Current Residents
TY, Class of 2026
Paul Blake, MD
Education: University of Minnesota Medical School; Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN; 2021-2022, Internship
Hobbies: Going on walks and hikes with my wife and dogs, trying new restaurants, running, home improvement projects, cooking, traveling
Why did you choose U of M for residency? Having done medical school at here, I knew the University of Minnesota would provide top-notch training in a welcoming and comfortable environment. Furthermore, Minneapolis is a great city with beautiful lakes, a great food scene, and plenty of year-round activities. Overall I knew it would be a great fit.
Nicholas Dick, MD
Education: University of Minnesota Medical School; Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN; 2021-2022, Internship
Hobbies: Backpacking, Snowboarding, Disc Golf, Board Games, Travel, Cooking with my Wife, Financial Planning and Investments, National Parks, Hockey, Leadership Philosophy, Mentoring, Music (Guitar), Reading
Why did you choose U of M for residency? UMN is known for its extremely high boards pass rate, well-rounded exposure to all aspects of the field in a large metro area academic center setting, and for producing high-caliber radiologists who go on to great fellowships and/or careers. Of course, these were top priorities for me when choosing a residency, but what drew me to the program over all others was how laid back, approachable, and friendly the residents and faculty are every time we interact. It is important to me that my residency experience gives me freedom from intimidation and a collegial, team-focused atmosphere, and that is what I have come to expect from the program here at UMN.
Nick Dubay, MD
Education: Creighton University School of Medicine; Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN; 2021-2022, Internship
Hobbies: Racquetball, chess, board games, 3D printing, home-improvement, biking, audiobooks/podcasts, and walks with my wife, daughter, and dog.
Why did you choose U of M for residency? I choose UMN because of its great Midwestern culture of warmth and collegiality, and all the residents seem to love the program. Additionally, with the diversity of training sites and patient populations, I know I will be well-prepared for any career I want to pursue. With the support of a large academic center, I look forward to pursuing the many unique opportunities for collaboration on business, research, and teaching. Not to mention, Minneapolis and St. Paul are hidden gems filled with culture, bike trails, and craft breweries!
Corinne Duncan, MD
Education: University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth; Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN; 2021-2022, Internship
Hobbies: Spending time with family, hiking and spending time outdoors, board games, baking, traveling
Why did you choose U of M for residency? I chose the UMN for residency because of the wonderful people I have met here while rotating through the department as a medical student, as well as the great training program. I also love Minnesota and everything outdoors, so I was excited for the opportunity to stay here.
Chris Luedemann, MD
Education: University of Minnesota Medical School; Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN; 2021-2022, Internship
Hobbies: Spending time with my wife and children, playing with, building projects with, or teaching my children new things. Carpentry, construction projects, tinkering/ fixing cars.
Why did you choose U of M for residency? I wanted to go to the University of Minnesota because I belive the radiology program here is second to none. In addition to getting to train at a major refferal center, the radiology staff at the U of MN personally make great effort to provide personal teaching, high quality training, and guidance for all of their residents. I am thankful for the opportunity to train at the University of MN, and am so grateful that the staff here take such pride in training their residents. I was born and raised in Minnesota, and live in Minnesota with my wife and our four children. I am looking forward to completing my training with the U of MN's residency program and continue my training in Minnesota.
Eric Nagarajan, MD
Education: University of Minnesota Medical School; Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN; 2021-2022, Internship
Hobbies: Kayaking, karaoke, tennis, reality TV, brunch
Why did you choose U of M for residency? The faculty and residents at UMN are some of the most outstanding, friendly, supportive people you'll meet. UMN also has excellent variety in clinical sites and exposure with impressive outcomes for trainees. The built-in Transitional Year at Hennepin was also a huge plus with high-quality teaching, 2 blocks of Radiology during intern year(!), and a year to bond with your cohort even before the advanced residency starts. Finally, Minneapolis is my ideal city- amazing food, culture, unique neighborhoods, and events while still clean, green, and very quick to drive across the city.
Aaron Sipola, MD
Education: University of Minnesota Medical School; Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN; 2021-2022, Internship
Hobbies: Traditional archery, rock climbing, canoeing/kayaking, board games, backpacking, guitar, and reading
Why did you choose U of M for residency? Minnesota is home. I grew up here. I intend to practice medicine here. Maybe it’s a hometown bias, but I genuinely think Minnesota is a special place. In Minneapolis, for example, everything is within biking distance. Interconnected bike trail systems and multiple community and regional parks ensure getting outside and enjoying the seasons is no difficult task. Plus, the food scene and craft breweries are fantastic! Academically, the University of Minnesota DR program is filled with faculty dedicated to building a collegial and supportive training environment. The integrated transitional year offers in-coming residents a year to bond prior to starting radiology specific training. Finally, education quality cannot be understated. The UMN Fairview is a world-class referral center that presents residents with diverse pathology. I feel condient that the UMN will prepare me for my future radiology career.
