GrandRapidsMedicalEducation

John E. vanSchagen, MD
Program Director

Faculty Member Since: 1994
Medical School: Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
Residency: US Naval Hospital (Jacksonville, FL)
Curricular Coordinator: Orthopedics, Surgery, Emergency Medicine
Areas of Medical Interest: Sports Medicine, Orthopedics, Pre-Doctoral Education
Hobbies / Interests: Golf, Downhill Skiing, Boating
Interesting Tidbits: My wife is also a family practitioner.
Unique Feature of GRFMR: Our program turns out a high number of physician leaders and educators.
Aspects of Teaching I enjoy: Small group discussions, seeing my residents grow into confident clinicians.

Steven R. Ashmead, MD
Associate Program Director

Faculty Member Since: 1987
Medical School: Baylor University
Residency: Southwest Michigan Area Health Education Center (Kalamazoo, MI)
Curricular Coordinator: Ambulatory Care
Areas of Medical Interest: Geriatrics, Depression, Anxiety, Mind-Body Medicine, Spirituality and Medicine
Hobbies / Interests: Gardening, Cross-Country Skiing, Reading
Interesting Tidbits: Born in California, Grew up in Texas, Lived in Michigan longer than anywhere - Love the Snow
Unique Feature of GRFPR: Collegial relationship with family medicine and specialty faculty.
Aspects of Teaching I Enjoy: Participating in the process of professional and personal development of faculty, students, and residents.

Bill Ahrens, MD

Core Faculty

Faculty Member Since: 2008
Medical School: Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
Residency: Grand Rapids Family Practice Residency
Curricular Areas: Pediatrics, Behavioral Science
Areas of Medical Interest: Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Preventative Medicine, Geriatrics
Hobbies / Interests: movies, reading, travel, playing softball, following major league baseball
Unique Feature of GRFPR: The residency is part of a city-wide program primarily based at St, Mary's Hospital, but also includes excellent pediatric experiences at DeVos Children's Hospital; West Michigan is a great place to live and raise a family!
Aspects of Teaching I Enjoy: The newly re-designed Family Medicine Service allows the faculty to work closely with the residents and medical students in an inpatient setting and provide high quality, cost effective care.

Mark Armstrong, DO

Core Faculty

Faculty Member Since: 2011
Medical School: Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Internship & Residency: Metropolitan Hospital, MSU COM
Curricular Coordinator: Rural Medicine
Areas of Medical Interest: Medical Education and administration, ADHD, HTN and hyperlipidemia and mood disorders.
Hobbies / Interests: backpacking and hiking, skiing, travel, gardening and reading
Aspects of Teaching I Enjoy: I enjoy medical education specifically precepting where teaching is done one-on-one. I enjoy discussions on medical topics and sharing my knowledge with medical students and residents. I had many excellent teachers over my lifetime in medicine and want to pass that knowledge on.

Maha Ayashi, MD
Core Faculty

Faculty Member Since: 2007

Medical School: Apeppo University, Syria
Residency: York Hospital, Pennsylvania
Curricular Areas: Women's Health Curriculum
Areas of Medical Interest: Obstetrics, women's health and procedures and pediatrics
Hobbies / Interests: Crochet, Knitting, Cooking and Family
Interesting Tidbits: Completed OB/Gyn residency in Syria with over 2000 deliveries, 200 C-Sections performed!
Unique Feature of GRFPR: Wide base medicine with flexibility in venues of growth. Friendly family oriented environment.
Aspects of Teaching I Enjoy: Being a part of the growth of young physicians.

Michael Bishop, MD
Core Faculty

Faculty Member Since: 2006
Medical School: Indiana University School of Medicine
Residency: Ball Memorial Family Medicine, Muncie, Indiana
Curricular coordinator: Practice Management, Surgery, ER
Areas of Medical Interest: Women's Health & Obstetrics, Asthma management, Resident education
Hobbies/Interests: Triathlons, Marathons, my two dogs Duke and Molly and my son Jack.
Interesting Tidbits: Born in New Jersey, grew up a Hoosier, recent transplant to Michigan and loving it. My wife is also a physician.
Aspects of Teaching I Enjoy: Every day, I participate in the education of my patients. Working with residents and medical students presents a constant challenge. Their enthusiasm for learning keeps me on my toes and on top of the latest treatments.

