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Welcome to the White River Health (WRH) Internal Medicine (IM) Residency Program. We are an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) accredited program taking ten (10) residents per year. The WRH IM Residency Program is located at White River Medical Center in Batesville, Arkansas 90 miles north of Little Rock, Arkansas and 120 miles west of Memphis, Tennessee.
Our program is a traditional three-year Categorical Internal Medicine Residency Training. Our WRH community-based residency program partners with the College of Medicine at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Residents have the unique opportunity to train in a vibrant, relational community and hospital with the advantages of training with a recognized academic medical center.
Graduate highly qualified internists ready to practice in any clinical setting and/or pursue further subspecialty training. The Internal Medicine program seeks to provide quality healthcare to medically underserved counties.
Provide high-quality and holistic competency-based medical education to the residents of our program. Training them to provide evidence-based and compassionate care. Inspiring residents to desire to practice in medically underserved communities.
Designated Institutional Official
Internal Medicine Program Director
Graduate Medical Education
Internal Medicine Program Coordinator
| Title | Time | Days | Description | Supervision |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morning Report | 8:00 am | Monday-Friday (exception Thursday) | The night team Interns will present an overnight admission. The supervising Resident would also participate in the presentation. | PD, APD or at least one core faculty |
| Core Lecture | 12 Noon to 1:00 pm | Monthly | Conducted in each of the following specialties: Primary Care, Nephrology, Neurology, Cardiology, GI, Pulmonology, Endocrinology, Rheumatology, Hematology, Oncology and Infectious Disease | |
| Grand Rounds | 12 Noon to 1:00 pm | Thursday | Via broadcast from UAMS. Provides 1 hour CME sessions for the Department of Medicine. House staff attendance mandatory. | |
| Tumor Board | Tuesday | Two cases will be presented. The initial admitting Intern will be responsible for presenting the history and physical during Tumor Board. The current Resident on Hem/Onc will be responsible for IM discussion of the case with support from Oncology, Radiology, Pathology and Primary Care. | ||
| Mortality and Morbidity | Monthly | Attended by PD and the respective Attending involved in the case that is presented. House Staff participation is mandatory. | ||
| Research Lecture | Introductory lecture at beginning of year, then quarterly sessions. | Each house staff has an opportunity to briefly present their protocol/project. | ||
| Journal Club | 12 Noon to 1:00 pm | Monthly | Residents choose 2-3 articles and then discuss them with the Attending. One article is chosen and presented as per the AMA journal club presentation guidelines. | Attending |
| Introductory Lecture Series | 12 Noon to 1:00 pm | First five weeks | Conducted instead of the traditional morning reports on key call-coverage topics including fluid management, electrolyte management, vent management, blood sugar management etc. | |
| Geriatrics, Ethics, and Palliative Care | Four weeks | Supervised rotation which includes 4.5 hours of didactics each week. | Board Certified Geriatricians | |
| Quality Improvement | Monthly | A Resident presents a case which is a near miss or in which an adverse event happened/could have happened, and there is a discussion involving root cause analysis and steps to prevent similar morbidity/mortality in the future. | ||
| Board Review | 12 Noon to 1:00 pm | Thursday | Medstudy and MKSAP are used as the teaching tools for the board review sessions. | At least one Attending |
We are looking for enthusiastic, hard working physicians with a passion for serving a rural community.
Positions are offered through the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP). Submit an application through the Electronic Residency Application Service®. The link is provided below for your convenience.
Eligibility Qualifications for the White River Health ACGME Accredited Internal Medicine Residency Program
Our program sponsors only ECFMG J1 visas. A minimum USMLE Step 2 score of 230 is required.
WRH Internal Medicine Residency Program provides residents with quality education through access to a professional learning environment in an engaging community. WRH offers a high quality, innovative, and unique Graduate Medical Education experience. Residents at WRH, mentored by an outstanding faculty, develop the skills to provide excellent medical care to patients from diverse backgrounds.
