Methodist Residents

First Year: Class of 2028

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Saima Bashir Choudhry, MBBS, MPH

Medical school: Dow Medical College - Karachi, Pakistan

Medical interests: Preventive care and wellness, chronic disease management (e.g., diabetes, hypertension, COPD), women’s health and reproductive care, pediatric and adolescent care, geriatrics and aging population, mental health and behavioral medicine, office-based procedures (e.g., skin biopsies, joint injections, IUD placements), point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS).

Personal interests: Spending time with my family, cooking and shopping.

Why Methodist: The best part that I like about this program is that the residents are exposed to a diverse patient population and provide valuable community engagement opportunities, along with on-site obstetrics experience and robust in-hospital training, which prepares residents for future practice. I am particularly interested in working in the area of St. Louis Park because of its proximity to the Twin Cities, giving exposure to a diverse set of the population.

Career goals: My career goals are to develop excellence in the core medical aspects along with growth and development in broader focus areas such as rural or underserved community health, immigrant and refugee health, LGBTQ+ inclusive care, integrative and lifestyle medicine, sports medicine, addiction medicine, palliative, and end-of-life care, and academic and professional areas like health equity and social determinants of health, medical education and teaching, quality improvement and patient safety, healthcare policy and advocacy, global health initiatives, and leadership in primary care transformation.

Woman smiling wearing back and white blouse.

Mary Baumgartner, MD

Medical school: University of Minnesota Medical School

Medical interests: Women’s health, addiction medicine, sports medicine, and rural medicine.

Personal interests: Hiking, baking, reading, strength training, and spending time with family and friends.

Why Methodist: Definitely the people! I loved everyone I met during my sub-internship fourth year and felt at home with the resident team. From an academic standpoint, I was looking for a program that would prepare me well to practice full spectrum family medicine and felt that Methodist was the perfect fit.

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Peter Holmes, MD, MBA

Medical school: Medical College of Wisconsin

Medical interests: Full spectrum and longitudinal care, clinic procedures and sports medicine.

Personal interests: Hiking with my wife, son and dog, cross country skiing, gardening.

Why Methodist: I did a rotation here and loved the experience, including the opportunities for growth, excellent residents and attendings, and supportive culture.

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Rumbidzai Ngonyama, MD

Medical school: University of Minnesota Medical School

Medical interests: Longitudinal care, women's health, mental health, dermatology, and geriatrics.

Personal interests: Dance fitness, volleyball, ice skating, reading, eating, and playing video/board games with friends and family.

Why Methodist: I chose Methodist because of their enthusiastic approach to teaching and their attention to the medical and personal interests of their residents. On one of my first days rotating with Methodist, they learned that I liked dermatology and yoga, and proceeded to give me multiple dermatology patients and the schedule for summer lake yoga. The staff, faculty, and residents truly embodied a commitment to connecting with one another and creating an engaging learning environment.

Career goals: Joining a broad-spectrum family medicine practice in Minnesota or continuing within the University of Minnesota institution and mentoring future family medicine physicians.

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Ben Shoults, MD

Medical school: University of Minnesota

Medical interests: Sports medicine, procedural skills, orthopedics, preventative medicine.

Personal interests: Playing and watching sports, hiking at state parks, reading, playing video games.

Why Methodist: Methodist has a wonderful blend of learning opportunities, challenges and support systems to bring out the best resident I can be. The people are amazing and have a great sense of community. I am extremely excited to be at Methodist for my family medicine residency!

Career goals: I hope to become a sports medicine fellow and eventually become a team doctor for a college or professional sports team.

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Katharine Uganski, DO

Medical school: Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine

Medical interests: Preventative medicine, behavioral health, pediatric and adolescent care, women's health, and full-scope primary care.

Personal interests: Traveling, reading, knitting, hiking, spending time with family, friends, and my cat Pickle.

Why Methodist: The community and learning opportunities! I was looking for a community hospital that provides a robust education while maintaining a positive environment for residents. Methodist is an unopposed residency with residents and faculty who are happy to serve the St. Louis Park area, making it a perfect fit! The residents I met at my interview and during meet and greets were excited to speak with prospective coworkers and emphasized that they continued to enjoy their lives outside of medicine, which showed me how valued wellness is with the faculty and programming at Methodist. I am also excited to experience all that the Twin Cities have to offer, with abundant parks, an accessible art museum, and plenty of restaurants and breweries!

Career goals: I'm open to new opportunities but will likely practice outpatient medicine!

Second Year: Class of 2027

Macie Darden, MD

Medical school: University of Minnesota Medical School

Medical interests: Prenatal care and obstetrics, gender-affirming care, addiction medicine.

Personal interests: Strength training, travel, anything with my dogs.

Why Methodist: For the high-volume OB experiences, location, and the nature of the relationships between residents and specialist teams at Methodist Hospital.

Hunter Herber, MD (he/him/his)

Medical school: University of Minnesota Medical School

Medical interests: LGBT+ / gender-affirming healthcare, geriatrics, hospice and palliative care, dermatology, procedures, family medicine, longitudinal care, advocacy.

Personal interests: Reading, cooking, LGBT+ Stonewall Sports (kickball and dodgeball), home projects, furniture restoration.

Why Methodist? Minnesota is my home. I plan to work and live my life here. I chose Methodist specifically because of the broad and robust training opportunities they offer. Methodist was the residency site I felt I would receive the training I need to become the best and most well-rounded provider possible. Their interests and goals are also very similar to mine, as evidenced by their elective opportunities aligning with my personal interests.

Career goals: Being a part of a broad-spectrum family medicine practice in Minnesota.

