Duluth Residents

First year: Class of 2026
Hannah Castillo

Hannah Castillo, MD  (she/her) 

Medical school: University of Michigan Medical School

Medical interests: Full-spectrum family medicine, expanding access to reproductive healthcare, adolescent medicine, and palliative care.

Personal interests: Hiking, camping, walking along Lake Superior, crocheting, reading sci fi and mysteries with a good cup of tea, taking cooking classes while traveling to explore new places.

Why Duluth: Duluth offers exceptional education in my primary areas of interest, which include women's health, obstetrics, medical education, and rural medicine. I am thrilled to be part of a residency program that is welcoming and encouraging, overall creating an incredible environment to train to be a well-rounded family physician with the ability to adapt to the needs of my community.

Mikayla Hong

Mikayla Hong, MD (she/her)

Medical school: University of Minnesota Medical School

Medical interests: Full-spectrum rural family medicine, obstetrics, preventive care and procedures.

Personal interests: I really enjoy pretty much any crafty activity I can get my hands on - I love crotchet, cross-stitch, ceramics, and am always excited to try a new craft. I also love spending time outdoors hiking and camping with my husband.

Why Duluth: I absolutely love the north shore and am interested in full-spectrum rural family medicine and so was excited about getting to continue my training so close to my favorite places to visit. I've been super impressed with my prior eight years of University of Minnesota education so far and excited to have 11 years total after residency!

Kylie Kraft

Kylie Kraft, MD 

Medical school: University of Minnesota Medical School

Medical interests: Full-spectrum rural family medicine, women's health, underserved medicine, preventative care and mental health.

Personal interests: I enjoy spending time in the outdoors with my husband and our dog Ozzy. I also love to read, cook, listen to live music, and watch UND hockey.

Why Duluth: I completed medical school at the University of Minnesota Medical School-Duluth Campus and instantly felt a sense of belonging to the community while I was here. After residency I plan to work as a rural family medicine physician for the Indian Health Service, and the Duluth program is well known for training outstanding rural family medicine doctors. Not to mention the endless outdoor activities Duluth has to offer and the unbeatable views of Lake Superior.

Liesl Larson

Liesl Larson, MD  

Medical school: University of Missouri, Kansas City School of Medicine

Medical interests: I enjoy the whole breadth of family medicine, but in particular I like women's health, global health, and rural medicine.

Personal interests: I really enjoy baking bread and desserts, finding new books to read, trying out new recipes for my partner and I, discovering new restaurants and breweries, and exploring the wonderful local parks and trails.

Why Duluth: I chose Duluth Family Medicine Residency for the excellent full-spectrum training that they have a reputation for providing. I also wanted to be closer to home after spending the last six years in Kansas City, and I am very excited to only be two hours away from family and to get to visit my nieces and nephews far more often. Lastly, I love the natural beauty of the North Shore and am excited to be living somewhere with such excellent parks, fishing, and hiking.

Thomas Marcroft

Thomas Marcroft, MD  (he/him) 

Medical school: University of Minnesota Medical School

Medical interests: I love having a broad practice where I can see everything from routine well checks to chronic disease management to emergency and acute care. I have special interests in addiction medicine, gender care, sexual health and reproductive justice, care for unhoused patients, and point-of-care ultrasound.

Personal interests: I like to hike and camp and am excited to live in an area that allows access to so much natural beauty. I try to keep active with weightlifting, running, biking, and yoga. I love to cook and am always on the lookout for a new recipe to try.

Why Duluth: Growing up, Duluth was always my family’s vacation city, and the area has always had a special place in my heart. Prior to medical school I worked as an addiction and mental health therapist with a focus on working with underserved populations including unhoused people and trans-identified patients. I wanted a program that could give me a full-spectrum education while also allowing me to continue to work with the underserved communities I’m passionate about. Duluth’s program provides the comprehensive training of a rural-focused program while also offering extensive experiences in addiction medicine, gender care, and reproductive health.

joe metzger

Joe Metzger, DO  (he/him) 

Medical school: Des Moines University

Medical interests: Family medicine

Personal interests: Coaching high school mock trial, creative writing, and playing board games!

Why Duluth: Because Duluth is the coolest place on the planet! Almost literally!

Emily Ruba

Emily Ruba, MD (she/her) 

Medical school: University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine

Medical interests: Full-spectrum family medicine with an emphasis on women's health, mental health, pediatrics, and LGBTQ+ health. I am also passionate about working with the medically underserved and teaching.

