Current Residents
Check out our current residents! They are diverse yet commonly united. Our residents are from all over the world, around the country, various medical schools, and they work together to advance the field of Emergency Medicine, clinically and academically.
INTERNS
Tomas Bartenstein
Hello! I’m from Lexington, VA, where I was an EMT and volunteer firefighter throughout high school. I went to Wake Forest for undergrad, where I studied chemistry. After graduating, I spent a year doing medical research in NYC before heading to DC for a master’s degree and then medical school. I’m delighted to be returning to Virginia for residency and join the UVA EM family. In my free time, I enjoy drinking coffee, playing tennis, cooking, and spending as much time outside as possible.
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Jacob Britton
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Paola Cordero-Colon
Hey/Hola! I was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, went to the University of Puerto Rico – Mayaguez Campus for undergrad and went to medical school at Ponce Health Sciences University. I’ve been all around my little island and have lived there my whole life. I am super excited to be here in UVA and experience something new with the wonderful people at this program. My interest in emergency medicine started with a shadowing experience I had my first year of med school. I was in the busy ED of a hospital in the south of PR, and the attending ran to where I was eating lunch and told me “come quick we are doing an emergency pacemaker and you’re going to help”. I saw so many procedures and different people that I just fell in love with it then and there. Things about me: I love the beach (even though I’m always pale – sunblock people), I am always reading fun books, and currently I’m learning about hiking in VA. I’m excited for the snow and snowboarding too. Also I have a little toy poodle that I’m excited to see experience snow for the first time!
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Nat East
Hi! I was born in Chicago but raised in Charlotte, NC. I went to undergrad and grad school at UNC-Wilmington where I studied chemistry, but decided life in a lab wasn’t for me and took a left turn into medicine. I then went to medical school at Brody School of Medicine in eastern NC where I discovered my passion for emergency medicine! My EM interests include ultrasound, education, and wilderness medicine. Outside of medicine, you can find me mountain biking, rock climbing, going for long walks in the woods with my hound dog Kirk, playing the piano, or napping. I’m excited to move to gorgeous Charlottesville and be part of the UVA team!
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Jean Paulo Fernandes Ricciardi
Hey there! I’ve done a lot of moving, so it’s hard to say where I’m from, but I was born in Paraguay, partly raised in the States, then spent most of my late teens and adult life between Brazil and Argentina where I went to medical school and met my wife. We are very happy to be living in such a beautiful city and have a growing list of places we want to see and visit. I am thrilled to continue my learning as part of the UVA EM team, and hope to grow in areas of academic interest such as global EM and academics. Life outside of the hospital is important and revolves around family, friends and hobbies such as sports, outdoors and music!
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Antony Han
Hey what’s up y’all! I was born in Fairfax, Virginia and moved to like…five different cities all throughout the state. I went to Virginia Tech (wow) for undergrad and then moved to the Electric City (Scranton, PA) at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine for my Master’s degree and MD. I love BBQ’ing, throwing socials, enjoying a nice cold brew, building furniture, fixing cars, home repair, pretending like I know how to surf, playing guitar to a mediocre degree, and the typical nature things that everyone likes! My academic interests include Global Health and Ultrasound. Having been here for just over a month, Charlottesville has not disappointed with so many different things to do. Too many things. I am beyond stoked to join the UVA EM family and can’t wait to see where this journey takes me!
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Meg Keswani
I am delighted and honored to be training at UVA Hospital with some is the most wonderful colleagues! After living in DC proper for 8 years, during undergrad and medical school, my family and I are looking forward to embracing the scenery and greenery that central Virginia has to offer!
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Jai Nawzadi
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Angelica Rego
Hi there! Your typical Florida girl, I was born and raised in Tampa and went to the University of Florida for undergrad. My interest in emergency medicine began while I was working as a scribe in college. I attended medical school at George Washington University in DC, where I developed a passion for health policy. I am also incredibly passionate about innovation, specifically artificial intelligence integration into medical practice. I love the outdoors and am so excited to be spending the next 3 years in a place as beautiful as Charlottesville! If I’m not outside, I’m usually watching soccer (#YNWA) or listening to music and attempting to play things on my keyboard.
