Faculty Focus

Ravi Balasubrahmanyan, MD

Ravi was born in Calcutta, India (City of Joy). He was an aspiring cricketer until the age of six, when he was transported to an alien land where his native Tamil was never heard and cricket was an insect. Once here he had a perpetual identity crisis, as no American could pronounce his name or look at it without going weak at the knees, until one kindly old gentleman bestowed upon him the name of Bowl of Soup and Onions (Balasubrahmanyan.) With this new title, he went on to medical school. In typical third year turmoil, he tried his hand at the monastic life. After one summer he decided family practice was the life for him. 

After medical school he left Baltimore and his beloved Orioles to begin residency in Michigan. Internship began with a bang July 1st, being on call for the entire hospital. During residency he discovered there was a world outside of medical life through his involvement in Physicians for Social Responsibility and being a board member of the Local Peace and Justice Committee. 

Ravi finished residency with the dubious honor of being the worst dressed and having the most cluttered desk in the history of the program. Ravi joined a three-person practice in a small coastal town in Massachusetts, where patient visits occurred as often in the local grocery store as in the office. For 1 1/2 years his car could be heard puttering around town on house calls. Following the northern lights and the allure of his "Ole" wife, he came to the Twin Cities. Now a family man with two energetic boys, he enjoys running, baseball, tennis and "cricket anyone"?

Education:  
Medical School: University of Maryland
Residency:  
Michigan State University Hospital
Board Certified: 
Family Practice

Dana Brian, MD

I was born and raised in a rural area of Oklahoma (a redundant phrase - there’s no such thing as urban Oklahoma), in a family of working cowboys, displaced Native Americans (Cherokee and Creek), and various dust-bowl survivors. I was considered a certified genius, mostly because I could read, and when I finally read all the books in the local library, I got to leave town. From there it’s been pretty much all downhill. Residency was completed at Cook County Hospital in Chicago, epidemiologic training at CDC in Atlanta, research at Mayo Clinic, adolescent clinic in Baltimore, and general family practice in St. Paul.

My favorite teenager says I should describe myself as "like, you know, really retro." I suppose that means someone who knows "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" did not originate with the California Raisins and "SDS" are not the initials for a fuel additive. Anyway, my current interests include women and adolescent health care issues, clinical research, psychiatry and addiction medicine in family practice, routine plumbing and mastering the art of dovetail joints. Actually, what I think I’d most like to do is ethnobotany, but it’s hard to grow Aztec corn and tepary beans this far North. But then, it’s hard to do anything this far North.

Education:
Medical School: University of Oklahoma
Residency:
Cook County Hospital
Board Certified:
Family Practice

Jimmie Browning, MD

Jimmie is the third of four children and, as the first name implies, is from the south. My parents were both children of sharecroppers on cotton farms – one from Mississippi and one from south Texas. My father's career was as a cook in the Army. My father couldn't read or write, but my mother got to fourth grade and was, therefore, the family "administrator." When I was 10, my father bought a set of Encyclopedia Britannia's and said, "There it is, Jim, all you want to know."

Growing up a "military brat," I traveled a lot, but half of my early years were spent in Texas near my mother's family. I grew up on country and western music and dedication to military service. So the obvious step in the late 1960s for those of us with no money and no pull with the local draft board, was the service.

I served nearly three years with the U.S. Marine Corps, then used the GI Bill and the Marine Corps Reserves to get through college. From the first day of medical school, I was always interested in Family Practice and small-town medicine. In residency, I also joined the Army Reserves as a physician. I have a firm belief that if we as a nation send our young men in harms way, we must provide the best medical care possible for them. This part time dedication has resulted in two active duty call-ups; one for Desert Storm and the other for support of the U.N. involvement in Bosnia. I am still a colonel in the Army and I still hope, someday, to see the residents march to and from United Hospital for daily hospital rounds.

My clinical practice started as the only doctor in the county in the ranch-lands of central Kansas, 25 miles from the hospital. After five years with only 10 total days off, I decided to move to a farm community 100 miles north. I then spent 13 years in a farm community loving the closeness I experienced with my patients. My patients were my friends; and I cried, I laughed, and I celebrated with them as I had the honor of sharing their life as their physician.

