2012-2013 Med-Peds Housestaff PGY-4

Jaclyn Bergeron, M.D.

The University of Tennessee School of Medicine
Dr. Bergeron is often asked how she got to Memphis. "I followed a boy," she tells the inquirers. Originally from Waynesboro, VA, a little town near Charlottesville, she attended Davidson College (GO CATS!) where she met Blake. After college she moved to Richmond to attend grad school and Blake moved to Memphis. After a year and a half apart, he convinced her to move away from her beloved mountains, and into the delta. The rest is history. If you had told "old Jaclyn" she would be living in Memphis, TN (She promised to never live in TN, no offense, and has been here five years!), married to Blake, and have a baby (Lillian Ruth was born 3/29/09), she would have laughed! Most of her favorite activities involve the mountains, so she is severely out of luck. When she gets the chance she loves to backpack and camp. While making the most of the flat land, Jaclyn enjoys running, coffee, good wine, fine food, traveling, playing with Lilly, NCAA basketball, being involved in church, and spending time with close friends.

Jeff Cunningham, M.D.

The University of Tennessee School of Medicine
Dr. Cunningham is a native of Celina, Tennessee and is the second oldest of a rather large family. (Seven sisters, three brothers, and three stepbrothers for those who are curious as to what he means by "a rather large family".) He attended Campbellsville University where he majored in Biology. Jeff also earned an MA from Loyola University Chicago prior to attending medical school at the University of Tennessee. He is known to enjoy watching college football on fall afternoons, and will, on occasion, hit the gym.

Shannon Swift, M.D.

University of Arkansas College of Medicine
Dr. Swift grew up in Sherwood, Arkansas, a suburb of Little Rock. She graduated with a BS in Chemistry from Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri, and then obtained her MS in Chemistry from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. After a few years in the workplace, she decided to follow her heart and attended medical school at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. She is excited to be at UT Memphis, and looks forward to her training and preparation for her future as a rural medicine physician. During medical school, Shannon enjoyed working in volunteer clinics, which she hopes to continue as time allows. Shannon also enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, watching sports and ESPN, working with the youth at church and playing with her dog.

Shaun Thedford, M.D.

University of Kentucky College of Medicine
As a native of Birmingham, Alabama, Dr. Thedford believes that being a physician is more than a career choice. It is a purpose and a mission. To partake upon that mission, she obtained the following degrees: BA in Biology from Berea College in Berea, KY; MS in Biomedical Sciences from Barry University in Miami, FL; and MD from University of Kentucky College of Medicine. She is humbled to be a member of the Gold Humanism Honor Society. Shaun is the proud mother of Cody, a five year old Yorkie. Besides playing with Cody she enjoys musical theatre, football, traveling, dancing, but most of all praising God thru song. Her favorite quotes are: “I am what God says I am”, “To whom much is given much is expected”, and “I may not agree with what you say but I will defend your right to say it.”

Ben Walz, D.O., M.P.H.

University of North Texas Health Science Center, Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine
Dr. Walz was born and raised in Colorado Springs at the base of Pikes Peak. He attended Baylor University where he graduated cum laude with a BS in Chemistry (ACS certified) with minors in Biology and Spanish. Ben extended medical school an additional year to earn his MPH in Behavioral and Social Sciences and complete a pre-doctoral fellowship in Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine. He chose Memphis because of the quality and variety of training environments, incredible people, willing mentors, service-mentality among house-staff, and extraordinary learning opportunities.

Ben spends his free time with his beautiful wife and toddler daughter, is active in church, and loves medical missions, outdoor activities, swimming, coffee and reading. After residency he has a service commitment as a National Health Service Corps Scholar in an underserved area. Future plans beyond that include being an academic generalist and serving medical missions. Ben’s research interests are global health, health disparities and public health.

Nathan Wilds, M.D.

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center
Dr. Wilds is from the mountains of East Tennessee in a little town called Greeneville. He graduated from Tennessee Tech in 2005 with a BS in Cellular and Molecular Biology, and went to med school at UT and decided to stay for residency. At the end of med school he and six classmates rebuilt a 33-foot catamaran and went on a 46-day sailing trip to the Abacos in North Bahama. Nathan works with the Boy Scouts teaching climbing, and rappelling. He loves to read, listen to the awesome Memphis music, play as much golf as he can afford, and watch every UT football game (which means he will need Saturdays off in the fall, if that can be arranged, thanks). GO VOLS!!!

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University of Tennessee
Pediatric Residency Program
Box 57, 50 N. Dunlap St.
Memphis, TN 38103
Phone: 901-287-6756

Resident Coordinator

Karen Ariemma
Phone: 901-287-6210
Toll Free: 800-733-6371
Email: kariemma@uthsc.edu