Emergency Medicine - Residents | Grand Rapids Medical Education Partners

Emergency Medicine - Residents

Class of 2014
	Name: Shawn Brown, MD Medical School: University of Michigan Previous work experience/careers: Athletic Trainer Why I chose Grand Rapids Emergency Medicine Residency: Excellent mixed patient population, great location, good balance of community care and academics at Spectrum Health. Hobbies/things that I love to do in GR/MI: Go to Lake Michigan Interesting tidbits about me: I have 2 kids (ages 1 and 2.5 when I started residency) and I love to kayak, hike and swim. Future career plans: Community practice in northern Michigan Rent or Own: Own (cheaper than renting with physician-only mortgages). If I couldn't have gone into medicine, I would have...been a writer. Favorite off-service rotation: OB - I love Labor and Delivery! Best thing about the Butterworth/DeVos ER: High volume with a great mix of patients.
	Name: Chris Clark, MD Medical School: University of Toledo Previous work experience/careers: Worked in sales in a ski shop and for the Road Commission after freshman year of college. Why I chose Grand Rapids Emergency Medicine Residency: Did a visiting rotation here and was very impressed with the program. Also am from Grand Rapids and family is close. Hobbies/things that I love to do in GR/MI: Fish, hunt, wakeboard, go to the beach. Interesting tidbits about me: Reigning YMCA adult indoor volleyball champion. Biggest surprise so far: Friendly atmosphere of everyone in the hospital. Future career plans: Either practice in a community hospital or do an Ultrasound Fellowship. Rent or Own: Own a home, happy up to this point until something major comes up. If I couldn't have gone into medicine, I would have...No idea what I would have done, maybe continue my promising career with the Road Commission. Favorite off-service rotation: Gyn Onc Best thing about the Butterworth/DeVos ER: Patient diversity and free slushies at the Children's Hospital.
	Name: Tyler Harris, MD Medical School: University of Washington Previous work experience/careers: Paint Specialist at Home Depot Why I chose Grand Rapids Emergency Medicine Residency: Combination or program, family friendliness and city. Rent or Own: Own, very happy with this choice. If I couldn't have gone into medicine, I would have...been an astrophysicist. Favorite off-service rotation: Anesthesia
	Name: Joseph Humphrey, MD Medical School: Chicago Medical School - Rosalind Franklin Previous work experience/careers: US Navy Flight Surgeon Why I chose Grand Rapids Emergency Medicine Residency: it was the best program Hobbies/things that I love to do in GR/MI: Playing baseball/softball, family events, church Interesting tidbits about me: I have a beautiful wife and 2 boys who are awesome! Biggest surprise so far: Scenery is beautiful, more than I thought. Future career plans: small town ED doc in Wisconsin Rent or Own: Renting - very happy! If I couldn't have gone into medicine, I would have...played Major League Baseball; been a Christian speaker and author. Favorite off-service rotation: Anesthesia Best thing about the Butterworth/DeVos ER: Resources are abundant.
	Name: Yonatan Leema, MD Medical School: Wayne State University Previous work experience/careers: I worked as a tutor (MCAT, O Chem), worked at the mall, construction, rec center kids soccer coach. Why I chose Grand Rapids Emergency Medicine Residency: I am originally from Grand Rapids, my family lives here so it was an ideal place for me to do my residency. I did a rotation here as a 4th year med student, I loved the people, the place here at GRMEP and that made the decision easy for me. Hobbies/things that I love to do in GR/MI: I love to workout. Grand Rapids has many affordable gyms to choose from. There are more parks than you will ever need for biking, running, etc. I enjoy playing competitive sports (soccer), there are many indoor and outdoor adult leagues to choose from. Plenty of bars and clubs for night life. Interesting tidbits about me: I enjoy travelling overseas and especially doing volunteer work in impoverished regions. Biggest surprises so far: I was really surprised by the changes that have occurred in the downtown area in the past 5-10 years. There are now more condos, businesses, bars, restaurants than at any time I can remember growing up. Future career plans: I hope to work in a Level 1 trauma center either on the East or the West coast. Rent or Own: I rent at this time, rent is fairly cheap in Grand Rapids and I am happy with my decision. If I couldn't have gone into medicine, I would have...honestly I don't know. This is what I've wanted to do since I can remember. If I had to choose something it would be something related to sports - coach, trainer, etc. Favorite off-service rotation: Cardiology, I am more confident about seeing patients with chest pain in the ED. Best thing about the Butterworth/DeVos ER: Great attendings, great nurses and ancillary staff. A diverse patient population.
