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 2028

Zachary Bustamante, MD
Zachary Bustamante, MD

Hometown: Dearborn, MI

Medical School: Wayne State University School of Medicine

What excites you about your residency/fellowship at Corewell Health? The general surgery residency offered an excellent academic-community hybrid program which gives me the exact training experience I wanted. Additionally, West Michigan is one of the best places in the world for its cities, beaches and forests.

Clinical Interests: I am currently interested in exploring all the fellowships related to general surgery to inform my decision whether or not to pursue additional training. General surgery, especially emergency general surgery, is awesome all by itself though!

Hobbies: I love talking about and working on cars, as well as doing anything active in nature, especially hiking, trail running and mountain biking.

Hunter Gazda, DO
Hunter Gazda, DO

Hometown: Bellbrook, OH

Medical School: West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine

What excites you about your residency/fellowship at Corewell Health? I am excited to work at an institution that provides a seemingly unlimited variety of general surgery and that focuses on excellent teaching and compassionate care. Most importantly, I am excited to work with an incredible group who I know is supportive of everyone and passionate about what they do.

Clinical Interests: I look forward to taking what I learn in general surgery and applying this to my future in interventional radiology.

Hobbies: My main hobby is golfing and I enjoy traveling to explore new golf courses. I also like to follow Formula 1 racing.

Kristen Hawes, MD
Kristen Hawes, MD

Hometown: Bingham Farms, MI

Medical School: Wayne State University School of Medicine

What excites you about your residency/fellowship at Corewell Health? I am excited to be training in such a well-rounded general surgery program! I was really impressed with everything Corewell Health in West Michigan had to offer during my interview and know this program will prepare me for anything I might choose to pursue after residency.

Clinical Interests: At this point it's tough to narrow down my clinical interests, but right now I'm especially interested in trauma/critical care and surgical oncology.

Hobbies: Outside of the hospital I enjoy hiking, skiing, playing recreational sports with friends and seeing live music whenever possible.

Danielle Katz, DO
Danielle Katz, DO

Hometown: Bloomfield Hills, MI

Medical School: Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine

What excites you about your residency/fellowship at Corewell Health? I am most excited to work with my co-residents and attending physicians! I am also looking forward to exploring the field of general surgery.

Clinical Interests: My current clinical interests include breast surgery, plastic surgery, and acute care surgery.

Hobbies: I enjoy going to spin classes, visiting coffee shops, baking and spending time with family and friends!

Claire McNary, MD
Claire McNary, MD

Hometown: Phoenix, AZ

Medical School: Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine

What excites you about your residency/fellowship at Corewell Health? I am looking forward to the wide range of operative experience offered at Corewell Health in West Michigan. Additionally, the academics and supportive environment make this an excellent program to train at.

Clinical Interests: I am open to all fields of general surgery, but I do have an interest in minimally invasive surgery and breast surgery.

Hobbies: In my off time, I enjoy painting and traveling. Grand Rapids is a really fun place to live with events going on almost every day, so I always look forward to trying new restaurants and exploring the area with my family and friends.

Matt Morris, MD
Matt Morris, MD

Hometown: South Boston, VA

Medical School: Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine

What excites you about your residency/fellowship at Corewell Health? I knew that I wanted to begin my career at a "hybrid" residency program where I could experience the operative volume of a community program with the complexity of cases and academic infrastructure of a university program. I also knew that I wanted to train with others who valued compassion to patients and each other, clinical excellence and service to the community. Even though the interview season was virtual, when I met the faculty and residents here I really felt like their program aims were an excellent fit for my career goals. I know that as West Michigan's referral hospital I will see an incredible breadth and complexity of surgical cases throughout my five years and be surrounded by an amazing set of caring and committed peers.

Clinical Interests: As a medical student, I most enjoyed my rotations in general surgery, colorectal surgery and trauma and critical care, but I'm currently undecided. Whatever I do, I hope that I can build a career to include serving rural or global communities.

Hobbies: As a former raft guide and outdoor professional, I love whitewater rafting and kayaking, hiking and mountain biking. I'm looking forward to learning about the lakes and experiencing all four of Michigan's seasons. In my limited free time, I also like to brew beer and spend time with my fiancé and our ridiculous cat.