Kent Van Note, MD
Education: University of Minnesota Medical School; Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN; 2021-2022, Internship
Hobbies: Backpacking, Bikepacking, Bike repair and maintenance, bike touring, bread baking, camping, cross-country skiing, coffee, drawing, pottery repair, running, woodworking
Why did you choose U of M for residency? I am originally from Minnesota. In my twenties, I had the opportunity to experience both east- and west-coast lifestyles. I came back to Minnesota because I love having access to thousands of lakes, the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers, and 4 distinct seasons for outdoor activites. I love that the same trail I run on in the summer, I can cross-country ski on in the winter. I believe that the unique topography and climate of Minnesota contribute to the community-orientation and social consciousness of the people who live here. I'm thankful that UMN has such an outstanding radiology program.
RL1, Class of 2025
Alexander Asleen
Education: A.T Still University - Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hobbies: Fishing, hockey, exploring/camping with my significant other
Why did you choose U of M for residency? Excellent staff and teaching opportunities. Minneapolis is home and my family/friends are in the area.
Cassiano Crespo-Santiago
Education: Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), School of Medicine, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN, 2020-ongoing, Internship
Hobbies: My hobbies include but are not limited to: electric guitar and bass, music concerts, movies, working out, tabletop roleplaying games, computer games, socializing, traveling, craft beers.
Why did you choose U of M for residency? Being a great institution and a top-notch residency program aren't exclusivities of the U of M radiology program, but I could not find a better group of peers, staff, and faculty to be around. I have tons of respect and admiration for the people here and I'm very grateful to be part of the team.
Christopher Knoedler
Education: Tulane University School of Medicine; Intern year- Walter Reed National Military Medical Center - General Surgery 16-17, Marine Corps Security Cooperation Group 17-20, Marine Corps Security Force Regiment 20-21
Hobbies: Bag Piping, Alpine Skiing, Fishing and Hunting
Why did you choose U of M for residency? I grew up in the twin cities and wanted to move back. I was drawn to the University of Minnesota for a Residency with great mentors and a program with a high case volume and a diverse patient population.
Patrick McGonagill
Education: A.T. Still University of Health Sciences Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hobbies: Spending time with friends and family, traveling, snowboarding, golf, boating, watching sports, trying new restaurants
Why did you choose U of M for residency? The U of M was an easy choice for me. First and foremost, the staff are friendly and incredibly welcoming, which was important to me when evaluating residency programs. It is clear that the atmosphere here at the U of M is one that is collaborative and strives to support the current residents during their time in this program. Additionally, this program offers diverse training sites with a mixture of academic and community medicine with high volume, unique pathology, and diverse patient populations.
Nikolas Parisis
Danica Seifert
Education: Undergrad Concordia College Moorhead MN; Medical school: Creighton University
Hobbies: Hiking, biking, cooking, reading, spending time with family and friends, traveling
Why did you choose U of M for residency? I am a Minnesota native and knew I wanted to continue my medical training close to home. I also wanted to be part of a program with good camaraderie, diversity in training sites, and located in a fun city to continue to explore.
Nolan Shen
Education: Undergrad: UMN-TC, Biochemistry BS; Medical School: Des Moines University, DO
Hobbies: Guitar, Lifting, miscellaneous nerd things.
Why did you choose U of M for residency? Minneapolis is great and I loved the University atmosphere during the time I was there for undergrad. I had done a few medical student rotations at some of the UMN sites including Fairview and HCMC, and appreciated the collegiality throughout the specialities. I liked the large volume of trauma at HCMC and the complexity of cases at the University including its transplant and oncological imaging. The UMN has specialists in all fields including physics and computer science allowing you ample variability for research if wanted. The Minnesotan radiology job market is also populated with strong physician-led private practice groups as well.
Samuel Sutton
Education: Undergrad: University of St. Thomas (St. Paul, MN), Neuroscience Major & Exercise Science Minor, B.S.; Medical School: St. George’s University School of Medicine (Grenada, West Indies), M.D.
