Residency Profiles
PGY5
![Benjamin Childs, M.D.](/_portrait-pictures/childs-benjamin-wc.jpg)
Hometown: Detroit, Michigan
Undergrad: Columbia University
Medical School: Florida Atlantic University College of Medicine
Favorite thing about El Paso: The mountains and the sunshine.
Hobbies/Interests: Technology.
![Isaac Fernandez, M.D.](/som/orthopaedics/residency/_images/Fernandez_Isaac.jpg)
Hometown: El Paso, Texas
Undergrad: University of Texas at El Paso
Medical School: University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
Favorite thing about El Paso: The culture and people.
Hobbies/Interests: Various outdoor activities, vehicle performance modifications, off-roading,
physics, coding, and device design.
![Joshua Simson, M.D.](/_portrait-pictures/simson-joshua-wc.jpg)
Hometown: Overland Park, Kansas
Undergrad: University of Texas at Austin
Medical School: Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, TTUHSC El Paso
Favorite thing about El Paso: Franklin Mountains.
Hobbies/Interests: Spending time with my wife and our Jack Russell terriers, home gym, sports, and
travel.
![Mikel Tihista, M.D.](/_portrait-pictures/tihista-mikel-wc.jpg)
Hometown: Seattle, Washington
Undergrad: Washington State University
Medical School: The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences
Favorite thing about El Paso: Weather, señoritas, margaritas, cheap enough I could build a pool, no
traffic, need I say further?
Hobbies/Interests: Other than those applicable above, up north (in a past life): Snow skiing, travel,
golf, wake boarding, slalom skiing, scuba, surfing, and back packing.
![Matthew Wells, D.O.](/_portrait-pictures/wells-matthew-wc.jpg)
Hometown: West Milford, New Jersey
Undergrad: The College of New Jersey
Medical School: Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
Favorite thing about El Paso: Being able to go outside or to the park with my wife and boys every
season of the year. The weather is fantastic here.
Hobbies/Interests: Spending time with family, working out, and hiking
PGY4
![Anthony Gavalas, M.D.r](/_portrait-pictures/gavalas-anthony-wc.jpg)
Hometown: North Augusta, South Carolina
Undergrad: Francis Marion University
Medical School: University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia
Favorite thing about El Paso: All the outdoor activities and great weather.
Hobbies/Interests: Golf, working out, off-roading.
![Jeffrey Jones, M.D.](/_portrait-pictures/jones-jeffrey-wc.jpg)
Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky
Undergrad: University of Louisville
Medical School: University of Louisville
Favorite thing about El Paso: The people are friendly.
Hobbies/Interests: Cooking, car/home maintenance, and precision rifle shooting.
![James Jordan, M.D.](/_portrait-pictures/jordan-james-wc.jpg)
Hometown: Smyrna, Tennessee
Undergrad: Tennessee Technological University
Medical School: East Tennessee State University Quillen College of Medicine
Favorite thing about El Paso: The blend of cultures, great food, and all of the nice people I have
been fortunate enough to meet so far.
Hobbies/Interests: Spending time with my wife and son and our two dogs, Alabama football,
weightlifting.
![Logan Kenney, M.D.](/_portrait-pictures/kenney-logan-wc.jpg)
Hometown: State College, Pennsylvania
Undergrad: Penn State University
Medical School: Uniformed Services University, F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine
Favorite thing about El Paso: Warm weather and outdoor activities.
Hobbies/Interests: Sports, hiking, climbing, movies.
![Cole Patrick, M.D.](/_portrait-pictures/patrick-cole-wc.jpg)
Hometown: Lawton, Oklahoma
Undergrad: United States Military Academy
Medical School: University of Oklahoma College of Medicine
Favorite thing about El Paso: The mountains.
Hobbies/Interests: Skiing, rock-climbing, building, and family.
PGY3
![Aaron J. Folsom, M.D., PGY-1](/_portrait-pictures/folsom-aaron-wc.jpg)
Hometown: Warren, Michigan
Undergrad: United States Military Academy, West Point, New York
Medical School: Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences, Bethesda, MarylandMedicine
Favorite thing about El Paso: Outdoor recreation.
Hobbies/Interests: Backpacking, hiking, scuba diving, emergency preparedness.
![Cole Johnson, M.D., PGY-1](/_portrait-pictures/johnson-cole-wc.jpg)
Hometown: Shelbyville, Indiana
Undergrad: University of Notre Dame
Medical School: University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
Favorite thing about El Paso: Sunshine and Mexican food.
Hobbies/Interests: Grilling, playing board games, golfing and kayaking.
![Franklin Powlan, M.D., PGY-1](/_portrait-pictures/powlan-james-wc.jpg)
Hometown: Denver, Colorado
Undergrad: University of Colorado – Boulder, Boulder, Colorado
Medical School: University of Colorado School of Medicine
Favorite thing about El Paso: Sunshine and cost of living.
Hobbies/Interests: Staying physically active by going to the gym, hiking, mountain biking, and skiing.
