Family Medicine Residency Class of 2025

Class of 2025

Resident

Brief Bio

Christopher Alvarez, MD
Christopher Alvarez, MD

Undergraduate: University of Illinois-Chicago
Medical School: University of Illinois-Chicago
Favorite Activities: Watching my Bears/Cubs/Bulls teams, reading, drinking tea, jujitsu, boxing, hiking, enjoying great food and quality family/friend time.
Why Arizona and UArizona College of Medicine – Phoenix: On my interview day, the vision that was consistently reinforced was the description of this program as a ‘People Program’ with a care for the whole person. In my interactions and observations with the residents and faculty, there was a special camaraderie I found myself wanting to partake in and contribute towards which carries over into excellent patient care. I was also very impressed with the program’s excellence in sports medicine, behavioral health, and broad training in the context of a diverse population and location which was very important with my background from Chicago. Arizona was also an easy sell with the sun, great outdoor activities/locations to visit, and the various opportunities to explore a city like Phoenix! I could not be more thrilled to grow as a person and a physician with this program!

​​​Merrion Dawson, MD​
​​​Merrion Dawson, MD​

Undergraduate: University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health
Medical School: University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix
Favorite Activities:  Hanging out with my husband and dog, Miss Clara, playing ice hockey with my brother, eating Korean food with my sister-in-law, watching British murder mysteries with my parents, and playing Dungeons and Dragons with my friends!
Why Arizona and UArizona College of Medicine – Phoenix: My family has lived in Arizona since I was five years old, and I wanted to stay and continue to serve my local communities. I choose this program because all the residents I worked with during my third and fourth-year rotations were genuinely happy to be a part of Banner FM! Also, the program puts a large emphasis on evidenced-based medicine, motivational interviewing, pediatrics and advocacy, which are all topics I am very interested in!

Haley Hochstein, DO
Haley Hochstein, DO

Undergraduate: Johns Hopkins University
Medical School: Midwestern University
Favorite Activities: Hiking, cooking, baking, traveling, spending time with my fiancé and our puppy, Finn
Why Arizona and UArizona College of Medicine – Phoenix: During my time completing medical school in Arizona, I became passionate about exploring the healthcare needs of the underserved populations of this region. It was important for me to find a residency program that provided full-spectrum primary care training so that I would be prepared to work with a wide variety of patients in any setting. During my sub-I, I came to know the group of residents and faculty and loved working with this team. I knew UACOM-Phoenix was the right fit for me. Additionally, Phoenix is such a great place to explore nature and an awesome variety of food!

Nadia Mohammed, MD
Nadia Mohammed, MD

Undergraduate: University of Central Florida
Medical School: University of South Florida
Favorite Activities: Cooking, Baking, Sewing, Dancing, Trying New foods. Learning about different cultures and watching shows in different languages.
Why Arizona and UArizona College of Medicine – Phoenix: I was drawn to the program strong commitment to serving diverse underserved populations. I also got the sense from my interview day that the program is committed to training Full spectrum Family Medicine physicians who are passionate about advocacy. The program fosters an environment conducive to nurturing resident’s individual interest as well. I’m excited to start my journey with UArizona College of Medicine – Phoenix!

Satyam Patel, MD
Satyam Patel, MD

Undergraduate: University of New Mexico
Medical School: University of New Mexico School of Medicine
Favorite Activities: Racquetball, basketball, weightlifting, hiking, running, and cooking
Why Arizona and UArizona College of Medicine – Phoenix: This program appealed to me because of the wide variety of training opportunities, which will prepare me to feel confident in delivering care in whatever setting I find myself practicing in past residency. I also appreciated the program’s emphasis on and commitment to teaching evidence-based medicine as well as the plentiful provision of opportunities to care for underserved populations. Even through a virtual platform, the sense of kinship between the residents was apparent, which really cemented my desire to choose this program. This really seemed like a program that put the “family” in family medicine!

Valeria Vasquez Sandoval, MD
Valeria Vasquez Sandoval, MD

Undergraduate: Arizona State University
Medical School: University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix
Favorite Activities: Baking, painting, watching movies (mysteries, romantic comedies, true crime, etc), trying new restaurants and hiking
Why Arizona and UArizona College of Medicine – Phoenix: I grew up in Mesa, AZ, and have known the Phoenix community all my life. I want to continue giving back to this community and caring for patients here that are underserved. This program allows me to follow my passion and get the training needed to achieve my goals in medicine. It offers strong, full-spectrum training with a commitment to caring for underserved populations. The people I met during my rotations at Banner are also a significant reason why I chose this program. Every faculty and resident I met here embodied the type of physician I strive to become. I’m so excited to join this amazing group of physicians!

Sidney Vowles, MD
Sidney Vowles, MD

Undergraduate: Southern Utah University
Medical School: University of Utah School of Medicine
Favorite Activities: Exercising, road biking, mountain biking, skiing, shopping, organizing, cleaning, podcasts, reading, time with family and friends
Why Arizona and UArizona College of Medicine – Phoenix: I was drawn to the College of Medicine – Family Medicine Residency because of the strength of the program and the reputation of Dr. Brown! The program has a wonderful reputation for evidence-based practice (demonstrated by the AAFP podcast), unparalleled pediatric training (with pediatrics making up 25% of clinic appointments!), robust OB experience, scholarly opportunities, and a very strong internal medicine experience. In addition, Dr. Brown’s reputation as an outstanding program director is famous among family medicine residencies. I am thrilled to be joining a program I can trust to help me become a top-quality healthcare provider and to associate with some of the best in family medicine!

Ciara Voy, MD, MS
Ciara Voy, MD, MS

Undergraduate: Duke University
Medical School: Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine – Arizona
Favorite Activities: Spending time with friends and family (and dogs!), stargazing, trying new foods and activities
Why Arizona and UA College of Medicine – Phoenix: I wanted an academic family medicine residency that valued serving the surrounding community, including the underserved. I especially appreciated the opportunities I saw in this program for leadership and advocacy in the field of family medicine. In my interactions with faculty and residents, it seemed clear that residents here are both supported in their endeavors and encouraged in their growth and autonomy. I’m excited to continue living in Phoenix, among the communities I love and under its sunny skies!