PGY3
Heather Bleacher - UH Track
Tufts University School of Medicine
I grew up in a tiny town called China, Maine, and went to Princeton University for undergrad. Senior year I met my husband, Jarrett, who was finishing up at the Coast Guard Academy in Connecticut. I spent the year after graduation in Boston, applying for medical school and working in a lab, while Jarrett started his five-year commission in Portland, Maine. I stayed in Boston for medical school at Tufts, nestled among the storefronts of Chinatown offering bubble tea and roast duck. Most of my free time in medical school was spent traveling up to Portland, playing pub trivia, and hanging out with the cutest kids in the world - my nephew and nieces (it's true, they won and they have trophies to prove it). I feel so fortunate now to be in a great city surrounded by amazing people, and training to be a family doc.
Kathryn Boyd - UH Track
University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine
I am very excited about the possibility of improving health care in our country. I am very interested in underserved and rural communities. I grew up in Colorado and hope to stay here. In my free time I love hanging out with my husband and playing with my two little girls.
Lauren Gray - DH Track
University of North Texas HSC at Ft. Worth College of Osteopathic Medicine
I was born and raised in the lone star state, and after a brief stint in a beautiful little town known as Malibu, I returned to my birth town of Fort Worth, Texas, for medical school. My husband and I couples matched at the University of Colorado, and he is enjoying his time as an intern in the internal medicine program here. He is from northern California and we love being close to the mountains here in Denver, a new and very exciting city for both of us. I was really drawn to the DH track because of my interest in access to healthcare in underserved urban populations. I love the program, especially my co-interns, who are some of the most intelligent, compassionate and entertaining people I have ever met. Outside of medicine, I love live music (and Denver has a sweet music scene), running, hiking, biking, microbrews (very much looking forward to the Great American Beer Fest), happy hour, breakfast, lunch, brunch and dinner, among many other fun activities. I'm excited but a bit nervous about my first real winter and am having fun deciding which winter sports to pursue during my time here. Also looking forward to the Mavs coming into town and putting those Nuggets in their place.
Robert Klein - DH Track
University of Vermont College of Medicine
I have led outdoor adventures in South America and worked for the Telluride handicapped ski program as an instructor. I spent time working at the People's Clinic in Boulder while doing undergraduate work. During medical school I established a mobile health van operated by medical students to care for migrant workers at Vermont Dairy Farms. I also did some international health work in Central America.
Kyle Knierim - UH Track
University of North Carolina School of Medicine
A bit about me -- I grew up outside Chicago, went to undergrad at Santa Clara University, did research in Boston and medical school in North Carolina. Now my wife, Shanna, new puppy, Duncan, and I are happy to be in Denver! Professionally, the program's P4 curriculum fits well with my interests in quality improvement and practice redesign. Personally, Shanna and I have enjoyed the many opportunities the area provides to hike, bike, ski and explore a great city with our friends.
Emma Swingle - UH Track
University of Washington School of Medicine
I was born in the burgeoning college town of Bozeman, Montana - a land of good skiing, scenic fishing, and strong primary care support. At Carroll College in Helena, Montana, I earned degrees in biology and Spanish while enjoying the general unruliness of adolescence. On the pretext of improving my Spanish, I spent a summer studying and traveling by bus through rural Mexico. I supported this mix of debauchery and academics with an assortment of jobs including working in a potato laboratory and as a hospital phlebotomist.
The University of Washington pulled me away from my inland life when I entered medical school through the WWAMI program. My experience in Seattle fostered my love of outdoor markets, quality coffee, and dizzily days making s'mores over a beach fire. Despite my newfound love of all places rainy (and slightly mildewed), I am pleased to return to the Rocky Mountains to continue my medical training. Specifically, I was drawn to the University of Colorado program because of the innovative curriculum and forward-thinking staff. The diverse patient population and variety of training opportunities make me feel confident that I will be prepared to practice in either rural or urban settings.
