Class of 2023-2026
Christopher Anderson, DO
Hometown: Colonial Heights, VA
Undergraduate Education: Virginia Tech, BS Microbiology
Medical School: West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine
EM Interest Areas: EMS, Wilderness Medicine
Personal Hobbies: Fly Fishing, Hiking, Sailing
Personal Motto/Favorite Quote: "Economy of effort. Never stand up when you can sit down, and never sit down when you can lie down." - Winston Churchill
Why I chose Riverside: My audition rotation at Riverside was by far the best experience that I had in medical school. The attendings and residents actively went out of their way to involve me in patient care and procedures as well as explain their thought processes in a constructive and easily digestible manner. The residents were extremely welcoming and had a culture of positivity and support for each other that I had not seen anywhere else. I knew that Riverside was where I wanted to be for the next three years of my medical training.
Advice to Medical Student: Being present is the best thing for a medical student, especially one interested in EM. Ask questions, volunteer for procedures or ask to watch, and try to improve patient interactions in the department. Always be on the search for something to do no matter how small you think it is. You would be surprised how far something as simple as getting a blanket will improve both the patient's stay and the hospital staff's perception of you.
Abigail Cole, DO
Hometown: Williamsburg, VA
Undergraduate Education: University of Virginia, B.S. in Chemistry
Medical School: West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine
EM Interest Areas: Too many!!! But if I had to narrow it down, it would be global health, wilderness medicine, and ultrasound
Personal Hobbies: Traveling (one day I will have traveled the world – I may be 99 years old when it happens, but it will happen), hiking, scuba diving, gardening, and beekeeping
Personal Motto/Favorite Quote: "Elegant in its simplicity"
Why I chose Riverside: It was my audition here that sold me. I was able to see how Riverside is such an amazing community hospital with extremely knowledgeable and skilled faculty. You see an extremely diverse patient population with a high level of acuity and never run out of procedures.
Advice to Medical Student: Show up early, recheck your patients, and always look for ways to improve/learn.
Alexandra (Alexx) Dunk, DO
Hometown: San Diego, CA
Undergraduate Education: California State University, Long Beach – BS in Biology, Minor in Chemistry
Medical School: Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine
EM Interest Areas: Global medicine, medical education
Personal Hobbies: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, cooking, watching cooking competition shows, skateboarding, snowboarding, metal concerts, eating shabu shabu, traveling
Personal Motto/Favorite Quote: "If you’re interested in something, go try it! You never know if you’ll fall in love with it."
Why I chose Riverside: The mission of Riverside and the personalities of all the current residents and attendings I met aligned with my values. It is easy to tell that everyone is happy working here, and that is evident now with how many residents have chosen to stay on as attendings.
Advice to Medical Student: Showing up early does not go unnoticed, be engaged and always recheck your patients. Don’t be afraid to admit you don’t know something and research the answer when you can.
John Kerber, DO
Hometown: Cincinnati, OH
Undergraduate Education: Denison University: Biology
Graduate University and major: University of Cincinnati College of Medicine: Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics
Medical School: Lincoln Memorial
EM Interest Areas: Ultrasound, Pediatrics, Wilderness
Personal Hobbies: Traveling the World, Hiking, Wine, Flying
Personal Motto/Favorite Quote: "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and to remove all doubt."
Why I chose Riverside: Unique location, caring teaching staff, and diverse patient pathology.
Advice to Medical Student: Don’t be a fly on the wall. The best learning comes from getting your hands dirty as part of the treatment team.
Monika Krzak, DO
Hometown: Farmington, Connecticut
Undergraduate Education: University At Buffalo, Biology
Medical School: Kansas City University School of Medicine and Biosciences
EM Interest Areas: Pediatric Emergency Medicine and Wilderness Medicine
Personal Hobbies: I have a diverse set of hobbies including working out, hanging out with my two dogs Axel and Peach, reading a good book, cooking, and I have my artsy pursuits for when I really have the energy. I also live for hikes, paddle boarding, and anything outdoors.
Personal Motto/Favorite Quote: "What is done in love is done well" - Vincent van Gogh
Why I chose Riverside: I chose Riverside for its abundance of pathology (seriously this place is a gold mine), closer distance to my family, and the proximity to a large body of water where I could pursue some of my watersport hobbies. When I interviewed here in person, I felt at home and that I would be nurtured and supported here as an adult learner by faculty.
