Macon, Ga. (June 11, 2025) – Twenty-eight physicians are set to graduate from Piedmont Macon Medical Center’s residency program later this week in a downtown Macon ceremony.
The commencement is scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday, June 13, at Fall Line Station, 567 Plum St. Eight years ago, Piedmont Macon’s Graduate Medical Education program began with 10 Internal Medicine residents and four Psychiatry residents. The program now includes 63 residency spots, including Transitional Year opportunities.
Each residency program has training that ranges from one to four years, depending on the specialty: Internal Medicine is three years, and Psychiatry is four. Transitional Year is a single year designed to be a foundation for a resident to prepare for an advanced residency that’s completed at another hospital in specialties such as Dermatology, Anesthesiology and Radiology.
Jonathan Smith, M.D., the Designated Institutional Official for the GME program at Piedmont Macon, said he looks forward to graduation season each year and seeing the residents move to the next phase of their careers.
“These physicians have exemplified hard work, perseverance and compassion, and we are proud to say that Piedmont Macon had a role in their development as exceptional caregivers,” Dr. Smith said. “While they may be graduating from Piedmont Macon’s residency program, they are just beginning their lifelong journey of healing and service.”
Piedmont Macon Chief Medical Officer Gary Bernstein, M.D., said one of the goals of the Piedmont Macon residency program is for doctors to remain in the community once their residency ends. This year, eight of the 17 graduates (not including Transitional Year doctors who are going on to continue their training) are set to practice in Georgia. Five of those are going to work in Macon, including two at Piedmont Macon Medical Center.
“I think those numbers speak for themselves,” Dr. Bernstein said. “We are delighted to have trained these young doctors and fortunate to have them become a part of the fabric of this community.”
INTERNAL MEDICINE
Valeria Demeneghi Aleman, M.D.*
Fadi Alyass, M.D.
Catherine Ibrahim, M.D.
Hajra Khurshid, M.D.
Austin Kim, M.D.*
Nicholas Michalakis, D.O.
Ankit Patel, M.D.
Carmen Sotomayor Ruiz, M.D.*
Mohamed Simpara, M.D.
EMERGENCY MEDICINE
Omar Holayel, M.D.
Robert Howard, M.D.
Mohammad Irfan, D.O.*
Sriramakrishna Koganti, M.D.*
Ryan O’Neill, D.O.
Amber Watts, D.O.
Tyler Yeomans, M.D.*
PSYCHIATRY
Catherine Nguyen, MD*
*Chief Residents
TRANSITIONAL YEAR
Felipe Castaneda, M.D.
Nataki Duncan, M.D.
Rainer Jones, M.D.
Christine King, M.D.
Christopher McMahan, D.O.
Katherine Niel, D.O.
Abigail Owens, M.D.
Hussein Sheikh-Aden, M.D.
Akash Thaker, M.D.
Boris Velimirovich, M.D.
Stephanie Wang, M.D.