Northeast Georgia Medical Center Matches New Class of Resident Physicians

March 22, 2021

As our region continues to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and the uncertainties that have gone along with it, National Match Day is a pleasant reminder that some things have remained constant. On Friday, Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) faculty and staff learned who their newest class of resident physicians are — an announcement that happens each March and is always met with excitement and anticipation.

This talented and bright group of six General Surgery, 21 Internal Medicine, and 12 Family Medicine residents will begin practicing with the health system on July 1. They join the 63 residents already working in the hospital and area clinics. This new class brings the total to 102 resident physicians training to be the physician leaders of tomorrow. NGMC welcomes:

General Surgery Residents – Medical School and Home State/Country


Mary Hunter Benton, MD, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, North Carolina
Nathaniel R. Grabill, MD, The University of Kansas School of Medicine- Salina Campus, Kansas
Jacob W. Jay, MD, Mercer University School of Medicine, Georgia
Austin Satterfield, MD, Mercer University School of Medicine, Georgia
Devin Smith, MD, Mercer University School of Medicine, Georgia
Daniel Whitson, MD, American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, Georgia


Internal Medicine Residents – Medical School and Home State/Country


Zainab Abbasi, MD, Liaquat University of Medical & Health Sciences Jamshoro, Pakistan
Tanya Aggarwal, MD, Dayanand Medical College, India
Ange Ahoussougbemey Mele, MD, American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, West Africa
Hossny Alaws, MD, University College Cork School of Medicine, Canada
Sheena Bhushan, MD, Dayanand Medical College, New York
Aditya K. Ghosh, MD, St. George’s University School of Medicine, Minnesota
Abdullah Ismail, MD, St. George’s University School of Medicine, Virginia
Swathi Kanakamedala, DO, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, Virginia
Michael Klein, MD, St. George’s University School of Medicine, Florida
Akshay Kumar, MD, Dow Medical College, Pakistan
Nina Le, DO, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Georgia
Eric N. Mbua, MD, Ross University School of Medicine, Georgia
Nicole McGuire, MD, St. George’s University School of Medicine, New York
Aleksandros Mihilli, MD, St. George’s University School of Medicine, Canada
Olivia C. Peralta, MD, American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, Georgia
Stephanny Reyes, MD, Ross University School of Medicine, Florida
Sarah V. Ross, DO, Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine, California
Ruben Ruiz Vega, MD, Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara Facultad de Medicina Guadalajara, Florida
Alexander J. Santos, DO, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Georgia
Chail Shah, MD, Mahatma Gandhi Mission’s Medical College, India
Christelle A. Yakana Moyine, MD, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine, Cameroon


Family Medicine Residents – Medical School and Home State/Country


Maria F. Bramhall, MD, International University of the Health Sciences, North Carolina
Sarika Chowdhry, MD, American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, Texas
Kerese T. Downer, MD, International American University College of Medicine, Florida
Mutiat I. Enikanolaiye, MD, American University of Antigua College of Medicine, Canada
Adeyemi O. Gbogboade, MD, Trinity School of Medicine, Georgia
Norine A. Germain, MD, American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, Haiti
James T. Hong, DO, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, South Korea
Traci Jenkins, MD, University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Georgia
Andrew O. Joseph, MD, American University of Antigua College of Medicine, Antigua
Jasbir Kaur, DO, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Tennessee
Nicole L. Pritchett, DO, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Virginia
Sohail Vaghari, MD, St. George’s University School of Medicine, Canada


In the months leading up to Match Day, medical students participating in the National Resident Matching Program apply to residency programs and interview at hospitals across the nation. After those interviews, residency programs rank the students – and students rank the programs. Both rank lists are plugged into a national database which crunches the numbers to determine which of the students match with NGMC. Those results are released on Match Day.

“Each year of residency builds on the last,” says John E. Delzell, Jr., MD, MSPH, vice president of Medical Education for Northeast Georgia Health System and Designated Institutional Official for NGMC. “Last year’s residents will now be mentors to this new class, and the comradery and excellence that is being instilled is wonderful to witness. I’m as excited to introduce this class to the community as I was back in 2019, when our inaugural class was announced.”

Resident physicians are licensed doctors training in a specialty. They train for three to 10 years after medical school, providing patient care and performing procedures under appropriate supervision. They can write orders and prescribe medication. Residents also have educational, testing and evaluation requirements. Their training is overseen by Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.

“Studies by the Georgia Physician Workforce Commission have determined the specialties that are in greatest need, so adding an additional 39 resident physicians practicing in primary care and general surgery is a great way to bring immediate support and expand care to our community,” says Dr. Delzell. “Our residents will work with our faculty, hospital and clinic staff in numerous ways. We look forward to welcoming all our new resident physicians to the local community and introducing them to patients.”

NGMC is working to expand to more than 200 residents across six specialties – internal medicine, family medicine, general surgery, OB/GYN, psychiatry, and emergency medicine – by 2024. That will make NGMC one of the largest graduate medical education programs in the state. The idea is to train the physician leaders of tomorrow right here in Hall County, so that they will stay to practice in this region and the state.

Learn more about NGMC’s residency programs at www.ngmcgme.org.

ABOUT NORTHEAST GEORGIA MEDICAL CENTER

Since 1951, Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) has been on a mission of improving the health of our community in all we do. With hospitals located in Gainesville, Braselton, Winder and Dahlonega, the four NGMC campuses have a total of more than 700 beds and more than 1,200 medical staff members representing more than 50 specialties. NGMC is part of Northeast Georgia Health System, a non-profit that cares for more than one million people across more than 19 counties. Learn more at www.nghs.com.