Welcome Applicants!
Thank you for your interest in our program. We welcome you to the UM Health-West Emergency Medicine Residency Program.
Mission Statement
It is the Mission of the Emergency Medicine Residency Program to educate its residents to become competent and compassionate physicians.
The program must seek to give its residents the tools needed to sustain a lifetime of education, to become involved in and committed to the broader community and to pursue an awareness of the values in their lives which create satisfaction and self-actualization, both personally and professionally.
Program AIMS
The Emergency Medicine Residency at University of Michigan Health – West is comprised of motivated, energetic, responsible and confident residents and staff physicians who seek to provide the best patient emergency care experience. Each resident is encouraged to not only learn the necessary skills needed to be a successful emergency physician but also a person of respect in the community in which they practice. The curriculum is extensive and provides procedure skills to enable each graduating resident to practice anywhere in the country. Amid a culture of change in medicine, it is the aim of our residency to train physicians whose intent continues to strive for excellence and lifelong learning.
The Emergency Medicine Residency:
- 6 residents per year
- 36-month ACGME accredited EM residency
- 8 dedicated blocks per year in the ED, with remainder of time spent in critical care, trauma, or variety of elective rotations
- 100% supervision and feedback on all resident cases
- Diversity in attending styles provides a variety of input and opinion on case management
- Strong academic schedule; protected time for weekly didactics. Follows Foundations of EM curriculum, Dr. Carol Rivers Board Review and RoshReview
- Residents provide lectures both within the Residency and hospital wide
- Ongoing written board-style quizzes, monthly journal club, monthly M&M, innovative simulation labs, interdisciplinary didactics with various residency programs, oral boards case reviews.
About the Emergency Department:
- Annual census at UM Health-West is approximately 58,000
- Level II Trauma Certification and Certified
Stroke Center - 28 Monitored Beds, 31 Total Emergency
Department beds - Residents, interns, and students from a variety of programs regularly rotate through the department
- High acuity and resident to patient ratio provide ample opportunity to learn critical care management as well as perform numerous procedures
- ACLS trained and supportive nursing staff
- No advanced practice providers within the ED
- Provides medical staff and coverage for sporting events in Grand Rapids including; Grand Rapids Triathlon, and The Grand Rapids Marathon
Meet the Emergency Medicine Residents
PGY 1 Residents
Ryan Friedl, D.O.
Medical School: Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Bryce Griffin, M.D.
Medical School: University of Arkansas College of Medicine
Kohl Gullett, D.O.
Medical School: A.T. Still University of Health Sciences – Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine
Colton Hall, D.O.
Medical School: Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Amelia Kruse, M.D.
Medical School: Oakland University School of Medicine
Ethan Lemke, M.D.
Medical School: University of Iowa College of Medicine
PGY 2 Residents
James Bolan, DO
Hometown: Grand Rapids
Undergrad: Grand Valley State University
Medical School: MSUCOM
Career interests: EMS medical director, flight medicine, & resident education
Personal interests: I love anything outdoors
Favorite things to do around Grand Rapids: Fly Fishing on the flat river, mountain biking at Cannonsburg / Merrell Trail, watching movies at the Getty 4 drive-in in Muskegon, & relaxing on the beach in Grand Haven.
Previous lives: Prior to medical school I worked as critical care paramedic and volunteer firefighter.
Carissa Herkelman, DO
Hometown: Cedar Falls, IA
Undergrad: University of Northern Iowa
Medical School: AT Still University Kirksville College of
Osteopathic Medicine
Career Interests: General Emergency Medicine
Personal Interests: Crossfit, coffee, food, my goldendoodles!
Favorite things in West Michigan: I love exploring the
foodie and brewery scene as well as checking out all the
trails and parks with my doodles
Jonathan Ray, DO
Hometown: Bloomington, IL
Undergrad: Wheaton College
Medical School: Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine
Career interests: Community EM, Ultrasound
Personal interests: Family, Softball, Snow and Waterskiing
Favorite things to do around Grand Rapids: Lake Michigan beaches, Exploring W. Michigan with my family
Previous lives: Worked as an EMT-B and ED Tech prior to
Med School
Rebekah Romero, DO
Hometown: Flushing, MI
Undergrad: University of Nevada, Reno
Medical School: Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine
Career Interests: I love EMS and wilderness medicine! I
would be open to any opportunities for further exploration in those fields of emergency medicine.
Personal interests: I love all outdoor activities including
hiking, camping, bike riding, or going to the lake. Fitness is a daily part of my life and I love to get involved
in local 5K or 10Ks when I have the chance.
