Letter from the Chiefs
Hello! We are Rikki Koebler and Jason Maddox, the Mercy Family Medicine Chiefs for the 2023-2024 Academic Year. We are so grateful you are interested in learning more about our residents and our program.
Our residency is comprised of 18 residents with 6 in each class, as well as an additional new fourth year Weight & Wellness resident—the only of her kind in the country! These 19 residents comprise a group of hard working individuals with passions that span every area of family medicine. We have residents (and alumni!) who pursue their interest in women’s health, palliative and hospice care, sports medicine, emergency and urgent care, pediatrics, obstetrics, academics, and much more. A majority of our residents take these passions to primary care, but some of our residents go further and pursue fellowships or additional training. Regardless of a resident’s path, our program seeks to support them in their endeavors through ample elective time, knowledgeable faculty and specialists, and the tools to create their own curriculums if the opportunity they seek isn’t already available. Unifying all these passions is a common foundation upon which each of them are built: the clinician’s role in the pursuit of justice for all patients. With a robust social justice continuity curriculum, our residents are ready to be engaged and supportive members of their communities and citizens of the world.
Of course, to balance these pursuits, our residency is further committed to supporting our residents’ mental well-being. Our program goes beyond buzzwords to appreciable change. Through resident Brunch Club, monthly social events, holiday parties, and even a residency-wide Dungeons and Dragons game, there is no shortage of opportunities for residents to come together to relax, unwind, and partake in fellowship. These initiatives and cultural keystones are what strengthens our team, restores our morale, and allows us to be the effective and compassionate family medicine physicians we aspire to be.
And that is where you come in! The torch must be passed and we seek to be a part of your journey to becoming the family medicine physician YOU aspire to be.
So don’t be a stranger, stick around, and just give us a ring (or send us an email) if there is anything we can do to help.
Until we meet again,
Rikki Koebler, DO
Jason Maddox, DO
Meet the Residents
In addition to their diverse clinical interests, our residents are proud of their diverse backgrounds. Our residents hail from a variety of rural and urban areas both in and outside the United States, gifting them with different languages, religious/spiritual practices and perspectives.
First-Year Resident Physicians (PGY1)
Noah Brown, MD - PGY-1
Medical School: University of Missouri-Kansas City
Undergrad: University of Missouri-Kansas City
Hometown: Palmyra, MO
Hobbies/Passions: I am a huge baseball fan, and I am ecstatic to be now living in St. Louis to cheer on my favorite team, the St. Louis Cardinals. During my time in Kanas City, I became a KC Chiefs fan, and I take any opportunity that I have during football season to watch the Chiefs win another Super Bowl. I also love golf and take advantage of every opportunity to play a round with family and friends.
Why Family Medicine: Growing up in rural Missouri, I have seen directly the impact that Family physicians have on their patients and on their community. Upon my acceptance into UMKC’s 6-year BA/MD program after high school, Family Medicine always held a place at the top of my list. This decision did not waiver, and my passion for Family Medicine continued to grow as I learned more and more about the field during my rotations. From the relationships that we have the honor and privilege of establishing with our patients to the expansive scope of practice that we enjoy to the versatility and ability to tailor our career to whatever may interest us, Family Medicine truly is the best field in medicine.
Post-Residency Plans: Continuity is of the utmost importance to me, so my plans are to serve in both the inpatient and outpatient setting, serving as the physician for my patients wherever they need care. I also hope to incorporate my passions for rural medicine and medical education by establishing my practice in rural Missouri with the goal of serving as a preceptor for both medical students and Family Medicine residents.
Emma Gloe, MD - PGY-1
I grew up on a cattle farm in a small town called Hermann, MO. Despite growing up rurally, I managed to journey across the state and back for my education: Mizzou for undergrad, UMKC for medical school, and now back to St. Louis for residency! I came into medical school planning to pursue family medicine, and despite all my other rotations and electives, nothing could change my mind. I love having continuity with patients - getting to monitor their progress and support them in good times and bad. I also love the variety family medicine offers. I’m so excited to continue my journey at a program that values its residents’ well-being and profoundly supports their future goals. My personal goal is to eventually practice outpatient full-spectrum family medicine in a rural area. Outside of medicine I’m passionate about reading, knitting, baking, hiking, and spending quality time with my cat Zoey.
