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Alumni

The most important indicator of the success of a training program is found in the outcomes of the graduates upon completion of their training. 

Alumni Graduation year Destination
Grace Lee, M.D. 2022 Yavapai Regional Medical Center, Prescott, AZ
Timothy Kokanovich, M.D. 2022 Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, AZ
Andrew Wenger, D.O. 2021 Northern Arizona Healthcare, Flagstaff, AZ
Megan Potilechio, D.O. 2021 Northern Arizona Healthcare, Flagstaff, AZ
Jorge Martinez Bencosme, M.D. 2020 St. Francis Acute Rehabilitation Center, Monroe, LA
Shawn Abreu, M.D. 2020 Hospice of the Valley, Phoenix, AZ
Nehan Sher, M.D. 2019 Banner-University Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ
Kerry Bertke, D.O. 2019 Ohio Health Physician Group, Columbus, OH
Janelle Jambrosic, M.D. 2018 Banner-University Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ
Jamie Ellis-Wittenhagen, D.O. 2018 Salem Hospital, Salem Health Medical Group, Salem, Oregon; Current faculty, Mayo Clinic, January 2022
Nina Greene, M.D. 2017 Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center San Pedro, CA
Bianca Brunelli, D.O. 2017 Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center, Phoenix, AZ

What attracted you to palliative medicine?

  • The opportunity to spend time with my patients working in an interdisciplinary team on goals that really matter to patients.
  • The holistic approach to patient care and the opportunity to participate in a meaningful way with patients and their loved ones.
  • I was drawn to palliative medicine early in my career — it was actually my first rotation as a third-year medical student. That was my first exposure to working with patients with life-limiting and terminal illnesses, dealing with the complexities of symptom management, and addressing goals of care.
  • I left my palliative medicine rotation awestruck at how talented the interdisciplinary team of physicians, nurses, social workers, and chaplains were at dealing with patients at such a sensitive time in their lives. Not only were they responding to patient and family needs, but they were also communicating and coordinating with a wide array of health care providers to ensure the best possible care was delivered.
  • Moving forward into an internal medicine residency, I frequently had the opportunity to work with the inpatient palliative care and hospice teams. Running family meetings in the ICU was a great privilege of training at a small community hospital, and I felt drawn to palliative medicine again and again.
  • After graduation, I began work as a hospitalist. Although I enjoyed the challenge of that practice, the parts of my day I found truly rewarding were when I was able to combine my medical knowledge with my ability to communicate with patients and their families.
  • Spending time with patients dealing with various life-limiting illnesses, educating their families and loved ones, helping guide their understanding of disease processes, framing expectations and goals, and treating their symptoms were all things I was passionate about. Because of that, I realized that palliative care really was the right career path for me.
  • I was drawn to palliative medicine as I saw it as an avenue to help medically complex and fragile individuals navigate complex care with dignity, and reduce stress and suffering. Since I had training in both internal medicine and pediatrics, I became aware that many congenital syndromes and illnesses, which are life-limiting and extend into the early adult years, require careful care and support of both the family and child. As these individuals grow, they require ongoing support into adulthood to help with goal identification, advance care planning and symptoms support as their diseases progress.
  • Palliative medicine lends itself perfectly to caring for this particular patient population and allows me the privilege of participating in these individuals' lives, helping them to achieve the greatest potential with improved quality and reduced suffering for whatever amount of time they may have.
Graduation of Mayo Clinic residents and fellows

Mayo Clinic Alumni Association

The Mayo Clinic Alumni Association will help you stay in touch with your Mayo Clinic colleagues, maintain a valuable professional connection to Mayo Clinic throughout your medical and/or research career, participate in continuing medical education, and more.

Learn more
Academics ▸ Residencies and Fellowships ▸ Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship (Arizona) ▸ Alumni
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