Our Residents

Jesse Krikorian, MD

Medical School:
Cooper Medical School of Rowan University


Undergraduate:
BS in Engineering, Minor in Religion, Swarthmore College

Why I chose Marquette Family Medicine Residency Program:
I chose Marquette because I really liked the people. The residents were friendly and genuine, and they had good relationships with their faculty, who are themselves dedicated to teaching their residents. I knew I wanted an unopposed, full-spectrum program that would give me rural experience as well as the opportunity to pursue my own interests. The natural beauty of the location, snowy winters, and annual sled dog race are just a bonus!

Professional Interests:
Trauma-informed care, LGBT health, addiction, and advocacy

Hobbies/what I do outside of work:
Outdoors, I love to hike, trail run, kayak, and camp. I’m looking forward to learning to cross-country ski and snowshoe too! Indoors, I like to read, make things, or just chill with my cat.

Hometown:
Tampa, FL and Philadelphia, PA

Frank Sagato, MD

Medical School: 
St. George’s School of Medicine

Undergraduate:
BS in Biology from William Paterson University

Why I chose Marquette Family Medicine Residency Program:
I chose the Marquette Family Medicine Residency Program for the opportunity to train in an unopposed residency program in the rural upper peninsula of Michigan. Their education program is a dedicated team grounded in the clinical principles of medicine, allowing me to develop a solid foundation to diagnose and manage patients accurately. Additionally, their program offers exposure to various clinical care settings and access to their tertiary care center. Having a residency with these experiences will provide hands-on training to excel in any fellowship and beyond.

Professional Interests: 
Pain management, emergency, and preventative medicine

Hobbies/Interests outside of work:
Outside of residency, I spend time with my family enjoying snowboarding, surfing, hiking, and traveling Michigan’s upper peninsula.

Hometown:
Montclair, New Jersey

Ian Smith, MD

Medical School:
American University of the Caribbean

Undergraduate:
BS in Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina

Why I chose Marquette Family Medicine Residency Program:
The Marquette Family Medicine Program is well established, unopposed, and serves a rural population. The faculty will provide support and well-rounded training that will allow me to pursue any professional interests. Additionally, the location and outdoor recreational opportunities will offer a great backdrop to maintain a work-life balance.

Professional Interests:
Lifestyle medicine, Inpatient, Emergency medicine, Wilderness medicine

Hobbies/what I do outside of work:
I like to run and go to the gym. I enjoy golf, snowboarding, kayaking, and anything outdoors to keep me active. I love live music, traveling, and spending time with family & friends.

Hometown:
Virginia Beach, VA

The "Tay" Tran, MD

Medical School:
American University of the Caribbean, School of Medicine

Undergraduate:
BS in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, BA in Psychology, University of California Davis

Why I chose Marquette Family Medicine Residency Program:
I was immediately impressed with the program’s exceptional training environment and culture, with the full-spectrum learning opportunities, faculty mentorship, and resident support. I got the sense that Marquette was where I could become the holistic physician that I was striving towards becoming. Also, the chance to live and work in beautiful Marquette was a fantastic bonus!

Professional Interests:
Integrative Medicine, Behavioral Health, LGBTQ+ Health

Hobbies/what I do outside of work:
Outside of work I enjoy testing out new recipes in the kitchen, exploring museums and parks, indoor rock climbing, traveling, trying new restaurants, and spending time with my pets and loved ones.

Hometown:
San Jose, CA and Kansas City, MO

Kristi Wegener, MD

Medical School: 
Michigan State University College of Human Medicine

Undergraduate:
BS in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience, University of Michigan

Why I chose Marquette Family Medicine Residency Program:
I chose the Marquette Family Medicine Residency Program because it is both a tertiary care center located in a rural area that will allow me to learn and develop the skills necessary to be a well-rounded physician trained in full-spectrum family medicine and because of the location. I love all the outdoor activities that Marquette has to offer that I can take advantage of when I am not working. Getting to spend time at the MSU-CHM UP Campus during my fourth year showed me how fantastic the residents and faculty are here and I knew that this program felt like home to me.

