Tara Clark, M.D.

Hometown: Euless, TX

Medical School: UT Southwestern Medical School

About me: I was raised in Euless, TX and chose to stay in the DFW area for college, medical school, and now residency. At this point, I don't think I will ever leave! I enjoy baking and sewing, but spending time with my family is my favorite activity! My husband and I just welcomed our first son earlier this year.

Why UTSW Family Medicine: Why UTSW FM: I loved working with the FM faculty and residents during medical school and knew I wanted to stay here for residency. I love how diverse the program is, and most of all- how supportive the faculty are.

Colleen Del Valle, D.O.

Hometown: Ortonville, MN

Medical School: UNTHSC-TCOM, Fort Worth, TX

About me: I grew up in Ortonville, Minnesota which is a small rural community. From early on, I saw the positive impact that family medicine physicians can have and the incredible medical opportunities that they can bring into small communities. I decided at a young age I wanted to be a physician and provide healthcare to underserved and forgotten populations. I attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, earning a degree in Political Science. Prior to beginning medical school, I worked as a Head Start teacher in a small Texas community. During medical school, I participated in a program specifically for students interested in serving rural communities. Outside of medicine, I enjoy running, spending time with my family, and watching sports. I am a huge Chicago Cubs fan--I went to Chicago in 2016 for the World Series!

Why UTSW Family Medicine: I have known for a long time which population I would like to serve following completion of residency. I believe I can be trained well at many programs so I chose UTSW because of the people and the institution. My interview experience showed me that this program is full of wonderful, caring physicians who are innovative in their approach to patients. UTSW, as an institution, provides incredible opportunities to learn and research, which I know will benefit my future patients.

Rebecca Hernandez, M.D.

Hometown: Lubbock, Texas

Medical School: UT Houston McGovern Medical School

About me: I was born and raised in Lubbock and went to Texas Tech for undergrad. I am married and have 2 very spoiled cats, Pharaoh and Cleopatra. My husband and I both love watching college football. In my free time, I enjoy baking and hanging out with family and friends. I grew up going to the lake, and now that we live in Dallas I hope to be able to go jet-skiing and fishing much more often!

Why UTSW Family Medicine: The SWHR track offers the unique opportunity to work in a more community-based hospital setting but also have experiences in an academic setting. I want to pursue a fellowship after residency so the academic setting is important, but I wanted to learn the differences of working outside of a full teaching hospital as well. For me, the SWHR track was the best of both worlds and I also look forward to having input into changing the program for the better since it is still so new. All of the faculty that I met during my interviews were so inviting, and as a resident I can now confirm that they are wonderful teachers!

Elisha Jno-Baptiste, M.D.

Hometown: St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

Medical School: Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA

About me: I was born on the island of Dominica and raised on St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. I am a true island girl at heart and try to escape to the warm, clear waters of the Caribbean as often as I can! I proudly served as an Aviation Medical Examiner in the US Navy from 2015- 2019 following completion of an Ob/Gyn internship. My favorite activity these days is spending as much time as I can with my family.

Why UTSW Family Medicine:

I chose the UTSW Family Medicine program because the program's mission resonated with my personal goals as a physician. I wanted a program that served a diverse population to include the underserved, and the atmosphere was a very welcoming one during my interviews.

Minh-Phong Ngo, M.D.

Hometown: Richardson, TX

Medical School: UT Southwestern

About me: I was born in Augusta, Georgia and moved to Texas when I was five. I went to high school in Plano, undergrad at UT Dallas in Richardson, and Medical School in Dallas as well. In high school and undergrad I worked as a sales associate at Visionworks where the employee uniform was shirt, slacks, tie, and dress shoes. Subsequently, I developed a mild obsession with goodyear-welted dress shoes. I was in the Scouts and earned my Eagle during high school, but my love for camping, backpacking, and landscape photography really grew during medical school during trips with some of my best friends. When I’m not at work I enjoy relaxing with couples massages, meditation, stretching, and cleaning, basically Marie Kondoing my life. I also enjoy blowing off steam during Muay Thai classes at AiKi Muay Thai gym.

