Meet the Program
RESIDENT INFORMATION
We have a diverse population of residents hailing from all over the Continental US and Hawaii as well. We come from a multitude of backgrounds, but all have one goal in residency: growing together to treat the people of San Antonio, South Texas, and the world to the best of our abilities. To the right, you will see a chart of where our residents come from. Explore below to learn a little bit more about us, and what we love about this program.
CLASS OF 2024
YIMAGE AHMED, MD
PGY-2
Medical School: University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
Undergraduate School: Vanderbilt University
Hometown: Dallas, Texas
Why Emergency Medicine?
As an EM provider, I enjoy being able to treat the undifferentiated patient in other words, having the ability to treat anybody that walks through the hospital doors. I also enjoy resuscitation and "quick" critical thinking while performing various procedures. Lastly, from global health to ultrasound to critical care, EM gives you the flexibility to pursue a myriad of various sub-specialties.
Why did you choose UT Health San Antonio?
I chose UT Health San Antonio for three reasons- the residents, faculty, and overall population. When interviewing here, the resident's genuine close bond and support for each other was unlike anything I saw during the rest of my interview season. The faculty all have different backgrounds and expertise in various niches of EM thus I felt I'd be supported in my interests as a resident. Lastly, as the main Level 1 county hospital for South Texas, our hospital system serves many deeply underserved areas and sick patient populations.
CLASS OF 2025
ALEXANDER ACHENBACH, MD
PGY-1
Medical School: Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University
Undergraduate School: University at Buffalo
Hometown: Buffalo, NY
Why Emergency Medicine?
I'm eager for a chance to serve the community and provide healthcare for individuals in need. I also enjoy not knowing what is going to walk through the door and getting work up any complaint from scratch.
Why did you choose UT Health San Antonio?
I've been in and out of San Antonio quite a few times over the years and really enjoy the city. The patient population seen at UT will be great training and I get to live to the same city as my wife who works at BAMC.
RESIDENT TESTIMONIES
SOPHIA ZABADAYEV - ALUMNI, CLASS OF 2021
Why did you choose UT Health San Antonio? The people. Cliche, I know. The leadership, faculty, residents and staff are all just phenomenal human beings. They are hilarious, witty and have kind hearts. They instantly adopted me into the family and I knew that it was a great fit.
What surprised you the most about the program? How dynamic it is. Resident feedback drives program improvement, and the leadership is very receptive to any ideas we have. Our voices are heard and changes are made in real time. It is refreshing to be able to truly shape our residency experience.
MELODIE BLACKMON - ALUMNI, CLASS OF 2021
Favorite part about the program: The leadership is very open to hearing our ideas for change, and implementing them. If there is something you want to accomplish while here, and there isn’t a specific pathway/track set up, the leadership will help you make it happen.
What surprised you the most: The way we define “family friendly”. Many programs on the interview trail said they were family friendly, but I think our program takes it to the next level. As a new mom starting residency, and as someone expecting a new baby at the end, I’ve felt incredibly supported all along the way. Both leadership and colleagues will bend over backwards to make sure you can succeed both as a resident and as a parent.
OWAIS DURRANI - ALUMNI, CLASS OF 2021
What is your favorite memory thus far in residency? My favorite memory is our residency retreat during intern year. Bonding with your co-residents that you will be in the trenches with for the next three years was an amazing experience and was a reassuring moment that things are going to be just okay.
What surprised you the most about the program? Coming to a large city and a large hospital, sometimes you may think that changing something that is a part of your program may be difficult. I have found the opposite to be true, program leadership truly listens to our feedback here at UT health San Antonio and have made many changes over my few years year that have benefited us as residents and our professional development.
CARA BORELLI - ALUMNI, CLASS OF 2022
My favorite memory in residency has been my month spent on the ultrasound rotation. I had been looking forward to improving my skills in POCUS, and I had so much fun learning from the faculty during that month.
-My favorite thing to do in San Antonio is to go to First Friday, a monthly event featuring art, music, and food from local artists and chefs held in the vibrant South Town community
-I was surprised by how supportive all the residents are of each other. I have someone to call when I have a question about emergency medicine but also when my tire goes flat while driving home. I am so grateful for all my co-residents.
JEFF LIN - ALUMNI, CLASS OF 2022
Why did you choose UT Health San Antonio? I chose UT Health San Antonio because it's a program where residents are trained to become leaders and innovators. Additionally, San Antonio is a fun and vibrant city to live in. I have definitely enjoyed exploring the various foods, cultures and experiences this city has offered.
What is your favorite part about the program? I enjoy our program's commitment to making us better at point of care ultrasound. The program invests heavily on our ultrasound education by providing us frequent opportunities and ample resources to practice and incorporate ultrasound into clinical practice.
