Celebrating Graduates at the 54th DFMCH Resident and Fellow Commencement
On the warm evening of Tuesday, June 6, we celebrated this year’s graduating residents and fellows at our 54th commencement ceremony at McNamara Alumni Center. We also congratulated graduates of our CSI and TEACH programs. Our 2023 graduating class included 48 family medicine residents; five PharmD residents; 10 fellows in behavioral medicine, hospice and palliative medicine, sexual and gender health, sports medicine; and one medical family therapy post-doc!
The graduates and their guests enjoyed a plated dinner before the main event, during which the program directors recognized their graduates on stage. Duluth’s graduates joined us remotely.
“I encourage you to embrace your strength and adaptability,” said Jim Pacala, MD, MS. “Embrace the uncertainty you will face because uncertain times provide an opportunity to change the world for the better.”
As part of the ceremony, a few residents and faculty received awards. Each program selected its STFM Teaching Award winner. Congratulations to Lucas Henningsen, MD (Duluth); Molly Favour, MD (Methodist); John Ward, MD (North Memorial); Bashir Shiekh Moallin, MBBS (St. Cloud); Torbjorn Morkeberg, DO (St. John’s); Margo Tomka, DO (UMMC); and Amanuel Zewdie, MD (Woodwinds).
For the first time, we presented an award to a resident for extraordinary work in justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. The recipient, graduate Catherine Pang, MD, was selected for developing a longitudinal, resident-led antiracism didactics curriculum at North Memorial residency program.
“Without Dr. Pang’s work in justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion over the past 3 years at North Memorial FM residency and in the DFMCH, we would not have advanced to our current level,” said Andrea Westby, MD.
This year’s recipient of the DFMCH Excellence in Scholarship Award was Christian Matthews, MD. Dr. Matthews was selected for creating a residency POCUS didactics curriculum and his QI project, Smiley’s Clinic Wellness Exercise Challenge.
The 2023 DFMCH Affiliated Teaching Award went to Tom Heinitz, MD. Dr. Heinitz is an ideal role model for the family medicine residents that he precepts. He also welcomes medical students and physician assistant students for more clinical experience.
Dennis Peterson, MD, of CentraCare St. Cloud Family Medicine Residency Program received this year’s DFMCH Faculty Teaching Award. Dr. Peterson was selected for “devoting endless hours to developing St. Cloud’s POCUS curriculum, mentoring MetroPap students, and running clinical simulation didactics.”
We offer a warm congratulations to all of our graduates, and we eagerly look forward to witnessing their future accomplishments!