Janet Uhde - UH Track
Albany Medical College
I decided on a career in family medicine last year. I have previous experience in surgery, orthopedics and working in the Adult Urgent Care Clinic at Denver Health Medical Center. I enjoy bicycle racing, painting, writing and studying foreign languages and balance of fitness in body and mind.
Jena Valdez - UH Track
University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine
I am a Colorado native, born and raised in Pueblo; and I couldn't be more thrilled to be staying here for residency! I received my undergraduate degree in biology from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. I graduated from the University of Colorado School of Medicine and couples matched with my boyfriend, Kirk Reichelt, who is in the internal medicine program. Being from an underserved area, I have a strong interest in providing care for underserved populations, particularly in Southern Colorado. I also have an interest in women's health and procedures. When I am not in the hospital or clinic I enjoy cycling, swimming, cooking and spending time with family and friends. I hope to complete my first triathlon in the summer of 2010. Having done two rotations at the University Family Medicine Residency as a medical student, I am confident that this program will provide many opportunities to facilitate a variety of resident needs and interests.
Andrea Wismann - UH Track
University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine
I have been the Co-president of AMSA and coordinator at the Stout Street Clinic. I was student representative to the Colorado Chapter of the American College of Physicians, and served as the secretary for the Environmental Section of the American Public Health Association. I've done a variety of projects in international health and have an MSPH.
PGY2
Duncan Chapman – UH Track
Wayne State University School of Medicine
I grew up on Gourdneck Lake in Portage, Michigan. A high school health program at local hospitals stirred my interest in medicine. I also played varsity soccer and basketball. My summers were spent lifeguarding at Ramona Park, a local beach. I graduated from the University of Michigan (Go Blue!) and did volunteer work at Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor (reinforced my interest in healthcare). Wayne State University in downtown Detroit was a great place to learn and begin to practice medicine. In my sparse free time, I attended Red Wings, Tigers, and Lions (unfortunately) games and music concerts at Fox Theatre and the Fillmore. After an intense four years in downtown Detroit, I wanted a change of scenery and have found a new home in Denver. Six years ago I hiked the West Highland Way, a hundred mile trek in Scotland. I am looking forward to more hiking and backpacking here in the Rocky Mountains and hope to develop my skiing skills. Truthfully, scenery aside; the friendly atmosphere, program reputation, supportive faculty and residents were major factors in my decision to move West. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions: duncan.chapman@ucdenver.edu
Jessica Devitt - DH Track University of New Mexico School of Medicine
My mom, who grew up in Brazil, and Dad, who grew up in Milwaukee, decided to raise a family in Santa Fe, New Mexico, so I grew up appreciating a little bit of diversity; an appreciation that has been cultivated through visiting family and traveling all over South America. I somehow ended up in Memphis, Tennessee, for undergrad due to some pretty clever soccer recruiting tactics. The experience only added to my cultural awareness. I returned to New Mexico for medical school and was reminded of how much I love blue skies, open spaces, and mountains; which is why I was ecstatic when I realized my favorite residency program just happened to be in Denver, Colorado. My interests in medicine are just as varied as my interests in life in general. I enjoy women's health, OB, sports medicine, hospitalist work, and international medicine; so I'm happy to be at an academic institution that can allow me more experience in all of the above. In life I'm all about quality time with the people I care about, including yours truly; which is why I still make time, not only for family and friends, but for playing soccer, exploring Colorado's playground of national parks, Denver's music scene, and pretty much anything else that just sounds too good to pass up.
