Current Residents
We have one universal truth at our residency program:
A diverse resident population from a variety of backgrounds provides the best patient care.
If you'd like to know more about our team members' stories, we recommend you interview with us and ask for yourself!
We have residents who have hailed from our own backyards in Michigan to the far corners of the world and we are proud of all of them. Their capacity to care for each other and care for their patients is unsurpassed.
We recruit students based on their unique experiences, clinical acumen, and diversity of thought. We encourage open-minded students to look at programs in the same way. Inclusivity is two-way street!
Class of 2025
Monica Aguilar, MD
My favorite part about being a family medicine physician: I love being a family physician doc because life stays fresh and always changing. I feel like I can make a difference in patients' lives in many different ways and at very different stages of life. It encourages me to stay in the "know" and helps me continue to grow and learn every day.
My hobbies/interests: I love boating and being on the ocean. I love travelling with family and friends, especially in large groups with lots of kids and chaos, love hiking, biking, skiing, being out and about and also enjoy quiet, peaceful time at home with my family.
Why did I pick WSU? I picked WSU because I immediately felt like I clicked with everyone during the interview process. Our program director is very organized and supports our individual passions by tailoring our training to get more experience in what we love. Now that I am here, I am convinced i made the best decision! I love our team, our residents and attendings are the best! Always available to us while allowing us to learn and implement the autonomy we will need beyond this residency.
Alexander Christofis, DO
Wayte DaVill, MD
My favorite part about being a family medicine physician: My favorite aspect of family medicine is that it is a diverse medical specialty that allows me to provide comprehensive and individualized care to my patients.
My hobbies/interests: My hobbies and interests include: being a dog dad, traveling, watching movies, and spending time with my family.
Amaan Dawood, MD
C. Steve Nguyen, MD
My favorite part about being a family medicine physician: My favorite part of FM is the continuity of care.
My hobbies/interests: Spending time with family & friends, traveling, and movies.
Why did I pick WSU? The comradery.
Zainab Rasheed, MD
My favorite part about being a family medicine physician: Being able to develop long term relationships with patients, continuity of care, and the numerous options for practicing in the future.
My hobbies/interests: eating, baking, enjoying nature, reading, and spending time with family and friends.
Why did I pick WSU? The faculty are supportive, the program has a warm welcoming environment and have so much flexibility to explore career paths!
Olivia Schimmel, MD
My favorite part about being a family medicine physician: Establishing and building a relationship with my patients!
My hobbies/interests: Traveling, reading, working out, collecting plants.
Why did I pick WSU? Supportive faculty and residents that I spoke with said they were very happy at this program, which has been my experience thus far.
Asal Yousif, MD
My favorite part about being a family medicine physician: Working with patients of all ages! I also enjoy preventative medicine and chronic disease education and management
My hobbies/interests: Traveling, baking/trying new recipes, and kickboxing
Why did I pick WSU? The FM residency at Wayne state is absolutely amazing! Everyone is so nice and welcoming; you truly feel like you are growing and becoming a better physician on a daily basis. I also attended WSU for my undergrad, and I am very happy to be back at WSU. Go warriors!
Class of 2026
Leen Alrashed, MD
My favorite part about being a family medicine physician: I like being a family medicine physician because of the close relationships that I can develop with my patients, as well as the opportunity to practise broad spectrum medicine.
My hobbies/interests: Baking, knitting, hiking, and spending time outdoors
Why did I pick WSU? I picked WSU because the program seemed very supportive, the diverse culture in the metro-Detroit area, and the ability to partake in community medicine opportunities with the urban track.
Kanika Bhatara, MD
My favorite part about being a family medicine physician: My favorite part about being a family medicine physician is the privilege of working with individuals from diverse backgrounds, addressing a wide spectrum of health concerns, from common colds to complex conditions like cancer, allowing me to witness the resilience and strength of the human spirit in every patient I meet.
My hobbies/interests: Outside the hospital, I enjoy going to cafes, hang out with my family and friends, acrylic painting, and indulge in the enchanting world of Harry Potter once in a while.
Why did I pick WSU? I chose WSU because of the strong connection I felt with the faculty and residents during my interview and meet-and-greet. This family medicine program had everything I was looking for, and above all, it offered a group of people with whom I instantly felt a deep connection. Being Canadian, its proximity to Ontario was an added bonus.
Oladipupo Dhinbo, MD
Simon Galkin, MD 
My favorite part about being a family medicine physician: Favourite part of FM is the continuity of care, diversity of both patients and pathologies that you see, and being able to form trusting relationships with patients and teach them about all the ways to improve long-term health and prevent chronic diseases.
My hobbies/interests: Outside of medicine I love spending time with my family and friends, going for hikes in local parks/trails, playing pick-up sports, or getting lost in a binge-worthy fiction book or TV show.
Why did I pick WSU? I picked WSU mainly because of the amazing experience I had on my interview day, where I could tell just from talking with both the faculty and residents how everyone truly supports and respects each other here. It makes for a very good training environment because while you are given room to grow as a resident, you never feel like you’re alone and the faculty/co-residents are always happy to help with questions or concerns. On a side not, the location was also perfect because its (relatively) close to my home in Canada and feels familiar!
