Meet the residents

Megan Brennan, MD

Undergraduate: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Medical School: Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine

• Reason I chose Lutheran General Family Medicine: I grew up in the Chicago area and always knew I wanted to attend residency close to my support system. While researching programs, Lutheran was continually at the top of my list because of all the great things I had heard from previous graduates, classmates rotating there, and mentors. I am particularly excited for full-scope family medicine training with strong inpatient, OB as well as sports medicine in a community hospital that has an academic feel!
• Favorite TV show: Schitt's Creek, Friends, New Girl
• Favorite Movie: Harry Potter series
• Favorite thing to do in my free time:I love being active, dancing, singing, game nights with family or friends are my favorite!

Bianca Garcia, DO

Undergraduate: Lewis University
Medical School: New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine

• Reason I chose Lutheran General Family Medicine: I chose Lutheran because it was very important to me that I received exposure to OMT, sports medicine and working with the special need’s population during residency. In addition, all the staff I met during my rotation were absolutely incredible and the residents were very welcoming. At the time, I could envision myself fitting right into the LGH family and I knew I would be extremely happy matching with such a great program.
• Hobbies/Interests: Tennis, Volleyball, Snowboarding, Amusement Parks, Cooking, Spending time with family.
• Favorite Show: New Girl
• Favorite Movie: Grease

Briena Heller, MD

Undergraduate: University of Arizona
Medical School: Chicago Medical School

• Reason I chose Lutheran General Family Medicine: I wanted to train in an environment that is committed to the highest standards of patient care, while also providing a well-rounded education, strong academics, and a supportive culture. I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to complete many of my third-year rotations at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital and am grateful to be part of this dynamic and supportive team.
• Hobbies/Interests: Family, friends, hiking, skiing, traveling, playing with my dog, anything food related and watching movies.
• Favorite Dog Breed: Dachshund

Supal Mehta, MD

Undergraduate: Loyola University Chicago
Medical School: Loyola University Chicago

• Reason I chose Lutheran General Family Medicine: I really enjoyed my third year Family Medicine Rotation at Lutheran General. The faculty and residents at Advocate Lutheran felt like family and made Lutheran feel like a place I wanted to call home. During my rotation and my interview day, I knew that this program would offer endless learning opportunities and will help shape me into the physician that I want to be.
• Hobbies/Interests: Cooking (and eating), Running, Reading, Dancing, and Traveling
• Favorite Book: The Namesake and Tuesdays with Morrie

Jayna Patel, DO

Undergraduate: UCLA
Medical School: A.T. Still University - School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona

• Reason I chose Lutheran General Family Medicine: Due to the pandemic, I was unable to visit for a rotation or interview. However, I had heard many great things about the family medicine program at Lutheran General throughout my time here in Chicago. On interview day, I immediately clicked with the faculty and residents. I was drawn to the well-rounded, robust curriculum of the program, and I loved the dedication everyone had to teaching and academics. I knew Lutheran General would be a great hospital to continue my training at. Plus, staying in Chicago was a win!
• Hobbies/Interests: Photography, Event planning, Running
• Favorite Teams: Lakers, Dodgers, UCLA
• Favorite Book: Harry Potter
• Favorite Place: Disneyland

Nicholas Pochedly, DO

Undergraduate: The Ohio State University
Medical School: Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine

• Reason I chose Lutheran General Family Medicine: Learning about the program and all it has to offer on interview day, I was very impressed. I felt very welcome by the residents as well. It was easy to see why this program has a long history of training great Family Medicine Doctors. I’m looking forward to my time training here!
• Hobbies/Interests: Making food, the gym, Nintendo Switch, Travelling When I Can
• Favorite Book: Me Talk Pretty One Day, July’s People, Never Let Me Go

Ashkan Salamatipour, DO

Undergraduate: University of California, Berkeley
Medical School: Midwestern University, Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine

• Reason I chose Lutheran General Family Medicine: Its phenomenal reputation, location, and balance between a large academic center and small community hospital.
• Hobbies/Interests: Sports medicine, performing arts medicine, mixed martial arts, water polo, and opera.
• Favorite Food of all time: Cheesesteak with wiz from Jim's in South Philly.