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Grant Robinson
Hi! I’m originally from Mississippi, and I graduated from the University of Mississippi with a degree in English and went on to complete my medical degree and the UM School of Medicine. I’m a bit… atypical, as I completed a residency in Pediatrics at the University of Virginia, then a chief resident year, and then decided to continue my training in General Emergency Medicine! My wife, Vivian, and I (and now our dog, Sully, and our daughter, Nin) have been in Charlottesville for going on 5 years and I really can’t say enough good things about it. From the outdoor access (if you’re interested in mountain biking, hit me up!), to the food, to the live music and beyond, it’s truly a great place to live. With that in mind, the Emergency Medicine program is truly the cherry on top. The clinical experience balances education and patient care extremely well, the faculty is approachable, responsive, and loves to teach, and the collegiality within the program is excellent. Good luck to everyone applying this year, and please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions!
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Bryan Saldana
Hola! I am originally from Peru, later moved to Northern Virginia, and went to Indiana for medical school. I became interested in EM when I started scribing, and now my interests lie in global health and critical care. Outside of medicine, I salsa dance and I backpack around the world whenever I get the chance. I am excited to live in Charlottesville, close to home, and check out all the outdoorsy activities it has to offer.
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John Sweeney
My name is John and I am from Denver, CO. Only after undergrad in Portland, OR and a little time ski-bumming around Colorado did I realize that medicine was my calling. I did a post-bac program at WashU in St. Louis, where I met my better half, Emily, and then went to Chicago for medical school at Rush Medical College. Now I can’t wait to join the UVA EM family and see what the next few years hold! In the ED, I’m interested in critical care, toxicology, and wilderness medicine. Outside the ED, our favorite things include our little old dog Sophie, hiking, cycling, climbing, skiing, cooking, and checking out all the breweries, wineries, coffee shops, and restaurants that we can.
PGY 2
Jackson Agraz
Hello! I was born and raised in North Carolina before moving to Dallas during high school. I then went to Notre Dame for undergrad where I met my wonderful partner, Katie; afterwards I returned to the heat to attend medical school at UT Southwestern where I developed my interests in emergency medicine and medical education. Katie and I are thrilled to couples match here at UVA and we are incredibly excited to return to the east coast, where we envision our long term future. Outside of medicine, I love playing and watching soccer, golf, anything Notre Dame, and giving belly rubs to our dog, Teddy.
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Funmi Akinlade
I was born in Lagos, Nigeria. I moved to Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, to start my undergrad at McMaster University. I then transferred to St. Kitts, West Indies, to complete my undergrad and medical school at Windsor University. I did my clinical rotations here in the US, and then between Chicago, Michigan, and Ohio, I got exposed to emergency medicine and fell in love with the specialty. After medical school, I moved back home to Abuja, Nigeria, where I worked on global health policy. I’m most interested in international emergency medicine and health policy and am currently studying global health part-time at Johns Hopkins. I’m stoked to join the UVA EM family and am excited to get to know my co-residents and the rest of the team. If you couldn’t tell already, I love traveling. I also love the outdoors and am pretty much always down for an adventure.
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Sarah Appeadu
Hi, I’m Sarah! I’m from Johns Creek, GA, a suburb north of Atlanta and am proudly Ghanaian-American! I went to the University of Pennsylvania for undergrad and graduated with a B.A in biology, and then went to Boston University for an M.S in medical sciences. During grad school, I was first introduced to Emergency Medicine while working as a scribe, and I am convinced that’s where the seed was planted! I attended the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine for my MD and am interested in global health, wellness, and mentorship. In my free time I enjoy writing, watching game shows, old sitcoms and movie reruns, dancing/Zumba, singing, trying random grocery products, and traveling! I am thrilled to be joining UVA Emergency Medicine and am looking forward to exploring Charlottesville!
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Erin Bell
I grew up in Connecticut, but these days my family is mainly in Maryland. For undergrad, I went to Miami University in Oxford, OH (Love & Honor). After graduation, I worked as a clinical research coordinator in an Emergency Department, where I first became interested in Emergency Medicine. I went to Penn State College of Medicine, and ultimately decided to become an EM physician. My interests include research, education, and critical care. Outside of medicine, I love trying new restaurants, so I am excited to explore Charlottesville!
