PGY-1:
Clinical Base Year
The categorical positions begin with an integrated internship at St. Joseph’s Medical Center, providing a foundation in medical and surgical specialties and an introduction to anesthesiology.
Together for a healthier future.
The Anesthesiology Residency Program at St. Joseph's Medical Center is an ACGME-accredited four-year post-graduate training experience that prepares residents to provide safe, high-quality anesthetic care.
As part of Dignity Health, we are a member of CommonSpirit Health's national network of more than 2,200 care sites across 24 states. That broad perspective supports our local commitment to community-based training, health equity and compassionate care.
Our program is dedicated to training highly skilled, compassionate, and well-rounded physicians prepared to care for any individual in diverse emergent, urgent, and ambulatory care settings. We serve an ethnically, culturally, and socio-economically diverse population, with multi-site training providing broad exposure to various healthcare delivery approaches and patient demographics.
Upon graduation, residents are prepared to become respected physician consultants providing safe, high-quality anesthetic care to medically underserved and culturally diverse communities.
Program Highlights
- Committed to providing healthcare to underserved populations
- Individualized mentorship with faculty guidance
- Broad educational curriculum with early subspecialty exposure
- Multi-site training at St. Joseph’s Medical Center, UC Davis and Shriners Children’s Hospital
- Robust training in cardiothoracic anesthesiology
- Strong emphasis on resident well-being and wellness retreats
- Dedicated Simulation Center for hands-on training and crisis management
- Protected time for didactic sessions and academic activities
- Educational fund for residents and conference travel support
- Free parking at all clinical training sites
We welcome your interest in the Anesthesiology Residency Program at Dignity Health St. Joseph's Medical Center. Our program is committed to developing respected physician consultants who provide safe, high-quality anesthetic care to the diverse communities of the California Central Valley.
We foster a holistic approach to resident development, balancing academic achievement with personal growth in communication, professionalism, patient safety, and empathy. Our comprehensive curriculum offers extensive knowledge in clinical anesthesiology and its subspecialties, enhanced by rotations at various local hospitals and active participation in research.
Our dedicated faculty provides exceptional clinical training and strong mentorship, supporting residents' professional development and career aspirations. We appreciate your consideration and invite you to explore our program.
Danny Newhide, MD
Anesthesiology Residency Program Director
Curriculum
The Anesthesiology Residency program offers a robust, comprehensive training experience with opportunities at affiliated institutions. The core curriculum comprises learning modules focusing on basic and advanced topics.
PGY-1:
PGY-2:
Foundational Clinical Anesthesiology Training
CA-1 year is intensive and progressive, focusing on fundamental principles of general anesthesiology, with early subspecialty exposure to obstetrics, acute pain, neuroanesthesia, critical care, and cardiac anesthesia.
PGY-3:
Expanded clinical responsibility
During the CA-2 year, residents continue to hone skills and knowledge with more detailed clinical exposure to anesthesia subspecialties, gradually gaining increasing responsibility and autonomy.
PGY-4:
Independent practice preparation
Senior residents in the CA-3 year refine their practice with additional subspecialty and elective rotations, with dedicated time for research and quality improvement projects. A dedicated Ultrasound rotation provides experiences sufficient to qualify for Basic Perioperative Transesophageal Echocardiography Examination.
Additional Curriculum Experiences
Didactics and protected education time
All didactics are treated as protected time for the residents. Weekly didactics are held every Friday afternoon, split between Basic and Advanced curricula. Whole-day didactics are held on a bimonthly basis to conduct in-depth simulation sessions, case-based scenarios, and procedural workshops. Grand Rounds are conducted on a biweekly basis on Tuesday mornings.
Call schedule and night float
There is no 24-hour call or weekend call during general operating room rotations. Senior residents on OB rotations have a maximum of four 24-hour shifts per month, with one post-call day off. While on cardiac anesthesia rotations, residents take home call and are required to have eight hours of rest between shifts.
Simulated procedural training
Ultrasound workshops offer hands-on practice with both live and simulated models. Problem-based simulation scenarios provide high-fidelity training for induction, troubleshooting, crisis management, and difficult airway management. Transthoracic and Transesophageal Echocardiography Simulation Scenarios focus on TTE and TEE acquisition and interpretation.