John A. Cavacece, DO
Core Faculty

Faculty Member Since: 1996
Medical School: Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency: USAF - Carswell AFB (Fort Worth, TX)
Faculty Roles: FMS inpatient rounding, standards of care committee, morning "openers" group discussion leader
Curricular Area: Behavioral Science, Cardiology, Relationship Centered Care
Areas of Medical Interest: Health Care Policy, advocating universal health insurance, as well as the full spectrum of Family Medicine and Obstetrics.
Hobbies / Interests: Reading, movies, travel, music.
Interesting Tidbits: Cared for Kurdish and Haitian refugees while in the air force and enjoy mission trips to Haiti through church. I am also a member of "Physicians for National Health Plan".
Unique Feature of GRFPR: We care about promoting the full scope of Family Medicine.
Aspects of Teaching I enjoy: Helping residents recognize their strengths and connecting them to the humanity in their work.

Mario Cesario, MD, PhD 
Core Faculty

Faculty Member Since: July, 2012
Medical School: Northwestern Medical School
Residency: St. Anthony Family Medicine Residency
Curricular Area: Adult Medicine Conference Curriculum; Community Medicine Rotation
Areas of Medical Interest: Health Promotion, Preventive Care, and Screening; Point-of-Care Evidence-Based Medical Resources; Patient Education; Immunizations
Hobbies / Interests: Spending time with my wife and three children; Playing Softball; Nature Hikes; being an amateur Pizza Chef; watching Sporting events.
Interesting Tidbits: This is my second stint in Family Medicine residency education.  Early in my career, I was a faculty member at St. Anthony Family Medicine Residency Program in Denver, CO ; I have enjoyed rejoining the ranks of family medicine educators after an 8-year foray into private practice. I also have a prior background in basic science research, having earned a PhD in Cell Biology in 1996.
Unique Feature of GRFPR: A unique advantage of this program is its structure and its location in Grand Rapids.  As a part of Grand Rapids Medical Education Partners, a partnership of multiple health care and educational entities in town, we have the benefit of being able to provide a diverse range of educational opportunities to our residents, in the very exciting medical education atmosphere that exists here in Grand Rapids.  I also love the diversity and the breadth of life experiences evident in our residents. 
Aspects of Teaching I enjoy: I enjoy taking advantage of the "small moments" to teach, whether it be on the hospital floors, precepting in the outpatient clinic, or during a 2 AM admission.

Jeff Chamberlain, MD
Core Faculty

Medical School: Southern Illinois Medical School
Residency: Grand Rapids Medical Education & Research Center

Ron Duemler, MD
Core Faculty

Faculty Member Since: 1988
Medical School: Rush Medical College
Masters: University of Michigan - Clinical Research Design and Biostatistics
Residency: Grand Rapids Family Practice Residency
Fellowship: Michigan State University - Geriatrics
Curricular Coordinator: Geriatrics
Areas of Medical Interest: Geriatrics, End of Life/Palliative Care, Medical Administration/Direction, Long-Term Care
Hobbies / Interests: Hiking, Gardening, Fishing
Interesting Tidbits: History major in college. Four kids and two dogs (sort of dogs - Basenjis - they actually act like cats trapped in dogs' bodies.
Unique Feature of GRFPR: Faculty is accessible and curriculum is negotiably flexible.

Shannon English, MD
Core Faculty

Faculty Member Since: 2005
Medical School: State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse NY
Residency: Williamsport Hospital Family Practice Residency Program, Williamsport, PA
Fellowship: SUN Health/St Joseph's Geriatric Fellowship Program, Sun City, AZ
Areas of Medical Interest: Frailty, Dementias, Palliative Medicine
Hobbies/Interests: Family, Playing the French horn, anything outdoors
Interesting tidbits: Originally from the "east" -- grew up in New York State

Aspects of Teaching I Enjoy: working through complex patients and problems

Current Clinical practice/activities: Nursing home, assisted living and independent living practice in local retirement communities; teaching family medicine residents and students

Thomas E. Hilts, D.O.
Core Faculty

Faculty Member Since: 2008
Medical School: Michigan State University - College of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency: GRFPR
Curricular Coordinator: Evidence-Based Medicine
Areas of Medical Interest: ADHD, Allergies, International Medicine/Wilderness Medicine, Neurology and Sleep Disorders.
Hobbies / Interests: Coaching Soccer, baseball; biking; reading; woodworking.
Interesting Tidbits: US Army Reserves stationed in Fairbanks, AK for 4 years. Married, 4 children, 1 golden retriever.
Unique Feature of GRFMR: GRFMR is unique in that it exists within an environment of over 100 extremely supportive family doctors who act as superb role models for the residents. Just as important are the many specialists of the sponsoring hospital who enjoy teaching and treat the FM residents as valued colleagues.
Aspects of Teaching I Enjoy: Mentoring. Precepting.

