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Get to know our residents
Our residents are a diverse group that come from a variety of backgrounds and have unique experiences and interests. We look forward to getting to know you as well!
Class of 2026
Zain Alajjouri, MD
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Medical School: Chicago Medical School - Rosalind Franklin University
What excites you about your residency/fellowship at Corewell Health? I am excited about my residency at Corewell Health in West Michigan because of the strong family atmosphere, the diverse pathology and patient population in Grand Rapids and the friendly and supportive culture fostered by the faculty, staff and senior residents.
Clinical Interests: I am interested in trauma and critical care.
Hobbies: I enjoy weightlifting, sports and day trading.
Brode Breuker, MD
Hometown: Fremont, MI
Medical School: Wayne State University School of Medicine
What excites you about your residency/fellowship at Corewell Health? I am excited to provide high-level care to the surrounding communities. I am looking forward to community outreach opportunities.
Clinical Interests: I am interested in rural emergency medicine and wilderness medicine.
Hobbies: My hobbies include fishing, hunting, cooking, cooking and farming.
Bradley Buska, MD
Hometown: Saginaw, MI
Medical School: Central Michigan University College of Medicine
What excites you about your residency/fellowship at Corewell Health? The high acuity and high volume of patients at Corewell Health in West Michigan makes it a great place to receive exceptional training. I am excited to hit the ground running and learn as much as I can.
Clinical Interests: My clinical interests within emergency medicine are medical education, ultrasound and toxicology.
Hobbies: I enjoy biking, hiking, camping, video games and spending time with my family and friends.
Lyanette Irizarry, MD
Hometown: Ponce, Puerto Rico
Medical School: Ross University School of Medicine
What excites you about your residency/fellowship at Corewell Health? I am eager to work alongside a program that believes in creating a culture where trainees are valued and reminded they are fully adequate and supported. This program offers a high-acuity patient population to learn from and an outstanding teaching faculty who genuinely want to see you succeed. I am excited to practice in an area such as this geographic location where I can connect with many Hispanic patients. As a Spanish speaker, I can relate to and help the Hispanic population in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Clinical Interests: My clinical interests are ultrasound and toxicology.
Hobbies: I like to go to the beach, search for places to rent kayaks and do indoor rock climbing. I love to bake desserts and go shopping and I enjoy going out for Salsa dancing and spending quality time with friends playing board games.
Emma Lindemann, MD
Hometown: Holland, MI
Medical School: American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine
What excites you about your residency/fellowship at Corewell Health? There are so many aspects of residency at Corewell Health in West Michigan that excite me! I am thrilled to be at a level 1 trauma center with high patient volumes, diverse pathologies, and a longitudinal pediatric experience! Additionally, being able to serve the community I grew up in is a major bonus!
Clinical Interests: My clinical interests are in international and disaster medicine.
Hobbies: My hobbies are traveling, riding my peloton, going to the beach as often as possible, binging the latest true crime documentary or podcast and exploring Grand Rapids with my husband and our perfect Golden Retriever, Chandler Bing!
Kyle Lipa, DO
Hometown: Elkhart, IN
Medical School: Kansas City University
What excites you about your residency/fellowship at Corewell Health? I am looking forward to working at a level 1 trauma center with an extremely busy emergency department. Training here will also allow me to have longitudinal exposure to pediatric patients through their pediatric emergency department. Being here also allows me to be close to home and able to see my family much more.
Clinical Interests: I am interested in pediatric emergency medicine. It was one aspect of the program that drew me here. With the pediatric emergency department being directly connected it allows me to have longitudinal exposure to pediatric patients throughout my three years here.
Hobbies: I love being out on the water, hiking and exploring new trails and golfing. My fiancé and I also enjoy trying new restaurants and Grand Rapids is a great place to do all of these.