Ji Sun (Joy) Yi, DO

Undergraduate: University of Virginia
Medical School: Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine

• Reason I chose Lutheran General Family Medicine: I chose Lutheran General for many reasons, but primarily for the people and the robust, broad-spectrum family medicine training that the program offered. I felt so welcomed on my interview day (even though it was virtual) by the faculty and residents who were friendly and happy to answer all the questions that I had. It was so obvious that everyone genuinely cared about each other. I knew I wanted to spend the next three years there, which led me to choose ALGH as my number one choice!
• Hobbies/Interests: Cooking, baking, drinking coffee, watching TV (probably way too much!), playing tennis with my fiance even though we are both not great at it, taking a walk on a nice day, spending time with family
• Favorite dessert: Tiramisu

Arkad Yousif, DO

Undergraduate: University of Illinois at Chicago
Medical School: Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine

• Reason I chose Lutheran General Family Medicine: Growing up in the area, I have gotten to know about LGH's excellent reputation. When I visited LGH’s FM program at the Family Medicine Midwest Conference, it became apparent how supportive and welcoming the program was. My interest continued to grow during my interview and second look as I met the rest of the faculty and residents. LGH became my best choice because I wanted to start my family medicine training with the people whom I met during my interview season, and most importantly, being able to serve the community I grew up in.
• Hobbies/Interests: Running, cooking, audible books, astronomy, finance, investing
• Favorite Book:  Can't Hurt Me by David Goggins
• Favorite movie: Christopher Nolan's movies
• Favorite podcast: Lex Fridman

Ariana Heiger, DO

Undergraduate: University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Medical School: Midwestern University, Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine

• Reason I chose Lutheran General Family Medicine: I grew up in the Chicago suburbs, so the hospital's location allowed me to stay near my support system. Lutheran General has a fantastic reputation; many of my classmates rotated here and had nothing but positive things to say about it! During my interview day, I felt very comfortable talking to everyone. It was obvious that this program has a great culture and supports its residents while providing excellent, well-rounded training.
• Hobbies/Interests: Cuddling with my dogs, tap dancing, cooking/baking, watching TV and movies, spending time with family and friends
• Favorite TV shows:  Outlander, The Walking Dead, This is Us
• Favorite food: Sushi
• Favorite movies: The Harry Potter Series, Ever After, Interstellar

Jessica Hyla, MD

Undergraduate: Illinois Wesleyan University
Medical School: Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell

• Reason I chose Lutheran General Family Medicine: My goal had always been to come back home to Chicago, and I was looking for a well-rounded program in the area that has a reputation of producing strong family doctors. That is exactly what I found at LGH! Furthermore, during my interviews, I got a great "vibe" from both the residents and faculty during the interview day. Their friendly banter and laughter really showed that this program cultivated a family-like atmosphere and from that moment, I knew I would be happy here!
• Hobbies/Interests: Hiking, Traveling (especially to a mountain range), Board Game Nights, Exploring the Chicago food scene, Experimenting with new Vegan recipes
• Favorite movie series:  Lord of the Rings

Rebecca Kasa, DO

Undergraduate: Augustana College
Medical School: Midwestern University Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine

• Reason I chose Lutheran General Family Medicine: Lutheran General is an established and respected hospital in the area. This strong reputation was the reason why I was initially interested. While looking more into the family medicine program, the curriculum and opportunities aligned with my future goals. On interview day, I felt welcomed by the residents and faculty. Everyone seemed to have an open, honest, and positive attitude that made me excited for the possibility of continuing my training with them.
• Hobbies/Interests: Musical theater, baking cookies, dancing (clogging, tap, and swing), coffee
• Favorite 90's movie: 10 Things I Hate About You
• Favorite cookie: Lemon white chocolate chip
• Favorite video game: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Lauren Le, MD