We wish our residents the best in their professional careers. Our graduates and their last known professional career locations are listed below.
Stephen Deji Adedokun, MD
Cardiology Fellowship, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN
Soubhi Alhayek, MD
Infectious Disease Fellowship, University of California Davis Health, Sacramento, CA
Omar Alkhatib, MD
Nocturnist, Southeast Health, Dothan, AL
Jero Bean, MD
Hospitalist, St. Francis Health System, Cape Girardeau, MO
Steffie-Ann Dujon, MD
Outpatient Medicine, Norman Regional Health System, Norman, OK
Raman Kutty, MD
Pulmonary & Critical Care Fellowship, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
Sean Salonga, MD
United States Army Physician
Kemuel Telemaque, MD
Hospitalist, BJC Medical Group Memorial, Belleville, IL
Sara Whyte, MD
Hospitalist/Nocturnist, Samaritan Albany General Hospital, Albany, OR
Salem Al Rabadi, MD
Hospitalist, Abrazo West Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ
Surya Boopathy, MD
Sleep Medicine Fellowship, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY
Christiana Jeukeng-Wang, MD
Hospitalist Mobile Infirmary, Mobile, AL
Mitchell Keel, MD
Hospitalist/Outpatient Care Provider, GME Faculty, White River Health, Batesville, Arkansas
Isaac Dodd, MD
Hospitalist, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS
Khalid Sawalha, MD
Cardio-Metabolic Fellowship, Kansas City, MO
Parth Shah, MD
Barnes Jewish Alton Memorial Hospital, St. Louis, MO
Philip Sobash, MD
Hematology and Oncology Fellowship, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA
Edwin Suarez, MD
Hospitalist/ GME Faculty, White River Health, Batesville, Arkansas
Shiyu Wang, MD
Rheumatology Fellowship, Cooper University Hospital, Camden, NJ
Michael Andryka, MD
Hospitalist/GME Faculty, White River Health, Batesville, Arkansas
Ankitha Antony, MD
Faculty/Primary Care Physician, University of Connecticut Internal Medicine Residency, Farmington, Connecticut
Sai Desikan, MD
Leukemia Fellowship, MD Anderson, Houston, Texas
Ebonee Dikas, MD
Palliative Care Fellowship, UAMS, Little Rock, Arkansas
Igor Dykan, MD
Nocturnist, Reid Health System, Richmond, Indiana
Shoaib Khan, MD
Nocturnist, GME Faculty, White River Health, Batesville, Arkansas
Eddie Liu, MD
Internal Medicine Primary Care, Tennova Healthcare System, Cleveland, Tennessee
Wyatt Lydolph, MD
Hospitalist/GME Faculty, White River Health, Batesville, Arkansas
Krishna Vedala, MD
Internal Medicine Primary Care, Norman Regional Health System, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Shifang David Wang, MD
Hospitalist, Mobile Infirmary, Mobile, AL
Machel Germain, MD
Internal Medicine Primary Care Provider, Family Care Partners, Jacksonville, Florida
Lili Hanefeld-Fox, MD
Hospitalist, St. Francis Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
Rebecca Heflin, MD
Critical Care Hospitalist, Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, Baton Rogue, Louisiana
Bryan Huang, MD
Nephrology Fellowship, George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
Lissette Jimenez, MD
Hospitalist & Faculty, Sparrow Health Systems Internal Medicine Residency Program, Lansing, Michigan
Doreen Kamoga, MD
Faculty & Outpatient Clinic Preceptor, Primary Care Provider, White River Health, Batesville, Arkansas
Anthony Kunnumpurath, MBBS
Hospitalist
Neal Mehta, MD
Hospitalist, Ballard Health, Kingsport, Tennessee
Ron Thomas Varghese, MD
Endocrinology Fellowship, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
Writing informative healthcare articles for area residents is a very fruitful and rewarding aspect of the White River Health Internal Medicine Residency program. One of the key components of our residency curriculum is community outreach. We believe in prioritizing resident physicians developing competent clinical skills, and in helping them understand the importance of talking to their patients and reaching out to their community. A significant issue in our society today is the rise in a mistrust of science. While the reasoning is multifactorial, a lack of evident outreach from the medical community may contribute to the uncertainty between providers and patients. Our hope with this project is to play our part in alleviating the spread of misinformation and allow our residents to earn the trust of our community.