Charles Hill, DO - PGY-1
Medical School: Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine
Undergrad: Missouri University of Science and Technology
Hometown: Imperial, MO
Hobbies/passions:
- Movies
- Cardinals baseball
- Tabletop games
- Bird-watching/bird feeding
- Eating good food
Why family medicine: I left my home state of Missouri to attend medical school in Arizona and I am so happy to have returned as a physician ready to serve this community. It's a great privilege to be trained at Mercy as a family medicine physician. One of my favorite things about being a family medicine physician is establishing the long-term relationships with my patients which allows me help them to accomplish their healthcare goals as a team. I love that as a family medicine physician I can truly see the whole family from newborns to adolescents to adults to end of life care, we handle it all. This broad approach also extends to the amount of variety we see in our field, every day I come to work and know that I will see something that I didn't see yesterday and this consistently sparks my curiosity and encourages lifelong learning in order to bring the best possible care I can to my patients.
I also have specific interests in behavioral health, addiction, chronic disease management, and acute care.
Mason Lee, MD - PGY-1
Medical School: Kansas City University - Joplin
Undergrad: Maryville University of St. Louis
Hometown: Highland, IL
Hobbies/Passions: I love staying busy! I keep myself occupied outside of work with weight training, watching old movies and playing retro video games. My wife and I also love going to new restaurants and trying new foods, so we always appreciate recommendations.
Why Family Medicine: I chose family medicine as my specialty because it allows me to care for all patients regardless of age, sex, or complexity. I find it empowering that I can be of service to so many patients with so many different and unique circumstances.
Post-Residency Plans: Being from the area originally, I aim to stay close to Saint Louis for my future practice. I plan on providing full scope primary care services. I am currently interested in the federally qualified health center model of primary care.
James Michaud, MD - PGY-1
Medical School: Des Moines University
Undergrad: Boston University
Hometown: Oxford, Connecticut
Hobbies/Passions: Golf, Liverpool Football Club, Boston Sports, Hiking and Exploring National Parks, Traveling
Why Family Medicine: In my perfect world, I wanted a field with high patient contact hours in order to build personal, long-term relationships over my career. I wanted a field with variety, as I found myself most engaged in the face of new challenges to tackle. Lastly, I wanted a field that allowed for a solid work-life balance to accommodate my future family. Family medicine immediately stood out to me as a profession where each of these goals was legitimately within reach.
Post-Residency Plans: I envision myself pursuing either a sports medicine fellowship or outpatient primary care jobs at the conclusion of residency.
Emily Ratchford, MD - PGY-1
Medical School: Tulane University
Undergrad: Truman State University
Hometown: St. Louis, MO
Hobbies/Passions: Exploring the world with my increasingly curious and active daughter, walkies with my two golden boys, thrifting, DIY home projects/organizing/nesting, meeting up for coffee or wine (even better if it's outside!), British crime drama series, game nights, dinner parties
Why Family Medicine: I saw myself and the type of physician I aspire to be in many of my Family Medicine preceptors and mentors. I appreciated the patient-centered medical home model of Family Medicine, the ability to get to know entire families over years of care, and the challenge of helping them navigate what can be a difficult healthcare system. The specialty of Family Medicine will set me up with a broad scope of knowledge while encouraging me to follow my own specific interests and goals.
Post-Residency Plans: My interests are wide (one of the many reasons Family Medicine was a good fit!) so I am keeping my options open. I enjoy maternity care, women's health, pediatrics, preventive care, procedures, tropical and travel medicine, and refugee health. I’m not exactly sure how it will all pan out, but I hope to spend much of my time in clinic, routinely deliver babies, and have a presence in the community both locally and globally.
Second-Year Resident Physicians (PGY2)
Kelly Dougherty, MD - PGY-2
Being a family physician allows you to do just what it says, become part of your patients' families. I cherish the relationships and trust built with patients, and I can't imagine a better way to form these relationships than to be a family physician. Medicine is also so much more than just caring for patients in your exam room. It's advocating for your patients in healthcare and in the community. I feel so honored to have the opportunity to serve my patients and community both in and out of the clinic the best way I know how, as a family physician. After completing residency, I hope to pursue a career in Academic Family Medicine and ideally serve a rural patient population while mentoring the next generation of physicians. No matter where I end up, I plan to continue legislative advocacy for my patients and fellow family physicians. I am so thankful to be at a residency where I am supported to achieve my unique goals and have a work-life balance that allows me to be a person outside of being a physician, including time for my fav hobbies-spending time with people I love, exercising, traveling, and identifying trees. I am also fiercely loyal to my sports teams, the St. Louis Cardinals and my Mizzou Tigers (I'm a Mizzou Grad x2-BS &MD)!