Hobbies: hockey, soccer, golf, scuba diving, skiing, snowboarding, fishing, boating, hiking, anything outdoors, service work, time with family and friends
Why did you choose U of M for residency? I was fortunate enough to rotate through the rads program a couple of times and the people within the department from residents to staff were all so welcoming, enjoyed teaching, and it seemed to be a great work & learning atmosphere. The diversity of cases & training sites also made me confident it would help me become the best physician I could be. Minnesota is home for me and being by family made it even sweeter!
Austin Webs
Education: Medical School: Lincoln Memorial University- DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine, DO MBA. Undergraduate: Kansas State University, Bachelor of Science in Life Sciences
Hobbies: Personal finance, running, hiking, collegiate and professional athletics, traveling.
Why did you choose U of M for residency? In addition to the exceptional training and diverse pathology of a large academic medical center, the people are extremely supportive and welcoming. It immediately felt like a program I would feel comfortable training at while preparing me for practice in any setting following graduation.
RL2, Class of 2024
Morenike Fanu, MD
Education
University of California, Riverside School of Medicine
St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, AZ; 2019-2020, Internship
Hobbies
Sewing, arts and crafts, anything to do with with music except playing an instrument
Why did you choose the U of M for residency?
Leadership is very approachable and they truly care about the residents.
Samuel Friedlander, DO
Education
Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN; 2019-2020, Internship
Hobbies
Lifting, piano, movies, video games
Why did you choose the U of M residency?
High volume, pathology, academic program, and exposure to a variety of different settings including the university hospital, community/trauma, and VA
Hans Hesse, DO
Education
A.T. Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine
Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN; 2019-2020, Internship
Daniel Hofstedt, DO
Education
A.T. Still University of Health Sciences Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine
Riverside Methodist Hospital, Columbus, OH; 2019-2020, Internship
Hobbies
Guitar, skateboarding, walks and hikes with family, developing and submitting cases on radshare.net.
Why did you choose the U of M residency?
Well-rounded program with excellent teaching and support from staff and other residents. Has a positive and supportive residency culture with a reputation for training competent residents that end up in a variety of quality practice settings including prestigous academic programs, competitive private practice groups, and rural gems.
Yu-Hui Huang, MS, MD
Education
University of Illinois College of Medicine
Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN; 2019-2020, Internship
Hobbies
I love to make things whether it be doodling, origami, 3D printing, and more! I also enjoy exploring, traveling, trying new things, food, and spending time with friends, family & pets!
Why did you choose the U of M for residency?
First and foremost, the people are genuine, supportive, and welcoming with great camaraderie among the residents, faculty and staff. The opportunity to train at a large tertiary academic medical center, a level 1 trauma center with a focus on the underserved at HCMC, and a large Minneapolis VA hospital, each with different practice settings and diverse patient populations.
Charles McCahery, MD
Education
American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine
Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN; 2019-2020, Internship
Hobbies
Cooking, house projects, brewing beer, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.
Why did you choose the U of M residency?
I grew up in Minnesota and knew I wanted to stay in the area. The U of M has a great reputation with excellent exposure to a wide variety of complex and routine cases in multiple clinical settings. The staff are friendly, supportive, and enjoy teaching.
Russell Pluhm, DO
Education
A.T. Still University of Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN; 2019-2020, Internship
Hobbies
Spending time with my fiancé and friends, sports, movies, biking, boating/fishing, finding new breweries.
Why did you choose the U of M for residency?
The U of M was an easy choice for me. Growing up in the Twin Cities, I knew how much Minnesota had to offer in terms of entertainment and natural beauty. I also immediately appreciated the collaborative feel of the program, it is a welcoming group that truly values and supports residents. The U offers university, VA, and community hospital settings, each with ample volume and diverse pathology. Returning home to be closer to friends and family was important to me as well.
Alexis Swenson, MD
Education
University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth
Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN; 2019-2020, Internship
Hobbies
reading, fishing, hiking, weight lifting, travel
Why did you choose the U of M residency?
High volume program with many successful graduates. It's well known in the Twin Cities that the UofM produces competent radiologists and thus many graduates have landed great jobs
Nathan Wunder, MD
Education
Sanford School of Medicine of the University of South Dakota
Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN; 2019-2020, Internship
Hobbies
Weight lifting, board games, and touring breweries
Why did you choose the U of M for residency?
The culture of independence in learning, hands on teaching , high study volumes, and excellent opportunities in IR.