All of our residents are accepting patients at White River Health Internal Medicine.
This article discusses mental health and how we can provide support for those in need.
Henna Khan, MD is a second-year internal medicine resident at White River Health. Dr. Khan is accepting adult patients at White River Health Family Care - Harrison Street Internal Medicine in Batesville.
Follow the link for more information.
This article discusses the effects of GERD and how we can prevent it.
Read MoreSagarika Ranga, DO is a third-year internal medicine resident at White River Health. Dr. Ranga is accepting adult patients at White River Health Family Care - Harrison Street Internal Medicine in Batesville.
Follow the link for more information.
This article discusses the effects of Ehrlichiosis and how we can prevent it.
John Clark Shell, MD is a second-year internal medicine resident at White River Health. Dr. Shell is accepting adult patients at White River Health Family Medicine in Batesville. Follow the link for more information.
This article discusses Exercise as a vital component of a healthy lifestyle.
Joey Sanders, MD is a second-year internal medicine resident at White River Health. Dr. Sanders is accepting adult patients at White River Health Family Medicine in Batesville. Follow the link for more information.
This article will discuss five main principles of a healthy life style.
Read MoreJackson Musuuza, MD is a second-year internal medicine resident at White River Health. Dr. Musuuza is accepting adult patients at White River Health Family Medicine in Batesville. Follow the link for more information.
This article will discuss the importance of routine checkups from a Primary Care Physician.
Read MoreSilpa Kumar, MD is a second-year internal medicine resident at White River Health. Dr. Kumar is accepting adult patients for primary medical care at White River Health Family Medicine in Batesville. Follow the link for more information.
This article will discuss the origins of caffeine and help us decide whether it's good or bad for us.
Read MoreDheeraj Kumar Posa, MD is an internal medicine resident at White River Health. Dr. Posa is accepting adult patients for primary medical care at White River Health Family Medicine in Batesville. Follow the link for more information.
This paper will be discussing the ill effects of smoking and how to screen for smoking-related diseases and how to quit smoking.
Neelima Gonugunta, MD is an Internal Medicine Resident at White River Health. Dr. Gonugunta is accepting adult patients for primary medical care at White River Health Family Medicine in Batesville. Follow the link for more information.
Is sleep apnea really that big of a deal? I’m here to explain that yes, it is! Obstructive sleep apnea is a medical condition where the throat muscles partially collapse while you sleep.
Read MoreDeanna Cochran, MD, is an Internal Medicine Resident accepting patients at White River Health Internal Medicine. Internal Medicine physicians serve adults patients as their primary care provider. To schedule an appointment, call 870-262-1530.
Hypertension is a condition in which an individual’s blood pressure is higher than 120 mmHg and the diastolic is above 80 mmHg averaged over time. Blood pressure is the force that a person’s blood exerts against the wall of their blood vessels. This pressure depends on the resistance of the blood vessels, in particular, how hard the heart has to work.
Read MoreDimple Barolia, MD, is an Internal Medicine Resident accepting patients at White River Health Internal Medicine. Internal Medicine physicians serve adults patients as their primary care provider. To schedule an appointment, call 870-262-1530.
Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus is a disorder in which your body does not process glucose (sugar) the way that it should, largely due to insensitivity to a hormone called Insulin. All cells in your body require glucose to function normally, and insulin is the hormone that tells your cells to absorb the glucose that is floating in your bloodstream. In individuals with Type 2 diabetes, cells have lost their sensitivity to insulin, and therefore, require greater amounts of insulin hormone in order to absorb glucose from their blood. Initially, this is a small favor to ask of the body. However, over time, the body will lose the ability to accommodate this favor, and the excess glucose circulating in the blood will begin to cause significant and irreversible damage to nearly every organ in the body.
