Transitional Year Residency

Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center

Unlock your potential with exceptional clinical training in a supportive community.

Welcome from Program Director Joanne Zhu, MD, MSc, FACP, FHM

Welcome to the Transitional Year Residency Program — a vital and pivotal step in your graduate medical education.

Our program strives to offer a well-balanced curriculum in multiple clinical disciplines designed to facilitate the choice of and preparation for a specific specialty that requires a year of fundamental clinical education as a prerequisite.

We are dedicated to providing a tailored and uniquely constructed curriculum to the resident physicians pursuing specialties including, but not limited to, anesthesiology, dermatology, radiology, radiation-oncology, physical medicine and rehabilitation and more. The graduates from this program will be well prepared in clinical skills, caring for diverse patient populations with complex disease processes, professionalism, leadership qualities and interpersonal communication.

In addition, we offer training in quality improvement and patient safety, social determinants of health, diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, physician resiliency and wellness. Our residents will have the opportunities to teach medical students, get involved in clinical research and engage in local physician networks. Our didactics include weekly medicine grand rounds, noon conferences and intern reports, monthly journal club, quarterly mortality, morbidity and improvement, specialty conferences such as tumor board and ethics grand rounds.

It is our desire to recruit candidates from diverse cultural and educational backgrounds with excellent medical school training, dedication to the profession of medicine, strong interpersonal skills and leadership qualities.

Joanne Zhu, MD, MSc, FACP, FHM
Program Director
Joanne Zhu
Program Contacts
Joanne Zhu
MD, MSc, FACP, FHM

Program Director

Rosa Gomez
BS

Program Coordinator

rosa.gomez@wellstar.org

About Our Program

  • Diverse pathology and patient populations
  • Individual learning plans
  • Low resident to attending ratio
  • Electives aimed to enhance future specialty training
  • Multidisciplinary learning environment

Curriculum

  • Rotations

Fundamental clinical skills rotation (7 mos.)

  • Inpatient Wards (1 to 2 mos.)
  • Clinical Decision Unit (1 mo.)
  • Emergency Medicine (1 mo.)
  • Ambulatory Services (1 mo.)
  • Intensive Care Unit (1 to 2 mos.)

Electives may include (5 mos.)

  • Anesthesiology
  • Cardiothoracic Surgery
  • Dermatology
  • Ethics
  • Hematology/Oncology
  • Minimally Invasive Surgery
  • Neurology
  • Neurosurgery
  • Ophthalmology
  • Orthopedic Surgery
  • Palliative Care
  • Pathology
  • Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
  • Radiation Ooncology
  • Rheumatology
  • Sports Medicine (pediatric)
  • Surgical Oncology
  • Vascular Surgery
  • Medical Consultation

*All content is subject to change without notice. Please check back often for updated information.

Research Opportunities

Our program encourages and supports various research activities. Each program has their own research opportunities. This may include case reports, quality improvement, clinical research and patient safety projects. Most research collaborates with the Wellstar Research Institute and all follow IRB (Institutional Review Board) guidelines.

Program Success

Class of 2024

  • Rushay Amarath-Madav, Diagnostic Radiology, Emory University School of Medicine
  • Emily Baas, PM&R, Jefferson Moss-Magee Rehab
  • John Carico, Diagnostic Radiology, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology (Washington University in St. Louis)
  • Brian Clark, Diagnostic Radiology, Medical University of South Carolina
  • Sachi Desse, Dermatology, Yale School of Medicine
  • Chris Huenneke, Diagnostic Radiology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
  • Ehi Ihionkhan, Diagnostic Radiology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine Program
  • Japna Kalra, Anesthesiology, UC San Diego
  • Rimaz Khadir, Diagnostic Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital
  • Aaron Mahajan, Diagnostic Radiology, University of Cincinnati Medical Center
  • Deeksha Malhotra, Diagnostic Radiology, NYP Hospital-Weill Cornell Medical Center
  • Danielle Mustin, Dermatology, Thomas Jefferson University
  • Madeleine O’Brian, Dermatology, University of Kansas Medical Center
  • Eric Olsen, Dermatology, University of Alabama Birmingham
  • Vinod Rajakumar, PM&R, Stanford Medicine
  • Arrix Ryce, Interventional Radiology, McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University
  • Julian Stashower, Dermatology, West Virginia University School of Medicine
  • Oluwatoyin Thompson, Anesthesiology, UC San Diego
  • Richard Wu, Interventional Radiology, University of Pennsylvania – Penn Medicine
  • Dylan Zhang, Diagnostic Radiology, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center