Alexandra Johnson - UH Track
Ben Gurion University of the Negev
A San Francisco native, I was brought to Colorado by my husband just before medical school, and fell in love with the mountains! We took a four-year hiatus from the Rockies to live in Israel, where I attended the Medical School for International Health, a joint program between Columbia University & Ben Gurion University. After traveling the world we were ready to come home for a bit, and happily moved to Denver for residency. My main professional interests are in perinatal care, complementary medicine, community medicine and international health. When I'm not working, I enjoy playing in the mountains with my husband and children. Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have! alexandra.johnson@ucdenver.edu
Haley Ringwood - DH Track University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine
I'm originally from Gainesville, Florida, but spent the last nine years in North Carolina for undergrad at Duke and then for medical school and an MPH at UNC. I am super-excited to be here in Denver and to be a part of this awesome program! As far as medicine goes, I'm passionate about working with culturally diverse and underserved patient populations, which is what led me to the Denver Health track of the program. I'm particularly interested in maternal and child health, social determinants of health and health disparities, and community empowerment. Outside of medicine, my husband Chris and I love outdoor adventures, live music, Gator sports, and spending time with our friends and family. So far in Denver, we've enjoyed beautiful hikes, great concerts (Red Rocks is awesome!), several Rockies games, and fun bonding over cookouts and happy hours with my co-residents. I can't wait to see what the rest of our time here brings!
Terry Siriphatnaboon - UH Track Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine
Hi there. I grew up in Portland, Oregon, moved to the south for a while for medical school, and am very happy to be with the University of Colorado Family Medicine Residency! I am grateful to be here because I wanted to learn serious family medicine with an amazing group of people in a beautiful environment. Outside of residency, I like photography, hiking, testing out new recipes, watching college football and exploring this great city with my co-intern buds!
John "Jack" Spittler - UH Track
Georgetown University School of Medicine
I am originally from just outside of Ann Arbor, Michigan, and went to the University of Notre Dame for undergrad. I graduated from Notre Dame in 2005 and headed to Georgetown for a physiology masters program. After that, I stayed in DC to attend medical school at Georgetown. I definitely miss DC (especially with all of the recent action there with health care legislation!) but I already know that I will love my new home in Denver. The program is great, the other residents and faculty are amazing, and Denver is a fun city with lots to offer. Also having the mountains so close is awesome because I love to ski, golf, participate in triathlons and backpack. I have a specific interest in sports medicine and have already found great opportunities to see patients at the UH clinic, work with local sports teams, and staff local athletic competitions to explore the field more. This program truly ended up being the perfect fit for me. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions! john.spittler@ucdenver.edu
Rachel Woodruff - UH Track
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine
I grew up in the foothills of Northwestern North Carolina then attended UNC-Chapel Hill for undergrad, public health school, and medical school. My husband, Alan, and I couples matched to Denver (he is a pediatric resident at Denver Children's Hospital) and we are pumped to be here! While our loyalty to the Tarheels will never waiver, we love Colorado and all the fun outdoor activities it has to offer - not to mention the endless restaurants, bars, sports venues and festivals.
Some of my interests in the world of family medicine include international and preventive medicine, women’s health and family planning. I'm excited about this program's unique P4 initiative, and to be a part of it at such an exciting time for primary care.
PGY1
Ryan Bartkus - UH Track
University of Virginia School of Medicine
Welcome all! I am a born and bred Hoosier: a corn-eating, cow-milking, basketball-playing native of the great state of Indiana. I grew up in South Bend specifically, but have been VERY fortunate to travel extensively around the globe since a young age. It's quite a big world out there, especially for a hick from the midwest like me! I eventually went far afield and did my schooling at the University of Notre Dame, where I gained a keen appreciation for the finer points of Irish culture and a love affair with Guinness. I straight-away jumped into med school at the University of Virginia, where I spent my time traipsing around Civil War battlefields and centuries-old cemeteries and occasionally going to class. There I developed a particular love for primary care and the nuanced skills of Family Medicine. I convinced myself that if there were to be any hope of saving the 800 lbs gorilla in the room that is our national health care system, I would have to go to the front lines as an effective family doc. Though UC was not originally on my radar, once I got out here I knew the program was something special and revolutionary. The training here is unlike any other that I have seen, and I have no doubt that I am being shaped into a physician that can mold the future. Oh yeah, and Go Colts!!! I will never root for the Broncos. NEVER.