Tyeler Barker, MD, is accepting patients at White River Health Internal Medicine. To schedule an appointment, call 870-262-1530.
During this COVID-19 Pandemic, families of healthcare workers have faced major changes in their physical, psychological, and social wellbeing. While healthcare workers were on frontlines treating COVID patients, their spouses single-handedly dealt with household chores, running errands, helping with online schooling, keeping the kids entertained, and trying to maintain a sense of normalcy and stability when in the back of your mind there’s a constant fear of losing loved ones to this horrible virus.
Dr. Neelima Gonugunta is Resident Physician at White River Medical Center. She is from Hyderabad, India and graduated from Gandhi Medical College. Her hobbies include reading, listening to different genres of music and cooking different types of cuisines.
Rotations are on a 4+1 block schedule with a four week rotation followed by a one week continuity clinic.
| Rotation Name | Participating Site | Length of Rotation | Classification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internal Medicine Wards | White River Medical Center | 20 weeks | Inpatient |
| Continuity Clinic | White River Medical Center | 10 weeks | Outpatient |
| Elective | White River Medical Center | 2 weeks | Elective (Holiday Rotation) |
| Neurology | White River Medical Center | 4 weeks | Inpatient/Outpatient |
| Rheumatology | White River Medical Center | 4 weeks | Inpatient/Outpatient |
| Pulmonary Disease | White River Medical Center | 4 weeks | Inpatient/Outpatient |
| Hematology/Oncology | White River Medical Center | 4 weeks | Inpatient/Outpatient |
| Cardiology | White River Medical Center | 4 weeks | Inpatient/Outpatient |
| Rotation Name | Participating Site | Length of Rotation | Classification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internal Medicine Wards | White River Medical Center | 12 weeks | Inpatient |
| Continuity Clinic | White River Medical Center | 10 weeks | Outpatient |
| Elective | White River Medical Center | 10 weeks | Elective (2 week Holiday Rotation) |
| Critical Care | UAMS Medical Center* | 8 weeks | Critical Care |
| Geriatrics | UAMS Medical Center* | 4 weeks | Inpatient/Outpatient |
| Gastroenterology | UAMS Medical Center* | 4 weeks | Inpatient/Outpatient |
| Night Float | White River Medical Center | 4 weeks | Inpatient |
| Rotation Name | Participating Site | Length of Rotation | Classification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internal Medicine Wards | White River Medical Center | 8 weeks | Inpatient |
| Continuity Clinic | White River Medical Center | 10 weeks | Outpatient |
| Elective | White River Medical Center | 10 weeks | Elective (2 week Holiday Rotation) |
| Critical Care | White River Medical Center | 4 weeks | Critical Care |
| Endocrinology | UAMS Medical Center* | 2 weeks | Inpatient/Outpatient |
| Infectious Diseases | UAMS Medical Center* | 4 weeks | Inpatient/Outpatient |
| Night Float | White River Medical Center | 6 weeks | Inpatient |
| Nephrology | UAMS Medical Center* | 4 weeks | Inpatient/Outpatient |
| Emergency Medicine | White River Medical Center | 4 weeks | Emergency Medicine |
*Housing will be provided at no cost to the Resident during rotations performed at UAMS Medical Center.
| PGY Level | Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Program Year 1 (PGY-1) | $ 54,000.00 |
| Program Year 2 (PGY-2) | $ 55,000.00 |
| Program Year 3 (PGY-3) | $ 57,000.00 |
White River Health offers a variety of benefit programs to meet the diverse needs of our employees. Many of these programs are provided and funded, all or in part, by WRH, while others are voluntary programs intended to meet the specific needs of individual employees and paid for by those employees.