Professional Interests: 
Women's health, mental health, lifestyle medicine

Hobbies/Interests outside of work:
I like to hike, mountain bike, cross-country ski, camp, cook, and bake sourdough bread.

Hometown:
Bay City, MI

Aaron Wu, DO

Medical School: 
Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine – Parker

Undergraduate:
BA in Microbiology, University of Hawaii at Manoa

Why I chose Marquette Family Medicine Residency Program:
I chose Marquette for the opportunity to work with faculty who are confident, welcoming and passionate. A few of my closest friends are from Michigan and it is an honor to boost wellness in a community I feel connected to. Plus, what is not to like about the Upper Peninsula?

Professional Interests: 
Nutrition, sports medicine, sleep, dermatology, psychiatry

Hobbies/Interests outside of work:
I temper my fascination of physics with sports performance, particularly by surfing, swimming, lifting weights, and hiking. You can find me at a local fitness center socializing and learning from others about their personal art of fitness and wellness. Once a month, I enjoy shopping in attempt to capture the current state of market trends. I also adore cooking and sharing meals with friends and family on a regular basis. Oh, and If you enjoy music, stop by to listen to me play the violin!

Hometown:
San Francisco, CA

Rex Chang, MD

Medical School:
Ross University School of Medicine

Undergraduate:
BS in Biological Science, University of California, Irvine

Why I chose Marquette Family Medicine Residency Program?
I  chose Marquette Family Medicine Residency Program because I challenge myself to be the best physician I can possibly become and training at an unopposed residency program can help me achieve this goal. The flexibility of the program will allow me to tailor my professional and personal interests. There is also a sense of enchantment in a rural community and I look forward to serving the area to the best of my abilities.

Professional Interests: 
Academics, Public Health Policy, Preventative Medicine

Hobbies/what I do outside of work? 
Outside of work I like to play basketball, tennis, and go running, each with a personal goal attached: I plan to visit all 29 NBA arenas; I plan to go to all 4 grand slam tournaments; and I plan to eventually run a marathon. I also enjoy local and international travel and exploration. 

Hometown
Redondo Beach, CA

Chelsea Crouch, DO

Medical School: 
A.T. Still University - KCOM

Undergraduate:
BS in Biology, Florida State University

Why I chose Marquette Family Medicine Residency Program?
I chose the Marquette Family Residency Program because I wanted to pursue an unopposed residency that focuses on training their physicians to be knowledgeable across a broad range of specialties. Having interviewed across the midwest, I was extremely impressed by the quality of training the residents received, and their wide range of expertise. The level of respect and support within the health system and throughout the community also stood out as a true differentiator. Having grown up in the Upper Peninsula, coming back to beautiful Marquette just felt like home. 

Professional Interests: 
Patient advocacy, internal medicine, neurology

Hobbies/what I do outside of work? 
Anything athletic, my favorites are basketball and snowboarding. I love being outdoors, camping, and gardening. I’m also a fan of staying inside cooking, reading, and playing video games.

Hometown
Ishpeming, MI and Tallahassee, FL

Evan Loukusa, MD

Medical School: 
University of Minnesota Medical School

Undergraduate: 
BA Physiology, Finnish Minor; University of Minnesota

Why I chose Marquette Family Medicine Residency Program?
I chose Marquette Family Medicine because of its location and the people. Regarding location, it is close to my wife’s family, it is situated in the beautiful UP landscape on Lake Superior, and it is housed in a regional unopposed medical center. I spent time on rotation as a medical student with the program and knew that the faculty would be great teachers, mentors, and friends.