Trying new local restaurants and unique cuisines. Spending time with my significant
other, our dog, and friends.
![Kayleigh Renfro, M.D., PGY-1](/_portrait-pictures/kayleigh-renfro-gbd.jpg)
Hometown: Carrollton, Texas
Undergrad: Newman University, Wichita, Kansas
Medical School: The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Texas
Favorite thing about El Paso: I love all the good restaurants and how friendly everyone is here.
Hobbies/Interests: Ultimate Frisbee, Concerts, Cooking and Grilling: My personal favorites are gumbo
and my signature kabobs.
![Reid Tompkins, M.D., PGY-1](/_portrait-pictures/tompkins-reid-wc.jpg)
Hometown: Corpus Christi, Texas
Undergrad: Texas A & M University, College Station, Texas
Medical School: Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso,
El Paso, Texas
Favorite thing about El Paso: Outdoor recreation.
Hobbies/Interests: Wakeboarding, sports, reading, exercising, golf, spending time with wife.
PGY2
![Christopher Bacak, M.D.](/_portrait-pictures/bacak-christopher-wc.jpg)
Hometown: Austin, Texas
Undergrad: The University of Texas at Austin
Medical School: The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Long School of Medicine
Favorite thing about El Paso: The Franklin Mountains and opportunities to hike. Everyone in the city is so incredibly
friendly and welcoming.
Hobbies/Interests: I'm a proud dog owner, enjoy hiking, traveling and exploring local restaurants.
![Josh Hansen, M.D.](/_portrait-pictures/hansen-joshua-wc.jpg)
Hometown:Pocatello, Idaho
Undergrad: Utah State University
Medical School: Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences
Favorite thing about El Paso: The sense of community.
Hobbies/Interests: I love to spend time with my kids and dog. Our favorite things to do are to go to
the gym, spend time outdoors, and watch movies.
![Marc Nicholes, M.D.](/_portrait-pictures/nicholes-marc-wc.jpg)
Hometown: Medford, Oregon
Undergrad: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University – Prescott Campus
Medical School: University of Incarnate Word School of Medicine
Favorite thing about El Paso: The 300+ sunny days every year. The food and scenery of the Southwest.
Hobbies/Interests: Taking my wife and kids exploring and hunting in the mountains of Texas and Southern
New Mexico. Jiu jitsu, any sport with a ball, and working on my cabin.
![Alexis Sandler, M.D.](/_portrait-pictures/sandler-alexis-wc.jpg)
Hometown: Iowa City, Iowa
Undergrad: George Washington University
Medical School: George Washington University School of Medicine
Favorite thing about El Paso: The mountains and desert.
Hobbies/Interests: Weightlifting/CrossFit, trail running, nonfiction, smoking fish.
![Annette Yoon, M.D.](/_portrait-pictures/yoon-annette-wc.jpg)
Hometown: Huntington Beach, California
Undergrad: United States Military Academy
Medical School: Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences
Favorite thing about El Paso: The land of trauma, tacos, and tequila. What’s not to love.
Hobbies/Interests: Lifting, concerts, wakeboarding, breweries/wineries.
PGY1
![David Fogg, M.D.](/_portrait-pictures/fogg-david-wc.jpg)
Hometown: Edina, Minnesota.
Undergrad: Georgia Tech.
Medical School: University of Pittsburgh.
Favorite thing about El Paso: Hiking.
Hobbies/Interests: Running.
![John McNamara, M.D.](/_portrait-pictures/mcnamara-john-wc.jpg)
Hometown: Morristown, New Jersey.
Undergrad: Boston College.
Medical School: Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
Favorite thing about El Paso: The food.
Hobbies/Interests: Working out, recreational softball, traveling, and the New York Giants
![Mohamad “Max” Pourghaed, M.D.](/_portrait-pictures/pourghaed-mohammed-wc.jpg)
Hometown: Houston, Texas.
Undergrad: The University of Texas at Austin.
Medical School: Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Lubbock.
Favorite thing about El Paso: Franklin Mountains, abuelitas' tacos al pastor, and the warm culture.
Hobbies/Interests: Houston and Longhorn sports, weight lifting, stock market investing, Catan/poker/chess,
cooking, and spending time with friends and family.
![Natasha Simske, M.D.](/_portrait-pictures/simske-natasha-wc.jpg)
Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio.
Undergrad: University of Wisconsin - Madison.
Medical School: Medical College of Wisconsin.
Favorite thing about El Paso: The mountains!
Hobbies/Interests: Running, hiking, oil painting, piano, harassing my cat Toby, and not weightlifting.
![Amy Thompson, M.D.](/_portrait-pictures/thompson-amy-wc.jpg)
Hometown: Macungie, Pennsylvania.
Undergrad: United States Military Academy.
Medical School: Penn State College of Medicine.
Favorite thing about El Paso: Mountains and sun.
Hobbies/Interests: Rock climbing and baking sourdough bread.