Our Residents
We built the house, they made it their home…
Max besser, do
•Med School: Western University of Health Sciences
•Undergrad: Point Loma Nazarene University
•Hometown: Solana Beach, CA
•If I wasn’t a doctor, I’d be: A carpenter/furniture maker
•Favorite Hobbies: Road cycling, prone paddleboarding, ocean swimming, triathlons.
•Favorite thing to do in San Diego: Brigantine taco Tuesday
•The best part of KPEM: Supportive faculty, great residents, 70F & sunny year round
Jemima degamo, md
•Med School: Albany Medical College
•Undergrad: UCSD
•Hometown: Rocklin, CA
•If I wasn’t a doctor, I’d be: A travel vlogger!
•Favorite Hobbies: Music festivals, getting dinner with friends, going on walks with my husband and puppy, Mabel :)
•Favorite thing to do in San Diego: catching the sunset at Gliderport! (honorable mention to eating anywhere on Convoy street)
•The best part of KPEM: my co-interns :)
Jake Gordon, MD
•Med School: California Northstate University
•Undergrad: UCLA
•Hometown: Manhattan Beach, CA
•If I wasn’t a doctor, I’d be: An FBI agent, teacher, or ski instructor
•Favorite Hobbies: Travel, skiing, hiking, beach volleyball, trivia
•Favorite thing to do in San Diego: Jumping in the ocean after work
•The best part of KPEM: My coresidents! I know everyone says it, but I really mean it. We clicked right away and I know we will always have each other's backs.
Claudia Guetta, MD
•Med School: Tufts University School of Medicine
•Undergrad: Tufts University
•Hometown: Westport, CT
•If I wasn’t a doctor, I’d be: A social worker, elementary school teacher, or restaurant owner.
•Favorite Hobbies: Hiking, yoga, pilates, biking ... anything that gets my body moving; eating cinnamon buns and Mac and cheese; stargazing; listening to live music :)
•Favorite thing to do in San Diego: Happy hour with my co-interns, a beach picnic during sunset, falling asleep outside in the sun (with lots of sunscreen on!)
•The best part of KPEM: My co-residents feel like family and always have my back, faculty are so devoted to our learning and exploring the boundaries of our comfort zones, and the resident wellness culture is genuine and protected at all costs.
Carine Rosenberg, do
•Med School: Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine
•Undergrad: University of Pittsburgh
•Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
•If I wasn’t a doctor, I’d be: A chef/restauranteur then eventually become a judge on Chopped.
•Favorite Hobbies: Cooking, group workout classes, trying new restaurants, watching Clippers basketball!
•Favorite thing to do in San Diego: Go to the farmers markets and try all the free samples (but not buy anything).
•The best part of KPEM: The support from my co-residents and the faculty. Every day I know that the program has my back and is eager for me to learn. To have 1:1 teaching is such a flex. Also, there is a lot of free food.
Madeline (Maddie) Watson, DO
•Med School: Western University
•Undergrad: UC Berkeley
•Hometown: San Jose, California
•If I wasn’t a doctor, I’d be: A coffee shop owner or zoologist.
•Favorite Hobbies: Hiking, running, baking, paddleboarding, petting dogs.
•Favorite thing to do in San Diego: Anything by the beach, trying new food/coffee shops.
•The best part of KPEM: The people!! The faculty are so incredibly supportive and kind. I am also surrounded by the best co-residents that make residency even better!!
Ashley Barley, MD
•Med School: John A. Burns School of Medicine
•Undergrad: University of Portland
•Hometown: Sunset Beach, Oahu
•If I wasn’t a doctor, I’d be: a video game streamer
•Favorite Hobbies: video games, going to breweries, wine night with the girls, cooking, shopping, going to raves, the pool, or the beach.
•Favorite thing to do in San Diego: Trying new Mexican or Italian food, or doing some retail therapy at fashion valley or UTC
•The best part of KPEM: I love the people and positive culture at KP. Their supportiveness and kindness is unmatched, especially in a field that can often be intense and brutal. It is truly a safe learning environment here. They’ve been so encouraging and I couldn’t be more grateful!
Domonique Patterson, MD, MPH
•Med School: UCSD
•Undergrad: UCLA
•Hometown: Los Angeles
•If I wasn’t a doctor, I’d be: An author 🤞 or a teacher. Or anything where I’d get to decorate my own office!
•Favorite Hobbies: Reading, snowboarding (still learning), happy hour, teaching my cats (Riot & Rampage) to go on walks
•Favorite thing to do in San Diego: An early morning hike when I can. Torrey Pines is my easy go-to.
•The best part of KPEM: First, my co-residents are incredible! The leadership and attendings are all extremely supportive and make and make the learning environment comfortable instead of scary, which means so much as a brand new intern. I’d choose Kaiser ten times over again!
Katherine An, DO
•Med School: California Health Sciences University
•Undergrad: University of California, Berkeley 🧸
•Hometown: Torrance, CA
•If I wasn’t a doctor, I’d be: I’d be: a professional traveler, a cafe owner or a teacher.
•Favorite Hobbies: Planning out my next vacation, going to the shooting range, and finding cute trinkets to add to my home!!
•Favorite thing to do in San Diego: Eating poke on the beach while watching the sunset :’)
•The best part of KPEM: The amazing support system we have here! I love the dedicated attention and support I get from my attendings - they’re always looking out for you and giving you a shot at every procedure. Also so blessed to have such incredible coresidents who I know I can count on day in and day out! 💓
Shelby Mills, DO
•Med School: Western University of Health Sciences
•Undergrad: Gonzaga University
•Hometown: Snohomish, WA
•If I wasn’t a doctor, I’d be: I’d pretend I was good enough to be a sponsored marathoner/triathlete.
