St. Joseph's Medical Center | Emergency Medicine Residency Program

Together for a healthier future.

The St. Joseph's Medical Center Emergency Medicine Residency Program is a community-based training experience that prepares residents for full-spectrum emergency medicine in a high-volume, high-acuity setting. 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 main training site, St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Stockton, CA, serves an ethnically, culturally, and socio-economically diverse population in the San Joaquin Valley with a high volume of pediatric cases and significant acuity. Upon graduation, residents are exceptionally prepared to care for any individual in a diverse range of emergent, urgent and ambulatory care settings.

Program Highlights

Three-year program with focus on teaching excellence in clinical care
High-acuity, high-volume site preparing residents for any emergency department
Six ultrasound machines, including four dedicated to resident education
State-of-the-art simulation and medical education lab
Diverse faculty with subspecialty training in toxicology, EMS, wilderness, and simulation
Nearly 100,000 emergency department visits per year
High admission rate with significant ICU admissions
Highest sepsis cases within the CommonSpirit Health System
Commitment to underserved communities
Located in the most racially diverse large city in America
One of the CA BRIDGE program sites combating the opioid epidemic
Sixty-minute drive to the San Francisco Bay Area
Ninety-minute drive to the Sierra Nevada Mountains

Thank you for your interest in the Emergency Medicine Residency Program at St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Stockton, California. Our program is committed to continuing its tradition of training exceptionally skilled, compassionate, and well-rounded physicians.

St. Joseph's Medical Center offers robust training through its high volumes and high acuity in a medically underserved area, ensuring residents encounter complex, late-stage diseases with incredible frequency. Academically, our program provides outstanding training in quality improvement, research, and EM subspecialty areas, supported by diverse, fellowship-trained faculty in fields such as EMS, Ultrasound, Simulation, Wilderness Medicine, and Medical Toxicology. We strive to create a supportive environment and foster camaraderie across specialties.

I am extremely proud of the program I have inherited and look forward to working tirelessly to continue its development into a program with a diverse graduate class exceptionally prepared to care for any patient who comes through the door.

Brian Wood, MD
Program Director

Curriculum

The Emergency Medicine Residency Program is a three-year ACGME-accredited training program, with each year consisting of 13 four-week blocks. Our curriculum emphasizes comprehensive emergency medicine training across various clinical settings.

PGY-1:
Foundational training

Core rotation areas include Orientation/Allied Health Rotation Program, Emergency Department, Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Intensive Care Unit, Trauma Surgery, Anesthesia, Ultrasound, and Ortho/ENT/Ophthal.

PGY-2:
Expanded clinical responsibility

Expanded training areas include Emergency Department, Trauma ICU, Intensive Care Unit, OB/GYN, Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Emergency Department/Medical Toxicology, and elective rotations.

PGY-3:
Independent practice preparation

Senior-level focus areas include Emergency Department, NICU, Pediatric ICU, Pediatric Emergency Medicine, EMS/Administrative, and elective rotations.

Additional Curriculum Experiences

Didactics and protected education time

Residents are provided with ROSH review, EM:Raps, and Hippo EM. They participate in weekly didactic conferences, simulation sessions, ultrasound modules, seminars, and other non-patient care learning experiences, with sufficient time for independent, self-directed learning. Supervision is always available, and residents receive ongoing verbal feedback during on-shift interactions.

Procedural training

Residents participate in resuscitations and procedures, advancing with progressively increasing responsibilities as their knowledge and skill set advances with increasing experience and training.

Scholarly activity and quality improvement

Our program offers residents outstanding training in quality improvement and research, with numerous opportunities available for both faculty and residents at our community hospital.

Electives

Elective rotation opportunities are available in PGY-2 and PGY-3 years, allowing residents to explore various subspecialty fields and find mentorship.

Training Locations

Our training spans across various sites in the San Joaquin Valley and beyond, providing a diverse range of clinical experiences in both urban and specialized settings.