Brett Mueller, MD
Brett Mueller, MD

Hometown: Kohler, WI

Medical School: Medical College of Wisconsin

What excites you about your residency/fellowship at Corewell Health? I am most excited about the people at Corewell Health in West Michigan. The personalities and atmosphere here are what drew me to this institution!

Clinical Interests: I don't have a specific interest within general surgery but I intend on pursuing a fellowship in the specialty that piques my interest over the next few years.

Hobbies: Most of my hobbies are surrounded around health and fitness. I love playing basketball and getting outside to play disc golf. Anything I can do to stay active is right up my alley.

Brian Peine, MD
Brian Peine, MD

Hometown: Grand Rapids, MI

Medical School: Central Michigan University College of Medicine

What excites you about your residency/fellowship at Corewell Health? I am excited to take on the responsibilities of a resident and further develop my technical skills and clinical reasoning. I am thrilled to be part of an incredible team.

Clinical Interests: I am interested in the diagnosis and collaborative treatment of cancers throughout the gastrointestinal tract.

Hobbies: I love spending time in the great outdoors, especially mountain biking, trail running and snowboarding. I also enjoy the beaches along Lake Michigan and trying new restaurants in the region.

Patrick Renner, MD
Patrick Renner, MD

Hometown: Milford, OH

Medical School: Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine

What excites you about your residency/fellowship at Corewell Health? I am excited to do my residency here because of the fantastic exposure and excellent training that I will receive. I believe that the high volume and dedicated attending physicians that can be found throughout Corewell Health in West Michigan will mold me into a skilled surgeon during my time here.

Clinical Interests: I am interested in all aspects of surgery at this point, especially surgical critical care. However, I am excited to experience each of the different specialties and am open to all future possibilities.

Hobbies: I enjoy staying active by working out and playing sports recreationally. I also like meeting up with friends to watch Notre Dame football and other live sporting events.

Class of 2027

Lauren Blanck, MD
Lauren Blanck, MD

Hometown: Rochester, MI

Medical school: Michigan State University College of Human Medicine

Why did you choose Spectrum Health for your residency/fellowship? I have loved West Michigan since I first came here for undergrad at GVSU nearly 10 years ago. Since then I've developed an incredible community of friends and have had an amazing time exploring the breweries, trails, beaches and everything else this side of the state has to offer. Having also been with this health system as a volunteer, employee and student, staying to continue my training was an easy choice. The case volume and variety, the opportunities for research and the culture among residents here are all second to none.

What are your clinical interests? I'm interested in exploring all of the opportunities available in general surgery.

Hobbies: I love having a creative outlet in my free time, from painting and embroidery, to test driving new recipes on my friends, to returning to Grand Valley and playing trumpet in the Laker Alumni Marching Band. I also enjoy hanging out at the lake or hammocking at a park along the river whenever the weather is good.

Allison Hoppe, MD
Allison Hoppe, MD

Hometown: Unionville, MI

Medical school: Michigan State University College of Human Medicine

Why did you choose Spectrum Health for your residency/fellowship? I chose Spectrum Health because I knew the people here had my back and would support me through my residency training. As a medical student here, I could feel the strong team culture and wanted to be a part of that.

What are your clinical interests? At this time, I am most interested in surgical oncology. The hepatobiliary anatomy is fascinating.

Hobbies: I love to play sports (beach volleyball, slow pitch softball, etc.) as well as travel. I am a die-hard Detroit Lions fan and try to make as many home games as I can.

Alexandra Sasha Laykova, DO
Alexandra Sasha Laykova, DO

Hometown: Ternopil, Ukraine

Medical school: Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine

Why did you choose Spectrum Health for your residency/fellowship? I chose this program because of my co-residents and attendings! Everyone is kind and has a team comes first mindset which makes coming to work so much more enjoyable. I also chose this program because it offers all of the benefits of academic training while teaching you excellent operative skills that ensure you are capable of operating at the end of your training.

What are your clinical interests? I am currently interested in a wide variety of subspecialties including Surgical Critical Care, Surgical Oncology, Plastics and Colorectal.

Hobbies: My hobbies include spending as much time outside as possible and exploring Michigan whether it's hiking, running or skiing. I also enjoy playing volleyball, watching Great British Baking Show, spending time with my family and dog and Christmas decorating.

