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Current Residents

RES-5 | RES-4 | RES-3 | RES-2 | RES-1 | Preliminary Residents | Research Lab Residents - PGY-2


RES-5

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Samantha Brashier
Admin Chief
Bio
Medical School: UTHSC College of Medicine
What do you enjoy in your free time? Spending time with my family, running, and listening to true crime podcasts.
What are your career goals? My career goals at this point in my training are simply to learn how to be a good physician and surgeon.
Why did you choose UTHSC for your residency? I chose to stay at UTHSC for residency due to my time here as a medical student. I wanted a residency with high operative volume with exposure to all surgical fields, diverse patient population, and residents/attendings I “fit” with – UTHSC checked all of those boxes for me.

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José González Gutiérrez

Bio
Medical School: Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Medicine and Health Sciences    
What do you enjoy in your free time? I like traveling whenever possible, running and playing soccer, deep cleaning my apartment, and watching new shows and movies.
What are your career goals?
Completion of general surgery and pursuit of a fellowship, become an academic surgeon in a place where I can be teaching and sharing my experience. 
Why did you choose UTHSC for your residency?
Outstanding surgical training with a wide variety of cases and patients, great mentorship opportunities, and involvement in an academic center will provide the foundation for my future career.

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Samantha Adrianna Kassner
Bio
Medical School: Florida Atlantic University Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine
What do you enjoy in your free time?  Working out, biking, scuba diving 
What are your career goals? I am interested in minimally invasive and bariatric surgery
Why did you choose UTHSC for your residency? I was most attracted to the apparent camaraderie between residents during interview day/social night, as well as the strong emphasis placed on generating well-rounded surgeons that are comfortable operating independently by the time they are finished with residency at UTHSC. 

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Morgan Lynch
Admin Chief
Bio
Medical School: University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
What do you enjoy in your free time: Reading, writing, films, fitness, and midnight snacks.
What are your career goals?  Undecided! Interested in general, trauma, and colorectal surgery.
Why did you choose UTHSC for your residency? Excellent scope of training, great trauma exposure, and cool people. 

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Logan Meyer

Bio
Medical School: USF Morsani College of Medicine
What do you enjoy in your free time? Cross stitch, crossword puzzles, finding new restaurants, finding good banana pudding
What are your career goals? Don’t quite know yet
Why did you choose UTHSC for your residency? Depth and breadth of experiences. Amazing faculty and fellow residents

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Soroosh Noorbakhsh
Bio
Medical School: University of Washington

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Meredith Perkins
Bio
Medical School: UTHSC
What do you enjoy in your free time? Boating, cooking, trying new restaurants/breweries, exercising
What are your career goals? Interested in trauma
Why did you choose UTHSC for your residency? I’m a born and raised Memphian and I want to continue to serve my city throughout my surgical training

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Jennifer Schadt
Bio
Medical School: LKSOM at Temple University
What do you enjoy in your free time? : I enjoy being active- running, rock climbing, hiking, & slacklining- and creative- knitting, painting, & embroidery- and just relaxing with a good book or tv show
What are your career goals? : I am undecided on a subspecialty, but I would like to be involved in global surgery, and would like to integrate narrative medicine and bioethics work throughout my career 
Why did you choose UTHSC for your residency?  : Mostly because it was the interview day I enjoyed the most, I felt really great vibes from everyone I met!

RES-4

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Jenna Davis
Bio

Medical School: University of Miami
What do you enjoy in your free time? Anything outdoors!
What are your career goals? Academic surgery, Surgical oncology
Why did you choose UTHSC for your residency? History of success in fellowship matches while also having a great breadth of experience in general surgery. My partner is also from Memphis, and we were lucky enough to couples match here! 


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Daniel Gehle
Bio
Medical School: Medical University of SC
What do you enjoy in your free time? Hosting coresidents and friends for meals and games, spending time with my wife and daughter, soccer, tennis, watching basketball, exploring the Memphis restaurant and brewery scene
What are your career goals? Pediatric surgery
Why did you choose UTHSC for your residency? Large, busy program with early and high-volume operative experience, excellent pediatric surgery exposure, and collegial culture.

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Calvin Jung
Bio

Medical School: Mercer University School of Medicine - Macon Campus
What do you enjoy in your free time? Spending time with my fiancée and our orange tabby. Cheering for the Georgia Bulldogs. 
What are your career goals?  General surgery or Cardiac surgery
Why did you choose UTHSC for your residency? Broad exposure and excellent training.