St. Joseph’s Medical Center

Stockton, California

UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland

Oakland, California

San Joaquin General Hospital

French Camp, California

Kaiser Roseville Medical Center

Roseville, California

Compensation and Benefits

Residents are eligible for benefits beginning on their first day of hire.

Salary

For the 2026-2027 academic year, annual resident salaries are:

PGY-1: $82,015.50
PGY-2: $86,498.80
PGY-3: $90,522.00
Chief resident: $5,000 annual stipend

Health & Insurance

Medical, dental and vision coverage with premiums paid in full for residents and low-cost coverage for enrolled dependents
Life, AD&D and long-term disability insurance
Professional liability insurance
Optional spousal and dependent life insurance

Time Away & Leave

Four weeks of paid vacation and holiday leave annually
Paid medical, parental and caregiver leave for qualifying reasons

Education & Professional Development

Professional liability coverage for residency training and clinical duties

Resident Perks & Wellness

403(b) retirement savings plan with employer match
Additional benefits available through individual sponsoring institutions and residency programs

Our Community

Stockton, CA, is a historic gold rush port city on the banks of the mighty San Joaquin River, offering a diverse community and convenient access to popular Northern California destinations. It is a 60-minute drive to the San Francisco Bay Area and a 90-minute drive to the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

Learn More

How to Apply

Application Process
Applications will be accepted every fall via ERAS for the following academic year. We only accept and review applications via the ERAS system.

Interview Season Information
Factors important in the resident selection process include academic qualifications, dependability, responsibility, maturity, courtesy, confidence, leadership skills, interpersonal and communication skills, sense of humor and work ethic, and US clinical experience. Applicants from the Central Valley of California will be strongly considered.

International Medical Graduates
We do not independently sponsor any Visas. J-1 Visas can be accepted if sponsored through ECFMG.

Medical Student Clerkships
St. Joseph’s Medical Center and the Department of Emergency Medicine welcomes 4th year medical students to apply to our 4-week Clinical Clerkship in Emergency Medicine. Medical students will work as part of the clinical team, attend residency didactics, and participate in a unique medical student education curriculum. Interested students must be in good standing and attend an LCME or AOA accredited medical school. Only students in an accredited health sciences training program are eligible to apply. Clinical clerkships are not a prerequisite for acceptance into our residency programs.

Required Application Materials:
Dean's Letter (not required to receive an interview invitation)
Three Letters of Recommendations
Official USMLE/COMLEX Step 1 Score (Step 2 score preferred)
Personal Statement
Transcript
Curriculum Vitae
ECFMG Status Report (if applicable)

Faculty

Jennifer Oakes, MD

Role: Designated Institutional Official
Program/affiliation: Graduate Medical Education
Medical school: Upstate Medical University, State University of New York, Syracuse, NY
Residency: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Affiliated
Fellowship: Medical Toxicology – Emory University School of Medicine / CDC Georgia Poison Center
Clinical/academic interests: Critical and acute care toxicology, complementary and herbal medications and their toxicology, medical education

Brian Wood, MD

Role: Program Director
Program/affiliation: Emergency Medicine Residency Program
Medical school: Keck School of Medicine of USC
Residency: Yale–New Haven Hospital, CT
Fellowship: Medical Education Leadership, Yale–New Haven Hospital
Clinical/academic interests: Medical education

Brett D. Cherrington, MD

Role: Associate Program Director
Program/affiliation: Emergency Medicine Residency Program
Medical school: SUNY Upstate Medical University
Residency: Upstate University Hospital, Syracuse, NY
Fellowship: Medical Toxicology at Upstate University Hospital
Clinical/academic interests: Toxicology, medical education

Anatoliy Goltser, MD

Role: Assistant Program Director
Program/affiliation: Emergency Medicine Residency Program
Medical school: Drexel
Residency: Maimonides, Emergency Medicine (Brooklyn, NY)
Clinical/academic interests: Critical care, sports medicine

