Preston Butler, MD – First Hill                                                               
Boston University School of Medicine  Pronouns: (He, Him, His)

I grew up in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains in Maryville, Tennessee. There, I developed a deep reverence for Dolly Parton, and secondly, a love of trees. My parents, a social worker and a small business owner, instilled in me values for service, empathy, and community—the seeds of my journey into family medicine. I studied Neuroscience at the University of Texas at Dallas with support as a Eugene McDermott Scholar and Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Scholar, and I put my passion for service to marginalized communities into advocacy for Queer folks during internships at the Human Rights Campaign and the Vanderbilt Program for LGBTQ Health. 

I was drawn to Boston University School of Medicine for the institution’s mission-driven care of a diverse population at New England’s largest safety net hospital. I fell in love with family medicine through an interdisciplinary training program at an FQHC. I then briefly worked as a nursing assistant to learn complimentary skills of a complete healthcare team, and I continued to advocate for my LGBTQ family by leading a volunteer group at a foster home for Queer youth. 

As a member of the National Health Service Corps, I plan to practice in an FQHC or similar under-resourced setting, and I hope to grow in my promotion of interdisciplinary care, health equity, antiracism, and reproductive justice while providing obstetric, reproductive, and gender-affirming care throughout my career. I see medicine as a tool for social justice, and I am thrilled to be training in a residency community that will support and challenge me in these endeavors. Also, my happiness is directly correlated to the number of trees around me, so the Pacific Northwest was an easy choice for residency! I look forward to hiking, biking, and skiing my way through the region. 

Seema Doshi, MD MPH – First Hill                                                                 
Cooper Medical School of Rowan University  Pronouns: (She, Her, Hers)

A Northeaster my whole life (until now!), I grew up in the suburbs of New Jersey with my parents and older brother. I studied biology and social justice in undergraduate and then participated in two year-long service fellowships in the greater Philadelphia area. I spent one year working at a community clinic focused on providing holistic care to the Latino immigrant community. It was here I saw the power of community medicine especially so for displaced and vulnerable populations. The following year, I worked at a federally qualified health center in Camden, New Jersey through the Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers. I loved providing direct care to patients and learned a great deal about how different social barriers affect their ability to lead healthy, fulfilled lives. I was also inspired to think about how primary care can better harness the power of preventative healthcare.  

I stayed in Camden for medical school and my most formative experiences were participating in street outreach to unsheltered individuals in the city. My frustration with social barriers in healthcare led me to pursue an MPH in Health Policy at the Yale School of Public Health where I focused on learning about community-led and policy-level solutions to homelessness.  

I feel strongly about advocating for social change and working toward equity and justice. During my interview day at Swedish First Hill, I met so many people for whom this was the same. It was inspiring to meet so many kind physician-advocates and to learn about the program’s dedication to social justice. So much so that I am made the cross-country move for the first time! I feel so incredibly lucky and humbled to be joining Swedish First Hill! 

Outside of medicine, I enjoy cooking new recipes, listening to podcasts, sending letters via snail mail, and dogs. My partner and I are also both so excited to explore the PNW! 

Helina Gan, MD - DFM
East Carolina University Pronouns: (She, Her, Hers)

I was born in Athens, Georgia and spent most of my childhood in the beautiful state of North Carolina. At times, it was challenging to balance growing up in the South with my Chinese culture. I am now able to appreciate the influences of both on my life – the values of kindness, community, traditions, a love of delicious foods, and most importantly, service to others.

I attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and then spent a year on a mobile medical unit in Pittsburgh, PA with the National Health Corps (NHC). I then started medical school at ECU Brody School of Medicine in Greenville, NC. My experiences in college and with NHC inspired me to find an avenue in medicine that would incorporate both continuity of care and advocating for patients. I knew my heart was in family medicine.

My interests in medicine include women’s health, abortion care, gender-affirming care, addiction medicine, and community health. I was drawn to Swedish First Hill because I felt that the mission to serve the diverse communities around the Seattle area is embodied every day by the faculty and residents. I can’t wait to begin my training at this program that allows me to provide accessible, sustainable, full-spectrum care to diverse populations throughout every chapter of their lives!

In my free time, I enjoy spending as much time outdoors as possible! I love running, biking, hiking, camping, going on walks with my hound dog. I also enjoy painting, watching reality TV, eating Thai food, listening to Beyonce, playing board games, cuddling with my plump cat, and spending time with my loved ones.

Sarah Hemphill, MD, MPH – Ballard Tufts University School of Medicine Pronouns: (She, Her, Hers)

I grew up just outside of Portland, Maine (the original Portland!), spending my summers swimming, hiking, blueberry picking, and covered in mosquito bites and my winters skiing. I chose to stay close to home for medical school in the Maine Track program at Tufts University, where I could continue to get to know and serve my home state and its wonderful people. Aside from a 6-month stint in Spain, I’ve lived in New England my whole life before coming to Seattle.

