Residents

PGY 5 

Brandon Fisher, M.D.

Medical School: University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences

Hometown: Fargo, N.D.

My hobbies include spending time with my wife and daughter, playing basketball, golfing, hanging out at the lake (family, fishing, water sports), Vikings football, and Timberwolves basketball. My favorite aspects of the program include the approachability of the attendings, case volume and clinical experience, the interest/enthusiasm everyone has to teach and learn, and my co-residents -- they are awesome!

 

Kelly McKnight, M.D.

Medical School: University of South Dakota, Sanford School of Medicine

Hometown: Sioux Falls, S.D.

In my free time I enjoy running, SDSU athletics, and baking. I love being outdoors and spending time with my husband and dogs. I love that our program is so friendly! Everyone is more than willing to let you get hands-on experience and they want to help you succeed. 

 

Tysen Timmer, M.D.

Medical School: University of Washington School of Medicine

Hometown: Great Falls, Mont.

In my free time I like hunting, fishing, and anything else outdoors. I also enjoy carpentry and most importantly spending time with my wife and kids. The program has exceptional opportunities for hands-on early operative experience, attendings who I truly enjoy working with, a reasonable work-life balance, and Fargo is a really great place to live and raise a family. 

PGY 4

Colin Murphy, M.D.

Medical School: Georgetown University School of Medicine

Hometown: Jacksonville, Fla.

My hobbies include: Steelers/Gators football, enjoying the outdoors (hiking, kayaking, snowboarding), and re-watching The Office on streaming with my girlfriend and our dogs. The best part of our program is the people; it is truly a family atmosphere with a great group of residents that are awesome to work with and incredible attendings that are eager to teach and get residents involved.

 

Rucker Staggers, M.D.

Medical School: University of Alabama School of Medicine

Hometown: Fairhope, Ala.

In my free time I enjoy outdoor activities with family and friends such as football, boating, hunting, mountain biking, and traveling. I love a good automotive project and can usually be found tinkering on my old Jeep. I chose UND because of the exceptional early operative experience of a community based program with a healthy work-life balance. I consider my co-residents to be close friends and the faculty are approachable and clearly have a passion for resident education.

 

Seth Wardyn, M.D.

Medical School: University of Nebraska College of Medicine

Hometown: Hastings, Neb.

I enjoy spending time with my wife, exercising, playing sports, hunting, camping, and hiking. I am also a Nebraska football fanatic. I think the program’s biggest strengths are the people we work with every day, early operating experience, and work-life balance. We are one-on-one with the attendings, who are invested and passionate about our learning. We are also hands-on in the operating room from day one. Dr. Piatt, our program director, is truly invested in our well-being and is our biggest proponent for a great work-life balance. 

PGY 3

Julia Matera, M.D.

Medical School: University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine

Hometown: Columbia, Mo.

When I'm not doing what I love in orthopedics, I enjoy hiking, traveling, gardening, playing volleyball, kayaking, baking, and fixing up all kinds of projects. I generally prefer to be outside or doing something hands-on and creative. I chose UND because of the genuinely welcoming and friendly people throughout the program who truly want to see you succeed. We work closely with attendings that are passionate about what they do and our education. My co-residents are also a great support network and good friends I know I can rely on. This program offers excellent opportunity for cases (with variety) while still taking into consideration individual needs and well-being.

 

Jillian Schommer, M.D.

Medical School: University of Minnesota Medical School

Hometown: Green Bay, Wisc.

In my free time, I love running, mountain biking, rock climbing, skiing, camping, or pretty much anything that gets me outside. Bonus points if I get to do any of those things with my two favorite adventure buddies: my husband and my dog. I chose UND because the residents, attendings, and staff that I met here were some of the most genuine and welcoming people I’ve met in the field of orthopedics. I knew this program would support me as an individual and always prioritize my education. I wanted a program that would feel like a family who care about one another’s success in life and I have that here!

 

Trenton Sprenkle, D.O.

Medical School: Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine

Hometown: Billings, Mont.

My family and I spend our free time outdoors; fishing, hunting, camping, and hiking. We also love NDSU sports. I chose UND because of the people, location, and priority towards resident education. The attendings, residents, and residency staff are extremely approachable and down-to-earth good people. With a Level 1 Trauma Center, Fargo offers enough volume to get a heavy case load in each rotation while maintain a small town feel for everyday life. The mentorship model offers one-on-one training with attendings who prioritize early hands-on experience and a broad understanding of orthopedic surgery and patient care.

PGY 2

Travis Flick, M.D.

Medical School: University of North Dakota School Of Medicine & Health Sciences

Home Town:  Bowden, N.D.

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

 

Edward Rand Floyd, M.D.

Medical School: Georgetown University School of Medicine

Home Town: Augusta, Ga.

I’m from Augusta, and went to the University of the South (Sewanee, Tenn.) for college, before attending Georgetown University, to complete my master’s degree and medical education. I enjoy the outdoors, running, camping, skiing, as well as fencing. I read a lot of history and play the piano. The program at UND lets residents benefit from the high-volume surgical experience of a major regional trauma center while retaining an academic character as well. I plan on research being an important part of my education and career,  and am confident I have the resources here to pursue that goal.

 

Vanessa Richardson, M.D.

Medical School: University of Washington School of Medicine

Home Town:  Billings, Mont.

My hobbies include spending time with my two daughters and husband, hiking, camping, running, baking, and almost any activity that gets me outdoors. The program is inviting and vibrant with a culture of support and ingenuity.

PGY 1

Kevin Feltz, M.D.

Medical School: University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine

Home Town: Chesterfield, Mo.

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. 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.

 

Luke Hurley, M.D.

Medical School: University of South Dakota School of Medicine

Home Town: Canton, S.D.

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. 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.

 

Mikayla Montgomery, M.D.

Medical School: University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences

Home Town: West Fargo, N.D.

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.

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!