Advice to Medical Student: Just be yourself...not who you think we want you to be.
Julia Lerner, MD, MA
Hometown: Melville, NY
Undergraduate Education: Arcadia University, Scientific and Pre-Medical Illustration
Graduate Education: Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Master’s in Medical and Biological Illustration
Medical School: Alpert Medical School of Brown University
EM Interest Areas: Simulation and Medical Education
Personal Hobbies: Hiking, Knitting, playing music, cooking (eating)
Why I chose Riverside: Amazing location, high acuity, happy residents, great clinical experience, and fantastic vibes.
Advice to Medical Students: "Keep an open mind. Choose some rotations outside of your specialty of interest."
Garratt Peak, DO
Hometown: Hampton, VA
Undergraduate Education: Randolph-Macon College, Biology
Medical School: Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine
EM Interest Areas: EMS, Wilderness Medicine
Personal Hobbies: Motorcycle Riding, Camping, Hiking, Iaido
Personal Motto/Favorite Quote: "If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world." - J.R.R. Tolkien
Why I chose Riverside: Riverside was home to me, and a place I very easily could have made home had it not been.
Advice to Medical Student: Find where you fit, go on away rotations, and stress much less.
Austin Shanks, MD
Hometown: Knoxville, Tennessee
Undergraduate Education: University of Tennessee at Knoxville in Biochemical and Cellular and Molecular Biology
Medical School: University of Tennessee Health Science Center
EM Interest Areas: Emergency Medical Services
Personal Hobbies: Avid gardener, above average BBQ chef, history buff, and hiker
Personal Motto/Favorite Quote: "Sometimes it's a little better to travel than to arrive."
Why I chose Riverside: I chose Riverside because I believe in the critical mission of medicine: enhance patient well-being through high-quality care, committed providers, and organizational collaboration.
Advice to Medical Student: Practicing medicine is the best job in the world, but 4th year is the best year of your life.
Class of 2022-2025
Chandler Davis, DO
Hometown: Newport News, VA
Undergraduate Education: Virginia Tech
Medical School: VCOM - Virginia
EM Interest Areas: Ultrasound, tactical medicine, wilderness medicine, disaster medicine.
Personal Hobbies: Weightlifting, golf, boxing, reading, hiking with my dog
Personal Motto/Favorite Quote: "Anything in life worth doing is worth overdoing”
Why I chose Riverside: My experience on my audition here sold me on the program. The faculty was extremely welcoming and supportive. The learning environment here is unparalleled. I could not think of a better place to spend my three years of training.
Advice to Medical Student: Do not be afraid of failure. Never be late and absorb as much as you can.
Kerilyn Kimball, DO
Hometown: Portland, CT
Undergraduate Education: University of Connecticut
Medical School: Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine
EM Interest Areas: Wilderness medicine and disaster relief international
Personal Hobbies: Hiking, Kayaking, live music, and eating…lots of eating
Personal Motto/Favorite Quote: "You don’t know unless you try”
Why I chose Riverside: Hands down, the people. From the patient population to the faculty and staff. The learning opportunities are endless, and it is in an environment designed to train excellent physicians while fostering lasting relationships between co-workers.
Advice to Medical Student: Ask the question. Be kind. Love what you are doing (one bad day, is just one day)
Dana Page, DO
Hometown: Okemos, MI
Undergraduate Education: Kalamazoo College
Medical School: Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
EM Interest Areas: Global Health, AirCare/EMS, Sports Medicine
Personal Hobbies: Hiking with my Aussie, snowboarding, mountain biking – and falling off my mountain bike, Disc golf, slow pitch softball, spike ball and volleyball.
Personal Motto/Favorite Quote: "The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others”
Why I chose Riverside: I immediately felt a sense of belonging here. I love that this program is focused on making it the best learning experience possible. The opportunities here are unmatched.
Advice to Medical Student: My advice would be to trust yourself and know that everything will work out. You are meant to be here.
Jason Prater, DO
Hometown: Grundy, VA
Undergraduate Education: Radford University
Medical School: LECOM
EM Interest Areas: Ultrasound, critical care, rural EM
Personal Hobbies: Fishing, watching/playing sports, spending time with my wife and son.
Personal Motto/Favorite Quote: "It is never too late to be what you might have been”
Why I chose Riverside: High level of acuity. Only trauma center on the peninsula. Strong community program. Great faculty.
Advice to Medical Student: Be on time. Be interested. Always offer to help.