What is your favorite memory thus far in residency? Skydiving with my co-residents Josh and Duy to celebrate the end of intern year! Our annual retreat is a major highlight of the year as well.
What is your favorite thing to do in San Antonio? I really enjoy running/biking along the greenways that circumnavigate 30+ miles around San Antonio. Additionally, there are really amazing state parks in and around San Antonio that are great to hike/backpack and get out into wilderness.
What surprised you the most about the program? Our faculty bring an amazing variety of levels of expertise to our program. Many are fellowship trained in their area of interest and are eager to showcase thier knowledge and share their enthusiasm for medicine.
What would you wish you a resident/faculty member told you when you were applying? Trust your gut when you're deciding which programs you are most interested in. There are intangibles of each program that can't necessarily be listed on paper or in a brochure. The most important factors for enjoying your time in residency is knowing your co-residents and faculty are working to help make you be successful and have your back when times get tough, in addition to being in a location that you can enjoy with friends and family.
TAYLOR RODRIGUES - ALUMNI, CLASS OF 2022
Why did you choose UT Health San Antonio?
I did not rotate at UT Health San Antonio, nor do I have family living close by, but I was so impressed with the residents, the faculty, and how happy everyone was, that it was an easy decision decided to rank it number 1. I knew this is where I would develop into the best emergency physician that I could become - and be happy doing it.
What is your favorite part about the program?
The culture of UT Health San Antonio is unmatched. The camaraderie amongst the residents has been what has kept me going when I have a rough shift or a tough day. There isn’t one fellow resident that wouldn’t go completely out of their way to help or encourage me when needed. The best part is that this culture isn’t just seen between the residents, but stems from a wonderful group of faculty and leaders, truly making the residency a family.
What is your favorite memory thus far in residency?
My new favorite memory each year is always the residency retreat. It’s amazing how quickly you can grow to become great friends with the new class of residents year after year.
What is your favorite thing to do in San Antonio?
I love that there is so much to do and see in San Antonio! Whether it’s taking my kids to the children’s museum (aptly called 'The Do-seum'), eating dinner along the River Walk, going trick or treating at the zoo, seeing the Christmas lights at Sea World, hiking in Friedrich Wilderness Park, or visiting the farmer’s market at the Pearl, there is always something to explore.
What surprised you the most about the program?
I am surprised how fun residency is! As a medical student I remember always hearing how hard residency is, how long the hours are, and how stressful it can be. Although residency is tough, no one ever talks about how much fun it can be. Being an emergency medicine physician is such a unique and amazing career filled with tons of opportunities - intubations, chest tubes, resuscitations, and figuring out how to best help your patients. After each shift I am amazed that I get to do this for a living!
MEERA - ALUMNI, CLASS OF 2019
On her first job: The things I’ve had to McGyver are insane. We had good training too. Pod 2 helped me be my best. I was more efficient than 90% of the current attendings. Our group had to switch our contact to a smaller hospital and only me, the medical director and another doc got hired out of 10 docs. And I was only there for 4 months.
THOMAS PEDERSON - ALUMNI, CLASS OF 2022
Why did you choose UT Health San Antonio?
I chose UT Health San Antonio EM because it is the hospital for acutely ill patients from San Antonio to the US-Mexico border. As San Antonio’s county hospital, we have the unique opportunity to care for some of the sickest patients in South Texas, and our collaboration with the medical school provides a strong academically oriented backbone toward patient care. It is humbling to serve this patient population and to be able to provide such comprehensive care to them.
What is your favorite part about the program?
Our faculty. We have a large and still growing number of young, diverse(ly trained), and enthusiastic core faculty who are easy to approach and love to teach. Given that we’re about the only specialty that works side-by-side with our attendings, the characteristics of our faculty play a huge role in fostering a strong residency ethos. I think that the high degree of happiness of all of our residents is a testament to the quality of our faculty.
What is your favorite memory thus far in residency?
All of our residency wellness events. Our faculty, our co-residents, and our families genuinely enjoy getting together outside of the ED. My favorite memory is of my entire intern class being taught by the program director how to rope a steer head dummy at his ranch during a 4th of July get-together.
What is your favorite thing to do in San Antonio?
My wife and I love cycling the Missions Trail from the Blue Star Arts Complex. There are some awesome bars and restaurants right in that part of town that feel well earned after the ride.
What surprised you the most about the program?
Our program is willing and excited to help each resident pursue special interests. Every year, we have 3-5 residents pursuing program-sponsored global health trips. We have residents being sponsored to present at national conferences. And we have residents who are sponsored to obtaining specialized experience in wilderness and EMS trips. I certainly didn’t appreciate the degree of enthusiasm for helping residents with their career interests, no matter how diverse, anywhere else on the interview trail.