Class of 2023

  • Jonah Adler, Diagnostic Radiology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
  • Alind Amedi, Diagnostic Radiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine & Sciene MN
  • William Anderson, Diagnostic Radiology, Emory University School of Medicine
  • Timothy Arleo, Interventional Radiology, Emory University School of Medicine
  • Devon Barrett, Dermatology, Emory University School of Medicine
  • Roy Chen, PM&R, Zucker SOM – Northwell NS/LIJ-NY
  • Vivien Chen, Dermatology, Tulane University School of Medicine
  • Reid Collis, PM&R, University of Virginia School of Medicine
  • Robert “Warren” Floyd, Radiation Oncology, MD Anderson Cancer Center
  • Shantelle Griffith, Dermatology, Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
  • Joseph Kim, Diagnostic Radiology, Yale School of Medicine
  • Troy Kleber, Radiation Oncology, MD Anderson Cancer Center
  • Arturo Lopez, Diagnostic Radiology, University of Michigan Hospital
  • Roshan Nayak, Anesthesiology, UC San Francisco
  • Linda Phung, PM&R, Rutgers NJMS/Kessler
  • Natalie Sanders, Diagnostic Radiology, Emory University School of Medicine
  • Camara Sharperson, Anesthesiology, UC-San Francisco
  • Neal Shukla, Diagnostic Radiology, Yale-New Haven Health Center
  • Jennifer Su, Dermatology, Medical College of GA
  • Andrew “AJ” Winkelman, Diagnostic Radiology, University of Michigan

Class of 2022

  • Andrea Brown, Radiation Oncology, John Hopkins Hospital
  • Frank Chen, Anesthesiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
  • Sona Chowdhary, PM&R, University of Miami, Jackson Health System
  • Charles Diard, Diagnostic Radiology, University of South Alabama Hospitals
  • Michael Evans, Diagnostic Radiology, University of Alabama Medical Center – Birmingham
  • Abhishek Goswami, Diagnostic Radiology, University of Chicago Medical Center
  • Saumya Gurbani, Diagnostic Radiology, Emory University School of Medicine
  • Christine Ha, Anesthesiology, UC – San Francisco
  • David Jones, Diagnostic Radiology, NYP – Weill Cornell Medical Center
  • Malika Kelly, Anesthesiology, Brigham & Womens Hospital
  • David Lakomy, Radiation Oncology, Barnes Jewish Hospital
  • Kevin “Keon” Mahmoudi, Diagnostic Radiology, UCLA Medical Center
  • Kashif Malik, PM&R, Casa Colina Hospital
    Myles McCrary, Pathology, USF Health – University of South Florida
  • Louis Mercado, Diagnostic Radiology, Zucker School of Medicine – Northwell NS
  • Karson Mostert, PM&R, Mayo Clinical School of GME Aditya Reddy, Diagnostic Radiology, Medical College of Georgia
  • Anita Savell, Dermatology, UC Davis Medical Center Elisabeth Sidden, Diagnostic Radiology, University of NC Hospitals
  • Chiamaka Sonubi, PM&R, Emory University School of Medicine

Where Our Residents Live and Work

Perfectly positioned between the north Georgia mountains and the city of Atlanta, Marietta is the ideal place for young professionals and growing families. Equal parts hip and hometown, it’s a bustling city with a small-town feel.

Marietta’s historic downtown square is alive with activity, hosting regular farmers markets, concerts, and festivals. The Battery and Truist Park (home of the Atlanta Braves) provide entertainment for everyone in the Vinings neighborhood. Marietta is also a short drive to Downtown Atlanta and the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Airport.