Why UTSW Family Medicine: My experiences at the UTSW THD clinic as one of my last rotations MS3 year really influenced me to pursue a career in family medicine. I was initially considering a career in anesthesiology, but my experience on the FM rotation blew me away and changed my mind. I loved focusing on preventative health, taking care of a person rather than a disease, and providing longitudinal care while forming relationships over time. Being a patient myself, I understood first hand that healing and striving for health are a commitment and marathon rather than a sprint and wanted to share through how I provided care. I found it really rewarding to educate patients about their illness, come up with plans to manage and improve their health together, and to watch them apply small sustainable changes over time that paid dividends in regards to their health. I naturally chose Dallas because I loved my clerkship experiences at UTSW. The variety of cases and breadth of experience here in Dallas is unrivaled. However, what made UTSW truly great for me are the people here. The faculty, staff, and residents are all a joy to work with. It sounds corny, but it feels like a second home and I’m grateful everyday to have the privilege to train here.

Alejandro Rocha, M.D.

Hometown: San Antonio, TX....Go Spurs Go!

Medical School: University of Texas Southwestern Medical School

About me: I was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas and naturally because of this I am a huge Spurs fan. I love, love, love food! If I'm not trying to finish a 13 pound bowl of pho, race to finish 5 feet of sushi, or finish a 30 inch pizza for a year's worth of free pie, you can find me at home watching Chopped or Attack on Titan. I love going to Alamo Drafthouse to watch the most recent Marvel film for a second time or a scary movie with friends. I also go outside and play disc golf, ultimate frisbee, or pick up basketball with whenever I have a chance and it's not a million degrees outside.

Why UTSW Family Medicine: I had read an article that had found that the biggest correlation between where a fam med applicant ranked and their interview experience was their perception of the interview dinner. This seemed a little silly, but as interview season went on I found it rang true. What I personally prioritized was the type of atmosphere I wanted to be in for learning. I wanted a place where I could be surrounded by fulfilled co-residents that were happily going through the struggles of residency while remaining true to themselves. The faculty had demonstrated personal personalities that could very naturally turn into mentor type relationships to provide career and real life guidance.

Umrat Ali, M.D.

Hometown: Dallas, TX

Medical School: UTMB Galveston, Galveston, TX

About Me: I was born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and I lived there for the first 10 years of my life. Afterwards, my dad got a job as an electrical engineer and I moved with my family down south to Dallas, Texas. My parents are originally immigrants from Tanzania, East Africa. My dad was a hardworking student. Based on his academic excellence, he won a full scholarship awarded that year only to one student in the entire nation. This scholarship allowed him to go study abroad in Canada to complete his Ph.D in electrical engineering. My dad’s example inspired me to value education and hard work. I went to undergrad at UT Dallas with a major in Biology. During undergrad I worked part-time for a year as an emergency room scribe. It was an extensive experience that I enjoyed, and it helped to solidify my decision to pursue medicine as a career. I will be the first medical doctor in my family. From valuing education and hard work, I can say that my passion and purpose in life is to learn as much as I can. In my spare time, other than learning medicine, I like to learn about foreign languages (Swahili, Spanish, and Vietnamese), music (especially oldies) and world history. I also like to relax by watching Netflix and going out to eat with friends.

Why UTSW Family Medicine: It’s a great advantage to be close to home and family in Dallas. The reputation of the institution is outstanding. The residency program itself is very supportive and great at anticipating/meeting any of our needs. The scope of practice including urban medicine and catering to diverse underserved populations is a great opportunity to have.

Matthew Bell, MD

Hometown: Madison, AL (Roll Tide) and Rockwall, TX

Medical School: UT Houston McGovern Medical School

About Me: I grew up in a classic Alabama cotton field town before moving to Rockwall, TX for high school, going on to study biology and philosophy at Saint Mary's College of California where I found my calling for family medicine. I spent a month in the rural, riverside village of Khadichaur, Nepal, watching a lone doctor and five nurses take care of thousands of villagers that dotted the surrounding terrace garden villages from the most mundane of ailments to emergency c-sections and everything between and beyond, leading me to the sentiment that would guide me through medical school and eventually to family medicine: to help as many people in as many ways that I could possibly train myself to perform. I could deliver an infant that I'll take care of for the entirety of my career at 2 a.m., and then see that infant's grandmother for a check up and congratulatory hug at 10 a.m. It's those small, unsung parts of medicine that have always been the most beautiful and fulfilling aspects of this incredible profession to me. Nepal has been a major part of my life ever since, going back again as Co-Founder and Vice President of Nidan Foundation Nepal, a medical nonprofit serving rural villagers and taking pre-med students on the same trips that changed my own life. I'm always looking for an excuse to go back. In my free time when I'm not going on and on about Nepal I love to play drums, playing in different bands since I was 13 from metal to jazz to gospel. I also love gardening and becoming one with my couch on my days off.

