Family Medicine Residency

Family Medicine Residency2023-12-05T06:02:15-08:00

Redwood Community Health Center is proud to host the Open Door Family Medicine Residency Program in partnership with St. Joseph Hospital Eureka.

Contact Us

Karen S. Wilson
Program Assistant

St. Joseph Hospital – Eureka Family Medicine Residency
2350 Buhne Street Unit A | Eureka, CA 95501

Tel: (707) 445-8121 ext. 7470
Fax: (707) 269-7116
familymedicineresidency@stjoe.org

May Hong, MD
Family Medicine Residency Program Director

Open Door Community Health Centers
2426 Buhne Street Unit A | Eureka, CA 95501

Tel: (707) 443-4593
Fax: (707) 572-6102
mhong@opendoorhealth.com

About our Family Medicine Residency Program

History

The Family Medicine Residency welcomed its first class of six residents in July 2019. The program, which has been in development since 2016, is a partnership between Open Door Community Health Centers and St. Joseph Health, Humboldt. Additionally, the program partners with the St. Joseph Health Medical Group to provide education to residents in their fields. Since its inception, the program has received wide support throughout the entire local medical community.

Vision

Preparing doctors to provide high-quality, affordable health care in rural communities.

Mission

This Family Medicine Residency trains residents to treat individuals in a way that recognizes their needs as a whole person. We accomplish this mission by teaching residents how to address the unique challenges that rural, underserved communities face. We aim to nurture the spiritual, emotional, and physical well-being of those we serve, especially the poor and vulnerable. Residents learn to be resourceful, autonomous physicians and leaders in family medicine. Our residency program is built upon the belief that all health care starts with family medicine.

Goals

  • Produce fully competent physicians capable of providing high-quality care to their patients.
  • Prepare residents with full-spectrum training and the skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary to be competitive candidates for family physician positions in Humboldt County and other rural communities.
  • Provide an environment in which residents may pursue special interests in underserved practice, rural practice, or research and academic endeavors.
  • Promote practice sites that give residents experience in caring for a diverse patient population with a broad mix of health problems and demographics, including care for the underserved.

How to Apply

Applications are accepted through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). Our program cannot accept applications submitted via mail or email.

Application components

The following items are required to complete our ERAS application:

  • Letters of recommendation
  • Official medical school transcripts
  • Medical school performance evaluations (MSPEs)
  • Supporting documents:
    • Personal statement
    • Curriculum Vitae (CV)
    • USMLE/COMLEX Step 1 results
    • USMLE/COMLEX Step 2 results
    • Postgraduate Training Authorization Letter (PTAL)
    • Valid Education Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) certificate if applicable

  • Graduated from a medical school recognized by the Medical Board of California within the last 5 years
  • Meets eligibility criteria for a medical license in the state of California (excluding the training you will receive in residency)
  • Passing USMLE / COMLEX step 1 and step 2 scores

Program Details

Curriculum

First and foremost, residents are Primary Care Physicians for their small panel of patients from Day 1. We give each resident a panel, pre-selected to be balanced for gender, age, and medical diagnosis diversity. In scheduling rotations, we place a priority on keeping each resident in their continuity clinic enough that they are able to provide excellent primary care for those patients with the support of the clinic faculty.

We also practice team-based care, continuously striving towards top-of-license work. Our patients have a medical home supported by a behavioral health specialist, medical assistants, nurses, and administrative staff so that the residents can focus their mental energy on patient care and learning.

Please visit the St. Joseph’s Hospital of Eureka Hospital website to learn more about the residency program:

  • Inpatient Medicine 8 weeks
  • Emergency Medicine 4 weeks
  • ICU 4 weeks
  • OB 4 weeks
  • Cardiology 4 weeks
  • Musculoskeletal 4 weeks
  • Pediatric ER 4 weeks
  • Pediatric Inpatient 4 weeks
  • Women’s Health 4 weeks
  • Dermatology 4 weeks
  • Vacation 4 weeks
  • Behavioral Health 4 weeks
  • Inpatient Medicine 8 weeks
  • Emergency Medicine 4 weeks
  • Cancer Care 4 weeks
  • OB 4 weeks
  • Orthopedics / Sports Med. 4 weeks
  • Geriatrics/Palliative Care 4 weeks
  • Gynecology 4 weeks
  • ICU 4 weeks
  • Pediatrics Outpatient 4 weeks
  • Health Systems Management 4 weeks
  • Elective 4 weeks
  • Vacation 4 week
  • Inpatient Medicine 8 weeks
  • Nightfloat 8 weeks
  • Surgery 4 weeks
  • Ambulatory Procedures 4 weeks
  • Medical & Surgical Specialty Clinics 4 weeks
  • Pediatrics Outpatient 4 weeks
  • Ambulatory Care 4 weeks
  • Geriatrics II 4 weeks
  • Electives 8 weeks
  • Vacation 4 weeks