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What Our Residents Say About Us

Sherwin and I had lunch today and we reflected on how well the TY’s internal medicine curriculum helped us make the mental jump from medical students to confident physicians. Particularly among my ophthalmology peers, I feel that the electives like rheumatology, anesthesiology, and others helped immensely during categorical residency, giving me invaluable perspective to understand another side of things I do every day in ophthalmology. As I begin this next chapter, I will always appreciate TY 2018–2019 as one of the best years of my adult life.”

Christopher Kuang, MD Ophthalmology/Class of 2019

The TY year provided the perfect balance. I feel very competent as a PGY-2 but did not experience the burnout that a lot of my fellow classmates had, which allowed me to hit the ground running with my PGY-2 duties.

Class of 2023 Annual Anonymous Alumni Survey

The further out of TY year I get, the more I appreciate the experience I had at Wellstar. The great variety of electives have been helpful in diagnostic radiology (especially the surgical electives). I had a well-rounded inpatient experience while still maintaining a solid work-life balance. Thanks to Dr. Zhu and the rest of the Wellstar team for a great experience!

Annual Anonymous Alumni Survey

I am so grateful for Rosa and Dr. Zhu! My Transitional Year was a time of considerable growth in a safe and encouraging environment. Looking back, I am so glad that I did my Transitional Year at Wellstar Kennestone, and I still recommend it to any and all medical students who rotate with my derm program.

Class of 2023 Annual Anonymous Alumni Survey

I loved my TY year. I am very thankful to have trained at Wellstar under Dr. Zhu and all of the other wonderful staff.

Class of 2022 Annual Anonymous Alumni Survey

TY year at Wellstar was excellent. Better preparation for residency than many, if not most, prelim years in discussion with my colleagues.

Class of 2022 Annual Anonymous Alumni Survey

Wellstar TY program allowed me to transition from a student to a physician in a supportive environment that allowed me to accelerate my professional growth. Thank you, all.

Class of 2022 Annual Anonymous Alumni Survey

Thank you so much! The Wellstar TY was an incredible experience. I am blessed to have been able to learn with y’all in Marietta.

Class of 2022 Annual Anonymous Alumni Survey

FAQs

Q:What are your program’s recruitment criteria, and what types of residents will thrive in your program?
A:
We’re looking for candidates who demonstrate:
• Academic and clinical preparedness
• Interpersonal communication skills and professionalism
• Dedication to the profession of medicine
• Motivation for personal growth and professional development
• Empathy for our patients and staff
Q:Does your program sponsor J-1 visas?
A:

Given this being a one-year training program, we are not able to provide any visa sponsorship.

Q:Do your residents have teaching opportunities?
A:

Yes, our residents have opportunities to work with medical students and participate in peer teaching.

Program Leaders & Faculty

  • Program Leads
Joanne Zhu
Joanne Zhu
MD, MSc, FACP, FHM
Program Director
Joanne Zhu
Joanne Zhu
MD, MSc, FACP, FHM
Program Director

Dr. Zhu graduated from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas. She then completed residency training in internal medicine at the University of North Carolina Hospitals. She has been practicing hospital medicine since 2005, and joined Wellstar more than 10 years ago. In addition to being the program director for Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center Transitional Year Residency Program, Dr. Zhu is one of the teaching faculty for Inpatient Medicine at Wellstar Kennestone. She is the immediate past president for Greater Cobb County Medical Society for 2023. Currently, she is serving on the board of directors for the Association of Hospital Medical Education (AHME). She is also the chair for Council of Transitional Year Program Director at AHME. Her other professional interests include developing curriculums for QIPS and perioperative medicine, healthcare advocacy and physician wellbeing. Dr. Zhu is a clinical assistant professor at the Medical College of Georgia.

Folasade (Sade) Arinze
Folasade (Sade) Arinze
MD, MPH, FACP
Core Faculty
Folasade (Sade) Arinze
Folasade (Sade) Arinze
MD, MPH, FACP
Core Faculty

Dr. Arinze received her undergraduate degree from Kennesaw State University and graduated from the University of Louisville School of Medicine. She completed her residency in internal medicine, chief residency and fellowship in infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Dr. Arinze’s academic interests include graduate medical education, mentorship, HIV medicine and social determinants of health. She is a clinical assistant professor at the Medical College of Georgia and Mercer University College of Medicine.