Ashlyn Edwards, DO - PGY-2
I grew up at the Lake of the Ozarks in central Missouri. I had an interest in science and helping others at a young age which turned into a love of medicine. I went to medical school at Western University of Health Sciences COMP-NW in Oregon. While in medical school, I found that I loved the variety and continuity of care that family medicine provides. I also loved building relationships I could build with patients and their families. I hope to practice in an outpatient clinic after graduation and focus on preventative medicine and women’s health. In my free time, I love reading, playing board games, traveling, hiking, and spending time with my husband and our dog, Tucker.
Rebecca Jadwisiak, DO - PGY-2
I am a proud St. Louisan but have traveled all around Missouri for school: undergrad at Rockhurst University in Kansas City, MO, medical school at A.T. Still University in Kirksville, MO, and back to St. Louis for residency. As an osteopathic physician, I was instilled with the idea that mind, body, and spirit are connected. I believe family physicians live and work by this same principle which strengthened my desire to work in this specialty. I was also drawn to family medicine because of the variety of pathology we treat and the relationships we form with patients. After residency, I plan to work in an outpatient setting with an interest in geriatrics. In my free time, I love hiking, baking (cookies are my specialty), watching true crime documentaries, and country music concerts.
Emily Shank, DO - PGY-2
When I began studying medicine at Kansas City University in Joplin, Missouri, I had no idea which specialty I would choose. Throughout my experiences as a MAFP extern at Mercy and during my third-year rotations in Fort Myers, Florida, I found family medicine. As a family medicine doctor, I care for all types of patients who each have their own story, concerns, and goals. I am happy to be back in my hometown, St. Louis, for residency! I love cheering for the Cardinals, exploring all the different areas of St Louis, and being close to family and friends.
Sarah Spearman, DO - PGY-2
I grew up in St. Peters, MO and knew from an early age that I wanted to be in the medical field. For undergrad, I attended Truman State University studying Biology and Psychology in the pre-med track. Living in Kirksville during college I learned about its role in the origin of osteopathic medicine. I have always been passionate about mental health advocacy and education so the practice of incorporating the mind, body, and spirit into the practice of medicine seemed not just practical, but inherently necessary. I received my DO degree at A.T Still University in Kirksville, MO later returning to St. Louis for clinical rotations. I was impressed with Mercy's commitment in incorporating and furthering my osteopathic education and was thrilled to be accepted into their family medicine program. While off duty, I enjoy quilting, playing the piano, baking, and playing fetch with my puppy, Teddy.
Jordan Wills, MD - PGY-2
I grew up in the small town of Benton, IL with a big, loud, extended family that was always together and I found that Family Medicine offered a unique chance to experience this in my career. As a family doctor I have the opportunity to be part of a community and often feel like part of patients' families. After residency, I hope to practice rural, full-spectrum family medicine with a focus on women's health, pediatrics, and preventative medicine. I went to SIU School of Medicine for the small class size and Midwest location and chose Mercy Family Medicine for the same reasons. I am excited to continue my medical education in a place where I feel valued and get to enjoy the variety of being a family physician every day. I spend my time outside of residency by traveling, reading, trying new restaurants and raising my fur baby, Banks.
Third-Year Resident Physicians (PGY3)
Peyton Bennett, DO - PGY-3
I am originally from Kansas City, MO and went to medical school at AT Still Kirksville College of Medicine. It is my dream to continue working as a family medicine physician in my home state! I choose family medicine because it gives me the opportunity every day to work with people of all ages and backgrounds, and to assist them through their medical journey. No single day is the same and gives me the chance to learn something new. I also feel that family medicine builds a strong relationship with the community based on trust and caring, which makes everyone feel supported.
