Aspirus Wausau Residents
First Year
L to R: Daniel Obermiller, MD; Natasha Neumann, MD; Filagot Eshete, MD; McKinley EspindaBanick, DO; Rishabh Sharma, MD
Filagot Eshete, MD
Medical School: Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Undergraduate: Loyola University - Chicago
Medical Interests:
Rural medicine
Community Medicine
Osteopathic Manipulation Treatment (OMT)
Women’s health & contraceptive care
Pediatrics
Outpatient procedures
Personal Interests/Hobbies: Gardening, Cooking/baking, Fishing, Reading, Hiking, biking, kayaking
Other Medical Experience:
Lab tech assistant/phlebotomy experience
Rehabilitation aide at a physical therapy clinic
Why did you choose the Wausau program?
Interested in practicing in the Northwoods of Wisconsin/close to home
Unopposed – lots of opportunities for learning & gaining experiences
Strong osteopathic manipulation treatment (OMT) training with the Wisconsin Statewide Osteopathic Collaboration
Supportive program including the staff, residents, & community
Natasha Neumann, MD
Medical School: Medical College of Wisconsin-Central Wisconsin - Wausau
Undergraduate: UW Madison
Medical Interests:
Rural medicine
Dermatology
Procedural medicine
Addiction medicine
Personal Interests/Hobbies: Hiking, Waterfalls, Fishing, Time with family & friends, Reading (mystery & fantasy)
Other Medical Experience:
Pharmacy tech
Madison Emergency Physicians Scribe
LENA Start Early Language Development Research
Why did you choose the Wausau program?
Location near family & friends since I grew up in the Wausau area & attended MCW-Central Wisconsin
Very knowledgeable & kind instructors & staff
Unopposed program with diverse patient populations
Daniel Obermiller, MD
Medical School: Medical school: Jimma University College of Public Health & Medical Sciences - Ethiopia
Medical Interests:
Inpatient/hospital medicine
Sports medicine
Procedures
Personal Interests/Hobbies: Hiking, Road tripping, Bicycling
Other Medical Experience:
Trained in general surgery & practical procedures
Practiced in post acute/long term care
Experience with rural/refugee care setting
Publications
Why did you choose the Wausau program?
Unopposed program with exposure for prime inpatient cases & procedures
Deep academic/program roots established in 1978, training of 200 family medicine physicians
Wide catchment area with variety of cases & patient flow
McKinley EspindaBanick, DO
Medical School: University of Medicine & Health Sciences – St. Kitts
Undergraduate: Grand View University – Des Moines
Medical Interests:
Acute cases
Procedures
Pre-hospital medicine
Emergency medicine
Continuity of care post-discharge
Medical education
Ultrasound
Hyperbaric & undersea medicine
Personal Interests/Hobbies: SCUBA, Vikings football, Golf, Legos, Deer hunting, Working on cars, Water skiing, Baseball
Why did you choose the Wausau program?
Hands on experience with medical care from admission to the ER through continuity of care after discharge was what initially brought me to Wausau. The leadership, procedure based practice, and support system was what sealed the deal for me.
Rishabh Sharma, MD
Medical School: Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science
Undergraduate: UW Madison
Medical Interests:
Mental & behavioral health
Outpatient medicine
Outpatient procedures
Personal Interests/Hobbies: Long distance running, Reading, Cooking, Watching movies, Video games
Other Medical Experience:
Health unit coordinator
Research on Ebola drug development
Why did you choose the Wausau program?
Grew up in Central Wisconsin & wanted to return & serve the community
Unopposed/rural program that serves a large area
Have family nearby for support
Jason Welles, MD
Medical School: Albany Medical College – New York
Undergraduate: Biola University – La Mirada, CA
Medical Interests: Neurology (especially stroke), Geriatrics, Rural medicine
Personal Interests/Hobbies: Singing (classically trained vocalist), Trivia, Classic movies, Art (pencil drawings), Theatre, Enjoying restaurants with friends
Other Medical Experience:
Training in Emergency Medicine
Conference Presentation 2011: Synthesis, Characterization and Biological Screening of Apolipoprotein-E(apoE) Modulators based upon a Triaryl-substituted Pharmacophore
ER scribe
Why did you choose the Wausau program?
I felt very comfortable with the people, the area of Wausau.
I am looking to serve a rural community and Wausau seemed like a great place to train.
I really like that the program is small but serves a large area of Central Wisconsin. I hope to be an effective, valuable member of the team.
Second Year
L to R: Jason Welles, MD (PGY1); Yia Vang, MD; Elijah Szymanski, MD; Alayna Johnson, MD; Ian Jasso, DO
Ian Jasso, DO
Medical School: Kansas City University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Undergraduate: UW Madison
Medical Interests: Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT), Rural medicine, Procedural medicine
Personal Interests/Hobbies: Cross country skiing, Fishing, deer hunting, waterfowl hunting, Time with wife and toddler son
Other Medical Experience:
CNA
Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative Scholar
Public health research experience
Why did you choose the Wausau program?
Strong procedural experiences
Unopposed program
Wisconsin Statewide Osteopathic Collaborative
Alayna Johnson, MD
Medical School: Ross University School of Medicine
Undergraduate: UW Madison
Medical Interests: Full spectrum family medicine, Women’s health & contraceptive care, LGBTQ+ health, Outpatient procedures
Personal Interests/Hobbies: Cooking (especially Italian food), Watching football & managing a Fantasy Football Team, Traveling, Kayaking, Spending time with family & friends
Other Medical Experience:
Healthcare unit coordinator
Perioperative assistant
Why did you choose the Wausau program?
I grew up in a small town outside of Wausau and enjoy the area and community of people.
The program is unopposed and provides a lot of opportunities in learning.
The program is very supportive and the staff members are welcoming and ready to teach.
