March 31, 2023
Sixteen new medical school graduates will begin their graduate education in July 2023 at the College of Community Health Sciences.
They will receive specialty training in family medicine as part of the UA Tuscaloosa Family Medicine Residency Program Class of 2026. The three-year residency is operated by CCHS and is one of the oldest and largest family medicine residencies in the United States.
The College established the residency in 1975 and, to date, 556 physicians have received training through the program. The residency has a long tradition of working to improve the health of individuals and communities in Alabama and the Southeast. In Alabama, 1 of every 7 practicing family medicine physicians is a graduate of the residency, and 90% of graduates practice in the Southeast.
During their time in the program, residents are educated and trained in academic and community environments by physicians in family medicine and other specialties and learn to provide high-quality and patient-centered care. Residents have opportunities to practice in hospitals and continuity and community clinics and connect with patients in the context of their families and communities.
CCHS also offers post-residency fellowships for additional training in behavioral health, emergency medicine, geriatrics, hospital medicine neurology, obstetrics, pediatrics, rural public psychiatry and sports medicine.
The UA Tuscaloosa Family Medicine Residency Program Class of 2026 and where they completed medical school:
Zeel Adeshra, MD: Saba University School of Medicine, Caribbean Netherlands
Alesha Amerson, MD: UAB Heersink School of Medicine, Birmingham, Ala.
Celia Asinor, MD: St. George’s University School of Medicine, Grenada, West Indies
Chase Britt, MD: UAB Heersink School of Medicine, Birmingham, Ala.
Emily Brown, MD: UAB Heersink School of Medicine, Birmingham, Ala.
Katie Carr, MD: University of Medicine and Health Sciences Center, Saint Kitts, Caribbean
Paris Cooke, MD: UAB Heersink School of Medicine, Birmingham, Ala.
Callie Hillman, DO: Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine, Fort Smith, Ark.
Arpitha Jammula, MD: University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Saint Kitts, Caribbean
Neethu Kurien, MD: University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Medicine, Memphis, Tenn
Marwan Mahmoud, DO: Edward Via University (Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine-Carolinas), Spartanburg, S.C.
Ricky Sekhon, MD: American University of Antigua College of Medicine, Coolidge, Antigua
Kavena Sivakumar, MD: St. George’s University School of Medicine, Grenada, West Indies
Kate Sweeney, DO: Touro University – Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine, Henderson, Nev.
Lucas Tarvainen, MD: Michigan State University College of Human Medicine – Upper Peninsula, Marquette, Mich.
Justine Vella, MD: University of Medicine and Health Sciences Center, Saint Kitts, Caribbean
