Internal Medicine Residency

Wellstar Spalding Medical Center

Train to be a leader in a high-volume environment, serving patients from a broad range of ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Welcome from Program Director, Ashok Kanugula, MD

Welcome! We appreciate your interest in the Wellstar Spalding Internal Medicine Residency Program. I am incredibly excited and proud to announce that we successfully launched this program in 2022 with the mission of cultivating the next generation of physicians dedicated to serving our community with exceptional training and providing high-quality care.

Allow me to introduce myself. I am Dr. Ashok Kanugula, program director of the Wellstar Spalding Internal Medicine Residency Program. Originally from India, I moved to the United States after completing my medical school education. I pursued a master’s in public health at Missouri State University and later completed my internal medicine residency at Mercy Catholic Medical Center. Throughout most of my career, I have been deeply involved in medical education. Most recently, I served as the associate program director at Hurley Medical Center, Michigan State University.

Wellstar stands as one of the largest non-profit organizations in the state of Georgia, with a mission focused on enhancing the health and well-being of every individual we serve. Our vision is to deliver world-class healthcare to every person, every time. While graduate medical education to nurture the next generation of physicians is already a priority for Wellstar, Wellstar Spalding Medical Center is dedicated to contributing by producing physicians to serve our community, the state of Georgia and, in turn, the nation.

As the founding program director, my goal is to train and educate residents in alignment with Wellstar’s mission, vision and values. We strive to recruit highly qualified and diverse trainees. In a short period, we have developed a competency-based curriculum with a significant emphasis on evidence-based and cost-conscious care, ensuring the highest quality care at minimal cost for individuals in our community, who have limited healthcare access. Our curriculum strictly adheres to ACGME and ABIM policies tailored to meet these standards.

We have a diverse group of faculty and leaders dedicated to training and supporting our residents. Each year, we recruit 10 residents through the NRMP match, and we accept J-1 visas through ECFMG as required. Please review the other requirements mentioned on our website.

I encourage you to explore our website to learn more about what our organization offers to its team members and patients. I assure you that those who choose to join our program will not be disappointed. Our greatest strength lies in being part of a reputable organization with committed and experienced team members.

Ashok Kumar Kanugula, MD
Program Director
Ashok Kumar Kanugula
Program Contacts
Ashok Kumar Kanugula
MD

Program Director

Cyril Anara
MD

Assistant Program Director

Mevelyn Corpening

Program Coordinator

mevelyn.corpening@wellstar.org

Our Educational Goals

The mission of graduate medical education at Wellstar Spalding is to create an exceptional and personalized training environment to develop the next generation of physicians who will provide the highest quality of care and improve the physician workforce in our community.

  • Train providers in the specialty of internal medicine so they are able to practice independently—with a focus on providing care in keeping with the mission of the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) to improve the quality of medical care available to the public through certification, training standards, research, leadership development and collaboration
  • Enhance the patient care experience for people in the community served by our residents and faculty members as providers who are trained to deliver compassionate, evidence-based, high-value, world-class quality patient care
  • Decrease population health disparities by equipping providers to proactively tackle both patient and societal needs
  • Increase the number of internal medicine physicians who train and ultimately practice medicine in the Griffin community and in the state of Georgia

Facilitate each resident’s and faculty member’s growth as an individual and as a physician by encouragement and the promotion of:

  • Excellence in clinical practice
  • A commitment to life-long learning and self-improvement
  • Patient advocacy
  • Leadership
  • Teamwork
  • Respect for patients and colleagues with diverse race, cultural and spiritual backgrounds
  • Balance in personal and professional lives/li>

Curriculum

  • Rotations
  • Didactics
PGY-1
  • Inpatient wards (5 mos.)
  • Ambulatory medicine & geriatrics (2 mos.)
  • Intensive care unit (2 mos.)
  • Night float (1 mo.)
  • Hospice & palliative care
    (2 to 4 wks.)
  • Vacation (3 wks.)
PGY-2
  • Inpatient wards (3 mos.)
  • Ambulatory medicine & geriatrics (2 mos.)
  • Intensive care unit (1 mo.)
  • Night float (1 mo.)
  • Neurology (2 to 4 wks.)
  • Emergency medicine (2 to 4 wks.)
  • Individual educational experience (3 mos.)
  • Vacation (3 wks.)
PGY-3
  • Inpatient wards (3 mos.)
  • Ambulatory medicine & geriatrics (2 mos.)
  • Intensive care unit (1 mo.)
  • Night float (2 to 4 wks.)
  • Individual educational experience (3 mos.)
  • Vacation (3 wks.)

