Family Medicine Residency Program

About Us

We are a 7-7-7 three-year family medicine program established in 1971 and fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). We offer a faculty with a diversity of interests, an innovative behavior science curriculum, and team-based care focused on population health, procedures, and chronic disease management. We also offer an innovative practice management curriculum and a dedicated inpatient and outpatient pharmacotherapy specialists.

As a major affiliate of Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), our residency provides first-year experiences on inpatient rotations of medicine, pediatrics, OB/GYN, surgery, and emergency medicine, along with first-year inpatient pediatric experience at Akron Children's Hospital. Each first year resident receives their own panel of patients at the Center for Family Medicine that grows with them over the duration of their residency.

The second year includes rotations in certain base rotations, as well as allowing individualization through the medical and surgical selective pathway. The resident will continue to grow their outpatient continuity panel of patients. We also include a "hands-on" four-week practice management curriculum during the second year.

The third year provides substantial individualization, as well as more advanced experience in office and patient management, and includes expanding further management of a patient panel up to 150-200 families.

Our residency program, along with our fellow Cleveland Clinic residency program, Lakewood, are in the fourth year of a partnership with Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine (OUHCOM), Cleveland campus in the innovative Transformational Care Continuum (TCC) curriculum. This hands-on truncated six-year program focuses on the learned principles of population health management and their implementation on a panel of patients starting from the first year of medical school through residency to the practice of medicine.

Office-based procedures, including POCUS, are taught throughout the three years both in workshops and by hands-on precepting in one of our multi-purpose procedural rooms.

Dedicated didactic conferences are scheduled half a day weekly encompassing all medical topics incorporating osteopathic principles and practice, behavioral science, pharmacology, evidence-based medicine, research, and practice management for all residents.

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Welcome

A letter from the Director of the Family Medicine Residency Program

Thank you for your interest in the Family Medicine Residency Program at Cleveland Clinic Akron General. We are committed to providing the highest quality of health care to our community and the finest education to our residents.

Our faculty is an eclectic mix of energetic, talented, and extremely dedicated individuals that come from diverse backgrounds. Each with special talents and interests that provide our residents a collegial educational atmosphere. At the Center for Family Medicine, you will find 20 exam rooms spread across four modules, a procedural care area, Osteopathic Manipulation area and education space. You will become proficient with a variety of office procedures, including:

• Video colposcopy and biopsies.
• Joint injections.
• Point of care ultrasound.
• Skin lesion excision and biopsies.
• Cryotherapy.
• IUD insertion and removal.
• Nexplanon® insertion and removal.
• Osteopathic manipulative medicine.

During your residency, you will work side by side with some of the finest nursing and office staff. Our practice management, pharmacology, and behavioral science curricula are taught by experts in their fields who work closely with our residents, assisting them with the tools necessary to practice in the ever-changing realm of medical practice.

Our mission is to provide our graduates with the necessary training to allow them to provide excellent, compassionate and comprehensive care to their patients when they enter practice. Our graduates are comfortable in a range of roles from private practice to hospitalists as competent and effective family physicians.

We welcome you to look through the information provided here and to call for further information. The faculty, staff, and residents invite you to train at one of the best residency programs available - the Akron General Medical Center Family Medicine Residency at Cleveland Clinic Akron General.

Douglas Harley, DO
Family Medicine Residency, Program Director

Tiffany Pearl
Family Medicine Residency Coordinator
Phone: 330.344.3522
Email: PearlT@ccf.org

Clinical Rotations

PGY – 1

• 2 blocks: Inpatient Family Medicine. 
• 1 block: Medical Selective. 
• 1 block: Orthopaedics. 
• 1 block: Surgery. 
• 1 block: Newborn/Gynecology. 
• 1 block: Essentials of Family Medicine I. 
• 1 block: Emergency Medicine (Adult). 
• 1 block: Emergency Medicine (Pediatrics). 
• 2 blocks: Obstetrics. 
• 1 block: Inpatient Pediatrics. 
• 1 block: MICU. 

1-3 half day(s) patient care per week; half day didactics per week. 

