UMN Medical Center Residents

Cameron Callahan, MD, MPH (he/him)

Medical school: Medical University of South Carolina College of Medicine

Medical interests: Medical education, abortion care, sexual health, LGBTQIA+ health.

Personal interests: Playing music, listening to music, rock climbing, horror movies, my cats.

Why UMN Medical Center: It was a perfect fit given its strengths in family planning and sexual health care as well as LGBTQIA+ care. Also, the faculty, staff, and residents are awesome!

Jae Creger, MD (she/her) 

Medical school: University of Minnesota Medical School

Medical interests: Sexual and gender health, especially gender-affirming care and reproductive care. I really enjoy in office procedures as well.

Personal interests: Walking with my husband and our two dogs, cooking, gardening. 

Why UMN Medical Center: I shadowed my mentor at Smileys in high school, then came back for my third year of medical school to do a longitudinal family medicine clerkship there, so it is a very comforting and familiar environment for me. I love this program because it provides comprehensive family practice while also providing ample opportunity to be engaged in gender affirming care, addiction medicine, and reproductive care.

Hannah Fagen, MD (she/her) 

Medical school: University of Michigan Medical School

Medical interests: Some of my primary medical interests include clinical ethics, adolescent health (I love teens!), LGBTQ+/queer primary care, reproductive justice including abortion, weight-neutral care, and primary care for kids.

Personal interests: In my spare time I enjoy spoiling my dog, spending time with friends and family, estate sales, learning how to fix things, gardening, and trying to be a good neighbor!

Why UMN Medical Center: I was looking for an urban family medicine residency with progressive values, robust experiences in family planning and care for queer and trans populations, and supportive and enthusiastic faculty members who are invested in the professional and personal development of resident physicians. In Smiley's, I found all that and more!

Adam Lord, MD (he/him) 

Medical school: University of Minnesota Medical School

Medical interests: Preventative care, mental health, obstetrics, addiction medicine, sports medicine and research.

Personal interests: I enjoy a variety of outdoor activities, starting with fishing, biking and hiking from a young age and later with kayaking and skiing. I also appreciate animal life, from cats and dogs to birds and reptiles. Companionship with animals as pets or simple watching animals in their natural state is my valued pastime. In addition, I like to cook, listen to music and perform automotive repair.

Why UMN Medical Center: I chose the University of Minnesota Family Medicine Program for the institution's state of the art facilities and innovative teaching and learning model. I'll have access to a robust family medicine curriculum with opportunities in healthcare home care, obstetrics, and independent inpatient medicine services. I will be empowered in my position to learn and advocate for justice, diversity, equity and inclusion. There's ample opportunities here to continually learn and master areas of gender affirming care, reproductive care, medication assisted treatment and PrEP among a socioeconomically diverse patient demographic. Furthermore, I'm a lifelong Minnesota resident who has attended the University of Minnesota for my Bachelor's and Medical Degree, receiving support from the wonderful faculty and welcoming atmosphere critical for my career growth so far.  I would like to remain a Minnesota resident, serving and giving back to my community.

Soumya Polavarapu, DO (she/her) 

Medical school: Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine

Medical interests: Healthcare policy, public health, humanitarian medicine, social justice/advocacy, lifestyle and obesity medicine, aging and longevity, procedures, POCUS, and sports medicine.

Personal interests: Old school rap and hip hop, cultural experiences, travel, theater, art history, tennis, pickleball, powerlifting, CrossFit, hiking and baking

Why UMN Medical Center: I chose this program because my personal values align with those of the program. Smiley’s RHEDI status, Osteopathic accreditation, and social justice focused curriculum shows their commitment to promoting health equity. I want to be trained in all aspects of primary care including gender-affirming care, sexual health, immigrant and refugee health, patient autonomy-based training, and comprehensive reproductive care. In the future, this education will allow me to create a medical practice based on my personal and professional interests-which is to innovate while being a leader and problem solver in my field.

Jonathen Vue, MD (he/him) 

Medical school: Medical University of the Americas

Medical interests: Preventative medicine, adolescent medicine, addiction and sports medicine.

Personal interests: I love watching and playing sports, especially football and basketball. I also enjoy collecting Funko POP! figures and sports cards.