Nina Lund, MD PhD
Hometown: Calgary, Canada
Medical School: Northwestern University
What excites you about your residency/fellowship at Corewell Health? I feel fortunate to join the program in emergency medicine at Corewell Health in West Michigan, particularly given the thoughtful program leadership and large catchment area served by Butterworth and HDVCH, promising depth and breadth of training experience.
Clinical Interests: My clinical interests include emergency department-based public health interventions for infection control and immune dysregulation in the setting of shock.
Hobbies: I enjoy spending time with my family and friends at home, outdoors and traveling to locales both near and far.
Darian Mills, MD
Hometown: Lansing, MI
Medical School: Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
What excites you about your residency/fellowship at Corewell Health? Between the patient volume, the exposure to high-acuity cases and the opportunity to take care of pediatric patients, the training here is top-notch. Not only that, but I'm also excited to practice emergency medicine in a city that I call home. It's an enormous privilege to care for the members of the community, here in Grand Rapids.
Clinical Interests: My clinical interests include ultrasound, public health and health policy.
Hobbies: As a husband and father of two boys, I enjoy spending time with my family as much as I can. Trips to the park, zoo or beach are abundant in the summer. Outside of time with family, I like sports, watching movies and playing video games.
Raydeer Piromari, DO
Hometown: Grand Rapids, MI
Medical School: Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine
What excites you about your residency/fellowship at Corewell Health? I am excited about my emergency medicine residency not only because of the phenomenal training experience, but also because I have the chance to serve the community in which I was raised. Being from the area, I recognize that Corewell Health in West Michigan offers a vast array of opportunities that will fully prepare me as an aspiring emergency medicine physician. Through the interview process, it was clear that this program emphasizes a strong culture prioritizing their residents' overall wellness. I am looking forward to spending the next 3 years at a welcoming program that will help me become a well-rounded emergency medicine physician.
Clinical Interests: My clinical interests are in critical care, ultrasound and toxicology.
Hobbies: My hobbies include playing and watching basketball (Go Green!), exercising, exploring nature through hikes and traveling. I also deem myself an amateur food critic and am looking forward to trying the cuisines Grand Rapids has to offer!
G. David Porter, MD
Hometown: Flatwoods, KY
Medical School: University of Louisville School of Medicine
What excites you about your residency/fellowship at Corewell Health? I am excited to train at a program with both adult and pediatric level I trauma centers, a high patient volume and exposure to a wide variety of medical conditions. I am thrilled to be part of an organization which emphasizes the success and well-being of its residents. Additionally, I am excited to be living in Grand Rapids. The city is beautiful, the people are friendly and there is so much to do!
Clinical Interests: My clinical interests include ultrasonography, emergency medical services and medical education.
Hobbies: As a husband and father of two, my favorite hobbies are things I can enjoy doing with my family. I love camping, hiking, fishing and cars! I also love spending time at the John Ball Zoo, exploring the various parks around Grand Rapids and relaxing on the beach by Lake Michigan!
Emma Syrek, DO
Hometown: Williamston, MI
Medical School: Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
What excites you about your residency/fellowship at Corewell Health? I am looking forward to the large diversity of pathology and patients seen at Corewell Health West and how much time is spent with the pediatric population through the emergency department at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital throughout all three years. I am also very excited about the culture of the Emergency Medicine program; it's very welcoming, encouraging, friendly, and loud!
Clinical Interests: My clinical interests are medical resuscitation, critical care, and pediatric emergency medicine.
Hobbies: My hobbies include reading, painting, quoting The Office and Brooklyn Nine-Nine, playing with my crazy dogs and spending time with family. My husband and I love renovating our home, trying new food and spending time outdoors, whether that's swimming, kayaking, hiking or downhill skiing, we love to do it all!
Class of 2025
Alexander Clegg, MD
Hometown: Ada, MI
Medical school: University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
Why did you choose Spectrum Health for your residency/fellowship? I chose Spectrum Health because of the general family feel the residency program had. From the virtual social hour, through the first 4 months of residency, this program clearly has authentic faculty and residents. It's an excellent 3-year program in my hometown and close to Lake Michigan - one of my favorite spots!
