Hamza Altaie, MDHometown: Mosul, Iraq
Undergrad and Medical School: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences/ Sana’a University, Sana’a, Yemen
Why Family Medicine: I believe that family medicine is the perfect fit for me as it is one of the most well-rounded specialties. It has just the right amount of excitement and challenges brought about by the wide scope of the practice and its broad patient demographics. Also, what makes family medicine so fulfilling is how it propagates the sense of community and compassion through its nature of providing continuity of care. There are so many opportunities and concentrations found within family care such as inpatient, outpatient, hospitalist only, procedure-heavy (including obstetrics), adults only, pediatrics focus, women’s health focus, geriatrics focus, and community and preventive health. Seeing patients with complaints across multiple organ systems, age groups, and healthcare settings keeps you on your toes and in your best form.
Ashten Duncan, MD, mPH, CPHCo-Lead Resident
Hometown: Moore, OK
Undergrad: University of Oklahoma (BS)
Graduate: University of Oklahoma Hudson College of Public Health (MPH)
Medical School: OU-TU School of Community Medicine (MD)
Why Family Medicine: From a public health perspective, family medicine is at the core of health care. In this specialty, it is necessary to have an appreciation for and commitment to the communities from which our patients come. I find so much power in always considering the broader context of my patients’ health when I see them. Family physicians receive a uniquely diverse set of training opportunities, and this diversity produces primary care physicians who are able tailor their practices to the needs of those they serve. It is for all of these reasons that I chose family medicine.
Carlos Martinez, MDHometown: Hermosillo, Sonora, México/East LA, California
Undergrad: UCLA
Medical School: Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo
Why Family Medicine: I chose family medicine because we offer care in limitless settings, thus what we have to know to care for individuals and families is boundless yet motivating. Also, family medicine is not solely focused on the disease presentation but the context of the person we are caring for.
Silvia Santiago Morales, MDHometown: Guatemala City, Guatemala
Undergrad: Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala
Medical School: Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala
Why Family Medicine: I believe in the importance of primary care and preventive medicine. Engaging with patients and their families, making holistic health care plans while educating patients on evidence-based health practices can change and shape communities. I love working with patients of different age ranges, engaging in their continuity care in various stages of their lives.
Alyssa Vecchio, MDCo-Lead Resident
Hometown: Clifton, NJ
Undergrad: Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Medical School: Vita-Salute San Raffaele University in Milan, Italy
Why Family Medicine: Broad spectrum FM captures all the things that I love about medicine – expansive clinical reasoning, innovation, and most importantly strong patient relationships. Furthermore, I have seen how primary care can break down barriers to quality medical care for underserved and marginalized communities. It also allows patients to have a voice through shared decision making and by participating in community health initiatives.
Tenzin Yangchen, MDHometown: Bhandara, India / Santa Fe, NM
Undergrad: University of New Mexico
Medical School: University of New Mexico School of Medicine
Why Family Medicine: Growing up in rural India, my initial idea of a doctor was someone who took responsibility of the health of all members of the community and that to me closely resembles family physician. I respect the broad spectrum of knowledge and depth it takes to be a family practitioner.
Alexander Lin, MDHometown: San Diego, CA
Undergrad: University of California, Berkeley
Medical School: University of Central Florida
Why Family Medicine: “Primary care is the only part of the health care system where we’ve been able to show that an increased supply is associated with improved health, improved lifespan, and improved equity.” – Christopher Koller, Milbank Memorial Fund
Cameron Kilpatrick, MDHometown: LaGrange, GA (and my honorary hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana)
Undergrad: Georgia Institute of Technology
Medical School: Tulane University School of Medicine
Why Family Medicine: I love the human connection that comes with caring for entire families and sharing in both their joyous and sorrowful experiences. I treasure the privilege of working with members of my community every day and providing care for them exactly where they are.
