries. Wrote a book about Mexico. Lived 3 years in Zurich, Switzerland. Started a consulting business in Doha, Qatar. Sing and Play Piano. Animal Whisperer. Daddy to a brilliant 4 year old girl. Spent 3 months trekking thousands of miles between Mexico and Guatemala before moving to Tacoma.

Where are you originally from?

I’m originally from Phoenix, Arizona. The past 3 years, I have been living in Washington, D.C. for Medical School (living in DC has had a huge impact on my personal and professional development, I have to mention it!)

Undergraduate College:

I graduated from Arizona State University & Barrett, The Honors College in 2016, where I got my degrees in Biological Sciences with an emphasis on Genetics and Cellular Biology, along with Spanish. Through Barrett, I was able to defend an undergraduate thesis: The Immune Blockade Therapy in Metastatic Osteosarcoma, under the excellent guidance of the Blattman Laboratory.

Where did you attend Medical School?

I attended A.T. Still University, School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona for medical school. 1 year was spent in Arizona, with the subsequent 3 years spent in D.C. working with Unity Health Care.

Why did you choose PTHA?

PTHA was the natural next step for my growth as a Physician committed to caring for our most vulnerable populations. In medical school, I had the opportunity to work long-term in underserved communities of Washington D.C. (wards 1, 7 & 8, consisting of primarily Black, Immigrant and Homeless communities), which profoundly altered the way I would see and choose to practice medicine. PTHA appealed to my desire to combine my values in life, with my career; namely, to learn about and serve minority populations and People of Color in the United States, along with working on advocacy & community/preventative health for these populations. I am thrilled to work with the Puyallup tribe of Washington state, learn about both their unique culture and barriers to care, and to receive rigorous training in a setting that balances in-patient and outpatient services. Similarly, I am excited to work alongside individuals who share similar values to me.

What are your interests?

My interests include Mutual Aid, advocacy work, equity (racial, gender, LGBTQ+) in medicine and reading all the books (current book list: The Selected Works of Audre Lorde, Pleasure Activism and From Beirut to Jerusalem). I also love gardening and propagating plants, third-gen coffee, bouldering and creating (in whatever way possible). I am very invested in my spirituality and community. I’m also trying to learn more languages - Portuguese and Arabic!

What are some fun facts about you?

I am fluent in Spanish, first-generation Lebanese-American, and while in DC, was very involved in the art scene, making album art and music videos for local rappers. I’ve also made art for social change (selling works for donations to different NGOs)