Program 2021-24 Cohort

Tim Mahanes , MD2023-05-25T17:08:12-07:00
Tim Mahanes , MD
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Tim Mahanes , MD

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Kimberly Fullerton-Nelson, MD2023-05-25T17:09:45-07:00
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Kimberly Fullerton-Nelson, MD

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Landon Whittington, M.D.2023-05-25T11:13:27-07:00
Landon Whittington, M.D.
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Landon Whittington, M.D.

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Brian Stone, M.D.2023-05-25T11:20:21-07:00
Brian Stone, M.D.
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Brian Stone, M.D.

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Brian Ruiz, D.O.2023-05-25T11:21:07-07:00
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Brian Ruiz, D.O.

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Ryan McHenry, DO2023-05-25T11:21:45-07:00
Dr. Ryan McHenry FMR
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Ryan McHenry, DO

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Daniel Heyn, M.D.2023-05-25T11:22:59-07:00
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Daniel Heyn, M.D.

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Program 2022-25 Cohort

Adam Hall, Resident – Family Medicine2023-06-26T13:41:22-07:00
Adam Hall, Resident – Family Medicine
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Adam Hall, Resident – Family Medicine

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Savannah Thompson, Resident – Family Medicine2023-06-26T13:43:20-07:00
Savannah Thompson, Resident – Family Medicine
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Savannah Thompson, Resident – Family Medicine

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Paul Simon, Resident – Family Medicine2023-06-26T13:46:27-07:00
Paul Simon, Resident – Family Medicine
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Paul Simon, Resident – Family Medicine

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Karthnik Thenkondar, Resident – Family Medicine2023-06-26T13:49:10-07:00
Karthnik Thenkondar, Resident – Family Medicine
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Karthnik Thenkondar, Resident – Family Medicine

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Sung Jae Choi, Resident – Family Medicine2023-06-26T13:51:05-07:00
Sung Jae Choi, Resident – Family Medicine
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Sung Jae Choi, Resident – Family Medicine

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Timothy Moore, Resident – Family Medicine2023-06-26T13:52:17-07:00
Timothy Moore, Resident – Family Medicine
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Timothy Moore, Resident – Family Medicine

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Prastuti Shrestha, Resident – Family Medicine2023-08-17T15:45:41-07:00
Prastuti Shrestha, Resident – Family Medicine
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Prastuti Shrestha, Resident – Family Medicine

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Ka Xiong, MD2023-05-25T17:04:03-07:00
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Ka Xiong, MD

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Maya Urva, MD2023-05-25T17:05:57-07:00
Maya Urva, MD
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Maya Urva, MD

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Luiza Mnatsakanyan, MD2023-05-25T17:06:38-07:00
Luiza Mnatsakanyan, MD
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Luiza Mnatsakanyan, MD

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Alison Higgins , MD2023-05-25T17:08:53-07:00
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Alison Higgins , MD

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Walk-In Acute Care Services

Do you need medical care today, but you can’t get in with your regular Open Door provider?

Open Door is pleased to announce walk-in services for non-life threatening medical issues!

What: Open Door Acute Care Center (ACC) for walk-in appointments for established Open Door patients

Who: for all established Open Door patients.  We cannot accept anyone who is not already a patient of Open Door. 

Where: 2412 Buhne Street, Eureka, CA 95501 | 707.443.4666 phone

When: 8 am – 5 pm, Monday through Friday (closed for lunch 12:00PM – 1:00 PM)

What: Walk-in health center (no appointment needed) for established patients

Morning appointments accepted before 11:15 AM

Afternoon appointments accepted before 4:15 PM

The ACC serves the following acute issues:

  • Cough, chest, or sinus congestion
  • Sore throat
  • Earache/ear pain
  • Nausea/vomiting
  • Diarrhea/constipation
  • Headache/migraine
  • Pinkeye
  • Eye injury
  • Asthma or COPD flare up
  • Wounds/minor injury
  • Abscess or other infection
  • Lice, scabies, ringworm, or rash
  • STD testing
  • UTI or yeast infection
  • Back or joint pain, less than 2 weeks

Important Notes:

  • Appointments are made on a first-come first-served basis.
  • Wait times can be up to 2 hours.
  • Come in early, as schedules fill up quickly.  We open to pts at 8 am and 1 pm.   You can call ahead to see if our schedule is full at (707) 443-4666. 

