Woodwinds Hospital Family Medicine Residents

Taylor Atkinson, DO, MBA

Medical school: Kansas City University of Medicine & Biosciences College of Osteopathic Medicine

Medical interests: Reproductive health, health equity and advocacy, high-value cost-conscious care, addiction medicine, LQBTIA+ care, and preventative health.

Personal interests: Reading, embroidery, cooking, event and travel planning, KU basketball (rock chalk!), puzzles, and listening to podcasts.

Career goals: To practice full-spectrum family medicine with OB, potentially in an academic setting or with leadership responsibilities, and to provide my patients with the evidence-based knowledge and support to make well-informed decisions regarding their own healthcare.

Why Woodwinds: I was drawn to this program because of its focus on health equity barriers and its resources to address these challenges, including patient advocacy training, a diverse population of patients, and legal and social work services available on-site. As a bonus, I was able to move back home to Minnesota!

Megan He, MD

Medical school: University of Minnesota Medical School 

Medical interests: Preventive medicine, teaching, mental health, nutrition, geriatrics, hospice and palliative medicine, procedures, and working with communities that are diverse or underserved by health care.

Personal interests: All things food, mentoring college students at my church, playing piano and singing, swimming, calligraphy and hand lettering, being out in nature, and spending time with friends and family.

Career goals: I plan to be a primary care physician in the community and help teach medical students and residents.

Why Woodwinds: I chose Woodwinds because I spent three months there as part of UCAM, a longitudinal family medicine clerkship at UMN Medical School. I had heard really positive comments from former students who had rotated through Woodwinds, and after fully immersing myself in the program, I knew my experience lived up to what I'd heard and that it was the program for me. The communities that we care for that are diverse and/or underserved, the depth and breadth of faculty experience, the feeling that everyone is like family (from interpreters to residents to administrative staff), and the many opportunities to do community outreach and shape your career to your interests (with plenty of faculty support and responsiveness) are all part of why I love Woodwinds.

Jacob Lentner, DO

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

Medical interests: Family medicine and sports medicine.

Personal interests: Watching and following all sports, playing my six guitars, binging TV shows, and watching movies with my wife.

Career goals: I hope to enter a sports medicine fellowship and become a team doctor for any local Minnesota sports team.

Why Woodwinds: I am originally from Minnesota, so the opportunity to train in my home state was very appealing. Also, during my interview, I got the impression that the faculty truly care about their residents and that I would receive exceptional experience caring for patients, which would adequately prepare me for practicing on my own.

Aisha Mohamed, MD

Medical school: Cooper Medical School of Rowan University

Medical interests: Integrative and preventative medicine, global health, OB, women's health, medical procedures, and diabetes.

Personal interests: Traveling, spending time with family and friends, and cooking.

Career goals: I hope to practice full-spectrum family medicine in an urban or suburban setting with global health.

Why Woodwinds: I choose Woodwinds because of the sense of community that I observed during interview day and the program's dedication to resident education and serving the underserved populations. I also liked that I would have the opportunity to pursue my interests in various medical procedures, maternal/women's health, and global health.

Sarah Sneltjes, MD

Medical school: University of Minnesota Medical School 

Medical interests: Preventive medicine, chronic disease management, geriatrics, palliative care, mental health, and behavioral health.

Personal interests: Spending quality time with family and friends, being involved in my local church community, playing tennis and leisure biking with my husband, baking, cooking, and thrift store or garage sale shopping.

Career goals: I hope to practice outpatient family medicine in my local community and develop many strong, trusting relationships with patients and families over time.

Why Woodwinds: Woodwinds is committed to quality, patient-centered care with the resources and experience to serve patients well and train skilled physicians. I chose Woodwinds because this valuable training occurs in the setting of a very supportive and positive learning environment for trainees. I also was drawn to the opportunity to care for diverse patient populations with clinical rotations at both an urban clinic and a suburban hospital.

Victoria St. Martin, DO

Medical school: Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine 

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

Personal interests: Traveling, hiking, biking, cross-country skiing, playing soccer, spending time with family and friends.

Career goals: I am excited to one day practice full-spectrum family medicine. I am also looking forward to being involved in my community through volunteering, education, and outreach opportunities.

Why Woodwinds: The people were super nice and welcoming during my interview day! l also really liked the longitudinal learning opportunities and how accommodating the program was towards each resident's specific interests.