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Erin Koffman
Bio

Medical School: University of Toledo 
What do you enjoy in your free time? finding new walking/ running trails
What are your career goals? For now, to be a teachable resident and a humanistic doctor. Eventually: to be involved in global surgery.
Why did you choose UTHSC for your residency? I was looking for a program with high volume trauma, high complexity, and a group of residents who genuinely liked to be around each other. Luckily all of that has come true! 


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Emma Levine
Bio
Medical School: University of Vermont
What do you enjoy in your free time? 
Baking, cooking, reading dystopias, pelotoning, outdoor activites
What are your career goals? I'm currently leaning towards pediatric surgery, but am keeping an open mind. I know I want to be involved in global surgery! My research interests fall in the cross between our diabetic patients and surgical care 
Why did you choose UTHSC for your residency? The minute I interviewed here I knew this was going to be the right spot. I could feel the support from attendings and within the residents. I felt that life outside the hospital was encouraged and celebrated while being somewhere with top notch pediatric surgery and trauma surgery training. 

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Jessica Pollack

Bio
Medical School: University of Virginia
What do you enjoy in your free time? Cooking, indoor cycling, hiking
What are your career goals? Pediatric surgery
Why did you choose UTHSC for your residency? Excellent pediatric surgery department, operative experience

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Jordan Pringle
Bio

Medical School: Mercer University School of Medicine
What do you enjoy doing in your free time? Working out, running outdoors, watching football and soccer
What are your career goals? Private practice on the gulf coast of Florida
Why did you choose UTHSC for your residency? Good case numbers with early operative experience


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Miranda Taggart
Bio

Medical School: University of Texas Medical Branch
What do you enjoy in your free time?  Long walks, dancing to live music, spicy food, sunshine 
What are your career goals? private practice general surgery with academic outreach, global surgery
Why did you choose UTHSC for your residency? High volume operative trauma, good vibes, culturally rich city with a lot of need 


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Bennett Thomas
Bio

Medical School: LSU Shreveport
What do you enjoy in your free time?I enjoy running, biking, hiking, exploring new national parks, and spending time with friends and family.
What are your career goals? Still undecided
Why did you choose UTHSC for your residency? I did an away rotation here and really enjoyed how well the residents got along. I saw that the residents here were able to match into great fellowships or graduate and go directly into practice.


RES-3

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Jonathan "Chance" Fox
Bio

Medical School: Washington University in St Louis
What do you enjoy in your free time? Running, soccer, basketball, playing piano, and hanging out with my family
What are your career goals? General surgery, trauma/critical care, and global surgical work
Why did you choose UTHSC for your residency?  Fantastic clinical training, diversity of training sites, presence of both academic and community opportunities, and immense trauma experience.


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Andrei Gurau
Bio

Medical School: University of Colorado School of Medicine
What do you enjoy in your free time? Exploring local parks, skiing, and spending time with my significant other.
What are your career goals? To become an academic surgeon specializing in surgical oncology or thoracic surgery, conduct translational research, and teach future surgeons.
Why did you choose UTHSC for your residency? UTHSC provides exceptional clinical training, strong mentorship, and a supportive environment that aligns with my goal of becoming an academic surgeon.


Surgery Resident
Kevin Lang
Bio

Medical School: Creighton University School of Medicine
What do you do for fun: Running, triathlon training, spending time with friends
What are your career goals: Trauma, surgical critical care
Why did you choose UTHSC for residency: Excellent trauma exposure, broad surgical training, opportunity to serve this community


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Philip Morgan
Bio

Medical School: UTHSC
What do you enjoy in your free time? Getting outdoors with my friends and family, grilling in the backyard, and live music.
What are your career goals? I am excited to explore the breadth of general surgery during residency. I am highly interested in trauma/SCC and thoracic surgery.
Why did you choose UTHSC for your residency? From my clinical experience here in medical school, I knew I would have excellent training and mentorship. The exposure to trauma and critical care is second to none. The resident culture is supportive, and it was clear to me that hard work and accountability are truly valued here.


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Julia Pedo Freitas

Bio
Medical School: UTHSC
What do you enjoy in your free time? Hiking, rock climbing, going to breweries, playing with my cats, board games with friends
What are your career goals? Currently undecided, considering surgical oncology, breast or trauma
Why did you choose UTHSC for your residencyI wanted a program where I would feel prepared to practice independently as a general surgeon without needing a fellowship if I decided to do so, while also providing an academic setting with the opportunity for research. Also the opportunity to train at one of the busiest trauma centers in the country!