	Name: Clint McKee, MD Medical School: University of Utah Previous work experience/careers: Dairy farmers, landscaper, oilfield work, crop farm management, beekeeper, semiconductor manufacturing, sales. Why I chose Grand Rapids Emergency Medicine Residency: Solid program, family friendly, low cost of living, good hospital resources. Hobbies/things that I love to do in GR/MI: The Lake is awesome! Lots of great fruit orchards and berry patches. Fishing. I bought a house on a creek with several acres so I spend time in the woods. Interesting tidbits about me: I like to learn a little about everything and I have lots of kids. Yes, I know what causes that. Biggest surprises so far: I am not particularly surprised but I have been impressed with how nice West Michigan people are in general. I have really enjoyed learning about how different mid-west flora and fauna are compared to Utah. Future career plans: I have lots of interests, not sure where I want to go with them yet. Rent or Own: Own, I love my space, I love my acreage. If I couldn't have gone into medicine, I would have...continued to work in various fields and interests. May have picked up education at some point, I like teaching science. Best thing about the Butterworth/DeVos ER: Lots of patients, friendly environment.
	Name: Brian Queen, MD Medical School: Michigan State University - CHM Why I chose Grand Rapids Emergency Medicine Residency: MSU student in Grand Rapids Hobbies/things that I love to do in GR/MI: salmon fishing, playing guitar/singing, going to baseball games Interesting tidbits about me: prepare sushi, played in a band, performed CPR on a peacock Future career plans: working at a teaching hospital and strong emphasis on overseas medicine Rent or Own: Own at Boardwalk. Very close to hospital and nice amenities. If I couldn't have gone into medicine, I would have...veterinary medicine or music. Favorite off-service rotation: Burn - nice hours, excellent teaching faculty, fascinating healing process. Best thing about the Butterworth/DeVos ER: attendings
	Name: Daniel Schmutz, MD Medical School: Medical College of Wisconsin Previous work experience/careers: Country Club dining room supervisor, pizza maker Why I chose Grand Rapids Emergency Medicine Residency: Great community based program. Hobbies/things that I love to do in GR/MI: bike, camp, beach, snow and water skiing, rock climbing. Interesting tidbits about me: Married, 3 kids, speak Danish, love to cook. Biggest surprises so far: Residents get money to buy an iPad. Future career plans: Community hospital, close to outdoor recreational areas Rent or Own: Own If I couldn't have gone into medicine, I would have...flown military helicopters. Best thing about the Butterworth/DeVos ER: Great support staff.
	Name: Ben Shives, MD Medical School: Sanford School of Medicine - University of South Dakota Previous work experience/careers: One year of General Surgery residency in Phoenix, AZ. I learned a lot, but it wasn't for me. Why I chose Grand Rapids Emergency Medicine Residency: Exceptional faculty, great curriculum with excellent board-pass rate, really nice facilities. Hobbies/things that I love to do in GR/MI: My wife and I love to go camping and be outdoors. Interesting tidbits about me: I spent a summer living in Alaska and I love ice fishing. Biggest surprises so far: The volume the Emergency Department sees and the variety of patients with diseases I never thoughts I'd actually see. Future career plans: We are thinking about moving closer to the Rockies when I'm done. I'm interested in wilderness medicine. Rent or Own: Rent and love it. Taking care of a house would be rough given our time constraints. And the mobility is nice. If I couldn't have gone into medicine, I would have...a college professor of Biochemistry - somewhere with mountains nearby! Favorite off-service rotation: MICU - lots of lines, sick patients, and intubations. Best thing about the Butterworth/DeVos ER: The support staff and resources make learning easy and enjoyable.
	Name: Milton Smith, MD Medical School: Meharry Medical College Previous work experience/careers: Trained in Orthopaedic Surgery. Started a Biotech company. Developed countermeasures to weapons of mass destruction. Why I chose Grand Rapids Emergency Medicine Residency: Work schedule and benefits. Hobbies/things that I love to do in GR/MI: Work out, go to parks. Future career plans: Possible part time academics or leadership Rent or Own: I bought a home because we like the school district of East Grand Rapids. If I couldn't have gone into medicine, I would have...done research. Favorite off-service rotation: Burn Best thing about the Butterworth/DeVos ER: Located in an easy city to get around.
Class of 2013
	Name: Sarah Debiak, DO Hometown: Lowell, MI Undergraduate School and Location: Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI Medical School: Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, Kirksville, MO Additional Information Hide Additional Information Previous work experience/careers: Nurse Technician at Spectrum Health in the ED Why I chose Grand Rapids Emergency Medicine Residency: They provide an excellent education, have amazing attending physicians, and Grand Rapids is a fun town! Hobbies/things that I love to do in GR/MI: Go to the beach, run, festivals downtown. Biggest Surprises so far: There are always fun things to do in the city.