Emilie Mouritsen, MD (she/her)

Medical school: University of Minnesota Medical School

Medical interests: Rural health, longitudinal care, addiction medicine, pediatrics

Personal interests: Reading, hiking and camping with my husband, lake days with family and friends, scuba diving, trying new soup recipes, exploring local restaurants.

Why Methodist? I chose Methodist because of their dedication to producing well-rounded family physicians with strong training in a variety of contexts. The faculty and residents I met were supportive and kind, and I immediately felt at home. I knew it would be a caring environment where I can grow as a physician and as a person.

Career goals: I hope to provide full-spectrum primary care for individuals of all ages in a rural setting.

Mariah Reed, MD

Medical school: University of Minnesota Medical School

Medical interests: Geriatrics, sports, and dermatology.

Personal interests: Golf, pickleball, and trying new restaurants.

Why Methodist? The people! You really feel like you’re a part of a family. It’s a very supportive environment.

Zach Sebens, MD, MPH (he/his)

Medical School: University of North Dakota School of Medicine

Medical interests:

Full-spectrum care, rural medicine, dermatology, and caring for communities that are underserved with limited access to health care.

Personal interests: Health literacy and research in women's health disparities.

Why Methodist? I knew I wanted the highest quality of training, and I knew that the University of Minnesota Methodist Family Medicine Residency Program could deliver that after my interview.

Career goals: I'd like to work in a clinic and continue my public health research at a public health department or within a government agency.

Katie Sharpe, MD (she/her)

Medical School: University of Minnesota Medical School

Medical interests:

Sports medicine and underserved medicine

Personal interests: Yoga, running, volleyball, skiing, and gardening.

Why Methodist? I chose Methodist Family Medicine Residency because of the wonderful faculty and residents that work there and for the opportunity to explore my career interests and grow as a clinician in the Minneapolis area.

Third Year: Class of 2026

Ainslee Crose, MD

Medical school: University of Minnesota Medical School

Medical Interests: Full-spectrum family medicine, rural medicine, obstetrics, women’s health, pediatrics, and adolescent health.

Personal Interests: Spending time with my husband and our toddler, reading, running, Nordic skiing, bar trivia, cooking, and baking.

Why Methodist?: I wanted a program that would help me become a well-rounded physician prepared for full-spectrum practice, so the strong OB and inpatient training was a draw. Equally important was finding a place with a family-friendly culture, and Methodist definitely has that!

Ryan D'Mello, MD

Medical school: Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine

Medical Interests: Preventative medicine, community health, minority and LGBTQ+ health care, medical education, health equity and disparities.

Personal Interests: In my free time I enjoy puzzles, DIY crafting, yoga, peloton/biking, gardening sustainably, and baking (endless) cupcakes!

Why Methodist: From sending personalized and hand-written notes to paying attention to my career goals and interests outside of medicine, my interview at UMN felt personal and inclusive. I was impressed by the excellent and broad training opportunities and the commitment that everyone here—staff, residents, and faculty—have to create a supportive culture and positive learning environment.

James Holmquist, MD

Medical school: University of Minnesota Medical School

Medical Interests: Sports medicine and addiction medicine.

Personal Interests: Weightlifting, piano, spending time with my wife, Abby, and our dog, Beau.

Why Methodist: The faculty and residents were very down-to-earth, excited to teach, and friendly during my medical school rotation here. Methodist also has great faculty and opportunities for my medical interests.

Stuart Lien, MD

Medical school: University of Minnesota Medical School

Medical Interests: Rural medicine, procedures, and palliative care.

Personal Interests: Spending time outdoors with my family, doing dad things, biking, and anything involving the lake.

Why Methodist?: I chose Methodist because of their robust training in both the inpatient and outpatient setting, supportive faculty, and their ability to graduate residents who pursue a diversity of careers. Perhaps most importantly, I came to realize that the people here are not only those who I would be thrilled to share an office with but those who I would also love to grab coffee with or save a spot for at happy hour.

Morgan Russek, MD

Medical school: University of Minnesota Medical School

Medical Interests: Obstetrics, women’s health, and pediatrics.

Personal Interests: Hiking, backpacking, playing pickle ball, baking, and being outdoors with friends and family.

Why Methodist: The people!!! Everyone I met during interviews and sub-internships was supportive, welcoming, friendly, and compassionate.

Morgan grew up in St. Michael. She attended The College of Saint Benedict for undergrad, and the University of Minnesota Medical School. She has a passion for rural family medicine and participated in RPAP in Mora during her third year of medical school. Morgan plans to return to her RPAP site following residency to practice full scope family medicine. She married Andrew in September 2021, and they adopted a miniature Bernedoodle (Honey) in January. Morgan and Andrew have an extremely smiley and chunky 7-month-old daughter named Lettie Lou. With her spare time, she enjoys baking, running, hiking, and backpacking. She is very close to perfecting her peanut butter chocolate chip muffins.

Jordan Treder, MD

Medical school: University of Minnesota Medical School

Medical interests: Sports medicine, preventative health, health and wellness, community health, and procedures.

Personal interests: I enjoy adventuring with my wife, road tripping, downhill skiing, game nights, cooking, and cheering on our Minnesota sports, especially the Vikings. Skol!

Why Methodist: I chose Methodist because, as a fourth-year medical student, I had a terrific experience with the resident team. The culture of teamwork and compassion was obvious in everyone and as a resident, this has remained true. The program truly values all types of learners and embraces you and your support system as family. Not only will I leave with a great education, but I know I found a great fit, too.

Graduates

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