Testimonials
SIU Family Medicine Residency Program | Quincy
Henna Bhatti, MD
Chief Resident 2022-2023
"I could not have asked for a better residency experience. My three years here at SIU Quincy provided me with the tools I need to pursue a career in outpatient or inpatient medicine with full confidence in my abilities as a physician."
M. Adnan Khan, MD
Chief Resident 2022-2023
"Everyone understands residency is a challenge all future physicians will face. The thing we don't realize is where you go will define how you will succeed. I can sit here and explain the wonderful things SIU Quincy FMR has to offer such as being unopposed, a great resident-to-faculty ratio, quality educators, wonderful staff, and a phenomenal support system. However, what you may want to know more about are the countless hours our attendings spent investing in our future, the loving staff and nurses who made this place a home for three years, or the specialists who work alongside you to help further your critical thinking and procedural skills. I chose SIU Quincy Family Medicine Residency because of the people and their unconditional love for teaching and progressing the future of Primary Care. I truly feel prepared to excel at any position from OB to Hospital Medicine to Traditional Family Medicine Practice Model with all the tools I learned along my journey here in this program. I cannot emphasize how much I value them for helping me thrive to become a quality physician. Thank you for making me not only better but for allowing me to reach my full potential."
Katherine Hartstern, MD
"I chose to pursue Family Medicine because I wanted to learn about everything: every age, every gender, every background, and every body system. SIU Quincy Family Medicine residency delivered on its promise to teach evidence-based medicine while paying focus to each individual patient and their unique needs and barriers to achieving wellness. Our program provided opportunities to work in both inpatient and outpatient settings, with the young and old, the sick and healthy, the rich and poor, people from different races and cultures, from urban, suburban or rural communities, among the LGBT+ community, non-English speaking persons, and patients struggling with mental health, addiction or those in need of socioeconomic support. My SIU patients have been my teachers, and with the guidance of our faculty, I feel prepared to help anyone who walks through the door."
Marjorie Williams, MD
"As a new doctor beginning my career in a new location, I was a nervous nelly, to say the least. I knew residency was going to be tough but I’d hoped my new position would be a supportive learning environment. SIU Quincy did not disappoint! The knowledge I gained from Dr. Connolly about dermatology and addiction medicine; from Dr. Ott about inpatient/outpatient heart failure and hypertension management; and from Dr. Dixon about evidence-based hospital medicine have shaped the foundation of my career and serve as a springboard for future learning. To be honest, education will come at most residencies. To be frank, it’s the residency's primary job to produce capable and knowledgeable physicians. However, if you want to learn compassion, advocacy and how to be instrumental in your rural community both in and out of the office. . . SIU FMR Quincy is your best option!"
Allyson, Munch, DO
"My medical school rotations were based in Quincy, and luckily during that time, I had the opportunity to note how well-trained residents were. As a resident, I enjoyed the close-knit nature of the faculty and residents. SIU Quincy Family Medicine residency has shaped me into the physician I am today and I'm grateful for the experience."
Hossain Mesbah, MD
"I can’t thank everyone at SIU-Quincy enough for all the care and attention they put into training their residents. Through my time in the program, I gained the skills and competencies needed to continue my journey as a physician and transition into independent practice with confidence."
Logan Warner, DO
“Faculty are very helpful and caring. Great training. Good inpatient experience. Unopposed residency.”
Elizabeth Shaffer, MD
“I would choose SIU Quincy because of its unopposed program and the ability to tailor the program to your specific needs.”
Andrew Milian, MD
“The reason I would choose SIU Quincy to do my family medicine residency is that it is unopposed with a wonderful faculty willing to adapt and change to my learning needs. The program director is always open to new ideas and is extremely innovative when it comes to the residents’ medical education. SIU Quincy from the beginning wanted me to find what I enjoy in medicine and they provided me the resources and confidence to pursue my goals. The community attendings were welcoming when I approached them with my desire to gain a diverse procedural experience, without having to compete with other residency specialties. There is a family atmosphere that always picked me up when I was feeling burned out or if I had a bad experience. The faculty were quick to help guide me through all of my experiences, good or bad. At the end of my residency I can safely say I would pick SIU Quincy again for my medical training and I look forward to returning to teach future residents.”
Surya Polavarapu, MD
“SIU Quincy Family Medicine program has a strong foundation in education and teaching. Our conferences, lectures, and simulation labs provide an excellent structure for learning and solidify what we experience on the floors. All the attendings are extremely knowledgeable, compassionate physicians who strike the perfect balance of being supportive but also allowing the residents to have autonomy with patient care. They are also excellent teachers with a true passion for didactics. I also truly appreciated the flexibility of the rotations and the wide variety of specialties you can experience. The program does an excellent job of creating a family-oriented, supportive atmosphere and an excellent work-life balance. Thanks to our incredible attendings, support staff and my wonderful fellow residents, this is truly an incredible place to train and grow as a physician.”
Tanner Eiben, DO
“Completing my residency at SIU Center for Family Medicine in Quincy was a transformational journey in the most positive aspects. The patients, staff, faculty and community all play an integral part in resident support and education and do a great job at it. Great communication, community attendings, faculty attendings, an unopposed program and many opportunities in the area are all great attributes and a great way to shape the resident education into what I wanted it to be. In fact, I will be staying after graduation to complete the Sports Medicine Fellowship, also in Quincy. Overall, I highly recommend this program, especially if candidates are looking for a great education and a touch of rural medicine in an area with a lot of resources.”
Kathryn Demitruk, MD
“Southern Illinois University Quincy Family Medicine was a wonderful choice for residency for me because I really wanted an unopposed residency program that strongly emphasized a sense of family and community not just with patients but among coworkers as well. I believe everyone in the program, especially the attending physicians and my co-residents became an extension of my family while I was there. Having the opportunity to work with attending physicians who care strongly about your intellectual and personal growth as a physician is imperative to becoming the best and most well-rounded physician you can be. SIU Quincy gave that to me, and for that, I will be forever grateful.”
Herman Leung, DO
"For me, there is no regret when I chose to come to Quincy for my residency training. I loved the one-on-one interaction with my preceptors, as this is the only residency program in the area. However, it is the friendships and connections I have formed with the staff at SIU-Quincy and the community that has been the most important to me. This is why I didn't hesitate to join SIU-Quincy and practice in the city I have grown to love."
John Vu, MD
“I recommend SIU Quincy for multiple reasons. Going through the program, I have had excellent exposure that progresses medical knowledge. Being an unopposed program allows for in-depth one-on-one learning opportunities. In addition, there was great support from the hospital system and community.”
Nicolai Zhidkov, MD
“Initially I chose to train at SIU Quincy due to the fact that it was unopposed. During my training, I learned far more than I thought I would. I worked with amazing people both at the clinic and in the hospital and felt that I had support 100% of the time. I also got very attached to Quincy. I will say that I did have an adjustment phase. However, now that I am finished with the program I hate the fact that I am leaving this great town and the hospital. P.S. You won’t find another coordinator like we have at this program, it’s a bonus for the program!”
Ben Bukey, DO
“My experience at SIU has been great for the following reasons: You are treated and feel like family. We take care of one another. You are encouraged and have the means to pursue your own path and explore various practice options. Extra-curricular activities such as moonlighting are highly encouraged. Faculty are wonderful with an open-door policy that holds true to its name. It is a small program that focuses and cares about the growth and well-being of the residents and faculty. It’s a hidden gem.”