	Name: Deanna Deschler, MD Email: Deanna.Deschler@grmep.com Hometown: Champaign, IL Undergraduate School and Location: Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington, IL Medical School: Southern Illinois University, Springfield, IL Additional Information Hide Additional Information Previous work experience/careers: AmeriCorps NCCC in Maryland Why I chose Grand Rapids Emergency Medicine Residency: The location and the friendly, happy residents. Hobbies/things that I love to do in GR/MI: Trail running, biking, triathlons, snowboarding, sitting by any body of water and drinking wine, exploring the beaches. Interesting tidbits about me: I have lived in Cuba, Costa Rica, and Ecuador. My first international medical experience was last year on a cleft palate repair trip to Trinidad. Rent or Own: Rent Biggest Surprises so far: How much there is to do here, especially if you like being outdoors! Also how many Spanish-speaking patients we see daily in the ED. Future career plans: I want to somehow incorporate international medicine into my life, probably by spending a few weeks abroad each year on my vacation time. If I couldn't have gone into medicine, I would have...gone to culinary school or become a writer. Who knows I may still do either! Favorite off-service rotation: Ortho. I love reductions! And great teaching. Best thing about the Butterworth/DeVos ER: Amazing attendings and staff, 8 hour shifts.
	Name: Justin Dueweke, MD Hometown: Portage, MI Undergraduate School and Location: Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI Medical School: Wayne State University, Detroit, MI Additional Information Hide Additional Information Previous work experience/careers: Previously a unit clerk in a suburban ED. Why I chose Grand Rapids Emergency Medicine Residency: It's the perfect mix of an academic institution with the intricacies of a private institution, and good representation of city, suburban, and rural patient populations. Hobbies/things that I love to do in GR/MI: Camping, Skiing, Disc Golf, Going out to eat, Brewing beer. Interesting tidbits about me: I had the chance to live and study in Spain for 6 months during undergrad, and as such I have a mild peninsular (read: funny) accent when I speak Spanish. Latin American native speakers almost always call me out on it. Rent or Own: My wife and I bought a house in a nearby suburb, so we enjoy having a yard and a deck while still being close to all of the fun things to do downtown, and only a 15 minute commute. Biggest Surprises so far: Even at rush hour, there is no "real" traffic, except for maybe on 28th street. If I couldn't have gone into medicine, I would have...either become a teacher or started a microbrewery. Favorite off-service rotation: SICU, excellent attendings, lots of learning, lots of procedures, but also unfortunately not a lot of sleep. Best thing about the Butterworth/DeVos ER: There are 50+ attendings you could work with on any given day and they are all great to work with.
	Name: Rick Holland, MD Email: rholland@emailtreo.com Hometown: Prarie Village, Kansas Undergraduate School and Location: Avila College in Kansas City, Missouri Medical School: University of Kansas Medical School, Kansas City, Missouri Additional Information Hide Additional Information Previous work experience/careers: Paramedic for 6 years, Tissue procurement team for the organ bank, Family Physician for 2 years, ER Physician for 10 years. Why I chose Grand Rapids Emergency Medicine Residency: I was a partner with ECS for about 7 years. When it became apparent that not only did I personally want to complete my training, but the field of Emergency Medicine is becoming more and more specialized to only those with an ER residency, I decided to join the residency that all my partners felt proud to a part of each and every day. Hobbies/things that I love to do in GR/MI: I love to spend time with my family. My kids bring me so much joy. Otherwise, I enjoy theater, movies, music and reading, I also love to travel. Interesting tidbits about me: I think the above history about says it all. Rent or Own: I own a home in Douglas, Michigan a few blocks from Lake Michigan. Biggest Surprises so far: I cannot say at this point that I am surprised by much. I will say however, how happy and appreciative I am at the kindness and generosity that everyone has shown me since starting this residency. Future career plans: My plans are to rejoin ECS when I finish this residency, spend a month in Maui, and then see what the next moment brings.
	Name: Karl Huesgen, MD Hometown: Columbia, Missouri Undergraduate School and Location: University of Missouri - Columbia Medical School: Indiana University School of Medicine Additional Information Hide Additional Information Previous work experience/careers: Graduate School, IUSM (Indianapolis, IN) Why I chose Grand Rapids Emergency Medicine Residency: Nice people, excellent track record Hobbies/things that I love to do in GR/MI: Biking, camping, Lake Michigan, great nightlife. Interesting tidbits about me: Bring on the 1-lb hamburgers! Rent or Own: We rent in the Heritage Hill district near the hospital - I love walking to work, and we have a nice fenced-in backyard for dogs. Biggest Surprises so far: The benefits package and summer weather are really as good as everyone says. Future career plans: EMS Fellowship?
