Welcome πŸ‘‹πŸΌ to the Azalea Report - where the blooms of South Georgia Health's Internal Medicine Residency program come to life! Like the vibrant azaleas that paint Valdosta in stunning color each spring, this resident-led newsletter showcases the brilliant minds and inspiring stories flourishing in our program. From celebrating resident achievements to sharing the latest program updates, we're here to bring you all the buzz from the Azalea City. Get ready to discover the stories of excellence, growth, and community that make our residency program truly blossom! 🌸

Sincerely,
The Azalea Report team

Resident Spotlight

Taylor Martin, DO

Taylor Martin, DO

Birth place: Central Florida

Fun fact: Have driven πŸš— Route 66

Favorite dish: Beef stroganoff πŸ˜‹

Interests: Solar panels, Diesel engines & Astronomy

Post-residency plans: Start a medical clinic with my wife. Start a farm 🚜.

Advice to the incoming class: Practice mindfulness during your daily tasks and you'll be surprised how much more you'll notice. Try to keep in mind the mantra 'Slow is steady and steady is fast' if you feel like you're struggling to maintain pace. 🧘🏻

About the Program

SGMC BuildingAerial view of SGMC in Valdosta, GA

SGMC Health's Internal Medicine Residency Program, partnering with Mercer University School of Medicine, delivers academic excellence and hands-on training to address primary care needs in rural and underserved Georgia communities.

Interesting Facts

  • Number of current residents: 37
  • Our diversity: Residents from more than 10 different countries
  • Number of languages: We speak more than 12 different languages
  • Partnership: SGMC's internal medicine residency program is a partnership with Mercer University School of Medicine (MUSM)
  • Continuity clinic: The program operates a continuity clinic at SGMC Internal Medicine on Park Avenue in Valdosta.

Farewell Class Of 2025

Celebrating Our Recent Graduates

Farewell Class Of 2025The graduates-Rija Chaudhary, MD; Venkata Gandi, MD; Monica Kovuri, MD; Dwayne Mohan, MD; Rosaida Silverio-Lopez, MD; Anum Munir, MD and Shilpa Reddy, MD

On Saturday, May 31, we celebrated the graduation of our Class of 2025. As the inaugural Internal Medicine residency class at SGMC Health, Drs. Rija Chaudhary, Venkata Gandi, Monica Kovuri, Dwayne Mohan, Anum Munir, Shilpa Reddy, and Rosaida Silverio-Lopez became the foundation of something extraordinary, proving that when communities invest in the people who serve them, remarkable things happen.

Each graduate brought something unique during their three-year journey, navigating rigorous training while helping build the program that shaped them. Dr. Monica Kovuri's Excellence in Residency Award reflects the compassionate leadership she demonstrated as Chief Resident alongside Dr. Venkata Gandi, mentoring peers with grace and wisdom. Dr. Rosaida Silverio-Lopez's Scholarly Excellence Award highlights her commitment to research and evidence-based medicine, exemplifying the intellectual curiosity that will drive regional medical innovation.

What made this graduation even more meaningful is the knowledge that Drs. Gandi, Silverio-Lopez, and Mohan have chosen to remain and join our GME program as teaching hospitalists. This decision speaks volumes about the residency program. When young physicians choose to stay, they're not just choosing a jobβ€”they're choosing to be part of something bigger, to plant roots in South Georgia soil and invest their careers in the communities that invested in their training.

Congratulations, and welcome to the next chapter of your remarkable journey in medicine.


Graduation Highlights

The Chiefs' Corner

Mariya Tom, MD

Mariya Tom, MD

Meet our Chief Resident, Dr. Mariya Tom, who brings the heart of Atlanta and a dancer's grace to our program. Her journey into medicine began with familyβ€”uncles and aunties whose tireless work in healthcare shaped her understanding of what it truly means to be a physician. Their stories of patient care and the fulfillment found in saving lives became the foundation of her medical calling. A trained professional Indian classical dancer with a...
Brandon Rockwell, MD

Brandon Rockwell, MD

Meet Dr. Brandon Rockwell, our Chief Resident from Warner Robins, Georgia, who discovered his calling at the intersection of his fascination with the natural world and desire to help others thrive. Internal medicine represents the perfect convergence of intellectual curiosity and meaningful human connection, allowing him to channel his analytical nature into creating positive change in patients' lives. An avid sports enthusiast, Dr. Rockwell...

GME Corner

SGMC Health Presents Annual Resident Awards

By: SGMC Health GME (posted originally on June 6th, 2025)
GME CornerThe 2025 recipients of SGMC Health’s Annual Resident Awards alongside Internal Medicine Residency Program Director Greg Beale, MD

SGMC Health's Graduate Medical Education (GME) program, in collaboration with Mercer University School of Medicine (MUSM), held its annual Residency Awards ceremony, honoring outstanding residents and faculty members for their clinical excellence, scholarly achievement, and dedication to patient care. The awards recognized individuals who demonstrated extraordinary performance and growth within the health system's rigorous residency training programs.

The 2025 honorees exemplified the values of compassion, curiosity, teamwork, and professionalism that define SGMC Health's commitment to preparing tomorrow's physicians. Award...