Our didactic curriculum provides opportunities for residents to augment their clinical experience and improve their public speaking skills. These are considered protected times to maximize education. Conferences are broadcast on Microsoft Teams so that residents working outside the hospital may participate. We also maintain recordings of didactic sessions so that residents unable to attend the session can watch them asynchronously.

Weekly: Inpatient wards and ICU, 7 AM to 5 PM; on call every fourth day, 7 AM to 9 PM, minimum one day per week. Night float, 9 PM to 7 AM.

  • Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 12 to 1 PM: Noon conferences
  • Tuesday, 12 to 1 PM: Inpatient report and resident report
  • Wednesday, 8 AM: Ambulatory morning report
  • Thursday, 12 to 1 PM: Grand rounds

Monthly:

  • Case of the month
  • Journal club
  • Mortality and morbidity and improvement conference
  • Point of Care US (POCUS)
  • Quality improvement/patient safety conference
  • Wellness committee sessions
  • Diversity, equity and inclusion conferences
  • Medical jeopardy

Board Review:

  • Med study videos
  • MKSAP-19
  • ACP board prep curriculum
  • Board review sessions by faculty
  • REA funds can be used toward educational reimbursement for board prep of choice with pre-approval.

Other Educational Sources:

  • Uptodate
  • Dynamed
  • ACP subscription with resources on high-value care, social determinants of health, pain modules
  • Wellstar Medical Library

Research Opportunities

The various opportunities at Wellstar Spalding include case reports, patient safety and quality improvement projects, and clinical research. Most research projects are conducted in collaboration with the Wellstar Research Institute and follow IRB guidelines. The institution has a research committee led by a biostatistician, members from the Wellstar Research Institute and faculty to review and guide residents in their research activities.

Where Our Residents Live and Work

From antiquing to a round of golf, visiting local art galleries, enjoying the Summer Concert Series, watching Movies in the Park and locating film sites from famous movies and TV shows, it’s easy to find things to do in Spalding County.

heat map
heat map key

FAQs

Q:Why choose Wellstar Spalding for residency?
A:

Here, you’ll encounter a wide range of pathologies, providing invaluable hands-on experience and opportunities to hone your diagnostic and treatment skills. With a supportive and committed clinical faculty, you’ll have the autonomy to build confidence while receiving guidance and mentorship. Georgia’s thriving healthcare landscape offers excellent job prospects, and our program prioritizes individualized training tailored to your goals, including opportunities to identify mentors for subspecialty training post-residency.

Q:What is your board pass rate and fellowship match rate?
A:

The Wellstar Spalding Internal Medicine Residency Program proudly joined the esteemed Wellstar GME family in 2022, welcoming our inaugural cohort of residents. Our first graduates are anticipated to emerge in the summer of 2025, so we cannot yet provide specific data regarding board pass rates or fellowship match rates.

Q:What does a typical day on a busy inpatient service entail?
A:

Residents begin their day at the hospital around 6:45 AM. Chart reviews and pre-rounding activities continue until 9 AM, at which point attending-led rounds commence. These rounds pause at noon for didactics sessions, which occur from Monday to Friday and last for an hour, providing protected learning time. Following the didactics session, residents may resume rounds or proceed to address orders and documentation for the day. Typically, one to two admissions are assigned to residents during this period. At 5 PM, residents transition their patients to the on-call team, utilizing the I-PASS format for sign-out before leaving. On-call residents remain on service until 9 PM, at which time they provide sign-out to the night float team. During on-call coverage, residents respond to all rapid responses and medical codes within the hospital and admit patients from the emergency room until the end of their shift. Each PGY-1 resident is limited to a maximum of 10 patient encounters per day.

Q:What are the perks of working at Wellstar Spalding?
A:

Residents receive complimentary meals from the cafeteria all day, unwind in exclusive physician lounges, access dedicated wellness spaces, private call rooms and prayer rooms, and take advantage of concierge services. Residents can access a well-equipped in-house gym and can receive outstanding benefits customizable to their individual needs through Wellstar Health System. Moreover, residents receive an annual education stipend of $1,000, with additional funding available through Wellstar GME for conferences and approved research activities. Like all major health systems in the country, we use EPIC as our EMR.

Q:Does your program accept J1 visas?
A:

Yes, our program accepts J1 visas sponsored by ECFMG.