Michael Shallcross, MD
Hometown: Oakton, VA
Undergraduate Education: University of Virginia – B.S. in Biomedical Engineering
Medical School: St. George’s University School of Medicine
EM Interest Areas: Critical Care and Medical Education
Personal Hobbies: Golf, Downhill and Backcountry Skiing, Weight Training, Tenor/Bass Trombone, and Washington D.C. Sports
Personal Motto/Favorite Quote: "Two roads diverged in a wood and I – I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference”. – Robert Frost
Why I chose Riverside: I have already had the wonderful opportunity to complete a residency in Family Medicine at Riverside, and the decision to continue my training at Riverside was easy. The program’s focus on academic medicine and continued support from the attending faculty in training resident physicians is unmatched. Our diverse patient demographic with high acuity in a community hospital setting allows for ample opportunities to learn and grow to become a competent and confident EM physician.
Advice to Medical Student: 1. Showing up early, being respectful to everyone you interact with daily and maintaining a positive attitude will take you far. 2. Always reassess your patients, as this will lead to continued learning and better patient-centered care. 3. Communication is key!
Zachary Smith, MD
Hometown: Chesterfield, VA
Undergraduate Education: Christopher Newport University
Medical School: Eastern Virginia Medical School
EM Interest Areas: Ultrasound and EMS
Personal Hobbies: Hiking, painting, lapel pin, collecting and cooking
Personal Motto/Favorite Quote: "This is the greatest challenge to being alive to witness the injustice of this world, and not allow it to consume our light”
Why I chose Riverside: I chose Riverside for the people. I always wanted a residency program that felt like family and here it does.
Advice to Medical Student: Always be yourself, study hard, but in the end remember we are treating a person not a disease. Lastly, never give up. There will be tough days but lean on those around you.
Brandon Snyder, DO
Hometown: Corning, OH
Undergraduate Education: The Ohio State University
Medical School: Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine
EM Interest Areas: Research, Medical Education, Addiction Medicine
Personal Hobbies: Woodworking, Baking, Knitting, playing with my cat Mocha, Watching movies
Personal Motto/Favorite Quote: "Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known” – Carl Sagan
Why I chose Riverside: Opportunity to be part of a growing residency, amazing faculty, high acuity
Advice to Medical Student: Always take advantage of the opportunities that are presented, but do not forget to take care of yourself outside of medicine.
Kyle Tarro, DO
Hometown: Centreville, VA
Undergraduate Education: George Mason University
Medical School: VCOM - Virginia
EM Interest Areas: Resuscitation, critical care, quality improvement
Personal Hobbies: Soccer, weightlifting, SCUBA diving, hang gliding, backpacking
Personal Motto/Favorite Quote: "Too often we judge others by their worst examples while judging ourselves by our best intentions”
Why I chose Riverside: I auditioned here and was amazed by the cohesiveness and welcoming atmosphere of the residency and entire hospital. People truly care about one another and show that every day.
Advice to Medical Student: Trust the process, trust yourself, be engaged with the team.
Class of 2021-2024
Steven Foster, DO
Hometown: Chesapeake, VA
Undergraduate Education: James Madison University - Biological Sciences
Medical School: VCOM - Virginia
EM Interest Areas: Ultrasound, addiction medicine, medical education
Personal Hobbies: Weightlifting, cycling, Star Wars, reading history, saving for my future Tesla
Personal Motto/Favorite Quote: "The only certain thing in life is uncertainty"
Why I chose Riverside: Amazing location, beautiful ED full of some pretty sick patients, engaged faculty, lots of procedures, and an opportunity to help mold a fun culture in a relatively new program.
Advice to Medical Student: Remember that in medicine there are almost always multiple correct options (unlike the boards), and stay humble as there is always more to learn.
Calvin “Andy” Funkhouser, DO
Hometown: Lexington, VA
Undergraduate Education: James Madison University
Medical School: Liberty University
EM Interest Areas: EMS
Personal Hobbies: Fishing, woodworking, caving
Personal Motto/Favorite Quote: "Take a leap of faith"
Why I chose Riverside: I choose Riverside for the faculty and the residents. During my interview, I found all to be engaging, wanting to know about my interest, and why I had chosen EM as my career pathway.
Advice to Medical Student: Be on time, ask questions, be part of the experience.
