Fairfax Family Medicine Residency Program: Meet Our Residents

Educational Background:

• Undergraduate: Tufts University
• Medical School: Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine

Medical Areas of Interest: I am interested in rural medicine, and I eventually want to practice in a rural setting. I fell in love with the pace of life while I was living in Maine, and would love to practice in rural New England eventually.

Non-medical Areas of Interest: I really enjoy hiking and being outdoors.

Why did you choose VCU-Fairfax Family Medicine? I chose VCU-Fairfax Family Medicine because I wanted to train in a premier institution that delivers high quality care. I seek to gain strong inpatient experience, that will help me build foundational skills when I transition to a rural setting which may be limited in access to care. I also wanted to live in Northern Virginia because my husband is training in the area.

Educational Background:

• Undergraduate: Colgate University
• Medical School: George Washington University School of Medicine

Medical Areas of Interest: Pediatrics, women's health, procedures, cost of medicine and access to care.

Non-medical Areas of Interest: Hiking in the Shenandoah's and all other national parks, running as a means of exploration, restaurant exploring, taking care of my apartment plants and friend time.

Why did you choose VCU-Fairfax Family Medicine? VCU-Fairfax was the perfect choice for me. I loved that the clinic is physician owned, providing more education on the business of medicine than many other programs. I also was very attracted by the schedule, with the last two years spent predominately in clinic, preparing residents to graduate with an easy transition to seeing 20 patients a day in a clinic setting. Additionally, its close proximity to DC enables many different elective experiences, and the program seemed very flexible to helping its residents achieve their educational goals. Most importantly, after doing an acting internship with the program, I could tell the residents and faculty were so down-to-earth, supportive and fun. To top it off, Fairfax Family Practice allowed me to stay in the same city as my boyfriend, stay close to a variety of transportation options to get home to see my family in New Hampshire, and continue to experience the culture and energy of NOVA and DC.

Educational Background:

• Undergraduate: George Mason University, Bachelor of Science in Biology
• Graduate: George Mason University, Master of Science in Biology and Georgetown University, Master of Science in Physiology and Biophysics
• Medical School: Georgetown University

Medical Areas of Interest: Full spectrum family medicine, preventive medicine, nutrition and weight loss evidence-based medicine, the application of research to clinical practice, practice management and medical ethics.

Non-medical Areas of Interest: Spending time with my wife and kids, philosophy and ethics, sports and earning anything new.

Why did you choose VCU-Fairfax Family Medicine? It has everything I could possibly ask for in residency program: A private practice with amazing faculty, associated with an excellent community hospital system (Inova Fairfax and Fair Oaks) and a strong academic foundation. All together these create an environment ideal for a wide breath of training.

Educational Background:

• Medical School: University of Virginia

Educational Background:

• Undergraduate: University of Virginia
• Medical School: University of Virginia School of Medicine

Medical Areas of Interest: Preventive medicine, integrative medicine and geriatrics.

Non-medical Areas of Interest: Traveling, movies, trying new restaurants and writing Yelp reviews, knitting, arts and crafts and K-pop.

Why did you choose VCU-Fairfax Family Medicine? It may sound cliche but it really is because of the people! I had a great time meeting everyone at FFP and felt at home during the interview process. I'm confident the program can provide a supportive and friendly learning environment that I was looking for. With our program, we get to work in both opposed and unopposed hospitals, and we start learning about business models and practice management early on. Our program also offers several different tracks to meet everyone's special interests. And last but not least, the location is hard to beat: whether you are a foodie, nature lover, runner, or history enthusiast, there is always something to do and explore!

Educational Background:

• Undergraduate: George Washington University
• Medical School: Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine

Medical Areas of Interest: Preventive medicine, integrative medicine, pediatrics, global health and urgent care.

Non-medical Areas of Interest: Travel, scuba, being outdoors/active, cooking, exploring the DC area and its new additions and spending time with friends and family.

Why did you choose VCU-Fairfax Family Medicine? I was taken back with VCU-Fairfax Family Medicine when I did a rotation with them in my fourth year of medical school. The residents, faculty and staff were extremely kind, welcoming, and engaging; creating an ideal learning environment. The structure of the program is mainly inpatient at first to build a profound knowledge base, but then with a focus on the outpatient aspect of family practice the latter two years. The residency gives its residents a great deal of autonomy, which only further reinforces the education they receive.

