PGY4

Annika Hikade
- Year in ProgramPRG4
- HometownBlue Hill, ME
- UndergraduateHamilton College
- Medical SchoolTufts University School of Medicine (Maine Track)
- Interests/hobbiesCrafts, gardens, food, hiking, relaxing with my partner Andrew and our baby Larkin
- Favorite restaurant in PortlandI can’t pick just one! Scales, Terlingua, Eventide, Cong Tu Bot, Tandem Bakery
- Favorite place in MaineDeer Isle
- Medical interestsFamily planning, reproductive healthcare access, medical education
- Favorite Maine activityIsland picnics & saltwater swims
- Why MaineHealth Maine Medical Center?MHMMC is a warm and welcoming community of smart and down-to-earth people who are dedicated to providing exceptional patient care and medical education. I love that the program is academic, community-oriented, family-friendly, and located in one of my favorite cities in the world. There’s nowhere I’d rather train!

Laura Knapik
- Year in ProgramPRG4
- HometownWhitinsville, MA
- Medical SchoolUNE COM
- Interests/hobbiesThrifting, antiquing, reading, home improvement projects, reality TV, board games
- If I wasn't a doctor, I would be a...Interior designer or professional thrifter
- Favorite restaurant in PortlandTaj and JPs are the best dinner spots; but I would consider myself a bagel connoisseur and Scratch, Rose’s, and Union are the best!
- Favorite place in MaineHonestly can’t beat Portland as a whole!
- Medical interestsObstetrics, abortion care, MIS
- Favorite weekend destinationI like going on weekend trips to explore new cities! My husband and I have a goal to visit every NBA stadium in Northern America.
- Favorite Maine activityEating!
- Best/worst jobIce cream scooper at Coldstone Creamery! (Will sing for $1)
- Why MaineHealth Maine Medical Center?Loved the community between residents, attendings, APPs, nurses, etc. Everyone is so welcoming and encouraging; it fosters an excellent learning environment.

Katherine Nelson
- Year in ProgramPRG4
- HometownPrior Lake, MN
- UndergraduateDrake University
- Medical SchoolUniversity of Minnesota
- Interests/hobbiesGoing on hikes with my Golden Retriever Olive, yoga, traveling, and camping
- Medical interestsFamily planning, reproductive health policy, high risk obstetrics
- Favorite Maine activityExploring new hiking places!
- What did you do before medical school?I worked as an EMT
- Why MaineHealth Maine Medical Center?MHMMC is an academically driven community program with welcoming and supportive staff and co-residents. All in the beautiful state of Maine!

Rachel Yull
- Year in ProgramPRG4
- HometownApalachin, NY
- UndergraduateCornell University
- Medical SchoolUniversity of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry
- Interests/hobbiesTravel, Podcasts, baking, trying new restaurants, spending time with friends and family
- If I wasn't a doctor, I would be a...Chef
- Medical interestsWomen’s Health, Health Disparities, High Risk Obstetrics, Reproductive Justice
- Favorite weekend destinationExploring new places
- What did you do before medical school?worked at a health department as part of the Rural Health Service Corp. I also completed my MPH.
- Why MaineHealth Maine Medical Center?Maine Medical Center provides a small, close-knit, supportive community program, within a large academic center. I also appreciated that MMC serves a diverse patient population.
PGY3
Madison Hopkins
- Year in ProgramPRG3
- HometownMassachusetts
- UndergraduateUniversity of South Carolina
- Medical SchoolClemson University

Nina Razavi
- Year in ProgramPRG3
- HometownPleasanton, CA
- UndergraduateSaint Louis University
- Medical SchoolPenn State College of Medicine
- Interests/hobbiesReading, eating, being outside!!
- Favorite restaurant in PortlandScales
- Favorite Maine activityTrying new restaurants and breweries :)
PGY2

