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Dr. Austin graduated from medical school at the University of Health Sciences in Kansas City, Missouri. He completed his Internal Medicine Residency at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center in Portland, Oregon. He served an additional year there as a Chief Resident. In 2004 he moved to Fort Collins to help start Northern Colorado Hospitalists. His medical interest is in glycemic control in the hospitalized and critical care patient. Outside of work, he enjoys the Rocky Mountains with his wife and three children.
Dr. Yoder did her undergraduate work at Bethel College in North Newton, KS, and then did research in child and adolescent sleep and development through Brown University . She attended medical school at the University of Colorado and completed residency training at the University Hospitals of Cleveland (Case Western) before joining the Northern Colorado Hospitalists in 2004. Her interests include palliative care. When not working she and her husband enjoy traveling, cooking, contemporary art, and sculpture.
Dr. Woelk attended Brandeis University before attending the University of Connecticut Medical School. She received her Internal Medicine residency training at Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine where she was chief resident from 2004-2005. Dr. Woelk medical interests include VTE diagnosis and Stroke management. Outside of work she enjoys swimming and being outdoors, especially on the beach.
Dr. Spannring attended Marquette University for her undergraduate training and went on to medical school at the Medical College of Wisconsin. She attended residency in General Surgery at Mayo School of Medicine and followed this with her Internal Medicine residency at the Marshfield Clinic. She was Chief Resident at the Marshfield clinic following residency. She and her husband have two daughters.
Dr. Clipsham attended the University of Oklahoma for undergraduate studies as well as medical school. She received her Internal Medicine training from the University of Tennessee at Memphis. Within medicine she has interests in hospital medicine as well as cardiology, pulmonology, and endocrinology. Outside of work she enjoys horseback riding, traveling, jogging, and reading.
Dr. Filipowski initially received his medical degree in 1991 from Jagiellonian University of Krakow, Poland. Since then, he completed his specialty training in Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine. He worked as a physician in Poland for 10 years before emigrating to the United States. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at the Lutheran Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York and then worked as a hospitalist in New Jersey before moving to Fort Collins. He has two daughters and his wife is a pediatrician. His interests outside of medicine include spending time with his family, hiking, reading and kayaking- in addition to skiing.
Dr. Johnston grew up in San Diego and attended Georgetown University for her undergraduate studies. She went on to medical school at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia. She completed her Internal Medical Residency at Temple University Hospital and practiced General Internal Medicine in Philadelphia for 8 years before moving to Fort Collins in 2007 and transitioning to Hospitalist Medicine. In her free time Dr. Johnston enjoys biking, running, skiing and exploring Colorado with her husband, two children, and two dogs.
Dr. Adam Mack received a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science from Colorado State University and completed medical school at the University of Nebraska. He went on to perform his residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Vermont, and has worked as a hospitalist in Washington state prior to joining Northern Colorado Hospitalists in 2010. His interests include spending time with his family, fly fishing, woodwork, and biking.
Dr. Maller has been a practicing hospitalist since 2002 and has previously worked in Washington State, Idaho and most recently in Denver, Colorado. Dr. Maller obtained her Internal Medicine training at Yale University in New Haven, CT. In addition, she received her fellowship training in Rheumatology from Columbia Presbyterian in New York. When not working, Dr. Maller enjoys biking and spending time with her husband Mike.
Dr. Osborn attended Pittsburg State University for undergraduate studies, followed by the Kansas City University of Medicine for medical school. He then completed a combined Internal Medicine and Pediatric residency at The University of Kansas Medical Center. Within medicine his interests are hospital medicine, quality improvement and medical informatics. Outside of work he enjoys trail running, mountain biking, camping, and fishing.
Dr. Alexander Myers is a native of Salt Lake City, Utah and completed his undergraduate training in Biology at Westminster College. He attended medical school at Saint Louis University School of Medicine. He completed residency training in Internal Medicine at University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis. Dr. Myers enjoys spending time with his wife and three children, hiking, biking, and playing guitar.
