Family Medicine Residency

About

Aloha and e komo mai (welcome) to the University of Hawaiʻi Family Medicine Residency Program! We are a community-based 7-7-7 program sponsored by the UH John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM). Our hospital sponsor is Pali Momi Medical Center, a community hospital that serves central and leeward Oʻahu, an ideal environment to care for and learn from patients with a wide range of cultural, ethnic, and socio-economic backgrounds.

Training experiences for our residents are as diverse as the communities we serve and include maternal-child health, geriatric care, addictions training, community outreach, and care of the unhoused among many others. We are a RHEDI program and seek to promote reproductive health equity and justice. Our continuity clinic provides team-based care including clinical pharmacy, behavioral health, and community health navigation and serves as the home base for our ʻohana of students, residents, faculty, and staff.

Our program was established in 1994 in Wahiawā where the program served the community for over 20 years before moving to Pali Momi in 2017. A few years later in 2020, our continuity clinic site also moved to a newly renovated facility at the Pali Momi Outpatient Center in ʻAiea. Since our founding, we have trained over 170 residents and are proud that over 80% continue to serve in Hawaiʻi and the broader Pacific. Diversity, equity, inclusivity, and social justice are part of the founding DNA of our program and we continue to promote this in our work in the present day.

To prepare family physicians to be compassionate, resilient, and effective leaders in improving the health and well-being of individuals, families, and communities of Hawaiʻi and the Pacific Basin.

We believe that the foundation of a health system is built upon a strong base of primary care and we seek to achieve this through:

Providing broad training for a diversity of career paths
Promoting health equity and trauma-responsive care
Fostering clinician well-being and resilience
Cultivating efficacy in community and population-based health
Advancing education and scholarship in Family Medicine

To create a healthier Hawaiʻi by improving care delivery, building community, and reducing healthcare disparities through excellence in Family Medicine.

Core Faculty

The core faculty are those that work within the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at the John A. Burns School of Medicine. They are responsible for the bulk of the teaching, precepting, and curriculum development for the residency, Medical Student Teaching and Sports Medicine fellowship programs.

The other faculty have clinical appointments with our department and all volunteer their time to work with our residents and medical students. The clinical faculty responsible for residency teaching includes over 100 community physicians, many of whom are active medical staff members at Pali Momi Medicial Center and preceptors/supervisors at the various rotation sites (Tripler Army Medical Center, Hilo Medical Center, and private offices). Faculty responsible for medical student teaching include a wide variety of talented family physicians throughout Hawaii and the Pacific Basin.

ALLEN HIXON, MD, MA
Department Chair

Pali Momi Medical Center, Kapiʻolani Medical Center for Women and Children

THOMAS QUATTLEBAUM, MD
Program Director

Pali Momi Medical Center, Kapiʻolani Medical Center for Women and Children

LEIMOMI KANAGUSUKU, MD
Associate Program Director, Director of Inpatient Medicine

Pali Momi Medical Center, Kapiʻolani Medical Center for Women and Children

ROBERT CARLISLE, MD
Clinic Medical Director

Pali Momi Medical Center, Kapiʻolani Medical Center for Women and Children

KATYELLE MARTINICHIO, MBA
Program Administrator

Pali Momi Outpatient Center

KOMAL SOIN, MD, MPH
Director of Maternal Child Health & Women’s Health

Pali Momi Outpatient Center, Kapiʻolani Medical Center for Women and Children

PATTY TRAN, DO
Core Residency Faculty

Pali Momi Medical Center, Kapiʻolani Medical Center for Women and Children

CYNTHIA KIM, LCSW
Director of Behavioral Health

Pali Momi Outpatient Center

KANA MAEJI, DO
Musculoskeletal Medicine Lead Faculty

Pali Momi Medical Center, Kapiʻolani Medical Center for Women and Children

SEIJI YAMADA, MD, MPH
Clinical Faculty, Medical Student Sub-Internship Director

Pali Momi Outpatient Center

NEAL A. PALAFOX, MD, MPH
Founding Program Director

Associate Director for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center