Kimberly Ai Vy Pham, DO

Role: Assistant Program Director
Program/affiliation: Emergency Medicine Residency Program
Medical school: Western University of Health Science, COMP
Residency: St Joseph’s Medical Center–Stockton, CA

Denise Ammon, MD

Role: Assistant Facility Medical Director
Program/affiliation: Emergency Department
Medical school: Tulane University School of Medicine
Residency: Kings County Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY

Omar Amr, MD

Role: GME US Director and Clinical ED US Director
Program/affiliation: Emergency Department
Medical school: Harvard Medical School
Residency: University of California, Irvine

Scott Bugsch, MD

Role: EM Clerkship Director
Program/affiliation: Emergency Medicine Residency Program
Medical school: University of Queensland
Residency: St Joseph’s Medical Center–Stockton, CA

Sahiba Chandel, MD

Role: Core Academic Faculty
Program/affiliation: Emergency Medicine Residency Program
Medical school: University of Kentucky College of Medicine
Residency: New York–Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital
Fellowship: EM Ultrasound–New York–Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital
Clinical/academic interests: Ultrasound, ultrasound research

Tiffany Chioma Anaebere, MD

Role: Director, Special Projects and Innovation
Program/affiliation: Emergency Medicine Residency Program
Medical school: Duke University School of Medicine
Residency: Highland Hospital, Oakland, CA
Clinical/academic interests: Diversity in medicine, quality improvement, patient education, healthcare utilization, mental health/wellness

Zachary Haberman, MD

Role: Core Academic Faculty
Program/affiliation: Emergency Medicine Residency Program
Medical school: University of Southern California
Residency: LA County+USC Medical Center

Matthew Kiefer, MD

Role: Director of Simulation
Program/affiliation: Emergency Medicine Residency Program
Medical school: University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Residency: Highland Hospital, Oakland, CA
Fellowship: Medical Simulation, UC Davis
Clinical/academic interests: Simulation, medical education, ultrasound

Teri Kozik, RN, PhD

Role: GME Research Director
Program/affiliation: Graduate Medical Education

Kandria Ledesma, MD

Role: Core Academic Faculty
Program/affiliation: Emergency Medicine Residency Program
Medical school: American University of Antigua
Residency: St. Joseph’s Medical Center
Fellowship: Ultrasound at Northshore University/Long Island Jewish
Clinical/academic interests: Ocular and lung ultrasounds, QA, VexUS

David Loughran, MD

Role: Medical Toxicology Core Faculty
Program/affiliation: Emergency Medicine Residency Program
Medical school: Medical College of Wisconsin
Residency: Albany Medical Center–Albany, NY
Fellowship: Rutgers New Jersey Medical School Medical Toxicology Fellowship–Newark, NJ

Gary Olds, MD

Role: Transitional Year Program Director
Program/affiliation: Transitional Year Residency Program
Medical school: Oregon Health & Sciences University
Residency: University of Arizona–Tucson, AZ

Zina Semenovskaya, MD, FAWM

Role: Wilderness Medicine and Global Health Core Faculty
Program/affiliation: Emergency Medicine Residency Program
Medical school: Weill Cornell Medical College
Residency: SUNY Downstate / Kings County
Fellowship: Wilderness Medicine at Stanford University Medical Center
Clinical/academic interests: Conservation medicine, global health, search and rescue, aeromedical retrieval, disaster relief, POC ultrasound

Katherine Shafer, MD

Role: EMS Medical Director
Program/affiliation: Emergency Medicine Residency Program
Medical school: Tufts University School of Medicine
Residency: Yale–New Haven Hospital
Clinical/academic interests: EMS, pediatrics, critical care

Ting Xu Tan, MD

Role: Ultrasound Fellowship Director
Program/affiliation: Emergency Medicine Residency Program
Medical school: Saint Louis University School of Medicine
Residency: Yale New Haven Hospital; Emergency Medicine Residency
Fellowship: Ultrasound–Stanford University