Undergraduate: UCLA
Medical School: Texas A&M College of Medicine

• Reason I chose Lutheran General Family Medicine: I chose Lutheran General because of its commitment to providing high-quality, robust training and for the incredible network of supportive mentors. After my interview, I felt confident that I would have access to the best resources to achieve my academic goals here and to make meaningful contributions to the care of my community. I was also impressed by the faculty who are passionate about teaching and who are genuinely invested in my professional and personal development. I am very excited to be joining the Lutheran General family and look forward to growing with my amazing co-residents!
• Hobbies/Interests: Social media in medicine, mogul skiing, tennis, traveling, eating spicy food
• Favorite foods:  fried pickles, ramen

Brooke Matz, DO

Undergraduate: Elmhurst University
Medical School: Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine

• Reason I chose Lutheran General Family Medicine: The reason I chose Lutheran General Family Medicine for my residency was due to the people. My interactions on interview day with the program director, faculty members, and current residents were genuine and made me feel “at home,” which was most important to me when choosing a residency program.
• Hobbies/Interests: binging TV series and movies, spending time with family and my dogs 
• Favorite TV Shows: The Office, Parks and Recreation

Lindsay Merlotti, MD

Undergraduate: University of Michigan
Medical School: Boston University School of Medicine

• Reason I chose Lutheran General Family Medicine: I knew I wanted to train in Chicago to be close to family and friend’s so I was so thankful to find a program like Lutheran General that offered full-spectrum training at a community hospital with an academic feel. Even with virtual interviews and virtual social hours, I really felt the support and the community between the residents and the faculty at Lutheran General and can't wait to continue my training here!
• Hobbies/Interests: Cooking (excited for my new homemade pasta maker!), reading, crocheting, spending time with my fiancé and family usually playing board games or cards
• Favorite book series(s): Throne of Glass, Harry Potter (too hard to pick just one)
• Favorite vacation spot: Sanibel Island
• Favorite card game: The Crew

Greg Ruzich, MD

Undergraduate: Grinnell College in Iowa
Medical School: Rush Medical College in Chicago

• Reason I chose Lutheran General Family Medicine: During and after each of my residency interviews, I would take notes and write some reflective statements about the program. There were two points that really stood out in my notes about Lutheran General: the first was "learn by doing (A LOT of numbers and patients)". Caring for so many patients at such a large and well-renowned hospital will provide me the opportunity to really develop and hone my skills in family medicine. The second was "residents and faculty are very cordial but also joke around with each other". Everyone I interacted with was warm and the laughs that were shared during my interview ensured Lutheran General would be a fun and rewarding place to train for the next few years!
• Hobbies/Interests: Sports medicine, Procedures (especially injections, dermatologic, and women's health procedures); playing sports (especially basketball, softball, golf, and bowling), following Chicago sports teams (Go Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks, and CUBBIES!), listening to and finding new music, spending time with my family, friends, and their doggos
• Favorite comedy movie: Big Daddy

Ashley Schaefer, MD, MA

Undergraduate: Loyola University Chicago
Medical School: Rosalind Franklin University Chicago Medical School

• Reason I chose Lutheran General Family Medicine: I knew Lutheran General Family Medicine was for me after my rotations here as a third- and fourth-year medical student. The residents and faculty supported my education and my medical knowledge developed significantly during my time with the program. I was excited by the environment I saw at Lutheran General Family Medicine and knew it was an environment I could grow in as a resident. This program established my expectations for my educational experience and career goals. While every program has a unique method for training its family medicine residents, Lutheran General Family Medicine was unparalleled in its commitment to resident education, wellness, and individualized the learning experience.
• Hobbies/Interests: I enjoy running, yoga, hiking, traveling and spending time with friends and family
• Favorite Quote: "If you want to be a true professional, do something outside yourself." - Ruth Bader Ginsburg
• Favorite Movie: Catch Me if You Can
• Favorite cookie: Lemon white chocolate chip
• Favorite video game: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Hafsa Sirajuddin, DO

Undergraduate: Benedictine University
Medical School: Kansas City University College of Osteopathic Medicine