Gordon Liu, MD
Gordon Liu, MD

Hometown: Shanghai, China

Medical school: Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine

Why did you choose Spectrum Health for your residency/fellowship? I chose Spectrum Health because I felt like I fit in with the residents and the culture of the surgical program. I wanted to join a residency that would help me grow and improve in both technical and knowledge based aspects. The people are wonderful and truly invested in learning and teaching whenever possible.

What are your clinical interests? I am interested in multiple aspects of surgery, including minimally invasive surgery and trauma surgery, but I am open to other options.

Hobbies: I enjoy kayaking and camping when the whether is nice. Cooking and hosting friends and family is a passion. I also love traveling and playing arcade games with my significant other.

Victor Magana, MD
Victor Magana, MD

Hometown: Round Lake, IL

Medical school: Medical College of Wisconsin

Why did you choose Spectrum Health for your residency/fellowship? I choose Spectrum Health for a number of reasons. One of the biggest influences was the people. When interviewing I felt that I got along best with the residents here than at any other program and that was very important to me because residency is a big time commitment. Doing it with people you don't get along well with will only make that time more difficult than it needs to be. Further, I felt that the program itself offered the experience I was looking for in a residency when it come to clinical exposure, autonomy throughout residency and research opportunities, if that was something I was interested in.

What are your clinical interests? I am still exploring a lot of my interest within the general surgery field. I really like pediatric surgery currently, but also find plastic surgery to be very interesting. A bit up in the air still for what I think I will pursue at this time once I complete residency.

Hobbies: I am a competitive volleyball player and spend most of my free time trying to find places to play. I love playing any chance I get. I also like staying active in any way I can.

Sarah Plachinski, MD
Sarah Plachinski, MD

Hometown: Oak Creek, WI

Medical school: Medical College of Wisconsin

Why did you choose Spectrum Health for your residency/fellowship? What drew me to Spectrum was the unique hybrid design of the program, with excellent academic and community surgical experience.

What are your clinical interests? Breast surgery MIS/Bariatrics Trauma.

Hobbies: I have enjoyed exploring West Michigan with my amazing co-interns— especially in the forms of trivia and breweries.

Connor Smith, MD
Connor Smith, MD

Hometown: Louisville, KY

Medical school: University of Louisville

Why did you choose Spectrum Health for your residency/fellowship? I chose Spectrum Health because of great camaraderie of the residents and the early operative experience for interns.

What are your clinical interests? My clinical interests include bread and butter general surgery in addition to surgical critical care.

Hobbies: My hobbies include cycling, brewing beer and board games.

Class of 2026

Jason Aubrey
Jason Aubrey, MBBS

Hometown: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Medical school: University of Limerick

Why did you choose Spectrum Health for your residency/fellowship? My interactions with the residents and faculty during interview season were very positive and welcoming. It was evident the program had a supportive culture amongst the residents and everyone spoke highly of their training and opportunities. I also loved the idea of a hybrid program, giving the best of both community and academic general surgery in one place.

What are your clinical interests? At this time I am most interested in acute care surgery and surgical critical care, but I am open and excited to explore the various fields within general surgery.

Hobbies: I enjoy spending time reading, hiking, exercising, watching sports, playing board games/cards and relaxing with friends and family.

Alex Finn, MD
Alex Finn, MD

Hometown: Fond du Lac, WI

Medical school: University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

Why did you choose Spectrum Health for your residency/fellowship? Spectrum Health's general surgery program was appealing to me because it has the perfect mix of academic and community programs and has fantastic hospitals to train in. It will prepare me to go straight into practice out of residency while not restricting fellowship opportunities.

What are your clinical interests? I aspire to be a community general surgeon that can bring excellent and safe care to my parents.

Hobbies: I enjoy traveling to different state and national parks, hiking, camping and trying new food with my wife and two children.

Hannah Liefeld, MD
Hannah Liefeld, MD

Hometown: Williamsport, PA

Medical school: Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine

Why did you choose Spectrum Health for your residency/fellowship? The Spectrum Health faculty is top-notch, the subspecialty exposure is all-encompassing and I am confident I will receive diverse and plentiful operative experience; the supportive nature of my colleagues and co-residents is an added bonus! It sounds incredibly cliché, but my interactions with the faculty and residents on interview day ultimately sealed the deal for me!

What are your clinical interests? My clinical interests are broad, which is one of several reasons why I decided to pursue general surgery. I had wonderful experiences rotating in pediatric surgery, emergency general surgery and thoracic surgery while in medical school.