Program Leaders & Faculty

  • Program Leadership
  • Core
  • Faculty
Ashok Kanugula
Ashok Kanugula
MD
Program Director
Ashok Kanugula
Ashok Kanugula
MD
Program Director

Originally from India, Dr. Ashok Kanugula relocated to the United States after completing his medical education at Rangaraya Medical College, India. He completed his internal medicine residency at Mercy Catholic Medical Center, Drexel University Philadelphia, and is board certified in internal medicine and obesity medicine. In addition, Dr. Kanugula earned a master’s in public health from Missouri State University and holds fellowships with the American College of Physicians and the Academy of Physicians in Clinical Research and is a diplomate of the American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review. He is also a member of the American College of Physicians, the Scientific Research Honor Society and the American Association of Physician Leaders.

Following residency, Dr. Kanugula served as a hospitalist at Miami Valley Hospital and a clinical assistant professor at Wright State University. Subsequently, he held the position of associate program director at the internal medicine residency program at Hurley Medical Center, Michigan State University. In 2021, Dr. Kanugula joined Wellstar as the founding program director to establish the Internal Medicine Residency Program at Wellstar Spalding.

Cyril Anara
Cyril Anara
MD
Associate Program Director, Spalding Internal Medicine (Inpatient Services)
Cyril Anara
Cyril Anara
MD
Associate Program Director, Spalding Internal Medicine (Inpatient Services)

Dr. Cyril Anara joined the Wellstar team in 2018. He graduated from University of Benin, Edo state, Nigeria, and is board certified in internal medicine. As a hospitalist from the time of his graduation, he has been passionate about providing comprehensive medical care to hospitalized patients at the highest level and improving patient outcomes. Dr. Anara has always liked clinical medicine in the acute care setting. Outcomes when clinical care is delivered in the best way possible always bring joy, satisfaction and fulfillment to him. Dr. Anara’s passion also extends to staying up to date with the latest advancements in hospital medicine, which has driven him to involvement in graduate medical education. He is a member of the American College of Physicians, Society of Hospital Medicine and in 2023, earned the award of Hospitalist of the Year.

Srikanth Maddika
Srikanth Maddika
MD
Core Faculty
Srikanth Maddika
Srikanth Maddika
MD
Core Faculty
Hari G. Madichetty
Hari G. Madichetty
MD, FCCP, D-ABSM
Core Faculty, Pulmonary and Critical Care Specialty Educator
Hari G. Madichetty
Hari G. Madichetty
MD, FCCP, D-ABSM
Core Faculty, Pulmonary and Critical Care Specialty Educator

Dr. Hari Madichetty is the ICU director at Wellstar Spalding and previously served as the hospital’s chief of staff. He attended medical school at Andhra Medical College in India. He is a fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians and a diplomate of the American Board of Sleep Medicine.

Noor Ul Ain Qureshi
Noor Ul Ain Qureshi
MD
Core Faculty, Primary Care
Noor Ul Ain Qureshi
Noor Ul Ain Qureshi
MD
Core Faculty, Primary Care
Sonu Singh
Sonu Singh
MD
Core Faculty, Nephrology
Sonu Singh
Sonu Singh
MD
Core Faculty, Nephrology

Dr. Sonu Singh is the founder of Peach State Nephrology and has been practicing in our community for about 20 years. She is the medical director of US renal care in Griffin and Fresenius medical care in McDonough. She has played an instrumental role in the initiation of the GME program at Wellstar Spalding and is currently one of the core faculties and nephrology coordinator of the Spalding GME program. Her hobbies are music, traveling, playing tennis and other sports, watching movies and spending time with friends and family.

Sajid Ahmed
Sajid Ahmed
MD
Sajid Ahmed
Sajid Ahmed
MD
Cinna Attar
Cinna Attar
MD
Cinna Attar
Cinna Attar
MD
Lewam Berhe
Lewam Berhe
MD
Lewam Berhe
Lewam Berhe
MD
Srinivas Chennareddy
Srinivas Chennareddy
MD
Srinivas Chennareddy
Srinivas Chennareddy
MD
Chelsea Dorenbush
Chelsea Dorenbush
MD
Chelsea Dorenbush
Chelsea Dorenbush
MD
John DuPre
John DuPre
MD
John DuPre
John DuPre
MD
Emmanuel Gbadehan
Emmanuel Gbadehan
MD
Emmanuel Gbadehan
Emmanuel Gbadehan
MD
Swathi Gorle
Swathi Gorle
MD
Swathi Gorle
Swathi Gorle
MD
Getachew Hagos
Getachew Hagos
MD
Getachew Hagos
Getachew Hagos
MD
Pirzada Jehangir
Pirzada Jehangir
MD
ER Faculty
Pirzada Jehangir
Pirzada Jehangir
MD
ER Faculty
Jeevith Kanukunta
Jeevith Kanukunta
MD
Jeevith Kanukunta
Jeevith Kanukunta
MD
Atul Khasnis
Atul Khasnis
MD
Atul Khasnis
Atul Khasnis
MD
Jolina Santos
Jolina Santos
MD
Jolina Santos
Jolina Santos
MD
Muthuswamy Sekar
Muthuswamy Sekar
MD
Muthuswamy Sekar
Muthuswamy Sekar
MD
Asif Tahir
Asif Tahir
MD
Asif Tahir
Asif Tahir
MD
Abhishek Thandra
Abhishek Thandra
MD
Abhishek Thandra
Abhishek Thandra
MD

