As our region continues to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and the uncertainties that have gone along with it, National Match Day is a pleasant reminder that some things have remained constant. On Friday, Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) faculty and staff learned who their newest class of resident physicians are — an announcement that happens each March and is always met with excitement and anticipation.

 This talented and bright group of six General Surgery, 21 Internal Medicine, and 12 Family Medicine residents will begin practicing with the health system on July 1. They join the 63 residents already working in the hospital and area clinics. This new class brings the total to 102 resident physicians training to be the physician leaders of tomorrow. NGMC welcomes:

General Surgery Residents – Medical School and Home State/Country

• Mary H. Benton, MD, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, North Carolina

• Nathaniel R. Grabill, MD, The University of Kansas School of Medicine- Salina Campus, Kansas

• Jacob W. Jay, MD, Mercer University School of Medicine, Georgia

• Austin Satterfield, MD, Mercer University School of Medicine, Georgia

• Devin Smith, MD, Mercer University School of Medicine, Georgia

• Daniel Whitson, MD, American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, Georgia

Internal Medicine Residents – Medical School and Home State/Country

• Zainab Abbasi, MD, Liaquat University of Medical & Health Sciences Jamshoro, Pakistan

• Tanya Aggarwal, MD, Dayanand Medical College, India

• Ange Ahoussougbemey Mele, MD, American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, West Africa

• Hossny Alaws, MD, University College Cork School of Medicine, Canada

• Sheena Bhushan, MD, Dayanand Medical College, New York

• Aditya K. Ghosh, MD, St. George’s University School of Medicine, Minnesota

• Abdullah Ismail, MD, St. George’s University School of Medicine, Virginia

• Swathi Kanakamedala, DO, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, Virginia

• Michael Klein, MD, St. George’s University School of Medicine, Florida

• Akshay Kumar, MD, Dow Medical College, Pakistan

• Nina Le, DO, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Georgia

• Eric N. Mbua, MD, Ross University School of Medicine, Georgia

• Nicole McGuire, MD, St. George’s University School of Medicine, New York

• Aleksandros Mihilli, MD, St. George’s University School of Medicine, Canada

• Olivia C. Peralta, MD, American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, Georgia

• Stephanny Reyes, MD, Ross University School of Medicine, Florida

• Sarah V. Ross, DO, Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine, California

• Ruben Ruiz Vega, MD, Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara Facultad de Medicina Guadalajara, Florida

• Alexander J. Santos, DO, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Georgia

• Chail Shah, MD, Mahatma Gandhi Mission’s Medical College, India

• Christelle A. Yakana Moyine, MD, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine, Cameroon

Family Medicine Residents – Medical School and Home State/Country

• Maria F. Bramhall, MD, International University of the Health Sciences, North Carolina

• Sarika Chowdhry, MD, American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, Texas

• Kerese T. Downer, MD, International American University College of Medicine, Florida

• Mutiat I. Enikanolaiye, MD, American University of Antigua College of Medicine, Canada

• Adeyemi O. Gbogboade, MD, Trinity School of Medicine, Georgia

• Norine A. Germain, MD, American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, Haiti

• James T. Hong, DO, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, South Korea

• Traci Jenkins, MD, University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Georgia

• Andrew O. Joseph, MD, American University of Antigua College of Medicine, Antigua

• Jasbir Kaur, DO, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Tennessee

• Nicole L. Pritchett, DO, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Virginia

• Sohail Vaghari, MD, St. George’s University School of Medicine, Canada

In the months leading up to Match Day, medical students participating in the National Resident Matching Program apply to residency programs and interview at hospitals across the nation. After those interviews, residency programs rank the students – and students rank the programs. Both rank lists are plugged into a national database which crunches the numbers to determine which of the students match with NGMC. Those results are released on Match Day. “Each year of residency builds on the last,” says John E. Delzell, Jr., MD, MSPH, vice president of Medical Education for Northeast Georgia Health System and Designated Institutional Official for NGMC.

“Last year’s residents will now be mentors to this new class, and the comradery and excellence that is being instilled is wonderful to witness. I’m as excited to introduce this class to the community as I was back in 2019, when our inaugural class was announced.” 

Resident physicians are licensed doctors training in a specialty. They train for three to 10 years after medical school, providing patient care and performing procedures under appropriate supervision. They can write orders and prescribe medication. Residents also have educational, testing and evaluation requirements. Their training is overseen by Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.

“Studies by the Georgia Physician Workforce Commission have determined the specialties that are in greatest need, so adding an additional 39 resident physicians practicing in primary care and general surgery is a great way to bring immediate support and expand care to our community,” says Dr. Delzell. “Our residents will work with our faculty, hospital and clinic staff in numerous ways. We look forward to welcoming all our new resident physicians to the local community and introducing them to patients.”

NGMC is working to expand to more than 200 residents across six specialties – internal medicine, family medicine, general surgery, OB/GYN, psychiatry, and emergency medicine – by 2024. That will make NGMC one of the largest graduate medical education programs in the state. The idea is to train the physician leaders of tomorrow right here in Hall County, so that they will stay to practice in this region and the state.

Learn more about NGMC’s residency programs at www.ngmcgme.org.