Family Medicine Chattanooga Residents

Lydia Cook, MD
PGY-1 Resident
Indiana University School of Medicine

I am from Bloomington, Indiana, and I went to Sewanee for undergraduate and Indiana University for medical school. I enjoy rock climbing and hiking, and I was drawn to Chattanooga in part because of the many opportunities for outdoor activities. I am proud to be working with a program that values and supports its residents and is so invested in our well-being. I have particular interest in adult outpatient medicine and outreach to underserved communities. I am excited to be joining such a wonderful community and to have the opportunity to explore beautiful Chattanooga and the surrounding area!

Johnathan Cook, MD
PGY-1 Resident
Meharry Medical College

I was born and raised in Bakersfield, CA, before attending Morehouse College where I received my bachelor’s in biology. After college, I moved to Nashville where I graduated from Meharry Medical College receiving both my Master of Health Science and MD. When I’m not at clinic or the hospital, you can find me at Chick-Fil-A, the kitchen, the mall, or the gym. What I love about the program are the educational opportunities presented to me.

Robin Denny, MD
PGY-1 Resident
Loma Linda University School of Medicine

I am from Texas and Maryland. I attended Loma Linda University School of Medicine in California. I enjoy nature, national and historical parks, aquariums, visiting family and friends, etc. I am most interested in Lifestyle Medicine, Tropical Medicine and Rural Medicine.

Christian Givens, MD
PGY-1 Resident
St. George's University School of Medicine

Hello! My name is Christian Givens and I am originally from Hendersonville, TN. I went to undergrad at ETSU where I majored in Physics. I went to medical school at St. George's University and did clinical rotations in Brooklyn, NY and Miami, FL. I have a wife and two poodles and we love being outdoors hiking and kayaking when we have time off. I also love making trips out west for snowboarding in the winter.

Onika Kelly, MD
PGY-1 Resident
Morehouse School of Medicine

I am a Georgia native. I went to Kennesaw State University for my undergraduate degree, where I majored in Psychology, and minored in Chemistry. I stayed in Georgia and went to medical school at Morehouse School of Medicine. I have a huge passion for preventative health, and I want to have an impact on my patients by promoting health education. When I'm not working, I enjoy exploring different activities in the Chattanooga area.

Dylan O'Neal, MD
PGY-1 Resident
University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Medicine

I am from Turtletown, TN. I've spent most of my life in the mountains where I have my family, including my wife and daughter. I went to college and medical school at UT. Where I live now is only a short drive from my childhood home. I came to Chattanooga for the ability to give back to my local community for the good mix of adult and pediatric medicine with the adult and children's hospitals being literally attached to each other. One of the most important things to me is that everyone in the program is a friend, from the residents to the attendings. My favorite activity is coming home to my family and watching my daughter grow up. My spare time is usually for painting models, drawing, or playing tabletop games.

Daniel Raley, MD
PGY-1 Resident
East Tennessee University, Quillen College of Medicine

I grew up in Franklin, TN before completing my undergrad at ETSU in Johnson City, TN where I met my wife, Cheyenne. Together, we are raising our son, Sam, and our chocolate lab, Ace. They both bring their charming and crazy personalities and make sure there is never a dull moment at our house! I went to medical school at ETSU, but decided to come to Chattanooga because of the camaraderie I felt between the residents and faculty. I was also drawn to the emphasis on Lifestyle Medicine and exposure to Sports Medicine. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family and staying active by going hiking and weight lifting. Some of my other hobbies include playing board games, jiu-jitsu, and Dungeons and Dragons.

Aaron Van Alstine, MD
PGY-1 Resident
University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Medicine

I am from Memphis, Tennessee, but my heart belongs to the mountains. After graduating medical school at UTHSC, I packed my bags for lovely Chattanooga to join the Family Medicine residency here. I enjoy the "jack of all trades" nature of Family Medicine, and I have a particular fondness for working with my patients who can speak other languages. I anticipate working in an outpatient setting in the future. On my days off, you can probably catch me kayaking, expanding my mineral collection, or sitting at the piano plunking out tunes that are almost recognizable as music.