PGY – 2

• 2 blocks: Elective.
• 1 block: Medical Selective. 
• 1 block: Emergency Medicine (Adult). 
• 1 block: Essentials of Family Medicine II. 
• 1 block: Outpatient Pediatrics (Montrose). 
• 1 block: Pharmacotherapy.
• 1 block: Practice Management. 
• 3 blocks: Inpatient Family Medicine. 
• 1 block: Outpatient Pediatrics. 
• 1 block: Surgical Selective. 

1-4 half day(s) patient care per week; half day didactics per week. 

PGY – 3

• 1 block: Dermatology/Surgical Selective. 
• 1 block: Surgical Selective. 
• 2 blocks: Medical Selective. 
• 1 block: Geriatrics. 
• 1 block: Sports Medicine. 
• 1 block: Newborn/Gynecology. 
• 3 blocks: Inpatient Family Medicine. 
• 2 blocks: Electives. 

1-5 half day(s) patient care per week; half day didactics per week. 

• Medical Selective. 
• Addiction. 
• Allergy/Immunology. 
• Cardiology Endocrinology. 
• Gastroenterology. 
• Geriatrics.
• Hematology/Oncology.
• Hospice/Palliative Care. 
• Infectious Disease.
• Nephrology. 
• Neurology. 
• Pain Management. 
• PM&R.
• Psychiatry. 
• Pulmonary Medicine. 
• Radiology. 
• Rheumatology. 
• Weight Management. 

Surgical selective

• Anesthesiology. 
• Neurosurgery. 
• Ophthalmology. 
• Plastic Surgery. 
• Podiatry. 
• SICU. 
• Urology. 
• Vascular Surgery. 
• Wound Care. 

Electives (can include)

• Family Medicine Clinic. 
• Hospitalist. 
• Integrative/Functional Leadership. 
• New Parent. 
• OMT. 
• CFM Procedure Clinic. 
• Research.

Teaching Faculty

• Megan M. Adelman, PharmD, BCPS, BCGP, CDE
• Michael T. Aguilar, DO Director of Osteopathic Education
• Kevin Baldie, MD
• Elliot B. Davidson, MD, FAAFP, Medical Director Center for Family Medicine
• Douglas W. Harley, DO, FACOFP, FAAFP, Program Director
• Theresa A Lash-Ritter, MD, Cleveland Clinic Akron General Chief Medical Officer
• Aaron M. Lear, MD, CAQ
• Renee L. Markovich, MD, FAAFP
• Nkosi Mason, MD, Associate Program Director
• Andrea Reddest, LISW-S, Director of Behavioral Science
• Kishan Patel, DO
• Deborah S. Plate, DO, FAAFP, Family Medicine Department Chair
• Katherine C. Sheridan, MD, FAAFP, Associate Program Director
• Leon Zhong, MD

Application

We appreciate your interest in Cleveland Clinic Akron General and hope that we've provided you with the information you need to choose the right fellowship program. Akron General is able to offer an exceptional medical education experience because of our knowledgeable and hard-working staff. Cleveland Clinic Akron General is recognized regionally and within Ohio for its expertise and care. We maintain a standard of excellence that promises nothing but the best care for our patients and therefore, nothing but the best education for our medical students, residents and fellows.

• Residency applications and the additional items below must be submitted through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS).
• Application Deadlines: October 30, 2022 - January 31, 2023
• Expected Program Length: Three years

Application consists of:

• Medical School Academic Transcript
• Medical Student Performance Evaluation (Dean's Letter)
• Passing USMLE Step I & Step 2 (First Attempt)
• Valid ECFMG certificate (if applicable)
• Curriculum vitae
• Three letters of recommendation
• Personal statement

All information must be submitted before an application can be reviewed.

Interviews are by invitation. If you have been selected, we will contact you using the information you have provided.

Selection date is set by the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP).

Important Information for International Medical Graduates Applicants:

• Applicant must be ECFMG certified before NRMP Rank Order List deadline.
• H1-B and J-1 visas are offered.
• We prefer applicants who have graduated within the last 2 years.

Interested in rotating?

Akron General Medical Center uses VSAS, the Visiting Student Application Service to process visiting student applications.