Elijah Szymanski, MD
Medical School: Medical College of Wisconsin, Central Wisconsin
Undergraduate: St Mary’s University – Winona, MN
Medical Interests: Emergency medicine, Sports medicine, Rural medicine, Procedural medicine
Personal Interests/Hobbies: Fishing, hunting, all things outdoors, Adult soccer leagues, Making expresso drinks, Family time
Other Medical Experience:
Tenant care assistant at an assisted living facility
Student Project Showcase: Assessing the Use of ERs for Ambulatory Sensitive Conditions by Patients Without Insurance in Weston, WI
Article Dec 2024: Acute Responses of Low-Load Resistance Exercise with Blood Flow Restriction
Article May 2024: Examining Changes in Shoulder Strength, Lower Body Power, and Body Composition among Collegiate Baseball Players after Completion of a Summer Baseball League Season
Why did you choose the Wausau program?
After spending the last three years in Wausau for medical school, my wife and I found ourselves not wanting to leave the area that had come to feel like home. That, combined with my first-hand witness of the kind and hard-working people in the program, made Wausau the obvious choice!
Yia Vang, MD
Medical School: Ross University School of Medicine - Barbados
Undergraduate: UW Oshkosh
Medical Interests: Outpatient medicine, Rural medicine, Sports medicine, Procedural medicine
Personal Interests/Hobbies: Camping, Hunting/fishing, Documentaries
Other Medical Experience:
Medical scribe
Why did you choose the Wausau program?
Friendly atmosphere with supportive faculty and staff
Diverse patient population with a large Hmong population
Close proximity to family
Unopposed residency program
Third Year
Gerald Weiss, MD
Theodore Zamzow, DO
Medical School: Kansas City University Osteopathic College of Osteopathic Medicine
Undergraduate: UW Madison
Medical Interests: Addiction medicine, LGBTQ health, Outpatient procedures, Rural Medicine
Personal Interests/Hobbies: Board games and video games, Cooking, Running and hiking, Geocaching, Movies
Other Medical Experience:
EMT
Research on motion sickness
Why did you choose the Wausau program?
Met great people while rotating here as a medical student
Grew up in Wisconsin and wanted to do my residency here
Lots of opportunities at program to learn a variety of things that I can utilize in my future practice
L to R: Katy Lillard, DO; Dana Warwick, MD; Noah Langteau, DO; Theodore Zamzow, DO; Gerald Weiss, MD
Sara Johnson, MD
Medical School: Medical College of Wisconsin – Central Wisconsin
Undergraduate: UW Platteville
Medical Interests: Rural medicine, Community medicine, Outpatient procedures
Personal Interests/Hobbies: Time with family, especially her husband & two children, Family farm with cattle & horses, Hunting in the woods with the family hounds, Time at the lake around a bonfire with good music
Other Medical Experience:
CNA
Medical Scribe
Diet/Metabolism research
Why did you choose the Wausau program?
I am from a small, rural town in Northern Wisconsin. Much like the small community in Wisconsin, this program provides a familiar, friendly, and supportive environment.
I enjoy being able to connect with patients & provide care to those in the communities that have supported me throughout my life.
Medical School: Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine – Lynchburg, VA
Undergraduate: Liberty University – Lynchburg, VA
Medical Interests: Rural medicine, Osteopathic Manipulation Treatment (OMT), Procedural medicine, Full spectrum family medicine
Personal Interests/Hobbies: Hiking, Church activities, Hunting, Reading
Other Medical Experience:
Currently Air Force Reserves and will be on active duty after residency
Previous research on teratogenicity of vaping
Why did you choose the Wausau program?
Close to home in the UP, amazing instructors & staff, friendly patients, and beautiful central Wisconsin location. What could be better!
Noah Langteau, DO
Medical School: University of Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine – San Antonio, TX
Undergraduate: Truman State University – Kirksville, MO
Medical Interests: Addiction Medicine, Mental and behavioral health, Outpatient medicine, Rural medicine
Personal Interests/Hobbies: Reading, Spending time with my friends, family, and significant other, Playing board games and doing jigsaw puzzles, Watching movies, Taking care of my houseplants, Spending time outside in the sun, Cooking with my partner
Other Medical Experience:
EMT Training
Why did you choose the Wausau program?
Close knit community focused program with unique learning opportunities
Unopposed program with support from faculty and senior residents
I love the small town feel of Wausau with lots of local businesses and beautiful outdoor spaces
Excited to be back in the Midwest!
Katy Lillard, DO
Dana Warwick, MD
Medical School: UW School of Medicine & Public Health – Madison, WI
Undergraduate: UW Madison
Medical Interests: Hospital/clinic general medicine, Pediatrics, OB, ER/Urgent Care, Sports medicine, EGD and Colonoscopy
Personal Interests/Hobbies: Faith, Family, Football, Pole vault, Rubik cubes
Other Medical Experience:
Translational research in pediatric hematology/oncology: Targeted Radionuclide Therapy and Immunotherapy
Volunteer at Wausau Free Clinic
Why did you choose the Wausau program?
Great people, great opportunity for learning
Nice area to live, good situation for family
Medical School: Medical College of Wisconsin, Central Wisconsin
Undergraduate: UW Eau Claire
Medical Interests: Rural medicine, Preventative care, Full spectrum family medicine, Care for individuals with intellectual disabilities
Personal Interests/Hobbies: Running, biking, swimming, Skiing (downhill and water), Playing piano and singing, Reading fiction
Other Medical Experience:
EMT, CNA, Medical scribe
Why did you choose the Wausau program?
I’m from a small town in Northwest Wisconsin and I wanted to learn at a residency that would feel like home, I attended medical school in Wausau and love the area. The faculty and residents are also very friendly and welcoming.