Residents

  • PGY-1
  • PGY-2
  • PGY-3
Theophilus Elike Adatsi
Theophilus Elike Adatsi
MD
Theophilus Elike Adatsi
Theophilus Elike Adatsi
MD

Home Country: Ghana

Medical school: University of Ghana Medical School

Clinical interests: Cardiology and infectious disease

Personal interests & hobbies: Playing the piano, playing soccer and video games, hanging out with friends, cooking and sleeping

Why internal medicine? When I envision a quintessential doctor, the image that comes to mind is that of an internist. Internists are armed with expansive medical knowledge, compassion that knows no bounds and the ability to solve a wide array of medical conditions. Most importantly, they get to build healthy longitudinal relationships with their patients.

Why did you choose Wellstar for your residency? Wellstar offers a robust and comprehensive residency training environment that ensures residents are well prepared for a wide array of clinical scenarios. The program also deeply emphasizes patient-centered care, ensuring that residents learn how to deliver professional and compassionate care. During my interview, the staff and residents made me feel very at home with their encouraging words and support. After the interview, my mind was pretty made up that Wellstar was going to be my home for the next three years.

Parth Manojkumar Adrejiya
Parth Manojkumar Adrejiya
MD
Parth Manojkumar Adrejiya
Parth Manojkumar Adrejiya
MD

Hometown: Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India

Medical school: Medical College Baroda

Clinical interests: Cardiology, rare diseases, healthcare leadership and undiagnosed diagnosis

Personal interests & hobbies: Professional cricket, sketching, traveling, cooking, acting, poetry, meeting new people and making friends

Why internal medicine? I find immense satisfaction in its diverse opportunities, from preventive care in the clinic to critical care in the ICU or ER and attending to patients with various medical concerns. The constant challenges keep me motivated, especially when it comes to making complex diagnoses, ruling out illnesses and delving into unusual medical scenarios. As a medical resident, I embrace the detective role, leveraging my knowledge of making differential diagnoses to provide comprehensive patient care.

Why did you choose Wellstar for your residency? This residency program offers personalized attention with a favorable resident-attending ratio, fostering exceptional mentorship and professional development. The curriculum is robust, with various educational activities, all facilitated by attendings. As a new program, there’s ample room for growth and independence as a physician. Residents enjoy a non-hierarchical environment where their opinions are valued, with opportunities to contribute to the program’s structure and witness rapid changes.

Dilisha Chandanala
Dilisha Chandanala
MD
Dilisha Chandanala
Dilisha Chandanala
MD

Hometown: Vizag, India

Medical school: Andhra Medical College

Clinical interests: Cardiology, infectious disease

Personal interests & hobbies: Reading fiction of all kinds, traveling

Why internal medicine? I find the complexity of diseases with multisystem pathologies interesting.

Why did you choose Wellstar for your residency? For the affable people and pleasant weather!

Madhu Bhargavi Chandra
Madhu Bhargavi Chandra
MD
Madhu Bhargavi Chandra
Madhu Bhargavi Chandra
MD

Hometown: Hyderabad, India

Medical school: All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhopal

Clinical interests: Cardiology and Hemo-oncology 

Personal interests & hobbies: Cooking, watching TV shows or cinema—especially romantic comedies and inspirational topics—running or cycling in nature and painting

Why internal medicine? I have always sought a wider perspective on the human body and disease presentations to provide well-rounded care to my patients. The specialty’s diverse opportunities, like the ability to work as a hospitalist or subspecialize in various fields, interest me.

Why did you choose Wellstar for your residency? A supportive and nurturing environment is the most important thing for me in a program. The program director and staff were very supportive during the entire interview and onboarding process. The co-residents and seniors are very friendly and took a keen interest in making us feel welcome and supported. As a new community hospital program, I feel there is a lot of scope for growth and learning here. Plus, it comes with the perks of living in Georgia, a beautiful place with subtle weather.

