About Us
Our Family Medical Residency Program
For over 10 years, Memorial Health System has trained dedicated providers, compassionate caregivers, and bright minds. Our Family Medicine program was developed in 2018 and provides a full spectrum of family medicine education. Our Family Medical Residency Program utilizes a clinic first approach, allowing significant patient-provider relationship building, a focus on clinic procedures, and experience in clinic quality improvement processes. Memorial Health System is committed to preventative care and lifestyle medicine, and this year, our residents will be able to graduate with dual board certification thanks to the approval of the lifestyle medicine residency curriculum.
Our Program's Mission Statement
We recognize the value of family medicine and the necessity of having excellent family medicine providers in our community. Our family medicine residency program has been established with the primary aim of securing well-trained physicians, who strive for excellence through a commitment to lifelong learning, to serve the community and the southeast Ohio area and the Mid-Ohio Valley.
Our Community Commitment
Memorial Health System is a not-for-profit health system governed by a volunteer board of community members that are committed to providing comprehensive services that meet the needs of our region. Memorial Health System consists of a network of three hospitals and multiple outpatient service sites. We work in collaborative and innovative ways to meet the healthcare challenges of our region.
A Message from our Program Director
Sarah Taylor, DO
Hello from the banks of the beautiful Ohio River! We are so pleased that you are considering applying to our growing program. Established in 2019 with our first class graduating in June 2022, we currently have a 100% 1st- time family medicine board pass rate. Below is an updated version of the aims of the program, encompassing the "three Cs": competency, commitment, and collaboration.
Aims of the program
- Competency: Provide residents with the opportunity to demonstrate, in the hospital, nursing home, and ambulatory settings, those clinical and procedural skills that encompass the scope of family practice
- Commitment: Promote healthy living in the communities we serve by encouraging involvement in programming that impacts families, chronic health care management, and local disparities. Supporting resident education in preventative care, social determinants of health, and additional training in lifestyle medicine
- Collaboration: Provide a safe, inclusive learning environment for allopathic and osteopathic residents celebrating diverse backgrounds and perspectives who have an interest in service in the community setting
- Competency: Provide excellence in education resulting in board-certified family medicine providers, with an emphasis on outpatient family medicine and a capacity to support patients across the medical continuum of care
- Collaboration: Emphasize resident and faculty communication, continuous process improvement, as well as wellness and stress management monitoring to promote positive team performance and experience
- Commitment: Provide leadership skill training that empowers our residents to lead within the communities they serve
We are excited for the future and look forward to meeting you!
Our Core Faculty
Caitlyn Santer, DO
Medical School: West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine - Lewisburg, West Virginia
Residency: Shenandoah Valley Family Practice Center - Front Royal, Virginia
"It was exciting to return to the Mid-Ohio Valley following residency and care for entire families in my practice, from newborns to grandparents."
Laura Burkett, MD
Medical School: Aureus University, School of Medicine - Oranjestad, Aruba
Residency: Memorial Health System - Marietta, Ohio
"I love caring for whole families and advocating for my patients to have safe, compassionate, affirming care that enriches their lives. There is nothing more satisfying than knowing that I connected with my patient and that our relationship improved their health. It has become one of my highest commitments to teach this same approach to family medicine to the next generation of family doctors."
Daniele Fuhrich, MD
Medical School: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) Faculdade de Medicina
Residency: Family Medicine, Memorial Health System, Marietta, Ohio
As a primary care and lifestyle medicine physician, I love that I can build a lifelong relationship with my patients. I want to empower my patients to take their health into their own hands by changing lifestyle habits.
Chad Bigony, MD
Medical School: Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency: Doctors Hospital Columbus, OH
"Family medicine is full of opportunities to impact the health of those in your community. Health care, education, and advocacy are all part of family medicine and it is one of the few specialties where you can impact people at all stages of their lives."
John Prokop, MD
Medical School: Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine - Athens, Ohio
Residency: Akron General Hospital - Akron, Ohio
"I went into family medicine because I enjoy developing long term relationships with patients to develop personalized care. I moved to Marietta to be near family and serve the people of the Mid-Ohio Valley."
Sahira Biland, MBBS
PGY 3
Jennifer Dorling, MD
PGY 3
Joanna Ekabua, MD
PGY 3
Geetanjali Gupta, MD
PGY 3
Tina Joseph, MBBS
PGY 2
Ivan Zepeda Mejia, MD
PGY 2
Oluseye Oniyide, MBBS
PGY 2
Diana Wheeler, DO
PGY 2
Alexis Funk, DO
PGY 1
Andrew Pruett, MD
PGY 1
Marlin Santos, MD
PGY 1
Naiyana Gravely, DO
PGY 1
Our Curriculum
Including rotations and didacticsRotations
PGY-1
PGY-2
PGY-3
Pay Scale for Residents
PGY-2: $64,480
PGY-3: $68,203
- 20 days paid time off (PTO)
- 403(b)
- Certification courses (BLS, ACLS, PALS, ATLS) with all fees paid
- CME stipend: $1,200 - $2,000
- Dependent care
- Flexible spending account
- Housing for required "out rotations"
- Library access (24 hours)
- Meal allowance while on service
- Medical, dental, and vision coverage
- Membership to ACGME, ACEP/EMRA
- Wellness Center
- Personalized scrubs and white coats
In accordance with all Federal, State and Local requirements, Memorial Health System’s Emergency Medicine Residency does not discriminate, exclude or treat differently any person or group of people on the basis of race, age, color, national origin, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression or other protected classes. Employment matters would include but not be limited to such activities as recruitment, selection, promotion, evaluation, compensation, benefits, training or retention of employees.
M4 Sub Internship Elective Rotation
If you are interested in rotating with us for an M4 Sub Internship elective rotation please apply through VSLO!
About Marietta Ohio
Marietta was established in 1788 as the first permanent settlement of the Northwest Territory and is named after Marie Antoinette in honor of France’s role in the Revolutionary War. As you drive down our brick streets lined with tall trees, Marietta College students, and historical homes, you’ll see why National Geographic magazine named Marietta "One of the Best Places to Live" and "Best Adventure Town”, the New York Times says it’s “where the West began”.
Our river town is tucked in between the Ohio and Muskingum Rivers, and provides multiple local festivals, culture, and activities. The Ohio River Sternwheel Festival happens every September filling downtown with people and vendors from all across the Mid-Ohio Valley to awe over the sternwheel boats floating in the river. A couple other events not to miss are year-round downtown outdoor celebrations and the fireworks display on Independence Day! The seasons do not stop the hustle and bustle of Marietta; fall and winter events bring locals together to enjoy activities such as historical home tours while they are perfectly decorated for the holidays and ghost walking tours.