Why UTSW Family Medicine: Since I was in high school still wondering if medicine was even the right path for me, I knew UT Southwestern was where the best doctors went to train and the most innovative medicine was discovered. I worked as an intern during college and biomedical engineer after college for a novel medical imaging system company called Spectral MD closely tied to UTSW, which only confirmed my high school suspicions that this is where I was meant to train. I can hardly remember a time I've been happier, more grateful, or more fulfilled since starting my residency, hours and pager included. The faculty, residents, and hospital staff have been nothing but incredible and equally kind and helpful, and I look forward to seeing my dumb grin in the mirror every time I throw on my white coat for the next three years, and hopefully beyond.

Yaser Elqutub, D.O.

Hometown: Houston (Katy) TX

Medical School: Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine

About me: Salam aleekom (peace be upon you) and howdy y'all! To start, I was born in Houston TX, although my family is from Palestine. I grew up in the Katy area, where I married my high school sweetheart, the love of my life, Sophia! I am a proud graduate of Northwestern State University were I attended the Louisiana Scholars' College, and played linebacker for the football team from 2007-2011. After college, I attempted a professional football career, where I joined the B.C Lions in the Canadian Football League in Vancouver. The following year, I was invited to the Super Regional Combine for the NFL, and ended the year playing linebacker for the West Texas Wildcatters for the Indoor Football League. After my athletic career, I attended Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine in Fort Worth TX, where I developed my passion for Osteopathic Manipulative Therapy (OMT). My interest is in Family Medicine, Sports Medicine, and Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine. My goal is to have a clinic with a gym, and hope to make that a standard in the medical field.

Why UTSW Family Medicine: Hands down, there is no better place to learn medicine than UTSW. I am fortunate to be part of such a prestigious program, which extends help to so many people in the Dallas area. During my interview, I was impressed with the program director, the faculty, and the residents. Can't forget to mention how impressed I was with the Parkland Hospital. The Parkland culture reflects compassion and putting the patient first, which is a program I wanted to be a part of.

Tyler Evans, D.O.

Hometown: San Juan Capistrano, California

Medical School: Western University of Health Sciences

About me: I grew up in Orange County, California. I went to undergrad in San Diego. I love to travel, I try to go somewhere new once a year. Most recently Italy and Spain! I love animals, currently volunteering and fostering with the Dallas Animal Shelter in my spare time until I can adopt another pup! (Come walk dogs with me on the weekends!)

Why UTSW Family Medicine: Coming to UTSW gives me the opportunity to work in a diverse and medically complicated population. I know that I’ll be well prepared to be a physician in any type of practice in the future. Most importantly, I was looking for a program that felt like a family. I’ve found it here. Everyone in this program is supportive, willing to teach, and lend a helping hand. Also, Dallas is a great place to live and explore!

Thomas Grove, D.O.

Hometown: Arlington, NE

Medical School: Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine

About me: I was raised a rural town outside of Omaha, NE and got to live out my dream of playing college football for the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers. After graduation I traveled to over 40 countries working as a strength and conditioning coach, nutritional consultant, and MCAT tutor searching for what it means to find health and wellness while increasing human performance. I hope to use my extensive athletic and osteopathic medicine background to incorporate a more holistic approach to patient care. Outside of the hospital you can find me doing something active, cooking, or reading a good book.

Why UTSW Family Medicine: UTSW has a strong academic and research reputation combined with an experienced faculty that is passionate about community medicine. In addition to servicing an incredibly diverse patient population in Dallas, the culture here at UTSW is innovative and supportive of my special interests which include integrative medicine, sports medicine, and osteopathic manipulative treatment. It is a privilege to work at one of the country’s most premier medical training institutions.

Neha Rajput, M.D.