• Reason I chose Lutheran General Family Medicine: My first rotation as a fourth-year medical student was at the Nesset Family Medicine Clinic. I remember feeling so supported and encouraged during my four weeks, so much so that I kept thinking back to my time at Lutheran during all my other rotations fourth year. Also, all of the residents I met both virtually and in-person at Lutheran seemed genuinely happy, showing me that I could achieve excellent training without having to sacrifice my work-life balance. I knew that this combination of training, positive environment, and team camaraderie would be the perfect place for residency.
• Hobbies/Interests: Spending time with my nieces and nephew, baking, re-watching episodes of The Office, and reading
  Favorite Movie: The Pursuit of Happiness
  Favorite quote: “The secret of life, though, is to fall seven times and to get up eight times.”- Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

Bakir Dzananovic, DO

Undergraduate: University of Illinois at Chicago
Medical School: Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine

• Reason I chose Lutheran General Family Medicine: Growing up in Skokie, I would remember driving past ALGH on Dempster and my parents would joke to me that I will be a doctor practicing there one day. 12 years later, I am so excited to be a part of this amazing residency program and community. When I interviewed at Lutheran General I was blown away at how friendly everyone was and how well I was able to connect with faculty while interviewing. I wanted a residency program where I would get a great variety of exposure and real-life experience while maintaining an academic feel to it- Lutheran General fit perfectly. Every resident I talked with seemed happy and had a great work-life balance too
• Hobbies/Interests: Fishing, hiking, backyard chickening, competitive FIFA with the cousins, and bittersweetly watching my daughter grow up
• Favorite tv show: The Office
• Favorite Movie: The Lion King (1994 version)
• Favorite Quote: “Wealth is not in having many possessions. Rather, true wealth is the richness of the soul.” - Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.)

Arielle Fontheim, DO

Undergraduate: University of Michigan
Medical School: Midwestern University Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine

• Reason I chose Lutheran General Family Medicine: I chose Lutheran General because of the strong reputation it has in the Chicago medical community. When I interviewed, I immediately felt a sense of community and home. Everyone was so genuine and seemed happy. I am also very interested in the pediatric population, so the robust training at Lutheran Children's Hospital was an important factor as well. I appreciate the strong education in behavioral health and the overall well-rounded training that residents receive as a part of the program.
• Hobbies/Interests: Sports, hiking, travelling, spending time with family/friends, true crime, being outside, cooking/eating
• Favorite place to eat in Chicago: Gaijin in West Loop!
• Favorite TV show: Law and Order: SVU

Zehra Hussain, DO

Undergraduate: Benedictine University
Medical School: Midwestern University Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine

• Reason I chose Lutheran General Family Medicine: As someone who grew up in the Chicago suburbs, I knew I wanted to stay local so that I could be close to many of my friends and family members. ALGH was a top choice from the start, with its amazing learning opportunities and reputation, but my interview day felt surprisingly comfortable. Everyone I interacted with was friendly and helpful, during both my interview and the second look event. Overall, it's hard to explain but something just clicked and felt right about ALGH.
• Hobbies/Interests: baking, traveling, reading, cuddling and playing with my cat, Netflix
• Favorite TV Shows: The Office, Avatar the Last Airbender
• Favorite Book: A Place for Us

Mitchell Pei, MD

Undergraduate: Virginia Commonwealth University
Medical School: University of Toledo College of Medicine

• Reason I chose Lutheran General Family Medicine: I chose Lutheran General Family Medicine for a variety of reasons, but the strong inpatient training coupled with broad-spectrum family medicine really enticed me. Also, during the interview, there was one main thing that stood out above the rest and that was how genuinely happy and nice the residents appeared and realized how excited I would be if I had the opportunity to train there.
• Hobbies/Interests: Chess, cooking, true crime podcasts
• Favorite movie: Bee Movie
• Favorite show: The Office

Kayla Reyes, DO

Undergraduate: North Central College, Naperville Illinois
Medical School: A.T. Still University, Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine

• Reason I chose Lutheran General Family Medicine: I am from the Chicago suburbs, and it was very important to me to stay close to family. I had worked at Lutheran General as a hospitalist scribe before medical school and had a great experience. I also worked with various doctors during my clinical rotations who had trained at Lutheran General and had nothing but good things to say! At my second look during interview season, everyone was very friendly and positive about their experience at the program. I strongly believe that this specific community program will offer me a well-rounded educational experience to serve my future patient community.
• Hobbies/Interests: Yoga! I am a Yoga instructor and have been practicing for years. One of my favorite studios is down the street from the hospital.
• Favorite TV shows: I love reality TV, and BRAVO is my go-to channel! A few of my favorite shows are Below Deck, The Real Housewives, and Vanderpump.
• Favorite food: Tacos
• Favorite movies: Step-Brothers, The Notebook, All the Star Wars films

Caitlin Schorsch, DO

Undergraduate: Loyola University Chicago
Medical School: Des Moines University

• Reason I chose Lutheran General Family Medicine: From my rotation at Nesset to my interview day, I was completely blown away by how warm and welcoming the community was at Lutheran. It was important to me to not only train at an institution where I knew I would receive a good education, but to be in a place where I felt like I was part of a family. My experiences with Lutheran faculty and residents, who are some of the most upbeat and positive people I met on the interview trail, showed me that this dream could become a reality for me.
• Hobbies/Interests: playing violin, partner dancing (swing), baking, Peloton, reading, binging tv shows
• Favorite snack: chocolate covered raisins
• Favorite romcom: Always Be My Maybe

Savannah Soik, DO

Undergraduate: Loyola University Chicago
Medical School: Midwestern University Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine

• Reason I chose Lutheran General Family Medicine: I was initially drawn to Lutheran General’s program due to its longstanding reputation as a Top 100 hospital, and location as I wanted to stay in Chicago close to friends and family. I was thrilled to find it offers full-spectrum personalized training for each resident including a specialized track in Sports Medicine which has always intrigued me. Through the virtual interview process I was able to speak with multiple faculty members with a variety of interests within the specialty and a group of close-knit residents who bonded outside of medicine. Immediately after the interview, I knew this was the place I not only wanted to train for the next three years but would best prepare me to become a successful family physician.
• Hobbies/Interests: watching sports, golfing, reading, board games, puzzles, playing with my dog
• Favorite Candy: Lindor Milk Chocolate Truffles
• Favorite Teams: Green Bay Packers, Chicago Cubs, Dallas Stars

VishnuDivya Velupula, DO

Undergraduate: Illinois Wesleyan University
Medical School: Kansas City University

• Reason I chose Lutheran General Family Medicine: When I did my sub-I on the family medicine service (inpatient), I realized ALGH ticked all the boxes for me in terms of what I was looking for in a residency program. I loved that teaching was prioritized, table rounds were collaborative, residents got a lot of autonomy, and everyone was kind and encouraging. Also, Chicago is not far from where my family members live, so I have easy access to my support system. I am beyond excited to begin this new journey, and I look forward to the personal and professional growth to come.
• Hobbies/Interests: Dancing, reading, trying new restaurants, watching K-dramas
• Favorite Quote: "You are your only limit.”
• Favorite TV Shows: Ozark, The Penthouse, Stranger

Danielle Wales, MD

Undergraduate: University of Notre Dame
Medical School: Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University

• Reason I chose Lutheran General Family Medicine: I was interested in the program after completing many third-year rotations at Lutheran General, and my Family Medicine Sub-I there really sealed the deal. I could say so many positive things about my experience, but I will narrow it down to a few highlights. Everyone on the team worked hard for their patients while also incorporating teaching and (at least) a little fun each day. The faculty encouraged a holistic approach and ensured we were caring for the whole person. Wellness was a genuine priority and it seemed like residents were well-supported in and out of the hospital. After four weeks, I found myself wanting to continue learning in this environment, and I am so lucky to do so for the next three years!
• Hobbies/Interests: Traveling, spending time outdoors, trying new foods (always followed by dessert), watching college football (Go Irish!) as well as the Chicago Bulls and White Sox
• Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Ben and Jerry's Half Baked or anything at Jeni's
• Favorite Movie: School of Rock