Nickolas Steer, DO

Medical school: Kansas City University College of Osteopathic Medicine

Medical interests: Preventative medicine, community health, healthcare policy, sexual and reproductive health, and procedures.

Personal interests: Cooking, traveling, woodworking, attending concerts, spending time with family and friends, and trying new restaurants and craft breweries.

Career goals: I would like to practice in a community-based clinic setting where I can develop strong relationships with patients over time and address their comprehensive healthcare needs. Other goals include offering a wide range of procedures and continuing my work in healthcare policy and advocacy.

Why Woodwinds: I chose Woodwinds for their robust full-spectrum family medicine training. During my interview, I was extremely impressed with the sense of community and camaraderie among residents, faculty, and staff. The program is down-to-earth and genuinely dedicated to improving the community it serves.

Daniel Zaiss, DO

Medical school: Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine

Medical interests: Full-spectrum family medicine with all age groups, underserved and refugee medicine, behavioral health, sports medicine, procedures, and community outreach.

Personal interests: I enjoy disc golf, back-country camping, hiking, fishing, snowboarding, and video games, and I am an avid motorcyclist.

Career goals: I look forward to practicing full-spectrum family medicine with pediatric, adult, and geriatric populations. I also want to make the pathway to a medical career more accessible for those that are interested, or for those that come from a refugee or immigrant background like myself.

Why Woodwinds: I knew immediately after my interview day that Woodwinds was where I wanted to be. Both the residents and faculty were kind and truly cared about me as an applicant. I knew that the full-spectrum training provided here would allow me to become the best physician I can be. Everyone was very approachable and open about the educational opportunities and personal support this program provides its residents, and it was clear they were all happy to be here.

Collin Beyer, DO

Medical school: Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine

Medical interests: Medical education, health policy, preventative medicine, and community health.

Personal interests: Dogs, outdoor activities, football, soccer, basketball, and board games.

Career goals: I want to serve in medical education to further train and improve our future physicians.

Why Woodwinds: The family feel of the residency as well as support from faculty and staff. It has a great clinic location to serve diverse populations in a large city, plus a community hospital. St. Paul also offers ample opportunity to be involved in state and local health policy to help serve our patients.

Carter Duncan, MD

Medical school: University of Minnesota Medical School

Medical interests: Full-spectrum family medicine with OB, rural medicine, sports medicine, procedures, and addiction medicine.

Personal interests: Baking, disc golf, yoyo-ing, weightlifting, gardening, board games, brewing, and drinking craft beer.

Career goals: My goals are to practice full-scope family medicine in the rural midwest. I would love to be C-section-certified, deliver babies, offer a wide array of procedures, and care for those suffering from addiction.

Why Woodwinds: I got to know many of the residents and faculty throughout my medical school career, and everyone I talked to was happy and enthusiastic about where they worked. There was a strong emphasis on community and the wellbeing of the residents. The faculty are passionate about what they do and love being medical educators.

Kathryn George, MD

Medical school: Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

Medical interests: Full-spectrum family medicine with OB, geriatrics, underserved community medicine, rural medicine, and palliative care/hospice.

Personal interests: Spending time with my family and friends, hiking, camping, canoeing, traveling, and going for walks with our dog.

Career goals: In the future, I hope to practice full-spectrum family medicine with OB in a small town or suburb. I want to provide excellent care to my patients and continue to learn and grow as a physician throughout my career. I also hope to pursue some form of teaching, either medical students or residents.

Why Woodwinds: I chose Woodwinds because of my interview day. Everyone I met was very friendly, relaxed, and welcoming. All the residents and faculty that I met seemed to enjoy working together and were very dedicated to serving their patients. Woodwinds also has a strong reputation for training very skilled family medicine physicians, and I knew I would get the training and experience necessary to practice anywhere in the future. Being from the Twin Cities area, I was also thrilled at the chance to return home!

Sam Lore, MD

Medical school: University of Minnesota Medical School

Medical interests: Preventative and integrative medicine, mental health, pediatrics, LGBTQIA+ care, addiction medicine, and community health and social justice.

Personal interests: Trying various art projects, cooking new recipes with my partner, playing ukulele outdoors, learning about plants, bonfires with family and friends, listening to podcasts on my runs or hikes, and talking with my cats.