Educational Background:

• Medical School: Virginia Commonwealth University

Educational Background:

• Medical School: New York Medical College

Educational Background:

• Undergraduate: University of Virginia
• Medical School: Virginia Commonwealth University

Medical Areas of Interest: Preventive medicine, healthcare policy, broad spectrum FM, business in medicine.

Non Medical Areas of Interest: Traveling, trying different restaurants/breweries, spending time with family and friends.

Why did you choose VCU-Fairfax Family Medicine? I have always had such positive and supportive experiences at FFP since I was a medical student and now as an intern. The training provided at FFP is well rounded, and practical that prepares you well for the full scope of Family Medicine, and one that is highly regarded throughout the country. There are so many opportunities to get involved in such as policy, public health, caring for the underserved, sports medicine, and learning about the business of medicine-- given the wide array of interests and expertise of the faculty. The biggest reason I chose FFP, is how warm, supportive, and approachable the faculty, staff, and my co-residents are, it really makes for a great and happy working environment. Also, being in the Northern VA/ DC metro area; there is always a ton of things to do and see, and different restaurants to try, which I love!

Educational Background:

• Undergraduate: University of Maryland College Park
• Medical School: Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine

Medical Areas of Interest: Optimizing mental health and hygiene, musculoskeletal medicine including OMM/OMT, preventive care for the whole family, palliative care and office procedures.

Non-medical Areas of Interest: As a native Marylander, John is proud to call the DC metro region home. He and his long-time partner and their energetic dog are excitedly taking in everything Northern Virginia has to offer, especially in terms of foods from around the world and getting outdoors. John likes to spend time with loved ones and blows off steam by rock climbing.

Why did you choose VCU-Fairfax Family Medicine? John applauds FFP for its balance between the rigorous inpatient intern year at a major academic hospital and the primarily outpatient senior years in the clinic and community hospital settings; as well as top-notch business training to allow for cost-effective patient care and office management acumen immediately out of residency. The most attractive feature of the program though is its strong sense of graded autonomy – as a result residents feel bound first and foremost to their patients and where it is common to hear patients refer to our residents as "my doctor."

Educational Background:

• Undergraduate: William and Mary
• Medical School: Drexel University College of Medicine

Medical Areas of Interest: OB-GYN/women's health, procedures, and pediatrics.

Non-medical Areas of Interest: Family, anything animals (currently I have two cats), running, home projects/building things, just recently started trying to watercolor, baking/cooking, HGTV.

Why did you choose VCU-Fairfax Family Medicine? I wanted to be somewhere near my family in Richmond. When I interviewed with FFP, it felt so comfortable, warm, and welcoming in the office. The hospital and the program have wonderful reputations for excellent training and other specialties in the hospital frequently say how much they enjoy working with the FFP residents/program. The program also teaches us billing which, while not everyone’s favorite thing to have to learn, is necessary to learn. I wanted a well-rounded training experience because I love the holistic nature of family medicine and want to be able to treat all people of all ages in many situations. That being said, I want to do more outpatient than inpatient in my career, so I liked how the schedule weights outpatient so heavily in the second and third years. I also couples matched and my significant other was able to find a program in the area as well.

Educational Background:

• Undergraduate: University of Maryland, College Park
• Medical School: Loma Linda University School of Medicine

Medical Areas of Interest: Sports medicine and pediatrics.

Non-medical Areas of Interest: I love the DMV and this has always been my home. I moved back here to be close to my family that is in Maryland and my childhood friends. In my free time, I love lifting weights, reading comics, video games, playing and watching sports, and going to the movies.

Why did you choose VCU-Fairfax Family Medicine? This was my #1 choice and it was one of the easiest decisions of my life. The DMV is my home, so I wanted to train where I was going to spend the rest of my career. The training is incredibly unique as well in that it blends academic medicine with community medicine. In addition to that, when you are rotating through other services you are treated exactly like one of their residents and carry the same responsibilities, so you definitely get to learn a lot. But one of the most important reasons why I picked this residency was based on our clinic and the staff because they create such an amazing and supportive work environment that truly brings out the best in everyone.

Educational Background:

• Undergraduate: Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS
• Medical School: University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN

Medical Areas of Interest: Geriatrics/palliative care, prenatal care, and lifestyle modification as it relates to anxiety/depression.

Non-medical Areas of Interest: I have a beautiful wife and two daughters who I love to spend time with. I like doing the "normal things" in life with them such as going to church, going to the grocery store, going on walks near our home, and playing together on a nearby playground. I also enjoy working on cars and doing home improvement/construction projects.

