CLASS OF 2024
Albert Chang, MD
Medical School: University of Virginia School of Medicine
Internship: AMITA Health St. Francis Hospital Evanston
PM&R Interests: Pain, Interventional Spine, Cancer Rehab, Neurorehab
Personal Interests: Cooking (poorly), Racquet Sports, Video Games, Classic Rock, Astronomy
Why UW? This is a program that offers all the resources and opportunities to explore just about every facet of PM&R. There’s a strong sense of community between the residents, and the faculty leadership is amongst the best in the country. All of that in addition to having friends and family in the area make training here a perfect fit!
Michelle Copley, MD
Medical School: University of Washington
Internship: University of Washington
PM&R Interests: Sports Medicine, Spine/MSK, Pain Management, Pediatrics
Personal Interests: Spending time with my family and pup, baking, wine tasting, concerts & comedy shows, day hikes, and traveling
Why UW? This was an easy one. UW is a strong & well-rounded program with supportive teaching faculty and a great community feeling. It doesn't matter what I specialize in, I know that UW will prepare me well for my next steps. I felt so welcomed by the residents when I rotated here and am very excited to continue my training in my favorite corner of the country.
Trevor Ellico, DO
Medical School: Western University of Health Sciences
Internship: University of Central Florida
PM&R Interests: Pain Medicine, Sports and Spine, MSK, EMG, Osteopathic Manual Medicine, U/S, P&O, Regenerative Medicine, and growing…
Personal Interests: Kayaking, fishing, hiking, sci-fi/fantasy
Why UW? The training, the people, and the location! I want to come out of residency knowing that I have a strong foundation in the breadth of PM&R and that is something I knew UW offers. In addition, I remember feeling on my interview day that everyone from staff to residents to faculty were well-grounded, honest, kind, and people I’d love to get to know personally and professionally. This is all to say without mentioning Seattle itself! The mountain ranges, greenery, ocean, lakes, and yes even the rain, I find relaxing. This is all wrapped up in a package of a city bustling with a variety of food, coffee, and other entertainment options.
Matthew Essman, MD, DPT
Medical School: Medical University of South Carolina
Internship: University of Washington
PM&R Interests: Brain Injury Rehabilitation, Sports Medicine, Ultrasound, Prosthetics and Orthotics, Adaptive Sports, Global Health
Personal Interests: Anything and everything outdoors from water and snow skiing to mountain biking and hiking, fishing, soccer, basketball, weight-lifting, wildlife photography, traveling, and cooking
Why UW? I have always loved the Pacific Northwest for its beauty and ruggedness and when I learned of the diverse training opportunities offered at UW, I knew it would be the perfect fit. UW is a leader not only in PM&R but many other allied health specialties making it an excellent location to train and grow professionally. Despite being one of the larger programs in the country, the residents here are very close and love having fun with each other. This became obvious to me as we toured the city and spent time meeting everyone during the interview day.
Sre Gorukanti, MD
Medical School: Saint Louis University School of Medicine
Internship: Saint Louis University School of Medicine
PM&R Interests: SCI, General Rehab, Spine interventional, Cancer rehab, Pain, Stroke
Personal Interests: I love to play music instruments (sax, piano, uke) and host jam sessions! I'm also big into the concert/music festival scene of any genre. Outside of music stuff I enjoy crochet, tennis, and walking my dog around Seattle.
Why UW? I really appreciate the breadth of experiences UW has to offer in the field of rehab. I'm open to anything, and UW provides a well-rounded experience. I rotated as a fourth-year student, and everyone was truly great. Plus living in Seattle is amazing; so many things to do and so much nature to experience!
Sara Lim, MD
Medical School: Boston University School of Medicine
Internship: St. Elizabeth's Medical Center - Brighton, MA
PM&R Interests: Pain, Sports, MSK, Ultrasound, Adaptive Sports
Personal Interests: Cycling, trying new restaurants, spending time outdoors
Why UW? I felt that UW is a very well-rounded program and would offer comprehensive training in all aspects of PM&R. Additionally, the diverse patient population was a huge plus for me. Finally, I fell in love with Seattle with its ease of access to outdoor activities and awesome food scene!