Hardeep Garcha, MD
My favorite part about being a family medicine physician: Delivering comprehensive and preventative care while nurturing both the physical and mental well-being of individuals, and being a champion of social justice.
My hobbies/interests: Basketball, whether playing or watching, alongside regular exercising and meditation, and tasting cuisine from varying cultures.
Why did I pick WSU? My choice for this institution is directly due to the blend of comprehensive expertise and approachability of our dedicated staff.
Brandelyn Kelly, MD
My favorite part about being a family medicine physician: I love getting to know patients and their families and creating meaningful relationships with them, so they have someone they trust with their care.
Inaam Mohammed, MD
Saboria Thomas, MD
My favorite part about being a family medicine physician: My favorite part about being a family medicine physician is advocating for my patients, promoting sustainable lifestyle changes and encouraging the people that I encounter.
My hobbies/interests: Working out, hiking, traveling, watching Apple TV, going to church
Why did I pick WSU? Wayne State best aligns with my desire to immerse myself in a marginalized community, where I can adequately address disparities in healthcare, from a primary care level. I was particularly interested in joining the Urban Track, with hopes of learning more about HIV and Street medicine, and how I can be an effective leader for different populations. HIV outreach/education is a passion of mine, and I’m excited to continue pursuing my interests in residency. My interests and experiences complement the program’s mission, and we share the same commitment to health equity and under resourced communities.
Marcus Wong, MD
My favorite part about being a family medicine physician:Favorite part about being a family medicine physician: Continuity of care and developing long-term relationships, while always learning something new from shared client stories.
My hobbies/interests: playing & composing music, community outreach, tree-top trekking
Why did I pick WSU? WSU is reputable for cultivating higher caliber physicians and advocating for the community. Faculty and staff are hands down amazing!
Class of 2027
Uddampreet Arora, DO
Jasmine Aulakh, MD
My favorite part about being a family medicine physician: Everyday is a new challenge that I get to face while making a positive impact in people’s lives.
My hobbies/interests: I love DIY projects especially when it comes to decorating for the holidays. I enjoy spending time with my family and friends.
Why did I pick WSU? I get to practice medicine and do what I love while still being close to home.
Sara Dervishi, DO
Jodi Hastings, MD
My favorite part about being a family medicine physician: Being able to form meaningful connections with patients and treating them through the many phases of their life, what a honor and privilege!
My hobbies/interests: I love to travel with my mom, particularly to learn about the animals and botany of the country visited. My favorite interest is traveling to the continent of Africa and going on Safari game drives, as I am a lover of wild animal photography.
Why did I pick WSU? My medical school advisor is a WSU alumni and always spoke so highly of her experience at the program. When I had the opportunity to meet the residents and program staff in person, I came to realize quickly that this program would be the perfect fit for me as a budding physician!
Mujeebulla Hussaini, MD
My favorite part about being a family medicine physician: I love being able to care for patients of all ages.
My hobbies/interests: Spending time with loved ones, movies, the UFC, restaurants, sightseeing, weight training
Why did I pick WSU? Residents describing their fulfillment with the program as well as the friendly atmosphere.
Candis Jarbo, DO
My favorite part about being a family medicine physician: My favorite part of being a family medicine physician is being exposed to a variety of medical cases, which not only allows me to treat patients of all ages but also enables me to continually learn and grow with my patients.
My hobbies/interests: Anything involving staying active! I love hiking, cycling, and weight training. I’m also a huge foodie and can never say no to a good meal!
Why did I pick WSU? Born and raised in Metro Detroit, I chose WSU to be able to serve the community I grew up in. The faculty and hospital are amazing, and I look forward to building strong relationships with fellow providers while contributing to the health and well-being of the area I know and love.
Niloufar Maktabijahromi, MD
Boondarik Phuengsomboonying, MD
My favorite part about being a family medicine physician: being able to take care of everyone. from men, women, kids to everyone in between.
My hobbies/interests: I love traveling & chasing waterfalls, reading for fun, relaxing, drinking boba teas (without the boba), hanging out with friends, & going to music festivals.
Why did I pick WSU? I could tell even before my interview how much the program appreciates and supports their residents. It was during the interview where i felt drawn by how much the residents loved being here!
Jacob Rubin, MD
My favorite part about being a family medicine physician: With continuity of care being a major aspect of the specialty, I feel like family medicine allows me to form meaningful relationships with my patients and allow me to treat them to the best of my ability.
My hobbies/interests: Soccer, working out, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.
Why did I pick WSU? Everyone at the program is so nice and welcoming! The program has everything I would want in a residency while also making me feel like I am at home.
Yousif Slim, MD
My favorite part about being a family medicine physician: The opportunity to build long-term relationships and establish continuity of care is my favorite thing about being a family medicine physician. This not only allows me to collaborate closely with patients on their health but continues to serve as a reliable source of support and optimism during their times of need.
My hobbies/interests:In my free time, I love a mixed range of activities such as basketball, working out, running, exploring different cuisines, playing video games, spending quality time with my cats, and embarking on travel adventures across the globe.
Why did I pick WSU? As a native of Michigan, I was drawn to the opportunity to serve and contribute to the same state I call home. Additionally, the Rochester area's community experiences further solidified my decision, promising a fulfilling atmosphere for professional growth and personal connection.