Hometown: Mumbai, India

Medical School: Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland

About me: I was born in Mumbai but grew up in Saudi Arabia and Dubai. I always wanted to go away for my higher education and Ireland seemed like a great place to grow independently. Since graduation I lived in Chicago where I deeply enjoyed the variety of music, arts, and architecture. Outside of medicine I have a passion for traveling, meeting my friends from around the world, drawing, and eating dark chocolate and cookies!

Why UTSW Family Medicine: Parkland provides the opportunity to care for a diverse, underserved population for whom I wish to serve in my future career. This program had a balance of all the important rotations that I believe will make me a comprehensive family physician!

Julie Zhong, M.D.

Hometown: Bloomington, IL

Medical School: University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford

About Me: I was born in China and moved to the U.S. when I was young. I have moved around the United States quite a few times (to Michigan, Minnesota, South Dakota, Illinois) before finally coming to Dallas, Texas. I graduated from Northwestern University and majored in biology with a minor in chemistry. I enjoy hiking, karaoke, fishing, tennis, eating great food, watching movies, and spending time with family and friends.

Why UTSW Family Medicine: I chose this program for a number of reasons. I am interested in working with the underserved and the Parkland track at UTSW provides ample opportunity to work with this unique population. The patient population that Parkland serves is also very culturally diverse. In addition, I wanted to do residency somewhere that would challenge me and allow me to work with some of the best physicians in the area. Residents see a lot of complicated patients and learn to treat a multitude of diseases at Parkland which will definitely prepare me to provide quality care to my future patients. Finally, my decision to choose UTSW was finalized during my interview day. All of the people I met were very kind and welcoming. I felt like I belonged in this program and knew that despite how rigorous it is, I would feel supported during my time here.

Brandon Cherry, D.O.

Hometown: Grapevine, TX

Medical School: UNTHSC – Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine

About Me: Prior to medical school, I earned a doctorate in integrative physiology and am passionate about research. I also love to spend time with my family—my wife and I enjoy spending time outdoors with our two boys and watching our older son play baseball.

Why UTSW Family Medicine: I completed my first year of residency in internal medicine and found that I missed the opportunity family medicine affords to see a broader scope of practice. As long as I can remember, I have wanted to work as a physician at UTSW and Parkland. As a DFW native, it’s great to be home working with such an outstanding team of faculty and residents and, with exposure to both the THR and Parkland tracks, this program offers a well-rounded training experience that will prepare me to be a great family physician.

Gina Do, M.D.

Hometown: Fort Worth, TX

Medical School: Texas A&M College of Medicine in Bryan, TX

About me: I was born in raised in Fort Worth, TX and have been in Texas all my life. My favorite activity is finding new places to eat, especially mom and pop shops! I have quite a sweet tooth so I am often looking for nearby pastry and dessert shops. Other activities and interests include sports, art, board games, anime, and working out. I enjoy a multitude of activities so I am always down for trying new things!

Why UTSW Family Medicine: The program's mission and population exposure greatly aligned with what I was looking for in a residency program. The faculty here were highly spoken of and seemed very supportive of the residents. The residents I encountered during the interview process were all so welcoming and pleasant. In general, this program seemed like a great fit for me!

Jane Goodman, M.D.

Hometown: Norman, Oklahoma

Medical School: University of Oklahoma

About me: I was born in Zhengzhou, China but grew up in Norman, OK because my parents thought it would be funny to have a Chinese kid with a southern accent. After my dreams of child modeling were crushed (mostly because I was SUPER BALD for the first five years of life) I decided I wanted to be a doctor. At six I got pushed into a duck pond, swallowed a bunch of murky water, and didn’t even get sick, I think that qualifies me as a medical miracle. I love to cook and bake but beware if you ever get an invite; I’m most likely trying to con you into an evening of unnecessarily complex boardgames by bribing you with food. If I get started on any space-related topic (Star Trek, NASA, SpaceX…) I will talk until I’m bluer than a Bolian.

Why UTSW Family Medicine: I really enjoyed interacting with everyone I met on my interview day. I picked UTSW Family Medicine because it provided community medicine as well as exposure to a large variety of pathologies you can only find at a large academic institution.

Micah Nishigaki, M.D.

Hometown: San Antonio, TX, though I was born and grew up in Tokyo, Japan until I moved to TX when I was five years old.

Medical School: UT Southwestern right here in Dallas!

