Berenitze Balladares- Michigan State University
I was born and raised in Chicago’s Gage Park community to two Mexican immigrant parents. I have two brothers and as a family we had many shared experiences with the rest of our community. It was these experiences, and the values my family instilled in me, that led me to choose medicine and ultimately Family Medicine. I started my journey at the University of Illinois at Chicago where I met my mentor who pushed me to apply to medical school. I continued my journey at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine after completing the post-bacc ABLE program.
After reflecting on what was important to me and who I wanted to be as a physician, I realized Family Medicine was where I belonged. I chose TCHUCFMR because, besides the amazing people here, they offer learning opportunities that I believe will help shape me into a well rounded physician who will be ready to serve underserved communities. I am very excited to start working and learning about the Cincinnati community and be the best resident physician I possibly can be for them!
Mavis Coffman-University of Texas
I was born in Columbia Missouri and grew up in St. Louis. I went back to Columbia for the University of Missouri where I studied public health and was involved in social justice work in my community. After I graduated, I moved to Austin Texas where I went to Dell Medical School. I explored the role of social justice in improving health equity and discovered family medicine as a way to serve my community as a doctor. I also completed a master’s degree in health care transformation where I learned alongside leaders in healthcare from all over the country and the world. This program taught me the principles of value-based healthcare and design for healthcare delivery solutions.
Somu Chatterjee-Tirunelveli Medical College
I was born in the Indian state of West Bengal (home of the Royal Bengal Tiger) and completed medical school at MGR Medical University in India. After practicing in India for approximately nine years, I joined West Virginia University, where I completed my Masters in Public Health. I have worked in public health in rural Appalachia for many years and have been a faculty in a Physician Assistant program before joining the TCHUC Family Medicine residency Program. I have lived on the Himalayan ranges for years and across culturally different Indian cities and in the US. I have practiced holistic medicine in India for many years and hope to practice integrative medicine in the United States. I am thrilled to join the TCHUC FM program, a legacy program where residents and faculty have exemplified service, innovation, and leadership. Through experiences, I passionately believe that the sustenance of our planet depends on its resources shared by all other life forms. I am hopeful that the future of medicine will consider not only the social determinants of health but also the impact of consumption patterns and the science of climate change on the practice of medicine.
Charles Lane-Emory University
Growing up in a military family, I had the opportunity to live all over the world, never staying in one place for more than three years. My love for science eventually led me to the University of Tampa where I studied chemistry. After college, I was commissioned into the Navy and served as a nuclear submarine officer for six years. During my time in the Navy, I relied on a personal yoga practice to help keep my cool while underwater and even taught classes to other sailors in the engine room. My passion for healing and promoting wellness led me to pursue a career in medicine at Emory University where I became certified as a compassion-based meditation instructor and a trauma-sensitive yoga facilitator. As I embark on my residency journey, I seek to develop a holistic approach to patient care and deeply understand the role of biopsychosocial stress in development and health. Although I have lived all over the world, I am new to Cincinnati and looking forward to making it my home.
Tatiana Kozin-The University of Cincinnati
Though I was born in California; both of my parents immigrated to the United States from two very different cultures; so appreciation for diversity was ingrained from childhood. For undergrad, I attended Pepperdine University and received a degree in Sports Medicine. From there, I took a non-traditional route while building important life experiences outside of medicine. I had the opportunity to lead a weekly homeless outreach team for three years at a park in Sacramento California, where I also included my 3 young children at the time. I then had the privilege of becoming a foster parent and it was my interaction with physicians, in seeking help for those in my care, that sparked my desire to return to school. I completed my post-baccalaureate classes at UC Berkeley. For medical school, my family and I moved cross country where I had the honor to attend the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.
I am thrilled to join the team and participate in quality healthcare that addresses the multidimensional aspects of human health. I value the rich diversity represented in The Christ Hospital’s staff and the opportunities available to serve the community both nearby and abroad.
Catherine Lee-Western Michigan Univeristy
Sarah Leep-West Virginia University
I was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA with my younger sister and our sweet dog, Dezzy. I studied biology at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, which is where my interest in pursuing a career as a physician began. I attended medical school at West Virginia University, where I witnessed social determinants of health and the need for healthcare in underserved communities. I chose this program for the compassionate people I met during my interview and the program’s dedication to underserved communities, both in Cincinnati and globally. This program has strong commitment to providing global health and I am very excited to be a part of these opportunities throughout residency!
Elizabeth Wareham- Ohio State University
I’m a lifelong Ohioan - I grew up in Dayton, then moved to Cincinnati to major in violin performance at University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Between undergrad and med school, I did research at Cincinnati Children’s, then worked as a full time MCAT tutor, sang in some choirs, and played/taught violin. I attended the Ohio State University College of Medicine as part of the dual MD/MPH program. I’m so excited to be moving back to Cincinnati!
Working on the steering committee of a free clinic in Columbus during med school solidified my passion for underserved care, with a particular interest in caring for unhoused populations. I began thinking about approaching these populations from several perspectives holistically: public health, primary care, and mental health, which ultimately was one of the things that led me to combined FM/psychiatry training. I’m interested in many aspects of integrated medicine and psychiatry, including primary care for patients with serious mental illness.
Training in the TCH/UC Family Medicine/Psychiatry program is a dream come true. I love so many aspects of the program, including the wonderful people I will get to learn from and work with, the focus on health equity and social justice, and the strong commitment to global/community health for underserved populations.
Shilpa Murthy-Ohio University
Hello! My name is Shilpa Murthy, and I was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio! I am a first generation Indian American and part of an incredibly tight knit family! I was part of the Early Assurance Program at Ohio Dominican University and Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine and received my Bachelors of Science from ODU prior to starting medical school at OUHCOM-Dublin. During medical school some of my fondest memories come from being a medical mentor for both medical students as well as premedical students, serving on the board of Student National Medical Association (SNMA), as well as being a part of various outreach programs in the community.
It was my involvement in the Leroy Rodgers Preceptorship between my first and second year of medical school that introduced me to the variety of care that is encompassed in family medicine. The focus on preventive care, and the emphasis on patient care and health literacy drew me into family medicine. I am interested in women’s health advocacy as well as MAT and addiction medicine. The focus that TCH/UC program has on advocacy, social justice, global health, and community focused care struck me from my interview day! I am excited to be a part of this program!
Class of 2026