Mary Carmack
- Year in ProgramPRG2
- HometownVeazie, ME
- UndergraduateHarvard College
- Medical SchoolColumbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons
- Interests/hobbiesRunning, gardening, tennis, sewing
- If I wasn't a doctor, I would be a...Gardener
- Favorite restaurant in PortlandCooking dinner at home with my partner! Also Tandem and Scratch for treats :)
- Favorite place in MaineGrand Lake Stream
- Medical interestsMinimally invasive surgery, rural medicine, family planning, medical education, and Maternal and Fetal Medicine
- Favorite Maine activityAny day spent outside...cross country ski trips to Maine Huts and Trails, hiking Mt Katahdin, picnics at the beach, visiting the Common Ground Fair
- What did you do before medical school?Software engineer, outdoor trip leader, research assistant, medical scribe
- Best/worst jobLeading bike trips for teens through the Canadian Rockies and Montana
- Why MaineHealth Maine Medical Center?So many reasons! Strong generalist training, great camaraderie among the residents and provider groups, and broad exposure due to the large catchment area. And of course, I got to move to Maine!

Hannah Crowley
- Year in ProgramPRG2
- HometownConcord, MA
- UndergraduateGeorgetown University
- Medical SchoolUniversity of Massachusetts Medical School
- Favorite restaurant in PortlandSmalls
- Favorite place in MaineLong Island
- Medical interestsSubstance use disorder, complex pregnancies

Chukwuemeka Esomonu
- Year in ProgramPRG2
- HometownUzuakoli, Abia State, Nigeria
- Medical SchoolUniversity of Port-Harcourt
- Interests/hobbiesI love dancing, cooking, seeking out new museums to visit with my partner. Movies!
- Celebrity I most resembleI don’t know. You tell me.
- If I wasn't a doctor, I would be a...Teacher or an astronomer.
- Favorite restaurant in PortlandAlisson’s Restaurant in Kennebunkport
- Favorite place in MaineCamden/Rockland and anyplace I can see the ocean (Hint: there are very many places in Maine)
- Medical interestsFamily health, women’s health, obstetrics, occupational health and safety, bridging healthcare disparities.
- Favorite weekend destinationProbably more than a weekend, but the Virgin Islands!
- Favorite Maine activityKayaking, visiting coastal areas.
- What did you do before medical school?Secondary (High) school
- Why MaineHealth Maine Medical Center?Strong community program with an academic feel. I wanted a place I could have a solid training in obstetrics and gynecology to augment my background as a family physician. The opportunity to work with diverse population that MaineHealth Maine Medical Center cares for, was huge plus!

Rachel Thommen
- Year in ProgramPRG2
- HometownAgoura Hills, CA
- UndergraduateWellesley College
- Medical SchoolNew York Medical College
- Interests / HobbiesCooking, Hiking, Getting Outdoors
- Favorite restaurant in PortlandStill looking for my most favorite
- Favorite Maine ActivityGetting outdoors!
- Favorite restaurant in PortlandStill looking for my most favorite
- Favorite Place in MaineAny place on the water!
- Favorite Maine activityGetting outdoors!
- Why Maine Medical Center?I wanted to get an excellent clinical education with great people in a beautiful place.
- If I wasn't a doctor I would be aMarine Biologist
PGY1

Julia Greenwald
- Year in ProgramPRG1
- HometownHampden, Maine
- UndergraduateTufts University
- Medical SchoolTufts University School of Medicine (Maine Track)
- Interests/hobbiesHosting dinner parties, sewing, yoga, ballet, outdoor activities, traveling, gardening, listening to podcasts, and hanging out with my husband Max
- If I wasn't a doctor, I would be a...Farm cafe owner or seamstress
- Favorite restaurant in PortlandWoodford Food and Beverage
- Favorite place in MaineProbably right here in Portland! I love visiting the local beaches and walking around the peninsula
- Medical interestsMinimally invasive gynecologic surgery, oncology, medical ethics, improving the patient experience, medical education and mentorship
- Favorite weekend destinationGoing to Boston to visit friends
- Favorite Maine activityJumping into a lake or the ocean!
- What did you do before medical school?Worked at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute doing clinical research coordination for gynecologic oncology studies
- Why MaineHealth Maine Medical Center?I rotated at MMC for third and fourth year of medical school, and I have always felt at home here. The faculty and residents are welcoming and invested in the growth of every learner. The patient care is top-notch in quality and respectful of people from all backgrounds. I know I will be empowered to grow into the doctor I want to be at MMC!