Pali Momi Outpatient Center

STEVEN HANKINS, MD, MPH, MTS
Inpatient Clinical Faculty

Pali Momi Medical Center

CAMLYN MASUDA, PHARMD
Clinical Pharmacy Lead

Pali Momi Outpatient Center

TERESA SCHIFF, MD
Medical Director of Hawaiʻi HOME Project

Pali Momi Outpatient Center, Office of Medical Education

LEE BUENCONSEJO-LUM, MD
Interim Dean of JABSOM

Pali Momi Outpatient Center

CHIEN-WEN TSENG, MD, MS, MPH
Director of Research

Residency: University of Washington Family Medicine Residency Program

DAMON LEE, MD
JABSOM Family Medicine Clerkship Director

Pali Momi Outpatient Center, Office of Medical Education

ASHLEY WOOD
Training Coordinator

Pali Momi Outpatient Center

Christin Ohme
Rotation Coordinator

Pali Momi Outpatient Center

DESIREE NAVARRO
Clinic Operations Manager

Hawaii Pacific Health | University Family Medicine at Pali Momi Medical Center

Program Details

Curriculum

Family Medicine Residency

PGY-1

Family Medicine Inpatient Service: 10 weeks

Medical Intensive Care Unit: 4 weeks

OB1 Labor & Delivery: 4 weeks

General Surgery: 4 weeks

Emergency Medicine (Wahiawa): 4 weeks

Newborn Nursery: 4 weeks

Family and Community Medicine: 2 weeks

Introduction to Behavioral Health: 2 weeks

Ambulatory Pediatrics: 4 weeks

Sports Medicine: 2 weeks

Surgical Subspecialties: 2 weeks

Ambulatory Medical Selective: 2 weeks

Night Float: 1 week

Elective: 2 weeks

Vacation: 3 weeks

PGY-2

Family Medicine Inpatient Service: 8 weeks

Night Float: 3 weeks

Family Medicine and Behavioral Health: 4 weeks

Pediatrics Wards: 4 weeks

Pediatrics Emergency Medicine: 4 weeks

Geriatrics: 4 weeks

Veterans Health: 4 weeks

Outpatient Gynecology: 4 weeks

Obstetrics 2 Family Planning: 4 weeks

Inpatient Cardiology: 2 weeks

Ambulatory Medical Selective: 2 weeks

Elective: 6 weeks

Vacation: 3 weeks

PGY-3

Family Medicine Inpatient Service: 6 weeks

Night Float: 4 weeks

Family and Community Medicine: 4 weeks

Pali Momi Emergency Medicine: 4 weeks

Behavioral Health and Addiction Medicine: 4 weeks

Selective – Rural and Public Health (Kauaʻi or Oʻahu): 4 weeks

Community and Developmental Pediatrics: 4 weeks

Sports Medicine and Orthopedics: 4 weeks

Outpatient Cardiology: 2 weeks

Palliative Medicine: 2 weeks

Elective: 11 weeks

Vacation: 3 weeks

Conferences
Weekly didactics are held on Wednesday afternoons and serve as protected time for resident learning. These conferences cover a 24 month curriculum and use a variety of formats to promote engagement and active learning including interactive lectures, small group breakouts, skills-based workshops, and POCUS practice.

Rotation Sites

Schedule

Kapiolani
Queen Kapiolani founded the Kapiolani Maternity Home in 1890 to improve maternal and child health in Hawaii, a mission that has evolved into the Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children (KMCWC), a leading provider of exceptional care for Hawaii’s families for over 130 years. Located in Honolulu, KMCWC hosts Family Medicine residents’ obstetrics and gynecology rotations, where they deliver obstetric continuity patients and provide newborn nursery care. It also supports inpatient and community pediatric rotations as well as the pediatric emergency medicine rotation. Family medicine residents work alongside OB/GYN and pediatric residents, enhancing the learning environment through interdisciplinary collaboration and comprehensive care training.

Pali Momi Outpatient Center
University Family Medicine at Pali Momi located in ʻAiea, HI is the continuity clinic for our residents and serves as one of the foundations for service learning in our program. We provide comprehensive care to a demographically diverse and medically complex patient population using a team-based approach with integrated behavioral health, clinical pharmacy, and a community outreach worker on site. As residents progress in training, their time in clinic and continuity panel will correspondingly increase. For more information about our clinic, please see the following website: University Family Medicine at Pali Momi

Pali Momi Medical Center
Pali Momi Medical Center, also located in ʻAiea, is the primary hospital site where our residents train and serves as the other main foundation of our residency program. We are the only residency program based at this hospital and maintain our own Family Medicine Inpatient Service staffed by our residents and faculty. Pali Momi serves as a healthcare leader for Central and West Oahu and is recognized annually for outstanding quality and patient experience. For more information, please see the following website: Pali Momi Medical Center – About Us

Queen’s Punchbowl
Founded in 1859 by Queen Emma and King Kamehameha IV to address health care needs during epidemics, The Queen’s Hospital has evolved into The Queen’s Health System, now a leading provider of comprehensive health care services in Hawai‘i and the Pacific Basin. Located in the heart of Honolulu, the Punchbowl location hosts Family Medicine residents for their Medical ICU rotations, where they work alongside Internal Medicine residents under the guidance of skilled critical care attending physicians. Additionally, Family Medicine residents collaborate with OB/GYN residents and attending physicians during their gynecology rotation, fostering a well-rounded educational environment.