What are your clinical interests? I mostly enjoy the day-to-day work, but I also enjoy Clinical Informatics.
Hobbies: I enjoy getting outside, hiking, skiing, sports, sailing, exploring different restaurants and coffee shops, and enjoy all the four seasons that Michigan has to offer!
Andrew Coleman, DO
Hometown: Spokane, WA
Medical school: Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences
Why did you choose Spectrum Health for your residency/fellowship? I rotated at Spectrum as a medical student which reaffirmed that I wanted to train at Spectrum for residency. It is the perfect blend of high volume and acuity with very strong pediatric exposure, given the tertiary pediatric hospital that we rotate through every EM block. Every program says their residents and faculty are the best; that holds true here, but more than that, even the non-core faculty are engaged in teaching and developing you to be the best EM physician possible.
What are your clinical interests? Medical education, medical resuscitation and critical care medicine.
Hobbies: All things outdoors. You can find me running, biking and exploring the beautiful trails and scenery that Grand Rapids has to offer.
A. Mandy Dean, DO
Hometown: Clinton Township, MI
Medical school: Oklahoma State University
Why did you choose Spectrum Health for your residency/fellowship? I knew I would be challenged and see a lot of critical patients. After training here for three years, I knew I would be very well prepared to handle anything I may see as an attending. It was an added bonus to be closer to my family too.
What are your clinical interests? Emergency medicine.
Hobbies: Cooking, volleyball, hiking and spending time with my husband and dog.
Nathan DeBruine, MD
Hometown: Greenville, MI
Medical school: Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
Why did you choose Spectrum Health for your residency/fellowship? I worked here as a medical scribe during undergrad and really enjoyed working with all the providers. I also loved my rotations here during medical school because all the residents and attendings were super friendly and invested in teaching. It really felt like home and just happened to have everything I was looking for in a program, being community-based, but university-affiliated with a level 1 trauma center, plenty of high acuity patients, and a culture that supports work-life balance. Plus, I get the bonus of living in an awesome city close to friends and family!
What are your clinical interests? I am particularly interested in international medicine, ultrasound and medical education.
Hobbies: I love running, biking, playing soccer and volleyball and even heading down under for some scuba diving! You'll always find me with my camera too. If I'm not outside, I'm playing piano, organ or trying to learn my guitar.
M. Jared Foster, DO
Hometown: Mesa, AZ
Medical school: Des Moines University
Why did you choose Spectrum Health for your residency/fellowship? I was lucky enough to rotate at Spectrum Health for a month. While I was here, I was welcomed as one of their own and immediately felt at home. In addition to that, being able to work in both a Level 1 adult and pediatric trauma center as much as we do is a great way to get tons of exposure to a variety of patients.
What are your clinical interests? Currently, I am most interested in Emergency Medical Services. Other fellowships that I am interested in learning about are Toxicology and Sports Medicine.
Hobbies: I have two kids, so my hobbies definitely revolve around spending time with them and finding fun activities to do. Once my kids go to bed however, I enjoy playing video games, basketball, pickleball, and spending time with my wife.
Mason Gay, MD
Hometown: Vincennes, IN
Medical school: Indiana University School of Medicine
Why did you choose Spectrum Health for your residency/fellowship? I chose Spectrum Health for a number of reasons including high patient volume, strong clinical exposure to both adults and pediatrics, established program with a great reputation and good vibes from all the faculty and residents I interacted with on interview day.
What are your clinical interests? I'm interested in practicing in rural or community emergency medicine.
Hobbies: I enjoy spending my free time running, lifting, playing basketball, following my favorite sports teams, watching movies/tv and going to coffee shops.