Chloe Morgan
- Year in ProgramPRG1
- HometownTucson, AZ
- UndergraduateNew York University
- Medical SchoolTufts
- Interests/hobbiesHiking/backpacking, knitting, baking, reading
- If I wasn't a doctor, I would be a...Wildlife rehabber or professional birdwatcher
- Favorite restaurant in PortlandMiyake
- Favorite place in MaineAcadia!
- Medical interestsGynecologic oncology, reproductive justice, carceral health
- Favorite Maine activityAnything outdoors!
- What did you do before medical school?Studied chemistry in graduate school
- Best/worst jobBest and worst: dog walker during a very hot and humid summer in NYC!
- Why MaineHealth Maine Medical Center?I had the opportunity to rotate here during medical school and found that it was an excellent place to learn. MMC is full of welcoming and diligent people, and the residents are very close-knit and supportive. Additionally, the hospital's large catchment area means an extensive breadth of training. Finally, Portland is an amazing place to live!

Yordan "Dancho" Penev
- Year in ProgramPRG1
- HometownSofia, Bulgaria
- UndergraduateDavidson College
- Medical SchoolUniversity of Florida College of Medicine
- Interests/hobbiesAdventure travel, running, biking, skiing, snowboarding, music
- If I wasn't a doctor, I would be a...Teacher/ failed rockstar
- Personal quote (100 words or less)"Too much sanity may be madness — and maddest of all: to see life as it is, and not as it should be!" - Don Quixote, Miguel de Cervantes
- Favorite place in MaineTBD!
- Medical interestsGynecologic Oncology, Global Health
- Favorite weekend destinationThe mountain next door
- Favorite Maine activityBiking
- What did you do before medical school?Prior to med school, I coordinated research on using mobile games to diagnose and treat pediatric neurodevelopmental disorders, lauched public health informatics tools to lower maternal and neonatal morbidity in East Africa, and ran a nonprofit organization for at-risk youths in Bulgaria.
- Personal goalsHelp individual patients and patients at scale, in the U.S. and around the world.
- Why MaineHealth Maine Medical Center?I wanted a program with all academic options available but also a community feel and a commitment to service where I can feel at home knowing that my colleagues and I share similar values. All of this nestled in the natural beauty of Maine makes me super excited to come here for residency!

Allegra Volpacchio De Landri
- Year in ProgramPRG1
- HometownNew York City, NY
- UndergraduateColumbia University
- Medical SchoolNew York Medical College
- Interests/hobbiesWatching women’s sports, running, hiking, biking, soccer, rugby, dancing
- Celebrity I most resembleI was Troye Sivan for two Halloweens in a row
- If I wasn't a doctor, I would be a...public defender or an academic specializing in the queer history of modern pop music
- Favorite restaurant in PortlandNot a restaurant technically but…. the focaccia at Standard Baking
- Favorite place in MaineTie between the public library in Brooklin, ME and Isle au Haut
- Medical interestsGender-affirming care, LGBTQ-sensitive OB/GYN care, maternal health equity
- Favorite Maine activityAnything on the water!!!
- Best/worst jobBest job: Receptionist at a queer barber shop in New York City
- Why MaineHealth Maine Medical Center?Supportive and caring residency environment! Excellent training! Beautiful outdoors!!

Hannah Wisniewski
- Year in ProgramPRG1
- HometownKingston, Massachusetts
- UndergraduateUMass Amherst
- Medical SchoolUMass Chan Medical School
- Interests/hobbiesbaking, yoga, crochet, running, reading
- If I wasn't a doctor, I would be a...Baker
- Medical interestsAddressing health disparities, family planning, medical education
- What did you do before medical school?Worked in psychiatry research for 3 years
- Best/worst jobBest job: working in a cupcake bakery
- Why MaineHealth Maine Medical Center?I wanted to be at a program with strong generalist training and a congenial, supportive culture. I love that MMC is a large, tertiary care center that serves a diverse and rural population in an awesome city.