•Favorite Hobbies: All things Type II fun – running, biking, trekking, hot yoga, and anything that gets me on or in the water.
•Favorite thing to do in San Diego: I am my very best self on boats, boating in the bay and the harbor with views of the city has made top-tier memories since starting residency here.
•The best part of KPEM: The people of course! You make fast friends with good people in our tight-knit program, and get paired with attendings who are eager to teach and walk through how they approach patient care. It’s a place where I am challenged but well-supported. KP immediately felt like home and I feel lucky to call it mine!
Madison Demmer, MD
•Med School: Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine
•Undergrad: Hardin-Simmons University
•Hometown: Fort Worth, TX
•If I wasn’t a doctor, I’d be: I’d be: Marine Biologist or Park Ranger.
•Favorite Hobbies: Hiking, skiing, paddleboarding, reading, and painting.
•Favorite thing to do in San Diego: Coffee on the beach on a morning off or taking my dog to happy hour!
•The best part of KPEM: The one on one teaching and healthy culture that allows us to focus on learning. Everyone is here for our learning purpose and is intentional on getting you involved in a good learning opportunity or procedure!
Lindsay Morrow, MD
•Med School: University of Arizona College of Medicine 🐻⬇️
•Undergrad: Arizona State University
•Hometown: Phoenix, AZ 🌵
•If I wasn’t a doctor, I’d be: A Marine Biologist🐬 or Ski Patrol🎿.
•Favorite Hobbies: Skiing, scuba diving, hiking, paddle boarding, surfing, mountain biking, and reading.
•Favorite thing to do in San Diego: Take my pup to dog beach, try new restaurants, & surf at sunset
•The best part of KPEM: The support from the faculty here is unmatched - they truly love to teach and want you to grow and succeed as a physician and person. I knew when I rotated here as a med student that KP EM would feel like family, and I couldn’t be happier to be here alongside the best co-residents ❤️
Angela Chen, MD
•Med School: California University of Science and Medicine
•Undergrad: Washington University in St. Louis
•Hometown: San Francisco
•If I wasn’t a doctor, I’d be: A fashion designer or local running shoe store owner.
•Favorite Hobbies: Running, traveling, afternoon naps, trying new restaurants.
•Favorite thing to do in San Diego: Running around Mission Bay.
•The best part of KPEM: The people!!!
Matalin Hegardt, DO
•Med School: Pacific Northwest University
•Undergrad: University of Washington
•Hometown: San Diego, CA
•If I wasn’t a doctor, I’d be: A chef. I love to cook and try out new recipes!
•Favorite Hobbies: Traveling, cooking, yoga, skiing, beach days/surfing, exploring with my Australian shepherd.
•Favorite thing to do in San Diego: Beach days with friends and seeing my family!
•The best part of KPEM: The people! Everyone is so kind, welcoming and encouraging!
April Huckleberry, MD
•Med School: University of Arizona College of Medicine - Tucson
•Undergrad: Northern Arizona University
•Hometown: Tucson, Arizona
•If I wasn’t a doctor, I’d be: A dog walker
•Favorite Hobbies: Cycling, volleyball, thrifting, cooking, a spicy cocktail with girlfriends
•Favorite thing to do in San Diego: Eat fish tacos, beach volleyball, anything outside!
•The best part of KPEM: I am feeling the love from faculty, it is clear that they care about us and want us to succeed. I have also enjoyed the variety of patients and procedures in the ED so far. Also, my 5 coresidents are all amazing!
German Lavenant Jr, MD
•Med School: Keck School of Medicine of USC
•Undergrad: UCLA
•Hometown: San Diego, CA
•If I wasn’t a doctor, I’d be: A sports podcaster or fitness/nutrition coach.
•Favorite Hobbies: Working out, playing basketball, watching sports, going to breweries, playing golf on days off, visiting all of San Diego's beautiful beaches.
•Favorite thing to do in San Diego: Kayaking/biking/throwing a good Carnita Asada in Mission Bay.
•The best part of KPEM: The amount of learning I get every day working exclusively 1 on 1 with an attending every day + everyone being so chill.
Erik Schatzer, DO, MS
•Med School: Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine Georgia
•Grad School: Clemson University, MS in Bioengineering
•Undergrad: Clemson University
•Hometown: Barnwell, SC
•If I wasn’t a doctor, I’d be: Opening my own brewery.
•Favorite Hobbies: I love going to concerts! I try and get out of the city regularly to go enjoy some nature!
•Favorite thing to do in San Diego: Brand new to San Diego and I'm trying out everything I can!
•The best part of KPEM: KPEM is such a supportive environment. The people are all here to help each other and lift each other up!
Andrew Tabone, DO
•Med School: Touro University California
•Undergrad: UC Santa Barbara
•Hometown: Pleasant Hill, CA
•If I wasn’t a doctor, I’d be: A coffee shop owner or attempting to pursue an Anthony Bourdain lifestyle traveling the world and sampling different cuisines.
•Favorite Hobbies: Hiking, camping, gyming, live music, checking out different restaurants/coffee shops/bars, couch rotting
•Favorite thing to do in San Diego: So much to do and explore in SD it's hard to say. After a few short months of being here I would say sunsets at the beach, the endless food scene… there is literally something going on every week once you get off shift!
•The best part of KPEM: So far I think the resident to faculty ratio is excellent. You get to learn from faculty that are invested in your learning and you get to learn from several faculty that have trained all across the US. There is no shortage of experience to learn from and if there is a procedure available you will most definitely have the opportunity to do it!
Alumni