About me: I'm someone who enjoys a bit of everything in life, including medicine; one of the reasons why I chose to go into family medicine was because I loved learning about all specialties--I couldn't choose just one thing to stick with! When I'm not busy learning about the everything in family medicine, I'm enjoying the everything in life: you'll see me working on my fitness either at a regular gym or the climbing gym; attending board or video game nights around Dallas (and meeting new friends along the way!); cooking and trying new foods (currently trying to improve my spice tolerance), and trying out new activities to add some pizzazz in life.

Why UTSW Family Medicine: I did my family medicine rotation at the THR/SWHR clinic, and loved the faculty, residents, and staff at the clinic. They were all fabulous, and the faculty here have such an infectious enthusiasm for teaching, fostering an exciting learning environment. As I am continually reminded by my friends and family, after I finished my FM rotation, I told them that I wanted to do my family medicine residency at UTSW because I loved my experience here so much! I'm super happy it worked out that way, so I get to stay in the good ol' city of Dallas and continue to learn from the awesome UTSW family medicine team and care for the Dallas population in both the academic and community medicine setting.

Priyanka Vij, M.D.

Hometown: Phoenix, AZ

Medical School: University of Arizona College of Medicine - Tucson in Tucson, Arizona

About me: Growing up in sunny Arizona, I have many memories of hiking, biking, and playing all sorts of outdoor sports with my family. I went to Stanford University for undergraduate, where I met my husband, with whom I couples matched to UTSW. Though my medical school was in Tucson, AZ, my husband completed medical school at UTSW and I have been visiting Dallas for the last four years and I absolutely love it here! I love physical activity and you can often find me outdoors hiking, running, and biking. My most recent fitness craze has been orange theory and indoor cycling!

Why UTSW Family Medicine: I chose UTSW family medicine because of the wide breadth of experiences that residents are exposed to and the familiarity and fondness of the Dallas area. I am excited to be starting my career and journey to becoming a family medicine physician at such an amazing institution!

Sachi Mistry, M.D.

Hometown: Vernon Hills, IL

Medical School: Saint Louis University School of Medicine (Saint Louis, MO)

About me: I was born in Illinois but since then, my family moved around a lot from New Jersey to Texas to Nebraska to Missouri and back again to Illinois. It’s safe to say that this helped shape my interest in traveling and planning my next adventure with family and friends! I went to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for undergrad majoring in both Biochemistry and Spanish. While in Nebraska, I spent 7 years as a child life specialist volunteer at the children’s hospitals which helped foster my passion for service and clinical medicine. Outside of medicine, I am an avid Bollywood dancer and scrapbooker. I also love trying new recipes, hiking, watch movies, reading, and painting!

Why UTSW Family Medicine: I was drawn to UTSW Family Medicine because it was a great blend of training at an academic campus while practicing community medicine. The residents and faculty have been so welcoming and supportive. I love the sense of camaraderie shared among the UTSW family here. Additionally, the specialty tracks provide ample opportunity to explore my career interests and to sharpen my skills leaving me a well trained and well rounded physician upon graduation. And of course, working in the city of Dallas is an added bonus!

Aditi Singh, D.O.

Hometown: Baytown, TX

Medical School: University of North Texas Health Science Center, Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine in Fort Worth, TX

About me: I am a first generation immigrant who was born in Ratlam, India and moved to Baytown, Texas when I was just four years old. I grew up in Texas and often visited my extended family back in India during the summers. Inspired by my grandfather who was an ENT surgeon, I dreamt to pursue medicine at a very young age. After volunteering at a Red Cross Hospital with him during my undergraduate years, I saw how life changing primary care could be, especially for patients in underserved communities. I felt compelled to help those who did not have the same opportunities as me by teaching them about health and wellness. These early ambitions led me to pursue the specialty of family medicine in medical school. The continuity of care and deep relationships with patients that family medicine offers draws me to the field as does the opportunity to educate and care for patients of all ages. I attended the University of Texas in Austin for my undergraduate studies, graduating in 2016 with a degree in Biochemistry. Hook ‘em Horns! Outside of medicine, I love to dance and was on the drill team in high school and part of a Bollywood dance team at UT. In my free time I enjoy hiking, kayaking, traveling, cooking, listening to live music, and spending time with my friends and family.

