Class of 2025
Peace Anyaeji, M.D.
Undergraduate: Northern Arizona UniversityMedical School: University of Texas Medical Branch School of MedicineGreetings! I was born in Nigeria, but I spent the majority of my childhood in Tucson. I graduated Cholla High School and moved to Flagstaff to complete my undergraduate degree at Northern Arizona University (Go Jacks!). I then attended medical school on Galveston Island and as beautiful as the beach was, I missed my hometown and decided to return.THMEP was my first choice for TY. I get to be around loved ones more often and appreciate the peaks when outside. TMC has a special place in my heart. My baby brother received ongoing treatment from TMC and from a young age, I admired the dutiful care he received and aspired to work amongst those who made a difference in his life and my family’s.I have always said I am much more than a medical professional. I am a loving daughter, sibling, friend, and cat mom. I enjoy traveling, hiking, cooking traditional Naija dishes, roller-skating, and practicing self-care!
Kendra Coleman, M.D.
Undergraduate: Wellesley CollegeMedical School: University of Arizona College of Medicine-TucsonI am an Arizona native and thrilled to spend another year in Tucson at THMEP before I head back to the East Coast for residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Besides the fact that I get to continue exploring the many hiking trails in Tucson, I knew THMEP was the place for me because of the people running the program and their willingness to support me in any way possible! One of the biggest draws was getting to work with a previous THMEP resident and hearing nothing but good things about his time here!My friends will tell you that I’m a big sports fan, both inside and outside of medicine. My identical twin and I played Division III collegiate softball together, and I never could quite retire from team sports. Switching from dirt to grass, I traded in the glove for a soccer ball and play in a couple recreational leagues here in Tucson. My parents still try to get us on a family ski trip every year where I continue to scrape moguls and faceplant on my snowboard as part of the plan to get my father and brother to stop making me go down black diamonds with them. For the sports I can’t play, I enjoy watching and attending games where I can, participating in a few fantasy football leagues every year and failing at March Madness brackets. When I’m not doing something sports related, I enjoy reading and trying out new restaurants and will stress bake a batch of chocolate chip cookies if my co-residents need a pick-me-up.
Kade Derrick, M.D.
Undergraduate: Utah State UniversityMedical School: University of Texas Health Science Center at San AntonioI grew up in southern Utah and studied biological engineering in college. After a drastic change in career goals, I attended medical school in San Antonio, Texas. I greatly enjoyed my time in Texas, but I missed the mountains and outdoor recreation of the west. I chose Tucson because it seemed like the perfect fit for me and my family. After adding identical twin girls to our family of three in medical school, I was looking for excellent training coupled with a great place to live that was close to family and friends. In my free time I love to be outdoors. I hike, fish, hunt, climb, ski, wake surf, scuba dive, and enjoy sports. After my time at THMEP I will continue my training at the University of Arizona in Tucson where I will specialize in interventional radiology.
Jacob Howshar, M.D.
Undergraduate: University of Colorado Boulder Medical School: University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix I grew up in Fort Collins, Colorado before attending college at the University of Colorado Boulder. I had visited Arizona a couple of times as a kid and was so impressed by the natural beauty of the state and its huge variety of landscapes. When it came time to pick my medical school, Arizona was an easy choice! I moved to Phoenix to attend the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix and have thoroughly loved the time I’ve spent here.I will be returning home for my residency in diagnostic radiology at the University of Colorado, but I am thrilled to spend my intern year in Tucson. The Transitional Year program at TMC is highly praised by its alumni and it was readily apparent on the interview trail how much they value the wellbeing of their interns. This, coupled with the tight-knit community feel of the program and the wide scope of rotations offered, will surely build a strong foundation to kickstart my medical career.In my free time I like exploring new restaurants, hiking, exercising, and taking day trips across the state.
Joan Hwang, D.O.
Undergraduate: UC Berkeley Medical School: A.T. Still University School of Osteopathic MedicineBorn and raised in Orange County and completed my undergraduate in Public Health at UC Berkeley. I went to medical school at A.T. Still University, School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona. Along the way, I lived in New York and returned to Arizona for its year-long sun!I am very excited to join THMEP for my transitional year as it was clear on my interview day that the program leadership and faculty are supportive. Outside of medicine, I enjoy strength training, playing pickleball, and filling up my camera roll with pictures of my cats!
Emily Lufburrow, M.D.
Undergraduate: Bates CollegeMedical School: Drexel University College of MedicineI am originally from Davis, California, and attended Bates College in Maine for undergrad and Drexel University in Philadelphia for medical school. I am extremely excited to be coming back West, closer to my family in California and my partner’s parents in Colorado to not only experience the warm weather and beautiful sunsets but also to care for the community of Tucson! TMC was my top choice for transitional year residency because of its breadth of experiences across both TMC and the VA as well as allowing time for electives to further explore different medical subspecialties. In my free time I love traveling (I spent my gap year in Australia!) and working on my photography business. You’ll also catch me watching The Office and Lord of the Rings when I’m not out and about snapping photos.
Lawrence Matiski, M.D.