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Michael Spinrad

Bio
Medical School: Albany Medical College
What do you enjoy in your free time? Skiing, hiking, rock climbing, reading, boardgames, video games, oh and skiing.
What are your career goals? My current interest is in surgical oncology and HPB pathologies. 
Why did you choose UTHSC for your residency? UTHSC has a great reputation for training skilled surgeons that get tremendous exposure to trauma and critical care, which is an excellent foundation to have for any surgeon. There's also plenty of opportunities for mentorship form surgeons the generally care about your education and will invest in your future.

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John Worthen

Bio
Medical School: University of Tennessee HSC
What do you enjoy in your free time? Watching TV and cooking dinner with my fiancée, cycling, weightlifting, computer programming
What are your career goals? General Surgery/Surgical Critical Care
Why did you choose UTHSC for your residency? I wanted to train at a high-volume program that could prepare me for any career pathway in general surgery.

RES-2

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Benjamin Allen
Bio

Medical School: UTHSC
What do you enjoy in your free time? I love rock climbing, fishing, soccer, hiking, video games, and playing with my cat, Gracie.
What are your career goals? I haven’t decided on a specialty yet, but I know that I want to be a competent physician and surgeon who my colleagues would trust to take care of a family member.
Why did you choose UTHSC for your residency? Since I went to med school here, I knew firsthand how supportive the program is and how well-trained the residents are. The breadth of trauma and critical care experience here will allow me to operate on the highest acuity pathologies with confidence, regardless of specialty. I was also thrilled to see how close residents are with each other and with attendings—it is an excellent environment for learning. 


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Alexis Harris
Bio

Medical School: University of Louisville School of Medicine
What do you enjoy in your free time? Hanging out with my friends and family, watching movies and trashy reality TV, reading, writing, learning piano, traveling, being a hopeless Texas A&M football fan, fishing with my mom
What are your career goals? Academic trauma surgery is my primary goal; however, I'm keeping an open mind as long as I'm a safe and competent surgeon who has the capabilities to teach and mentor others in the future
Why did you choose UTHSC for your residency? UTHSC had everything I wanted in a program: a wide breadth of clinical experiences that produces confident surgeons that aren't just competent on paper, a strong academic trauma foundation, diverse patient populations, and a culture of camaraderie amongst the residents and faculty with each other as well as the worthwhile community they serve.


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Andrew "AJ" Kerwin
Bio

Medical School: Florida International University
What do you enjoy in your free time? Playing golf and pickleball, hanging out with my family and friends, grilling, watching the Florida Gators, and reading.
What are your career goals? First, I hope to become a technically sound and knowledgeable general surgeon during residency. After residency, I am interested in pursuing a fellowship in Trauma/ACS, Colorectal, or Vascular Surgery followed by a career as an academic surgeon.
Why did you choose UTHSC for your residency? I believe that UTHSC will provide me with robust general surgery training and a diverse patient population. I did an away rotation and enjoyed my time in Memphis and the great learning environment. Additionally, my family lives in Memphis and I wanted to be close to them during training.   


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Hason Khan
Bio

Medical School: Kansas City University
What do you enjoy in your free time? Working out and watching Boston sports (Go Celtics)
What are your career goals? Trauma/Surgical Critical Care
Why did you choose UTHSC for your residency? Excellent trauma/critical care experience, high operative volume, great faculty, High operative volume, intense trauma/critical care experience, clinical autonomy, and opportunity to serve a diverse patient population.


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Sarah Lang
Bio

Medical School: UTHSC
What do you enjoy in your free time? Acrylic and watercolor painting, learning new recipes, attempting to bake, and taking walks (and naps!) with my dog
What are your career goals? Currently, pediatric surgery or surgical oncology, with a focus on serving underserved populations and participating in global surgical outreach
Why did you choose UTHSC for your residency? The wonderful clinical teams and the diverse patient population I worked with during my time here in medical school


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Joshua Moore
Bio

Medical School: Mercer University School of Medicine
What do you enjoy in your free time? Play music, hike, read, watch Netflix, cycling 
What are your career goals? To become a Pediatric Surgeon
Why did you choose UTHSC for your residency? Incredible Trauma Surgery training, great program culture, and unique pediatric surgical and research opportunities.


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Matthew Romine
Bio

Medical School: Mercer University School of Medicine
What do you enjoy in your free time?  I enjoy staying active and playing just about any team sport - like soccer, basketball, and ultimate frisbee which are a few of my favorites. I also love reading a good fantasy book, spending time with friends, playing video games, and watching movies.
What are your career goals?  I'm still deciding whether I want to specialize, but as of now, I’m especially interested in Surgical Oncology, Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS), and Critical Care.
Why did you choose UTHSC for your residency? My favorite thing about UTHSC has got to be the people. Everyone is incredibly kind and eager to help. It’s clear that the program fosters a supportive learning environment that will push me to grow and become the best surgeon I can be.  