Personal interests: I enjoy spending time with family and friends, cooking, reading, thrift shopping, painting, swimming, and hiking.

Why Duluth: The University of Minnesota has an exceptional reputation for providing full-spectrum training in family medicine and community health, and the Duluth program in particular offers the best of both worlds in allowing for training in a community-based but academically-oriented setting. When I interviewed, I was impressed by the faculty and residents and knew immediately that this was a community where I would thrive. The obstetrics training and community health opportunities are unparalleled, and I know this is a program that will set me up for success in achieving my personal and professional goals.

Sarah Steffen

Sarah Steffen, MD, MMP (she/her)

Medical school: Medical College of Wisconsin

Medical interests: Full-spectrum family medicine, obstetrics and reproductive health, pediatrics, community and underserved medicine, maternal-child health, procedures, and global health.

Personal interests: Spending time with family and friends, traveling around the world, baking, crocheting, adding to my plant family, cheering on the Green Bay Packers and the US Women’s National Soccer Team.

Why Duluth: I chose Duluth Family Medicine Residency for its strength in full-spectrum training, including its emphasis on obstetrics. I knew this program would provide me with the experience necessary to confidently care for patients of all ages and in all settings, while also being able to support me in my individual training goals. In addition to its reputation for strong, well-rounded training, I also chose Duluth for its welcoming and down-to-earth residents, faculty, and staff. During my interview and "second look" day, it was evident that the residents were part of a genuine and thoughtful community in which they were cared for and respected. Residency is rigorous and to know that I would be supported both in my education and as a person was important to me. I am beyond excited to the join the Duluth Family Medicine Residency and look forward to exploring and living in such a beautiful, scenic area!

Second year: Class of 2025
 Josie Gable, MD

Josie Gable, MD

Medical school: University of Minnesota Medical School

Medical interests: Name a topic in medicine, and it will likely spark some curiosity in me. Mostly I enjoy seeing a variety of people throughout my day! I particularly enjoy community medicine, procedures, acute care, prenatal care, well child visits, and regular adult check-ups where I can spend some time getting to know my patients better.

Personal interests: The outdoors are my happy place! I personally love exploring ridges, forests, trails, and wetlands and seeing what types of animals and plants that I can find and identify. I am particularly interested in bird watching, finding orchids, and searching for morel mushrooms with my husband and dog in the springtime. I also enjoy some indoor activities including oil painting, making homemade pizza, and baking.

Why Duluth: I love Duluth Family Medicine Residency for their mission of training broad-spectrum family medicine physicians with a strong emphasis on community medicine, acute care, and inpatient training. I have had my eye on this residency since starting medical school in Duluth long ago! I am confident that I will receive an education that will prepare me for serving rural, northern Minnesota and that I will build numerous connections with other physicians in the area that will also be a resource for me and my future patients. Plus, I will love waking up to Lake Superior every day!

 Elena Jaffer, MD

Elena Jaffer, MD

Medical school: University of Washington School of Medicine

Medical interests: Full-spectrum family medicine, rural health, inpatient medicine, public, and preventative health.

Personal interests: I enjoy anything outside, especially in new places, camping, backpacking, canoeing, skiing, soccer, softball, etc.! I just ran my first marathon last spring, and I've been swimming longer than that. I enjoy reading historical fiction books and watching goofy movies.

Why Duluth: I have always wanted to be a full-spectrum family medicine physician in a rural area. I have long been aware of the University of Minnesota's strong foundations in public health and family medicine. Duluth's unopposed curriculum with its integrated longitudinal component will prepare me well. I went to college in Iowa and always hoped I would have the opportunity to return to the Midwest. I am so excited to continue my training in a friendly city with easy outdoor access!

Sarah Kinsey, MD

Sarah Kinsey, MD

Medical school: University of Utah School of Medicine

Medical interests: Full-spectrum rural family medicine, with a particular interest in obstetrics, underserved medicine, LGBTQIA+ medicine, and addiction medicine.

Personal interests: I really enjoy being outside - hiking, biking, backpacking, skiing, and paddle boarding. I also love cooking and trying new recipes while listening to podcasts and stand up comedy.

Why Duluth: After residency I plan to practice full-spectrum family medicine in a rural community. I felt that Duluth had the best of both worlds: a rigorous family medicine curriculum in association with a reputable major academic medical center, plus a strong rural training thanks to the large rural Minnesota population that they serve. Of course, you can’t beat Lake Superior!

