Internal Medicine Residency Program celebrates graduates

On Friday, June 12, the ninth class of the Augusta University/University of Georgia Medical Partnership Internal Medicine Residency Program, in partnership with St. Mary’s Health Care System, celebrated graduation with friends and family.

The program began with opening remarks from Medical Partnership campus dean, Dr. Shelley Nuss, who congratulated the graduating residents on reaching this important milestone in their medical careers.

All 11 graduates of the Class of 2026 are staying in the South, with seven remaining in Georgia. For the graduating chief residents, Dr. Ummar Jamal is headed to Reading, Pennsylvania, for a pulmonary critical care fellowship, and Dr. Vinod Jeyaretnam will remain at St. Mary’s as a hospitalist.

Drs. Crystal Rivera Perez and C. Ian Schrock will be remaining at St. Mary’s as the chief residents for the 2026–2027 academic year.

This graduating class marks a historic milestone for the program. The Class of 2026 will be the final cohort to graduate from the Medical Partnership’s residency program before it transitions to the University of Georgia School of Medicine Internal Medicine Residency Program on July 1.

The Class of 2026

JonHenry Allen, DO: Athens, GA – Hospitalist

Andrew Clermont, MD: Memphis, TN – Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship

Thomas Diamond, MD: Jacksonville, FL – General Cardiovascular Care Fellowship

Carla Erb, DO: Augusta, GA – Pulmonary Critical Care Fellowship

Marina Mina, MD: San Antonio, TX – Pulmonary Critical Care Fellowship

Jalees Naseer, MD: Huntsville, AL – Hospitalist

Hevinkumar Patel, DO: Athens, GA – Hospitalist

Crystal Rivera Perez, MD: Chief Resident

Ian Schrock, DO: Chief Resident

Nadia Tamia, MD: Georgia – Hospitalist

Maryam Tarar, DO: Conyers, GA – PCP

Chief Residents

Ummar Jamal, DO: Reading, PA – Pulmonary Critical Care Fellowship

Vinod Jeyaretnam, DO: Athens, GA – Hospitalist

Winners from the End of the Year Awards Ceremony

The following awards were determined by voting from colleagues and peers.

Subspecialty Attending of the Year: Julio Pena, MD

Cardiology Attending of the Year: Hiren Patel, MD

Hospitalist of the Year: Ackeime Campbell, MD

Intensivist of the Year: Ben Butler, MD

Faculty of the Year: Andy Albritton, MD

Rotation of the Year: Cardiology

Senior Resident of the Year: Crystal Rivera Perez, MD

Outstanding Professionalism & Ethics: Andrew Clermont, MD

Resident Educator of the Year: Christopher Ian Schrock, DO

Intern of the Year: Hannah Luft, DO

“Hart of Residency” Award: Crystal Rivera Perez, MD & Andrew Clermont, MD

Dr. Wayne Middendorf ICU Award presented by Athens Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine: Carla Erb, DO