Hobbies: I enjoy playing sports and outdoor activities - hiking, biking, kayaking, skiing, etc! I also love baking, DIY projects and spending time with family and friends!

Alexandra Mouch
Alexandra Mouch, MD

Hometown: Toledo, OH

Medical school: Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine

Why did you choose Spectrum Health for your residency/fellowship? Spectrum Health provides a wide variety of both clinical and research opportunities while still allowing for a lot of operating time and hands-on experience. I enjoyed getting to know residents and faculty during my interviews and felt like they would be great people to work with. I was also really excited about moving to West Michigan.

What are your clinical interests? I am interested in general surgery as well as colorectal surgery and surgical oncology. I am looking forward to exploring my interests more throughout my residency.

Hobbies: I enjoy running, reading, swimming, being outdoors and tasting wines. I love spending time with my husband and our dog, Sadie, and being with family and friends.

Aryana Sharrak
Aryana Sharrak, MD

Hometown: West Bloomfield, MI

Medical school: Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine

Why did you choose Spectrum Health? I was born and raised in Michigan and I wanted to train as a surgeon in the community I'm from. I specifically chose Spectrum Health because I knew it provided a good balance as a hybrid program with research and high operative volume. The global health work in the surgery department was also something that attracted me to the program.

What are your clinical interests? At this time, I am excited to pursue the various subspecialties of surgery and see where my interests lie. Whichever subspecialty I choose, I plan to do global surgery work in the future.

Hobbies: I enjoy reading, Harry Potter, making jewelry, sewing, Peloton and traveling.

Douglas Snow
Douglas Snow, MD, MPH

Hometown: Alpena, MI

Medical school: Michigan State University College of Human Medicine

Why did you choose Spectrum Health for your residency/fellowship? During my sub-Internship, I was able to work with the faculty and residents. I always felt a great sense of family and hard work. They all showed a strong passion for their patients and learning.

What are your clinical interests? Coming from a small town I have become very passionate about rural surgery. Especially the role of rural access and rural recruitment.

Hobbies: Some of my hobbies are hockey, family, board games, craft beer and the great outdoors.

Dustin Tran, DO
Dustin Tran, DO

Hometown: Holland, MI

Medical school: Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine

Why did you choose Spectrum Health? I chose Spectrum Health because it is a great hybrid program with exposure to many surgical subspecialties all located in one city. As a West Michigan native, there is no place like home.

What are your clinical interests? My current clinical interest is general surgery.

Hobbies: My current hobbies are cooking, watching and playing sports such as soccer, golf and Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

Class of 2025

Allie Sandra Eickholtz
Allie Sandra Eickholtz, MD

Hometown: Sanford, MI

Medical School: Michigan State University College of Human Medicine

Why did you choose Spectrum Health? I chose Spectrum Health because of the people here. The attendings are invested in not just our education but also our professional development. The residents here are truly a family, they are always willing to help out.

What do you like most about your program? I'm most excited to work with my co-residents as a team. Senior residents really help foster a team environment while supporting the junior residents' education. Clinical Interests: I am interested in rural or small-town general surgery.

Living in West Michigan: I love the abundance of outdoor activities. Some favorite places include Yankee Springs State Park and Saugatuck Dunes State Park.

Hobbies: I enjoy sewing, running, hiking, and cross-country skiing.

Sophia Garfinkel
Sophia Garfinkel, MD

Hometown: West Bloomfield, MI

Medical School: Michigan State University College of Human Medicine

Why did you choose Spectrum Health? I chose Spectrum for residency because I loved everything about it on my interview day and the people that I met while on rotations. Everyone I worked was extremely knowledgeable and encouraging to me as a medical student, and someone was always there to lend a helping hand. I always felt comfortable here and I couldn't see myself training anywhere else.

What do you like most about your program? I am most looking forward to working with the residents and attending physicians. I loved the camaraderie of this program between all levels of training and the options to experience a variety of different areas of surgery . I am also looking forward to getting to know Grand Rapids and exploring West Michigan more.

Clinical Interests: I am currently interested in Acute Care Surgery but I hope to explore all different parts of surgery during my training.

Living in West Michigan: I love how beautiful it is on the West side of Michigan. I have previously lived in the Upper Peninsula and West Michigan definitely rivals the scenery and options for outdoor activities. There are also so many amazing restaurants that I cannot wait to visit.