Career goals: My career goals are especially around supporting peoples' voices and agency in their own health and wellness through integrative medicine and community work.

Why Woodwinds: It was clear the program would provide excellent training in full-spectrum family medicine with interesting electives, but what stood out most was the kind and welcoming team. Right away, it seemed like a genuinely fun and supportive environment as well as one that would challenge me to grow. The opportunities to serve the community and the opportunities around social justice and community work were also very important to me.

Najaha Musse, DO

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

Medical interests: Full-spectrum family medicine with OB, behavioral health, osteopathic manipulation, chronic disease management, health equity and advocacy, global health, and lifestyle medicine.

Personal interests: Travel, cooking, gardening, and keeping active.

Career goals: I plan to practice full-spectrum family medicine with OB in Minnesota. In my free time, I hope to volunteer for medical relief agencies such as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).

Why Woodwinds: I was very impressed with the program's commitment to patient advocacy and community health. On my virtual interview day and resident-hosted meetings, everyone seemed very happy, approachable, and genuinely took time to listen. As a St. Paul resident, the clinic location was also very convenient.

Rachel Paull, MD

Medical school: University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Science

Medical interests: Full-spectrum rural medicine including OB, women's health, medical procedures, community health, and sports medicine.

Personal interests: I enjoy distance running, playing all sorts of sports, playing the piano, gardening, sewing, craft projects, and spending time with family and friends.

Career goals: Return to a rural/underserved community in the Midwest and educate upcoming physicians.

Why Woodwinds: This program offers everything I need to become the physician I want to be and is close to family. They have strong OB training, and the residents/faculty members were genuine and fun to spend time with!

Allison Venzon, MD

Medical school: Creighton University School of Medicine

Medical interests: Mental health and women's health.

Personal interests: Baking, alpine skiing, hiking, swing dancing, creative writing, Jesuit spirituality, Dungeons and Dragons, video games, and anime.

Career goals: I plan to perform full-spectrum care in a community setting working for either urban or rural underserved communities. In addition, I plan to be active in community health initiatives like teaching sexual education at high schools or offering discussions about depression and anxiety to decrease social stigma.

Why Woodwinds: Woodwinds has absolutely everything I could have wanted in a family medicine residency. I knew that I wanted a supportive, healthy learning environment that is also tailored to my interests in mental healthcare and women's health. This program allowed me to immerse myself in these interests while giving me a strong background in full-spectrum patient care. In addition to my personal interests, Woodwinds made me feel at home right away. I knew that I would love to work with these wonderful doctors at 3 a.m. and 3 p.m. alike! Finally, Woodwinds's commitment to caring for the underserved and finding ways to address social determinants of health spoke to me. Being a Jesuit-educated physician, I needed a program that valued caring for patients' physical illness as well as advocating for their wellness beyond the clinic or hospital. I'm beyond thrilled to be working and training here for the next three years!

Kaitlan Vossen, MD

Medical school: Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine

Medical interests: Addiction medicine, global health, preventative medicine, and pediatrics.

Personal interests: Soccer, hiking, traveling, rollerblading, cooking, and spending time with family and friends.

Career goals: To practice full-spectrum family medicine while also pursuing global health trips.

Why Woodwinds: I chose Woodwinds because it stood out to me as having the most supportive learning environment. Even with virtual interviews, I could tell that everyone was very kind and down-to-earth. Just like the Twin Cities, the Bethesda Clinic population is very diverse, and I was impressed with their care for communities that are underserved with limited access to health care.

Benita Behm, MD

Medical school:  University of Minnesota Medical School

Medical interests: Rural medicine, obstetrics, pediatrics, inpatient medicine, and hospice. I also enjoy mentoring medical and pre-medical students.

Personal interests: Home improvement projects with my husband, showing the world to our toddler, outdoor activities, spoiling our pups, spending time with family, exercising, watching sports, and Amazon Prime.

Why Woodwinds: I chose Woodwinds residency because they made me feel incredibly welcomed on my interview day. Everyone was so genuine and down-to-earth that I wanted to be a part of the same team. Woodwinds' diverse patient panel and comprehensive curriculum will prepare me well for any avenue I choose for my future practice. I truly believe Woodwinds will support me in becoming the best, most well-rounded family medicine physician I can be.

