Dermatology Residents

Bio: I grew up in Springfield, Missouri but have lived in Columbia since 2015 when I moved here for my undergraduate degrees. My husband and I loved Columbia so much we stayed for medical school and now residency! Clearly, we love the Missouri Tigers. And what a fantastic program to train in dermatology! You cannot beat the knowledge and expertise of our attendings, and the encouragement and support from co-residents is unmatched. The learning environment is always fun and non-judgmental. Additionally, I appreciate that autonomy is encouraged, but resources and assistance is never hard to come by when needed. In my free time, you can find me at orange theory or spoiling our portuguese water dog, Dory. In the summers we enjoy spending time with family at Table Rock Lake and we spend the falls cheering on the Chiefs and the Tigers.

Bio: I was raised in Shelbyville, TN, a small town about an hour and a half south of Nashville. I attended Middle Tennessee State University for my undergraduate degree and received a Bachelor of Science in nursing. I was a practicing registered nurse at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, TN for over two years before going back to medical school at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis. I chose to train at Mizzou’s dermatology program largely due to my overwhelmingly positive experience I received during my interviews and meeting with current residents. The welcome I received from both the faculty and residents was unparalleled. I knew that this program would have the warm and supportive environment to best foster my professional development and learning. In addition, I strongly believe the excellent teaching faculty as well as access to a wide range of subspecialties and patients will provide me with the tools and experience needed to become an excellent dermatologist. In my free time, I love to spend time with my wife, Kayla, and our two dogs, Archie and Evie. I also enjoy traveling, playing tennis, and playing the guitar.

Bio: I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. Growing up, our family home was filled with the kind of busy love you can only get from sharing it with a crafty mom, six other siblings, and a mechanic dad working out of the garage.

For college, I moved across the country to attend Yale University and study biomedical engineering. After that, I earned my medical degree at Georgetown University in D.C., where I also married my high school sweetheart, Héctor. For my internship, I stayed in D.C. for a year in general surgery at Medstar Georgetown — which was a challenging and wonderful experience.

Now, I am so excited to be in Missouri and to start my training in dermatology here. I feel blessed to be part of the MU dermatology family, where the providers are deeply compassionate, kind, brilliant and always willing to go the extra mile. I hope to grow and learn alongside my co-residents, with the goal of providing excellent dermatologic care for all.

In my spare time, you can find me baking the best brown butter chocolate chip cookies, fly fishing with my husband but rarely catching anything, and growing oyster mushrooms in my garage. I also love taking trips and visiting my family back in California, where my empty-nester parents have replaced the kids with seven rescued Huskie dogs.

I was born in Wisconsin, moved around the Midwest, then settled in Johnston, a suburb of Des Moines. I obtained a degree in chemistry at Creighton University. During medical school at University of Iowa, I realized dermatology is an awesome specialty. I did my intern year back in Des Moines and now am excited to be a resident at University of Missouri. Some sports I enjoy are tennis, basketball and football. Other activities I enjoy: lifting weights, boating, playing board or card games, PC gaming, pour-painting, traveling and going on walks.

Bio: I grew up in Ojai, California, but have been in the Midwest for awhile now. I went to undergrad at Saint Louis University, and then medical school at the University of Missouri - Columbia (Mizzou). In my free time, I enjoy running, trying to keep my house plants alive, trying new recipes, traveling, and spending time with my friends and my husband.

Since my first year in medical school at Mizzou, the dermatology department instantly welcomed me and supported me in my goal of a career in dermatology. The faculty have been outstanding mentors and I'm excited to begin my journey of becoming a dermatologist here at Mizzou.

Bio: Growing up in Orange County, California, I went on to pursue a double major in biology and dance & performance studies at UC Berkeley for my undergraduate degree. Throughout my medical training, I've lived in various parts of the United States, including NYC, NJ, Arizona, Boston, and Northern California. However, Columbia holds a special place in my heart as I was a former neurosurgery resident at MU. During my transition from neurosurgery to dermatology, I found the dermatology program at MU to be incredibly welcoming and supportive. Additionally, I completed a fellowship in cutaneous oncology at Boston Medical Center between my neurosurgery and dermatology training. I am thrilled to have chosen to return to MU for my dermatology residency, where the collegial team has made me feel right at home. When not working, I enjoy cooking, taking pilates and barré classes, vintage shopping, and spending time with my husband, our daughter, and our two dogs.