Hobbies: When I am not working I love to work out at my favorite Crossfit gyms, watch classic movies, and enjoy time with family and friends. I am also currently trying teach myself how to cook and bake.

Ediana Hoxhallari
Ediana (Jona) Hoxhallari, MD

Hometown: New Port Richey, FL

Medical School: Michigan State University College of Human Medicine

Why did you choose Spectrum Health? As a CHM student, I did my SICU rotation at Spectrum and I absolutely loved it! I learned so much and it was clear that the residents and attendings enjoyed teaching. It was clear that the environment was caring and supportive.

What do you like most about your program? I am most excited to start doing procedures and expand my skill set. I am also looking forward to getting to know the amazing people in my program.

Clinical Interests: I am interested in specializing in trauma and critical care. I also hope to be involved in academics and teaching the next generation of physicians.

Living in West Michigan: I enjoy the diversity and liveliness of Grand Rapids, along with all the entertainment and restaurant options it offers.

Hobbies: I enjoy reading, traveling, painting, and spending time with family. One day I hope to be able to write "going to the gym" as one of my hobbies, but today is not that day.

Jesse Kelley
Jesse Kelley, MD

Hometown: Manistee, MI

Medical School: University of Michigan

Why did you choose Spectrum Health? I chose Spectrum Health because of the people. Everybody I have had the fortune of meeting has been so helpful and kind. It is clear that Spectrum Health, and its people, take pride in patient care, resident education, and serving the community.

What do you like most about your program? I am most looking forward to bonding with my co-interns during the Procedural Skills Training Sessions!

Clinical Interests: As of now, I am interested in general surgery, vascular surgery, trauma surgery, and minimally invasive surgery.

Living in West Michigan: I most enjoy the four seasons and the scenery that comes along with it!

Hobbies: I enjoy fishing, hiking, camping, canoeing/kayaking, exercising, and spending time with family and friends.

Emily Pardington-Madden
Emily Pardington-Madden, MD

Hometown: Canton, MI

Medical School: Michigan State University, College of Human Medicine

Why did you choose Spectrum Health? I chose Spectrum for residency for many reasons. I wanted a program that allowed for early operative exposure while providing opportunities for research. Location was a factor I considered, and Grand Rapids is a great city that has so much to offer, fulfilling both personal and professional needs. However, it was my surgical rotation at Spectrum that solidified this program as my number one choice for residency. The faculty and residents are incredible surgeons and phenomenal teachers, focusing not only on technical precision, but comprehensive patient care. They have cultivated an atmosphere that facilitates optimal learning without the slightest notion of malignancy. After my surgical rotation as a fourth year medical student, I knew without hesitation my number one choice for residency would be Spectrum Health.

What do you like most about your program? I look forward to the entire journey. I am entering residency ready to learn and grow, excited to accomplish professional goals, and discover new ones.

Clinical Interests: I am excited to explore the numerous surgical subspecialties throughout my five years at Spectrum and ultimately discover what my future in this profession will be.

Living in West Michigan: West Michigan is such a vibrant, beautiful part of the state. Grand Rapids has incredible restaurants and breweries, weekly music and theatre productions, a local ballet company that performs throughout the year, comedy shows, numerous festivals such as ArtPrize- I could go on and on.

Hobbies: I enjoy baking, traveling, reading, and yoga. The Grand Rapids Ballet Company has adult ballet classes that I attend when able and I love going to their performances throughout the season, The Nutcracker being a yearly staple. My fiancé and I love taking cooking classes at the Downtown Market and attempting to recreate these dishes at home. I also love movies and a good Netflix series!

Class of 2024

Douglas Beckman
Douglas Beckman, MD

Hometown: Marquette, MI

Medical School: Central Michigan University

Why did you choose Spectrum Health? The general surgery program at Spectrum Health offers not only an excellent training environment, but also a strong culture that promotes teamwork and inclusiveness. Residents from this program regularly match to desired fellowships / obtain desired jobs post-residency. In addition, the city of Grand Rapids is an excellent place to live for young professionals who are looking to start a family.

What do you like most about your program? My favorite thing about this program is the group of incredible people that it is composed of. From residents to attendings, everyone is very easy to talk to and get along with, in addition to being excellent within their profession. Having such a strong positive culture makes coming to work more enjoyable.

Clinical Interests: My clinical interests are broad at this point, but I do have some level of interest in cardiothoracic surgery.

