Current Residents

Learn More About Our Resident Gatherings

Third Year Residents

John M. Allen

Hometown: Dayton, Ohio
Undergraduate Institute and Major/Minor: Wright State University, Biomedical Engineering (bachelors), Human Anatomy (masters)
Medical School: OU-HCOM, Dublin
Professional/Medical Areas of Interest/Future Aspirations: General FM, community health, addiction medicine
Personal Interests/Hobbies: Spoiling my dogs, watching soccer (go Crew!), trying new restaurants, playing video games, exploring the various Cleveland script signs
Why I chose UH Geauga: Truly great exposure to a wide variety of learning and practice environments, with urban, suburban and rural, as well as both community and academic hospitals
Favorite Quote: "A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory.” – Leonard Nimoy

Wesley Baker, DO

Hometown: Dover, Ohio
Undergraduate Institution and Major/Minor: Walsh University - Biology with minor in Chemistry
Medical School: OUHCOM
Areas of interest: sports medicine, preventive care
Personal interests/hobbies: Cleveland Browns, hunting, gardening
Why I chose UH: I wanted to be trained by the official healthcare partner of the Cleveland Browns. Also, the program has a family feel to it. It's a friendly environment that facilitates personal growth while promoting a healthy work-life balance. Our faculty supports us when we need it.
Favorite quote: "A man's reach should exceed his grasp."

Brianna Gedeon, DO

Hometown: Cleveland, OH
Undergraduate Institute and Major/Minor: Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine
Professional/Medical Areas of Interest/Future: Outpatient FM, OMT/Sports Medicine
Personal Interests/Hobbies: Wrestling, Cooking, Weight Lifting, Traveling
Why I chose UH Geauga: It was important to me to stay in Cleveland. Even though I never rotated here, I just felt like on interview day like I fit! I was so ecstatic to have matched here.
Favorite Quote: “Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent” ~ Calvin Coolidge

Second Year Residents

Emily Gempler

Hometown: Tampa, FL
Undergraduate Institution and Major/Minor: University of South Florida- Major: Biomedical Sciences Major with Minor in Sociology
Medical school: Lincoln Memorial DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine
Areas of interest: Geriatrics
Personal interests/hobbies: Photography, Hiking
Why I chose UH: From my experiences in clinical rotations during my third and fourth years of medical school I found that UH really cared about its patients and its employees. I found that the family medicine program itself was small and had a very family-like atmosphere which I was looking for in a residency and being able to directly work one on one with your attending and even your program director was a huge plus. Plus I love living in NE Ohio with lots of things to do and a good diversity of its population.
Favorite quote: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” –Maya Angelou

Susanne Natalie Janisz

Hometown: Toronto, Canada
Undergraduate Institution and Major/Minor: University of Toronto : BSc in Psychology and French
Medical school: Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland
Areas of interest: Women’s Health
Personal interests/hobbies: Hiking, Outdoor Sports, Traveling, Movies
Why I chose UH: I love the community aspect, the smaller residency program, and the support of the program
Favorite quote: Don’t rely on motivation for anything. It is fleeting and unreliable. Discipline however, is unyielding. Force yourself to follow through. - Anonymous

Anisa Rista

Hometown: Fier, Albania and Cleveland, Ohio
Undergraduate Institution and Major/Minor: N/A
Medical school: University of Medicine, Tirana
Areas of interest: Outpatient Primary Care, Woman’s Health, Preventive Medicine
Personal interests/hobbies: Basketball, gardening, travel and discovering new places
Why I chose UH: Ever since I visited University Hospitals for the first time, I felt it was the one I wanted to train and work in the future. This desire grew stronger during my rotations at UH Geauga Medical Center, where I found friendly personnel, an exceptional work environment, and doctors committed to excellence in clinical training and patient care. I felt I was part of a big family and that I belonged there. I consider myself lucky to have matched at this program, where every day I perceive the support and encouragement to learn and grow as a physician.
Favorite quote: “Just because something is difficult, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t TRY, it means you should just TRY HARDER”

Janine Wong

Hometown: Parsippany, NJ
Undergraduate Institution and Major/Minor: Mercyhurst University – Biology major, Public Health minor
Medical school: Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine
Areas of interest: Sports medicine, preventative care, integrative medicine, OMT
Personal interests/hobbies: soccer, running, reading, hiking with my family
Why I chose UH: I knew that UH would be a great fit for me when I came for my audition rotation during my fourth year of medical school. Everyone from the attendings, residents, to staff were all welcoming. I also felt that on my interview day UH had checked all the boxes I wanted in a family medicine program. I’m happy to be here to learn and grow as a physician!
Favorite quote: Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” – Benjamin Franklin

First Year Residents

Delaney Drew

Hometown: Marion, OH
Undergraduate Institution and Major/Minor: Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio
Major: Politics and Government, Minor: Pre-law, Dance
Medical school: St. George’s University, Grenada, West Indies
Areas of interest: Public health, research, health education, women’s health and dermatology
Personal interests/hobbies: Gardening, yoga, historical landmarks, embroidery, & human rights
Why I chose UH: Our program has an integrative medicine focus with exposure in rural, urban and suburban environments. I was also inspired by the passion and expertise of my attendings and cohort.
Favorite quote: “We are all just walking each other home.” - Ram Dass

Maurell James

Hometown: Russel Township, OH
Undergraduate Institution and Major/Minor: John Carroll University/Major-Biology
Medical school: Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine
Areas of interest: Preventative health/general wellness
Personal interests/hobbies: I love martial arts and have been doing it on and off since high school. I also enjoy hikes at the Cleveland Metroparks, baking chocolate chip cookies, fiddling on my guitar, reading, and spending time with friends and family.
Why I chose UH:  I was born at Rainbow Babies and Children, and my pediatrician since birth was Dr. Marilee Gallagher who was an amazing physician. UH has had such a formative impact on my overall development, and each physician that has cared for me at this institution has had such a positive impact. I continue to see UH doctors and would be privileged to train here as a resident. Fun fact, I was also the youngest baby at UH to have an adenoidectomy.
Favorite quote: ‘All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us’ -Tolkien.

Bijal Patel

Hometown: Cleveland, OH
Undergraduate Institution and Major/Minor: University of Toledo – Biology with a minor in Chemistry
Medical school: Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine
Areas of interest: preventative care, integrative medicine, Wellness
Personal interests/hobbies: Traveling, Hiking, trying new restaurants,
Why I chose UH:  I wanted to stay in the Cleveland area, as well as at a community hospital. I loved my interview with Geauga and felt like I fit right in. Also, the friendly environment and support confirmed UH as my number 1 choice for residency. 
Favorite quote:  “You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” –Winnie the Pooh

Algert Rista

Hometown: Fier, Albania and Cleveland, OH
Undergraduate Institution and Major/Minor: N/A
Medical school: University of Medicine of Tirana
Areas of interest: Primary Care, Sports Medicine
Personal interests/hobbies: I love playing and watching sports like Soccer (big fan), basketball, tennis, football (just watching). Hiking/ running in the park/ spending time out in nature.
Why I chose UH:  I chose FM UH Geauga because I knew I would find well-structured academic support to train and grow as a physician. UH Geauga offers exposure to a large, diverse patient population in a community hospital setting. At the same time, residents can access the resources of a large academic center at UH Cleveland Medical Center. Opportunities to learn and favorable work-life balance. 
Favorite quote: “In boxing (as in life), a man doesn’t lose when he gets knocked down; he loses when he won’t get up.” - Father Stu