RL3, Class of 2023
Kevin Ehlers
Education
Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN; 2018-2019, Internship
Hobbies
Spending time with family and friends, home renovation projects, biking, skiing
Why did you choose the U of M residency?
I felt welcome from the first moment on interview day. Great categorical intern year with early exposure to radiology. Wide array of pathology and volume at all our sites. Twin Cities are great place to live.
Alex Feng
Education
University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis
Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN; 2017-2018, Internship
Hobbies
Sewing, thrifting, biking, weightlifting, and cooking!
Why did you choose the U of M residency?
Fantastic program with large volumes of complex and diverse pathology. The progam encourages us to be as independent as we can be, which I was looking for in a program. Between the VA, Hennepin Healthcare, and the University, you will come out of this progam as a great radiologist.
Shannon Gerberding
Education
Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine
Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN; 2018-2019, Internship
Hobbies
Camping, canoeing, reading, board games, skiing and sports
Why did you choose the U of M residency?
Reputable program with diverse training- including at a large transplant center, level 1 trauma at a community hospital, and VA medical center. Additionally, I love Minnesota and the Twin Cities. The outdoor opportunities are excellent!
Kyle Kitzman
Education
St. George’s University School of Medicine, Grenada
University of Minnesota Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN; 2018-2019, Surgery-General
Hobbies
Boating, biking, traveling, trying new restaurants/bars
Why did you choose the U of M for residency?
The University of Minnesota has an excellent radiology program that offers diverse training sites with exposure to a wide variety of pathology and high case volumes.
Kevin Klee
Education
Creighton University School of Medicine
Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN; 2018-2019, Internship
Hobbies
Cooking, playing sports, spending time with family and friends, checking out local breweries, board games.
Why did you choose the U of M for residency?
I was drawn to the U of M for residency because I knew that I would get high caliber training at a large academic center that sees a variety of patient populations and pathologies. Combined with the attractions of living in the twin cities, it was an easy decision to make.
Andrew Mason, MD
Education
Tufts University School of Medicine
Los Angeles County Harbor UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA; 2019-2020, Diagnostic Radiology Residency
Nicholas Reason
Education
Medical College of Wisconsin
Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN; 2018-2019, Internship
Hobbies
Spending time with family, running, coffee/espresso, and side-hustles
Why did you choose the U of M residency?
Personable department and residency leadership, diverse pathology across multiple training sites, resident-run volume, and fantastic Twin Cities metro.
Jesse Reiter
Education
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN; 2018-2019, Internship
Hobbies
Hiking with my wife and children. Fishing, hunting, golf, hockey, football
Why did you choose the U of M for residency?
My wife and I grew up near the twin cities and were looking to come back home to raise our children. I also chose the University of Minnesota because following my interview I felt as though I was a good fit and would get exceptional training with excellent staff radiologists and an incredibly complex patient population. I was also excited by the ability to rotate at 3 sites (UMMC, HCMC, and the VA) allowing for easy networking opportunities and a wide variety of patient populations.
Divya Shenoy
Education
University of Mississippi School of Medicine
Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN; 2018-2019, Internship
Hobbies
Playing pickleball, spending time with friends and family, soaking up the sun, and cooking
Why did you choose the U of M residency?
Friendly and welcoming staff and city, high volumes, and multiple sites to rotate through. We have an amazing program!
Karlyn Messer
Education
Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine
Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN; 2018-2019, Internship
Hobbies
Playing pickleball with my co-residents, walks around the lakes, spending time with my dog and husband, cooking
Why did you choose the U of M residency?
Friendly and welcoming staff/residents on my interview day, varied pathology with multiple sites to rotate through, and lots of fun things to do in the Twin Cities.
Tyler Studer
Education
University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis
Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN; 2018-2019, Internship
Hobbies
Hunting, fishing, watching/playing sports
Why did you choose the U of M for residency?
Multiple, diverse training sites. It was close to home.
RL4, Class of 2022
Ornina Bachour
Education:
University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis
Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN; 2017-2018, Internship
Hobbies: I love traveling, swimming, snorkeling, and kayaking! In Minneapolis, I regularly enjoy the outdoors, trying new restaurants, sporting events, the Orpheum theater, and spending time with my family and friends.
Why did I choose the University of Minnesota for residency?
I chose the U because it felt like the perfect fit. I knew I’d receive excellent training in a friendly, collegial environment. The diverse training sites bring exposure to a large variety and high volume of pathology. The program leadership is supportive and truly values teaching. The residents are a tight-knit, collegial crew! And Minneapolis is a diverse, beautiful, and active city to live in. Choosing my alma mater was easy!