I am most interested in taking care of folks who have fallen through the cracks. In medical school, I focused much of my learning on addiction medicine and its infectious complications, homeless healthcare, care of trans and gender diverse youth, and single-payer advocacy. I believe a radical transformation of our healthcare system is still possible with effective and strategic organizing. As a resident, I can’t wait to continue to fight for more equitable, anti-racist healthcare system, better working conditions for all workers, and a robust public health infrastructure. Swedish First Hill felt like the perfect fit for me, getting the opportunity to gain all the skills I need and center our communities’ needs and values, while supported by an incredible group of co-residents and faculty.

When I’m not working, you can find me skiing, hiking, or running in the mountains, biking around town, listening to audiobooks, doing the NYT crossword, sewing and knitting my own clothes, spending time with my partner and our sweet pup Wallace, and finding the best gluten-free food in town.

Zannah Herridge-Meyer, MD, MPH - First Hill University of Washington Pronouns: (She, Her, Hers)

I grew up in the hustle and bustle of restaurants in Olympia and Tacoma. I was surrounded by musicians, which instilled in me a love of music but unfortunately, no musical talents. I became interested in medicine and public health in high school as a health educator for Planned Parenthood.

After taking a year off to work in a maternity clinic in West Africa, I went to school at the University of San Francisco, where I found my passion for addiction medicine and public health through seeing the effect of poverty on health outcomes. After graduation, I worked in global health on community health worker programs in Central America and Asia. With a passion for public health, I moved to Washington D.C. for my Master’s in Public Health. I had the opportunity to work on projects around improving access to HIV testing, developing treatment models for people with Hep C and HIV, and increasing access to prenatal care for low-income patients. I was thrilled to come back home to the other Washington for medical school where I volunteered as an HIV educator and Spanish interpreter at free clinics in the area, piloted a telehealth program for UW medical students, and worked on resources for immigrant patients and families experiencing pregnancy loss.

My clinical interests include full-spectrum reproductive health care, immigrant/refugee health, addiction medicine, and preventive health. Outside of medicine, I enjoy getting lost in new neighborhoods, swimming in all types of water bodies, water coloring, live music, and exploring nature.

Tenaya Kothari, D.O. - First Hill                                                                 
ATS University Arizona                                                                                                                                                  Pronouns:                                                                                                                                                     (She, Her, Hers)                                        

I was born and raised in San Diego, California, where I grew up in a very close-knit family. I attended college at UC Davis in Northern California and majored in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior science, which gave me a great foundation to understand the human body.  After my undergraduate studies, I attended medical school at A.T. Still University, based in Arizona; I spent most of my training time in Seattle, Washington working with refugee communities and those experiencing homelessness in community health centers. I am passionately interested in building long-lasting connections with my patients, helping underserved communities, and furthering my study of how many different social factors impact health.

I fell in love with the beauty of the Pacific Northwest during my time in school and I am excited to stay in this region and continue my training at Swedish First Hill. Their commitment to advocacy and community care aligns with my own. My specific clinical interests within family medicine include addiction medicine, LGBTQI+ care, and sports medicine. After my training, I am eager to continue practicing in a community medicine setting, helping marginalized populations.

Outside of medicine, I love spending time with my family, baking, and exploring the outdoors. I particularly enjoy hiking, camping, rock climbing, and skiing. 

Claire Miller, M.D. - First Hill                                                              
Thomas Jefferson University                                                                                                                                                         Pronouns:                                                                                                                                                                             (She, Her, Hers)

I was born and raised in Seattle. Through a story-telling initiative in high school, I become acutely aware of the socioeconomic disparities that existed within the city I had grown up in. I had always been fascinated by medicine and human behavior, so I spent my undergraduate years exploring how I could combine those interests with a desire to make a broader impact on society and address some of the inequalities I’d first observed in high school.

As an AmeriCorps volunteer at Neighborcare – a network of FQHCs around Seattle – I served at a health clinic for people experiencing homelessness. I learned about Seattle’s housing and opioid crises and became passionate about addiction medicine. Most impactful, though, were the relationships I formed with patients who visited the clinic and the sense of fulfilment I got from the team-based approach of primary care. In medical school in Philadelphia, my desire to pursue family medicine in an urban, underserved environment was reaffirmed at each stage of training.

It is an incredible privilege to be able to return home to do my residency training at Swedish First Hill, where I can learn alongside providers who are committed to health equity and advocacy and serve the community that has already given me so much.  Some of my many clinical interests include reproductive health; addiction medicine, adolescent and sports medicine.

In my free time I enjoy yoga, jumping in alpine lakes, obscure racket sports, reading in the company of my cat, Nali, and trying as many new pizza and ice cream spots as time allows.

Justin Ramos, D.O. - First Hill                                                             
Western University                                                                                                           Pronouns: (He, Him, His)                            

I was born and raised in San Diego, California. I attended the University of California, Berkeley for college, where I studied Integrative Biology and Art History. From volunteering at free clinics to working as a diabetes health coach, it was my experience at college that truly shaped my interests in the fields of public health and medicine.