I have four sons, one daughter-in-law and two granddaughters. Moving to Minnesota alone was a major change in my life, but the joy of caring for patients, sharing knowledge and experience with the residents, and a new relationship in my life has filled the gaps.

David Bucher, MD

David Bucher, MD, grew up as a city kid in a farm state – Cedar Falls, Bettendorf (Quad Cities), and Windsor Heights (Des Moines), Iowa. Yep, dad was a lifer with John Deere, thus the various venues. The University of Iowa was my home for seven years for undergrad and medical school (thanks to Early Decision at U of I), then off to Kansas City for residency. Finding the summers and severe weather (and relative conservatism) anathema to my progressive upbringing, when Minnesota called, I answered. Having practiced with diverse private groups in the Twin Cities metro area over the years, I then tried a big health system, but found declining meaning for my daily work with emphasis on productivity, and declining interest in patient’s individual needs. I had participated in teaching residents and students since my first year in practice as a “clinical”, then “adjunct” faculty at the University of Minnesota. Teaching nourishes my soul, so in the winter of 2006-07 when an opportunity to join the faculty at the United Family Medicine residency program arose, I checked it out. The call and drive to teach was clear to me. I am pleased and excited to be joining the faculty. I hope to bring my interests in Sports Medicine, Dermatology, and GLBT health care to the practice and the residents. I look forward to time to participate in bike tours, triathlons, and travel with my partner.

Education:  
Medical School: University of Iowa
Residency:  
Baptist Medical Center Family Practice Residency Program
Board Certified: 
Family Medicine

Katie Guthrie, MD 

Katie debuted on the West Coast as the oldest of five oil company brats, migrating between the Midwest and New England. After finishing medical school in Washington, D.C., during the heat of Watergate, she developed significant heat intolerance and moved to the cooler climate of St. Paul, where she completed a family practice residency at St. Paul Ramsey in 1979. There she met, and eventually married, her intern. After a rural rotation in Long Prairie, MN, she opened her suburban New York eyes to the joys of rural private practice, she and husband John, moved North to Deer River, MN, and worked together in a Northern Exposure practice for 14 years. She migrated back to suburbia in 1994.

In her other lifetime, she contemplated marine biology, having been voted the person most likely to “grow gills” on an Earthwatch project, and dance/choreography, galley wench, and is one of the fluting faculty. Instead, she has been cultivating an Auntie Mame in medicine approach, with on-going experimentation on the effects of bright colors on patients and colleagues.

Practice interests include: women’s health care, zebra hunting, community health education, cardiovascular risk reduction, and healing ministry. Long term goals include: early childhood parenting and practice-based research.

Education:
Medical School: Georgetown University
Residency:
St. Paul Ramsey
Board Certified:
Family Practice

Sue Inoue, MD 

Sue, technically a Hoosier, grew up in a Japanese-American household in the south suburbs of Chicago in a predominantly white, working class neighborhood. When the neighborhood bullies found my flatter profile just reason for torment, I, with all the wisdom of my seven years of life, advised my father to adopt a German shepherd, the bigger the better. He appeared to be listening, but then promptly purchased an eighty-year-old upright piano, assuring me that this was the more effective weapon. Although dubious of my father's judgement, I agreed to lessons. Music has since warded off a number of enemies.

I attended college on the south side of Chicago, where I was a volunteer in the pediatric emergency room. I saw children turned away from this rich, private institution because of lack of insurance, and my determination to provide care to the underserved was born.

I took a couple of detours, including a five-month stint in Japan, hanging out with my grandmother, a hipper version of my mother. After medical school, I moved to Austria to do a little research, preferring the café' culture of Vienna to the rigors of residency.

I packed up my cat named "Cat" and returned to the Twin Cities. I did, in fact, do a residency in between nursing recurrent bilateral tendinitis, secondary to compulsive knitting and foot numbness from running. After finishing a Maternal-Child Fellowship in Chicago, the cat and I, again, returned to the Twin Cities to join the faculty at the United Family Medicine Residency Program... happily ever after.

