Current Residents

Home Town: Bowden, N.D.

About Travis: I enjoy spending my free time outdoors, whether golfing, hunting, fishing, or spending time with my dog. I also enjoy traveling and exploring downtown Fargo

Why I chose UND: I chose UND for the outstanding residents and faculty. Dr. Piatt is a great leader and as our program director, is very invested in our success. The program offers early operative experience and a high volume of cases. Additionally, the residents are very close and supportive of one another.

Home Town: Augusta, Ga.

About Rand:  I'm from Georgia, went to college in Tennessee, medical school in D.C., and then kept heading North. I love the outdoors, and the upper Midwest opened up a whole realm of winter activities I'd never imagined before. Tons to do up here—skiing, ice fishing, or just enjoying the snowfall. Summers are amazing here, and I've enjoyed hiking all along Lake Superior, camping in the badlands, and exploring the whole region between the Dakotas and Minnesota.

Why I Chose UND: Residents here get a high-volume surgical experience, and we have plenty of flexibility to take advantage of our numerous sites in North and South Dakota. I'm interested in spinal deformity surgery, and have gotten to work with great mentors and get a wide exposure to numerous academic and community surgeons.

Home Town:  Billings, Mont.

About Vanessa: My hobbies include spending time with my two daughters and husband, hiking, camping, running, baking, and almost any activity that gets me outdoors. 

Why I Chose UND: The program is inviting and vibrant with a culture of support and ingenuity.

Home Town: Chesterfield, Mo.

About Kevin: I grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, so I'm a Cardinals baseball and Blues hockey fan. I have a background in biomedical engineering and have been known to get passionate about new technologies. I like to spend my free time reading, watching movies, traveling when I can, and learning more about Fargo-Moorhead's best restaurants.

Why I Chose UND:The best part about our program is the people. I feel truly supported and encouraged to excel by everyone in the program. Attendings are approachable and enjoy teaching, the staff is friendly, and residents support each other.

Home Town: Canton, S.D.

About Luke: In my free time, I enjoy running, biking, and traveling to new places with my wife and family. I also enjoy listening to podcasts, watching Iowa Hawkeye football, and helping out on our family farm.

Why I Chose UND: The UND program has a wonderful sense of community. The attendings are supportive and invested in the residents’ education, and the residents are genuinely interested in one another’s success.

Home Town: West Fargo, N.D.

About Mikayla: I enjoy being active, including running, lifting weights, and playing basketball and volleyball. I grew up riding and showing horses and still love to ride. I also enjoy spending time with my husband, friends, and family at the lake, around a bonfire, playing games, and doing outdoor activities such as hiking and downhill skiing.

Why I Chose UND: My husband is a neurology resident here at UND as well! I love the program here due to the great hands-on experience and one-on-one training with multiple different attendings who are invested in our learning and willing to teach. The residents here are awesome and the program truly cares about you as a person and allows you to have a health work-life-balance. Plus, Fargo is a great city to live in!

Home Town: Fargo, N.D.

About Peter: I love to spend time outside biking, fishing, hunting, and hiking with my wife and family.

Why I Chose UND: I am very excited to train in North Dakota because I love the opportunity to serve the community I grew up in while receiving one of the best orthopaedic surgery training experiences. The program feels like a family, has invested attending physicians, and offers a well-rounded educational experience with early and ample operative experience. I really can’t imagine a better all-around place to be.

Home Town: Grand Rapids, Minn.

About Michael: I grew up in northern Minnesota before studying mechanical engineering and medicine at the University of Minnesota. My hobbies include spending time with my wife, hockey, music, enjoying the outdoors, and most importantly, working with my hands (building furniture, carpentry).

Why I Chose UND: I quickly fell in love with the UND program and its ability to provide excellent orthopaedic training in a supportive & healthy environment. The attendings and residents are adamantly invested in excellent patient care and the success of the program. The program offers an early hands-on operative experience, opportunities for research, and a healthy work-life balance. All in all, a terrific city!

Home Town: Fargo, N.D.

About Jordan: I enjoy spending time with my wife, our families, doing anything outdoors or exercise-related, hunting and fishing. I also like wrestling and coaching, which I try to do in my free time. I also like following Husker and NDSU football.

Why I Chose UND: I wanted to train at Sanford / UND because of the people, the location, and the emphasis on residents' learning. The residents are a close-knit group of friends, and they really care for the success of one another both in and out of the workplace. I also like working with the attendings in a mentorship model and I feel the program's leadership is a highlight of the program. 

Hometown: Columbus, Ga.

About Christy: I love outdoor activities like hiking, bouldering, and pickleball, cooking meals for friends, reading novels, and traveling. I am learning to play the ukulele and getting back into drawing and painting. Prior to medical school I was a middle and high school teacher, D1 rower, and professional soccer player.

Why I Chose UND: I wanted to train at UND because the people are incredibly warm, the program is very resident-centric, and I wanted the adventure of living in a totally new place.

Hometown: Elk River, Minn.

About Chase: I enjoy spending time with my fiance and two cats, running, playing video games, reading, playing hockey, and making new craft cocktails.

Why I Chose UND:  I wanted to train at UND due to the strong sense of community and strong Orthopaedic training. The residency program truly feels like a family, and residents are able to have early, hands-on operative experiences with attendings who truly care about resident success.

Hometown: Dickinson, N.D.

About Shiv: I enjoy spending time with my family, being outdoors with my dog, exercising, trying new recipes, and traveling. I have my pilot’s license and also like to read about aviation history.

Why I Chose UND:  I chose the program because of the one-on-one mentorship with faculty and the opportunities for early involvement in the operating room. The program encourages a healthy work-life balance, and the faculty and co-residents are very supportive of each other.

Hometown: Eden Prairie, Minn.

About Brody: I grew up in the Twin Cities and attended undergrad at the University of Notre Dame. My hobbies have always revolved around sports - hockey, lacrosse, and football - and more recently pickleball and disc golf. I love spending time with my wife and son, hiking, exploring new breweries, and playing board games.

Why I Chose UND:  I wanted to train at UND because of the cooperative and friendly environment between residents, attendings, and everybody involved in resident learning.

Hometown:Sioux Falls, S.D.

About Kyler: My hobbies include being active by working out and playing basketball, softball, and volleyball. I was a collegiate golfer at Ave Maria University in Florida and enjoy keeping up with my golf game. I am a huge Minnesota sports fan and hope to one day witness a Super Bowl win for my Vikings. I also enjoy traveling and learning about nutrition.

Why I Chose UND: I wanted to train at UND because of the outstanding and supportive culture of the program and the opportunity to learn from excellent attendings.

Hometown: Ormond Beach, Fla.

About Marlena: I enjoy outdoor activities, swimming, game nights, crafts, traveling, and cheesy puns. I am a former U.S. Open competitor, NCAA swimmer for the University of North Dakota, and swim team captain for the University of Arkansas. Through swimming, I developed a deep appreciation for movement and the impact of musculoskeletal injuries on daily life.

Why I Chose UND:  I knew I wanted to be at UND for the strong camaraderie among faculty and co-residents, the commitment to education, and early operative experience.