Internal Medicine Residency Program welcomes Class of 2027

The Augusta University/University of Georgia Medical Partnership and St. Mary’s Health Care System welcomed 12 new physician residents to the Internal Medicine Residency Program (IMRP) on July 1.

The IMRP is accredited to host up to 37 residents, and they provide supervised inpatient care at St. Mary’s Hospital on Baxter Street and outpatient care at Community Internal Medicine of Athens on Oglethorpe Avenue. In addition, third-year residents spend two months in a rural healthcare setting by providing inpatient care at St. Mary’s Good Samaritan Hospital in Greensboro.

The IMRP Class of 2027 and the schools at which they completed their medical education are:

•           Safurah Bharwani, MD: Medical University of Silesia, School of Medicine in Katwoice

•           Luis Cardenas, MD: University of South Carolina, School of Medicine Greenville

•           Graham Ferguson, MD: St. George’s University

•           Timothy Le, DO: Lincoln Memorial University, DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine

•           Batul Momin, DO: Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine

•           Sheena Mondeddu, DO: Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine

•           Marisela Plascencia, DO: Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine

•           Stephane Rivard, DO: Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine

•           Aswin Sembu, DO: Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine

•           Kinjal Suthar, MD: American University of Antigua College of Medicine

•           Noah Tollin, MD: St. George’s University

In addition, the program matched a preliminary year intern, Frank Merlino, MD. He earned his medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia.

This year’s chief residents are Drs. Chelsey Carter, Nathan Haverstick, Ummar Jamal, Vinod Jeyaretnam, Sarah Rohrig, and Stephanie Watson. Chief residents act as liaisons between faculty members and residents, serve as mentors, help design and create educational activities, and provide patient care.

“We are thrilled to have this new group of physicians join our residency program. Their backgrounds, achievements, and training will be an asset to our program and community for years to come,” said Dr. Lela Ward, the IMRP director.

The program is also celebrating the outgoing Class of 2024. Of the 11 residents from the class, six are staying in Georgia, and three additional graduates are staying in surrounding states in the Southeast.