Bio: I grew up all over the country, however, I spent the longest time living in Las Vegas, Nevada. I attended the University of Portland in Oregon for my undergraduate degree and the University of Nevada, Reno for my medical degree. I knew Mizzou was my dream dermatology program as soon as I stepped into my first clinic. The faculty and residents were warm, welcoming, and genuinely passionate about teaching and learning. However, what makes Mizzou particularly exciting is the opportunity to experience a well-rounded training program while also gaining extensive exposure to pediatric dermatology. I feel so fortunate to have the opportunity to learn and grow alongside my fellow residents at Mizzou Dermatology. In my free time, I enjoy watching documentaries, knitting, trying out new restaurants, and spending time with my friends and fiancé, Shane.

Bio: I am from rural western Kentucky.  I attended University of Kentucky for my undergraduate degree where I studied mathematics and then went on to the University of Louisville for medical school. In my free time, I enjoy painting with acrylic, watercolor, and chalk pastels, antiquing, walking, reading, and spending time and with family and friends. I chose to train at MU because it’s truly like a big family. The close-knit relationships among residents, attendings, students, and staff truly makes this an optimal learning and working environment. We enjoy spending time together in and outside of work and my co-residents have become some of my best friends. In addition to the amazing culture, this program provides comprehensive exposure to all aspects of dermatology with hands-on learning from day 1. One of my favorite aspects of our program is the strong emphasis on the underserved with intentional/strategic efforts to address deficits in access to dermatology care via the ECHO program and the MedZou free clinic.

Bio: I was born and raised in a small town (Festus, MO) just outside of St. Louis, MO. I attended Missouri State University for my bachelor’s degree and the University of Missouri – Columbia (MU) for my medical degree. During my medical school dermatology rotations, I felt instantly welcomed by all the MU dermatology faculty and residents. Each faculty and resident I worked with spent ample time teaching and mentoring. Everyone in the department was so approachable and friendly. There is certainly an atmosphere of camaraderie. Further, I knew MU dermatology would provide a breadth of dermatology training which included the Truman VA, Ellis Fischel Cancer center, the children’s hospital, Mohs procedural clinic, and several general dermatology clinics.  It was an easy decision to choose MU dermatology for my residency training.

I have also enjoyed my time in Columbia. It is a great college town with everything you need. I enjoy golfing, exercising, playing board games, making sushi, and trying new beers with my fiancé’ Shaye. It is also nestled just 1.5-2 hours from both St. Louis and Kansas City, Missouri whenever I want to go to a KC Chiefs game or STL Cardinals game.

Columbia and MU dermatology are hidden gems of the Midwest. I am looking forward to the next three years of fun and training with an excellent group of faculty and residents.

Bio: I grew up in New York then spent more than a decade at the University of Chicago, whereas an undergraduate I studied geology and evolutionary biology before obtaining my MD and PhD through the University of Chicago Medical Scientist Training Program. For my PhD thesis, I developed a mouse model of gut bacterial inheritance to study the effects of early life exposures on immune homeostasis and disease susceptibility. As a dermatologist, I aim to understand the mechanisms of host-microbe interactions on the skin in order to prevent or modify the course of dermatologic disease. MU is a welcoming training program for this pursuit. My wife and I live in Columbia with our three kids and couldn't be happier to call it home.

Home town: St. Charles, Missouri

Undergraduate: St. Louis University

Medical school: University of Missouri - Columbia

Intern year: Providence Sacred Heart in Spokane, WA

Bio: I grew up in St. Louis with my three older siblings. Both my parents and siblings all work in health care. I was always drawn to the medical field and when shadowing various professions, my desire to become a physician was re-enforced. When I rotated in dermatology during medical school, it became clear I loved dermatology more than any of the other fields. I woke up excited to go into work every day, and that passion continues during residency. Mizzou Dermatology creates a welcoming and friendly environment allowing for growth as both a dermatologist and person. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, playing tennis, any water activities, reading, trivia nights, and playing board games.