Jason Monda, MD
Medical School: University of Washington, Spokane WWAMI
Internship: Providence Sacred Heart - Spokane, WA
PM&R Interests: Open to anything at this point, but interested in MSK, Sports, Spinal Cord Injury
Personal Interests: Fly fishing/fishing, fly-tying, hunting, camping, hiking, bird-watching, playing/watching all things sports, disc golf, cooking/barbecuing.
Why UW? I really loved my UW rehab rotations as a fourth-year student. I was very impressed with the faculty/residents and felt a true sense of community and camaraderie. I’m excited to be a part of such a well-rounded rehab program where everyone is passionate about patient care. As a born-and-raised Washingtonian, I couldn’t be happier to continue my training here in the Pacific Northwest.
Daniel Nguyen, MD
Medical School: Virginia Commonwealth University
Internship: MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC
PM&R Interests: General Rehab, Spinal Cord Injury, Brain Injury, Cancer Rehabilitation
Personal Interests: Cooking, lifting, hiking, restaurants/breweries, traveling
Why UW? I became interested in UW because I was looking for a strong, well-rounded program that would help nurture my diverse interests within PM&R. My interactions with the wonderful faculty and residents on interview day assured me that this program was the right fit for me. I’m looking forward to exploring life in the PNW and all the amazing food and nature that it has to offer!
David Pilkington, DO
Medical School: Western University of Health Sciences – College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific
Internship: University of Washington
PM&R Interests: interventional sports & spine, pain management, palliative care, spinal cord injury
Personal Interests: Ultimate frisbee, glamping, skiing, fantasy novels, video games, trance music, omelets with coffee
Why UW? I had a truly incredible rotation at UW in my fourth year of medical school, and I fell in love with Seattle along the way. The PM&R program is top-notch with excellent faculty members, and kind and determined residents. I look forward to becoming part of the team and maybe exploring local national parks in my free time.
Cameron Strong, MD, MS
Medical School: University of Michigan
Internship: St. Mary Mercy Hospital (Livonia, Michigan)
PM&R Interests: I love the breadth of the field! So far I’ve particularly enjoyed sports medicine, interventional spine, and TBI.
Personal Interests: Travel, running and rock climbing with friends, reading (anything humor, fantasy, or murder mystery), and music.
Why UW? I was blown away on my interview day in Seattle. I felt UW PM&R offered a perfect blend of outstanding culture, fabulous academic reputation, and diverse training from leaders in the field. All of that combined with the opportunity to have an adventure exploring the amazing Pacific Northwest felt like a perfect fit for me!
Allison Wallingford, MD
Medical School: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Internship: University of Maryland Midtown Campus
PM&R Interests: Neurorehabilitation, Pain Management, Rehabilitation Engineering
Personal Interests: Baking/cooking, yoga, weightlifting, dance, painting
Why UW? During my visiting rotation at UW, I saw diverse and interesting cases. I was inspired by the enthusiasm and passion for learning that residents and attendings demonstrated on a day-to-day basis. UW is a well-rounded program with a wealth of resources and opportunities. Being in Seattle allows me to be closer to my family in Seattle and California.
CLASS OF 2025
Nitin Bajaj, DO
Medical School: A.T. Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona (ATSU-SOMA)
Internship and Residency: Pediatrics at LAC+USC Medical Center
PM&R Interests: Pediatrics PM&R, most likely! I am always open to seeing more and who knows what might happen, but my intention is to work with the kiddos!
Personal Interests: Music has been a huge part of my life. I have been playing the drums since I was 11 years old and am still learning so much more about the instrument and the theory of music! It's a fascinating world. I pursued music as a career before medicine and want to incorporate music as a form of therapy in my medical practice. I also love to snowboard (for which the PNW is the perfect place!), play basketball, golf, travel, spend time with my friends and family! Movies - I really enjoy going to a movie and eating popcorn (the simple pleasures!). And of course, I love spending time with my better half - Meghan - and our two feline children - Baloo and Bagheera!