	Name: Dave Ishiyama, MD Hometown: Canton, MI Undergraduate School and Location: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI Medical School: Michigan State University College of Human Medicine - East Lansing, MI Additional Information Hide Additional Information Previous work experience/careers: Cart boy at Target Why I chose Grand Rapids Emergency Medicine Residency: location, curriculum Hobbies/things that I love to do in GR/MI: lots of places to eat Rent or Own: Rent Biggest Surprises so far: West Michigan beaches are nice
	Name: Ed Jones, DO Email: Edward.Jones@grmep.com Hometown: Moncks Corner, SC Undergraduate School and Location: University of South Carolina Medical School: VCOM/Blacksburg, VA Additional Information Hide Additional Information Previous work experience/careers: ER Tech, Organic TA, worked on plantation Why I chose Grand Rapids Emergency Medicine Residency: location, good patient diversity, level one trauma center, and the slushy machine Hobbies/things that I love to do in GR/MI: mountain biking, wakeboarding Interesting tidbits about me: I had someone dress up like me for Halloween Rent or Own: Own Future career plans: Either an ultrasound or ICU fellowship
	Name: Adam Kelly, MD Email: adam.kelly@grmep.com Hometown: North Muskegon, MI Undergraduate School and Location: Ferris State University, Big Rapids, MI Medical School: Ross University - Dominica for basic sciences. New York and Washington DC for clinical rotations. Additional Information Hide Additional Information Previous work experience/careers: I worked as a pharmacy tech for Walgreens for six years. Why I chose Grand Rapids Emergency Medicine Residency: When interviewing, I visited over 20 hospitals all over the country. I was surprised to learn that Spectrum Health was one of the country's premier health systems, right here in West Michigan. GRMEP offers excellent educational experiences, benefits that are second to none, and ensures resident wellness and satisfaction. While much of Michigan is suffering from a poor economy, Grand Rapids is the exception. Grand Rapids is a thriving medical community, with several colleges and universities, a wealth of restaurants, and numerous cultural experiences. Hobbies/things that I love to do in GR/MI: The beaches of Lake Michigan are some of the best you can find anywhere. In the winter, there are ski resorts near GR and northern Michigan. In Grand Rapids, I have enjoyed many of the superb restaurants that are available. Living in Grand Rapids, you have access to Gerald Ford International Airport, making travel convenient. We are close enough to Chicago, that its reasonable to make day or weekend car trips. Interesting tidbits about me: I love to travel. I have been to 11 countries, 27 states, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas and St. John. Rent or Own: I rent and apartment in Walker, about 12-15 minutes from the hospital. I have a large, new, 2-BR apartment with a garage for $675/month. I feel that housing in the area is very reasonable. I prefer renting so that I don't have to worry about maintenance and yard work during residency. Biggest Surprises so far: I was surprised by the volume of patients that Spectrum Butterworth treats. It is one of the busiest ERs in the country. You will never be standing around waiting for something to do..even in the middle of the night. Future career plans: Survive residency. If I couldn't have gone into medicine, I would have...pursued a career in pharmacy. I atudied pharmacy and worked in that field for several years before going to medical school. Favorite off-service rotation: Anesthesia because you get lots of experience with airway management and the teaching is excellent. Best thing about the Butterworth/DeVos ER: Homemade cookies on Wednesdays.
	Name: Rachel Redig, MD Email: rachel.redig@grmep.com Hometown: Detroit Lakes, MN Undergraduate School and Location: Augsburg College, Minneapolis, MN Medical School: University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Grand Forks, ND Additional Information Hide Additional Information Previous work experience/careers: Worked as ER Aide for two years before medical school Why I chose Grand Rapids Emergency Medicine Residency: I chose GRMPE because it felt right. Everyone was nice and fun and it felt like a place I'd be happy working for three years. Hobbies/things that I love to do in GR/MI: Golfing in Grand Rapids is great and nothing beats the beaches! Interesting tidbits about me: I am married and we have two dogs. We like to go to the beach together and you can find us walking in Riverside park everyday. Rent or Own: We rented a house for my residency near Riverside Comstock Park. It's a great family neighborhood. It's safe and quiet - perfect for us. It's close enough to the hospital to be here quickly but doesn't feel like a big city area. Biggest Surprises so far: My biggest surprise was what a good learning environment it has been. Attendings are not only willing, but eager to teach. Future career plans: I plan to return to Detroit Lakes, MN and work in their rural emergency department. If I couldn't have gone into medicine, I would have...gone into Chemistry research. Favorite off-service rotation: SICU, great attendings, learn a lot and get a lot of procedures. Best thing about the Butterworth/DeVos ER: Good variety of patients and a lot of responsibility and automony.
	Name: Lindsay Zimmerman, MD Email: lindsay.zimmerman@grmep.com Hometown: Clinton, IN Undergraduate School and Location: Butler University, Indianapolis, IN Medical School: Indiana University Additional Information Hide Additional Information Why I chose Grand Rapids Emergency Medicine Residency: Everyone is so nice! And when I interviewed here, it seemed that the residents were confident and knowledgeable about managing all types of medical issues. Hobbies/things that I love to do in GR/MI: Bicycle, hike, go to the beach! Interesting tidbits about me: I used to work on a tree farm. And I climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro. Rent or Own: Rent! Right across the street from the hospital. Down the street from another one of the interns.
