Residents
PGY 2
PGY 1
Tyler Crissinger
Hometown: Cutoff, LA
Undergraduate: University of Washington
Medical School: Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine
Interests / Hobbies: Playing guitar, riding motorcycles, hiking, going to concerts, books and movies
Medical interests: Neuromuscular Diseases
Why Maine Medical Center: I chose MMC because I could train in a beautiful place with faculty that all seemed very smart, yet down to earth and approachable. I thought it was the perfect mix of an area that isn’t too much like a big city but had the resources of an academic center. I can easily get out into nature or to the beach on the weekends, and everyone I’ve met has been really nice. It’s also exciting to be in a new program where I can play a role in shaping what it will become.
Celebrity I most resemble: Marlon Brando
If I wasn’t a doctor, I would be a…writer
Favorite restaurant in Portland: Taco Escobarr
Clifton Lewis
Hometown: Astoria, NY
Undergraduate: Wake Forest University (Go Deacs!)
Medical School: Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine - Harlem
Interests / Hobbies: Muay Thai, Halloween, electric bass, rugby, soccer, cooking, writing, reading, dogs, Nintendo
Favorite place in Maine: Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park
Medical interests: Neuroimmunology, neuromuscular diseases, dementia, sleep
Favorite weekend destination: anywhere with a beach or pool
Favorite Maine activity: Enjoying that nature
What did you do before medical school: Sleep and dementia research, Muay Thai training, pharmaceutical advertising
Personal goals: Become a well rounded neurologist and pass on the knowledge and a dash of inspiration to the next generation
Craziest / Best / Worst Job: Craziest = archaeological digs in Portugal/Spain, Best = pharma advertising, Worst = working at a country club snack bar
Why Maine Medical Center: Opportunity to take part in building a new residency and teach; living in Portland/Maine > living in NYC; everyone is super nice, excited to teach us, and has a unique style
Celebrity I most resemble: Mr. Clean, Yoda, ugly Josh Hartnett
If I wasn’t a doctor, I would be a… Historian/archaeologist, trainer, Mandalorian
Favorite restaurant in Portland: Klifton’s Kitchen (Pine Street location)
Personal quote: (100 words or less)
“When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive - to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.” – Marcus Aurelius
“In the darkest times, hope is something you give yourself. That is the meaning of inner strength.” – General Iroh
“Any recipe that calls for a finite amount of garlic is a not a recipe one should follow.” – Clifton Lewis
Veronica Scavo
Hometown: San Diego, CA
Undergraduate: Humboldt State University
Medical School: Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, California Campus
Interests / Hobbies: The outdoors…hiking, swimming, being out on the water…reading & creative writing, traveling and exploring new places.
Medical interests: Integrative medicine in Neurology
What did you do before medical school: Traveled, worked in psychology
Craziest / Best / Worst Job: One of my favorite past jobs was as a natural horse trainer…I got to play with baby horses all day!
Why Maine Medical Center: It was the perfect storm. A combination of a variety of things, from the seascape to the down to earth town, the mellow pace of life and of course, the program itself. The idea of joining the first class of a new program was exciting to me.
Andrea Clapp
Hometown: Columbia, CT
Undergraduate: Assumption College
Medical School: Tufts University School of Medicine
Interests / Hobbies: Spending time with my dog, hiking, kayaking, biking, baking, exploring new cities, dance, yoga
Favorite place in Maine: Bug Light at sunset and Willard Beach during dog hours
Medical interests: Neurological disease in pregnancy, Movement disorders, MS/Neuroimmunology, Epilepsy, Autonomic disorders, Neuromuscular disorders, Headache, Stroke
Favorite weekend destination: Kennebunkport or White Mountains in NH
Favorite Maine activity: Still exploring the area, but I am excited to go sailing and kayaking this summer
What did you do before medical school: Spent 3 years working in cancer genomics using Next Generation Sequencing at Dana-Farber
Personal goals: To maintain balance in life. To become a caring and thoughtful neurologist. To become fluent in French. To improve my mediocre sailing skills
Craziest / Best / Worst Job: Best job was being a camp counselor, swimming teacher and archery instructor at a summer camp
Why Maine Medical Center: As a Tufts-Boston track student, I was fortunate to have 3 clinical rotations at Maine Medical Center. My learning experiences here have always been comprehensive. The teaching here is supportive, but I was challenged to grow clinically. People here are happy and friendly. You see a lot of variety in pathology given MMC’s unique position as both a community hospital and the only tertiary hospital in the state of Maine. Being part of the second residency class and helping build a new residency program was exciting to me. Portland is an awesome place to live between the mountains, the ocean, and all the amazing restaurants. Also, our program has early outpatient subspecialty exposure in PGY1 and dedicated research time, which are additional positives.
Celebrity I most resemble: When I had bangs, people told me Zooey Deschanel, but now that I don’t have bangs maybe Kristin Davis?
If I wasn’t a doctor, I would be a… Teacher
Favorite restaurant in Portland: There are so many amazing places. Here are some of my favorites: Pai Men Miyake, Eventide, Flatbread Company
Personal quote: “The people who have the most success and joy in life are those who show others how to be successful and joyful too”
Chris Lee
Hometown: Claremont, CA
Undergraduate: UCLA
Medical School: Midwestern University – Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine
Interests / Hobbies: Horror movies, table tennis, cooking, eating
Medical interests: Clinical neurophysiology, sleep
Favorite Maine activity: trying out new restaurants
Personal goals: Explore all that neurology has to offer and become a well-rounded neurologist. Also to get buff.
Why Maine Medical Center: People/environment/food. I chose to become a doctor to serve and be a part of a community. The impression I got from my interview was that the people here were welcoming and kind, and when I arrived, I found that I was not wrong.
If I wasn’t a doctor, I would be a… truck driver/MRI tech
Jennifer Dobson
Hometown: Oreland, Pennsylvania (Close to Philadelphia!)
Undergraduate: Pennsylvania State University
Medical School: Pennsylvania State College of Medicine
Interests / Hobbies: Reading, Podcasts, Rock Climbing, Hiking, Painting, Coffee
Medical interests: Neurodegenerative disorders, Neuroimmunology
Favorite Maine activity: Walks on the Eastern Promenade
What did you do before medical school: Worked at a gut-brain research company in NYC
Craziest / Best / Worst Job: used to work at a Wetland Institute saving turtles!
Why Maine Medical Center: Remarkably supportive environment with excellent teachers and mentors
If I wasn’t a doctor, I would be a…high school science teacher, marine biologist or artist
Favorite restaurant in Portland: HoneyPaw
Personal quote: “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” – Theodore Roosevelt