Austin Pickup, MD

Austin Pickup, MD

Medical school: University of Minnesota Medical School

Medical interests: Full-spectrum family medicine, obstetrics, preventative care, and mental health.

Personal interests: I love hiking, biking, snowboarding, video games, and playing with my new puppy, Jenga.

Why Duluth: Duluth has a reputation for being a well-rounded and challenging residency. I knew I wanted to learn how to do everything I could in these short years, and Duluth stood out to me. It also helps that the gorgeous city offers plenty of outdoor access, and it is one of the closest programs to my family in the Twin Cities.

Megan Sandberg, MD

Megan Sandberg, MD

Medical school: Western Michigan University School of Medicine

Medical interests: I am interested in full-spectrum and rural family medicine, women’s health, preventative care, and procedures.

Personal interests: I love anything to do with water including sailing, paddle boarding, scuba diving, walking on the beach with my dog, and swimming. I also love to bake desserts and bread, read a good book, paint, and try new restaurants and breweries with friends and family.

Why Duluth: Duluth provides an excellent education in the areas that I am most interested in: rural medicine, women’s health and obstetrics, procedures, and medical education. Not only will I gain the training that I need, but the views of Lake Superior and the supportive and welcoming resident community are unbeatable.

Rachel Seiler, MD

Rachel Seiler, MD

Medical school: Medical College of Wisconsin

Medical interests: Full-spectrum family practice, rural health, obstetrics, and women's care, in-office procedures, dermatology, allergy, and adolescent medicine.

Personal interests: Running, houseplants, alpine and Nordic skiing, camping, hiking and backpacking, swimming in lakes, stand-up paddling, baking sourdough bread, and coffee-making.

Why Duluth: This program has a longstanding history of training full-spectrum family physicians with strengths in rural medicine and obstetrics. I knew that this program would provide me with the experience and training necessary to feel confident treating patients of all ages and to do obstetrics in more rural settings. The residents and faculty are passionate people excited about family medicine and caring for this community. It certainly helps that the North Shore is a beautiful area with access to the outdoors year-round!

Molly Vail, MD

Molly Vail, MD

Medical school: University of Minnesota Medical School

Medical interests: I am interested in full-spectrum family medicine including caring for those of all ages. I really enjoy women’s health, addiction medicine, chronic disease management, and preventative medicine.

Personal interests: I enjoy spending time at my family cabin where I like to go pontooning and enjoy reading a good book with a cup of coffee overlooking the lake. I also enjoy taking my two dogs, Drake and Louie, for walks, cooking, trying new restaurants, playing board games, and spending time with friends and family.

Why Duluth: I chose the Duluth Family Medicine Residency for many reasons. First, I lived in Duluth for the first two years of medical school and I loved the idea of returning. My fiancé also lives and works only one hour from Duluth, so the location was ideal for us to be as close as possible during these three years of residency. In addition to the location, I also chose Duluth for the full-spectrum training opportunities and the down-to-earth and welcoming faculty and residents. I was lucky enough to complete a rotation with the Duluth residency during medical school and following that, I knew it was the place where I wanted to be. Duluth felt like home, and I am very excited and feel very lucky to have the opportunity to complete residency with the Duluth program.

Jacob Wilcox, MD

Jacob Wilcox, MD

Medical school: Medical College of Wisconsin

Medical interests: Full-spectrum family practice, obesity medicine, lifestyle medicine, sports medicine, and wilderness medicine.

Personal interests: Running, lifting, camping, hiking, downhill skiing, Nordic skiing, dogs, and woodworking.

Why Duluth: Duluth has an excellent training program for family practice. It offers extensive learning opportunities mixed with a welcoming community of doctors and residents. In addition, Duluth and the North Shore is a truly amazing place to live. Duluth has been a part of my life since I was little. I love the area, and I love the people that call this place home.

Third Year: Class of 2024
Kyle Bakken, MD

Kyle Bakken, MD

Medical school: Medical College of Wisconsin

Medical interests: Full-spectrum and rural family medicine with obstetrics, wilderness medicine, and hospice and palliative care.

Personal interests: The outdoors. Fishing, boating, kayaking/canoeing, scuba diving, camping, cross-country skiing, snowboarding, curling, photography. I also enjoy reading historical non-fiction books and classic novels.