Harika Dassari
Harika Dassari
MD
Harika Dassari
Harika Dassari
MD

Hometown: Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India

Medical School: Norman Bethune University of Medical Sciences, Jilin University, China

Clinical Interests: Inpatient care, performing appropriate physical examination and procedures like endotracheal intubation, central venous catheter placement, diagnosing and managing endocrine and nephrology related acute and chronic conditions

Personal interests and hobbies: Indian classical dance and travel

Why you chose your specialty:
As a medical student I was always interested in diagnostics and that is one of the main reasons why I wanted to pursue internal medicine. Be it for its holistic approach, diversity or complexity, internal medicine always felt unique, challenging and intriguing. I also love that I get to take care of my patients from admission to discharge/recovery, to make a real change in the quality of their life. Career wise, internal medicine is a branch with flexibility where I can choose to maintain a broad focus by settling down either as a hospitalist or a primary care physician or delving into a more specialized areas as my passion and interests develop.

Why you choose Wellstar:
As a postgraduate in internal medicine from a community-based hospital in India, I loved the entire experience where you get to know a whole new community and help them in dealing with their medical conditions in their day-to-day life. As part of the group, we get to strategize unique ways to deal with the common health conditions encountered by the community and work towards developing a more accessible, coordinated and effective healthcare system. When applying for residency, community-based health systems were my top priority and through one of my close friends I learned about this program, and I was captivated by all the effort of Wellstar to deliver the highest quality health care to their community.

Oluchi Idenyi
Oluchi Idenyi
MD
Oluchi Idenyi
Oluchi Idenyi
MD

Hometown: Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Medical school: Ebonyi State University College of Health Sciences, Nigeria 

Clinical interests: Hemo-oncology 

Personal interests & hobbies: Music, cooking and traveling

Why internal medicine? It’s the specialty that offers me the opportunity to learn diverse conditions in various settings.

Why did you choose Wellstar for your residency? Wellstar is recognized for its commitment to quality healthcare, its reputation for employee’s well-being and work-life balance—an environment I have always desired.

Kapil Dev Nayar
Kapil Dev Nayar
MD
Kapil Dev Nayar
Kapil Dev Nayar
MD

Hometown: New Delhi, India 

Medical school: Sri Ramachandra Medical College, Chennai 

Clinical interests: Specialty hospital medicine and AI in medicine

Personal interests & hobbies: I love tinkering around with technology, innovation and building Arduino projects. Apart from tech I like attending concerts, going to Art museums and kickboxing. 

Why internal medicine? Internal medicine is a specialty that allows you to experience the challenging intellectual stimulus of diagnosing and treating a huge variety of conditions, alongside the satisfaction of making a difference and truly helping someone. The longitudinal relationship that you build with your patients is something that is very rewarding. Internal medicine also has the most scope for integration and innovation with new technologies such as (AI) foundational models. 

Why did you choose Wellstar for your residency? Wellstar is one of the few programs which offers the rigorous clinical training required to be a confident and independent physician while caring for its resident wellbeing. The program also emphasizes on the value of compassion, which is not only seen in the way the patients are treated, but also in the way the residents and staff interact with each other.

Rushi Patel
Rushi Patel
MD
Rushi Patel
Rushi Patel
MD

Hometown: Ahmedabad, India

Medical school: Narendra Modi Medical College, India

Clinical interests: Empathetic and patient-centric care

Personal interests & hobbies: Soccer, geopolitical trends, AI

Why internal medicine? Internal medicine offers the unique opportunity to manage a wide range of complex medical conditions and provides a strong foundation for specializing in numerous subspecialties, making it a versatile and intellectually stimulating field.

Why did you choose Wellstar for your residency? Wellstar is renowned for its exceptional work culture and distinguished attending physicians, fostering an environment where learning and growth thrive in perfect harmony.

Abdel Rahman Qamar
Abdel Rahman Qamar
MD
Abdel Rahman Qamar
Abdel Rahman Qamar
MD

Hometown: Zarqa, Jordan

Medical school: Hashemite University, Jordan

Clinical interests: Cardiology and Pulmonary Critical Care

Personal interests & hobbies: Pickleball, Cooking

Why internal medicine? I appreciate the diversity and daily challenges of internal medicine. This specialty allows me to treat patients holistically and tailor treatment plans to individual needs. The long-term patient relationships and focus on care coordination make it especially rewarding for me.

Why did you choose Wellstar for your residency? I chose to work with the Wellstar Health System because of its strong commitment to innovative healthcare, community well-being, and supportive environment for professional growth, aligning perfectly with my passion for making a meaningful impact.

Hansika Sharma
Hansika Sharma
MD
Hansika Sharma
Hansika Sharma
MD

Hometown: Hyderabad, Telangana, India 

Medical school: Gandhi Medical College, Telangana, India 

Clinical interests: Cardiology and gastroenterology

Personal interests & hobbies: Dancing, traveling, playing badminton and indoor board games. 

