Class of 2023

Resident

Brief Bio

Tara Bachofer
Tara Bachofer
 

Undergraduate: Montana State University
Medical School: University of Washington School of Medicine
Career Interests: Pulmonology and critical care
Best Thing About Our Program: The people and the culture of the program

Alicia Benson
Alicia Benson
 

Undergraduate: Arizona State University
Medical School: Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine
Career Interests: Hospitalist
Best Thing About Our Program: My co-residents!

Kaelin Bernier
Kaelin Bernier
 

Undergraduate: Saint Louis University
Medical School: Midwestern University Arizona College of Medicine
Career Interests: Hospitalist
Best Thing About Our Program: The genuine support and care from all of the attendings and my amazing co-residents!

Olivia Book, MD
Olivia Book, MD

Undergraduate: Southern Methodist University
Medical School: A.T. Still University of Health Sciences School of Osteopathic Medicine
Career Interests: Hospitalist
Best Thing About Our Program: Education opportunity with AHD and warm and welcoming staff

Matthew Borchart
Matthew Borchart
 

Undergraduate: Luther College
Medical School: Creighton University School of Medicine
Career Interests: Pulmonary/critical care
Best Thing About Our Program: Excellent resident culture

Diksha Chhetri
Diksha Chhetri
 

Undergraduate: Arizona State University
Medical School: St. George’s University 
Career Interests: Infectious disease
Best Thing About Our Program: I was impressed with both the quality of the program and how our leadership team truly care about the well-being of the residents. One thing that really appealed to me was that the residents have the opportunity to work in two different hospital settings, VA and Banner. Lastly, Phoenix is home and having a young child it made sense to be closer to family.

Faraz Damghani
Faraz Damghani
 

Undergraduate: University of Texas, Austin
Medical School: Texas A&M College of Medicine
Career Interests: Hematology/oncology
Best Thing About Our Program: People and good learning environment

Christopher Sean Dossett, MD
Hank Dossett, MD

Undergraduate: Boise State University
Medical School: University of Washington School of Medicine
Career Interests: Pulmonology/critical care
Best Thing About Our Program: The faculty, residents and weather! I knew this residency would give me the best training while providing me the tools of reaching my future career goals. Everyone has been so supportive in facilitating a positive and friendly educational environment that I am so happy about my choice.

Hyun Byung Hun
Byung Hyun Hun

Undergraduate: Arizona State University
Medical School: Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine
Career Interests: Rheumatology or hospital medicine

Ahsan Kamal
Ahsan Kamal
 

Undergraduate: Dartmouth College
Medical School: University of Nebraska Medical Center
Career Interests: Hematology/oncology
Best Thing About Our Program: The friendships I've developed with my co-residents!

Chirag Kapadia
Chirag Kapadia

Undergraduate: Arizona State University
Medical School: UArizona College of Medicine – Phoenix
Career Interests: Hematology/oncology
Best Thing About Our Program: What don’t I love about the College of Medicine – Phoenix? As a native Arizonian, I knew that I wanted to stay so I could be a physician for my community. I am hoping to pursue a career in hematology/oncology and would love to be able to come back to a wonderful institution such as Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix to work again! Phoenix is more developed and diverse each year, and it is a joy to see it flourish as much as it has. This program really has everything to offer!

Samantha Kohn
Samantha Kohn

Undergraduate: University of Arizona
Graduate: Arizona State University
Medical School: University of Nebraska Medical Center
Career Interests: Rheumatology
Best Thing About Our Program: The best thing about this program is the people. I know I can count on my fellow residents to be there for me both professionally and personally.

Rma Kumra
Rma Kumra

Undergraduate: University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Medical School: University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine
Career Interests: Pulmonary/critical care
Best Thing About Our Program: The way all of my co-residents always have each other's back and will help out to make it easier on someone else!

Derek Lafarga
Derek Lafarga

Undergraduate: Arizona State University
Medical School: University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
Career Interests: Academic medicine, hematology/oncology, gastroenterology

Pierce Lewien
Pierce Lewien

Undergraduate: University of Colorado
Medical School: University of Colorado, Boulder
Career Interests: Academic hospitalist
Best Thing About Our Program: The people! The attendings are all passionate about doing what’s best for the residents and providing enough autonomy and guidance to grow. Also, my co-residents are supportive and have become like a second family on our journey to becoming independent practicing physicians.

Bridgette McNally
Bridgette McNally

Undergraduate: University of Denver
Medical School: Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine of Midwestern
Career Interests: Gastroenterology and hepatology
Best Thing About Our Program: The people and sense of community

Dakota McNierney
Dakota McNierney

Undergraduate: Eastern Kentucky University
Medical School: A.T. Still University Kirksville College of Medicine
Career Interests: Pulmonary/critical care
Best Thing About Our Program: The people

George Nguyen
George Nguyen

Undergraduate: University of Arizona
Medical School: UArizona College of Medicine – Phoenix
Career Interests: Primary care
Best Thing About Our Program: The culture, the people, the memories, the Banner Bistro!

Trevor Octavio
Trevor Octavio

Undergraduate: University of Pittsburgh
Medical School: Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine, New Mexico State University
Career Interests: Hospitalist
Best Thing About Our Program: Quality of program, variety of patients, resources, opportunity, kindness

Arati Pandya
Arati Pandya

Medical School: UArizona College of Medicine – Tucson
Career Interests: Infectious disease
Best Thing About Our Program: Amazing program that provides both preliminary and categorical residents with great training and experience! Also, it’s great to stay in my home city close to family and friends.

Aishwarya Puri
Aishwarya Puri

Medical School: Punjab Institute of Medicine Sciences
Career Interests: Pulmonary/critical care 
Best Thing About Our Program: The sense of support that one experiences from the faculty physicians is admirable. Our program has such a positive learning/teaching environment with an exceptional sense of camaraderie among the residents.

Daniel Rabulinski
Daniel Rabulinski

Undergraduate: East Tennessee State University
Medical School: Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine
Career Interests: Pulmonary/critical care
Best Thing About Our Program: The other residents. It is a community where we try to support each other and succeed together. In this program, you should never feel that you must go about something alone.

Nuria Sisterna
Nuria Sisterna

Medical School: UArizona College of Medicine – Phoenix
Career Interests: Hospitalist — combination inpatient-outpatient — refugee, Native American and underserved patient populations
Best Thing About Our Program: Exposure to a wide variety of pathology

Nawar Talukder
Nawar Talukder

Undergraduate: Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education
Medical School: SUNY Downstate Medical Center
Career Interests: Infectious disease, hospitalist
Best Thing About Our Program: Location, gut feeling about the leadership and residents during applicant visit day

Joseph Teng
Joseph Teng

Undergraduate: University of Southern California
Medical School: Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine
Career Interests: Pulmonary/critical care
Best Thing About Our Program: The people and the camaraderie

Damir Vukomanovic
Damir Vukomanovic

Undergraduate: Loyola University of Chicago
Medical School: George Washingtion University
Career Interests: Cardiology
Best Thing About Our Program: The collegiate environment amongst the faculty, staff and co-residents, along with very strong support for research and fellowship aspirations.

Stephanie Wong
Stephanie Wong

Undergraduate: UCLA
Medical School: Western University of Health Sciences
Career Interests: Primary care
Best Thing About Our Program: The culture of the program and being in the city of Phoenix