Benjamin Wiederhold, MD

Role: Chair, St. Joseph's Emergency Department
Program/affiliation: Emergency Department
Medical school: University of California San Francisco
Residency: Highland Hospital, Oakland, CA
Clinical/academic interests: Quality improvement, ED operations, ultrasound, resuscitation medicine, medical education

Courtney Chinn, MD

Role: Clinical Faculty
Program/affiliation: Emergency Medicine Residency Program
Medical school: California Northstate University

Doug DeMartinis

Role: Clinical Faculty
Program/affiliation: Emergency Medicine Residency Program
Medical school: UC Irvine
Residency: San Joaquin General Hospital

Michael Herrera, DO

Role: Clinical Faculty
Program/affiliation: Emergency Medicine Residency Program
Medical school: Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency: UC Davis Medical Center

Kyle Hill, DO

Role: Clinical Faculty
Program/affiliation: Emergency Medicine Residency Program
Medical school: St. George’s University, Grenada
Residency: University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD
Fellowship: Wilderness Medicine–Stanford University Medical Center, Palo Alto, CA

Hardeep Hunjan, DO

Role: Clinical Faculty
Program/affiliation: Emergency Medicine Residency Program
Medical school: Touro University California College of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency: St. Joseph’s Medical Center–Stockton, CA

Hillary Judnarine, MD

Role: Clinical Faculty
Program/affiliation: Emergency Medicine Residency Program
Medical school: AUA
Residency: St. Joseph's Medical Center
Fellowship: Current SIM Fellow at St Joseph’s Medical Center
Clinical/academic interests: Blending education with clinical practice

Emanuel Lopez-Perez, MD

Role: Clinical Faculty
Program/affiliation: Emergency Medicine Residency Program
Medical school: St. George’s University School of Medicine
Residency: St. Joseph’s Medical Center–Stockton, CA

Douglas Malcolm, MD

Role: Clinical Faculty
Program/affiliation: Emergency Medicine Residency Program
Medical school: University of Utah School of Medicine
Residency: Kern Medical Center, Bakersfield, CA

Mohammed Mohebbi, MD

Role: Clinical Faculty
Program/affiliation: Emergency Medicine Residency Program
Medical school: Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Residency: University of Iowa–FM and University of Missouri, Columbia, MO–EM

Emily O’Donnell, MD

Romaine S. Sangha, MD

Role: Clinical Faculty
Program/affiliation: Emergency Medicine Residency Program
Medical school: Ross University School of Medicine
Residency: University of Nebraska Medical Center–Omaha
Clinical/academic interests: Outpatient care, community awareness, telehealth

Federica Sarti, DO, PhD

Juliana Thong, DO

Role: Clinical Faculty
Program/affiliation: Emergency Medicine Residency Program
Medical school: Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences
Residency: St. Joseph’s Medical Center–Stockton, CA
Fellowship: Ultrasound at St. Joseph's Medical Center
Clinical/academic interests: Social issues in EM, global health, critical care

Christy Vong, MD

Role: Clinical Faculty
Program/affiliation: Emergency Medicine Residency Program
Medical school: Chicago Medical School
Residency: St. Joseph’s Medical Center–Stockton, CA

Anne Walker, MD, FAWM, DiMM

Yoyoung Yorick Yang, DO

Role: Clinical Faculty
Program/affiliation: Emergency Medicine Residency Program
Medical school: Touro University California College of Osteopathic Medicine
Fellowship: Critical Care Fellowship Medstar Washington Hospital Center

Current Residents

Class of 2025

Talhia Escobar, MD

Medical school: American University of Antigua College of Medicine
Hometown: Miami, Florida
Professional interests: Emergency medicine
Personal interests: Big family, long-distance running, exploring new places, being in the ocean, photography, learning about people, being challenged