Education:
Medical School: University of Minnesota
Residency:
St. Paul Ramsey Medical Center
Board Certified:
Family Practice

Katie Johnson, MD 

Katie Johnson, M.D. - Through nature and nurture, I have developed a passion for travel and exploring new places. I was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, lived in a pagoda in Washington, D.C. and on an army base near Landstuhl, Germany, all before my fifth birthday. I consider myself a North Dakotan. St. Paul, Minnesota was my home from age five-to-eight, before moving to Devils Lake, North Dakota, where I grew my small town roots. I am the oldest of three girls and value my relationships with my sisters and parents. Thanks to my dad, I’ve learned to appreciate the beauty of motorcycle travel.

Upon completion of high school, I looked east, towards Providence, RI, where I attended Brown University and Brown Medical School. While my east coast living helped me develop a world-view, I realized a growing appreciation and desire to be closer to family. At Allina’s United Family Medicine Residency Program, I found residency training with a focus on community medicine and underserved populations.

After residency, I looked west and took a job with the Yakima Valley Farm Worker’s at the Rosewood Family Medicine clinic in Portland, Oregon. I practiced full-spectrum Family Medicine in a Federal Health Qualified Clinic (FQHC). This job satisfied my desire to work with a diverse patient population and maintain my Spanish language skills. Oregon offered the outdoor playground for activities I love: hiking, cross-country skiing, cycling and ski joering with a pound puppy named Hamlet. I look forward to continuing to be active in the natural beauty of Minnesota.

Again, I felt the pull to return home - pulled by my adorable three year-old niece and her new baby sister. Not wanting to miss the opportunity to be involved in their lives, I was fortunate to find an opportunity at United Family Medicine. I am excited to return home to my training program and to participate in graduate medical education.

I recently returned from volunteering and traveling in west and southern Africa. Over the past eight years, during three separate trips, I have witnessed and participated in the evolution of HIV care in sub-Saharan Africa. What was previously a death sentence in most African countries is slowly becoming a manageable chronic illness. My experience in Swaziland has motivated me to think about our approach to chronic conditions: diabetes, asthma, hypertension and ways to work with individuals and families to better facilitate lifelong control.

Education:
Brown Medical School, Providence, RI
Residency:
Allina - United Family Medicine Residency Program, St. Paul, MN
Board certified:
Family Medicine

Jennifer Smith-Kristensen, MD 

Jennifer Smith-Kristensen, MDwas born and raised in the Twin Cities. A self-professed super-geek growing up, she was always the shy, quiet, good kid. With a penchant for math and science, Jen always thought she would have a career in those areas. In high school, during a mission trip to Haiti with her church youth group, it became crystal clear that she wanted to have a career that was service oriented, a job where she could make a difference for people. The endless piano lessons as a child led her to a music scholarship in college and she was able to study piano in Central Italy following her freshman year in college.
While at Beloit College, another major event took place in the campus work-out room where Jen smiled at a very handsome boy. After a returned smile and another happenchance meeting on campus, the smile grew into a marriage to Ben, whom Jen has known more than half her life as of 2008. With her college credits completed early, Jen sought out a research experience for a semester in Oakridge, Tennessee studying ceramic molecules.
After college and medical school and new puppy named Molly, Jen sought out her dream residency training program at the United Family Medicine Residency Program, where the clinic mission was to serve uninsured, under-insured and under-served populations. Jen was living her passion, learning the larger issues which surround patient care, beyond the immediate medical needs - serving patients with complex socioeconomic needs.
At the conclusion of residency and before starting a family, Jen and Ben took a dream trip to Europe, exploring countries by train at their whim. After riding the rails, they returned home to Jen’s new practice at an independent clinic in North Minneapolis which fell in line with her desire to do urban underserved medicine. Jen and Ben also started to grow their family, which now totals six. Puppy Molly, now grown, loves playing with child Sam, Abby and Izzy. The majority of Jen’s time is all around family – camping, state parks, pools, zoos, museums, and traveling as a family.
With the kids and Molly, Jen has an outlet for one of her other passions and talents – photography. Pockets of extra time are spent learning to cook Korean food and planning a big family trip to Korea, Izzy’s homeland. In 2008, Jen re-joined her residency family in their new Family Medicine clinic as a member of the faculty. Jen is thrilled to return to her roots and feels very blessed to be back home again.