Why UW? It just felt right. On interview day, the residents and faculty were so sweet and genuinely interested in me and my journey to physiatry! And they are all very happy to be a part of the UW program. There are so many different opportunities as a resident at UW and I felt that the program administration would help individualize my experience based on my interests. It's an incredibly strong program and I am honored to train here. Plus, it's in the beautiful Emerald City - and super close to plenty of skiing and snowboarding!
Noah Gorelick, MD
Medical School: Medical School for International Health, Ben Gurion University, Be’er Sheva, Israel
Internship: University of Washington
PM&R Interests: Neuro-rehab, cancer rehab, pain. I'm also particularly interested in the interface between technology and rehabilitation.
Personal Interests: Hiking, biking, walking, climbing, orienteering (pretty much anything outdoors- whatever the weather). I also enjoy eating, talking with strangers, photography, making art, and repairing things.
Why UW? I was immediately drawn to the culture and open-mindedness of the program that stood out here at the University of Washington. I had the sense from my interview that this was a program that actively works to cultivate a warm, welcoming, and inspiring learning environment, with an intentional emphasis on equity. The fact that this program is based in the Pacific Northwest, with easy access to a wide range of delicious foods and the great outdoors is a wonderful bonus. I also came for the Kraken.
Jaimie Hearn, MD
Medical School: University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix
Internship: Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital
PM&R Interests: Pediatrics, adaptive sports, neurorehab, prosthetics/orthotics
Personal Interests: Hiking, camping, snowboarding, wakeboarding, yoga
Why UW? I felt this program had strong clinical training in all areas of PM&R and embodied a positive learning environment. UW also offers exposure to complex cases and diverse patient populations that I was looking for. Plus I've been dying to explore and adventure around the beautiful PNW so that was another major bonus!
Ian Kim, MD
Medical School: University of Washington
Internship: University of Washington
PM&R Interests: There is so much to learn and explore in PM&R. I’ve been interested in pain medicine, adaptive sports, and amputee rehab and will expand as I go!
Personal Interests: The pacific northwest has so much natural beauty, I enjoy spending time outdoors with my paddleboard by the Lake Washington in the summer. I love karaoke and singing in choirs too. Other hobbies include cooking, eating, sleeping, and a bit of racket sports. (see my featurette on Seattle Tennis League here!).
Why UW? How wonderful it is to have an incredibly well rounded PM&R program with the such kind and generous staff/co-residents right here in my hometown! The undeniable comradery we share makes this journey through residency absolutely worthwhile.
Jihong Min, MD
Medical School: University of Illinois at Chicago
Internship: Detroit Medical Center/Wayne State University Sinai-Grace Hospital, Detroit, MI
PM&R Interests: Sports Medicine, Neurorehabilitation, MSK, Pain management
Personal Interests: Traveling, trying new restaurants, martial arts, playing sports in general, and music
Why UW? UW PMR is an amazing program with an excellent reputation that provides a well-rounded experience. I am interested in all aspects of PMR and wanted diverse training during residency. The potential for numerous research opportunities also drew me to UW. Being a UW alumnus, I wanted to come back to UW and Seattle!
Jessica Sher, MD
Medical School: New Jersey Medical School
Internship: University of Washington
PM&R Interests: MSK, Sports Medicine, Performing Arts Medicine, Spinal Cord Injury
Personal Interests: Yoga, running by the water, tennis, pickleball, snowboarding, cooking, Japanese desserts, solo-touring museums, strolling night markets
Why UW? At the end of interview season, I remained tremendously awed by UW's superb clinical training, curriculum, and diverse community of leaders. I was met with incredible warmth from residents and felt right at home on interview day. Witnessing such kindness and community exuding from a world-class institution was incredibly humbling and inspiring. Choosing to live in Seattle was also a no-brainer.