Katrina “Kat” McGlone, DO
Hometown: North Newton, KS
Undergraduate Education: Youngstown State University – B.S.A.S in Exercise Science, with Minors in Biology and Chemistry
Medical School: Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine
EM Interest Areas: Global Medicine and Education, Ultrasound
Personal Hobbies: Lifting, running, swimming, baking, piano, learning guitar
Personal Motto/Favorite Quote: "Romans 12:9-18"
Why I chose Riverside: Riverside is a great community program that has great invested faculty and beautiful facility. During my interview day, I felt confident that I would have a good education and experience here. Also, there’s a beach nearby!
Advice to Medical Student: Work hard, be honest, and do what you say you will do. Be on time and be timely.
Charles Hardesty, DO
Hometown: Clearwater, FL
Undergraduate Education: St. Petersburg College
Medical School: Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine - Bradenton
EM Interest Areas: Ultrasound, wilderness medicine and medical education
Personal Hobbies: Disc golf, outdoor activities/sports, exercising, dogs, video games, reading
Personal Motto/Favorite Quote: “Hardships often prepare people for an extraordinary destiny.” – C.S. Lewis
Why I chose Riverside: During my interview I was very impressed with the depth of knowledge of the faculty and their dedication to teaching residents in a challenging yet encouraging way. Additionally, the happiness of the current residents was very evident through my interactions with them. The culture here is very focused around a great learning environment while also focusing on the well-being of the residents which makes for a great experience.
Advice to Medical Student: No one expects you to know all the answers so just work hard, be engaged, and be teachable. Medical school is stressful time but find time to enjoy yourself. Most importantly be yourself and have fun! Emergency medicine is a very fun and rewarding profession.
Ashley Kaufman, DO
Hometown: Fredericksburg, VA
Undergraduate Education: Virginia Tech
Medical School: VCOM - Virginia
EM interest areas: The nerd in me loves toxicology, the athlete loves sport medicine, the adrenaline junky loves disaster medicine, and the nurturer loves women's health. Get back to me in a few months...
Personal Hobbies: I enjoy playing flag football and hanging out at the dog park with my dobie Nala.
Favorite Quote: "Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light" -Albus Dumbledore
Why I chose Riverside: To start, the faculty at this program is unparalleled when it comes to skills, knowledge, and dedication. We reap the benefits of their passion for medicine and teaching. Riverside creates a family atmosphere that you are submersed in, which fosters a great learning environment. Family pushes you to succeed and prepares you for success, which is exactly what happens at this program. Blend together the unparalleled faculty and the family atmosphere, you really cannot ask for a better program.
Advice to Medical Student: ALWAYS recheck, recheck, and recheck your patients....Be yourself, do things for yourself, and focus on yourself...Did I mention recheck your patients?
John Mallow, MD
Hometown: Plantation, Florida
Undergraduate Education: University of Florida – BS, Biological Sciences
Medical School: Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine
EM Interest Areas: Palliative Care, Medical Education, Healthcare Administration
Personal Hobbies: Guitar, Ping Pong, Video games
Personal Motto/Favorite Quote: “He’s beginning to believe.” – Morpheus
Why I chose Riverside: Happy and the best senior residents you could ask for, enthusiastic and well-known faculty led by Dr. Knoop, a beautiful hospital, and coastal city (Newport News is basically urban South Florida), I am constantly reaffirmed of my choice to match at Riverside. I feel valued not only as a resident, but as a future Emergency Medicine physician, be it through our plentiful residency “add-ons” or passionate administration and faculty, you truly feel like you are part of the healthcare team. In retrospect, you will be troubled to find a more diverse and sicker patient population pathology-wise than you will at Riverside.
Advice to Medical Student: It is 110% OK to make mistakes, just be willing to learn from them!
Patrick O’Connell, DO
Hometown: Newport News, VA
Undergraduate Education: Virginia Tech- Biological Sciences
Medical School: VCOM- VA campus
EM interest areas: Ultrasound/Wilderness Medicine
Personal Hobbies: Soccer, Rock climbing, Snowboarding, Tennis, Live Music
Personal Motto/Favorite Quote: "Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game." -Babe Ruth
Why I chose Riverside: The direct interaction and one-on-one time with the attendings you receive at Riverside is unmatched. As a medical student, I truly felt like I was a part of the team. This created a very relaxed teaching environment, allowing me to be myself and stay focused on learning emergency medicine.
Advice to Medical Student: Relax! Trust yourself. You know much more than you think you do. Most importantly, enjoy your shift!