Dr. Adam Ward graduated from the University of Illinois with a BS in biology and went on to medical school at Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed his residency at the University of Chicago (NorthShore) internal medicine program. He has enjoyed his time in leadership positions within NCH and the UCHealth system with a particular interest in physician wellness. His favorite past time is skiing with his family and friends. He also enjoys hiking and has summitted well over 100 of Colorado’s 13,000- and 14,000-foot peaks with many more to come.
Dr. Wallskog received his education and training in Milwaukee, Chicago and Minneapolis. He provided care for patients in a traditional internal medicine practice in the Twin Cities for eight years before focusing on hospital medicine in 2003. After completing an MBA, he rediscovered his love of medicine and remains devoted to bedside care with concurrent systemic change. This Midwestern transplant is very excited to relocate to Colorado with his wife and high school sweetheart, Kate, and anticipates his three adult daughters will visit and join them in all of the outdoor activities along the Front Range. While not in the hospital, Dr. Wallskog will be hiking with his wife, enjoying her fabulous cooking, or triathlon training.
Dr. Hess received his Bachelors of Science and Medical Doctorate from the University of Illinois and completed his residency at Evanston Northwestern Hospital. He served an additional year there as a chief resident and went on to practice 15 years of inpatient and outpatient medicine, first in Northern Illinois and then in Fort Collins. His interests include running and spending time with his family.
Dr. Enguidanos obtained his undergraduate degree from Washington University in St. Louis and then a Masters in Public Health at UCLA. His medical degree is from University of California, San Diego. He completed a combined Internal Medicine – Pediatrics residency at Good Samaritan Hospital in Phoenix. Following that IDr Enguidanos worked as a hospitalist in the Phoenix area for 15 years. He enjoys working with Spanish speaking patients. In his free time he likes to swim and hike.
Dr. Ruckman grew up in the Colorado mountains,and attended Colorado State University for undergraduate and graduate school, before attending Rocky Vista University for medical school. He received his Internal Medicine residency training at Parkview Medical Center in Pueblo, Colorado. Outside of work, he enjoys hiking and skiing.
Dr. Uncapher received her medical degree in the Czech Republic where she grew up. She completed her Internal Medicine Residency at Oakwood Hospital and Medical Center in Dearborn Michigan in 2016 and moved to Fort Collins shortly afterwards. She loves to spend her time outdoors and enjoys camping, hiking and skiing. She also plays piano and likes to travel.
Dr. Cruz attended medical school in Ecuador. He completed his Internal Medicine Residency at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in 2014, after completing residency he worked as a Hospitalist in Iowa before joining NCH in 2018. His medical interests include Hospital Medicine, Nephrology and Infectious Diseases. In his free time he enjoys reading, photography, running, hiking and spending time with his wife and two dogs.
Dr. Joseph Huguelet grew up in Anchorage, AK but lived and worked in a number of places before receiving a B.S. in molecular biology from Western Carolina University. He graduated from the University of Washington School of Medicine and completed his Internal Medicine residency at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis, MN. He served an additional year there as a Chief Resident before joining Northern Colorado Hospitalists. Outside of work, he and his wife enjoy traveling, hiking, biking and camping.
Dr. Koenig attended medical school at the University of North Dakota. She completed her residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. She and her husband enjoy hiking and traveling. She also loves to cook.
Dr. Selby grew up in Cheyenne, WY and did her undergraduate work at the University of Wyoming. She received her medical degree from the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, WA. She completed her Internal Medicine-Pediatric residency program at Loma Linda University Medical Center in Loma Linda, CA. In her spare time she enjoys baking, reading, running and cycling.
Dr. Frydendall is a Colorado native, born and raised here in Fort Collins, CO. She attended the University of Colorado at Boulder for her undergraduate degree in Integrative Physiology followed by medical school at the University of Colorado. She completed her internal medicine residency at Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver, CO and then served as chief resident for the program. Outside of the hospital she enjoys hanging out with her husband, who is a consult-liaison psychiatrist, their 2 young boys, as well as their 2 Labradors. She loves to hike, read, and travel.