Tony Zhengyu Cui, MD

Medical school: University of Minnesota Medical School

Medical interests: Sports medicine, immigrant and community health, adolescent medicine, emergency medicine, and procedural medicine.

Personal interests: Tennis, table tennis, basketball, hiking, biking, spending time with friends and family, and exploring different restaurants and bars.

Why Woodwinds: Woodwinds Hospital Family Medicine Residency program offers a diverse and supportive faculty core with excellent training facilities located in a diverse and vibrant city. The residents are fun, kind, genuine, and supportive of each other.

Kayla Dasrath, MD

Medical school: University of Minnesota Medical School

Medical interests: Community health, working with underserved populations, women's health, quality improvement, and full-spectrum family medicine.

Personal interests: Spending time with friends and family, trying new foods, drawing, traveling, and going for walks.

Why Woodwinds: I chose Woodwinds because of the welcoming, caring, supportive, and collaborative environment. I also chose this program because of the strong commitment and dedication that the faculty and residents have in serving its diverse community needs, which is a focus that strongly resonates with my interests.

Anya Dmytrenko, MD

Medical school: University of Minnesota Medical School

Medical interests: Hospital medicine, women’s health, obstetrics, procedures, adolescent medicine, integrative medicine, and community health.

Personal interests: Going for walks and bike rides, doing house projects of all kinds, reading, listening to music and podcasts, crocheting blankets, and spending time with my family.

Why Woodwinds: Woodwinds offers high-quality, unopposed training in a richly diverse area, the best people to work with, and a great city to enjoy on your days off! I really enjoyed my interview day and could tell that the residents really care about each other and had fun together and that the faculty are supportive, approachable, and enjoy teaching. Woodwinds felt like the perfect place for me to learn and grow as a person and as a doctor.

Ahmed Elhindi, DO, MPH

Medical school: New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine

Medical interests: Full-spectrum family medicine – including geriatrics, emergency medicine, palliative care, pediatrics, hospitalist, immigrant health, global medicine, and integrative medicine.

Personal interests: Gardening, cooking, reading, traveling, outdoor sports, and spending time with my family.

Why Woodwinds: I chose Woodwinds because of the diverse practice environment that addresses the comprehensive needs of our patients, and the program provides community outreach and collaboration with others who are similarly focused on improving the health and lives of our patients. Also, the program provides a unique and totally encompassing training experience including immigrants/refugee health. During my interview, the residents and staff made me feel comfortable and welcomed, so I knew it would be a supportive and positive learning environment for my training.

Lisa Marshall, MD

Medical school: University of Minnesota Medical School

Medical interests: Full-spectrum family medicine with OB, adolescent medicine, women's health, and advocacy.

Personal interests: Knitting, playing piano, nail polish enthusiast, jogging (slowly), playing fetch with my cat, and visiting breweries with my husband.

Why Woodwinds: I was fortunate enough to rotate at St. Joe's (the residency's former hospital training site) during my fourth year of medical school. I loved everything about it - the residents, faculty, patients, and community. The faculty genuinely cared for their residents and encouraged them to pursue their own visions of their family medicine careers. The community served by the program is unique and diverse, and I found myself wanting to learn more about my patients in order to better serve them. I have no doubt that Woodwinds will train me well for a career in family medicine.

Alvin Yang, DO

Medical school: Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine

Medical interests: Sports medicine, community health, refugee populations, and mental health.

Personal interests: Basketball, hiking, cooking, wood burning, and board games.

Why Woodwinds: I liked the strong sense of community fostered at Woodwinds with the friendly and supportive staff and residents and the numerous opportunities to get involved in the diverse communities the program serves. The training seems catered to the individual resident to allow them to explore their own areas of interest.

Amanuel Zewdie, MD

Medical school: University of Minnesota Medical School

Medical interests: Underserved medicine, preventative medicine, global health, and procedures.

Personal interests: Spending time with family, especially my niece and nephew, playing board
games, jogging around the lakes with friends, foreign fiction novels, and sci-fi movies/TV.

Why Woodwinds: I chose Woodwinds because of its robust curriculum and the genuine sense of community I saw among the residents, staff, and faculty. I was also attracted to the program's commitment to providing affordable, high-quality care to St. Paul's diverse and underserved population.