First-Year Resident Physicians (PGY1)
Oresta Agastra, MD - PGY-1
Medical School: University of Medicine Tirana, Albania
Undergrad: University of Medicine Tirana, Albania
Hometown: Albania
Hobbies/Passions: Exploring the world and traveling with my husband, outdoor activities, playing tennis, reading fiction and nonfiction books, cooking and eating good food.
Why Family Medicine: Following my heart has been my guiding principle throughout my life especially in my medical career. I was raised in Albania, a small country in Europe, where I completed my medical education. My journey continued with specializing training in Cardiology, practicing as a cardiologist in my hometown before coming to the US, where I met my husband. My passion for medicine also led me to pursue family medicine. Personal losses within my family have underscored for me the profound impact a compassionate physician can have, a role I aspire to fulfill for my patients. I chose family medicine because embodies more than just clinical care, it means becoming a part of my patient's families, supporting them through all the life's challenges and joys.
Post Residency Plans: After graduation, I intent to establish my practice in Saint Louis, focusing on preventative care, geriatrics and women’s health. My goal is to work in an outpatient setting, providing comprehensive family medicine services with the aspiration of eventually establishing my own private practice.
Bezawit Getahun, MD - PGY-1
Erica Haste, DO - PGY-1
Medical School: A.T. Still University Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine
Undergraduate University: Texas A&M University
Hometown: Houston, Texas
Hobbies/Passions: I love the outdoors and spending time with my family. My husband and I are huge "foodies" where we love to try new recipes and restaurants. We take our 6-year-old chihuahua on daily walks! I am interested in sports medicine, wound care, and health equity in underserved populations.
What does family medicine mean to you? Family medicine means the opportunity to serve my community, the entire community from infants to pregnant mothers to our elderly population. Family medicine means treating the patient as a whole and to advocate on their behalf within the health care system.
Post-Residency Plans: I am considering applying for a sports medicine fellowship! I have interests in aerospace medicine as well. I’m hoping to ultimately work at a nonprofit, potentially a FQHC, serving the underserved.
Jacob Honey, MD - PGY-1
Medical School: University of Missouri Kansas City
Undergrad: Truman State University
Hometown: St. Charles, MO
Hobbies/Passions: My hobbies include team based games, online or in person. I enjoy puzzle and strategy games. I also love to try a new place to eat and read fiction
What does Family Medicine mean to you? I chose to pursue family medicine because the breadth of training best matched the physician I wanted to become. I want to care for children, adults, and seniors and be a part of your family's journey in life. After residency I plan to stay with Mercy to continue to serve you and the Saint Louis area as a Family Physician.
Saydee Nymeyer, MD - PGY-1
Medical School: Saint Louis University
Undergrad: Arizona State University
Hometown: Tucson, Arizona
Hobbies/Passions: When I am not at the clinic, I enjoy art, cooking, TV shows, movies, video games, hanging out with my husband, and playing with my two cats. I am a "serial hobbyist" as I love trying new things and learning new skills. My favorite holiday is Halloween, so from the months of July to November you might find me roaming stores looking for Halloween decorations!
What does family medicine mean to you? I chose to become a family medicine physician because I love getting to know my patients and seeing them at regular visits. Family medicine is also the only primary care specialty where you get to care for patients from “womb to tomb”.
Post-Residency Plans: I am interested in pursuing an integrative medicine fellowship after graduation. I envision myself opening an integrative medicine practice one day with my husband who will be graduating from chiropractic school soon.
Justin Pelkey, DO - PGY-1
James Thomas, MD - PGY-1
Ashly Wattles, DO - PGY-1
Medical School: AT Still University Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine
Undergrad: Grand Canyon University
Hometown: Redlands, Ca
Hobbies/Passions: I love to cook and experiment with new recipes and make everything sourdough. My husband and I love to travel and explore the outdoors, whether that is hiking and brining our dog, Thor, with us, overnight camping trips, or traveling to different countries. We love to try new foods and experiences. I love a good farmers market and ice coffee.
What does family medicine mean to you? I chose Family Medicine because I like that I get to take care of multiple generations of a family, meeting them where they are at, getting to experience the highs and lows of life with them, and the diversity I get to work with. A work life balance was important to me with my growing family and Family Medicine gives me that. I get to do all the things I was interested in medical school and enjoy the people I surround myself with.
Post-Residency Plans: Post residency, I am not sure yet what I want. I like the idea of Direct Primary Care, but I might consider working in a rural community, or make both of those work. I plan to keep my options open and see where life takes me.
Second-Year Resident Physicians (PGY2)
Noah Brown, MD - PGY-2
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-2
Emma Gloe, MD – PGY2 (Photo attached to email)
Medical School: University of Missouri-Kansas City
Undergrad: University of Missouri-Columbia
Hometown: Hermann, MO
Hobbies/Passions: Finding new hiking spots, geocaching, reading (best when accompanied by my cat Zoey and sleepy time tea), video games (Nintendo has my heart), arts/crafting, and a good glass of wine
Why Family Medicine: Having grown up in a small town with limited access to health care, I recognized from an early age the value of family physicians. As I began considering a career, I felt inspired to be the type of doctor my hometown needed. My decision to pursue family medicine was re-affirmed when I went to medical school and enjoyed... well ... everything! I also love having continuity with patients - getting to monitor their progress and support them in good times and bad. It sounds corny, but family medicine felt like home!
Post-Residency Plans: I plan to join a practice in a rural underserved area, providing full scope outpatient care. My more specific passions include chronic disease management, adolescent care, gynecology, and procedures.
Charles Hill, DO - PGY-2
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 health care 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-2
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-2
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-2
Medical School: Tulane University
Undergrad: Truman State University
Hometown: St. Louis, MO
Hobbies/Passions: Exploring the world with my toddler, 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 health care 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 postpartum care, women's health, preventive medicine, procedures, tropical and travel medicine, and refugee health. I’m not exactly sure how it will all pan out, but I hope to have a presence in my community both locally and globally.
Third-Year Resident Physicians (PGY3)
Kelly Dougherty, MD - PGY-3
Medical School: University of Missouri-Columbia
Hobbies/Passions: I am rural Missouri born and raised with five students in my graduating class in high school! While I will always be a small-town girl, I have big dreams of improving our health care system and advocating for patients. When I am not at work or in meetings, I enjoy spending time with the 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)!
What does Family Medicine mean to you? Family medicine is so much more than just caring for patients in your exam room. It's advocating for your patients in the health care setting, their local community, and at the Capitol, both in Jefferson City and Washington, DC.
Emily Shank, DO – PGY3 (Updated photo attached to email)
Medical School: Kansas City University - Joplin Campus
Undergrad: University of Missouri - Columbia (Mizzou)
Hometown: St. Louis, Missouri
Hobbies/Passions: Most of my free time is spent hanging out with my (soon-to-be) husband Tim - watching TV shows, cooking and trying new recipes, and playing with our dog Leo. We love going for walks and exploring local parks! I also enjoy attending concerts, watching musicals, and Cardinals baseball.
What does Family Medicine mean to you? All of our patients have their own stories, concerns, and goals. I enjoy forming connections with patients and learning about their interests. Family medicine means being our patients' go-to person for education, preventative health, and treatments, and being able to connect them to other areas of the health care system when needed.
Post-Residency Plans: outpatient family medicine somewhere in the St. Louis area
Ashlyn Edwards, DO - PGY-3
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-3
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-3
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-3
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-3
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.
Program Info & Resources