Living in West Michigan: I enjoy that West Michigan offers ample opportunity to be outside and active - trails, lakes, beaches, dog parks, sporting arenas / fields. Another enjoyable feature of Grand Rapids specifically is the vast array of culturally diverse food and drink options.

Hobbies: My hobbies are mostly related to staying active and include running, road biking, pickup sports, playing with my dog, cooking, spending time with my wife, board / card games.

Mariam Tajalli Khan
Mariam Tajalli Khan, MD

Hometown: Saginaw, MI

Medical School: Michigan State College of Human Medicine

Why did you choose Spectrum Health? I chose Spectrum Health for my residency for a number of reasons. I had a great experience rotating with general surgery as a medical student. The residents are awesome - intelligent, hard-working, and a very fun group of people. Our attendings care a lot about our training and getting us in the OR early. Because we are a quaternary center, we have a high operative volume and get to see a lot of interesting things. I'm really glad to be here.

What do you like most about your program? I like the different types of training settings, the variety of pathology we see, and of course my co-residents!

Clinical Interests: My clinical interests surgical oncology, breast surgery, general surgery.

Living in West Michigan: There's so much to do here. I especially enjoy the music scene, indoor rock climbing, and spending time outdoors when it's not too cold.

Hobbies: My main hobbies are reading, baking, and doing yoga.

Evan Kowalski
Evan Kowalski, MD

Hometown: Commerce Township, MI

Medical School: Wayne State University School of Medicine

Why did you choose Spectrum Health? I choose Spectrum for my residency because it was the ideal mixture of community and academic General Surgery. I also love West Michigan and the city of Grand Rapids

What do you like most about your program? I really enjoy broad mixture of experiences in our program, It's rare to have a program where you can have a highly academic level 1 trauma center, an advanced MIS community hospital, and a low-income urban hospital all within a 15 minute drive. It exposes you to a variety of styles of practice and patient populations, which I find really valuable.

Clinical Interests: I am interested in Trauma and Critical Care and minimally invasive surgeries.

Living in West Michigan: I love the weather. Four beautiful seasons and Lake Michigan only a half hour drive away.

Hobbies: I enjoy reading, riding my bike, and spending time with my growing family.

Anna Levine
Anna Levine, DO

Hometown: Lansing, MI

Medical School: Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine

Why did you choose Spectrum Health? The teaching staff are engaged and eager to teach residents.

What do you like most about your program? This program builds a strong foundation involving caring for critically ill patients, research and surgical skills. The opportunities afforded to the residents are incredible.

Clinical Interests: My clinical interests are general surgery, critical care, minimally invasive.

Living in West Michigan: The outdoor recreational activities are great. We love to kayak and go for hikes. The food and drink scene is very good as well!

Hobbies: My hobbies are going kayaking, wood working and cooking.

Allison Zarnke
Allison Zarnke, MD

Hometown: Rockford, IL

Medical School: Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine

Why did you choose Spectrum Health? I chose Spectrum Health for residency because of the support available to residents and excellent operative experience.

What do you like most about your program? The kindness and support my co-residents show one another is second to none.

Clinical Interests: My clinical interests include Acute Care Surgery and Surgical Critical Care.

Living in West Michigan: Grand Rapids is an easy to navigate, affordable city with a great food scene and access to nature.

Hobbies: Outside of work I enjoy running, vacuuming my apartment, and I am strongly considering taking up golf.

Nathan Ziegler
Nathan Ziegler, MD

Hometown: Lombard, IL

Medical School: Wayne State University School of Medicine

Why did you choose Spectrum Health? It was very clear to me from my first exposure to the program that the residents here were very happy with the training they were receiving. I chose this program because of the unique intersection of being based in a system large enough to support high volume/diverse pathology, though small enough to allow for frequent opportunities for direct involvement with patient care and surgical intervention from early residency.

Clinical Interests: I am interested in working as a general surgeon after graduation.

Living in West Michigan: I love the proximity to the beach at Lake Michigan and the beauty of "Up North." I thoroughly enjoy the changing landscape of food and bars in the city, which is rapidly growing. Finally, I like the ability to live in a quiet suburb and have only a short 10 minute drive in to a moderate sized downtown area.

Hobbies: I love to camp and stay active. I play pickup basketball or volleyball whenever I get the chance, and I love to rock climb at one of the local climbing gyms.