Why internal medicine? I chose Internal medicine because it covers diverse cases under its umbrella which provides us with plenty of opportunities to apply our knowledge from basic science and keep up with the latest guidelines. This process of learning, unlearning, and relearning not only encourages us to be lifelong learners but also flexible and adaptable humans.

Mohammad Abubaker
Mohammad Abubaker
MD
Mohammad Abubaker
Mohammad Abubaker
MD

Hometown: Amman, Jordan
Medical school: University of Jordan School of Medicine
Clinical interests: Hospital medicine, cardiology and GI
Personal interests & hobbies: Cooking, traveling and gardening

Why internal medicine?
I enjoy the challenge of diagnosing and treating various medical conditions and want to have open options for my career and practice.

Why did you choose Wellstar for your residency?
The comprehensive medical services and state-of-the-art medical advancements

Hailubeza A Argaw
Hailubeza A Argaw
MD
Hailubeza A Argaw
Hailubeza A Argaw
MD

Hometown: Atlanta
Medical school: Addis Ababa University School of Medicine
Clinical interests: Palliative care
Personal interests & hobbies: Soccer and indoor games

Why internal medicine?
Internal medicine is the specialty that makes me think systematically.

Why did you choose Wellstar for your residency?
I heard a lot of positives about Wellstar programs, and I am now witnessing it.

Raghavendramma Barremkala
Raghavendramma Barremkala
MD
Raghavendramma Barremkala
Raghavendramma Barremkala
MD

Hometown: Amerchinta, Telangana, India
Medical school: Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad
Clinical interests: Hospital medicine
Personal interests & hobbies: Cooking, singing and spending time with family

Why internal medicine?
For the overall patient care, the challenging critical thinking and getting to connect the dots, and the satisfaction after administering patient care

Why did you choose Wellstar for your residency?
For the supporting leadership, work environment and good weather

Surya Bussa
Surya Bussa
MD
Surya Bussa
Surya Bussa
MD

Hometown: Hyderabad, India

Medical school: Osmania medical college, Hyderabad, India

Clinical interest: Healthcare management and Healthcare disparities

Personal interest and hobbies: I enjoy socializing and meeting new people, spending time with friends, watching movies, and exploring new places through travel.

Why internal medicine:
I am drawn to internal medicine because it allows me to address people’s most pressing health concerns and be their primary point of contact. Additionally, it offers an opportunity to tackle healthcare disparities and make a meaningful impact on patient lives.

Why did you choose Wellstar Spalding IM program:
I chose this internal medicine residency program because it serves one of the most underserved areas, allowing me to make a significant impact where it’s needed most. The Wellstar Health System, as a nonprofit organization, is deeply committed to the well-being of its employees, fostering a supportive environment. Additionally, the program offers a wide range of learning opportunities, which are essential for my growth as a physician.

Deeksha Grover
Deeksha Grover
MD
Deeksha Grover
Deeksha Grover
MD

Hometown: Chandigarh, India
Medical school: Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, India
Clinical interests: Cardiology and medical education
Personal interests & hobbies: Cooking, hiking, getting in a yoga session, staying in bed with Instagram and a crime drama

Why internal medicine?
Internal medicine proves that learning begets more learning. It always whets my appetite for pursuing another explanation, hunting down another clue. With mere conversation and some blood draws, an internist can change the course of someone’s life.

Why did you choose Wellstar for your residency?
Wellstar loves its residents and provides an excellent working environment. The hospital gives you an opportunity to work for and with a community full of friendly people.

Sana Irshad
Sana Irshad
MD
Sana Irshad
Sana Irshad
MD

HOMETOWN: UP India
MEDICAL SCHOOL: Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria Nigeria
CLINICAL INTEREST: HOSPITALIST
Personal interest and hobbies: love hanging with my daughter, eating good food, sleeping, painting, adventure trips and long walks by the water

WHY INTERNAL MEDICINE:
I fell in love with internal medicine because i found it very intellectually stimulating providing opportunities to diagnose challenging conditions, allows development of long term meaningful relationship with patients and versatility in terms of career path.

Why did you choose Wellstar for your residency?
Wellstar allows me to work with a diverse population of patients, provides intensive training focusing on autonomy and provides a supportive environment.

Abdullah Lodhi
Abdullah Lodhi
MD
Abdullah Lodhi
Abdullah Lodhi
MD

Hometown: Faisalabad, Pakistan
Medical School: Punjab Medical College
Clinical Interest: Hospital Medicine
Personal Interests and Hobbies: Running, reading manga

Why Internal Medicine:
I chose internal medicine for its diverse patient care and the opportunity to build long-term patient relationships. The continuous learning and diagnostic challenges keep me engaged and motivated.