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Erika Wilt
Bio

Medical School: University of Toledo
What do you enjoy in your free time? Running and hiking with my dogs, reading, trying new coffee shops, and spending time with family and friends
What are your career goals? I'm currently interested in trauma/critical care but I'm excited to experience all of the other surgical subspecialties!
Why did you choose UTHSC for your residency?  The trauma/critical care experience, early operative experience with high volume and complex cases, and the overall resident camaraderie!


RES-1

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Teresa Belledent

Bio
Medical School: Meharry Medical School
Hobbies: Crocheting, practicing aerial hoop, pilates, spending time with family and friends
Career Goals: I aim to pursue a career in academic surgery with a focus on transplant and outcomes research and health equity initiatives.
Why I chose UTHSC: I chose UTHSC for its strong operative experience, diverse patient population, and commitment to training well-rounded surgeons who are prepared for both academic and community practice.

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Grace Howell

Bio
Medical School: University of Mississippi Medical Center
Hobbies: In my free time, I enjoy weightlifting, singing and playing music with my husband, and reading a good mystery novel!
Career Goals: I have always been drawn to oncology, especially thoracic oncology, and I hope to build my career in surgical oncology that serves the communities of the South.
Why I chose UTHSC: I chose UTHSC because of the genuine enthusiasm and camaraderie among the residents and faculty that I experienced during my interview process. Combined with the opportunity to continue my training in the South with a familiar patient population, it felt like the perfect fit.

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Tyler Johnston

Bio
Medical School: UTHSC
Hobbies: Going outdoors, spending time with friends and family, and being a proud cat dad
Career Goals: To be a safe and effective surgeon, currently interested in Trauma/Surgical Critical Care
Why I chose UTHSC: UTHSC being my home program, I knew the training, experience, community, and people were unparalleled.

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Shemariah Kentish

Bio
Medical School: Virginia Commonwealth University SOM
Hobbies: In my free time, I enjoy reading and listening to audiobooks, baking, being outside either running, hiking or going to the beach and spending time with my family including my dog, Letty!
Career Goals: At this point in my career, I am excited about many surgical subspecialties, particularly Pediatric Surgery, Surgical Oncology and Trauma/Critical Care.
Why I chose UTHSC: What excited me most about UTHSC was the robust trauma and critical care experience, early exposure to a high volume of complex operative cases, the opportunity to serve a diverse patient population, and the prospect of joining a supportive, close-knit resident community.

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Boris Kuyeb

Bio
Medical School: University of Mississippi Medical Center
Hobbies: Physical activities: strength training, pickleball, soccer and cooking/grilling
Career Goals: TBD. Continue to grow as an effective surgeon
Why I chose UTHSC: UTHSC is an excellent program with high operative case volume while serving a diverse group of patient population.

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Blake Mastalerz

Bio
Medical School: UTHSC
Hobbies: I love spending time with my wife, Kylie. We enjoy cooking together, exploring Memphis, and traveling! I have visited 29 countries and do not plan on stopping anytime soon! You can also find me playing soccer and pickleball.
Career Goals: I am maintaining an open mind during my intern year, as there are multiple subspecialties that interest me. I am considering pediatric surgery, thoracic surgery, or general practice. Regardless of the path I choose, my main goal is to be a kind surgeon worthy of my patients' trust.
Why I chose UTHSC:

I chose UTHSC because it has became a home for me. I met my wife here on the first day of medical school. I developed a very strong community in Memphis over the years, and I never want to leave. I have also recieved great teaching and mentorship from the surgery faculty and residents. There is no doubt I will be trained to be the beat general surgeon I can be. The General Surgery Program in Memphis is an obvious choice!

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Meera Thiel

Bio
Medical School: Indiana University School of Medicine
Hobbies: Hiking, hot yoga/pilates, coffee shops, gym!
Career Goals: Thinking about trauma surgery or pediatric surgery
Why I chose UTHSC: At the social the night before interviews it felt like the residents were a family watching them interact. I knew I would come out a well-trained surgeon being here and talking with attendings at home they all had the same response, that surgeons from here know how to operate. I also liked the ability to train at multiple different hospitals throughout the city and the opportunity to find research in whatever path I choose. 

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Jill Weatherly

Bio
Medical School: UTHSC
Hobbies: Playing with my dog, Vols sports, days on the lake, reading books, playing mahjong
Career Goals: Trauma/Surgical Critical Care
Why I chose UTHSC: I had great experiences with resident and faculty mentors as a medical student and I knew the training here would be unmatched. I wanted to stay and become a surgeon in the city I have come to love.

