Chief Residents

Mackenzie Franklin, MD, MPH, Emily Jeżewski, MD, Gordon Smilnak, MD, MS, Hannah Laird, MD

Welcome! We are excited that you are considering the University of Virginia Internal Medicine Residency Program.

Training at UVA has been a great experience and has equipped us with the tools to become leaders in medicine. Our program perfectly balances hands-on patient care, dedicated faculty educators, and cutting-edge research opportunities.

As chief residents, we are proud that our program is resident-centered and unequivocally resident-run. From service structures to conference schedules, residents help design every aspect of the program.

We look forward to meeting you and introducing you to our residency program during interview season.

Mackenzie Franklin, MD, MPH

Although originally from Florida, I call Austin, Texas, my first real hometown. After high school in Texas, I matriculated as a student-athlete at Yale University, where I split time between the swimming pool and a degree in molecular and cellular biology. Hoping to avoid more snow, I moved to Durham, NC, after graduating and earned my master’s in biomedical sciences at Duke University before returning home to Austin, TX, to complete my joint MD/MPH degree at The University of Texas at Austin. During these formative years, I found one of the loves of my life, my schnauzer-mix Tucker, and was first exposed to Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, where I quickly developed my passion for critical care.

After completing medical school, I followed the (excellent) advice of one of my mentors and made my way over to the University of Virginia for Internal Medicine Residency. Hooked from the day of my interview, I knew that this was the place I wanted to build my professional identity as a physician. I was, and continue to be, blown away by the camaraderie, sense of family, fantastic mentors, and exceptional learning opportunities that UVA has provided me with.

I am floored daily by the dedication and commitment that my co-residents have for both their patients and each other. This program has provided me with friends for life and has (hopefully – interviews in process! ) set me up for a fantastic career in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine. Not only have the academic opportunities at UVA been stellar, but the Charlottesville community has quickly become my home. I spend my weekends at farmers’ markets, hiking new trails in Shenandoah, fly fishing with my partner, and exploring the multitude of fantastic restaurants, vineyards, and breweries with my co-residents and co-Chiefs!

Since my interview day, my expectations for Internal Medicine Residency at UVA have not only been met but consistently exceeded. I am so excited to share everything that UVA has to offer with all potential applicants. Please reach out to anyone in our Chief class with questions or concerns – we would love to talk with you!

Emily Jeżewski, MD

I grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, where I completed both my undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences and medical school at the University of Nebraska (Go Cornhuskers!). During medical school, I discovered my love for Internal Medicine – the breadth of pathology, diagnostic reasoning, and opportunity to build long-term relationships with patients solidified my goal of pursuing a career in academic general internal medicine.

When it came time to choose a residency, I wanted to experience life outside my home state while finding a program that was supportive, welcoming, and genuinely valued resident well-being. From the moment I interviewed at UVA, I knew it was the right fit. I was struck by the camaraderie among the residents, and Charlottesville immediately stood out as an incredible place to live.

Since starting residency, UVA has exceeded every expectation. My co-residents are among the most thoughtful, hardworking, and compassionate people I have ever met. Their dedication to patient care, commitment to one another, and intellectual curiosity embody the esprit de corps that makes this program so special. I feel incredibly fortunate to train alongside them every day.

Outside of the hospital, you’ll often find me golfing at Meadow Creek, exploring Charlottesville’s outstanding local restaurants, or spending a weekend hiking in the Blue Ridge Mountains before relaxing at one of the area’s wineries. My fiancé and I have loved calling Charlottesville home, and it has been an unforgettable place to live and train.

I feel so lucky to serve as one of this year’s Chief Residents, and I am grateful for the opportunity to give back to a program that has invested so much in my growth over the past three years. I’m especially excited to share this experience with my outstanding co-chiefs—Hannah, Gordon, and Mackenzie.

Hannah Laird, MD

I am originally from Mississippi and have clinical and academic interests in hepatology, health equity, and medical education. I am so honored to work with Gordon, Mackenzie, and Emily this year!

I am currently applying to a gastroenterology/hepatology fellowship, with a particular interest in transplant hepatology, drawn to the field by a deep commitment to caring for patients with liver disease and expanding access to care for underserved populations.

What I value most about this role is getting to know each resident deeply and understanding their individual goals and helping them grow into excellent physicians, all while encouraging them to maintain a full life outside the hospital.

I am so excited to meet everyone applying for residency, and I can’t say enough good things about the UVA program. It has changed my life in the best way with the people, patients, and opportunities to learn every day.

Gordon Smilnak, MD, MS

I am a Midwesterner who grew up in the suburbs of Detroit, MI, but my education and training have taken me across the US. After doing undergrad at Duke (sorry, Dr. Uthlaut), I attended medical school closer to home at Northwestern in Chicago, IL. I took a few detours along the way to explore different aspects of biomedical research and worked with terrific mentors who helped steer me toward internal medicine.

I arrived at UVA through the couples match, moving to Charlottesville with my wife, Kira, a psychiatry resident. We realized right away that we had struck gold: UVA is a tremendously supportive and collegial program surrounded by a beautiful college town with more than its share of history, scenery, and, of course, great restaurants. UVA provides a foundational training experience in internal medicine combined with abundant opportunities for customization–I myself participated in the Clinical Investigator Track, which allowed me to earn an MS-CR degree during my second year of residency. Outside the hospital, I am a fan of the Detroit Red Wings, coffee, and The New York Times crosswords.

Though a chief’s tenure is short, I hope to leave this program better than I found it (which, since UVA is so well-rounded, will be fairly difficult). Following chief year, I am planning to pursue fellowship in hematology-oncology. Please reach out to any of us with questions or to learn more about the program!