Why did you choose Wellstar for your residency?
I chose Wellstar for its reputation in delivering exceptional patient care and its commitment to resident education. The collaborative environment and diverse clinical opportunities align perfectly with my career aspirations in internal medicine.

Priyasi Monga
Priyasi Monga
MD
Priyasi Monga
Priyasi Monga
MD

Hometown: Talwandi Bhai, India

Medical School: Government Medical College, Amritsar

Clinical Interest: Hepatology

Personal Interests and Hobbies: Painting, Spending time with loved ones, spirituality

Why Internal Medicine:
Internal medicine offers me an experience akin to that of Sherlock Holmes in my professional life.

Why Spalding Internal Medicine:
I chose Wellstar because it is a renowned healthcare system with a wide range of opportunities for professional growth. Serving the Griffin population presents a meaningful opportunity to make a difference in a diverse and vibrant community. I chose Wellstar Spalding because it immediately felt like home. The Program Director was exceptionally welcoming, and all the residents made a strong, positive impression.

Sunil Shahi
Sunil Shahi
MD
Sunil Shahi
Sunil Shahi
MD

Hometown: Kathmandu, Nepal

Medical School: Nepalese Army Institute of Health Sciences

Clinical Interest: Hospital Medicine

Personal Interests and Hobbies: Singing, dancing, traveling, and spending quality time with friends and family.

Why Internal Medicine:
Internal Medicine is fun, diverse, and challenging at the same time. The process of synthesizing pieces of data into meaningful information is profoundly satisfying. This field is deeply engaging, intellectually stimulating and for me it surpasses any other fields in terms of exploring and understanding the whole human body. To sum up, there are thousands of reasons why I chose internal medicine.

Why did you choose Wellstar Spalding IM program:
The program provides a supportive learning environment with a strong emphasis on resident growth and assists residents to develop in all aspects and ensures that the residents are well-prepared to deliver exceptional patient care. Additionally, the diverse range of cases encountered here enhances the breadth of clinical experience and learning opportunities.

Bipin Adhikari
Bipin Adhikari
MD
Bipin Adhikari
Bipin Adhikari
MD

Hometown: Kathmandu, Nepal
Medical school: University of the Visayas, Cebu, Philippines
Clinical interests: Hospital medicine
Personal interests & hobbies: Beach, trying new food and soccer

Why Internal Medicine?
The need for critical thinking is what attracted me to internal medicine.

Why did you choose Wellstar for your residency?
Wellstar is one of the biggest healthcare systems in Georgia and has multiple subspecialities, which is the ideal ground to train in.

Ensaf Alhujaily
Ensaf Alhujaily
MD
Ensaf Alhujaily
Ensaf Alhujaily
MD

Hometown: Saudi Arabia

Medical School: Poznan University of Medical Sciences

Clinical Interest: Cardiology

Personal Interests and Hobbies: Swimming, movies and travel.

Why Internal Medicine:
The opportunity to engage problem-solving and critical thinking skills is what draws me to internal medicine. Furthermore, internal medicine gives me the opportunity to achieve a deep knowledge of all body systems.

Why did you choose Wellstar Spalding IM program:
Mainly because of its patients’ population, which is largely underserved and racial diversity among physicians and staff.

Vishwanath Anil
Vishwanath Anil
MD
Vishwanath Anil
Vishwanath Anil
MD

Hometown: Kottayam, India, and Doha, Qatar
Medical school: Dr. B.R Ambedkar Medical College, Bengaluru, India
Clinical interests: Hematology, oncology, critical care and medical procedures
Personal interests & hobbies: Travel, cooking, swimming and scuba diving

Why internal medicine?
Internal medicine has a vast scope of practice and leads to diverse prospects even after training.

Why did you choose Wellstar for your residency?
It was important to me to be part of a system that makes real change by providing high-quality healthcare to underserved communities.

Khwaja S. Haq
Khwaja S. Haq
MD
Khwaja S. Haq
Khwaja S. Haq
MD

Hometown: Karachi, Pakistan
Medical school: Ziauddin University
Clinical interests: Gastrointestinal and liver disease
Personal interests & hobbies: World and aviation history, exploring cultures and food

Why internal medicine?
I chose internal medicine for its distinctive combination of intellectual stimulation, patient interaction and the opportunity to make significant impact on people’s lives. Additionally, the discipline offers diverse subspecialties and opportunities for research, allowing me to tailor my career to my interests and make meaningful contributions to advancing medical knowledge and patient care.