Jessica Jawahir, MD
Hometown: Holland, MI
Medical school: Michigan State College of Human Medicine
Why did you choose Spectrum Health for your residency/fellowship? I chose Spectrum Health because it is important to me to be able to continue to learn and care for the community I was raised in. The program here made it clear it is a priority to support their residents wellness during such a demanding time in our training. I knew the high volume, diverse pathology and longitudinal pediatric exposure would facilitate significant learning opportunities and prepare me for my future career. The program supports exploration of niche interests in emergency medicine and is excited to help connect you to opportunities within those interests.
What are your clinical interests? I am interested in public health and advocacy as well as medical education. I am excited to explore my opportunities to increase my exposure to these topics during residency.
Hobbies: I enjoy spending my free time playing with my dog, Pizza (and yes, Pizza loves to eat pizza). My husband and I enjoy traveling, hiking and cooking together. When not cooking together, we enjoy eating out and exploring Grand Rapids - there is always new spots to discover!
Michael Melbardis, DO
Hometown: Fishers, IN
Medical school: Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Why did you choose Spectrum Health for your residency/fellowship? I had great interactions with faculty and residents during my interview day and it was evident the residents worked well together. The program has lots to offer, including working in a busy level 1 trauma center, a longitudinal approach to pediatrics and a supportive faculty dedicated to resident education and well-being.
What are your clinical interests? My clinical interests include community medicine and critical care.
Hobbies: I enjoy playing and listening to music. I was actually a music major in college with a focus on jazz piano. I am also trying to improve my golf game.
Class of 2024
Farjana Alam, MD
Hometown: Hamtramck, MI
Medical school: Northeast Ohio Medical University
Why did you choose Spectrum Health for your residency/fellowship? I was very impressed by the vast list of resources and expertise all in one institution. Spectrum Health is home to immense research and advanced technology that serves as vital assets to a resident's education.
What are your clinical interests? I am interested critical care, women's health and obstetrical emergencies.
Hobbies: I enjoy spending time with my family, visiting state parks, True Crime documentaries and Crime shows, Henna Art, eating ethnic Bengali food and Bollywood music.
Mark Brombacher, MD
Hometown: Jamestown, NY
Medical school: New York Medical College
Why did you choose Spectrum Health for your residency/fellowship? Spectrum Health was on my radar from the beginning since my wife's family lives in the area. I was so excited on interview day when it became apparent that this was my place. It was immediately clear how much the program director cared about residents, how close they all were and what a world class organization Spectrum Health is. The perfect blend of training in an environment that I felt matched my core values, I'm so excited to be at Spectrum Health!
What are your clinical interests? My clinical interests revolve around department administration/operations, critical care and ultrasound.
Hobbies: Since the birth of my son, my hobbies tend to take a back seat. However, he's been a great subject for my photography and my wife and I enjoy taking him out to explore the many parks and restaurants that Grand Rapids has to offer!
Elexus-Ember Carroll, DO
Hometown: Merrillville, IN
Medical school: Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine
Why did you choose Spectrum Health for your residency/fellowship? I really love the hybrid feel of the program; it's a perfect mix of community and academic settings. I was drawn to the high volume and complexity of patients. More importantly, during my rotation, every attending physician made me feel valued as a student making it one of my top choices for training.
What are your clinical interests? My main clinical interests are preventative medicine and pain management but critical care, undersea/hyperbaric and event medicine are cool too.
Hobbies: On a typical day, I usually enjoy reading comics or cooking new recipes. If I have extra time off I enjoy reading romance books, sewing, learning about medicinal herbs, exploring new museums and going to the beach.
Bradley Emmerich, MD
Hometown: Madison, WI
Medical School: University of Missouri School of Medicine
Why did you choose Spectrum Health for your residency/fellowship? I chose Spectrum Health for the combined focus of providing great training and intentionality toward resident well-being. The high acuity and volume provide a robust clinical exposure while the schedule allows ample opportunity for decompression. Very few programs execute this balance well and it is evident we are well-supported by our leadership
What are your clinical interests? My clinical interests are emergency medical services, wilderness medicine and critical care.
Hobbies: I enjoy camping, hiking, fishing, road trips, DIY projects and trying local restaurants.