Professional Interests: 
Lifestyle medicine including culinary medicine, primary care addiction medicine, mindfulness-based stress reduction, innovative care delivery models

Hobbies/what I do outside of work? 
I love to play beach volleyball. When I can’t find people to play with, I enjoy spending time outdoors with my family, particularly in the hiking/biking/snowshoeing forms. Short of that, I also enjoy reading, cooking, and choral singing.

Hometown
Rogers, Minnesota

Thuy-Chung "TC" Nguyen, MD

Medical School: 
Ross University School of Medicine

Undergraduate:
BS in Biological Sciences, University of California Irvine

Why I chose Marquette Family Medicine Residency Program?
I was initially drawn to the Marquette Family Medicine Residency Program because it was an unopposed program at a tertiary center located in a rural area. Training here would allow me to get the full-spectrum experience with exposure to a diverse array of illnesses. The program also allows residents the freedom to tailor their training and places emphasis on residents' work-life balance. What sealed the deal for me was that the faculties and staffs were genuine and passionate about their work. It truly felt like everyone here was a family. It is a bonus that Marquette is located in the beautiful UP!

Professional Interests: 
Academics, Preventative Medicine, Disaster medicine

Hobbies/what I do outside of work? 
Learning new cooking recipes, watching Asian miniseries (Korean and Chinese dramas), and exploring different cultures through food and travel (locally and abroad)

Hometown
Santa Ana, California

Julian Savu, MD

Medical School: 
Ross University School of Medicine

Undergraduate:
BS in Mathematics, Portland State University

Why I chose Marquette Family Medicine Residency Program?
From the moment I set foot in Marquette I knew this would be my place.  It would be the place where I would train in an unopposed, rigorous program, surrounded by wonderful people in a setting of exquisite natural beauty that reminds me a lot of my hometown.

Professional Interests: 
Hospital medicine, pediatrics, acute care, dermatology

Hobbies/what I do outside of work? 
Outside of work I enjoy exploring the outdoors, exercising, reading, cooking and most important, spending time with my wife.

Hometown
Portland, OR

Elizabeth Tuma, MD

Medical School:
Michigan State University College of Human Medicine

Undergraduate:
BA in Public Policy, Albion College
MPH in Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan

Why I chose Marquette Family Medicine Residency Program?
I chose this residency program because Marquette is home and my favorite place. Equally as important in my decision were the down-to-earth, community-minded Residents and Attendings that I got to know while a medical student at the MSUCHM UP Campus. Because the program is unopposed and located in a rural area, I felt that it would prepare me to be a well-rounded physician.

Professional Interests:
Substance use disorders, mental health, geriatric medicine, public health

Hobbies/what I do outside of work?
Trail running, mountain biking, spending time with my family/friends/pets

Hometown
Marquette, MI

Maria Barreras, MD

Medical School: 
American University of the Caribbean, School of Medicine

Undergraduate:
BS in Biological Sciences, University of California Irvine

Why I chose Marquette Family Medicine Residency Program?
I chose the Marquette Family Medicine Residency Program for their support in rural medicine and the opportunity to train/experience health care globally.  Here I have the opportunity to obtain a wide spectrum of training in preparation for future goals.  An unopposed program will allow me to get the most out of my training experiences.  It’s also great that the lake is nearby and there is an abundance of outdoor activities.

Professional Interests: 
Rural medicine, Global Health, Emergency, Sports Medicine, Pediatrics, and Women’s health.

Hobbies/Interests outside of work?
Outside of medicine, I like to cook/bake, swim, surf and snowboard.

Hometown:
Daly City, CA

Brianna Cadigan, DO

Medical School: 
A.T. Still University- Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine

Undergraduate:
BS in Zoology, Michigan State University

Why I chose Marquette Family Medicine
Residency Program?
Marquette Family Medicine Residency Program was my top choice after rotating here as a 4^th year student, which was by far my favorite month of medical school. I have always wanted to live in the Upper Peninsula, and the opportunities that come with an unopposed program in a rural setting were exactly what I was looking for. Most importantly, every physician and staff member I worked with was passionate about their work. I love family medicine, and I needed to be around people who feel the same as I do.