Alex Jones, MD
PGY-2 Resident
University of Colorado College of Medicine

I am from Denver, Colorado. I went to University of Colorado School of Medicine, Married last year. I like my wife, sports, gaming, and anything that involves competition. I’m most interested in sports medicine and business.

William Noggle, MD
PGY-2 Resident
University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Medicine

I’m a native of Knoxville, TN. I went to Sewanee where I played soccer and majored in German and Environmental Studies. I attended UT College of Medicine in Memphis. I chose Family Medicine due to the breadth of training and the flexibility it offers in an ever-changing job market. I’m considering sports medicine, hospital medicine, or outpatient clinical medicine. My interests outside of work include spending time with my wife and two kids, cooking, trail running, playing soccer, and triathlons. I also am a part-time forager of wild foods, so if you need a fungus ID’ed, I might be your fungi.

Nilmini Pang, MD
PGY-2 Resident
Loma Linda University School of Medicine

I was born in Southeast Asia and have lived in four different countries, but spent most of my childhood in Southern California. I attended La Sierra University and earned a dual degree in Biochemistry and Biophysics. For medical school, I went to Loma Linda University. I’d actually never been to Chattanooga before I started residency, but I was charmed by how every friend who had been here before would vouch for the city, the culture, and the people. I love the small town feel with big city vibes and how kindness is just a way of life here. I’m excited to be learning how to treat the whole person and family unit with kindness and compassion in a fun and supportive environment. When I’m not in the hospital or clinic, I enjoy catching up with friends, eating good food, and exploring new places and hobbies.

Matthew Rotondo, MD
PGY-2 Resident
University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Medicine

I grew up in Knoxville, TN. I attended Duke University and got to witness the basketball team win a national title. I chose this program due to its well-rounded training combined with the flexibility to hone in on other disciplines within family medicine. I love the city of Chattanooga; it has so many outdoor activities to experience. From hiking to creek crossing and river drifting, I usually spend my free time outside in the wilderness or at the dog park with my husky, Kimber.

Ryan Thornton, MD
PGY-2 Resident
Loma Linda University School of Medicine

I was born in Oregon and have lived all across the west coast, eventually settling in Southern California for a few years for medical school. I was drawn to the program here in Chattanooga because of the caring and supportive faculty and residents. I particularly enjoy adventuring outdoors, playing games with friends, and traveling.

Charles Gober, MD
PGY-3 Chief Resident
Medical College of Georgia

I grew up in Atlanta, Georgia and attended Texas Christian University where I completed a BS in Environmental Sciences. I attended medical school at the Medical College of Georgia in Athens, GA. I enjoy playing soccer, disc golf, and going on walks with my wife and two daughters. I chose to come to this program because the residents and faculty were all people I felt I could work well alongside. In addition, Erlanger offers every educational opportunity that I was looking for in a residency program so I never have to travel far to get the experience that I need in order to become an excellent physician.

Hannah King, DO
PGY-3 Chief Resident
West Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine

I was born and raised in Gatlinburg, TN and obtained my BS in Biology at UTC. I then went on to West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine for my medical degree. My interests within Family Medicine include lifestyle medicine, wound care, women’s health, global health/medical missions, and academic medicine. When I’m not practicing medicine, you can find me spending time with my husband Kaleb and our miniature dachshunds Flower and Houdini or hanging out with friends! I choose UT Chattanooga because the residents, faculty and staff are truly one of a kind and I could not be happier to be a part of this family!