Why UMN Medical Center: I chose Smiley’s because of its commitment to becoming an antiracist residency by promoting justice and addressing structural racism. Additionally, I am excited to have the opportunity to train with an institution that embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion. Lastly, during my interview I genuinely felt a connection with the faculty. Everyone was so welcoming and eager to learn more about my life outside of medicine.

Sofia Haile, MD

Medical school: University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

Medical interests: Immigrant and refugee health, global health, and women's health.

Personal interests: Gardening, travel, camping, music, and poetry.

Why UMN Medical Center: I wanted to train in someplace where I would receive excellent training while working with diverse patient populations and exercising my passion for social justice, population health, and patient advocacy.

Alexander Johnson, DO (he/him) 

Medical school: Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine

Medical interests: Comprehensive reproductive healthcare LGBTQIA+ medicine, transgender hormone therapy, sexual medicine, HIV/AIDS, and healthcare advocacy/justice.

Personal interests: My favorite hobby (when I have time!) is Dungeons & Dragons, but I also love video games, all things Marvel, cooking, craft beers, and spending time with my partner and our two cats!

Why UMN Medical Center: I chose Smiley's for a number of reasons. I was first drawn to it because of its status as a RHEDI program but then quickly discovered the program's emphasis on LGBTQIA+ medicine, gender-affirming care, comprehensive reproductive health, advocacy and justice, and caring for a diverse patient population. Once I interviewed and saw that the residents, faculty, and staff all felt like one big family - I knew this program was the one for me!

Julia Krumholz, MD

Medical school: Boston University

Medical interests: I'm interested in reproductive health, obstetrics, healthcare for unhoused persons, and addiction medicine.

Personal interests: I love running, hiking, biking, and drinking coffee!

Why UMN Medical Center: I chose Smiley's because I want to go to a place with excellent family medicine training that also focuses on social justice, reproductive health, and LGBTQ+ care. I also wanted to go to a place that felt like their residency was a family.

Jessica Sukharan, MD

Medical school: University of Minnesota Medical School

Medical interests: My professional interests include family planning and reproductive justice, immigrant and refugee health, and healthcare advocacy.

Personal interests: I love running, dancing to soca music, exploring new restaurants with friends, and spending time with my family!

Why UMN Medical Center: In short, the mission and core values of Smiley’s closely align with the physician that I aspire to be. I was captivated by the program’s dedication to diversity, strong training in gender-affirming care, and unique qualification as a RHEDI program. Above all, the warmth and support I experienced during my interactions ensured me that I would thrive both personally and professionally in this residency.

Lily Ward, MD

Medical school: University of Minnesota Medical School

Medical interests: Gender-affirming care, chronic disease management, mental health, and substance use disorder treatment.

Personal interests: Gardening, hiking, backpacking, wilderness camping, playing the piano, and singing.

Why UMN Medical Center: I chose Smiley's (University of Minnesota Medical Center Family Medicine Residency Program) because of the welcoming faculty and strong focus on social justice and advocacy. I look forward to nurturing patient relationships based on trust and respect.

Christy Atkinson, MD

Medical school: University of Minnesota Medical School

Medical interests: Comprehensive women’s health, LGBTQIA+ care including gender-affirming medicine, Health at Every Size®, addiction medicine, adolescent health, and geriatrics.

Personal interests: Jokes, plants, cats, and dancing.

Why UMN Medical Center: The wonderful people of Smiley’s clinic, the beautiful, diverse Minneapolis community, the program’s activism, inclusivity, opportunities for robust training in my areas of interest. 

Career goals: I hope to provide inclusive primary care in a rural area that is focused on comprehensive women’s health, gender-affirming care, LGBTQIA+ health, care of underserved minority populations, and is informed by principles of health equity and the Health at Every Size® movement.

Emily Feng, MD

Medical school: University of Kansas School of Medicine

Medical interests: Reproductive health, gender-affirming care, prenatal care, contraception, advocacy, continuity, and relationships.

Personal interests: In my free time, I like to bake (both savory and sweet), coo over pictures of dogs, and make papercrafts. I also love to travel and love to eat.