Angela Oostema, MD
Core Faculty

Faculty Member Since: 2011
Medical School: Wayne State University School of Medicine
Residency: University of Wisconsin Department of Family Medicine-Madison
Curricular Coordinator: Medical Director-Spectrum Health Family Medicine Residency Center, Community Preceptorship
Areas of Medical Interest: Electronic Medical Records, Practice Management, Pediatrics, Prenatal Care, Dermatology, Graduate Medical Education, Refugee Health Care
Hobbies / Interests: Recognizing and meeting the needs of others.  I enjoy cooking, baking, photography, gardening and watching movies of the comedy genre.  
Interesting Tidbits: Prior to medical school, I had a variety of jobs ranging from selling plants and driving a hi-lo to social work/foster care and waitressing.
Unique Feature of GRFMR: Our residency program offers a variety of opportunities for developing a superior Family Medicine skill set whether in patient care, education or research.  Additionally, our brand new Spectrum Health Family Medicine Residency Center is a wonderful facility providing a uniquely equipped environment for residency training with EMR, ultrasound, colposcopy and much more.  The Spectrum based clinic is located in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids along the Medical Mile adjacent to the MSU-CHM and across from the Spectrum hospitals and VanAndel Institute. 
Aspects of Teaching I enjoy: Identifying a learner's strengths and helping them to grow those gifts throughout training in Family Medicine.

Barbara Stanford, MD
Core Faculty

Faculty Member Since: 2002
Medical School: Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
Residency: Grand Rapids Family Practice Residency
Curricular Areas: Obstetrics, Women's Care, Health Disparities, Health Literacy.
Areas of Medical Interest: Women's Health, Pediatrics and Obstetrics; Community Health Care, Care of Underserved Patient Populations
Hobbies / Interests: Gardening, Cooking and Antiques.
Interesting Tidbits: I am a former high school science teacher and was in the Peace Corps in Kenya, 86-88.
Unique Feature of GRFPR: OB experience provides opportunities for more than 100 deliveries.
Aspects of Teaching that I enjoy: I enjoy the fresh perspectives and knowledge residents bring to my care of patients - I learn as much as I teach.

Cheryl Tamburello, MD
Core Faculty

Faculty Member Since: 1995
Medical School: Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
Residency: Grand Rapids Family Practice Residency
Curricular Areas: Gynecology, Internal Medicine, Procedures, Practice Management and Family Medicine Inpatient Service
Areas of Medical Interest: Procedures and International medicine
Hobbies / Interests: Medical Mission Work, Travel, Interior Decorating, Shopping in general
Interesting Tidbits: I am married to my high school sweetheart.  Our daughter is a NP Midwife and our son is a restaurant manager.
Unique Feature of GRFPR: We encourage and participate in International Mission trips with our residents.
Aspects of Teaching that I enjoy: Witnessing interns grow and develop into competent, caring Family Medicine Attendings.

Jean Thomas, MD
Core Faculty

Faculty Member Since: 1994
Medical School: University of Michigan
Residency: Grand Rapids Family Practice Residency
Curricular Areas: Dermatology, Substance Abuse
Areas of Medical Interest: Dermatology, Obstetrics
Hobbies / Interests: Reading, music, biking, most of all being with my family.
Unique Feature of GRFPR: Focus on relationships.
Aspects of Teaching I Enjoy: I enjoy when the residents move past just knowing facts and learn to apply theories in a patient focused way - the art of medicine.

Marc Travis, MD

Core Faculty

Faculty Member Since: 2008
Medical School: Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
Residency: Grand Rapids Family Practice Residency

Curricular Coordinator: Pediatrics, Behavioral Science
Areas of Medical Interest: Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Preventative Medicine, Geriatrics
Hobbies / Interests: movies, reading, travel, playing softball, following major league baseball

Unique Feature of GRFPR: The residency is part of a city-wide program primarily based at St. Mary's Hospital, but also includes excellent pediatric experiences at DeVos Children's Hospital; West Michigan is a great place to live and raise a family!
Aspects of Teaching I Enjoy: The newly re-designed Family Medicine Service allows the faculty to work closely with the residents and medical students in an impatient setting and provide the high quality, cost effective care.

Vic Wagner, PhD
Behavioral Science

Faculty Member Since: 1991
Medical School: Georgia State University
Residency: University of Rochester/Strong Memorial Hospital
Curricular Areas: Behavioral Science
Areas of Medical Interest: Chronic Pain, Doctor patient communicating, relationship centered care
Hobbies / Interests: Running/Music
Unique Feature of GRFPR: Very supportive atmosphere that helps residents develop themselves as people/professionals/physicians and integrate those qualities.
Aspects of Teaching I Enjoy: One on one video precepting with residents and co-teaching with Dr. Cavacece.