Allan Akin, MD, MPharm
PGY-3 Resident
University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Medicine

I grew up in McKenzie, TN, a small town in west Tennessee, before attending UT Knoxville where I received my bachelors. After college, I moved to Memphis where I got my masters in pharmacology as well as my MD. When I’m not working, you can usually find me either in the kitchen, garden, or outside running. I chose UT Chattanooga for my residency because it was the place I felt like I could call home and connected with the residents the best. As a gay physician, my long-term goals include a heavy emphasis in primary care, PrEP, and transgender care in the LGBTQIA community.

Chris Choe, MD
PGY-3 Resident
University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Medicine

I was born and raised around the Memphis, TN area. I attended Baylor University in Waco, TX to study Biology and then came back home to UTHSC for medical school. As a medical student, my rotation through this program made it clear that residents were getting excellent training/education. However, I ultimately chose this program for its people, both residents and faculty. We are a great tight-knit group, and now I would not want to go through residency with any other group! My current professional interest is Sports Medicine and I’m planning to apply to Sports Medicine fellowship after residency. Outside of medicine, I enjoy anything outdoors, in addition to weightlifting, playing board games, and playing soccer!

C. Taylor Millirons, MD
PGY-3 Resident
University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Medicine

I grew up in Chattanooga, and I am very excited to be back! I attended undergrad at the University of Alabama where I met my wife Kathryn, and after graduation we moved to Memphis where I attended medical school at the University of Tennessee. It was there that I found my passion for family medicine. This specialty is unique in its holistic approach to medicine, and the ability to care for patients of all ages and from all walks of life. The Chattanooga residency program was an easy choice due to its exceptional faculty, as well as its family of residents. When I'm not in the clinic or hospital, my wife and I do our best to take full advantage of the natural beauty Chattanooga has to offer. We are frequently camping, hiking, kayaking, or cycling. We also enjoy walking our dogs (Blue and Harper) downtown, and taking them with us on our outdoor adventures.

Rebecca Neighbor, MD
PGY-3 Resident
East Tennessee State University Quillen College of Medicine

I was born and raised in Knoxville, Tennessee. I earned my bachelor's from UTK and my medical degree from ETSU QCOM. I knew family medicine was for me when I experienced caring for a hospice patient and a newborn baby all in the same day. I am interested in OB and full scope medicine and dream of practicing in a rural East Tennessee community. I also hope to do short term mission work. I completed a JI at the Chattanooga program and was impressed by the positive attitudes of the residents and the breadth of training. In my free time, I enjoy going to the lake, working out, learning languages, cheering on the KC Chiefs, and trying new recipes with my fiancé.

Matthew Rose, DO
PGY-3 Resident
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Georgia Campus

I grew up just south of Atlanta, GA and later attended undergraduate and graduate school downtown at Georgia State University, earning my Bachelors of Science in Biology and a Master's degree in Cellular and Molecular Physiology. After some time working in the lab environment and teaching college courses in anatomy and physiology, I realized I needed more human interaction and found medicine to be the perfect blend of science and humanitarianism. I decided on family medicine because of the broad variety of patient demographic and clinical scenarios, and I chose the UT College of Medicine Chattanooga because the faculty and other residents share my same passion for excellent patient care. If I'm not in the hospital or at clinic, then I'm outside getting into something, or too far out on a hike or trail run to get a cell signal. My fiancé, our 3 cats, keeping up our garden, and exploring all Chattanooga has to offer occupy the rest of my free time and I couldn't be happier!

Ryan Shibata, MD
PGY-3 Resident
Ross University School of Medicine

I was born and raised in Southern California. I was there through my undergrad years, attending Cal State Fullerton. I went to Ross University for medical school, and then jumped around until landing in Chattanooga for my residency. My interest in medicine was never just one area, and Family Medicine helped me fulfill all the spectrums. I was drawn to Chattanooga for several reasons, the main one being their strong obstetrics training and women's health, which will help prepare me for a fellowship in obstetrics. I enjoy working with the Hispanic population and feel a strong calling to help the underserved. In my spare time, my wife and three kids keep me busy, and we love our new community in Chattanooga!