Scholarly activity and quality improvement
All residents must engage in scholarly activity throughout their training, with the majority of our graduates having produced publications or presented research at a major anesthesiology conference. Each resident is also required to complete one Quality Improvement (QI) project during their residency, identifying a clinical problem and developing improvement strategies. All of our residents participate in at least one Root Cause Analysis and have the opportunity to present their findings at the departmental Morbidity and Mortality conference.
Electives
Senior residents have the opportunity to tailor their training to align with their personal and professional goals with additional subspecialty training in pediatrics and elective rotations. Two electives are offered across CA-2 and CA-3 years, ranging from research to away rotations in various subspecialties.
Training Locations
Dignity Health – St. Joseph’s Medical Center serves as the program’s primary training site, where residents complete the majority of their clinical education. Select rotations at partner institutions across the region complement this experience by providing exposure to additional patient populations, specialties and approaches to health care delivery.
Dignity Health – St. Joseph’s Medical Center
Stockton, California
Shriners Hospitals for Children — Northern California
Sacramento, California
San Joaquin General Hospital
French Camp, California
UC Davis
Sacramento, California
Compensation and Benefits
Residents receive educational, wellness and leave benefits designed to support their professional development and well-being.
Salary
Annual resident salaries are:
PGY-1: $78,000
PGY-2: $79,170
PGY-3: $80,358
PGY-4: $81,563
Additional financial support includes:
Chief resident stipend: $2,000 annually
CME allowance: $1,000 annually
Relocation bonus: $1,500 for residents moving more than 50 miles; available during the first year only
Educational and wellness benefits
Annual professional society membership
Specialty-specific educational subscriptions and question-bank resources
Meal stipend
White coat
Three pairs of scrubs annually
Free parking at St. Joseph’s Medical Center and parking reimbursement at other clinical sites
In-Shape Health Club membership
$100 annual Lyft Healthcare benefit
Well-Being Index resources
Clinical educational resources
UpToDate
Sanford Guide mobile app
Lexicomp
VisualDx
Dignity Health and CommonSpirit Health Library Web Portal
Touro University medical resources
ClinicalKey, Ovid, PubMed, MD Consult and The New England Journal of Medicine
Full-text articles and interlibrary loan services
Full-time medical librarian on-site
On-site support from a GME research director with expertise in biostatistics
Paid time off and leave
21 days of paid vacation
9 days of sick leave
6 weeks of paid medical, parental or caregiver leave immediately available for qualifying needs
Additional leave as permitted under St. Joseph’s Medical Center policies and California law
Our Community
Stockton is one of the most affordable places to live in northern California. Located in the California Central Valley, it offers a diverse community and convenient access to natural attractions like Yosemite National Park and Lake Tahoe, as well as cultural centers like San Francisco.
How to Apply
Application Process
Applicants for the Anesthesiology Residency program at Dignity Health St. Joseph’s Medical Center must submit their application through the Electronic Residency Application Services (ERAS). The program’s NRMP code is 2161040C0.
Required application materials:
- Dean's Letter (not required to receive an interview invitation)
- 2 Letters of Recommendation
- Official USMLE/COMLEX Step 1 passing score and Step 2 scores
- Personal Statement
- Transcript
- Curriculum Vitae
- ECFMG Status Report (if applicable)
- PTAL (if applicable)
Interview Season Information
The program director reviews credentials and selects applicants to receive interview invitations. Final selection of residents is by committee, based upon the application and interview. We will accept applications via ERAS for the 2026–2027 academic year.
International Medical Graduates
We accept J-1 visa, but we do not sponsor visas. A USMLE Step 2 score is required before applying, and completion of USMLE Step 3 is required before beginning the CA-1 year. We consider all applicants to our program.
Medical Student Clerkships
The Department of Anesthesiology offers a four-week elective experience for third- and fourth-year medical students. Students are paired one-on-one with faculty or residents, participating in general anesthesia and monitored anesthesia care for diverse patients in operating rooms and procedural suites. Students gain hands-on experience in life-saving skills like airway management and catheter placement, supported by foundational lectures.