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Zach Brown
Hi! I was born in a small town just outside Lexington, KY and I have lived in Kentucky my entire life up until matching at UVA. I went to a really small school, Centre College, which only had about 1600 students but it was one of the best decisions of my life. I played soccer there, and you’ll still find me out (of shape) playing pick-up in C’ville. I went to the University of Louisville for medical school and was fortunate to study with some of my closest friends. Outside of medicine, I love to hike (especially out west), play sports, watch Liverpool, cook, and spend my downtime with friends, family, and my cat, his name is Kitter Catter.
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Gustavo Carmen Lopez
Hello! I was born and raised in Guanajuato, Mexico, and moved to South Carolina during high school. After learning a whole new language and finishing my bachelor’s degree in biology, I began working as a research specialist in a lab at the Medical University of South Carolina, later attending medical school. My interests in emergency medicine orbit around trauma, ultrasound, and education! Outside of work, you can find me in the gym or jogging along city streets and parks. I enjoy spending my free time with family and friends and dedicate personal time to meditate, listen to podcasts/music, and the occasional hike/road trip. I am so excited to start EM residency at UVA and cannot wait to explore Charlottesville & Virginia.
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Christian Cayon
Hi! I was born and raised in Miami, Florida before going to Baltimore for undergrad at Johns Hopkins and then NYC at Mt. Sinai for medical school. I am especially interested in climate policy, health care reform, and public advocacy. Charlottesville has been a dream so far, and I can’t wait to keep exploring all this quirky city has to offer. Outside of work, music is my biggest passion —I play guitar, attend concerts whenever I can, and most recently got into DJing/electronic music.
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Daniel De Los Santos
Hey y’all! I’m originally from Garland, TX, where I stayed until high school and then moved a city over to start undergrad at the University of Texas at Dallas. With a brief half-year hiatus from college to go on tour with a hard rock band, I returned to UTD after finding an interest in medicine and graduated in 2014. Two gap years later including a covert mission to Antarctica, I started medical school at the University of Vermont where I also completed a preliminary year in Internal Medicine. Now, I’m overjoyed to start my EM residency at UVA! My interests in EM include global health, ultrasound, and medical education. In my free time, I enjoy playing guitar, hiking, fishing, sports (boxing, basketball, football, bowling, golf), and watching the Cowboys, Mavs, Stars, and Rangers always build me up to let me down.
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Vanessa Khoury
Hello! I was born in California and lived there for the first four years of my life, after which I moved to beautiful Lebanon and have lived there ever since. I completed my undergrad studies in biology as well as medical school at the Lebanese American University. Moving away from my family and friends in Lebanon for the first time in my life is definitely overwhelming, but my new UVA family has been the warmest and most welcoming! I feel so grateful to be joining the UVA EM team, and my decision to move here was a no-brainer right after the first encounter! Outside of EM, I enjoy live music, both traveling and staycations, going to the gym, a Netflix binge, and spending time with my family, friends, and most definitely my 15 year old puppy (big time dog mom here)! I cannot wait to explore all that Charlottesville has to offer as I have only heard wonderful things about the area… and especially the wineries!
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Dylan Soderstrum
Born and raised in south Louisiana in a town that ends in our notorious “-eaux”. I bleed purple and gold through and through and attended Louisiana State University for undergrad and medical school. For the first time ever, I can call another state my home and I could not be happier. I couples matched with my fiancé, Mackenzie, who is training to become a pediatrician. Accompanying us are our two dogs Cooper and Ollie. My free time is spent either with my dogs, going to breweries, KanJam, watching sports, running, and looking at memes. Looking forward to exploring all of what Charlottesville has to offer!
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Greyson Vann
Hey! After being born and raised in Fayetteville, NC, I went to East Carolina University for undergrad, where I double-majored in public health studies and chemistry. My passion for emergency medicine grew out of experiences that I had during high school and college. After beginning in emergency services as a volunteer firefighter in high school, I became a paramedic and worked throughout my undergraduate years at Lenoir County EMS and Bell Arthur EMS. After graduating from ECU, I decided to spend another four years in Greenville, NC to attend medical school at ECU, still working as a paramedic at Bell Arthur during that time. My EM interests include critical care, EMS, and ultrasound. Outside of the hospital, I enjoy cycling, hiking, camping, kayaking, and homebrewing. I am excited to explore all of the great restaurants, breweries and wineries, and outdoor activities in Charlottesville, and to become a part of the UVA team!