Previous lives: Caregiver for senior citizen care
Nicole Smith, DO
Hometown: Wyoming, Michigan
Undergrad: Southern Adventist University (Chattanooga, TN)
Medical School: Kansas City University, College of Osteopathic Medicine
Career interests: Academia, Critical Care, Bioethics
Personal Interests: Anything outdoors, Volleyball, Traveling, Languages
Favorite Things to do around W. Michigan: Lake activities, Camping, Snowboarding (Cannonsburg), Fruit picking
Previous lives: Traveling Medical Laboratory Scientist
Jacob Young, MD
Hometown: Grand Blanc
Undergrad: Michigan State University
Medical School: Wayne State University School of Medicine
Career interests: Emergency Medicine
Personal interests: Sports (Soccer, football, basketball, baseball), video games, home improvement,
traveling, hiking, backpacking
Favorite things to do around Grand Rapids: Breweries,
visiting Lake Michigan, biking
Previous lives: Intramural superstar
PGY 3 Residents
Mileah Fritzell, DO
Hometown: Eldridge, IA
Undergrad: Luther College in Decorah, IA
Medical School: ATSU – Kirksville College of Medicine
Career Interests: Rural EM
Personal Interests: hiking, biking, spending time with family, cooking/baking, board games
Favorite things to do around Grand Rapids: breweries,
cross country skiing, road biking
Evan Pasternak, DO
Hometown: West Bloomfield, MI
Undergrad: Michigan State University
Medical School: MSUCOM
Career interests: Flight medicine, Disaster, and search and rescue
Personal interests: Hiking, hunting, fishing, video games, and hanging out with my friends and family
Favorite things to do around East Lansing: Spartan tailgates, MSU basketball games in the Izzone, and Dublin
Previous lives: Before medical school I was lifeguard, swim coach, and a CNA. If I didn’t go to medical school I would have wanted to become an Astronaut, and still secretly want to be a space doctor.
Alex Pittman, DO
Hometown: Grand Blanc
Undergrad: Oakland University
Medical School: Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Career interests: Trauma and resident training
Personal interests: coffee culture, travel, backpacking,
camping, craft beer
Previous lives: barista, medical scribe
Meet the Emergency Medicine Faculty
Emergency Medicine Faculty
Allison Edberg, D.O.
Program Director
Medical School: Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency: University of Michigan Health-West, Wyoming, MI
Dana Hop, D.O.
Associate Program Director
Medical School: A.T. Still University – Kirksville
College of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency: University of Michigan Health-West, Wyoming, MI
Leigh Gasworth, D.O.
Core Faculty
Medical School: Michigan State University
College of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency: University of Michigan Health-West, Wyoming, MI
Elizabeth Lojewski, D.O.
Core Faculty
Research Coordinator
Medical School: Michigan State University
College of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency: University of Michigan Health-West, Wyoming, MI
Andrew Michmerhuizen, D.O.
Core Faculty
Medical School: Kansas City University of
Medicine and Biosciences
Residency: University of Michigan Health- West, Wyoming, MI
Nicholas Robell, M.D.
Core Faculty
Ultrasound Coordinator
Medical School: Wayne State University School of Medicine
Residency: Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI
Matthew Tanis, D.O.
Core Faculty
Medical School: Michigan State University
College of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency: University of Michigan Health-West, Wyoming, MI
Eric Anderson, D.O., F.A.C.E.P.
Medical School: Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency: University of Michigan Health-West, Wyoming, MI
Daniel Mann, D.O.
Medical School: A.T. Still University – Kirksville
College of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency: University of Michigan Health-West, Wyoming, MI
David Berg, D.O.
Medical School: A.T. Still University – Kirksville
College of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency: St. Johns, Oakland, MI
Patricia Guntern, D.O.
Medical School: Michigan State University
College of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency: University of Michigan Health-West, Wyoming, MI
Adam Passeno, D.O.
Medical School: Michigan State University
College of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency: University of Michigan Health-West, Wyoming, MI
Todd Hartgerink, D.O., F.A.C.E.P., F.A.C.O.E.P.
Medical School: Michigan State University
College of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency: University of Michigan Health-West, Wyoming, MI
Dan Hearld, D.O., F.A.C.E.P., F.A.C.O.E.P.
Medical School: Michigan State University
College of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency: University of Michigan Health-West, Wyoming, MI
Marc Afman, D.O.
Medical School: Michigan State University
College of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency: University of Michigan Health-West, Wyoming, MI
Joshua VanSluyters, D.O.
Medical School: Michigan State University
College of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency: University of Michigan Health-West, Wyoming, MI
Additional Resources
The Block Schedule
PGY1
Emergency Department (University of Michigan Health-West) – 7 blocks
Internal Medicine Teaching Service – 1 block
Pediatric Emergency Medicine (Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital) – 1 block
Obstetrics/Gynecology – 1 block
Cardiology – 1 block
ICU – 1 block
Trauma (Butterworth Hospital) – 1 block
PGY2
Emergency Department (University of Michigan Health-West) – 8 blocks
Anesthesia – 1 block
Trauma (Butterworth Hospital) – 1 block
SICU (Butterworth Hospital) – 1 block
Pediatric Emergency Medicine (Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital) – 1 block
Elective – 1 block
PGY3
Emergency Department (University of Michigan Health-West) – 8 blocks
ICU – 1 block
PICU (Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital) – 1 block
Pediatric Emergency Medicine (Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital) – 1 block
Elective – 2 blocks
For More Information
Program Director – Allison Edberg, DO
Contact Lauren Gaytan, Senior Program Coordinator