Faculty
Danny Newhide, MD
Role: Program Director, Regional Anesthesiology and Acute Pain Medicine
Medical school: Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston MA
Residency: Anesthesiology, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, MD
Fellowship: Regional Anesthesia / Acute Pain Management, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA
Board certification: American Board of Anesthesiology
DeAnna Pollock, MD
Role: Core Faculty, Assistant Program Director, General Anesthesiology
Medical school: Texas A&M Health Science Center
Residency: Anesthesiology, University of New Mexico
Board certification: American Board of Anesthesiology
Lynell Williams, MD, MHA
Role: Core Faculty, Chairman and Medical Director, Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Critical Care Anesthesiology
Medical school: Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine
Residency: Henry Ford Health System
Fellowship: Critical Care, Northwestern Medicine; Administrative Fellow, UCSF Medical Center
Board certification: American Board of Anesthesiology, Critical Care Medicine
Patricia Narciso, MS, DO
Role: Director of Acute Pain Services, Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine
Medical school: Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California; Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, Nova Southern University
Residency: Anesthesiology, Mayo Clinic Florida
Fellowship: Regional Anesthesia and Acute Pain Medicine, Mayo Clinic Florida
Board certification: American Board of Anesthesiology Certification
Mick'l Scadden, MD
Role: Core Faculty, Director of Operations, Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, General Anesthesiology
Medical school: University of Utah, School of Medicine
Residency: St. Joseph’s Medical Center
George Mychaskiw, DO
Role: Core Faculty, Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology
Raman Grewal, MD
Role: Core Faculty, General Anesthesiology
Medical school: New York Medical College
Residency: UC Davis, Anesthesiology
Board certification: American Board of Anesthesiology
Michael Pylman, MD
Role: Core Faculty, Director of Obstetric Anesthesia
Robert Meints, MD
Role: Clinical Faculty, General Anesthesiology
Joseph Lee, MD
Role: Clinical Faculty, Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology
Medical school: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
Residency: Cardiac and Pediatric Anesthesia, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY
Board certification: American Board of Anesthesiology
Valerie DeJesus, MD
Role: Clinical Faculty, General Anesthesiology
Medical School: Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Residency: St. Joseph’s Medical Center
Martinique Moncrieffe, MD
Role: Clinical Faculty, General Anesthesiology
Medical School: Tufts University School of Medicine
Residency: St. Joseph’s Medical Center
Onkar Judge, MD
Role: Clinical Faculty, General and Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology
Medical school: University of California, Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA
Residency: Anesthesiology, University of California, Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA
Fellowship: Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology, University of California–Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA
Board certification: American Board of Anesthesiology, Advanced TEE certification from National Board of Echocardiography
Xudong Luan, MD
Role: Clinical Faculty, General Anesthesiology
Medical school: Taishan Medical University, Shandong, China
Residency: Anesthesiology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KS
Board certification: American Board of Anesthesiology
Current Residents
PGY-4
Jasminder Malhi, MD
Medical school: California Northstate University
Professional interests: Regional anesthesia and acute pain
Personal interests: Axe throwing, tacos, gym
Yosijey Salazar, DO
Medical school: Touro University, Nevada
Hometown: Dallas, Texas
Professional interests: Pain Medicine
Personal interests: Lifting weights, running
Christian Shafer, DO
Medical school: Western University of Health Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific–Northwest
Personal interests: Spending time with family and kids, outdoors
Nicholas Sordello, DO
Medical school: Touro University, CA
Hometown: Morgan Hill, CA
Personal interests: Karaoke, base guitar
Ryan Wong, MD
Medical school: Rush Medical College
