OB/GYN Residency - Current Residents - PGY3

Zachary Alholm

Zach Alholm is Kansas City born and raised. He got his degree in Electrical Engineering and worked in power engineering in Kansas City before deciding he needed a career change. He went to the University of Kansas for medical school and then, in his words, was lucky enough to get out of the midwest and join this wonderful program out in the desert! He enjoys playing tennis and being outdoors, yoga, and seeing live music as often as he can.

Why OB/GYN: Once in medical school, I always assumed I would do pediatrics, but third-year really opened my eyes to how much I enjoyed the breadth of care OB/GYNs get to offer their patients. From lifelong relationships, surgical expertise, delivery babies and primary care, I quickly realized it was the best speciality for me. 
Why the College of Medicine – Phoenix: Where to start? I interviewed at 14 different midwest programs (I drove to all of them!) and flew to one: the College of Medicine – Phoenix. It blew me out of the water — from patient/surgical volume, academic opportunities/connections, work/life balance and most of all culture. It’s been the perfect fit for me, and I feel so lucky to wake up and look forward to going to work each day.  

Brian Buckner

Brian Buckner comes to us from Idaho and graduated from A.T. Still University for medical school. Brian is known for his eagerness to learn and never-ending questions about all things OB/GYN.

Why OB/GYN: I chose OB/GYN because I really love the patient population, and for the opportunity to care for patients in sometimes difficult and delicate situations. It’s very rewarding to be a part of.
Why the College of Medicine – Phoenix: I couldn’t imagine myself in any other program. I always feel very supported and pushed to my full potential. Great learning environment and great people to work with!

Caitlin Indart

Caitlin Indart is from Caldwell, ID, and went to the College of Idaho before finally venturing out of the state to attend medical school at the University of Utah. Outside of work, she likes to be either hiking, camping or backpacking with her fiancé Nick and their doggos Scout and Callie. 

Why OB/GYN: I fell in love with the opportunity that OB/GYN provides for me to be both a competent surgeon and clinician for my patients. I also love women's health and am really excited to be able to care for my patients throughout all phases of their reproductive lives. 
 Atmosphere. I knew very shortly into my interview dinner that the residents here make up a giant, supportive family who genuinely care about each other and lift each other up. I am so thankful every day that I get to learn in this environment with these amazing people. 

Chethan Mudiyam

Chethan Mudiyam is from Huntington Beach, CA. After completing medical school at the University of Toledo College of Medicine, he happily made his way back to the Southwest. When he’s not in the hospital, he enjoys playing and recording music, golf, cooking and trying to steal his friends’ dogs.

Why OB/GYN: It‘s an incredible specialty with a unique combination of surgery, medicine, advocacy, and counseling. You’re always helping a patient with an important part of her life, and you’ll never get bored doing it.
Why the College of Medicine – Phoenix: This place is special. Everyone, from faculty to co-residents, is invested in each other’s success and happiness. The surgical and obstetrical volume is excellent. I’m learning so much and having a great time doing it. As a bonus: Phoenix is an incredible place to live with tons to do!

Janice Park

Janice Park is from Leesburg, VA. She had spent practically her entire life there, attending both undergrad and medical school at the University of Virginia; and decided that she wanted to try something completely different for residency! She loves music (singing, piano, violin, ukulele), photography (digital and film), hiking, as well as food and wine tasting whenever she has the chance. 

Why OB/GYN: My mom is actually an OB/GYN, and told me my whole life that I shouldn’t do it because it can be a tough lifestyle. I tried not to like it, but couldn’t deny how much I loved witnessing these patients' stories unfolding in such crucial moments in their lives. I love the opportunity for continuity and going through important life stages with my patients, I love the instant gratification of surgery, and I love seeing and lifting up women every day — as well as being lifted up by women in turn. It’s such a privilege to do what we do! And my mom’s starting to appreciate that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery by now!
Why the College of Medicine – Phoenix: From the interview dinner through my interview day, I immediately got the impression that this program is different. Everyone is just so happy, and the residents clearly love each other very much. That was important to me, since I was coming from across the country knowing no one — I had never even been to the state of Arizona before my interview! I wanted to be sure that I would feel supported by my co-residents and feel like part of a family here. This program has done all of that and more. I know I'm getting excellent and rigorous training, and I'm grateful every day that I get to work alongside these wonderful humans!  