Why did you choose VCU-Fairfax Family Medicine? FFP was my #1 choice because it is near family and produces some of the best family medicine docs around. We work out of a large and well-equipped hospital during intern year, where we get cases you wouldn't see at other places. Managing these patients gives us superior training for our future jobs as evidenced by the program’s very high board scores. Second and third year are predominantly in our outpatient clinic, which is the kind of work I want to do long term. The other reason for my choice is the faculty who are both personable and highly skilled in diverse fields within the specialty.

Educational Background:

• Undergraduate: Houghton College, Houghton, NY
• Medical School: University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH

Medical Areas of Interest: Pediatrics, community health, global medicine, women's health, in-office procedures and POCUS.

Non-medical Areas of Interest: My family (two daughters and my husband who is an FM intern at Ft. Belvoir), hiking, running, biking, racquetball, board and card games, photography and church.

Why did you choose VCU-Fairfax Family Medicine? Fairfax Family Medicine was my top choice for two main reasons: the location (being near my husband at Ft. Belvoir) and the people. What stood out above every other program I interviewed at was: 1) how approachable, invested, and accommodating the faculty were, 2) how kind, fun, and overall happy the residents were, and 3) how warm, helpful and well-organized the amazing coordinator Kristi was. I knew I would be well-supported here in a healthy environment to actually enjoy this season of hard work. Since coming here, I have only become more pleased with my choice and impressed with the program.

Educational Background:

• Undergraduate: Christopher Newport University, Newport News, VA
• Medical School: Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA

Medical Areas of Interest: Geriatrics, in-office procedures and mental health.

Non-medical Areas of Interest: Spending time with my immediate family close by, cats/dogs, yoga and brunching.

Why did you choose VCU-Fairfax Family Medicine? My reasons for choosing FFP are very similar to my other co-residents. Of course, the location in Northern Virginia where my entire immediate family resides is ideal. The program also feels like a second family. Our attendings, residents, program coordinator, and staff have been extremely welcoming and supportive since even before I started residency in July. They are genuinely interested in your well-being as well as your education. Yes, residency is full of hard work and long hours, but FFP makes this journey doable and even enjoyable.

Educational Background:

• Undergraduate: University of Chicago
• Medical School: Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine

Areas of Interest: Palliative care, gyn procedures and nutrition.

Non-medical Areas of Interest: Cooking, hanging with family, seeing live music and staying active.

Why did you choose VCU-Fairfax Family Medicine? One thing that stuck with me after my interview day was the residents — they had a level of confidence in their training while also being down to earth. I also was drawn to the combination of working in a high volume tertiary care center for our intern year and the outpatient focus of our second and third years, allowing for comfort with billing and the business side of family medicine. Finally, having grown up in the area, I was looking forward to spending more time with friends and immediate family.

Education Background:

• Undergraduate: University of Virginia
• Medical School: Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine

Medical Areas of Interest: Full spectrum primary care, osteopathic manipulative medicine, LGBTQ medicine and global health.

Non Medical Areas of Interest: Slalom water skiing, pygmy goats, yoga and family.

Why did you choose VCU-Fairfax Family Medicine? I had the pleasure of working with many of the graduates of the VCU-Fairfax residency program over the past 10+ years; among whom I have met some of the most knowledgeable and compassionate physicians. With the curriculum and the expertise of the faculty members I know I’m getting the best education for my style of learning. Having grown up in Northern Virginia originally, I also have the added bonus of being close to family and friends in the area, which are very important to me.

Educational Background:

• Undergraduate: Virginia Tech
• Medical School: Campbell University

Medical Areas of Interest: Academic medicine

Non-medical Areas of Interest: Hanging out with my family and my youngin, playing golf with my wife, sports (I’m a huge fan of DC sports and my alma mater Virginia Tech), playing video games, country concerts and enjoying all of the great restaurants and activities in Northern Virginia.

Why did you choose VCU-Fairfax Family Medicine? I was born and raised in Northern Virginia. Who wouldn't want to learn and train at the hospital in which they were born in? As a lifelong Virginian except for my time at medical school, I knew I wanted to do residency in the area. At the end of the day, the people, as cliche as it sounds, and the breadth of the training you get here is what sold me. Before going to medical school, I was told once by a physician to choose a residency program in which you will be exposed to things that you may never see again, and this program certainly gives you that opportunity. Everything was just a complete package.