Why Duluth: I was drawn to the Duluth program for its strong training in traditional full-spectrum family medicine with a well-known emphasis on obstetrics and women's health. I am also happy to be part of a residency with such an active role in community mental health and psychiatric care. During my interview, the authenticity and thoughtfulness of the residents, faculty, and staff made it easy to imagine Duluth as a future training location. The city has easy access to outdoor destinations and is on the doorstep of an abundance of incredibly beautiful natural areas in the Upper Midwest. Overall, I chose Duluth because I felt I would be fully prepared for the wide scope of a physician practicing in any rural or resource-limited environment.

Ethan Burlingame, DO

Ethan Burlingame, DO

Medical school: A.T. Still University Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine

Medical interests: Rural family medicine and sports medicine.

Personal interests: Outdoor activities such as running, fishing, hunting, ice hockey, softball, golf, disc golf, forestry, table tennis, kayaking, gardening, and snowmobiling. I also enjoy playing fantasy football with friends, watching movies, and rooting for the Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Wild.

Why Duluth: Duluth has an excellent reputation for training family medicine physicians who want to work in rural areas. As a physician, I hope to treat a wide variety of patients and do as many hands-on procedures as possible. I know Duluth's curriculum will prepare me with the skills needed to provide excellent care for my patients. Being from Minnesota, I could not think of a more beautiful place to live than Duluth. My significant other and I both love outdoor activities, and Duluth offers a limitless amount of opportunities.

Emily Edwards, DO

Emily Edwards, DO

Medical school: Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, Auburn Campus

Medical interests: Obstetrics, addiction medicine, and wilderness medicine.

Personal interests: Circus arts and learning to ski.

Why Duluth: I intentionally sought out Duluth for its robust obstetrics program. This program also has a fellowship attached; Duluth can prepare me for a strong career in family medicine with obstetrics. I spoke with alumni who shared how well prepared they felt for full-spectrum practice after graduating, which inspired me even more to come here. The program's mission aligns well with my own professional goals.

Bailey Kaira, DO

Bailey Kaira, DO

Medical school: Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine

Medical interests: I am interested in full-spectrum family practice with an emphasis on rural and addiction medicine.

Personal interests: I love to mountain bike, canoe, hike, and do anything outside with my dog Lana! I also like to read and bake sourdough bread with my fiancé.

Why Duluth: I chose Duluth as it offers well-rounded, full-spectrum training in a place that I love. I also appreciated the welcoming and supportive attitude of the staff and other residents.

Bisola Omoba, MD

Bisola Omoba, MD

Medical school: Medical College of Wisconsin

Medical interests: I am interested in community medicine, underserved medicine, broad-spectrum rural family medicine, and procedures.

Personal interests: I love painting canvas with acrylics and cooking. I love to eat! During the pandemic, I enjoyed remixing EDM music on GarageBand.

Why Duluth: I could not have chosen a better or stronger program to train at. Duluth is known for its strong reputation for exceptional training in family medicine. Whether you are interested in academia, private practice, or rural medicine, this program will prepare you for anything your future holds. What really set this program apart was the faculty. You can tell that the love that the program director and the associate program director put into this program is genuine, and the faculty will do everything in their power to get you the training you deserve.

Payton Schultz, MD

Payton Schultz, MD

Medical school: University of Minnesota Medical School

Medical interests: I am interested in practicing full-spectrum rural family medicine with particular interests in obstetrics and sports medicine.

Personal interests: I enjoy doing anything outdoors, including running, hiking, biking, kayaking, and cross country skiing. I'm also always up for a good Hallmark movie!

Why Duluth: I hope to practice full-spectrum family medicine in a rural community, and I know that Duluth's rigorous curriculum and strong OB training will equip me well to do just that. As a medical student in Duluth, I was always impressed by the residency's rich involvement in the community, and I am excited to be able to give back. In addition, the views of Lake Superior while driving to work can't be beaten, and the many outdoor opportunities throughout the city are unmatched!

Marissa Wheeler, MD

Marissa Wheeler, MD

Medical school: University of Minnesota Medical School

Medical interests: Full-spectrum rural family medicine, women's health, preventative care, procedures, and addiction medicine.

Personal interests: Spending time with friends and family, watching my dog, camping, fishing, kayaking, hiking, and traveling to new places.

Why Duluth: I am looking to practice as a rural physician after residency, and Duluth's strong reputation for providing outstanding broad-spectrum family medicine training made it seem like the perfect fit to match my needs. I completed a sub-internship with the program during my fourth year of medical school and during that time all of the staff, faculty, and residents were so kind and welcoming. In addition, Duluth is a fantastic place to live, and I am looking forward to participating in many of the outdoor activities that the area has to offer.