Padideh Ghorbani, MD
Hometown: Silver Spring, MD
Medical school: Eastern Virginia Medical School
Why did you choose Spectrum Health for your residency/fellowship? Spectrum Health checked off all the features I was looking for in a program that would provide top-level training in emergency medicine. They also have amazing respect for their community and their peers. Not to mention, the program director, Dr. Jason Seamon, takes incredible care of his residents. It feels like home before you even step foot in the hospital.
What are your clinical interests? Just starting off my journey in emergency medicine, I am still not entirely sure where it will take me. But part of what drew me to this field was the opportunity to manage a wide range of patient care, particularly in the setting of high acuity trauma.
Hobbies: I enjoy cooking, horseback riding, meditation, yoga, travel and reading.
Mary Gipson, MD
Hometown: Belmont, MI
Medical school: Central Michigan University College of Medicine
Why did you choose Spectrum Health for your residency/fellowship? I am excited to be at a Level 1 Trauma Center with a large patient flow and diverse cases. I love that Spectrum Health specifically offers a strong pediatrics curriculum and prioritizes educational opportunities throughout residency. I was born and raised in the greater Grand Rapids area and am excited to be back in the area!
What are your clinical interests? My clinical passions include managing mental health crises and health care disparities.
Hobbies: I love outdoor adventures, especially beach days with abundant sunscreen (Lake Michigan is unbeatable!). I am passionate about playing basketball, crafting and drinking coffee, and I enjoy spending lots of time with my nieces and nephews!
Jamie Katuna, DO, MPH
Hometown: Longmont, CO
Medical school: Touro University California College of Osteopathic Medicine
Why did you choose Spectrum Health for your residency/fellowship? I did a rotation here during MS4 year and almost immediately knew this is where I wanted to be. The 1:1 teaching from each attending, the encouraging and awesome residents and the overall culture of the program were all truly amazing. Plus, Grand Rapids has so much to offer! The whole experience made me want to come here.
What are your clinical interests? In the emergency medicine realm, I'm interested in clinical research and toxicology. With a public health degree, I'm also interested in preventive medicine–particularly using nutrition to combat chronic metabolic diseases.
Hobbies: I enjoy trail running, reading, horseback-riding and hanging out with my German shorthaired pointer.
Ryan Pitney, MD
Hometown: Green Bay, WI
Medical school: Medical College of Wisconsin
Why did you choose Spectrum Health for your residency/fellowship? I chose Spectrum Health for its excellent reputation in the clinical training of emergency medicine physicians and to work with the amazing people I met during my interviews. Plus, Grand Rapids is a great city and there are some awesome outdoor spaces to explore along Lake Michigan.
What are your clinical interests? My interests within emergency medicine include critical care and EMS.
Hobbies: I enjoy a casual round of golf, basketball, hiking, camping and watching sports, among other things. By the end of my training, I hope to try every sushi restaurant in town!
Julie J. Vanderberg, MD
Hometown: Grand Haven, MI
Medical school: University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville
Why did you choose Spectrum Health for your residency/fellowship? Having grown up in West Michigan, returning to the area was a big draw for me. I also appreciate that the emergency medicine program is well-established with professional and kind leadership and residents.
What are your clinical interests? I am particularly interested in premedical education. I also enjoy taking care of pediatric patients.
Hobbies: I enjoy rollerblading, reading, watching movies, playing music and spending time with family!
Jason Wanamaker, MD
Hometown: Toledo, OH
Medical school: The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences
Why did you choose Spectrum Health for your residency/fellowship? I really enjoyed everyone I spoke with about the program and Grand Rapids seemed like the perfect place to start the next part of my life!
What are your clinical interests? I am drawn to analyzing socioeconomic disparities in healthcare and how care for individuals belonging to marginalized populations can be improved.
Hobbies: I love to stay active in any way that I can, especially playing basketball! I enjoy watching movies (especially Marvel), listening to audiobooks and learning new things.