The Acute Care Center cannot see patients for work related injury or illness, sports physicals, or medication refills of any kind. 

We cannot treat life-threatening conditions. If you have any of the following, please call 911 or proceed to the Emergency Department nearest you:

  • Chest pain or heart palpitations
  • Acute psychiatric changes including suicidal ideation
  • Severe abdominal pain, active internal bleeding (throwing up blood or black stool)
  • External bleeding, uncontrolled bleeding or bleeding/ spotting with possible pregnancy
  • Poisoning
  • Car accident/physical trauma (assault/major fall)
  • Suspected (child, sexual, or elder) abuse
  • Neurological changes including stroke, recent loss of consciousness, decreased level of consciousness (unusually sleepy, listless, “out of it” confused, hard to wake, not acting normal) and seizures
  • Precepted clinics
    • These are the cornerstone of the residency. In precepted clinics, the APC residents each develop their own patient panel while having an expert Open Door primary care provider (MD, APRN or PA) exclusively assigned to them.
  • Specialty rotations
    • The APC residents complete rotations in areas of high-volume/high-burden/high-risk situations most commonly encountered in the setting of the FQHC. Sample rotations include: orthopedics, dermatology, women’s health, pediatrics, geriatrics, newborn/nursery, HIV care, adult behavioral health, child and adolescent behavioral health, and healthcare for the homeless.
  • Mentored independent clinics
    • During independent clinics, the APC residents work as members of a team and see patients at the delegation of other primary care providers, who remain available for consultations. The focus is on the practice of episodic and acute care visits.
  • Didactic Sessions
    • The NP/PA residents attend formal learning sessions on a variety of complex clinical challenges most commonly encountered in FQHCs. The content of the presentations is planned to correspond to the residents’ current clinical experiences.
    • Quality Improvement Training: Training on Open Door’s Quality Improvement model, including clinical microsystems and facilitation as well as leadership development.
    • Journal club: bimonthly journal presentation related to evidence-based practice…
    • “Hot Topic” Preclinic Conference: weekly preclinic conference led by individual residents or faculty related to core primary care topics and patient presentations
  • Quality Improvement Project and Training: Training on Open Door’s Quality Improvement model, including clinical microsystems and facilitation, as well as leadership development.

Point of Care Ultrasound Training (POCUS)

The ODCHC APC residency program offers a Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) training program as part of our Advanced Practice Clinician (APC) residency curriculum. This program equips healthcare providers with the skills to perform and interpret ultrasounds at the patient’s bedside, resulting in enhanced diagnostic accuracy, timely decision-making, reduced healthcare costs, improved patient experience, expanded access to underserved areas, and opportunities for education and community health promotion. By integrating POCUS into our curriculum, we enhance patient care and access to healthcare while reducing costs benefiting individual patients and the community.

Procedure Clinic

The procedure clinic within our Advanced Practice Clinician (APC) residency curriculum at Open Door Community Health Centers empowers our healthcare providers with the skills to perform essential medical procedures efficiently in the primary care setting, such as biopsies, injections, suturing, etc. This program significantly benefits our patients and community by ensuring enhanced patient care, reduced wait times, cost-effective treatment, and improved access to essential healthcare services. With procedure-trained providers, we prioritize patient well-being, offer prompt and effective procedures, and contribute to our community’s overall health and satisfaction.

Longitudinal Pediatric Clinics

Our Longitudinal Pediatric Clinic training, an integral component of the Advanced Practice Clinician (APC) residency curriculum at Open Door Community Health Centers, is designed to equip our healthcare providers with specialized skills in pediatric care. This program offers numerous benefits to our patients and community by ensuring comprehensive, continuous, and high-quality healthcare for children. Our residents gain expertise in pediatric diagnosis, treatment, and prevention, leading to improved child health outcomes. By focusing on pediatric care, we are committed to enhancing the well-being of our young patients, fostering healthier communities, and providing a vital service to families in need of specialized healthcare for their children.

Humboldt Bay Harbor Cruise (The Madaket)

Humboldt Coastal Beaches and Hiking Trail (moonstone beach, headwater trail, etc)

Sue-Meg State Park

Avenue of the Giants

Kinetic Sculpture Race

The Carson Mansion

Trees of Mystery

Fern Canyon

Confusion Hill

Redwood Sky Walk at Sequoia Zoo

Applicants must be recent graduates (less than 18 months) from an accredited master’s or DNP program, licensed (CA APRN) and credentialed (FNP-C) or license/credential-eligible as an FNP or PA-C with a stated commitment to practice as a primary care provider in Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) or other safety-net settings upon completion of the residency.