Class of 2012
	Name: Casey Crandell, MD Email: casey.crandell@grmep.com Hometown: Heber, Arizona Undergraduate School and Location: Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona Medical School: University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, Arizona Additional Information Hide Additional Information Previous work experience/careers: Logger Why I chose Grand Rapids Emergency Medicine Residency: Well established program, high acuity, supportive faculty, family friendly atmosphere Hobbies/things that I love to do in GR/MI: Run, Read, Spend time with family Rent or Own: Own: I enjoy working on/making improvements to my home, so I bought a nice house near Knapps Corner (10 minutes from Butterworth) where several residents live.
	Name: Stephanie Cunningham, MD Hometown: Rockford, MI Medical School: Rush Medical College of Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois Additional Information Hide Additional Information Hobbies/things that I love to do in GR/MI: reading, cooking vegetarian food, drinking beer (my husband is a brewer!), going to new and interesting places, thrift store shopping, playing board games (Killer Bunnies!). Interesting tidbits about me: No prior career, I worked as a phlebotomist in college. I've tooled around Europe and Guatemala. I think I'm a pretty talented thrift store shopper.
	Name: Peter David Himmel, MD Email: peter.himmel@grmep.com Hometown: Greeley, Colorado Undergraduate School and Location: University of Northern Colorado, Greeley Medical School: University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado Additional Information Hide Additional Information Previous work experience/careers: Vascular Surgery 1985-1994. Washington State University Tree Fruit Research Center 1996-2000. Why I chose Grand Rapids Emergency Medicine Residency: Great location, friendly people, successful residents. Hobbies/things that I love to do in GR/MI: Swim Interesting tidbits about me: Political and Economics Junkie Rent or Own: In this economy DO NOT TAKE ON DEBT Biggest Surprises so far: EM residents are held in high regard by the off service programs. Future career plans: Work/Relax/Travel If I wouldn't have gone into medicine, I would have... been a pilot. Favorite off-service rotation: Anesthesia, I really like putting tubes in tracheas. Best thing about the Butterworth/DeVos ER: The staff - almost as much as the fine attendings.
	Name: Michael Mancera, MD Email: michael.mancera@grmep.com Hometown: Wilmette, Illinois (suburb of Chicago) Undergraduate School and Location: University of Illinois - Champaign/Urbana Medical School: University of Illinois at Chicago School of Medicine Additional Information Hide Additional Information Previous work experience/careers: OB Tech Why I chose Grand Rapids Emergency Medicine Residency: location, large institution, busy ED Hobbies/things that I love to do in GR/MI: biking, day trips to the beach, camping Interesting tidbits about me: I had no previous ties to Michigan, but love it here. Rent or Own: rent an apartment in the downtown area Biggest Surprises so far: Much busier (in a good way) than any ED I've trained at, and the attendings we work with impress me every shift.
	Name: Drue Orwig, DO Email: drue.orwig@grmep.com Hometown: Holland, MI Undergraduate School and Location: University of Arkansas Medical School: Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine Additional Information Hide Additional Information Previous work experience/careers: waitress, innkeeper, random jobs in college Why I chose Grand Rapids Emergency Medicine Residency: I think it's a well-rounded program, the faculty are very dedicated to teaching, good balance between work load and learning opportunities, camaraderie within the program, everyone is willing to help each other, the attendings like to interact with the residents outside of work. Hobbies/things that I love to do in GR/MI: SO MANY THINGS! Artprize, Lake Michigan, Cool breweries, lots of outdoor activities, the farmers market, living in heritage hill Interesting tidbits about me: I was a swimmer in college, I am vegan, I love to do international work Rent or Own: Own in Heritage Hill, historic district downtown less than a mile from the hospital. Within walking distance to many shops, unique restaurants, can run/ride bike to Reed's Lake. Somewhat liberal/artsy part of town. Biggest Surprises so far: Lake Michigan really does look like the ocean Future career plans: International fellowship, possibly locum tenems
	Name: Gregory Owens, MD Hometown: Salt Lake City, Utah Medical School: Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon Additional Information Hide Additional Information Hobbies/things that I love to do in GR/MI: Guitar, reading, x-box Interesting tidbits about me: I used to be the lead singer and guitarist for a rock band in undergrad. I used to harvest donor skin, tendons, and bone. I also spent 2 years living in the Philippines. In short, I used to be interesting, but those days are long gone. If I wouldn't have gone into medicine, I would have... been a rock star (really). Favorite off-service rotation: SICU, you have a lot of responsibility and see a lot of critical patients. Best thing about the Butterworth/DeVos ER: Huge variety of patients; tertiary care referral center.
