Internal Medicine Residents

James Hofmeister, DO
Internal Medicine

Dr. James Hofmeister is a dedicated physician who grew up in the bay area of California and pursued his undergraduate degree at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities campus. After completing his bachelor's degree in Neuroscience, he attended Pacific Northwest University for medical school, during which he spent most of his time split between Yakima and the Tri-Cities. Throughout his career, Dr. Hofmeister has been passionate about helping the underserved and expanding access to healthcare. He hopes to continue to provide dedicated high quality services in the Mount Vernon area for years to come. In his free time, he enjoys cooking, hiking, downhill skiing and running.

Ostin Ong, MD
Internal Medicine

Dr. Ostin Ong was born in California but spent most of his life in the Philippines where he became a registered nurse and later, a licensed physician. He completed both his medical degree and bachelors at the University of Santo Tomas. Being a doctor was his childhood dream, and he is the first in his family to be one. He has always been the curious type, trying out new things every now and then, may it be in academics or in leisure activities. He chose internal medicine because of his passion in solving complex problems, listening to patients’ stories and in patient education. Outside of medicine, he loves spending time with his friends and family, going out to malls, parks and coffee shops. His bucket list consists of traveling to places around the world, getting to know their culture, and moreover, trying out different cuisines. Meanwhile, he also loves to cook, workout and dance.

 

Joanne Palacios, MD
Internal Medicine

Dr. Joanne Palacios is a licensed physician and medical technologist from the Philippines who has recently moved to Washington. She completed medical education at the University of Santo Tomas. Dr. Palacios is passionate about serving the underserved, having witnessed firsthand the challenges they face in accessing quality healthcare. She values teamwork, resourcefulness and cultural sensitivity in healthcare delivery, and is committed to using her skills and knowledge to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those who need it most. Dr. Palacios looks forward to contributing to the health and well-being of the communities she serves. In her free time, she enjoys exploring new places, playing the guitar and piano, as well as playing both tennis and table tennis.

Ammar Rizvi, MD
Internal Medicine

Dr. Ammar Rizvi was born in Pakistan and moved to the United States with his family at the age of twelve. He completed his bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from the University of Washington, and medical degree from the University of Medicine and Health Sciences, St. Kitts. During his clinical years of medical school, Dr. Rizvi completed his rotations at various hospitals throughout the United States. He has lived most of his life in the state of Washington and is very excited to be back to serve the various communities here at home. Outside of work, Dr. Rizvi enjoys watching sports, cooking and loves spending quality time with his family.

Andriian Sereda, MD
Internal Medicine

Dr. Andriian Sereda was born and raised in Ukraine in the ancient town of Lviv. He attended the Junior Academy of Sciences in his hometown where he profoundly studied life sciences while still being in high school and this helped him develop a huge interest in medicine. Dr. Sereda then obtained his medical degree from Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University where he was actively involved in multiple research projects before moving to the U.S. and then spent some time working as a hospitalist scribe in Oregon. He says that he has always dreamed of a meaningful career in medicine and is very enthusiastic about continuing his education in the beautiful Skagit Valley. Andriian is fluent in English, Ukrainian and Russian and in his free time he enjoys playing guitar and drums, producing music, researching early medieval history, skiing and working out.

Asheesh Batra, DO
Internal Medicine

Dr. Asheesh Batra was born in Lakewood, California and grew up in the Southern California region. He graduated from the University of California San Diego with a bachelor’s degree in Microbiology and the University of Southern California with a master’s degree in Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine. He went to medical school at the Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine. His hobbies outside of medicine include reading history books about the 18-20th centuries, old school RPGs and discussing computer science and technology with his friends and family.

Nur Bruss, MD
Internal Medicine

Dr. Nur Bruss was born on the island of Cyprus and moved to the United States as a young child where he grew up in the Midwest, mostly in Colorado. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of California Irvine, after which he moved north to Portland, Oregon where he spent two years as a researcher at the Knight Cancer Institute. Through his research he realized that he had a passion for medicine that went farther than what he could accomplish in the lab alone, and wanted to pursue a career as a physician to bring his passion from the bench to the bedside. He completed his medical education at the Oregon Health and Science University and chose to pursue his training in internal medicine due to the complex nature of this medicine and his desire to help patients navigate some of the most difficult times of their lives. Outside of the hospital he enjoys spending time with family and friends, rock climbing, fly fishing, skiing and really anything that allows him be in the mountains. Having lived in the Pacific Northwest since 2017, he considers it home and is both excited and grateful for the opportunity to continue serving and learning with the residents of Skagit Valley.