Professional Interests: 
Osteopathic manipulation, integrative medicine, hospice & palliative care

Hobbies/Interests outside of work?
My favorite hobby is camping. I also enjoy reading, hiking, and tap dancing. I love days spent hanging out with my husband and my cats while planning our next trip to Disneyworld.

Hometown:
Lincoln Park, MI

Natalie Madland, MD

Medical School: 
American University of the Caribbean, School of Medicine

Undergraduate:
BS in Biochemistry, Purdue University

Why I chose Marquette Family Medicine
Residency Program?
The Marquette Family Medicine Residency offered the rural, unopposed program I was looking for. Upon meeting the residents, faculty and staff, and after seeing all Marquette had to offer both inside and outside of the residency program, I was convinced that Marquette is where I needed to be. I also appreciate the opportunity this program offers to modify my own training in order to pursue my personal interests, while working within a tertiary care center.

Professional Interests: 
Preventative Medicine, Integrative Medicine, Rural Medicine, Political Advocacy/Health Policy, Full Spectrum Family Medicine.

Hobbies/Interests outside of work?
I enjoy the outdoors, especially biking, hiking, rock climbing and bouldering, snowboarding, fishing, disc golf, and gardening. I also love cooking, reading and learning more about nutrition, playing piano, and spending time with my husband and our dog.

Hometown:
Portland, OR

Christine Nguyen, MD

Medical School:
American University of the Caribbean SOM

Undergraduate:
BS in Biological Sciences, University of San Francisco

Why I chose Marquette Family Medicine Program:
My ultimate goal is to gain proficiency to practice full spectrum in any community, local to global. I especially would like to dedicate my time in a rural setting to practice community health in a developing country. Marquette Family Medicine Residency emphasizes full spectrum unopposed post-graduate training in a rural setting, which seems perfect for me!

Professional Interests:
Hospital medicine, community health, outreach programs

Hobbies/interests outside of work?
Travel, anything GOT, writing short stories (particularly Sci-Fi), learning to dance, volunteer work, and spending time with family and friends.

Hometown:
Santa Clara, CA

Michael Piggott, DO

Medical School: 
Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine

Undergraduate:
BS in Human Biology, Michigan State University

Why I chose Marquette Family Medicine Residency Program?
I chose the Marquette Family Medicine Residency Program because Marquette is where my wife (Sarah) and I were born and raised and where our families still live. After spending the last 9 years in East Lansing, we are ready to return and fulfill our long-term goal of giving back to the community that has given us so much. The people and the atmosphere in the Marquette Family Medicine program were incomparable to other programs and I am excited for the opportunity to work with all of Marquette’s talented medical professionals. In addition to working within a strong program, Sarah and I look forward to getting back to the great U.P. outdoor surroundings for activities with our dog Poppy.

Professional Interests: 
Sport’s medicine and pediatrics

Hobbies/Interests outside of work?
 My hobbies outside of work include both playing and watching just about all sports, board games and video games, exploring the outdoors by either hiking, kayaking, or biking, and doing this all with my wife, family, and friends.

Hometown:
Marquette, MI

Valerie Taglione, MD

Medical School: 
Michigan State University College of Human Medicine

Undergraduate:
BS in Medical Laboratory Science, Michigan Technological University

Minor in German International Studies

Why I chose Marquette Family Medicine Residency Program?
I chose the Marquette Family Medicine Residency Program due to the unique and exceptional learning opportunities that come with training at an unopposed program at a tertiary care center. I also value the inpatient-heavy and community-based nature of the curriculum.

Professional Interests: 
Inpatient medicine, rural health, pediatrics, geriatrics, acute care

Hobbies/Interests outside of work?
I enjoy outdoor activities such as running, snowboarding, and rollerblading. I also enjoy yoga, baking, and playing music.

Hometown:
Houghton, MI