Residency Videos
 

34 Haverhill Street, Lawrence, MA 01841 Tel: 978-725-7410  Fax: 978-687-2106 EMail: residency@glfhc.org

Sara Diaz, M.D., MayWood, CA University of California, San Diego School of Medicine (MD) Williams College (BA) Sara’s mother’s battle with cancer has reinforced her decision to become a family physician. She feels that by knowing her patients as people, she can offer them better treatment. She is interested in being able to incorporate alternative measures such as herbal remedies into her practice. Sara’s volunteer experiences with the Navajo Nation in Arizona have given her an understanding of the plight of the underserved. Sara had the opportunity to utilize her native Spanish when she completed a rotation here prior to matching with our residency program. In her spare time, she enjoys travel, hiking, photography and dancing. After residency, Sara stayed on with us to complete a Faculty Development Fellowship. She has since become a faculty member in our program.

Anita Henderson, M.D., Rockford, IL Oregon Health Services University School of Medicine (MD) Calvin College (BA) Anita sees one role of family practitioners is to help people care enough about themselves to effect positive change. She is well-versed in the needs of the underserved having volunteered in free clinics serving the homeless, teen and Latino populations. She also spent time working in India assisting in home visits, mobile clinics, and volunteer work in Mother Theresa’s Home for the Dying in Calcutta. She spent 3˝ months in Honduras studying Third World Development, which helped shape her global vision as well as improve her Spanish. Anita enjoys exploring new cities, running, swimming, listening to music, writing and learning the guitar. Anita now practices in High Lakes Health Center, an outpatient and internal medicine clinic in Bend, Oregon.

Robin Lowenthal, M.D., Gary, IN Drexel University School of Medicine (MD) Northwestern University (BS) Robin abandoned a successful nine-year career in journalism to pursue medicine when she found that her passion was not in her job but in her volunteer work. That volunteer work included working in rural Guatemala and a Washington DC clinic for Latino immigrants. She also spent time assisting a relief mission to Bosnian refugee camps in Croatia. Robin is fluent in Spanish. In her spare time, she likes running/walking, practicing yoga, traveling and discovering cozy coffee shops. A National Health Service Corps physician, Robin now practices at a community health center in Washington D.C.

James Meyers, M.D., Milwaukee, WI University of Massachusetts Medical School (MD) Colorado State University (BS) James started adult life as an electrical/software engineer, and discovered his interest in medicine a decade later. After finishing residency in June he plans to combine his love of clinical practice with his techinical background to help Family Health Centers to thrive. He is an avid musician and hopeless dabbler in technology, and enjoys reading, writing, singing, recording and producing music, Aikido, travel and software development. Since graduating residency, James has stayed on as a faculty member of our program. Due to his background in software, James has created a new position of Physician EMR Liaison, and now splits his time between patient care and improving our Electronic Medical Record and the many processes connected with it.

Ylfa Perry, M.D., Reykjavik, Iceland University of Massachusetts School of Medicine (MD) Clark University (BA) Ylfa has transferred to our program from a general surgery residency at Boston Medical Center.  She has a long-standing interest in family medicine and in the care of underserved populations which she has decided to pursue here with us. Her favorite parts of family medicine are obstetrics and working with adolescents. Ylfa speaks Icelandic and Spanish.  Ylfa enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter (born May, 2005), watch movies, read, travel (esp. to her native Iceland), eat sushi and ice cream (but not together). Ylfa is now a faculty member in our residency program.

Julie Silverhart, M.D., Canton, OH University of New Mexico School of Medicine (MD) Smith College (BS) The daughter of a former nun, Julie knew she wanted a life helping others. At the age of 13, she moved from New Jersey to New Mexico where her family volunteered on the Navajo Reservation. By college, she was committed to working to help better the lives of the people in her community. Julie’s volunteer work has included work in a student-run clinic providing medical care to the homeless and working on a smoking cessation program for Vietnamese men. She is fluent in Spanish. Julie enjoys mountain climbing, cross-country skiing and rugby in her spare time. After graduating from residency, Julie completed a Geriatrics Fellowship at Harvard University. Julie now practices part time in outpatient clinic, OB and acupuncture.

Susan VonFlatern, M.D., Oak Park, IL University of Texas Medical School at San Antonio (MD) Texas Woman's University (BS) Illinois State University (BS) Now that her children are grown, Susan finally feels free to pursue her interest in medicine. Her enjoyment of teaching and working with families are major factors in her decision to pursue family medicine. She has studied nutrition, herbs and preventive medicine and plans to practice complemetary medicine in an underserved environment. Her volunteer experiences on a Navajo reservation and in a cultural exchange project with Mexico initiated her interest in the underserved. Susan is “semi-fluent” in Spanish. Some of her personal interests include music (choir, piano, composing, learning violin), writing poetry, sketching, drama and gardening. Susan is now the Medical Director of St. Michael's Clinic, located on a Navajo reservation in Arizona.

Zandra Wells, M.D., Oak Park, IL University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Medicine (MD) University of Chicago (BS) Zandra sees teaching patients about their health is an important step in improving their health and quality of life. Her experiences teaching English in China taught her the importance of effective communication. Zandra has spent time volunteering in a community clinic for the underserved and at a shelter for abused women and children. She also taught an adolescent substance abuse prevention program. Zandra is interested in the holistic approach to medicine. Her leisure activities include both water and snow skiing, ultimate Frisbee, playing piano and singing. After graduating residency, Zandra completed a combined Faculty Development/ICU Fellowship with us. She is now the Co-Coordinator of the Surgery Rotation in our residency program.

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