Undergraduate: Arizona State UniversityMedical School: University of Arizona College of Medicine TucsonI’m from and grew up in Phoenix, AZ. I went to college in Tempe, AZ and then medical school in Tucson, AZ, so I’ve been in Arizona for forever and have loved it! I had never spent much time in Tucson before medical school, but in the last few years I found it to be a perfect combination of Arizona’s unique character, outside activities, and the incredibly varied options of a good-sized city. So, I wanted to stay for residency! Everyone who I asked for advice had great things to say about the THMEP intern year, so a mix of experiencing more of Tucson and an excellent residency experience represented everything I was looking for. My ultimate interest is diagnostic radiology, which I will be continuing at University of Arizona Tucson after my year with TMC.In my free time, I go for cooking, trying new foods and restaurants, hiking, and just about anything science-fiction.
James Meinhardt, M.D.
Undergraduate: University of San DiegoMedical School: Mayo Medical SchoolI grew up in Phoenix and attended the University of San Diego for my undergraduate degree in business. After graduating I earned a law degree from the University of Virginia during which I had some of the most incredible experiences of my life studying and working for a year in New Zealand and China. My affinity for medicine came while caring for my grandparents, and after realizing the potential for a truly fulfilling and exciting career in medicine, I attended medical school at Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale. I chose residency in Tucson for the diverse clinical experiences it offers while also providing the opportunity to work with some wonderful people, stay close to family and explore a different part of Arizona. In my free time, I enjoy mountain biking, playing tennis, exploring music from other countries, cooking brunch recipes, taking my husky to dog parks, and glacier spelunking.
Ross Melchior, D.O.
Undergraduate: Cedarville UniversityMedical School: Marian University COMI was born and raised in Cheyenne, Wyoming. I grew up in an amazing family and growing up I was passionate about playing baseball and exploring the Wyoming Outdoors. The last 9 years of my life have been filled with amazing people who have helped and supported me, exciting opportunities and adventures, and a lot of studying and learning. It’s been awesome! I’m so grateful for the opportunity to live in Tucson and start my residency education at TMC! THMEP has an incredible culture alongside a strong curriculum with talented faculty. I’m so fortunate to join the team and to learn in this environment.In my free time I don’t like to sit around. I enjoy playing sports, working out, spending time with family/friends, going to church, traveling, hunting, and exploring! I’m really excited to live in Tucson for a year where I can enjoy all of these hobbies! Following my PGY1 year at TMC, I plan to move to Salt Lake City to complete my Anesthesia training.
Sara Meri, M.D.
Undergraduate: University of ArizonaMedical School: University of Arizona College of Medicine - TucsonI was born in Detroit, MI, but grew up in Yuma, AZ for most of my life. I attended the University of Arizona in Tucson for both college and medical school, so I’ve lived in Tucson for almost the last decade! I love Tucson for its sunshine and the natural beauty it has to offer. During medical school, I rotated at TMC and thoroughly enjoyed working with the people here. The atmosphere is friendly and welcoming, and I look forward to returning as a resident and working with the variety of specialties offered during the transitional year. During my free time, I enjoy powerlifting competitively, cooking/baking, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.
Lily Nguyen, M.D.
Undergraduate: Northern Arizona UniversityMedical School: University of Arizona College of Medicine - TucsonMy name is Lily Nguyen and I was born in Hue, Vietnam and grew up in Tucson, AZ. I completed my nursing degree at Northern Arizona University and my medical degree at University of Arizona.I am excited about my year with THMEP because as a Tucson native, I get to continue to serve this wonderful community and stay close to family.I am an avid trail runner, hiker, and outdoors lover and Tucson is surrounded by mountains, so I get to continue to enjoy the beautiful desert during my transitional year!
Alejandro Paz, M.D.
Undergraduate: University of PennsylvaniaMedical School: Cooper Medical School of Rowan UniversityWhile I went to college and medical school out east, I grew up in Chandler, AZ and went to Dobson High School (Go Mustangs!). THMEP is my ideal place to do my internship – it’s clear that the program values their transitional year residents and expects us to engage in the experience with the rigor of the categorical interns, but also respects that transitional residents have varied interests and has the flexibility to explore outside their advanced program’s discipline all while balancing excellent work-life balance. On the patient end, Tucson has a high proportion of Latinos. As a Spanish speaker and Latino, myself, I feel especially fortunate to have the opportunity to help address health disparities in a culturally competent manner.I am excited to be back in Arizona and close to my family. Additionally, I am looking forward to all the Latino food that just can’t be found anywhere but the American Southwest; particularly pupusas, which are in a league of their own down here in Tucson. Besides seeking out tasty food, you’ll find me playing strategy games or watching the news because I believe in working hard and playing hard when off duty.
Sarah Staskiewicz, D.O.
Undergraduate: Penn State UniversityMedical School: Philadelphia College of Osteopathic MedicineI grew up in a small town in central Pennsylvania. I earned my undergraduate degree in Microbiology from Penn State University and then moved to Philadelphia to attend medical school at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. The summer I started medical school my parents decided to make the move to Arizona, so I’ve spent most of my breaks exploring parts of the state and the west coast. I’m looking forward to joining the program at TMC and spending the year close to my family. After completing my Transitional Year at TMC I will be headed back to Philadelphia for my Diagnostic Radiology Residency at Cooper University Hospital. Outside of medicine, I enjoy running, biking, art, and trying new food (eating – not cooking!).