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Winston Wu
Hello! After growing up in Richmond, VA, attending Virginia Tech for undergrad, and taking a pit stop in Philadelphia for medical school, I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining UVA emergency medicine! Like so many others, I worked as an ED scribe before medical school and from that experience always knew I’d eventually end up in EM. My life outside of the hospital revolves around my wonderful fiancée and our dog Watson. We’ve already hiked a couple of trails in the Blue Ridge Mountains and are excited to explore so many more along with all of the restaurants, wineries, and breweries in the area.
PGY 3
Ben Alexander
I was born and raised in West Texas and split my time in college at Angelo State and TCU, where I got my Bachelors in Biology. I then attended Texas Tech in Lubbock for medical school. I grew up around a lot of great doctors and learned Emergency Medicine was the specialty for me early on. I’m especially interested in the critical care aspect of Emergency Medicine and am excited about further developing that passion at UVA. I fell in love with the people and scenery of Charlottesville during an away rotation in my fourth year and I’m happy to call this place my home for the next three years. In my spare time, I enjoy golf, racquetball, boxing, exploring wineries, and taking my dog, Aspen, hiking and camping.
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Steve Garbin
I was born in North Carolina and raised outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania before attending the University of North Carolina where I studied English and history. After graduation from UNC, I was employed as a copywriter for an advertising agency when I changed my career goals and enrolled in the Post-Baccalaureate Pre-Medical Program here at the University of Virginia. After four years at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, I feel privileged and excited to be back in Charlottesville for residency. My academic interests include medical education, medical humanities, physician leadership, and health care policy and administration. I try to be a generalist outside of medicine and enjoy writing, reading, going to the movies, listening to music, trying out new restaurants/breweries/wineries/cider houses/distilleries, baking, grilling, traveling, golfing, running, hiking, kayaking, and skiing.
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Esther Good
I was born in Pennsylvania, but spent most of my life in Kenya until moving to Virginia at age 15. I studied social work in undergrad and spent several years working in refugee resettlement before deciding to pursue a career in medicine. I went to medical school at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine in Scranton, Pennsylvania, home of The Office. In my free time, I enjoy reading, writing, and spending time with my husband and two children. My long-term goal is to work in Global Health, and I’m excited to be completing my residency at UVA as the next step in that direction.
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Jordan Hughes
Raised in Austin, I got the first taste of east coast life when I moved to New York City to study Peace Studies at Manhattan College. I then returned to Texas for medical school at UT Southwestern, where I developed interests in emergency medicine and quality improvement. When my wife and I came to Charlottesville for my interview, we fell in love with the city and the residency program, and absolutely knew it was the place for us. We both agree its our favorite place we’ve been in the country! I’m so excited to be joining the UVA EM crew and to become an adopted Cavalier! Outside of medicine, I enjoy hiking, running, listening to podcasts, learning about economics, watching the Cowboys, eating ice cream, and playing with our goldendoodle, Beau.
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Kellie Mitchell
I’m originally from Chelsea, a two-stoplight town in Alabama. It’s here that I met my now-husband, Cooper (high school sweethearts, I know, we’re disgusting), who is a mechanical engineer. Despite growing up convinced I was going to be an artist, I found a love for science and followed what is now a lifelong tangent into medicine. I went to Mississippi State University for my BS in biochemistry, and promptly to the University of Alabama at Birmingham for medical school. After finishing an away rotation at UVA, we fell in love with the city of Charlottesville as well as the program and the people. When I’m not at the hospital, I’m either hiking in nature, cooking entirely too much food, playing with my dogs, or spinning from something upside down. Given my aerial dance obsession, it’s probably the last one. I hope to work one day out in the community and serve the rural population.