Dr. Jones grew up in Colorado and got his Bachelor’s degree in Sports Medicine at Colorado State University. He attended medical school at Rosalind Franklin University in Chicago before returning to Colorado to do internal medicine residency at the University of Colorado in Denver. Outside of medicine, he enjoys traveling, snowboarding, and spending time with his significant other Melissa and their dog Toby.
Dr. Bade is a Colorado native, and grew up in Fort Collins. She did her undergraduate training at Colorado School of Mines before attending medical school at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She completed residency training at the University of Colorado and then was delighted to join the NCH team in her hometown as a hospitalist. Dr. Bade’s medical interests include quality improvement, transitions of care, and medical education. Outside of work, she loves to spend time with her family, travel, read, and enjoy the beautiful state of Colorado.
Dr. Daily grew up in Lakewood, Colorado. He graduated from Arizona State University with degrees in Biology and Spanish, worked as a medical interpreter in Denver, and then served as a medical volunteer in the Dominican Republic. He studied medicine at Georgetown University and completed Internal Medicine residency at Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver. In his free time he enjoys playing squash, tennis, cycling, snowboarding, and spending time with his family.
After growing up in North Carolina, Dr. Zirker completed his BS and MS in Biomedical and Mechanical Engineering at the University of Virginia. He then moved to Vail where he performed biomechanics research before deciding he wanted to pursue medicine. He attended the Yale School of Medicine then completed his internal medicine residency in the Hospitalist Training Program at the University of Colorado. His medical interests include critical care, medical education, spinal cord injury, sepsis, and diagnostic ultrasound. He enjoys spending time with his wife and their three boys while also tinkering with computers, indulging in hi-fi headphones, and of course experiencing all that Colorado has to offer.
Dr. Groendyk attended MCPHS University for his undergraduate studies. He went on to medical school at Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine. He then finished his medical training at Parkview Medical Center’s Internal Medicine Residency program. His interests inside of medicine include Hematology and Oncology as well as Critical Care medicine. Outside of medicine Dr. Groendyk enjoys a variety of hobbies including alpine and big wall rock climbing, mountain biking, snowboarding, acrobatic yoga, highline slacklining, photography, and playing guitar.
Dr. Dickens attended Bowdoin College before attending the University of Vermont College of Medicine. He received his Internal Medicine residency training at Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine during which he also completed an MPH and a General Medicine Fellowship in 2004. Dr. Dickens’ medical interest include using Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) to enhance clinical decision making. Outside of work he enjoys music and being outdoors.
Dr. White attended medical school at Texas A&M University. She completed her residency and a chief year at the University of New Mexico before moving to Northern Colorado. She enjoys spending time with her family and partner outside of the hospital and is looking forward to exploring the Colorado outdoors.
Dr. Fackler earned his Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. He then completed medical school at Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine. Following graduation from medical school he did his internal medicine training at Henry Ford Health System in Michigan. His medical interests include hospital medicine and quality improvement. He is a Colorado native, so outside of work he enjoys being outdoors and in the mountains with his wife and daughter.
Dr. George grew up in Jacksonville, Florida. She attended Wake Forest University for undergraduate studies, and Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale for medical school. She completed Internal Medicine residency at University of Louisville in Kentucky. She moved to Colorado in 2022 with her husband and their black lab. Outside the hospital she enjoys baking, skiing, rock climbing, and reading sci-fi novels.
Dr. Owen received his B.S. in Physiology through the Lyman Briggs College at Michigan State University followed by his medical school training at Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed his residency training at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan. He relocated to Fort Collins in 2022 upon completion of residency to begin his career in Hospitalist Medicine. His medical interests include point-of-care ultrasound and critical care. Outside of work he enjoys skiing, hiking, camping, and all the outdoors have to offer.