Why UTSW Family Medicine: During my interview I was very impressed by the diverse and passionate faculty and residents at the program. The city of Dallas and its people have a special place in my heart as I completed the bulk of my medical school rotations here and have seen first-hand the need for primary care in the community. The UTSW Family Medicine program offered the perfect balance of academic and community-based medicine. With rotations at a large academic hospital, as well as access to both unfunded and privately insured patients, I knew I would be able to see a wide variety of cases and gather the skills I need to become a well-rounded family physician. Everyone at the program was extremely welcoming and I felt it would be the perfect place for me to learn and grow as a resident. I am grateful and honored to be part of such a prestigious and innovative program.

Emmanuel Enriquez, M.D.

Hometown: El Paso, Texas

Medical School: Paul L. Foster School of Medicine TTUHSC El Paso Texas

About me: I was born in Cd. Juarez, Mexico, but I have lived most of my life in El Paso, Texas. Before going to medical school, I worked as a high school science teacher for 6 years, in the same high school that I attended. I really enjoy listening, performing and composing music, and I own several musical instruments. I love spending time with my family and doing things together.

Why UTSW Family Medicine: Because UTSW is a very prestigious institution with a great reputation. Not only that, but my interview day was a great experience. Everyone was very welcoming and supportive. I was impressed with everything that the Family Medicine program had to offer. And I was also very impressed with the Parkland Hospital. At the end of my interview day I was certain that this was the right place for me to pursue my medical training.

Hnia Usman, M.D.

Hometown: Gujranwala, Pakistan

Medical School: King Edward Medical University, Lahore, Pakistan

About me: I was born in Pakistan into a wonderfully loving family that had many people (including my parents) working as physicians. I spent an idyllic childhood in the vibrant province of Punjab where memories of my grandmother’s sprawling home and summer trips to the scenic mountains in the north stand out to me the most. After I graduated in 2018, I moved to Amarillo where I thoroughly enjoyed the southern hospitality and sunny skies for 2 years and decided I wanted to stay in Texas for residency. I enjoy exploring libraries, parks, museums, and historical sites. When indoors, I will be found spending time with my husband, working on my bullet journal, rewatching a Studio Ghibli movie or reading a fantasy novel with a cup of chai in hand. I am an ENFJ and proud Gryffindor!

Why UTSW Family Medicine: My interview day at UTSW, although the longest of all of my interviews, was also the most enjoyable! I felt the faculty were very friendly and welcoming. The residents exuded confidence and their enthusiasm for the program was not something I saw elsewhere. I was especially interested in the community involvement and underserved populations that seek care at Parkland Hospital. As someone interested in women's health, the special tracks and departmental distinctions sealed the deal for me!

Jasmin Valenzuela, M.D.

Hometown: Sylmar, CA and Santa Clarita, CA

Medical School: University of California, Riverside School of Medicine (Riverside, CA)

About me: I was born and raised in sunny southern California. I graduated from UCLA with a B.S. in Biology and then went to University of California, Riverside School of Medicine. I love traveling, getting immersed in other cultures, and language learning. In my free time I also love drawing, watching movies, and running outdoors!

Why UTSW Family Medicine: I chose UTSW because of its commitment to diversity in medicine. I strongly believe that to better understand and help underserved communities, the faculty and residents should reflect the diversity of its patient population. Additionally, I appreciate the institution’s commitment to helping underserved communities, which would allow me to continue my mission of working with the underserved Latino communities.

Khanh Truong, D.O.

Hometown: Danang, Vietnam

Medical School: Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, New York, NY

About me: I was born in Danang, Vietnam and I moved to Dallas when I was 15 years old. I went to Texas A&M University – Commerce for my undergraduate, with a triple major in Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics. I continued to further pursue my Master’s degree in Chemistry before attending medical school in NY. I enjoy cooking, baking, watching Netflix, and playing with my new puppy, Kohaku. The best way to pronounce my first name is to think of “Khaaaan!!!!” from The Wrath of Khan (for any Star Trek fans out there).

Why UTSW Family Medicine: I chose to train at UTSW FM program because of the sense of belonging in the community and the hands-on exposure to a variety of pathologies that I will encounter. I believe that this program will provide the best growth opportunity to become a more competent and culturally aware physician, allowing me to make an impact on improving patient quality of care. Furthermore, the faculty and staff at the program are very welcoming and supportive, which is something that I value greatly in a program.