Garrett Wahl, MD
Medical School: Washington University in St. Louis
Internship: University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix
PM&R Interests: Interventional Spine, Pain Management, Sports Medicine, Adaptive Sports, Ultrasound, General Rehabilitation
Personal Interests: Hiking, skiing, exploring the outdoors/wildlife, traveling, trying new restaurants/breweries, photography, sports, movies, music
Why UW? UW PM&R offers a well-rounded training experience with a diverse patient population at a variety of clinical sites, a stellar academic reputation, and faculty members who are leaders in the field. Even during my virtual interview, I could tell this program had a strong sense of community and a commitment to supporting one another. In addition, I have always thought I would enjoy the Pacific Northwest and am excited for a fun, new city with awesome outdoor activities!
Josh Wilson, MD
Medical School: Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
Internship: Atrium Health, Charlotte, NC
PM&R Interests: TBI, SCI, Stroke recovery, Pain and Spasticity management, Prosthetics, and post amputation recovery
Personal Interests: Weightlifting, cooking, loose-leaf tea, home-brewing beer, all-terrain vehicles, motocross, scuba diving, and fossil collecting
Why UW? I first heard about UW from a friend in medical school. She would often tell me how amazing the UW hospital system is and about the beautiful landscapes and summers of Seattle. So, when I realized that UW was top rated program in my specialty, how could I say no? On interview day the program showed great compassion for helping patients no matter their circumstance. I was impressed when one resident spoke about providing rehab services to incarcerated patients. The icing on the cake was how kind and down-to-earth the residents and staff are. I feel like UW will be a joyful experience with great education, and one that comes with a stellar view!
CLASS OF 2026
Christine Chilaka, MD
Medical School: Ohio State University, College of Medicine
Internship: University of Washington
PM&R Interests: Interventional Pain, Cancer rehabilitation, Pelvic rehabilitation
Personal Interests: Netflix, brunch, walking, wine tasting, and music
Why UW? A fabulous program in a fabulous state! The PM&R residency here offers so many opportunities in and out of the clinical setting. I also get to work with a variety of folks from diverse backgrounds.
Megan Gillum, MD
Medical School: Chicago Medical School
Internship: Advocate Lutheran General Hospital
PM&R Interests: TBI, SCI, adaptive sports, disability advocacy
Personal Interests: Food, exploring new places, rowing, barre, reading
Why UW? Going into residency my highest priorities were serving a diverse patient population, training at variety of clinical experiences (academic, public, and VA) and leave residency feeling ready for any fellowship or job I might take on. On the interview trail, UW checked all those boxes in addition to drawing me in with the collaboration between residents and faculty, and the amazing relationships amongst the residents. It also helps that it's Seattle, a place I've grown up visiting and always loved (stay tuned for if I feel the same after the winter!)
Stan Kamande, MD
Medical School: Georgetown University SOM
Internship: University of Washington
PM&R Interests: Neurorehabilitation, Global Health
Personal Interests: Basketball, Photography, Traveling, Cooking, and Biking
Why UW? I had the opportunity to rotate here as a medical student, and I loved how close-knit everyone involved in the program was! Additionally, the breadth of experiences that UW has to offer, is second to none!
Katrina Ngo, DO
Medical School: Western University of Health Sciences - COMP
Internship: University of California, Irvine
PM&R Interests: Spinal Cord Injury, Cancer Rehabilitation, General Rehabilitation
Personal Interests: Perusing the aisles of Trader Joes/Target/Home Goods, puzzling, napping, trying new restaurants, spending time with loved ones
Why UW? When I was looking at programs, I was interested in going to a challenging program that would set me up for success when I ultimately become an attending. I’m confident that UW’s well-rounded and diverse training will prepare me for whatever comes down the line whether it’s fellowship or directly into the workforce. The down-to-earth vibe of the residents and faculty during interview day sealed the deal for me. In addition, I have a ton of family support here and that’s always a plus!