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Pamela Moore
Hi! I grew up in Hanover County just outside Richmond, Virginia. I studied biochemistry at Virginia Tech, and then came to UVA for medical school. While here, I fell in love with both Charlottesville and emergency medicine, so I’m thrilled to be staying here for residency! For fun, I play the violin with one of the local orchestras; I also love swing dancing, hiking, and playing board games with family and friends!
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Tennessee Park
Hello, reader! As a kid, I loved playing basketball with my friends for hours on end, stopping by a 7-eleven for coke slurpies afterward or the local Eatery to fill our bellies with fried chicken. As an adult, my metabolism and tolerance for exercise have decreased dramatically, but I still enjoy good food, good company, and gentler hikes on scenic trails. I grew up fishing, as well, and have been known to sneak off in the middle of the night to chase striped bass. My academic interests include medical education and global health. I am thrilled to be learning emergency medicine with my fellow residents at UVA, and I look forward to exploring all that Charlottesville has to offer!
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Ana Romero Vazquez
I was born and raised on the beautiful island of Puerto Rico and have lived there all my life! I completed undergraduate studies at the University of Puerto Rico—Rio Piedras Campus and then moved south to attend medical school at Ponce Health Sciences University. A summer research experience in medical school led me to discover that emergency medicine was my passion and where I feel most at home. Within emergency medicine, my greatest interests are international/global medicine and disaster medicine.
Adventures and new life experiences have always been my driving force, and I am in love with all that Charlottesville has to offer! Fun facts about me – I have launched rockets into space with NASA and I love being outdoors and on the water.
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Juan Santiago
My family and I are thrilled to start a new chapter of our lives in beautiful C’ville! Originally from Boston, I grew up in Orlando where my brother and I enjoyed the opportunity of being homeschooled all the way through high school. I went on to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point for my undergraduate education, after which I was commissioned and joined the 10th Mountain Division. My interest in Emergency Medicine was piqued while I was deployed to Afghanistan. Since then my awesome wife, Lauren, has supported my endeavor as the path has led us through Richmond, down to Miami for medical school at FIU, and now back to Virginia. We love getting outdoors, water recreation, and hosting game nights. To say we’re excited about this part of our life’s journey is an understatement!
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Lauren Smaltz
Hi! I was born and raised in West Virginia and, believe it or not, this is my first time really living outside the state. I went to WVU for undergrad and then Marshall for medical school. During my time at WVU, I worked as a scribe in the emergency department of Ruby Hospital and really discovered my love for Emergency Medicine. But since my dad is also an Emergency Medicine physician, you could also say I’m just continuing in the family business. I love what I’ve been able to explore in Charlottesville so far and am really happy to be here in the Second Best Virginia 🙂 Outside of medicine I love to cook, travel, hike, and basically spend every other waking moment listening to podcasts, watching Netflix, or tending to the many, many house plants I now call my roommates.
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Peter Vandersteenhoven
Originally born in Dallas, TX, I moved to Columbia, SC in elementary school and spent the majority of my childhood there. I left SC to attend Auburn University for both my undergraduate and Master’s degrees, becoming a huge Auburn fan in the process. After finishing my time at Auburn, I returned back home to South Carolina to start medical school at the University of South Carolina in Columbia. I realized early in medical school that Emergency Medicine was the perfect fit for me after shadowing in the ER during the preclinical years and I am excited to finally be pursuing training in the field. I am especially interested in EMS and pre-hospital medicine. My fiancée, Caroline, and I were incredibly fortunate to both match at UVA as part of the Couples Match, and we are thrilled to call Charlottesville home for the next several years.
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Justin Yaworsky
Born and raised in central Virginia, I’ve traveled all throughout the state for education from Richmond for undergraduate, Norfolk for medical school, and now Charlottesville for residency. I also was a nurse for a few years in Richmond in a surgical trauma ICU. I’m excited to be here as I loved my experience with the faculty and staff during my 4th year away, but I’m excited to be reunited with my girlfriend of 11 years. Education has flung us about for a while!
I’ve always loved hiking, camping, fishing, and rock climbing, so I’m thrilled to be right next to the mountains. I also love to travel and try new things, so hit me up! Looking forward, I’m hoping to settle into a house with my partner, get to work learning the ways of the EM physician, and tease out in my own mind whether a critical care fellowship will be in my future.