Professional interests: Regional anesthesia and acute pain, medical education
Personal interests: Cooking, eating
Evin Zhao, DO
Medical school: Touro University, Nevada
Personal interests: Snowboarding, spearfishing, video games, foraging
PGY-3
Tanner Dowell, DO
Medical school: Midwestern University, Glendale
Professional interests: Regional anesthesia and acute pain, medical education
Personal interests: Coaching, traveling, gymnastics
Isabella Griffay, MD
Medical school: California University of Science and Medicine
Professional interests: Critical care and regional anesthesia
Personal interests: Backpacking, traveling, scuba diving, skiing
Timothy Lee, DO
Medical school: Midwestern University–AZCOM
Professional interests: Teaching, wellness, cardiac vs regional fellowship
Personal interests: Origami, DIY projects, Costco, home cooking, anime, cat dad
Nirav Patel, DO
Medical school: Touro University California
Professional interests: Pain and cardiac
Personal interests: Cars, gym, golf, board games, video games, snowboarding
John Toman, DO
Medical school: Kansas City University
Professional interests: Rural medicine and point-of-care ultrasounds
Personal interests: Mountain biking, hunting, fishing, camping, NASCAR, spending time with family and loved ones
Joanne Tu, DO
Medical school: Des Moines University
Professional interests: Pediatric anesthesia
Personal interests: Baking, gardening, skiing, yoga, cats
PGY-2
Cheldon Alcantara, DO
Medical school: Western University of Health Sciences COMP
Professional interests: Anesthesia Research, Diversity in Anesthesiology
Personal interests: Basketball, video games, anime, reading, lifting, and going to cafes
Bryan Clements, MD
Medical school: California University of Science and Medicine, School of Medicine
Professional interests: General OR, Pediatric Anesthesia
Personal interests: Working out, PC gaming, watching TV, fish-keeping, music and instruments, bodyboarding
Andrea De Castro Mendez, DO
Medical school: Touro University, CA
Professional interests: Pain Medicine
Personal interests: Soccer, Pickleball, Reading
Jose Galvez Hernandez, MD
Medical school: Charles R. Drew/UCLA Medical Education Program
Professional interests: Cardiac Anesthesia
Personal interests: Pickleball, Snowboarding, Video Games, and First Person View Drones
Po-Sheng Hsu, DO
Medical school: Touro University, California
Professional interests: Critical care medicine, general anesthesiology
Priya Kang, MD
Medical school: St. George’s University
Professional interests: Chronic Pain
Personal interests: Brunch, Coffee shops, Scenic walks, Tennis, Traveling
PGY-1
Sarah Amiri, MD
Medical school: St. George’s University School of Medicine
Hometown: El Dorado Hills, California
Professional Interests: Pediatric Anesthesia
Personal Interests: Cooking new dishes, hiking and going to live music shows with my husband
Jessica Pham, MD
Medical School: Western Michigan Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine
Hometown: San Jose, CA
Professional Interests: Pediatric & Cardiac Anesthesia, Mentorship, Wellness
Personal Interests: Matcha barista, exploring new restaurants, collecting perfume, scenic walks, traveling
Behnaz Hatami, MD
Medical School: Mashhad University of Medical Sciences
Hometown: Mashhad, Iran
Professional Interests: Cardiothoracic and Pediatric Anesthesia; Technology and AI in Medicine
Personal Interests: Painting, dancing, going to the gym, swimming when i get the chance, and watching movies
Larry Otterstetter, DO
Medical School: Touro University, California
Hometown: Hayward, CA
Professional Interests: Cardiac Anesthesia, Pain Medicine
Personal Interests: Family time, Video games
Henry Dinh, DO
Medical School: Touro University, California
Hometown: San Jose, CA
Professional Interests: Pain Medicine
Personal Interests: Trying new foods, cooking, traveling, volleyball
Yura Misakyan, DO
Medical School: Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific
Hometown: Glendale, CA
Professional Interests: Pain Medicine, Cardiothoracic Anesthesia
Personal Interests: Snowboarding, strength training, traveling, hiking
Contact Information
Residency Program Administrator
Anesthesiology Residency Program
Email: Sherri.Tolentino@commonspirit.org
St. Joseph’s Medical Center
1800 North California Street
Stockton, CA 95204
For general GME inquiries:
Joanne Daly, Department of Academic Affairs and Graduate Medical Education
Email: sjmcgmeleadership@commonspirit.org
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