Why UMN Medical Center: When I was applying, I was drawn by the breadth of training opportunities UMMC offers. During my interview, I not only felt the warmth exuded by the people here (despite the cold) but also was so impressed by the dedication to resident education and wellness and by the consistent message of centering our patients both in the exam room and in the community.

Career goals: My career goals and professional interests include: providing patient-centered care in an outpatient setting that is inclusive of full-spectrum reproductive health, vasectomies, and gender-affirming care, working with academic medical centers on medical education curriculums, and spending time in the palliative realm.

Rita Ferri-Huerta, MD

Medical school: University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry

Medical interests: Family planning and reproductive justice, behavioral health, perinatal care, gender care, lactation medicine, and preventative health.

Personal interests: Walking/hiking, gardening, cross-country skiing, rock climbing, video games, Dungeons & Dragons, and yoga.

Why UMN Medical Center: I first started looking into UMMC because it is a RHEDI program. It ended up being my top choice because of the incredibly thoughtful people I met during the interview process, the strong gender care integration in the clinic, and the family planning and perinatal training opportunities.

Jessica Jordan, DO (she/they)

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

Medical interests: Gender-affirming care, LGBTQIA+ care, hospice, HIV/AIDS, and family planning.

Personal interests: Reading, singing, yoga, kickboxing, hiking, overcommitting, and Dungeons & Dragons.

Why the Twin Cities: I've been away from city life for too long!

Why UMN Medical Center: I did a rotation in Minneapolis in my third year of medical school and spent some time at Smiley's and the Gender Services Clinic. After having spent time with several attendings, residents, and former residents, I had found my people. After a very short time, I knew that this was a place that would value my passions and uniqueness and would allow patients to be themselves.

Career goals: I want to do so much! I hope to be a small-town full-spectrum family doctor in the Midwest who is a safe and welcoming provider to all sorts of patients. I also want to stay engaged in advocacy and social justice work throughout my career.

Gagandeep Singh, DO

Medical school: Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine

Medical interests: Preventative and community oriented medicine (pediatrics, adolescents, and adults), transgender healthcare, Osteopathic medicine and practice, integrative and nutritional medicine. 

Personal interests: Visual/graphic design, sci-fi and horror media (particularly B-movies), music production, psychology and osteopathic literature, cooking, defending 90s fashion. 

Why the Twin Cities: The diversity of the community - from its people and its cultures.

Why UMN Medical Center: I wanted to be part of a program that explored truly humanistic areas of medicine. Family medicine requires a desire to understand the patient, not just their chief complaint - particularly in a medical system driven by focusing on specialists and symptoms and not longitudinal pictures. The program at UMN Medical Center was pointed out early to me due to my interests. After spending time with the program at the virtual AAFP conference and during my interview, I recognized UMMC as one of the few that weaves and envelopes these areas of medicine together in community, allowing its residents to engage in storytelling from the first day of their residency to their last.

Career goals: I would like to work with stake-holders in the promotion of preventive and longitudinal health - bringing primary medicine closer to communities and patients (i.e. working with youth out-reach programs, schools and community centers) and helping place an importance on the care and knowledge from the generalist.

Deepti Vedere, MD

Medical school: Wayne State University School of Medicine

Medical interests: Women’s health, obstetrics, addiction medicine, and preventive medicine.

Personal interests: I love getting outdoors as much as possible, whether it’s hiking, biking, or camping trips with my husband and dog. I also enjoy my nights in, playing board games with friends and family, baking, and embroidering.

Why the Twin Cities: I love that I get to enjoy the food/culture scene of a big city while still having easy access to so many green spaces and parks.

Why UMN Medical Center: I was initially drawn to the UMMC program because of its RHEDI status. As I explored the program further, I found that it aligned closely with my goals as a future family physician, with strong training across the spectrum of reproductive health, addiction medicine, and gender-affirming care. Ultimately, the faculty and residents I met during my interview day and social gatherings solidified my interest in the program. Everyone I met was incredibly warm, welcoming, and fun! I immediately felt at home and knew I would be well supported throughout my training.

Career goals: While my long-term goals are still a work in progress, I am currently interested in pursuing a career in academic family medicine that will allow me to combine my love for teaching with my passion for medicine. I am also interested in providing comprehensive maternal/reproductive care for women and medication-assisted treatment for opioid addiction as part of my future practice.