Asif Saberi
Asif Saberi
MD, MBA, CPE, FCCP
Core Faculty
Asif Saberi
Asif Saberi
MD, MBA, CPE, FCCP
Core Faculty

As the medical director of critical care and ECMO at Wellstar, Dr. Saberi leads a team of dedicated and compassionate professionals who provide lifesaving care to patients with complex and advanced conditions. He completed his undergraduate degree at Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College in Mumbai, India, and his residency in internal medicine at the University of Buffalo. He also attended the University of Utah School of Medicine for his training in pulmonary and critical care.

In addition to his clinical role, Dr. Saberi serves as an associate professor of medicine at the Medical College of Georgia. He is a certified physician executive with an Executive MBA from the University of Tennessee and is passionate about teaching, learning and innovating in the field of critical care. He strives to improve the quality and outcomes of our ICU services, operations and research.

David G. Watson
David G. Watson
BSc, MD, FACP
Core Faculty
David G. Watson
David G. Watson
BSc, MD, FACP
Core Faculty

Dr. Watson received his bachelor’s degree from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. He obtained his medical and surgical degree from the University of Sydney in Australia. He completed his general medical and surgical residency at Gosford District Hospital in New South Wales, Australia, then completed his internal medicine residency at Emory University School of Medicine.

In 2012 and 2013, he received the Golden Apple Award from Emory University for excellence in teaching. In 2018, he received the Exemplary Teaching Award for Excellence in Teaching Undergraduate Medical Education from the Medical College of Georgia. In 2019, he received the Inpatient Teacher of The Year from Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center Internal Medicine Residency Program.

Mohammad Kamran
Mohammad Kamran
MD, MBBS, FACR
Core Faculty
Mohammad Kamran
Mohammad Kamran
MD, MBBS, FACR
Core Faculty

Dr. Kamran received his Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from Khyber Medical College, University of Peshawar, Pakistan. He completed his residency in internal medicine at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, where he also served as chief resident. He completed his fellowship in rheumatology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City. In 2019, Dr. Kamran won the Ambulatory Teacher of The Year award from the Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center Internal Medicine Residency Program.

Aamer Rahman
Aamer Rahman
MD
Core Faculty
Aamer Rahman
Aamer Rahman
MD
Core Faculty

Dr. Rahman earned his bachelor’s degree at King Edward Medical College and his medical degree at the Faculty of Sciences at Government College, both in Lahore, Pakistan. He completed his residency at West Virginia University Hospital in Morgantown, West Virginia, and his internship at the Mayo Hospital in Lahore, Pakistan. Board-certified, he is a member of the American College of Chest Physicians. His clinical interests include graduate medical education, critical care, ECMO and mechanical circulatory support and patient advocacy.

Rosa Gomez
Rosa Gomez
BS
Program Coordinator
Rosa Gomez
Rosa Gomez
BS
Program Coordinator

Originally from New York City, Rosa Gomez has worked in the healthcare field for over 20 years. She moved to Georgia in 2012, where she started her work in graduate medical education at Atlanta Medical Center as an administrative assistant and then as the orthopedic surgery residency coordinator. Dr. Gomez joined Wellstar Kennestone’s Transitional Year Program as the residency coordinator in 2017 and loves her role in the program. Her interests include working out, running, and spending time with family and friends.

Residents

  • Current Residents
Tsion Assaye
Tsion Assaye
MD
Tsion Assaye
Tsion Assaye
MD
Medical School: Emory University School of Medicine

Specialty: Diagnostic Radiology

Next Step: NYU Grossman School of Medicine

Ngafla Bakayoko
Ngafla Bakayoko
MD
Ngafla Bakayoko
Ngafla Bakayoko
MD
Medical School: Morehouse School of Medicine

Specialty: Diagnostic Radiology

Next Step: John Hopkins Hospital

George Beshara
George Beshara
MD
George Beshara
George Beshara
MD
Medical School: Morehouse School of Medicine

Specialty: PM&R

Next Step: Broward Health Medical Center

Ria Brown
Ria Brown
MD
Ria Brown
Ria Brown
MD
Medical School: Baylor College of Medicine