Nora Elizabeth Kratz, MDUndergrad: Lewis & Clark College, Portland, OR
Medical School: Escuela Latinoamericana de Medicina, Havana, Cuba
Why Family Medicine: I have always enjoyed stories, especially when they come directly from the source. In family medicine we are given the opportunity to experience life through the eyes of the community members we serve. Transforming these experiences into individual and societal services, prevention and treatments that aim to improve health is an honor, a challenge, and a provocative, ever-evolving puzzle! I studied medicine in an environment that was entirely new to me in Havana, Cuba. That setting has informed my views of equitable delivery of medical care and demonstrated the great impact that education, prevention and screening, and accessibility offer to public health, and to a greater degree can influence the wellbeing of our planet. As a part of the LGBTQ+ community and as a female person, I aspire to be a source of recognition and validation to those who have felt marginalized. My special interests are in sports medicine, wilderness medicine, reproductive health and behavioral health. I am so pleased to be a part of the medical family here at UNM, in Santa Fe, and in New Mexico.
M. Isabel Diaz Morfin, MDHometown: Michoacan, Mexico
Undergrad: University of Colima
Medical School: University of Colima
Why Family Medicine: Family Medicine is the specialty that will allow me to practice full scope, from primary care to hospital medicine. My philosophy for patient treatment is one of education and mutual understanding. I strongly believe that a patient must understand that their doctor values their wellbeing and views them as more than just another 15-minute appointment.
Reshmy Sandeep, MBBS, MDHometown: Thrissur, Kerala, India
Undergrad: University of Calicut, Kerala, India
Medical School: Government Medical College, Thrissur
Why Family Medicine: I grew up in India and have lived in different parts of the country. Following successful completion of residency in anesthesiology, I had the opportunity to work in various hospitals across the country in both urban and rural setting for over 8 years. I moved to the United States in 2015. I came here as a post-doctoral research fellow and worked at Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles. My research was around sudden cardiac arrest victims, and this shifted my focus to the potential role a physician can play in public health approaches like screening for risk factors and strategies for prevention. I realized the role family physicians play in uncovering hidden health conditions and preventing adverse health outcomes. While doing clinical rotations during the pandemic, I saw that in situations of fear and panic, patients count on their family doctors for information, advice, and reassurance. I am excited to join the UNM-Santa Fe family medicine program and believe it as a great opportunity to advance my clinical knowledge and skills which will help me serve the diverse patient population of New Mexico. Outside medicine, I like to travel, read, and spend time with my family and friends.
Kayla Brown, DO
Frances Chaves, MD
Sangmin Choe, MD, PhDHometown: Pusan, South Korea
Undergrad: Premed, Pusan National University
Grad School: MA and PhD in Clinical Pharmacology, Ulsan University
Medical School: College of Medicine, Pusan National University
Why Family Medicine: I spent most of my career out of medical school as a clinical pharmacologist. I have always been fascinated by the way that different individuals respond to medication. In my previous role, I focused on quantifying human response to medication and developing models to predict outcomes based on different factors such as age, gender, size, and organ functions. Variabilities do not only occur between different individuals but also within the same individual over time. Age, disease state, and lifestyle changes can all affect a person’s response to treatment. By working as a family practitioner, I will be able to put faces to the demographic data that I once worked with. I will have the opportunity to build lasting relationships with my patients and gain a deeper understanding of each patient’s unique situation. I believe that this personal approach to patient care is crucial for providing the best possible health care to each individual.
Selena Gallegos, DOHometown: Las Vegas, NV
Undergrad: University of Nevada, Reno
Medical School: Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine
Why Family Medicine: I love treating patients cradle to grave. I also chose family medicine because of the flexibility as a physician and the emphasis on community. The relationship formed with patients is so rewarding.
Montserrat Hernandez Martinez, MD, MBBS 
Ivonne Veli, MD, MBBSHometown: Lima, Peru.
Undergrad: Universidad de San Martin de Porres
Medical School: Universidad de San Martin de Porres
Why Family Medicine: I have developed a solid commitment to serving communities through my work in the Eastern Andes in Peru. To me, family medicine is a unique and exciting field that addresses individual health needs of patients as well as the challenges that many communities are facing today.
