UMN Medical Center Residents

Alix Bernholtz, MD, MS (she/her) 

Medical school: Wayne State University School of Medicine

Medical interests: LGBTQIA+ health (including gender-affirming care), mental health, addiction medicine, integrated primary care, and Health at Every Size.

Personal interests: In my spare time, I enjoy theatre, spending time with friends and family (especially board game nights), listening to music and dancing, exploring history and art, and designing and crafting jewelry and beadwork. 

Why UMN Medical Center: I chose UMN Medical Center/Smiley's because of the program's commitment to respect and inclusivity. As I explored the program, I found that the faculty, residents, and staff seem to radiate warmth, empathy, and passion! UMN Medical Center/Smiley's offers full-spectrum family medicine training, with an emphasis on understanding and advocating for patients and the community. 

Career goals: I plan on working as a full-spectrum community-based family medicine doctor. My goal is to provide patient-centered care in an outpatient setting as part of an integrated primary care practice. I also hope to continue to engage in social justice and advocacy.

Kelsey Christianson, MD (she/they) 

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

Medical interests: I am interested in size inclusivity in medicine, LGBTQ+ and gender-affirming healthcare, reproductive and sexual health, and addiction medicine. 

Personal interests: Growing up in rural Wisconsin, I have always loved being in nature. I like to go hiking, camping, swimming, and kayaking. I also enjoy cooking, reading, playing board games, and spending time with my girlfriend and two cats.

Why UMN Medical Center: I knew immediately after meeting with U of M faculty and residents on interview day that UMN Medical Center/Smiley's was the program for me! I loved the clinic's focus on LGBTQIA+ healthcare and knew I would be in a space that was inclusive and supportive of my personal and professional goals. I also appreciated the program's focus on full-spectrum OB/GYN healthcare and procedures. The opportunities to increase my experience in gender-affirming care and women’s health procedures through the longitudinal tracks made the program even more perfect for me. Most importantly, the faculty, staff, and residents were all down-to-earth and friendly, and I knew I would be supported as both a learner and person by choosing UMN Medical Center/Smiley's.

Career goals: In my career, I want to treat patients holistically and build long-term professional relationships with patients, families, and communities by practicing full-spectrum family medicine with OB. I hope to continue improving healthcare equity by engaging in patient- and population-centered advocacy in my career. I am passionate about practicing a size-inclusive approach to medicine and improving access to gender-affirming care.

Ben Garrison, DO (he/him)

Medical school: Des Moines University

Medical interests: Full-spectrum family medicine, preventive medicine, and osteopathic manipulative medicine

Personal interests: I prefer to be outside, no matter the season. In the summer, I enjoy boating, pickle ball, and disc golf. In the winter, I ice skate, play pond hockey, and go downhill skiing or snowboarding. I also like board games, card games, video games, and Dungeons and Dragons.

Why UMN Medical Center: As someone who grew up in the Minneapolis metro area, this is where I consider home and where I wanted to complete my residency training. I chose the University of Minnesota Medical Center program specifically because it had osteopathic recognition and provided some of the most comprehensive gender-affirming care and RHEDI sexual and reproductive health curriculum in the country.

Victoria Kasprzak, DO, MS (she/her)

Medical school: A.T. Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona

Medical interests: Preventative medicine, refugee medicine, and sports medicine 

Personal interests: Photography, hiking, and painting 

Why UMN Medical Center: I chose this program because of its supportive learning environment for residents, impactful focus on immigrant and refugee health, and the strong sense of community. 

Jagneet Kaur, MD (she/her) 

Medical school: St. George's University School of Medicine

Medical interests: Comprehensive women's health, obstetrics, reproductive health, public health, healthcare advocacy, addiction medicine, and procedures

Personal interests: Hiking, indoor rock climbing, reading, cooking, going to concerts, and playing board games with family and friends! 

Why UMN Medical Center: I chose UMN Medical Center/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.

Career goals: I am still working on my specific career goals, but I want to work in a setting where I can make a meaningful impact on the health and well-being of diverse communities, advocating for health equity and justice. 

Carly Norden, MD, MS (she/her)

Medical school: University of Illinois College of Medicine

Medical interests: Reproductive healthcare and inpatient medicine

Personal interests: Reading, houseplants, and hiking

Why UMN Medical Center: I chose UMN Medical Center/Smiley's because Smiley's places a huge focus on a diverse patient population and LGBTQ healthcare. Additionally, since I am interested in reproductive health, attending a RHEDI program was very important to me! Everyone on my interview day was very warm and welcoming!

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!

Maryam Farooqui, DO

Medical school: Touro University Nevada

Medical interests: Adolescent medicine, behavioral health, refugee/immigrant health disparities, reproductive health and abortion care.

Personal interests:  Being cozy, eating delicious food, decorating my apartment, exploring new cities, couch-rotting with friends. 

Why UMN Medical Center: The diverse and high-needs patient population, the robust curriculum focused on healthcare for all, the welcoming faculty and residents and the chance to explore Minneapolis!

Adam Lord, MD 

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 simply 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 because of 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 are 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.

Jonathen Vue, MD 

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.

Christy Atkinson

Future plans: Starting in October 2024, Dr. Atkinson will practice at an M Health clinic in River Falls, WI.

Emily Feng, MD

Future plans: Dr. Feng is heading to Boston to complete a Faculty Development fellowship and earn a Master of Education.

Rita Ferri-Huerta, MD 

Future plans: Dr. Ferri-Huerta will be joining Entira Family Clinics - Highland, practicing Family Medicine with Obstetrics.

Jessica Jordan, DO

Future plans: Dr. Jordan is excited to be taking a hybrid Family Medicine Clinic/Hospitalist—OB position with Sanford in rural Vermillion, South Dakota. She is excited to take her knowledge of gender-affirming care and reproductive justice into her new state! Her 2-year-old will be surrounded by most grandparents and has no idea how much love awaits him! 

Gagandeep Singh, DO

Future plans: Dr. Singh will be heading to Indianapolis, IN to practice urban underserved primary care at Eskenazi Health.

Deepti Vedere, MD

Future plans: Dr. Vedere will move to Portland, OR, to provide general primary care.

Sarah Copelas, DO 

Future plans: Dr. Copelas will work at local urgent care clinics while finding the best clinic to pursue her passions for reproductive health and community medicine.

Christian Matthews, MD

Future plans: Dr. Matthews will complete a sports medicine fellowship at the University of Minnesota and plans to pursue a career in primary care sports medicine in the Twin Cities area.

Abigail Moeller, DO

Future plans: Dr. Moeller is completing an addiction medicine fellowship.

Kristina Parthum, MD

Future plans: Dr. Parthum plans to spend some quality time with her family while deciding the next steps!

Margo Tomka, DO

Future plans: HealthPartners Clinic, Arden Hills, MN