Our Residents
2022-2023 Chief Residents:
- Rex Chang, MD
- Ian Smith, MD
First-Year Residents
Sarah Naracon, MD, CLC
Medical School:
Michigan State University, College of Human Medicine
Undergraduate:
BS in Neuroscience, Northern Michigan University, Marquette MI
Why I chose Marquette Family Medicine Residency Program?
The Marquette Family Medicine Residency Program faculty and residents welcomed me with open arms as a medical student, and I felt valued as a member of the healthcare team. I chose the Marquette Family Medicine Residency Program to continue training in my favorite place and serve the wonderful Marquette community to prepare for my future career as rural physician in the UP. Being close to family and raising my babies as Yoopers are the cherries on top of this perfect opportunity!
Professional Interests:
Breastfeeding medicine, maternal and infant wellness, pediatrics
Hobbies/what I do outside of work?
Spending time with my husband (Johnathon) and kids (Josette and Pierson), baking, DIY projects, hiking
Hometown:
Felch, MI
Gabrielle McGrath, MD
Medical School:
Wayne State University, School of Medicine
Undergraduate:
BS in Neuroscience, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Why I chose Marquette Family Medicine Residency Program?
I chose the Marquette Family Medicine Residency Program because it is unopposed, located in the beautiful upper peninsula, and because of the people. The residents, faculty, and staff that I got to know on my interview day were very warm and welcoming. I know training here will expose me to full-spectrum family medicine and allow me to become the well-rounded physician I want to be.
Professional Interests:
Hospice and Palliative Medicine, Geriatrics, Women’s Health, and Breastfeeding Medicine
Hobbies/what I do outside of work?
Outside of work I love to spend time with my son, husband, and two rescue dogs. We love to go for walks, run, mountain bike, read, and play pickleball.
Hometown:
Chelsea, MI
Zachary Greenlee, MD
Medical School:
St George’s University, School of Medicine
Undergraduate:
BS in University Studies, Minor in Chemistry, Brigham Young University, Rexburg, ID
Why I chose Marquette Family Medicine Residency Program?
I chose the Marquette Family Medicine Residency Program for the opportunity to provide care in a wide variety of healthcare settings in a beautiful rural community in an unopposed residency program. I also love spending time in the outdoors, which the UP has plenty of.
Professional Interests:
Acute Care, Inpatient, Emergency and Wilderness Medicine
Hobbies/what I do outside of work?
Outside of work I enjoy HAM radio, reading, mountain bike, downhill ski, fishing, hiking, hunting and general outdoors activities with my wife and daughter.
Hometown:
Turlock, CA
Erin McKenzie, MD
Medical School:
Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
Undergraduate:
BS in Biology, Michigan Technological University, Houghton MI
Why I chose Marquette Family Medicine Residency Program?
I chose the Marquette Family Medicine Residency Program because of the excellent, rural-focused training that is provided to Residents in a beautiful area with unparalleled access to the outdoors. As someone who grew up in the UP, I am passionate about rural healthcare and the unique medical needs our communities face. Training in Marquette allows me to be close to home while learning how to care for the rural population that I hope to serve during my medical career.
Professional Interests:
Geriatrics, Women’s health, rural health.
Hobbies/what I do outside of work?
Outside of work, I enjoy horseback riding, hiking, cross country skiing, skijoring, and hockey. I also enjoy spending time with family and friends!
Hometown:
Hancock, Michigan
Cecil Brown, MD
Medical School:
American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine
Undergraduate:
BS in Biology, Brigham Young University, Rexburg ID
Why I chose Marquette Family Medicine Residency Program?
I chose the program because, here in Marquette, I can grow into the community centered physician I want to be, with a focus on the skills I want to develop. Secondly, some of the recent graduates I interacted with spoke highly of how well prepared they were for practice right out of residency training because of the exposure and skills learned. Thirdly, it is an unopposed program that will allow me to practice full spectrum Family Medicine in a tertiary care center. The opportunity to learn Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine is also a bonus.
Professional Interests:
Full Spectrum Family Medicine, Global Health, Obstetrics, Acute Care
Hobbies/what I do outside of work?
Outside of work I like to spend time with my wife and children, indoors or outdoors. I also enjoy listening to audiobooks (mostly high fantasy), playing table tennis, and watching TV shows.
Hometown:
Accra, Ghana and Columbia, MO
Russell Reeves, MD
Medical School:
Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont
Undergraduate:
BS in Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM and MBA, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
Why I chose Marquette Family Medicine Residency Program?
I chose the Marquette Family Medicine Residency Program for the opportunity to further my interest in family medicine and rural health care, especially because it is an unopposed program. I appreciated the warmness of the faculty I spoke with, and I also am excited to be back in a snowy place.
Professional Interests:
Rural medicine, pain management, mental health
Hobbies/what I do outside of work?
Outside of work I like to cook, bike, and play board and video games with friends.
Hometown:
Santa Rosa, NM
Second-Year 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
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
Andrew Layne, MD
Medical School:
Andrew Layne, MD Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University
Undergraduate:
BA in Biochemistry and Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder
Why I chose Marquette Family Medicine Residency Program?
As an avid outdoorsman, I have always been drawn to rural communities. Practicing and training in a rural area provides unique challenges and an opportunity to provide broad spectrum care where it is needed most. Marquette being an unopposed rural program with a great reputation, I knew my training would be unmatched. The residents and faculty all seemed happy, friendly, and collegial. For these reasons Marquette seemed the perfect place to complete my training in Family Medicine.
Professional Interests:
Hospital Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Wilderness Medicine
Hobbies/what I do outside of work?
Outside of work I love fishing, skiing, backpacking, wildlife photography, gardening, and cooking.
Hometown:
Philadelphia PA
Third-Year Residents
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 plant-based 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
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
Family Medicine Residency
1414 West Fair Ave. Ste. 36
Marquette MI 49855
E-mail: Residency@mghs.org
Phone: 906.449.1120