Dr. Birks grew up in Colorado and completed his undergraduate education at the University of Colorado at Boulder with a focus in human physiology. Following undergrad, he spent 5 years doing research in sleep and chronobiology with CU Boulder. He studied medicine at Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed his Internal Medicine residency at Loyola University in Chicago. He has a passion for cardiac and pulmonary medicine. Outside of medicine he enjoys spending time with his wife and son, exploring new restaurants/breweries, cycling, climbing, hiking, and generally anything outdoors.
Dr. Steinmann grew up in Gainesville, GA and attended medical school at American University of the Caribbean in Saint Maarten. She completed her Internal Medicine residency at Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah, GA. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, running, traveling, and cooking.
Dr Hannah Hewitt grew up in San Diego, Ca before attending Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo for undergraduate studies. She obtained her medical degree from Ross University and completed her Internal Medicine Residency training at Virginia Tech- Carilion Clinic in Virginia. She worked in Brighton, Colorado for a couple years before relocating to Fort Collins. Her husband is a firefighter for the city of Fort Collins. Outside of medicine she enjoys playing soccer, snowboarding, camping, traveling, and spending time with her dog.
Dr. Radu Blejeru did his medical school in Romania and internal medicine residency in New Jersey. After working on both coasts he decided to move to Colorado to be closer to the mountains. He enjoys hiking, downhill skiing, biking, golf, tennis, and all that the great Colorado outdoors have to offer.
Dr. Blejeru was born and raised in Romania, where she completed medical school. She completed her Internal Medicine residency in New York. After having spent a majority of her medical career in Maine, she decided to move to Colorado because it reminded her of her native country.
Dr. Karimov was born in Russia, grew up in a city called Kazan, and graduated with an MD degree from Kazan State Medical University in 2005. He worked in a hospital there for a bit, and then in 2009 he started a residency in Internal Medicine at a University of Tennessee program in Nashville. Dr. Karimov finished his residency in 2012, and then worked as a hospitalist ever since, in Dayton, Ohio, in Ewa Beach, Hawaii and Austin, Texas. He also worked one year as a primary care physician in Austin Texas (2020 – 2021) and gained invaluable experience as a PCP. Most recently he worked as a hospitalist and an associate medical director for The Sound Physicians Group at Ascension Seton Medical Center in Austin. He met his fiancée Dr. Narina Grove in 2021, had a long distance relationship, and finally this year was able to move to Colorado with his children so that they can all live together as a family.
Dr. Hudson was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio. Excited to return to Fort Collins with his wife, three children, and two dogs, he completed his masters in Nutritional Science at Colorado State University prior to attending medical school at Midwestern University in Arizona. He completed his residency training in family medicine and became a hospitalist at Skagit Regional Health in Mount Vernon, Washington. Outside of medicine, he enjoys mountain biking and spending time with his family in the outdoors.
Dr. Wilkins is a native of Loveland, Colorado. She received her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Northeastern University. She attended medical school at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine and then completed her residency training in Internal Medicine at Mountain Vista Medical Center in Mesa, Arizona. Outside of work, she loves hot yoga, trying new recipes, and spending time with her family.
Dr. Sanders grew up in the small town of Ludington, Michigan, and received his medical degree through Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed his residency throughout Sparrow Health Hospital System in Lansing, Michigan. He has relocated to Fort Collins, Colorado in the Summer of 2023 to pursue a career in Hospitalist Medicine. He has many interests in
outdoor activities including skiing, mountain biking, and fishing. Dr. Sanders is excited to explore more
of the endless opportunities and activities Colorado has to offer.
Dr. Daoud grew up in southwest Michigan and earned his bachelors in Zoology from Michigan State University. He moved to downtown Detroit to attend Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. He discovered a passion for travel and international medicine while on a study abroad in Malawi, Africa in Spring 2020 just before graduation. In the midst of the pandemic, he learned he would be completing his Internal Medicine training as a VA sponsored resident at Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu, HI. While in the south pacific, he hiked, fished, scuba dove, and trained with a diverse patient population. He is beginning his career in Hospitalist Medicine in Northern Colorado.