After graduation, I served a year in AmeriCorps through the San Francisco Community HealthCorps program. I worked at a school-based health center where I led LGBTQ+ support groups and directed forum theatre performances on issues surrounding adolescent mental health. After AmeriCorps, I worked as an HIV test counselor for the MSM and transgender sex worker communities. I also worked at an FQHC where I led campaign efforts against the illegal sales of tobacco products to underage LGBTQ+ youth.

Ultimately, I attended medical school at Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, CA. In my first year, I was awarded the National Health Service Corps Scholarship and was accepted into the school’s inaugural Community Health Track. As a first-generation student, I led pipeline efforts for underserved youth interested in a career in medicine.

I feel incredibly fortunate to have matched into family medicine at Swedish First Hill and to be in Seattle now. My clinical interests include LGBTQ+ care, HIV care, immigrant health, social justice, health equity and more.

Catheryn “Caty” Teav, DO - DFM                                                                    
University of the Incarnate Word Pronouns: (She, Her, Hers)

I am the daughter of Cambodian refugees who settled in Stockton, California, following the Khmer Rouge. There, I was born and raised among a diverse set of peoples and cultures, while also reaping the agricultural benefits of living in the Central Valley. I studied cultural anthropology at UC Santa Cruz (Go Slugs!). During my pre-medical studies, I volunteered at Silver Avenue Family Health Center, a FQHC in San Francisco. What began as a volunteer health coach experience blossomed into leading quality improvement at the clinic and city level and training health coaches for several years. This is when I knew medicine, specifically family medicine, was “it” for me as it allowed me to bridge these deep passions of mine – cultivating meaningful and trusted relationships over time and bringing about systematic changes to improve patient outcomes. Before medical school, I worked with organizations across California that were dedicated to dismantling the school-to-prison pipeline, advocating for improved environmental health in redlined communities, and organizing services to help those systems-impacted and/or formerly incarcerated.

I am so excited to be joining the Swedish First Hill Family Medicine Residency as it was evident to me that health equity and community advocacy are foundational to the program. I have appreciated the beauty of the PNW as a West Coast neighbor and I am delighted to call Seattle home. In my free time, I love hanging out with my fantastic family and partner, cooking seasonally, going for long walks, and catching a great movie in the theater.

Emily Thorn, M.D., M.P.H. - Ballard                                                                                                                       Washington State University                                                                                                                           Pronouns:                                                                                                                         (She, Her, Hers)

I grew up in Seattle and am thankful to be returning to this compassionate and creative community I still consider home.

I completed my undergrad studies in bio-anthropology at Western Washington University, where my interests in medicine and health equity first took hold. Next, I worked as a Peace Corps volunteer supporting health education efforts in Leskovik, Albania. Seeing the positive health impacts of personalized and intergenerational care provided by clinic staff inspired me to pursue family medicine.

I relocated to Boston, MA, studying public health at Boston University and researching seizure disorders at Massachusetts General Hospital. Through involvement with the Student Coalition on Addiction, I deepened my appreciation for harm reduction, community organizing, and advocacy as essential to furthering equitable medicine. During medical school at Washington State University, I continued this work as Harm Reduction lead at the regional organization Health Equity Circle and member of Spokane City Council’s Sustainability Action Subcommittee.

I am immensely grateful for the opportunity to train in family medicine alongside dedicated, inspiring co-residents and faculty at Swedish First Hill and to continue addressing health inequities through patient-centered, trauma-informed care and community initiatives. My clinical interests include addiction medicine, gender-affirming care, reproductive justice, and mental health.

Outside of work, you can find me spending quality time with family/friends/Margie the cat, kayaking, reading, at local live music and comedy shows, or playing pinball.

Odette Zero, M.D. - DFM                                                                                                                                      Brown University                                                                                                                               Pronouns:                                                                                                                                 (She, Her, Hers )

I am from Indianapolis, Indiana and am the daughter (and granddaughter) of several generations of dentists. I grew up living between Indiana and Guatemala, my mother’s home country and my second home. I studied Anthropology and Global Health at Northwestern University and worked abroad in Guatemala and rural India. I also co-founded and directed a volunteer organization that trained students as health information navigators at public libraries. Following this, I was a Global Health Corps Fellow in the Bronx, NY, where I discovered the beauty of longitudinal primary care as a program coordinator of prenatal and well-baby group care for underserved Latina mothers. I pursued a MD-ScM in Primary Care Population Medicine at Brown University, focusing my thesis and advocacy work on the healthcare experiences of undocumented Latinx survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV). At Brown, I co-ran a mental health clinic for uninsured immigrants, organized medical evaluations and wrote affidavits for asylum seekers, and volunteered at a IPV prevention non-profit. As a family medicine physician, I aim to provide comprehensive and compassionate care for the underserved of all legal statuses, skin colors, and gender and sexual identities. I envision a career that incorporates advocacy for Latinx patients through community-based research and partnership, human rights work, global health, and full-spectrum patient-centered care. In my free time, I enjoy reading, writing, tennis, yoga, traveling and tending to my house plants. My partner and I are excited for a new adventure in the PNW!