Becca Potts, MD
Medical School: The University of Toledo College of Medicine
Internship: University of Washington
PM&R Interests: Brain injury, rehabilitation engineering, sports & regenerative medicine
Personal Interests: Horseback riding , thrifting, trivia, sketch comedy
Why UW? PM&R is such a diverse specialty but I knew that training at UW would be an exciting and incredibly well-rounded experience. I’m confident that our program will give me the skills, research opportunities, and community support necessary to succeed in any field of rehabilitation medicine. With that in mind, I also chose UW for the close-knit and collaborative culture. Everyone is so kind and truly willing to help one another here. Seattle is an amazing place to live and I can’t wait to experience everything this city and the PNW have to offer!
Kirsten Schlosser, MD
Medical School: University of Buffalo
Internship: Einstein Medical Center Philadelphia
PM&R Interests: Neurorehabilitation Spinal Cord Injury, Neuromuscular Medicine, spasticity, pediatric rehab medicine.
Personal Interests: Soccer, tennis, reading, painting, drawing, knitting.
Why UW? I chose UW for the opportunity to challenge myself and to get the most breadth out of my training as possible. I wanted exposure the most diverse cases I could get my hands on and I felt that UW was the place to do that.
Jordan Schroeder, MD
Medical School: University of Washington
Internship: Spokane Teaching Health Clinic
PM&R Interests: SCI, Pediatrics, Sports Medicine, Ultrasound, Neurorehab...an open book right now!
Personal Interests: Going outside; hiking, skiing, paddling! Cooking! Trying new restaurants and brews in the company of good friends! Playing with my sewing machine!
Why UW? The program, the people, and the place! This is a uniquely well-rounded residency with diverse patient pathologies that reflect the breadth and depth of physiatry; for the engaging and welcoming residents and faculty who are invested in my personal growth as a physician; and Seattle is an absolutely gorgeous city with fabulous access to outdoor recreation and great food!
CLASS OF 2027
Jared Eng, MD
Medical School: George Washington School of Medicine
Internship: University of Washington
PM&R Interests: Spinal Cord Injury, Pain Medicine, Sports Medicine
Personal Interests: CrossFit, running, Netflix RomComs, trying out new restaurants, going to the movie theater, traveling, thrifting
Why UW? I spent my gap year here in an AmeriCorps program teaching 5th graders in South Seattle. I loved my time spent here, and also having friends in the area, I knew that I would love to return back to the West Coast for my residency training! UW is such a well-balanced program with amazing, supportive faculty and I had a gut feeling that this would be a great place to spent the next 4 years of my life on my path to become a physiatrist!
Jodie Makara, MD
Medical School: Ohio State University College of Medicine
Internship: University of Washington
PM&R Interests: Neurorehab, Pediatrics, Adaptive Sports, Sports Medicine, Amputee Medicine, P&O, MSK, General Rehab to name a few :)
Personal Interests: Exploring new trails (both on bike paths and hiking in the mountains), taking in all the stunning views WA has to offer! Also triathlon/aquabike racing, open water swimming, snowboarding, helping at adaptive sporting events year-round
Why UW? Easy! Incredibly warm, down-to-earth and supportive vibes from program leadership, staff and co-residents. I've been here a month now and expectations have already been exceeded time a million in terms of the friendliness, support and passion staff have across UW as a whole, not just within PM&R. Born and raised in the Midwest, this is my first time experiencing real mountains, which has been incredible for my mental and physical health. Seattle is SO queer friendly and bike friendly, perfect for my daily commutes as a nonbinary cyclist. I knew I wanted to be at a program that would feel like family and UW gave me that impression on interview day, everyone's been very easy to get along with and I'm so excited to see all the opportunities this strong program has to offer!
Jason Silver, MD
Medical School: University of Colorado
Internship: University of Washington
PM&R Interests: MSK, Pain, Sports Medicine
Personal Interests: Rock climbing, hiking, espresso, and anything else outdoors!
Why UW? I choose UW because of the supportive environment for establishing a research focused career in physiatry. Washington excels in many aspects of PM&R with international leaders and the resources associated with the University allow endless opportunities to pursue your interests.