Dr. Vest was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. Completed a B.S. undergraduate degree at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and medical school at the University of North Texas Health Science Center. Excited to relocate to the mountains, Dr. Vest, enjoys spending time with his girlfriend and pug, Gravy, in the great outdoors. Other interests include hiking, skiing, camping, pottery, and compassionate patient care. Dr. Vest has co-authored a chapter on discography and has a special interest in interventional pain management.
Dr Brown grew up in Colorado. He did his undergraduate training at CU Boulder and then did medical school at Rocky Vista University. He then completed his Internal Medicine Residency in South Denver and after practicing for a couple of years in Washington he is back to Colorado. He spends his time with family and dog and enjoys hiking, biking and reading.
Dr Farrah grew up in Amman, Jordan. He is a graduate of the University of Jordan medical school. After medical school, he moved to the USA in 2017, to attended Internal Medicine residency at St Joseph’s hospital in downtown Chicago. After residency, he ventured out to the great plains where he settled into the community of Casper Wyoming serving the community and surrounding areas for four years. During his tenure in Wyoming, he developed a great love for the mountains, and this bolstered his passion for rock climbing, running, hiking and outdoor photography. He moved to Colorado in Summer of 2023 and looks forward to serving the Coloradan community as well as exploring all the great mountains the state has to offer.
Dr. Higbee grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. He completed his Bachelor’s in Molecular Biology at Brigham Young University in Utah and then returned to California for medical school at the University of California, San Diego. He then moved to Kentucky to complete his Internal Medicine residency at the University of Louisville. He, his wife, and his two daughters are thrilled to be back near the mountains. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking, camping, reading, baking, cooking, and spending time with his family.
Dr. Jason Spicher is from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He studied biology, chemistry and Spanish at Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. After college, he moved to Alamosa, Colorado to volunteer in the county public health department and became interested in community healthcare. He returned to Pennsylvania where he helped Penn State University develop a new medical school curriculum, which he later attended. He and his wife were excited to return to Colorado where he completed a Family Medicine residency at Poudre Valley Hospital. His medical interests include public health, point-of-care ultrasound, and medical education. In his free time, he can be found cycling, camping, or working on his Volkswagen van.
Dr. Chen grew up in Northwest Ohio and received a bachelor’s degree in biology from Ohio Northern University. She then went on to complete a master’s degree in biomedical sciences at A.T. Still University in Missouri where she later attended medical school. She completed her Internal Medicine Residency at Billings Clinic in Montana. In her free time Dr. Chen enjoys spending time hiking, camping, kayaking, cooking, and spending time with her husband and golden retriever.
Dr. Dague was raised in Wyoming surrounded by horses and a large extended family, but Colorado has become her true home, having lived here for over 20 years. She earned her B.S. at Colorado State University, and her M.D. at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. She completed her residency training in Internal Medicine, through the University of Washington. She enjoys spending time with her family, friends and dogs. In her free time, you can often find her in the middle of a home remodeling project.
Coming Soon!
Monica Lambert completed her nursing degree at Regis University. Her 17 years of nursing have been spent entirely at Poudre Valley Hospital. She enjoys running, reading and traveling with her daughter and her husband.
Denise Rex earned her nursing degree from the University of Northern Colorado in 1999. Her areas of interest in medicine include cardiac and infectious disease. Outside of work she gardens, does yoga, is learning the guitar and spends her free time with her two sons and her husband.
Jenn earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology at Pacific Lutheran University and then her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the University of Northern Colorado. She has been working at Medical Center of the Rockies ever since. She loves spending time with her husband, two children, and three rescue dogs. In her free time she is an avid swimmer, snowboarder and enjoys SCUBA diving worldwide.
Amanda received her nursing degree from the University of Northern Colorado and has been a nurse within the Poudre Valley Health System since 1997. She is certified in critical care through the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. She enjoys hiking, biking and skiing with her husband and 2 sons.