Why did you choose Wellstar for your residency?
The institutional culture, values and approach to medical education resonated with me, making it a good fit for training and long-term career aspirations.

Komal Harisinghani
Komal Harisinghani
MD
Komal Harisinghani
Komal Harisinghani
MD

Hometown: Palatine, Ilinois
Medical school: Saint James School of Medicine, Anguilla
Clinical interests: Holistic wellness, obesity medicine and preventive medicine
Personal interests & hobbies: Binge watching Netflix, skincare, weightlifting and Pilates

Why internal medicine?
I chose internal medicine because it offers a dynamic blend of preventive care, disease management and enhancing patients’ quality of life. As internists, we don’t just tackle the physical symptoms, we dive into the emotional and social dimensions of health, creating a holistic impact on our patients’ well-being. It’s a profession where we make meaningful connections and deliver comprehensive care, making every day both fulfilling and purposeful.

Why did you choose Wellstar for your residency?
I selected Wellstar Spalding because of its remarkable Georgia weather! The blend of Southern hospitality and diverse patient care truly enriches the healthcare experience, making it more gratifying and fulfilling.

Muhammad Irfan
Muhammad Irfan
MD
Muhammad Irfan
Muhammad Irfan
MD

Hometown: Mardan, KPK, Pakistan
Medical school: Khyber Medical College, Peshawar, Pakistan
Personal interests & hobbies: Cricket, pickleball, ping pong, meeting and spending quality time with friends, fostering meaningful connections and enjoying shared experiences

Why internal medicine?
I chose internal medicine because it allows me to diagnose and treat a wide range of medical conditions in adults, providing comprehensive care and building long-term relationships with patients.

Why did you choose Wellstar for your residency?
I chose Wellstar because of its excellent reputation, diverse patient population and opportunities for hands-on learning in a supportive environment.

Nageshwar Kothur
Nageshwar Kothur
MD
Nageshwar Kothur
Nageshwar Kothur
MD

Hometown: Mahbubnagar, India

Medical School: Kamineni Academy of Medical Sciences and Research Center

Clinical Interest: Hospital Medicine

Personal Interests and Hobbies: Photography, Painting, working out, Cooking and Traveling

Why Internal Medicine:
I sought to maintain the diverse nature of internal medicine, as it offers me ongoing mental stimulation and endless learning opportunities.

Why did you choose Wellstar Spalding IM program:
I’ve always aimed to make a meaningful impact through my work, and Wellstar Spalding provided me with the perfect opportunity to serve its underserved population and encounter a wide range of pathologies. It’s an excellent place for residency training, offering a strong balance between learning and resident well-being while supporting our career interests. The leadership is outstanding and consistently supportive.

Derick Ogude
Derick Ogude
MD
Derick Ogude
Derick Ogude
MD

Hometown: Accra, Ghana

Medical School: Medical University of the America’s, St. Kitts and Nevis

Clinical Interest: Hospitalist in rural America

Personal Interests and Hobbies: Soccer, listening to music and working out whenever I get the opportunity.

Why Internal Medicine:
One of the core values of health care is teamwork and internal medicine gives me the opportunity to collaborate with different specialties which improves patient care.

Why did you choose Wellstar Spalding IM program:
I chose Wellstar Spalding because I believed it will afford me the opportunity to work with diverse group of people and very diverse patient population.

Teresa Varghese
Teresa Varghese
MD
Teresa Varghese
Teresa Varghese
MD

Hometown: Tampa, Florida
Medical school: Kasturba Medical College, Manipal
Clinical interests: Internal medicine
Personal interests & hobbies: Traveling to new countries, exploring local cities, perusing fashion and lifestyle content, listening to live jazz and spending quality time with family and friends

Why internal medicine?
Internal medicine allowed me to grow my foundational medical knowledge and work in multidisciplinary teams to meet the demands of delivering impactful patient care.

Why did you choose Wellstar for your residency?
Wellstar is an exceptional organization that values employee wellness and has implemented modern workplace practices to reflect this commitment. Providing concierge services and fitness rooms is just one of the ways they prioritize employee health. Furthermore, their use of technology to provide high-value care at a community level reflects their dedication to providing the best possible care.

Living in Spalding County

Credit: Griffin+Spalding Chamber of Commerce

Nearby Attractions

Downtown Griffin | Birthplace and dental office of John Henry “Doc” Holliday | Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary | Atlanta Motor Speedway | Indian Springs and High Falls State Parks | Tanger Outlets | Cherokee Rose Sporting Clays | Southern Belle Farm

Discover Griffin

Getting Around

We are located 45 miles south of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the busiest airport in the world.

View the transportation schedule