Kimberly Breidenbach - UH Track
University of Wisconsin School of Medicine & Public Health
Raised in Green Bay and educated in Madison, I'll always be a Badger and I do love cheese. And nothing beats a Sunday Tailgate with family and friends outside Lambeau Field. Go Pack Go! The move from Wisconsin to Colorado for residency has been great--I wonder if I'll ever get used to seeing mountains out my window. My philosophy of patient care is that medicine is a helping profession rather than a fixing profession. My duty is to offer what I know about cells and organs, to listen to and respect each person's story and each community's history, and to assist individuals and communities in finding their own ways to better health. I obtained a Masters in upblic health to gain knowledge and skills to enhance the health of the community in which I practice. While working on my MPH I became energized to be a physician leader in the effort to improve health systems and to redesign the delivery of primary care services. In my non-medical life, I'm usually busy cooking and eating or burning those calories in the form of running, hiking, or chasing my darling toddler. Gunner the dog brightens my day in the way only a dog can. And thanks to my husband, I laugh every day! All in all, Denver+My Family+Family Medicine Residency+the Packers=Good Times!
Jessica Bull - DH Track
University of Cincinnati School of Medicine
Growing up with opera singers, a pet parrot and a dream to travel the world, a specialty like family medicine was an obvious choice for me. Training in Denver in the DH track was even more obvious, given the diversity of cultures and opportunity to work with underserved populations. After meeting my husband while volunteering in Uganda, working with these populations has become a priority for us; we are so grateful for the opportunity to do this in beautiful Colorado! While I miss my family and friends in Ohio, I'll admit that the people in this program, the music scene of Denver, the mountains and the cultural diversity have also won us over.
Aimee Falardeau - UH Track
University of Massachusetts Medical School
I came to the University of Colorado from Massachusetts where I was born, raised, and educated, and somehow managed to still pronounce words ending in "r" correctly (most of the time). I was raised in a small town on the border of Rhode Island and studied management and biochemistry at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, then attended the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester. I elected to extend my medical school course by one year to travel, learn Spanish, and work on a patient-centered medical home (PCMH) implementation project within several of the University's primary care practices. My interests include biking, hiking, and crafting of all sorts. In particular, I'm an avid knitter, and have been moderately successfun in selling some crafts through my Etsy webiste, www.growtogrow.etsy.com. My interests in Family Medicine include providing full-spectrum care, particualrly obstetrics and office-based procedures, as well as implementation of practice change and the patient-centered medical home (PCMH).
Sarah Hemeida - DH Track
Texas Tech University School of Medicine
I’m a native Austinite, so you might say that I am a HUGE lover of the arts. I spend my free time bgirl’ing (break dancing), painting, and seeing as much quality live music as I can find time for. I’ve spent most of my adult life advocating for the underserved, so I have long term plans to work in a FQHC and hopefully stay in academia. I came to Denver because this program is pushing the envelope to teach the new health care model for the future of family medicine. All of family medicine is wonderful, but my favorite niche tends to be adolescent sexual health and family planning. I have another huge passion for policy, so if anyone wants to talk health care reform let me know! I’m a big foodie and love to introduce my friends to my native Libyan cuisine, come on over and we’ll talk about hip hop, bicycle culture, Middle Eastern politics and eat some rishta!