The Intern's Corner

Zoha Allahuddin, MD

Zoha Allahuddin, MD

Born in the beautiful city of Karachi, Pakistan, Dr. Allahuddin brings her unique blend of medical expertise and feline magnetism to residency. With an uncanny ability to befriend cats in under 30 seconds, she's proven that her healing touch extends beyond human patients. 🐱 Looking ahead, Dr. Allahuddin has a refreshingly honest dream: simply knowing what she's doing! Her humility and eagerness to learn make her a natural teacher, which is...
Byron Reese, MD

Byron Reese, MD

From the heart of Fitzgerald, Georgia, Dr. Byron Reese proves that Southern hospitality and medical excellence go hand in hand. His secret weapon? An Elvis impression so spot-on it could make the King himself jealousβ€”talk about bedside manner with a twist! πŸ‘‘ After residency, Dr. Reese dreams of returning to serve South Georgia, bringing specialized care to the communities that need it most. It's a calling that speaks to his roots and his...

Faculty Update

SGMC Health Welcomes Matthew Varn, MD, to the Internal Medicine Residency Program Faculty

Faculty UpdateMatthew Varn, MD, (Internal Medicine Residency Core Faculty)

SGMC Health welcomes Matthew Varn, MD, to its Graduate Medical Education Internal Medicine Residency program as teaching faculty. A board-certified internal medicine physician with deep local roots, Dr. Varn was born at SGMC Health and raised in Valdosta.

Having provided outpatient and inpatient care in the community for the past four years, Dr. Varn brings valuable experience to his new role. He earned his Bachelor of Science from Valdosta State University and medical degree from Mercer University School of Medicine before completing his internal medicine residency at Mercer University's Navicent Health program in Macon, where...

House Staff Diaries

Finding Your Footing - A Message to Our Interns

By: Samuel Edusa, MD PGY-2
musings-image

Welcome to the beginning of an extraordinary journey. As you start your year, remember that every expert was once a beginner, and every mentor around you was once exactly where you are today.

Learning to Walk Before You Run

Medicine is not a sprintβ€”it's learning to walk before you run. Right now, everything feels overwhelming. Epic seems impossible, lab values blur together, and the responsibility feels immense. This is not just normal; it's necessary. Every uncertain moment, every question you're afraid to askβ€”these aren't signs of inadequacy. They're the building blocks of the physician...

Podcasts

What Brings You In Today? - Featured Podcasts

A Podcast from SGMC Health

Episode #5 - Joseph Hayes, MD

This episode of the podcast features Dr. Hayes, Medical Director at SGMC Internal Medicine and Assistant Professor at Mercer Medical School. From chief resident to program architect, he now leads South Georgia's newest medical residency program, training the next generation of physicians.

Culturosity

Ghana πŸ‡¬πŸ‡­ vs Nigeria πŸ‡³πŸ‡¬: A Feast Of Two Nations

By: Samuel Edusa, MD
CulturosityTraditional Ghanaian and Nigerian dishes

In the basement classrooms of SGMC Health, an extraordinary cultural exchange unfolded as medical residents gathered for "Culturosity: Ghana vs. Nigeria," transforming a typical lunch hour into a vibrant celebration of West African heritage. The event, far from being a competition as its playful title might suggest, showcased the rich culinary traditions that bind these two influential African nations.

The spread was a visual and aromatic testament to the depth of both cultures' cuisines. Traditional Ghanaian and Nigerian dishes filled the serving tables, from aromatic jollof rice displaying its characteristic orange-red hue to...

Through the Lens: Residency Highlights

Capturing the Smiles, Milestones, and Unforgettable Moments

Upcoming Events

  • Oct 14-16, 2025 - Sunbelt AG Expo (Moultrie, GA)
  • October 24-26, 2025 - ACP Conference (Atlanta, GA)

Birthdays

No birthdays this month 😞

Things To Do In Valdosta

  • Wild Adventures Theme Park

    Open year-round

    Enjoy thrilling rides, exotic animals, and live entertainment at this popular theme park.

    Learn More
  • Valdosta Wake Compound

    Open seasonally

    Experience wakeboarding and other water sports at this state-of-the-art facility.

    Learn More
  • South Georgia Military Aviation Museum

    Open Tuesday-Saturday

    Explore aviation history with vintage aircraft and memorabilia.

    Learn More
  • Grand Bay Wildlife Management Area

    Open daily, sunrise to sunset

    Hike, bird watch, and enjoy nature in this diverse ecosystem.

    Learn More
  • Valdosta State University Fine Arts Gallery

    Check website for current exhibitions

    View rotating exhibitions of contemporary art by regional and national artists.

    Learn More
Spotlight

News From The Clinic

Melissa Wilkerson

Melissa Wilkerson

Medical Assistant

Employee Spotlight

Meet Melissa Wilkerson, one of our devoted medical assistants who has been with our clinic since its opening in August 2022. Melissa is passionate about her work and equally dedicated to her family life. When not providing excellent care to our patients, she can often be found cheering on her daughter at softball games. Melissa also enjoys quality time with family and friends. Her long-standing commitment and experience make her an invaluable member of our team.

Wellness Corner

Finding Humor in the Hard Days: A Reminder About Emotional Well-being

Emotional well-being

Those charming "Emotional Support" plushies you might have spotted scattered throughout our hospital corridors capture the often-unspoken reality of medical residency perfectly. These whimsical crochet creations, shaped like teacups with wisps of steam rising from their rims, hold a telling message: "It's fine, I'm fine. Everything is fine!"

While these delightful companions make us smile, they also open an important dialogue about how we, as healthcare professionals, process stress and emotions. It's a gentle reminder that sometimes saying "I'm fine" three times doesn't make it true, and that's okay.

Remember: Our residency program offers confidential counseling services and peer support groups. Taking care of yourself isn't just fineβ€”it's essential.

Β© 2025 Azalea Report - SGMC Health Internal Medicine Residency Newsletter