To apply for an family medicine rotation, please complete and send a VSAS application with your preferred dates.

Department of Medical Education
Cleveland Clinic Akron General
1 Akron General Ave.
Akron, OH 44307

Current Residents

PGY – 1

 

Aviva Aguilar, MD

• Hometown: Bolingbrook, Illinois.
• Undergraduate: Case Western Reserve University.
• Medical School: Northeast Ohio Medical University.
• Medical Interests: Women’s Health, Office Procedures, Lifestyle Medicine, Osteopathic Manipulation Treatment, Addiction Medicine, full spectrum Family Medicine.
• Interests and Hobbies: Swimming, hiking, affordable travel, going to concerts, finding new music, art fairs, movies, musicals, Latin dancing, theater, reading and audiobooks.

 

Isabel Garcia, DO

• Hometown: Rochester Hills, Michigan.
• Undergraduate: Loyola University Chicago.
• Medical School: Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine.
• Medical Interests: Preventative care, chronic disease management, OMT, full spectrum primary care, medical education & mentorship.
• Interests and Hobbies: plant care, reading, cycling, scrapbooking, exploring new cities & cultures.

 

Ashley Houston, MD

• Hometown: Ashland, OH.
• Undergraduate: University of Findlay and Cleveland State University.
• Medical School: Northeast Ohio Medical University.
• Medical Interests: Lifestyle and Integrative Medicine, Community Medicine.
• Interests and Hobbies: Spending time with my two children and family, traveling, being outdoors and kayaking.

 

Frankie Kokos, DO

• Hometown: Painesville, Ohio.
• Undergraduate: Ohio University, Athens
• Medical School: Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Cleveland.
• Medical Interests: Mental health, patients with specialized care needs and those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, hospice/palliative medicine.
• Interests and Hobbies: Hiking with my partner and our two miniature dachshunds, house plants, crafting, and cooking.

 

Salam Picard, DO

• Hometown: Youngstown, Ohio.
• Undergrad: Youngstown State University. 
• Med school: Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine- Cleveland. 
• Med Interests: Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment, population health and health disparities in underserved populations, global health including refugee and immigrant health.
• Interests/ Hobbies: Hiking, biking, outdoor activities, horticulture (specifically house plants and vegetable gardens), freshwater fish tanks, spending time with family, trying new local coffee shops.

 

Eric Roose, MD

• Hometown: Bath, OH.
• Undergraduate: Ohio State University.
• Medical School: University of Toledo.
• Medical Interests: Full spectrum Family Medicine.
• Interests and Hobbies: Gardening (I grow vegetables and fruit), building computers and collecting seashells.

 

Taylor Watkins, DO

• Hometown: Columbia, MD.
• Undergraduate: Spelman College.
• Medical School: Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine-Cleveland.
• Medical Interests: Preventative Medicine, Mental Health, Sports Medicine.
• Interests and Hobbies: Spending time with family and friends, traveling, playing basketball, and going to art festivals.

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PGY – 2

Jacob Brock, MD

• Hometown: Cuyahoga Falls, OH.
• Undergraduate: University of Akron.
• Medical School: Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED).
• Medical Interests: Preventative care, Global Health, LGBT health, value based care, population health.
• Interests/Hobbies: Traveling, backpacking, learning German, endurance sports, trying new restaurants.

Emily Cronin, DO

• Hometown: Monaca, Pennsylvania.
• Undergraduate: Walsh University.
• Medical School: Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine.
• Medical Interests: Preventive medicine, chronic disease management, population health, health disparities, maternal & fetal health, women and children’s health, research.
• Interests/Hobbies: Traveling, hiking in local parks, singing loudly in the car, spending time with family and friends.

William Downing, MD

• Hometown: Akron, OH.
• Undergraduate: Bowling Green State University, BSBA 1988; Harvard University MBA 1995; Cleveland State University BS 2014.
• Medical School: Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED).
• Medical Interests: Preventive Medicine, underserved medicine, global health.
• Interests/Hobbies: Exploring Caribbean Islands, urban Ministry, faith and family.