Kimberly Insel - UH Track
Univerity of Arizona School of Medicine
Originally from Tucson, I received my bachelor's degree in Neuroscience from Brown University and an MPH from Boston University in International Health. Prior to medical school, I worked in several countries on public health projects. My work included evaluating prevention of maternal-to-child-transmission of HIV programming in Cameroon, training healthcare providers in surveillance and outbreak investigation for the World Health Organization in Turkey, and working as the "resident tutor" for a graduate course in Managing Complex Humanitarian Emergencies and Disasters at Boston University. In medical school I spent a year in Atlanta, GA working as a full-time research fellow in the Experience in Applied Epidemiology Fellowship at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). At the CDC, I developed (with the help of an excellent team and EIS officer) primary assessment tools for evaluating the health needs of passengers returning from Haiti s/p 2011-Earthquake. My passions include prevention of maternal mortality and developing health care systems globally. In addition, I am interested in developing models of the patient-centered medical home. I intend to continue working in public health and academic medicine after residency.
James "Jimi" Joslin - UH Track
Kansas City University of Medicine and Briosciences College of Osteopathic Medicine
Kaylin Klie - UH Track
Rush Medical College of Rush University Medical Center
Hello! I grew up in a little town north of Seattle, WA. Although I loved the Northwest and grew up hiking, camping, and skiing with my family, I moved to Chicago for undergraduate education at Wheaton College. After graduation, I worked for a year in Radiology before returning to school to pursue a Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy. During that time, I became increasingly interested in family dynamics surrounding health and illness, and decided to return to medical school at Rush Medical College, also in Chicago. I decided on a pathway in primary care early on in med school, and found Family Medicine to combine all the things that I love most about caring for people across a lifespan. I am particularly interested in mental health in the primary care setting, alcohol and chemical dependency and recovery, and family dynamics/therapy in a healthcare setting. I am thrilled to be training here, and couldn’t ask for more. When I’m not working, I enjoy spending time outside in the Colorado sunshine with my husband Dan, my brother and sister-in-law in Boulder, and our little Dachshund Liesel. Please email me with any questions; I’d be happy to chat! Kaylin.Klie@ucdenver.edu 
Alexandra Sledd - DH Track Tulane University School of Medicine - DH Track
My roots are Southern. I grew up just outside Richmond, VA, and got my degree in Biology from the College of William & Mary. I then migrated to the Crescent City to get my MD and MPH&TM at Tulane University. Living in New Orleans was life-changing, and I feel so privileged to have been able to be a part of the city's ongoing recovery in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. It was an amazing opportunity and I absolutely fell in love with the unique resilient people of this city and their culture (not to mention the fantastic food!). It was hard to leave for residency, but the University of Colorado has everything I could possibly ask for in a program. My interests include public, community, and international health. Six years ago, I created and began leading a student volunteer trip to rural Kenya and have traveled there with my teams to undertake sustainable community development projects annually. I hope to spend my career working with disadvantaged populations both in sub-Saharan Africa and in the American South as a doctor and as an active community member. I feel like this program will give me the tools I need to pursue this vision. Their emphasis on the dynamics of behavior and health as well as community health and the opportunities to interact with the refugee population at Lowry Health Center are priceless. The people in this program are also amazing and committed! I am having so much fun already getting to know my intern class. If you have any questions about the program, please feel free to contact me at alexandra.sledd@ucdenver.edu
Pamela Valenza - DH Track
Temple University School of Medicine
I grew up outside of Philadelphia and stayed in the city of brotherly love as a BA/MD student through undergraduate and medical school at Temple University. I received my B.A. in Anthropology and took a year off to serve as an AmeriCorps member working at a charter school for 18-21 year old high school dropouts in North Philadelphia. The urban underserved population that I worked with through Habitat for Humanity in undergrad, during medical school and during my year off inspired me to find a residency program that woudl foster my interest in working with such a population. The DH track brought me to Colorado because it provides the opportunity to work with diverse, urban, underserved patients and refugees within an academic residency program with a unique curriculum and extensive public health network through the DH system. I am excited to be here in Colorado and am looking forward to taking part in everything Denver has to offer -- the great outdoors, music concerts, great microbrews and restaurants, good people, and more! Feel free to contact me with any questions: pamela.valenza@ucdenver.edu.