Our Family Medicine residents come from medical schools around the U.S. and outside the country. Learn more about our residents and see what a few of them have to say about our program.

Graduating class of 2024

Thomas DeLuca, D.O.

Chief resident

What attracted you to medicine and family medicine? I was initially attracted to medicine as a career as it touched on some of my favorite activities: fixing and learning. I planned to be an auto mechanic on general everyday cars until I saw what medicine was like. Since then, family medicine has upheld those interests in treating disease and learning not only about medicine but also about individual patients.

Family medicine is the only specialty where you can create a comprehensive relationship with the patient from the initial phases of life all the way to older age. Having the ability to focus on a broad range of medical ailments and successfully treat them is something that most other specialties cannot do, especially over time with the same patient. Having that close relationship to the patient is what initially attracted me to the specialty. As I have grown through residency, I have also started to appreciate the more focused areas of family medicine. To name a few such as sports medicine, men's/women's health, LGBTQ health, nutrition and lifestyle medicine, and osteopathic manipulation we have a broad area of knowledge here at Mayo Clinic where you can dig down into certain areas that interest you. Looking to the future, family medicine physicians will continue to play an integral role in healthcare needs with chronic disease, acute issues, procedures, and more. There has never been a better time to go into the practice of family medicine.

What is it like living in Jacksonville, Florida? As a Jacksonville native I knew that I would want to return after medical school in the windy city of Chicago (way too cold). Now that I am here again, I continue to recommend the city to people who ask where they should move. Jacksonville has something for everyone: close by beaches for surfing and swimming, hiking/biking trails, excellent restaurants throughout the city, an underdog football team that DUVALLL fans love to root for, etc. Some local areas to check out include Town Center, Atlantic beach, Jacksonville beach, Five Points, San Marco, Riverside, and the Timucuan preserve. When I combine the activities with my co-residents we have an endless opportunity to enjoy our time off work and de stress from the challenge that is being a resident. We have an amazing work life balance as residents here at Mayo Clinic and that has been exemplified by our recent startup of the Mayo Clinic Family Medicine Resident Pickleball League. Will you be next to win the 2024 Fall Classic?!

Dani Zapp, D.O.

Chief resident

What is it like living in Jacksonville, Florida? There are so many great things about Jacksonville! Aside from the amazing weather, what I love most is that there is truly something for everybody. I am from a small town, so it was important that wherever I went to residency I would still have that close-knit feel. Jacksonville certainly checks that box, even if it is the largest city by land mass. We have a variety of places to live, from living downtown to the suburbs to the cute little beach towns. My ideal day in Jacksonville would be to go to the beach and grab some breakfast from Parlor Doughnuts before a sunrise swim with my co-residents. Spend the day at Town Center for some shopping and lunch. Then end the day in downtown Jax at St. John’s River and watch the sunset on the river taxi, or at V Pizza for trivia night with our residency program. My co-residents and faculty have truly made Jacksonville a home away from home. 

What attracted you to medicine and family medicine? I grew up in a small town that was a physician shortage area. I saw firsthand what it was like to lack access to primary care. In high school, I was mentored by a local general surgeon who changed what medicine looked like for my hometown. He continuously put the patient first and was committed to growing the healthcare system in our county to provide quality, comprehensive care. I was fortunate enough to experience the impact he made at the individual patient and community level. Through this, I developed a desire to serve, help others, and wanted to mirror the impact my mentor had made. Eventually I found my love for family medicine. I was drawn to the continuity of care and the ability for physicians to build long-term relationships with their patients and families. I also enjoy the intellectual challenge of having to know a little bit about everything while also placing a strong emphasis on preventive care and managing chronic disease. 

Mayo Fellows Association (MFA)

The Mayo Fellows Association (MFA) offers a peer and social support network for residents and fellows and their families with social events, athletics, and advocacy. The MFA also holds an annual resident and fellow appreciation event open to all trainees with complimentary massages, stress-reducing activities, and social support.