Alumni

Dr. Arne Vainio describes his pathway to medicine as a pinball that bounced off many different spots before arriving where it was meant to be.

The Department of Family Medicine and Community Health is proud of our 48 family medicine resident graduates, our 10 fellowship graduates, and our intern graduate. What are they doing today? Let’s dive into their chosen paths, locations, and aspirations.

Dr. Tanya Repka began her education and career in health information science, but, early on, she knew she wanted to expand her professional experience. A physician in her workplace encouraged her to apply to medical school, noting her affinity for science.In 1980, she entered the University of Minnesota Medical School Duluth Campus. After starting clinical work at the U of M Twin Cities campus, rotating through hospitals, she knew I wanted to focus on internal medicine. Following an internship in San Francisco, she returned to Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) for her residency and chief...

Dr. Heather Thompson Buum is a primary care physician and an Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Minnesota. She is also a breast cancer survivor.Dr. Thompson Buum completed her medical education and internal medicine residency at the U of M, joining the faculty in 2002. “The University was expanding the primary care center and was looking to hire more female internists. It was great continuity for me because I had rotated through that clinic and enjoyed working with that patient population.”In addition, she was excited about the opportunity to teach. She described the value...

Jennifer Pearson, MD, is a family medicine physician and faculty member at the University of Minnesota Duluth campus. Dr. Pearson completed her first two years at the Duluth Medical School campus and her third and fourth years at the Twin Cities campus. “The Duluth campus was very appealing to me because I had a strong interest in family medicine,” she said. After completing her residency in Madison, Wisconsin, she began a broad-spectrum family medicine practice in McFarland, Wisconsin. After three years of practice in McFarland, she returned with her family to northern Minnesota, practicing...