UMN Medical Center Residents
Alix Bernholtz, MD (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 (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!
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, sexual health care, and 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
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.
Soumya Polavarapu, DO
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- innovating while being a leader and problem solver in my field.
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.
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 somewhere where I would receive excellent training while working with diverse patient populations and exercising my passion for social justice, population health, and patient advocacy.
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, and care of underserved minority populations, and is informed by principles of health equity and the Health at Every Size® movement.
Alexander Johnson, DO
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.
About our alumni:
- Of all residents who graduate from our program, most enter practice immediately after residency. About one in every 10 graduates will continue their training in a fellowship.
- Our board pass rate has been 100 percent for the past six years (national average is 94.3 percent).
- Sixty-seven percent of our graduates work in an outpatient setting, 33 percent work in an inpatient setting, and a small percentage incorporate OB in their practice.
Below are our graduates of the last five years, including (where available) their current city of practice.
2024
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.
2023
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.
Rose McAlister, MD
Future plans: Dr. McAlister is practicing reproductive healthcare and urgent care and continues to engage in community advocacy work.
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
2022
Jackie Cameron, MD
Future plans: Dr. Cameron is heading to Health Partners in Shoreview. She looks forward to supporting patients in managing their acute and chronic healthcare needs, including transgender care and reproductive health.
Anne Gair, MD
Future plans: Dr. Gair joined HealthPartners & Park Nicollet. She enjoys listening to people’s stories, thinking creatively and critically to solve complex problems, and working with patients to support them in their health goals as they navigate a complicated, intimidating medical system.
Dr. Gina Groshek
Future plans: Dr. Groshek joined the M Health Fairview North Branch clinic starting in August 2022. She plans to continue gender-affirming care, suboxone prescribing, prenatal care, and contraception, along with her general family medicine practice.
Amanda Kupris, MD
Future plans: Dr. Kupris is joining a Kaiser Permanente clinic in Seattle for family medicine and trans-care patients. She is excited about this new experience!
Jillian Trieff Waller, MD
Future plans: Dr. Waller took the summer off to spend time with her adorable new daughter, Alice, before starting her primary care practice in the Greater Twin Cities, where she plans to continue focusing on gender-affirming care and preventive medicine.
Avery Tucker, DO
Future plans: Dr. Tucker started at the M Health Fairview Highland Park clinic in October 2022. She is excited to provide gender care, OMT, and in-office procedures for her future patients.
