Published on September 13, 2021

Owensboro Health's Second Class of Family Medicine Residents Gets to Work

OWENSBORO, Ky. (September 13, 2021) – The Owensboro Health/UofL Family Medicine Residency program recently welcomed its second consecutive class, and the residents have begun studying, training and caring for patients at our facilities.

Six new family medicine residents arrived for orientation in late June ahead of their July 1 start date. The headquarters for their training is on the first floor of the Owensboro Health Parrish Medical Building.

“I am very excited to have these new physicians begin their three-year residency with us,” says Michelle Hayden, medical education coordinator. “They are all going to be fantastic providers, and I can’t wait to see them thrive through their training process.”

The residency program was launched in 2020 and was created in partnership with the University of Louisville School of Medicine (ULSM). It offers residents the opportunity to grow as physicians with guidance from Owensboro Health’s experienced medical experts.

The presence of these six individuals, who join last year’s class of seven residents, is important not only to Owensboro Health, but to the community-at-large. The health system’s service area currently faces a shortage of primary care providers, and welcoming these resident physicians allows Owensboro Health to help meet that need. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, 39 percent of medical residents remain within 25 miles of their residency program when they set up their practices.

 “The vision for this program is to bring outstanding physicians to this region and give them the right foundation to start their healthcare careers,” said Francis DuFrayne, MD, Chief Medical Officer of Owensboro Health. “With the continued success of this residency program, we are in excellent position to deliver on that vision and improve healthcare in Western Kentucky and Southern Indiana.”

The six residents are:

Eric Carlson

Eric R. Carlson, DO
Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine

 

Kirsi Kuiper

Kirsi N. Kuiper, MD
University of Louisville School of Medicine

 

Parul Pahal

Parul Pahal, MD
Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Hospital, Jaipur, India

 

Zachary Panzarella

Zachary Panzarella, DO
University of Pikeville - Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine

 

Libby Sisson

Libby K. Sisson, MD
Indiana University School of Medicine

 

Erin Webb

Erin S. Webb, DO
Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine

The core faculty leading the residency program are:

  • Jon C. Sivoravong, DO, FAAFP –  Family Medicine, program director, ULSM professor
  • Darby Cole, MD – Family Medicine, associate program director, ULSM assistant professor
  • Scott Black, MD – Family Medicine/Sports Medicine
  • Katrina Erickson, MD – Family Medicine/OB, ULSM assistant professor
  • Stephanie Hayden, MD – Pediatrics
  • Jody Mitchell, MD – Family Medicine/Sports Medicine
  • Shirl Nafziger-Lyne, MSW, LCSW – Behavioral Health
  • Ed Prunty, MD – Family Medicine
  • Gary Wahl, MD - Family Medicine

Contact: Somer Wilhite, Manager of Marketing - Communications, 270-685-7103 or Somer.Wilhite@OwensboroHealth.org.

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Owensboro Health is a nonprofit health system with a mission to heal the sick and to improve the health of the communities it serves in Kentucky and Indiana. The system includes Owensboro Health Regional Hospital, nationally recognized for design, architecture and engineering and the only hospital in the world to be designated a Signature Sanctuary by Audubon International; Owensboro Health Muhlenberg Community Hospital; Owensboro Health Twin Lakes Medical Center; the Owensboro Health Medical Group comprised of over 180 providers in 30 locations; three outpatient Healthplex facilities, a certified medical fitness facility; and the Mitchell Memorial Cancer Center. For more information, visit owensborohealth.org.

About Owensboro Health

Owensboro Health is a nonprofit health system with a mission to heal the sick and to improve the health of the communities it serves in Kentucky and Indiana. The system includes Owensboro Health Regional Hospital, nationally recognized for design, architecture and engineering; Owensboro Health Muhlenberg Community Hospital; Owensboro Health Twin Lakes Medical Center; the Owensboro Health Medical Group comprised of over 350 providers at more than 30 locations; three outpatient Healthplex facilities, a certified medical fitness facility, the Healthpark; a weight management program, and the Mitchell Memorial Cancer Center.

On average each year, we have more than 19,000 inpatient admissions, deliver 2,000 babies and provide the region’s only Level III NICU. Owensboro Health physicians perform nearly 33,000 surgical procedures, including nearly 150 open-heart surgeries. Our physicians and staff have 90,000 Emergency Department visits and more than 1.25 million outpatient visits annually. Visit our home page for more information.