Specialty: Radiation Oncology

Next Step: Emory University School of Medicine

Julia Cha
Julia Cha
MD
Julia Cha
Julia Cha
MD
Medical School: Harvard Medical School 

Specialty: Diagnostic Radiology 

Next Step: UCLA Medical Center 

Erron Collins
Erron Collins
MD
Erron Collins
Erron Collins
MD
Medical School: Morehouse School of Medicine 

Specialty: Radiation Oncology 

Next Step: Stanford Healthcare 

Ronnie Festok
Ronnie Festok
MD
Ronnie Festok
Ronnie Festok
MD
Medical School: Emory University School of Medicine 

Specialty: Interventional Radiology 

Next Step: Emory University School of Medicine 

Morgan Franklin
Morgan Franklin
MD
Morgan Franklin
Morgan Franklin
MD
Medical School: Medical College of GA at Augusta University 

Specialty: Diagnostic Radiology 

Next Step: Medical College of GA at Augusta University 

Jada Hislop
Jada Hislop
MD
Jada Hislop
Jada Hislop
MD
Medical School: Emory University School of Medicine

Specialty: Diagnostic Radiology

Next Step: NYP – Weill Cornell Medical Center

Hannah Jones
Hannah Jones
MD
Hannah Jones
Hannah Jones
MD
Medical School: Emory University School of Medicine

Specialty: PM&R

Next Step: Emory University School of Medicine

Tejas Joshi
Tejas Joshi
MD
Tejas Joshi
Tejas Joshi
MD
Medical School: Baylor College of Medicine

Specialty: Dermatology

Next Step: Baylor College of Medicine

Han Li
Han Li
MD
Han Li
Han Li
MD
Medical School: University of Florida College of Medicine

Specialty: Dermatology

Next Step: University of Florida College of Medicine

Sarah Lu
Sarah Lu
MD
Sarah Lu
Sarah Lu
MD
Medical School: Medical College of GA at Augusta University

Specialty: Anesthesiology

Next Step: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Marie Mack
Marie Mack
MD
Marie Mack
Marie Mack
MD
Medical School: University of Virginia School of Medicine

Specialty: Diagnostic Radiology

Next Step: Eastern Virginia Medical School

Rebecca Marchant
Rebecca Marchant
MD
Rebecca Marchant
Rebecca Marchant
MD
Medical School: University of Virginia School of Medicine

Specialty: Radiation Oncology

Next Step: UC San Diego Medical Center

Anita Rong
Anita Rong
MD
Anita Rong
Anita Rong
MD
Medical School: Wake Forest University School of Medicine

Specialty: Diagnostic Radiology

Next Step: University of Wisconsin Hospital & Clinics

Marta Taye
Marta Taye
MD
Marta Taye
Marta Taye
MD
Medical School: Emory University School of Medicine

Specialty: Dermatology

Next Step: Emory University School of Medicine

Luis Valdes JR
Luis Valdes JR
MD
Luis Valdes JR
Luis Valdes JR
MD
Medical School: Morehouse School of Medicine

Specialty: Diagnostic Radiology

Next Step: Emory University School of Medicine

Jonathan Xu
Jonathan Xu
MD
Jonathan Xu
Jonathan Xu
MD
Medical School: Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University

Specialty: Diagnostic Radiology

Next Step: Icahn School of Medicine Mount Sinai

Kristine Yhang
Kristine Yhang
MD
Kristine Yhang
Kristine Yhang
MD
Medical School: Medical College of GA at Augusta University

Specialty: Diagnostic Radiology

Next Step: Tufts Medical Center

The Many Sides of Marietta

Credit: Visit Marietta

Nearby Attractions

Marietta Square | Truist Park | The Battery | Gone With the Wind Museum | Earl and Rachel Smith Strand Theatre | New Theatre in the Square | Ghosts of Marietta Tour | Marietta Square Farmers Market | Hilton Atlanta-Marietta Hotel & Conference Center | Cobb Galleria Centre

Discover Marietta

Getting Around

Cycling is a popular form of transportation in Marietta. The area is also served by the CobbLinc bus service that connects to MARTA — Atlanta’s light rail and bus network. Drivers also have quick access to I-75 and I-285 to get anywhere they need.

Cobb Transportation Info