Preliminary Residents

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Derek Bradley Asserson

Bio

Medical School: California Northstate University College of Medicine
Hobbies: Golf, fantasy football, and watching sports
Career Goals: Plastic surgery (with a reconstructive focus)
Why I chose UTHSC: No better place for trauma exposure


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Lucas Baumgarten

Bio
Medical School: University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia
Hobbies: Spending time with family and friends, cooking, and everything sports and outdoors, particularly hiking and golf.
Career Goals: Gain experience and exposure as I grow in my journey towards becoming a general surgery. I am currently undecided about specialty but am considering a career in trauma or MIS.
Why I chose UTHSC: The opportunity to train at a program with diverse patient population and robust medical complexity coupled with a high operative volume will provide great exposure in trauma as well as other specialties. They offered the support and resources to help me succeed and prepare for a career in general surgery.

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Caleb Joseph Berta

Bio
Medical School: UTHSC
Hobbies: Golfing
Career Goals: Being a competent surgeon in whichever field I go into.
Why I chose UTHSC: UTHSC is an excellent program with a high operative case volume. I had the pleasure of completing my medical school here as well, and I am familiar with the program.

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Aneesa Jones

Bio
Medical School: Mercer University School of Medicine
Hobbies: In my free time, I like staying active by playing soccer and running, and love traveling and shopping. I also enjoy spending time with my friends and family. I have a golden doodle named Moose who’s always full of energy and definitely keeps me on my toes.
Career Goals: Ultimately, I want to serve my community by providing excellent surgical care.
Why I chose UTHSC: UTHSC provides a strong surgical training experience with exceptional mentorship and faculty.

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Jennifer Lynn Wallace

Bio
Medical School: University of Arkansas College of Medicine
Hobbies: I love spending my free time with my dog, my Lou (a mini goldendoodle who runs my life), whether that’s just hanging out or getting outside when the weather’s nice. I’m big on unwinding with a good show or movie—lately that’s been things like White Lotus, Euphoria, House of the Dragon, and Love Island—basically anything I can get invested in after a long day. I also have an Etsy shop where I design digital art, so I stay creative outside of medicine. When I’m not doing that, I’m usually trying new restaurants or breweries—I’ll never turn down a good IPA—or just soaking up summertime whenever I get the chance.
Career Goals: I want to be the best surgeon I can be while continuing to grow into the best version of myself. I’m especially drawn to trauma and critical care—it’s life-or-death every day, and I love the pace, the acuity, and being part of a team that shows up when it matters most.
Why I chose UTHSC: I chose UTHSC because of the people and the training—I wanted a program where I’d feel challenged, supported, and get strong hands-on experience. It just felt like the right fit.

Research Lab Residents - PGY-2

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Theresa Dinh
University of Tennessee HSC

Research Site: Regional One Health 
(Dr. Erica Mitchell’s Vascular Lab)

Bio
Medical School: UTHSC

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Julia Firnhaber
East Carolina University
Research Site: LeBonheur Children’s Hospital
Pediatric Surgery
(Drs. Rachel Landisch & Tim Jancelewicz’s Lab)
Bio

Medical School: ECU Brody School of Medicine
What do you enjoy in your free time? Taking my dog Lolly on walks in the park, trying new restaurants, spending time with family and friends
What are your career goals? I’m currently interested in Plastic Surgery but I’m excited to get to experience the wide variety of surgical specialties during residencies so still undecided.
Why did you choose UTHSC for your residency? The palpable camaraderie during interviews in addition to the wide breadth of training!


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Mariah Perkins
Texas Tech University HSC
Research Site: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
(Dr. Andrew Murphy’s Research Lab)
Bio

Medical School: Texas Tech University HSC EP Foster School of Medicine  
What do you enjoy in your free time?
Exploring, cooking, traveling, self-caring activities 
What are your career goals Pediatric Surgery or Surgical Oncology or wherever my heart takes me. 
Why did you choose UTHSC for your residency?
Great program with wide range of services and hospital experiences. Also helping a community that is underserved and under resourced. 


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Imani Sweatt
Univ of NC at Chapel Hill
Research Site: UTHSC Cancer Research Bldg.
(Dr. David Shibata’s Lab)
Bio

Medical School: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
What do you enjoy in your free time? Collecting records, reading, yoga
What are your career goals? To become an effective and technically excellent surgeon. In terms of specialty, I am currently undecided. 
Why did you choose UTHSC for your residency? High operative volume, intense trauma/critical care experience, clinical autonomy, and opportunity to serve a diverse patient population. 


Sep 15, 2026