	Name: Melissa Peters, MD Email: melissampeters@gmail.com Hometown: Saginaw, MI Undergraduate School and Location: Michigan State University Medical School: Michigan State University College of Human Medicine Additional Information Hide Additional Information Previous work experience/careers: Medical Assistant, EMT Why I chose Grand Rapids Emergency Medicine Residency: It is a very resident friendly environment Hobbies/things that I love to do in GR/MI: Go to Lake Michigan. Interesting tidbits about me: I have a Goldendoodle named Tilly :) Rent or Own: I rent in East Grand Rapids, right in gaslight village next to Jersey Junction-the best ice cream place ever! Biggest Surprises so far: There are so many things to do here, I've been here for 3 years and still feel like there is so much I haven't done.
	Name: Landen Rentmeester, MD Email: lrentmeester@gmail.com Hometown: Green Bay, Wisconsin Undergraduate School and Location: University of Wisconsin - Madison Medical School: Medical College of Wisconsin Additional Information Hide Additional Information Previous work experience/careers: Chef at Rosati's Pizza Why I chose Grand Rapids Emergency Medicine Residency: Lots and lots of patients to see, close to home, established residency Hobbies/things that I love to do in GR/MI: Run, go to the beach, bike Interesting tidbits about me: If I couldn't be a doctor I would be a tugboat captain Rent or Own: Rent, in flux at the moment, would suggest downtown. Biggest Surprises so far: There are amazing beaches here, winters are slightly warmer than Wisconsin.
	Name: Todd Struckman, MD Email: todd.struckman@grmep.com Hometown: Montana Undergraduate School and Location: University of Montana Medical School: University of Washington School of Medicine Additional Information Hide Additional Information Previous work experience/careers: I've been a waiter, newspaper reporter, professional triathlete, college instructor, and house painter. those were the decent jobs. Let's not talk about the horrible jobs. Why I chose Grand Rapids Emergency Medicine Residency: My wife and I made a two-pronged scoring system to evaluate our choices for the match. Regarding medical training, we awarded points based on board exams, core faculty, didactics, patients per hour, call schedule, and off-service rotations. Regarding family life, we ranked communities based on affordability, parks, museums, and outdoor recreation. Initially we had no intention of coming here, but no matter how we tinkers with the math, GRMEP came out on top. Hobbies/things that I love to do in GR/MI: In the summer we ride our bikes with out children to the ice cream store, In the spring and fall we visit the forests in and around town. In the winter, we swim at the YMCA. Interesting tidbits about me: I have a graduate degree in poetry. Rent or Own: We rent a four-bedroom house for $1200 on a dead-end street next to a park that is two miles from the hospital which has allowed me to extend my bike commuting streak to nine winters. Biggest Surprises so far: So nice we're inclined to stay... Future career plans: ...but we'll probably go back to Montana anyway.
	Name: Brady Wilkinson, MD Email: brady.wilkinson@grmep.com Hometown: Provo, Utah Undergraduate School and Location: Brigham Young University Medical School: University of Utah School of Medicine Additional Information Hide Additional Information Previous work experience/careers: Real Estate Agent Why I chose Grand Rapids Emergency Medicine Residency: family friendly, high volume, great residents and faculty! Hobbies/things that I love to do in GR/MI: Love going to the beach at Lake Michigan. Enjoy any sport with a ball, but contrary to most residents here I despise to "run for fun". Interesting tidbits about me: Thoroughly enjoy any demolition derby Rent or Own: Own a home. Two car garage, 4 bedrooms, 2 baths and a fenced yard for the same price as an apartment in downtown Grand Rapids. Biggest Surprises so far: The winters are not as bad as they are made out to be. Future career plans: Career plans include graduation, working in a hospital with residents, and possibly completing a pediatric fellowship.


Recent Graduates Class of 2011
	Name: Ashley Zuzelski, MD Email: ashleyzuzelski@gmail.com Hometown: Clarklake, MI Undergraduate School and Location: University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Medical School: Wayne State University - Detroit, MI Additional Information Hide Additional Information Previous work experience/careers: Does making pizza and working as a camp counselor count? Why I chose Grand Rapids Emergency Medicine Residency: I liked that the program and the hospital had both an academic and a community feel. There is a varied patient population and the ED sees a high volume of patients each year, making it easy to see a variety of problems. Everyone is very friendly and supportive. Hobbies/things that I love to do in GR/MI: I love any water activities including swimming, boating, kayaking, water-skiing and wake-boarding. GR is great because it is only 40 minutes from the beautiful Lake Michigan! I also enjoy checking out the local restaurants. In the winter, Friday nights are $1 hot dog/beer night a the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey games. Meijer Gardens and Sculpture park is fun to explore and they have concerts throughout the summer where you can bring your own lawn chair and picnic. Interesting tidbits about me: Although I was born in Maryland, I've been in Michigan most of my life. I was married in July of my second year of residency, but unfortunately my husband Chris still lives and works in the Detroit area. Most of the time I get to keep our "big baby" of a rottweiler, Foster here in GR. Rent or Own: I rent a house near East Grand Rapids that has a big fenced in back yard for my dog. It is also right across the street form a large park with tennis courts, sand volleyball courts and running trails. All this and only a 10 minute drive to work! Biggest Surprises so far: There is actually a fairly diverse patient population. Nearly every shift I have to use the assistance of a Spanish interpreter. We have access to interpreters that come in person 24 hours a day, including Vietnamese! Future career plans: Hopefully get a job somewhere in Michigan.