Matthew Golubianikov, MD

Medical school: Rush Medical College of Rush University
Hometown: San Francisco
Personal interests: Boxing, playing the guitar, hiking, sleeping

Winne Lam, DO

Medical school: Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, Pomona
Hometown: San Francisco
Personal interests: Outside activities, climbing, ultimate frisbee, traveling, hiking

Malika Morar, MD

Medical school: University of Queensland School of Medicine
Hometown: Bay Area
Personal interests: Traveling, hiking, hot yoga, puppies, hanging out at the beach, coffee, fancy cocktails, Golden State Warriors

Brandon Phong, MD

Medical school: University of California–Riverside School of Medicine
Hometown: Cerritos, CA
Personal interests: Fitness, foodie, basketball fan, tennis, traveling

Nicole Popp, DO

Medical school: Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, Pomona
Hometown: Murrysville, PA
Personal interests: Horseback riding, cooking/baking, traveling

Alissa Sabatino, DO

Medical school: Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine of Midwestern University
Hometown: Phoenix, AZ
Professional interests: EM toxicology and trauma
Personal interests: Hiking, nature, trying new restaurants, staying active, French bulldog, nurturing plants

Lisa Tenorio, MD

Medical school: Saint Louis University School of Medicine
Hometown: Valencia, CA
Personal interests: Singing, performing, spending time with family, hiking, playing soccer, golfing, watching baseball, discovering new vineyards

Katya Trousset, DO

Medical school: Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown: Bend, OR
Professional interests: Trauma, critical care, women’s health, traumatic brain injuries, sports medicine
Personal interests: Collecting hobbies, spending time with loved ones outside, cooking, cat-dog

Ian Tsun, MD

Medical school: Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
Hometown: Cary, NC
Personal interests: Soccer, skiing, exploring new restaurants, weight lifting, video games, spending time with friends, pupper

Taylor Strange, MD

Medical school: American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine
Hometown: Stockton, CA
Personal interests: Traveling, hiking, scuba diving, home renovation projects, food, baking, wine tasting, hanging out with husband and dogs

Andy Williams, MD

Medical school: American University of Antigua College of Medicine
Hometown: Abilene, TX
Personal interests: Buying, selling and restoring old things, antique books, 1952 American LaFrance fire truck, medical program/clinic at Sam’s Place Deaf Orphanage in Kenya, Africa

Doron Volcani, DO

Medical school: Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific
Hometown: San Diego, CA
Personal interests: Surfing, snowboarding, scuba diving, hiking, traveling, playing guitar, concerts, tacos, sushi

Class of 2026

Saketh Akula, MD

Medical school: Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine
Hometown: Santa Cruz, CA
Professional interests: Become the best Emergency Medicine physician, impact community, cultivate better professional relationship between ED and public
Personal interests: Cooking, roadtripping, traveling, basketball, tennis, football, creating new moments and experiences

Micah Bondoc, MD

Medical school: St. George’s University School of Medicine
Hometown: Sacramento, CA
Professional interests: Critical care, ultrasound, advocating for IMGs
Personal interests: Powerlifting, trying new foods, creating foodie mukbangs, EDM/hip hop concerts, binge-watching Netflix & reality shows, smashburger connoisseur, comedy shows, making new memories

Alexander Chen, DO

Medical school: Touro University, CA
Hometown: Cupertino, CA
Professional interests: Critical care, POCUS, human factors in healthcare
Personal interests: TV, video games

Omar Ezubeik, MD

Medical school: University of California, Davis
Hometown: Waterbury, CT & Union City, CA
Professional interests: Sports medicine, EMS, ultrasound
Personal interests: Any sport, Kings, Raiders, Sharks fan

Arash Farzan, MD

Medical school: RUSM
Hometown: San Jose, CA
Professional interests: Research, quality improvement, optimizing patient outcomes, advancing emergency medicine, new technologies, innovative approaches
Personal interests: Working out, hiking, snowboarding, playing & watching soccer