Chorng-Yu (Elizabeth) Chao, DO
Internal Medicine

Dr. Chorng-Yu (Elizabeth) Chao was born in Taiwan and moved to the United States at the age of nine. She grew up in New Jersey, then moved to Southern California to attend University of California San Diego, where she graduated with a degree in Cell Biology/Biochemistry. She then worked in early drug discovery research for several years before studying medicine at Kansas City University. Dr. Chao chose internal medicine because she wanted to have a more personal connection with her patients and be able to help address all aspects of their health. In her free time, she enjoys the outdoors, hiking, kayaking, scuba diving, traveling, watching documentaries, learning about other cultures and cooking ethnic food.

Aziz Eshov, DO 
Internal Medicine

Dr. Aziz Eshov was born in Uzbekistan before moving to Lawrenceville, Georgia with his family. He completed his bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology from Emory University. After graduation, he joined a neuroscience lab at Yale School of Medicine to pursue his interest in the genetic component that causes ALS. After two years in research, he continued his passion for medicine and attended New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas. Through his studies, he became interested in internal medicine due to its holistic approach to the treatment of patients and looks forward to bringing his knowledge and care to the Skagit community. Aside from medicine, Dr. Eshov enjoys swimming, hiking and photography. However, his favorite activity includes spending free time with his family regardless of the setting.

Trevor Haverkamp, DO
Internal Medicine

Dr. Trevor Haverkamp is a Pacific Northwest native and was born and raised in Vancouver, Washington. He received his bachelor’s degree in Cellular and Molecular biology as well as Kinesiology at Western Washington University before pursuing his career in medicine at Pacific Northwest University – College of Osteopathic Medicine in Yakima. In his free time, he enjoys board games, video games, working out and hiking.

Meredith McDermott, DO
Internal Medicine

Dr. Meredith McDermott is a native Pacific Northwesterner who lived most of her life in Portland and Eugene, Oregon where she met her husband. She began her career in healthcare as a certified nursing assistant, and later she became a certified medical assistant. In 2015, she moved to Ellensburg, Washington with her family. At that time, she returned to school and obtained a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Biomedical Sciences from Central Washington University. She attended medical school at Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences in Yakima. Throughout her healthcare career, Dr. McDermott has consistently worked toward providing excellent patient care and fostering a team-focused environment. She hopes to continue to improve patient outcomes by providing evidence-based patient-centered care. She enjoys spending time with her husband and two children, who all love board games, cooking, camping, hiking and exploring the beautiful surrounding area.

Mansi Naria, MD
Internal Medicine

Dr. Mansi Nariawas born and raised in a small town in India. She earned her premedical and MD degrees from the American University of Barbados, School of Medicine. During her clinical years of medical school, she completed her rotations at various hospitals throughout the United States, which helped her develop a huge interest in internal medicine. She is extremely grateful to practice preventative medicine integrated with evidence-based medicine to provide holistic healthcare to her patients. Dr. Naria enjoys making perfume from scratch, as well as yoga, hiking, camping and exploring nature with family and friends. She is fluent in English, Hindi and Gujarati. She is very excited about joining Skagit Regional Health and helping serve the needs of the community while continuing to learn.  

Glen Mark Primero Sumagit, MD
Internal Medicine

Dr. Glen Sumagit was born in the Philippines, grew up in the Middle East and moved to Hawaii. He obtained his medical degree at Far Eastern University in the Philippines and is a licensed nurse and medical doctor in his home country. He was inspired to pursue a career in the medical field by his mother who was an oncology nurse. He is passionate about building good relationships with patients and providing a more personalized approach to their treatment. Outside of academics, Dr. Sumagit likes exploring new places, learning new sports, working out, playing the guitar and hanging out with friends.

Mufaddal Diwan, MD
Internal Medicine

Mufaddal Diwan, MD, was born in Houston, Texas and raised in Dubai. He earned his medical degree from Dow Medical College, where his passion for internal medicine was shaped by his experiences working in diverse healthcare settings. During his time at Ibn Sina Foundation in Houston, Dr. Diwan gained firsthand experience navigating the U.S. healthcare system, particularly in providing care for uninsured patients.

His commitment to patient-centered care is complemented by his love for technology, problem-solving and medical research. Dr. Diwan is excited to join the diverse community at Skagit Regional Health and looks forward to contributing to patient care in the Pacific Northwest. In his free time, he enjoys playing tennis, go karting and keeping up with the latest tech innovations.

Sharleen Michele Legaspi, MD
Internal Medicine

Sharleen Michele Legaspi, MD, was born and raised in the Philippines and recently immigrated to the United States to be with her husband and their son. She studied Biology at the University of the Philippines and earned her medical degree at the University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center.