	Name: Jade Bringhurst, MD Email: jadebringhurst@gmail.com Hometown: Hurricane, Utah Undergraduate School and Location: University of Utah Medical School: University of Utah School of Medicine Additional Information Hide Additional Information Previous work experience/careers: Masters of Social Work Why I chose Grand Rapids Emergency Medicine Residency: Good mixture of academic and clinical practice. Excellent patient volume. I felt comfortable with the staff and other residents. It has a long tradition. They were family friendly. The city is a nice size. Cost of living was good. I couldn't beat the insurance, they cover 100% with no deductible. Hobbies/things that I love to do in GR/MI: I have several kids so most of my activities in Grand Rapids revolves around them. We love to go to the beach. Hiking is great. Meijer Gardens and the children's museum are favorite places. Interesting tidbits about me: I worked for several years with high risk youth as a social worker. My wife and I have 4 kids..all boys. In my past life I enjoyed backpacking, hiking, and climbing. By default I have become a pretty good handyman. Rent or Own: We chose to buy. The housing prices were amazing. We found a great school district for our kids, we have a view of a river with a secluded backyard and we love our neighbors. Biggest Surprises so far: To be honest, I had never heard of Grand Rapids before our search for a residency. I was surprised to find out that it was the second largest city in Michigan. There are a multitude of activities within the city. The ED has over 100,000 visits so there are plenty of patients to see. However, it is staffed well so that you don't feel pressured to "move the meat". The attendings who staff the ED want to be there and are enthusiastic abut teaching. The group staffs multiple hospitals so only the ones that want to work with residents end up here. Future career plans: Not sure yet. I plan on working in a community hospital. The plan has always been to go back to the west coast. However, Michigan has grown on us and we could easily end up staying.
	Name: Kara Cardenas, MD Email: kara.cardenas@grmep.com Hometown: Madison, Ohio Undergraduate School and Location: Eastern Michigan University Medical School: Michigan State University-CHM Additional Information Hide Additional Information Previous work experience/careers: Occupational therapist and case manager for a community mental health agency Why I chose Grand Rapids Emergency Medicine Residency:High volume, excellent didactics, faculty are enthusiastic, wonderful teachers, and very committed to the education of residents Hobbies/things that I love to do in GR/MI: Running, downtown festivals, traveling, and spending time with my kids Interesting tidbits about me: I worked for 7 years before going back to medical school and I have three kids, including my intern year surprise of twins. Rent or Own: We own a house in Rockford (about 15 minutes north of the hospital). Great community feel, great downtown area, and excellent schools. Biggest Surprises so far: I knew that the faculty were committed to teaching but I could not have imagined how wonderful the education would be, both from our faculty and off service attendings. Future career plans: I am hoping to stay in western Michigan. We love it here!
	Name: Dan Dallon, MD Email: daniel.dallon@grmep.com Hometown: Salt Lake City, Utah Undergraduate School and Location: Utah State University, Logan, Utah Medical School: University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa Additional Information Hide Additional Information Previous work experience/careers: Nursing assistant, paper boy Why I chose Grand Rapids Emergency Medicine Residency: Combination of amazingly family-friendly city, great cost of living, busy ED, great attendings, and the prefect blend of well-funded community program and great academic teaching in one of the oldest EM programs in the country with hundreds of alumni Hobbies/things that I love to do in GR/MI: Currently: playing legos, building train tracks, T-ball, soccer, playing house, changing diapers, sleeping. In my past life: mountaineering, backpacking, water polo, swimming and fishing. Interesting tidbits about me: I lived in Brazil for 2 years and speak (or spoke) Portuguese. I played water polo for 7 years in school. Rent or Own: We bought a newer 4 bedroom house on a cul-de-sac with a huge yard and 2 car garage on a single resident salary. <10 minuets to the hospital. Gotta love Grand Rapids! Biggest Surprises so far: The amazing summers, the amazing beaches, the amazingly friendly people, and all the cool places in and around Grand Rapids Future career plans: Either back to my mountains or stay here in West Michigan
	Name: Jim Enderle, MD Email: jimaenderle@gmail.com Hometown: Freeburg, Illinois Undergraduate School and Location: University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; BS in Animal Science Medical School: University Illinois College of Medicine, Champaign and Peoria Campuses Additional Information Hide Additional Information Previous work experience/careers: I've worked many jobs in my life (few medically related); I've been an animal caretaker, a warehouse associate, a bartender, a bouncer, a cook, and a pizza delivery driver, and as a health assistant at a summer camp. Why I chose Grand Rapids Emergency Medicine Residency: I chose the GRMEP program because it was the most impressive of all my interviews. The staff is wonderful, the hospital is gorgeous, you have almost every specialty you need in-house or a phone call away, the city always has somthing going on, we're close to Lake Michigan, and the cost of living is cheap! Why wouldn't you want to come here? Hobbies/things that I love to do in GR/MI: My hobbies include biking, video games, recreational reading, and music. I'm always up for a live performance whenever I can get away! Interesting tidbits about me: My mind contains a plethora of completely useless movie, music, and pop culture facts. Oh, and I'm married (Staci) and have two cats (Sammi and Deano) Rent or Own: I own a 3 bedroom home with a finished basement and a beautiful yard. Biggest Surprises so far: The city really has a lot to offer, between cultural events, sports, nightlife, and the beautiful Frederik Meijer Sculpture Garden Future career plans: Currently on the hunt for where to spend the next stage of my career!