Shan Wong, D.O.

Hometown: Orange, California

Medical School: Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine

About me: I love to explore different cultures and all the diversity they have to offer, including languages, history, cuisines, music, and traditions. Naturally, I like to travel as well, so I'm excited to be in Dallas for my residency training so I can experience another part of the country. If you ever go on a foodie trip with me, be prepared for a day jam-packed full with a ridiculous amount of restaurant stops. I also come up with new fusion recipe ideas all the time (therefore my eating out in restaurants is justified as being for research purposes), so if you try a dish I make it'll probably be your first time having it (and likely last too, since I'll have changed up the recipe again by the next time I make it for you). Besides looking for rare and interesting food, I also keep an eye out for rare and interesting languages, so if you speak a language I haven't come across before, I'll be bugging you to teach it to me.

Why UTSW Family Medicine: The program at UTSW provides an opportunity to work in a very diverse setting and see patients from a variety of cultural backgrounds presenting with all sorts of conditions, so it is a very good place to train, with supportive staff and faculty from around the world who also bring their own experiences with them in their teaching. The program is also in a great location, conveniently located in the DFW metro area, and Texas is a very fascinating state with its own unique identity and vibe, so I've actually been wanting to come for a long time. The food scene in the DFW area is especially vibrant and dynamic, with lots of local Texan food like craft BBQ, Tex-Mex, and traditional Southern fare mingling with an abundance of immigrant cuisines from around the world. Overall, I feel that the family medicine program at UTSW has the right levels of comprehensive training, extracurricular opportunities, and lifestyle balance that match up with my own interests and goals.

Rachel Baiyee-Cady, D.O.

Hometown: Denver, CO

Medical School: Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine – Harlem New York, NY

About me: I was born and raised in Denver, Colorado. I am a true Colorado native at heart, so naturally, I love the outdoors. In my free time I enjoy being an amateur photographer, hiking, traveling, watching movies, and eating food. I had only been to Dallas a handful of times prior to interviewing at UTSW and I can’t wait to get to explore the city more!

Why UTSW Family Medicine: I chose the UTSW Family Medicine Program because of the programs commitment to providing healthcare to underserved populations. Since I was a child, I wanted to be a physician and provide healthcare in an underserved community. UTSW will provide me with the training necessary to achieve my personal and career goals.

Renu Deshpande, D.O.

Hometown: Lufkin, TX

Medical School: Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, Fort Worth

About me: I was born in Mumbai and grew up in the small East Texas town of Lufkin before attending UT Austin (hook ‘em!). When I am not working, I enjoy exploring different cuisines (my current favorite is Thai), traveling, board game nights, spending time with my family and friends, and dog-sitting!

Why UTSW Family Medicine: Having studied public health at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, I knew early on that I wanted a career in primary and preventive care. When I started residency interviews, I kept waiting for a "gut feeling" that would tell me I had found the right program, which I immediately felt when I interviewed here. The residents, staff, and faculty were also very friendly and approachable. In addition to the people, I liked that this program provided opportunities to pursue other interests, like global or integrative medicine. I am looking forward to working here and living in Dallas!

Steven Bean, D.O.

Hometown: Arlington/Fort Worth, TX

Medical School: William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine

About me: I was born in Fort Worth, TX, but I have roots throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) metroplex. I am a lover of all things Texas, and a die-hard Cowboys fan. In my spare time, I play basketball (which I admittedly take more serious than I should), hike, cook Indian food, and practice photography. I am also passionate about mentoring premedical students to increase minority representation in medicine and addressing the social determinants of health. As the first physician in my family, I am humbled to be part of the medical profession.

Why UTSW Family Medicine: Growing up in DFW, a melting pot in its own right, I have always appreciated diversity. I chose the Parkland track specifically to have the opportunity to work with culturally and socioeconomically diverse populations. Medicine is more than pure science; it is a multifaceted field that incorporates advances in research from different disciplines to better develop techniques, technologies, and standards of care to combat both longstanding and emerging issues in healthcare. UT Southwestern is an academic powerhouse that boasts faculty at the forefront of their fields. I believe with the training and mentorship I will receive, I will become a well-rounded physician ready to engage in community education, pursue academic endeavors, and contribute to the field of public health.