Dr. Legaspi is excited to pursue her dream of becoming an Internal Medicine physician in the United States, honing her skills and broadening her knowledge through residency training at Skagit Regional Health. She is passionate about building trusting relationships with her patients, providing compassionate, empathic care, and promoting health education to empower her patients. She aims to make a positive impact on people’s lives through healthcare.

Outside of medicine, she enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, reading thriller and murder mystery books, watching movies, musicals and theater plays, and exploring new hobbies. She is also a self-proclaimed foodie who loves trying out new restaurants.

Alejandro Jude Medina, MD
Internal Medicine

Alejandro Jude Medina, MD, was born and raised in the culinary capital of the Philippines, where he developed his love for cooking and experimenting with different recipes. His medical journey has taken him to serve the inner cities of Chicaco and the underserved communities of Hawaii. What drew Dr. Medina to Internal Medicine was witnessing the long-term relationships his mentors built with patients, which were bonds founded on trust and years of dedicated care. He was inspired by the sense of belonging and community these physicians fostered, and he aims to cultivate the same lifelong connections in his own practice in the future.

In his free time, Dr. Medina enjoys cooking at home, watching movies and exploring new hiking spots. 

Harsh Parikh, MD
Internal Medicine

Harsh Parikh, MD, was born in India and immigrated to the United States with his family as a child. He grew up in Minnesota, pursuing undergraduate studies in Neuroscience, Cellular Biology and Mathematics. Through study abroad experiences in Mysore, India and Johannesburg, South Africa, he discovered a passion for clinical epidemiology and the power of grassroots community health involvement.

Dr. Parikh went on to earn a Master of Public Health, specializing in both Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics. He spent the following years as a clinical professor, teaching second-year medical students, residents, and attending clinical staff, while also serving as a director of clinical research, leading over 100 academic clinical research projects. It was during this time that Dr. Parikh realized the need to pursue his medical degree to serve as the keystone to tie together all his previous experiences and acquired skills. He went on to attend medical school at St. George’s University School of Medicine.

Dr. Parikh strives to become a Critical Care Physician (Intensivist), specializing in the care of critically ill patients and the management of complex clinical case. He is also committed to academic medicine and training the future generations of physicians.

Outside of medicine, Dr. Parikh enjoys spending time outdoors, playing recreational sports and working on puzzles, whether it be Legos or finding a new woodworking project.

Alhan Samimi, DO
Internal Medicine

Alhan Samimi, DO, grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah, where she developed a strong commitment to community engagement and service. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Utah, earning a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. She went on to attend medical school at Rocky Vista University in Southern Utah, where she also participated in a Long-Term Care Track that deepened her interest in geriatric medicine and the continuity of care for aging populations.

Throughout her medical training, Dr. Samimi has been deeply involved in advocacy work, with a strong desire to help shape a more equitable and accessible healthcare system. She is especially committed to serving underserved populations and hopes to continue making a meaningful impact in their care.

In her free time, Dr. Samimi enjoys skiing in the Wasatch mountains, practicing yoga and exploring hiking trails with her dog and husband.

Rishay Sharma, DO
Internal Medicine

Rishay Sharma, DO, is a lifelong Washington resident who grew up in the Tri-Cities. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Biology from Washington State University in Pullman and went on to attend Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences in Yakima, beginning his medical training during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was during this time that he committed to serving the Pacific Northwest communities that have played such an important role in his life.

Dr. Sharma’s experiences in various healthcare settings throughout Washington, along with his community volunteer work, reinforced his dedication to providing compassionate care. His goal is to ensure that each of his patients feel like they are truly cared for.

Outside of medicine, Dr. Sharma collects vinyl records and manga and enjoys playing video games competitively. He also hopes to resume his hobby of music production in the near future.

Praveena Thammireddy, MD
Internal Medicine

Praveena Thammireddy, MD, is a first-generation physician who grew up in a small village in South India, where limited healthcare access inspired her passion for medicine. She earned her medical degree from Saveetha Medical College in India and practiced in both urban and rural settings before moving to the United States.

Dr. Thammireddy has since completed clinical rotations at leading academic centers and various community clinics and worked at a health tech startup, where she gained hands-on experience in both inpatient and outpatient care. She has called the Pacific Northwest home for the past five years and is dedicated to serving its diverse communities.

With a strong interest in patient-centered care, evidence-based medicine and subspecialties like Gastroenterology and Cardiology, she is excited to continue her journey at Skagit Regional Health.

In her free time, she enjoys tending to her garden, growing vibrant flowers, fresh vegetables and lush houseplants like pothos and philodendrons. She also loves experimenting with Indian and Asian recipes, discovering new flavors in the kitchen and spending quality time with family while exploring the outdoors.