Brandon Foreman, DO

• Hometown: Medina, OH.
• Undergraduate: University of Akron and Cleveland State University.
• Medical School: Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine.
• Medical Interests: Reaching those far from health, providing care to underserved, and integration of health system science principles into the primary care setting. I strive to find new ways to bring healthcare to our communities through community events, local health fairs, and various targeted population clinics.
• Interests/Hobbies: I enjoy being a husband to my wife, and father to our children. In addition to family life, I enjoy writing fiction novels/novellas, reading history, watching/listening to Cleveland Guardians baseball. I also enjoy our local park system, traveling on “day-trips” with my family and working in our family garden.

Simon Moskowitz, DO

• Hometown: Cuyahoga Falls, OH.
• Undergraduate: Ohio University-Athens.
• Medical School: Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine.
• Medical Interests: Sports Medicine, OMT, mental health, integrative medicine, Addiction Medicine.
• Interests/Hobbies: Cooking, hiking, golf, tennis, Cleveland Sports, watching movies, spending time with friends and family.

Evan O’Malley, DO

• Hometown: Cleveland, OH.
• Undergraduate: The Ohio State University.
• Medical School: Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine.
• Medical Interests: Sports Medicine, nutrition, rural medicine, wilderness medicine.
• Interests/Hobbies: Any outdoor activities (hiking, biking, fishing, camping, sports), traveling, playing guitar and spending time with family and friends.

Natalie Waldorf, DO

• Hometown: Cortland, OH.
• Undergraduate: Walsh University.
• Medical School: Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine.
• Medical Interests: Women’s health, pediatrics, addiction medicine, mental health, preventive medicine, health advocacy.
• Interests/Hobbies: Traveling, playing golf, attending concerts, reading, experimenting with new crockpot recipes and spending time with family and friends.

Sharon Ware, DO

• Hometown: Massillon, Ohio.
• Undergraduate: Kent State University; Graduate: Rutgers University.
• Medical School: Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine.
• Medical Interests: Preventive care in housing insecure and forensic populations, medically underserved populations, pediatrics, health advocacy, and medical education.
• Interests/Hobbies: Spending time with my husband, 7-year-old daughter and 8-month-old son. Also, extreme couponing, playing hockey, traveling, studying aeronautics and aviation, learning about astronomy and gathering regularly with my faith community.

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PGY – 3

Michael Arnold, DO

• Hometown: Canton, OH.
• Undergraduate: Brown University.
• Medical School: Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine-Cleveland.
• Medical Interests: Preventative medicine, LGBTQ+ health, Palliative care.
• Interests/Hobbies: Going to the movie theater, reading, drawing, painting, writing.

Peris Kibera, DO

• Hometown: Nairobi, Kenya and Westlake, Ohio.
• Undergraduate: Cleveland State University.
• Medical School: Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine - Cleveland.
• Medical Interests: Chronic disease management, population health and health disparities, research, mental health, global health.
• Interests/Hobbies: Spending time with my son, walking, cooking, traveling.

AuBree LaForce, MD

• Hometown: Vermilion, Ohio.
• Undergraduate: University of Mount Union.
• Medical School: Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED).
• Medical Interests: Serving the underserved, sports medicine, full-scope small town/rural medicine, end of life care.
• Interests/Hobbies: Sports of any kind – watching, playing and coaching - and spending time with my large and close-knit family, traveling, being outside and exploring nature and thanking God every day for my incredible blessings.

Nana Ama Ofei-Tenkorang, DO

• Hometown: Pawtucket, Rhode Island.
• Undergraduate: University of Rhode Island.
• Medical School: Ohio University Heritage College of Medicine.
• Medical Interest: Community & Global Health, Pain Medicine, Clinical Research.
• Interests/Hobbies: Playing tennis, spending time with family and friends, traveling and dancing.

Mason Page, MD

• Hometown: Gnadenhutten, OH.
• Undergraduate: University of Akron.
• Medical School: Northeast Ohio Medical University.
• Medical Interests: palliative & hospice care, addiction medicine, rural medicine, women & children's health, prevention & education.
• Interests/Hobbies: Listening to music, cooking, participating in my community, learning and teaching.