Michael Benson
Education:
Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine
William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, MI; 2017-2018, M.D. Residency, Internal Medicine
Hobbies: Basketball, golf, camping, hanging out with friends, going to the beach, movies, trying new restaurants
Why did I choose the University of Minnesota for residency?
After graduating from the University of Minnesota Duluth I spent a year living in the Twin Cities and loved it. Minneapolis has a great balance of big-city entertainment and camping/fishing spots just outside the cities. Being able to rotate through a community, university, and VA hospital setting all in one residency was also something that really attracted me to the U of M.
Jeff Clegg
Education:
University of Rochester School of Medicine
Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN; 2017-2018, Internship
Hobbies: movies, people watching
Why did I choose the University of Minnesota for residency?
The supportive environment and location
Robert Dolan
Education:
Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine of Midwestern University
Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN; 2017-2018, Internship
Hobbies: Golfing, grilling, skiing, fishing, craft beers, bourbon, movies, hanging out with family
Why did I choose the University of Minnesota for residency?
I love the Twin Cities and Dr. Keuhn-Hajder was my favorite program director from my interview trail. After meeting the rest of the faculty, learning about the excellent the training opportunities and knowing everything Minnesota has to offer it was an easy decision.
Michael Gee
University of Utah School of Medicine
Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN; 2017-2018, Internship
Why did I choose the University of Minnesota for residency?
The University of Minnesota offers excellent radiology training and research opportunities in a bikeable (year round), affordable and culturally rich city.
Michael Hafertepe
Education:
Creighton University School of Medicine
Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN; 2017-2018, Internship
Hobbies: sports, golf, boating, going to the lake, playing my kids
Why did I choose the University of Minnesota for residency?
Ultimately there were two major reasons I chose U of M for residency. The first is the people. They have great teachers and see a broad spectrum of pathology. I was confident I would be a competent radiologist at completion of the program. Additionally, graduates from the U of M have routinely been offered great fellowships or very attractive positions in the job market. The second major reason is family. I have two kids and my wife and I wanted to be closer to family as they grew up.
Grant Larson
Education:
University of North Dakota School of Medicine
Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN; 2017-2018, Internship
Hobbies: Hockey, cycling, waterskiing, travel, food
Why did I choose the University of Minnesota for residency?
The opportunity to get great training in a variety of practice settings. Also, my family and I love Minneapolis!
Ben Levy
Education:
University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine
University of California-Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA; 2013-2014, M.D. Residency, Surgery-General
United Sates Air Force, Dover, ED; 2016-Present, Medical Director, Emergency Response Function, 436 th Medical
Group
Hobbies: biking,yoga, investing, spending time with my family
Why did I choose the University of Minnesota for residency?
The University of Minnesota Program has 4 distinctly different rotations sites that offer a wide variety of pathology. Thus by the end of our residency, we will be extremely well prepared for any fellowship or practice environment. Equally as important, the Minneapolis/ St. Paul area offers an amazing place to live, to work, to play, to raise a family. I cannot think of a better place with as many things to offer both personally and professionally than the University of Minnesota and the Twin Cities.
Anthony Spano
Education:
University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis
Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN; 2017-2018, Internship
Hobbies: Reading, exercise, gaming
Why did I choose the University of Minnesota for residency?
I chose the UMN for its case volume and of sites and corresponding patient population. I am also excited to work on a diversity of research projects while at the University.
Nicole Sztuk
Education:
Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN; 2017-2018, Internship
Hobbies: Cycling, traveling, finding new restaurants
Why did I choose the University of Minnesota for residency?
I had the opportunity to do an away rotation at the U while I was a medical student and knew immediately that I wanted to do my residency here. Everyone was welcoming and I felt right at home! I knew I wanted to complete my residency at a large academic center that would provide both volume and pathology to prepare me for fellowship/practice upon completion of residency. As a resident you rotate at the university hospital, a large level 1 trauma center, a children’s hospital, and the VA, allowing for a well rounded, rigorous residency. The U was a perfect fit for what I was looking for. I am originally from Indiana, but my family happened to move to MN while I was in college, so coming to MN allowed me to be closer to family again! In my free time, I visit with my family, spend time with my fiancé, and hang out with friends (most of which are fellow residents). We love exploring the Twin Cities, finding new restaurants, cycling, walking through our favorite neighborhood (The North Loop), and traveling around the world (as much as our schedules will allow). I don’t think I ever imagined I would end up in Minnesota, but I’m so happy I did!