Queen’s Wahiawa
Wahiawa General Hospital (WGH), a nonprofit opened in 1957, serves over 150,000 residents in Wahiawā, Central O‘ahu, and the North Shore. Now The Queen’s Medical Center – Wahiawa, it was the original site of the Family Medicine Residency Program from 1994 to 2020. It currently hosts the Adult Emergency Medicine rotation, where family medicine residents work with emergency medicine attending physicians to address the urgent needs of the surrounding rural communities.

Applying to our Program

How to Apply

Candidates for residency may apply through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS)

Applications are reviewed holistically by faculty and the program director with attention to applicants’ life experiences, attributes, clinical competency, and academic metrics. As a program, we value applicants who demonstrate strong teamwork and communication skills, a commitment to serving our population in Hawaiʻi and/or the Pacific, resiliency, and an enthusiastic approach to feedback and lifelong learning.

How to Apply

Completed ERAS application by November 1

Official transcripts demonstrating passing scores for:
- USMLE Steps 1 and 2 and/or
- COMLEX Level 1 and 2

At least three Letters of Recommendation with at least one from a family physician.

Graduated from medical school in 2020 or later.

Personal Statement illustrating:
- Who you are
- Why Family Medicine
- Why the University of Hawai’i Family Medicine Residency Program

Additional requirements:

Must be fluent in English (both oral and written)

Matched applicants who do not have a social security number will need to arrive in Hawaii 30 days prior to the start date

International Medical School graduates will be required to be ECFMG certified

J1 VISA sponsorship is the only visa sponsorship available

Interview Info

Interviews will be offered through ERAS email on a rolling basis

All interview sessions will be conducted virtually on one (1) day via ZOOM

A typical interview day includes:
- Interview Registration
- Morning Report
- Orientation with the Program Director
- Interviews with 2 Faculty, 2 Residents, and the Program Director
- Orientation with the Program Administrator

Hawaii Residency Programs, Inc. provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. If you need accommodations at any time, please contact HRP Human Resources at 808-586-2891.

information on drug testing requirements

Visiting Students

Prospective Applicants and Students
Learn more about us and help us get to know you by joining us for a Sub-I rotation experience! We accept visiting students throughout the year for a 2-4 week inpatient and outpatient experience where you will have the opportunity to contribute to our team. For more information or to apply, please contact Lira Quitevis at liraq@hawaii.edu.

Residents

Class of 2027

Sathwik Booreddy, MD
Home Town: Foster City, CA
Medical School: Saint Louis University School of Medicine

Carter Buuck, MD
Home Town: Hillsboro, OR
Medical School: Oregon Health and Science University School of Medicine

Melissa Gozun, MD
Home Town: Mililani, HI
Medical School: University of Hawai’i John A. Burns School of Medicine

Akiko Kawai, MD
Home Town: Okinawa, Japan
Medical School: Nagoya University School of Medicine

Nataliya Panova, MD
Home Town: Siberia, Russia
Medical School: University of Hawai’i John A. Burns School of Medicine

Peter Tamura, MD
Home Town: California
Medical School: Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine

Maria Weisgerber, DO Home Town: Cincinnati, OH
Medical School: Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine

Class of 2026

Samuel Andrade, MD
Home Town: Ko’olaupoko, O’ahu
Medical School: University of Hawai’i John A. Burns School of Medicine

Alyssandra Baniqued, MD
Home Town: Waipahu, HI
Medical School: University of Hawai’i John A. Burns School of Medicine

Eun Ah Cho, DO
Home Town: Oahu, HI
Medical School: A.T. Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona (SOMA)

Kyle DeBoy, DO
Home Town: Salamanca, NY
School: Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine

Jaimie Fong, DO
Home Town: Honolulu, HI
School: Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine

Francisco Sapigao, MD
Home Town: Waipahu, HI
School: University of Hawai’i John A. Burns School of Medicine

Marguerite Susich, MD
Home Town: Berkeley, California
Medical School: Oregon Health and Science University School of Medicine

Class of 2025

Julie Lee, DO
Home Town: South Korea
Medical School: Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine

Agnes Serranilla-Sonido, MD
Home Town: Philippines
Medical School: University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Medicine and Surgery

David Siemann, DO
Home Town: Kaneohe, HI
Medical School: Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine

Christopher Paul McDonald Carbullido, DO
Home Town: Guam
Medical School: Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine

Anthony Kwon, MD
Home Town: Kaneohe, HI
Medical School: John A. Burns School of Medicine

Karolyn Lam, DO
Home Town: Mililani, HI
Medical School: A.T. Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona

Larissa Wong, DO
Home Town: Born in Malaysia, raised in San Diego, CA
Medical School: Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine, California