Matthew Wilcox, DO

• Hometown: Ada, Ohio.
• Undergraduate: Ashland University.
• Medical School: Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine.
• Medical Interests: Full Scope Family Medicine, Quality Improvement, Teaching.
• Interests/Hobbies: Making the perfect cup of pour-over coffee, hiking in area state and national parks, traveling to stay in interesting Airbnb’s, participating in triathlons, riding motorcycles, cooking and spending time with my wife and family.

Alumni

2023 Graduates

• Phil Cacchione, DO — Urgent Care Physician, UCLA Immediate Care, Los Angeles, CA
• Laura Lininger, MD — Primary Care Physician, Cleveland Clinic Family Medicine, Kent Medical Outpatient Center, Kent, OH
• Yvonne Chueh, DO — Fellowship in Wound Care, Atrium Wake Forest Baptist, Winston-Salem, NC
• Jamesha Ford, DO — Family Medicine, Bon Secours Mercy Health, Cincinnati, OH
• Nasseb Shaheen, MD — Obesity Medicine, Undecided location
• Sarah Keating, MD — Primary Care Physician, Cleveland Clinic Family Medicine, Lakewood Family Medicine-Rockport, Lakewood, OH
• Olufunke Adebayo, MD — Hospital Medicine, University of Alabama Fellowship

2022 Graduates

• Alenadreale Banton, MD — Family Medicine Attending Physician, The Institute for Family Health New York
• Kathryn Clark, DO — Family Physician, Cleveland Clinic
• Guryadav Dhillon, MD — Private Practice and Director/owner Dhillon Medical Center, Mississauga, Canada
• Kristin Forkapa, DO — Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
• Afshin Humayun, MD — Hospitalist, Select Medical Specialty Hospital, Akron, OH
• Brian Krusemark, MD — Primary Care Physician, Family Medicine of Stark County, Aultman
• Allen Liew, MD — Primary Care Physician, TriHealth in Cincinnati

2021 Graduates

• Ranjeet Arora, MD — Family Healthcare Network, Visalia, California
• Magalie Bernardo, MD — University Hospital, Cleveland, Ohio
• Eleni Dimitriadis, MD — Medical Director with Ultium Cells General Motors
• Scott Gestrich, MD — Community Health Center, Manet Health, Boston, Massachusetts
• Suvetha Senthivasan, DO — TBD, Toronto, Canada
• Fangfei Xiao, DO — Primary Care Physician, Cleveland Clinic
• Andrew Zheng, MD — OhioHealth Physician Group, Dublin, Ohio

2020 Graduates

• Heli Naik, DO — Sports Medicine Fellowship, Pennsylvania
• Sisay Abraham, MD — Outpatient, Barnes Jewish Hospital Alton, Illinois
• Kishan Patel, DO — Faculty, Cleveland Clinic Akron General, Akron, Ohio
• Hyo Young Smith, MD — Outpatient, Cleveland Clinic Union Hospital, Union, Ohio
• Shuchi Talwar, DO — Outpatient, Indiana University Health, Indiana 

2019 Graduates

• Lesley Booher, MD — Outpatient, Fairlawn Family Practice, Fairlawn, Ohio
• Alicia Bond, MD — Outpatient, NEOMED student clinic, Rootstown, Ohio
• Kristen (Beesley) Frimpong-Boateng, MD — Outpatient, Kaiser Permanente, Antioch, California
• Vincent Leone, MD — Outpatient, Fairlawn Family Practice, Fairlawn, Ohio
• John Prokop, DO — Outpatient, Wooster Community Hospital, Wooster, Ohio

Research & Innovations

The Cleveland Clinic Akron General Center for Family Medicine is committed to helping patients of all ages and their families achieve good health and improve the quality their lives. Through research and education, we remain on the cutting edge of family medicine. That means we are always exploring new and better ways to improve lifestyles and better manage chronic illnesses through medical treatments and patient education.

For more information about resident research in Family Medicine, please contact:

Doug Harley, DO
Program Director
330.344.6047

Aaron Lear, MD
Resident Research Director
330.344.2663

Chanda Mullen, PhD
Research Faculty
330.344.6236
MullenC@ccf.org

• View selected Family Medicine Publications