Sheila completed a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in 2005 from the University of Northern Colorado and went on to get her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2007, also from the University of Northern Colorado. She has worked at both Poudre Valley Hospital and Medical Center of the Rockies ever since. When not at work, she enjoys traveling with her family, gardening, and spending time with her two children, Drake and Willow, as well as her 4 dogs.
Deb graduated from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center with her BSN in 1999 after working many years in the dental field. She has worked at University Hospital, PVH, and MCR. Outside of work she loves spending time with her husband, music, cooking , animals, traveling and outdoor activities.
Matt is a veteran of the United States Air Force. He has worked as a nurse for Poudre Valley Hospital/Medical Center of the Rockies since July of 2000. Matt earned his Associates Degree in Nursing from FRCC in 2000 and his Bachelors of Science Degree in Nursing from Western Governors University 2013. When not working, Matt enjoys sports, driving his vintage 1969 Chevy Nova, and spending time with his wife Nicole and their twin children, Michael and Madison.
Isaac was born and raised in Kenya. He received my bachelors in Computer Information Systems and Management at CSU, in 2004, and later pursued my BSN from UNC (Greeley) in 2008. He graduated in 2016 from Grand Canyon University with my Masters in Healthcare leadership and administration. He worked as a float pool RN at both PVH and MCR. Outside of the hospital Isaac enjoys watching sports, spending time and traveling with my family.
She started as a nurse at MCR in 2008. Her first nursing degree was through Aims Community College. She achieved her Bachelor’s degree from University of Colorado in 2014. She has worked at both MCR and PVH. She is certified in Med-Surg and Emergency Nursing. She enjoys spending time with family and friends playing board games, working out at the gym, hiking and traveling.
Whitney graduated in 2003 with a degree in Health and Exercise Science from Colorado State University with emphasis in Health Promotion. In 2008 she graduated from the University of Northern Colorado and obtained a Bachelors of Science in nursing. She has worked for the health system for 17 years. Before she became a nurse she worked in admissions, Occupational Health and coordinated the Employee Wellness program before she went on to become a nurse. In her spare time she enjoys riding bikes with her boys, gardening, sewing, refinishing furniture, traveling, and baking.
Lisa received her BSN from the University of North Dakota in 1985. Her 34+ years of professional experience includes various nursing and leadership roles predominantly in the area of Cardiovascular medicine. Lisa enjoys spending her free time with family/friends enjoying the outdoors boating, golfing, hiking as well as time with their dogs.
Sarah is a Colorado native and grew up in Aurora, Colorado. She moved to Fort Collins for college in 2000, and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from CSU in 2004. At the same time, she enrolled in the second degree program at University of Northern Colorado and earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing in 2006. She started out in the Resource Pool, and then worked on the Medical Unit at PVH as a bedside nurse, charge nurse, and Clinical Educator until 2015. She then became a Discharge Nurse for the Transitional Care program at PVH and had that role for 6 years. She is also Med-Surg certified through ANCC. In her free time she likes to ride her bike, read, play games, chill and watch Netflix, and travel with her husband and two kids.
Ivy has been an RN since 2016. She was previously at Banner’s Progressive Care Unit at the same time as an Acute Care RN at UCHealth Greeley. After this, she was a Discharge RN PRN, and finally a travel nurse for about 8 months before transitioning to the Hospitalist RN role.
Rachael graduated in 1996 with an associate’s degree in nursing from Wake Technical College in Raleigh, NC. She went on to complete her BSN in 2010 at University of California-Chico. Her work experience has ranged from psychiatric med-surg, trauma step down, wound-ostomy care, travel nursing, and oncology. She has worked for the UCHealth system since 2011. When not at work Rachael enjoys cycling, ballroom/swing dancing, and spending time with her dog.
Northern Colorado Hospitalists Group
PO Box 271038
Fort Collins, CO 80527
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