Requirements for newly graduated Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants

  • Copy of RN license
  • Copy of California APRN or PA-C Licenses
  • Copy of licenses from any other state
  • California Controlled Substances license
  • Federal DEA certificate
  • Copy of driver’s license
  • Professional diploma. (BSc, BSN, MS, MSN)
  • Three (3) signed letters of recommendation, at least one of which should include your former employer and one peer
  • Non-US residents must provide proof of eligibility to work in US (permanent resident card / VISA etc.), if applicable

"The support and continued professional growth offered by the residency program during the often difficult transition from student to provider is priceless. I could not imagine beginning my NP career without it. The organization is welcoming and supportive and the diversity of the patient population provides unique and valuable training opportunities. It has been an outstanding experience I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to be a part of. I wish that all NP’s could have the same supportive start."

Stephanie Randall, FNP
Marressa Ozokwere, FNP Eureka

"I love the fact that when I started Residency and decided to stay on board with Open Door, there was and continues to be support available at all times.There is this constant push for excellence and growth; I love that there are constant ways to hone my craft as I am introduced to up to date treatment guidelines.The patient population and their feedback constantly shows me the reward that comes from giving and the need to continue to be better."

Values for Residency:

  • Heal and comfort; serve compassionately
  • Serve as representatives for Open Doors’ Mission to provide quality care to all people
  • Foster growth, excellence and positivity
  • Excel at our craft and find ways to continue to improve. View Self-reflection as a strength
  • Support and learn from updated research and share with peers; be a lifetime learner
  • Treat all equally and responsibly use our power for good
Marressa Ozokwere, FNP
Angelo Alfano, FNP Headshot Eureka

Values of Open Door NP Residency:

  • Promotion of a diverse provider workforce representative of the community it serves.
  • Dedication to training NP’s to practice at the full extent of their scope.
  • Promote provider retention in the field of primary care.
  • Training providers to work in a low resource rural practice setting.
  • To produce providers that apply their medical knowledge to care for complex medical patients with confidence and compassion.

Testimonial:

“The open door NP residency allowed me to gain confidence taking care of the most complex family medicine patients in a low resource rural practice environment. This program taught me that being a primary care provider is about working as a team at every level to support each other and the patient in achieving their goals of care. The preceptors of this program set the bar for intelligence and compassion, each is dedicated to educating and supporting the next generation of primary care providers”

Angelo Alfano, FNP

Carolina is a Registered Dental Assistant and graduated from College of the Redwoods Dental Assisting program in 2020. Her passion for working with children drew her to the dental van where her engaging communication skills allow her to connect with children of all ages. Carolina enjoys the challenge of turning fearful patients into those who enjoy going to the dentist. With a bubbly personality and attention to detail, she is a great addition to the van team. In her free time, she enjoys dog sitting, spending time with family, and listening to audiobooks (both in English and Spanish).

Luisa is a Registered Dental Assistant and graduated from College of the Redwoods Dental Assisting program in 2019. She has an innate desire to care for others which was cultivated by her strong family ties and caring for her nephew since he was born. Luisa offers a calm and nurturing personality that provides comfort to young children. Her contributions to the van include top organizational skills and always looking for ways to be more efficient, aiding in quick visits. Outside of dentistry, Luisa likes exploring new restaurants and learning how to cook. Luisa is also fluent in Spanish.

Dr. Jennifer Stone is a public health dentist who aims to change the social perceptions of dentistry. She graduated at the top of her class from the Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health with a Doctorate of Medicine in Dentistry (DMD) and a Master’s in Public Health (MPH). She has taken countless hours of additional pediatric dental training and education. Her gentle and supportive demeanor allows her to work with fearful and apprehensive young patients. She creates a fun and fear-free zone and prioritizes creating good dental experiences. She utilizes behavioral guidance techniques such as positive self-talk, breathing exercises, distraction techniques, and motivational interviewing. Dr. Stone goes beyond simply treating a tooth by promoting whole-person healthcare which empowers children to care about their overall health and maintain healthy habits for life.

Before coming to Open Door, Dr. Stone created a classroom-based educational curriculum for elementary-aged students in Arizona and Mexico. She has also volunteered hundreds of hours, both domestically and internationally, serving those who need dental care most. Her unwavering commitment to community dentistry has been recognized with several prestigious awards from organizations such as the California Dental Association, the National Health Service Corps, and Rotary International. 

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