Sarah Glenister, MD

Medical school: American University of Antigua
Hometown: Fremont, CA
Personal interests: Being outside, running, cycling, hiking, skiing, mushroom foraging, reading books, word puzzles, coffee, video games

Joseph Hoffman, DO

Medical school: Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown: Simi Valley
Professional interests: Trauma, disaster, critical care medicine, wilderness medicine
Personal interests: Hiking, lifting, body surfing, snowboarding, spending time with family

Bahare Kazemi, MD

Medical school: St. George’s University School of Medicine
Hometown: Las Vegas, NV
Personal interests: Cooking, baking, going out with friends, goldendoodle

Lillian Lazenby, MD

Medical school: Oregon Health and Science University
Hometown: Fall City, WA
Professional interests: EMS, rural medicine
Personal interests: Trail running, cooking, creative projects, travel

Cindy Nguyen, MD

Medical school: California University of Science and Medicine
Hometown: Garden Grove, CA
Professional interests: Pain, sports, ultrasound
Personal interests: Video games, board games, trivia, piano, tennis, music festivals, food, horror

Ashley Sherfey, DO

Medical school: Touro University California
Hometown: Concord, CA
Professional interests: Procedures, SIM, ultrasound
Personal interests: Spending time with family & dog, anything with daughter, hiking

Class of 2027

Kent Cherrington, DO

Medical school: Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine, USA
Hometown: Sugar City
Personal interests: Spending time with family and friends, video games, board games

Hannah Choi, DO

Medical school: Kansas City University of Osteopathic Medicine, USA
Hometown: Davis, CA–Raised at Korea
Personal interests: Cooking, hiking

Darku Kwesi, MD

Medical school: American University of Antigua College of Medicine
Hometown: Brampton, ON Canada

Alejandra Gamon, DO

Medical school: Kansas City University of Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown: Visalia, CA
Personal interests: Hiking, drinking coffee, watching soccer, spending time with family and cat

Ashley Griffin, DO

Medical school: Touro–Harlem, NY
Hometown: Discovery Bay, CA
Personal interests: Anything with family, full-time mommying, traveling, cooking/baking

Michelle Hamed, DO

Medical school: Kansas City University
Hometown: San Diego, CA
Personal interests: Cooking different cultural cuisines, trying new restaurants, tennis, reading

Haroon Javaid, MBBS

Medical school: Alfaisal University–College of Medicine, Riyadh, KSA
Hometown: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Personal interests: Traveling, sports (badminton, table tennis, volleyball and soccer), spending time with loved ones

John Lee, DO

Medical school: Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Georgia
Hometown: Los Angeles
Personal interests: Video games, traveling, anime & Netflix, music festivals/concerts

Oscar Moran, DO

Medical school: Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown: San Fernando, CA
Personal interests: Salsa and bachata dancing, trying new foods, watching movies, hitting the gym, snowboarding, playing soccer

Viktoriya Rembelinska, DO

Medical school: Western University
Hometown: Everett, MA
Professional interests: Wilderness medicine and rescue, high altitude medicine, supporting women in medicine

Jessica Sieminski, DO

Medical school: Touro University California–College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hometown: Martinez, CA and Pollock Pines, CA
Personal interests: Hiking, beaches, coffee, music, reading, cross-stitch, new experiences, spending time with family

Brian Vuu, DO

Medical school: Western University of Health Sciences
Hometown: Baldwin Park, CA
Professional interests: Disaster medicine, trauma, event medicine
Personal interests: Traveling, concerts/festivals, exploring new cities and restaurants, binging TV showss

Contact Information

Sai Choeurn
Residency Program Administrator
Emergency Medicine Residency Program
St. Joseph’s Medical Center of Stockton
1800 North California Street
Stockton, CA 95204
Saychai.Choeurn@commonspirit.org

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