	Name: Nick Kuhl, MD Email: nicholas.kuhl@grmep.com Hometown: Grand Rapids, MI Undergraduate School and Location: University of Michigan College of Engineering Medical School: Michigan State University-CHM Additional Information Hide Additional Information Previous work experience/careers: Landscaping Crew Grunt, Industrial Janitor Why I chose Grand Rapids Emergency Medicine Residency: Excellent relationships with attendings, camaraderie within the residents, and a focus on teaching with every patient in the emergency department Hobbies/things that I love to do in GR/MI: I have two kids under 3 years old, so my favorites revolve mostly around family activities. John Ball Zoo seems to get better each year, and Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park is a great place to spend and afternoon year round. I also enjoy swimming and beach volleyball at Lake Michigan ans wake boarding on the inland lakes. Interesting tidbits about me: Spent my elective month in Kenya running a rural 7 bed emergency department. Rent or Own: My family and I rent a 1,100 square foot apartment just two miles east of the Hospital down Michigan St. It's worked great for the 3 years we're here. Biggest Surprises so far: The cost of living in GR is low making the resident salary stretch much farther than I anticipated. Future career plans: Most likely rural emergency medicine here in Michigan for the majority of my career. I do plan on frequent trips overseas to serve at missions hospitals and possibly a longer 2+ year stint at some point.
	Name: Tammy Provatas, MD Email: tprovatas@gmail.com Hometown: Muskegon, MI Undergraduate School and Location: Grand Valley State University , Allendale, MI Medical School: Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI . Additional Information Hide Additional Information Previous work experience/careers: I was a registered nurse for 10 years prior to entering medical school. Why I chose Grand Rapids Emergency Medicine Residency: Location, location, location :) Hobbies/things that I love to do in GR/MI: I enjoy sporting events especially Tigers Baseball and University of Michigan Football. My husband and I enjoy the multiple bike paths that est Michigan has to offer. I spend more of my time with my children and grandchildren. Interesting tidbits about me: I have two grandchildren that I spend as much time as possible with, although being a resident can make that challenging sometimes' :) Rent or Own: I currently rent. Biggest Surprises so far: Everyone is so pleasant to work with from nurses to attendings to kitchen staff. That was a real change for me after being in Detroit for medical school Future career plans: I plan to work in a rural ED somewhere in west Michigan
	Name: Ray Scurek, MD Hometown: Chicago, Illinois Medical School: University of Illinois-Chicago College of Medicine Additional Information Hide Additional Information Hobbies/things that I love to do in GR/MI: martial arts, traveling, spending time with my wife Interesting tidbits about me: has a graduate degrees in Physics and Applied Physiology
	Name: Eric Wiest, MD Hometown: Grand Rapids, MI Undergraduate School and Location: Hope College, Holland, MI Medical School: University of North Dakota Additional Information Hide Additional Information Hobbies/things that I love to do in GR/MI: church activities, snorkeling & scuba, hiking and building projects
	Name: Aaron Ziegler, MD Email: aaron.ziegler@grmep.com Hometown: Lapeer, MI Undergraduate School and Location: Cornerstone College, Grand Rapids, MI Medical School: Wayne State University Additional Information Hide Additional Information Previous work experience/careers: Air Force (Flight Surgeon) Why I chose Grand Rapids Emergency Medicine Residency: Great location, excellent volume and variety of patients Hobbies/things that I love to do in GR/MI: camping, running, hanging out with my family Interesting tidbits about me: I was an ER tech at Butterworth before med school Rent or Own: I own, I got a lot of house for a reasonable price, close to the hospital Biggest Surprises so far: How well the faculty and staff take care of the residents, and how receptive they are to suggestions for improvement. Future career plans: I would like to stay in the area.

GrandRapidsMedicalEducation

Emergency Medicine - Residents