Graduates

Below are our graduates of the last few years, including their current practice site.

2023 Graduates

Courtney Donahoe
Courtney Donahoe, DO

Essentia Health – Hayward, WI

Joshua Godding
Joshua Godding, MD

Essentia Health - West Duluth, MN

Jamie Hammer
Jamie Hammer, MD

Essentia Health – Superior, WI

Lucas Henningsen
Lucas Henningsen, MD

St. Luke’s Lakeview – Two Harbors, MN

Jordan Lindholm
Jordan Lindholm, MD

St. Luke’s Mount Royal Clinic – Duluth, MN

Nicholas Loken
Nicholas Loken, DO

Essentia Health – Brainerd, MN

Staci Lokan
Staci Loken, DO

 Essentia Health – Brainerd, MN

Owen Tierney
Owen Tierney, DO

 Essentia Health – Hermantown, MN

Erin traxler
Erin Traxler, DO

Allina Health – Northfield, MN

2022 Graduates

Jill Golobich
Jill Golobich, MD

Fairview Range, Hibbing, MN

Elaina Fronden
Elaina Hintsala Fronden, MD

Essentia Health-St. Mary's Detroit Lakes Clinic
 

Christopher Hughes
Christopher Hughes, MD

Riverwood Healthcare Center Aitkin and McGregor clinics

Jordan Kaczor
Jordan Kaczor, MD

Fairview Range, Hibbing, MN

Laura Lhotka
Laura Lhotka, MD

Essentia Health-St. Mary's Detroit Lakes Clinic
 

Burton Masen
Burton Masen, MD
Stephen Palmquist
Stephen Palmquist, MD, MBA

Essentia Health-St. Mary's Medical Center (Duluth)
 

Alexandra Sauer
Alexandra Sauer, MD

Lakewood Health System, Staples, MN

Nicholas Velasquez
Nicholas Velasquez, MD

Essentia Health-West Duluth Clinic
 

2021

Maron Anderson

Maren Anderson 
Essentia Health, Detroit Lakes, MN

Whitney Bertram-Reents

 Whitney Bertram-Reents
Carris Health Centra Care, Litchfield, MN

Katie Bressler

 

Katie Bressler
OB Fellowship, Boise, ID

Hannah Elsenpeter

Hannah Elsenpeter
Cuyuna Regional Medical Center, Crosby, MN

C.W. Hall

C.W. Hall
Cloquet Memorial Hospital, Cloquet, MN

 

Kristina Lindholm

Kristina Lindholm
St. Luke’s Mount Royal Clinic, Duluth, MN

Kelly McKinnon

Kelly McKinnon
St. Luke’s Hermantown Clinic, Hermantown, MN

Sidney Sisson

Sidney Sisson
West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, VA

Jake Traxler

Jake Traxler
Glencoe Regional Health, Glencoe, MN 

 

2020

Luke Albares

 

Luke Albares
HealthPartners, Somerset, WI

 

Mark Bostrom

Mark Bostrom
Westfields Clinic, New Richmond, WI

 
Benjamin Dummer

Benjamin Dummer
Westfields Clinic, New Richmond, WI

James Erickson

James Erickson
Alru Clinic, Warroad, MN

Allison Juba

Allison Juba
Alomere Health, Alexandria, MN

Mindi Kvaal Anderson

Mindi Kvaal Anderson
St. Mary’s Medical Center, Duluth, MN

Alison Liewen

Alison Liewen

Charles Tabor

Charles Tabor
Grand Itasca, Grand Marias, MN

 

 

2019

Becky Davies

Becky Davies, MD
Essentia Health - St. Mary's Medical Center, Duluth, MN

Elizabeth Feist

 

Elizabeth Feist, MD
Two Harbors, MN

Caryn Gerber

 

Caryn Gerber, MBChB
Essentia Health - St. Mary's Medical Center, Duluth, MN

Eric Hanhan

Eric Hanhan, MD
Lakeview Clinic and Hospital, Two Harbors, MN

Joshua Kropko

Joshua Kropko, DO
St. Luke's PS Rudie Clinic, Duluth, MN

Jessica Olen

Jessica Olen, MD
FirstLight Health System, Mora, MN

Steven Schumacher

Steven Schumacher, MD
Essentia Health, Hermantown, MN

Jessica Stay

Jessica Stay, MD
Sandford Health - Bemidji, MN

Jesse Susa

Jesse Susa, MD
Krohn Clinic, LTD, Black River Falls, WI