Rikki Koebler, DO - PGY-3
I was raised in Springfield, IL with my five siblings. I started babysitting at a young age and realized early on the value of the unique relationships that I was able to create with children and their families. These experiences helped guide me towards family medicine. Some of my greatest professional satisfaction comes from fostering similar genuine, trusting relationships with patients of all ages as I care for individuals and families throughout all stages of life. In college my family moved to the mountains in Telluride, Colorado where I was able to explore more of my interests like road tripping, hiking, kayaking and swimming. Day-to-day I destress by cooking and baking, seeing all types of live music and musicals and exploring all the St. Louis festivals and events with friends. I try to travel internationally every year to explore new countries and cuisine, and even had the opportunity to work in Dublin, Ireland for a year after college. My family continues to grow with nieces and nephews (pictured, 6 total now!) all across the country who I love to visit and spend time with as much as possible. Post-residency I plan to practice in an outpatient setting with a special focus on pediatrics, young women’s health and dermatologic procedures.
Mafeth A. Lim, DO - PGY-3
My passion for preventive care medicine stems from my upbringing in the Philippines where chronic and infectious diseases are prevalent. This was further solidified after working for a primary care physician in Oregon before medical school. I love the diversity in pathologies and patients that you see in each day, as well as the wide range of practice options available. I also find fulfillment in forming lasting relationships with patients and their families. Outside of medicine, I enjoy cooking, gardening, and dancing in all its forms. I also love tropical vacations and got my open water diver certification for more underwater adventures. Most importantly, I love caring for my two wonderful cats, Leo and Kahlua. After residency, I envision myself working in an outpatient setting delivering full-scope family medicine. I also plan to serve on various international medical mission trips and get involved with community service that seeks to bring basic health and mental health care services to people experiencing homelessness.
Jason Maddox, DO - PGY-3
Born and raised in St. Louis, I am so grateful to be back from medical school in Arizona (Midwestern University - AZCOM) taking care of the community that once took care of me. My inspiration to pursue family medicine is rooted in the same feeling: community relationships. More specifically, I find a great deal of fulfillment in supporting those in their later decades of life or engaging in end-of-life care. I also love the occasional OMT appointment! Otherwise, I am a huge board game nerd and movie marathon fanatic. The quickest way to get my attention is to ask me to try a new board game or to watch a "C-List" horror movie (the goofier, the better). Of course, I love the occasional hike or romp through Forest Park (as long as we can talk about the aforementioned topics). Be warned, however: as my co-residents will tell you, I talk a lot and I talk loudly, which means you'll always know where I am when you need me or what board game I am into this week!
Lauren Malinowski, DO - PGY-3
I was born in Missouri, raised here in St. Louis and went to undergrad in North Carolina at Wake Forest University, where I majored in Economics and French. I spent four months in Western Africa studying and working with local microfinance organizations, a year in France teaching at a high school on the western coast, and a summer volunteering and teaching in Tanzania. Throughout this time, I found that I loved one-on-one education and being able to tangibly help people in practical ways. We also had some health concerns in our family during this time that inspired a passion for nutrition and lifestyle medicine. I decided to go to medical school at Kansas City University in Joplin, MO and am now happy to be back in St. Louis for residency. I plan to stay in the area after graduation and practice with my mother, also a Mercy FM residency graduate and my biggest role model. My husband Evan is a firefighter in the area and the glue that holds our family together. We have a two-year-old son named Wesley and a baby girl due New Year’s Eve 2022!
Name: Hannah Yasin, MD - PGY-3
Medical School: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine
Undergrad: Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT
Hometown: Fort Smith, AR
Hobbies/passions:
- Running/exercising/tennis.
- Foodie/cooking (hence the running).
- Playing with my dog Zelda.
- Playing all Nintendo Zelda games (hence my dog's name).
- Being with friends and family.
- Watching scary movies.
- Cross-stitching/mod-podging/crafting.
- Dancing (belly-dancing/hip-hop dancing/hot yoga).
- Walking and listening to podcasts.
Why Family Medicine:
I chose FM for so many reasons! But I will try to be brief… I picked FM because I am passionate about the full-spectrum care of vulnerable patient populations. Being a non-traditional student who came from poverty and adversity myself, I can relate to a lot of the barriers and socioeconomic disparities my patients experience on a day-to-day basis. I feel extremely fortunate being in a program that values my background and personal experiences. With Mercy FM Residency and Family Medicine in general, I will be able to combine the compassion and empathy I learned personally with my medical knowledge in order to build rapport and provide holistic continuity care to all my patients regardless of their backgrounds. Finally, I love FM doctors are not confined to a single organ system. As they say, variety is the spice of life!
Program Info & Resources