Kara Shain

Kara Shain hails from Santa Fe, NM, and attended the University of New Mexico School of Medicine. She plans to practice general OB/GYN. Outside of medicine, she’s active in the CrossFit community; she also enjoys running, hiking and art.

Why OB/GYN: I love the variety that comes with the field. We get to be surgeons, work in the clinic, see ED consults, deal with emergencies, and share some of peoples happiest moments with them on labor and delivery. We have the opportunity for continuity and advocating for a group that is historically underserved.
Why the College of Medicine – Phoenix: Our lifestyle here is unbeatable. We work hard, but genuinely think of each other as a family, which makes coming to work every day a pleasure. Phoenix is an amazing city, with nine months of perfect weather and plenty of opportunities for outdoor activities. We also serve a large patient base, which gives us vast exposure to high risk situations and unusual pathology.

Gabriella Smith

Gabriella Smith grew up in Kalamazoo, MI, and then ventured out west for the sunshine, attending Pepperdine University and then the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix. Outside of work, you can find her hiking, playing and watching sports, and gardening. 

Why OB/GYN: I initially wanted to do emergency medicine, but was eventually drawn to OB/GYN because I enjoyed patient continuity, and it had the variety that I was searching for with EM. I am passionate about advocacy and enjoy working with ACOG in this capacity too.
Why the College of Medicine – Phoenix: This was my home program, and I absolutely loved it. The training is exceptional, but it’s the sense of family and camaraderie that makes this place so special!

Melanie Smith

Melanie Smith is from McGaheysville — a small town outside of Harrisonburg, Virginia — and went to Eastern Virginia Medical School! When she’s not at the hospital, in no particular order, she loves hiking, eating outside, traveling, day trips, wine tasting, spending time with her friends and family, and bargain shopping. 

Why OB/GYN: I am passionate about women's health and patient education. I love the day-to-day variety; I really enjoy being in the OR one day and delivering babies the next. I also love the chance for continuity of care in our field. 
Why the College of Medicine – Phoenix: I had heard about our program from one of the residents at my medical school, and I instantly fell in love when I came for an away rotation. I loved how all of the residents were so supportive of each other, how the attendings were passionate about teaching and how the program felt like a big family. I got to see how well-trained and competent the chief residents were in their last year of residency and got a feel for the large delivery and surgical volume. I also really liked our program's daily didactics and opportunity for patient continuity in clinic. I am over a year into residency now, and I still drive away from the hospital thinking how incredibly lucky and grateful I am to be a part of this wonderful place for four years. I can't imagine being anywhere else.

Katie Zeng

Katie Zeng comes to us from Dallas, TX, and attended UT Southwestern Medical School. Outside of medicine, she enjoys sharing her baking experiments with us; she also likes to spend her time doing yoga, caring for her plants and dabbling in interior design.

Why OB/GYN: I fell in love with OB/GYN almost instantaneously as a medical student. There is no other field with the kind of breadth that allows you to do everything from delivering babies, to performing complex surgical procedures, to educating your patients about their reproductive health, to advocating for women through all stages of their lives.
Why the College of Medicine – Phoenix: I remember leaving my interview day from this program and wondering "how can these residents be so happy?" I thought there must be a catch somewhere. Now after having the honor of being here, I can attest to the fact that my co-residents are truly some of the most wonderful people I know and that we get incredible training both in obstetrics and gynecology. We strive to help each other learn and grow as physicians and people every single day. I can’t imagine being anywhere else for residency!