Education:
University of Minnesota
Residency:
Allina - United Family Medicine Residency Program, St. Paul, MN
Board certified:
Family Medicine

Kathleen Macken, MD 

Yes, I am the eldest of eight children in an Irish-French-German family with a typical penchant for perfectionism that reached its pinnacle at age 14, when my 13-year-old sister had to fight for me by telling people I really wasn’t a "weirdo" because I only had time to break from studying to wash my hair every two weeks. I think what I have matured to is a person with a passion for life, from my family to the high school girl’s basketball tournament to women’s marathon running (of which I’ve only run one. But, from all the stories I tell, you would think it was more) to traveling with my family. 

Included and very important in my passions is a love for family medicine. I truly have never regretted the choice and find it to be forever stimulating, rewarding, challenging, and a privilege. Within its confines, I particularly love continuity of care, family-centered perinatal care, women and children’s care, and the behavioral aspects of medicine. In case you’re wondering, I’ve definitely lost my perfectionism.

Education:
Medical School: Mayo Clinic
Residency:
St. Paul Ramsey Medical Center
Board Certified:
Family Practice

Michael Mercer, MD

Mike was born, raised and educated in Minnesota, but by no means has he remained confined to the state borders. He most enjoys adventure and travel, and having visited all 50 states, now prefers international trips. Among his favorite adventures are sea kayaking in Thailand and New Zealand, and mountain biking in rural Haiti. During the warm Minnesota summer months, Mike looks forward to camping trips to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, and is always ready to introduce a newcomer to the fantastic beauty and tranquility of the North Woods. The international culture at United Family Practice satisfies the travel bug while at work, but at any given time, Mike will likely have two, if not three upcoming trips on the planning docket.

Mike is a fan of all sports, Nascar excluded, with favoritism toward Minnesota teams. He considers athletics a key to physical and emotional health, and encourages all of his patients to develop a fitness plan. When not traveling or working, Mike might be found golfing, biking, or playing a pick-up game of basketball. Mike is currently enjoying a life adventure in Singapore, where he is currently living with his wife Susan. Upon his return from Singapore, he will continue to enjoy working on his older St. Paul home where he and Susan reside with their two female companions, Sport and Zoe (cats).

Education
University of Minnesota School of Medicine
Residency
United Family Medicine Residency Program
Board Certification
Family Practice

Jerry Montie, MD

Jerry a self-described Pacific Northwest native, was born and raised in Wisconsin. During high school he was more often seen playing drums in local nightclubs than his 8 a.m. calculus class. Jerry's obsession with music has continued through the years. His experience ranges from many gigs in smoke-filled nightclubs to playing in a back-up band for Rodney Dangerfield. Most recently, he concentrates on writing and recording music in an effort to discover and document his musical brain. Should he find anything worthwhile, he’ll be releasing a CD of original music in the future.

After deciding that it might be difficult to make a living as a professional free-style skier, Jerry decided on a career in family medicine. He feels privileged to have such a great job.

Aside from being a doc and a musician, Jerry also enjoys spending time with family and friends, mountain biking, cross-country skiing, and other outdoor activities.

In the future, Jerry hopes to discourage increasing commercialism and promote more sustainable lifestyles for everyone.

"You might say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one..."

Education:
Medical School: Washington University School of Medicine
Residency:
Valley Medical Center, Renton, WA
Board Certified:
Family Practice

Tim Rumsey, MD

Tim is a failed rock musician, would-be dinosaur hunter, and hockey geek. His wife and three children are the main focus of his life, followed by a continued belief that being a family doctor is a job that matters and, after 21 years, can still say that he is glad to be doing what he is doing. He is the author of a novel, Pictures From A Trip, about two brothers in love with the world who take a trip with a blind friend to the Dakotas and Montana to look for dinosaur bones. Five CME credits are automatically given to anyone reading this book.

His main goals in life are to be a good dad and husband, to be a good family doc, and to play rhythm guitar with the Rolling Stones.

Education:
Medical School: University of Minnesota
Internship:
Hennepin County Medical Center
Board Certified:
Family Practice

Himanshu Sharma, MD

Ten Things To Know About Himanshu Sharma, MD:

1. Medical school in India, Residency in Minnesota, Fellowship in California, Electives in the UK – Australia.
2. Favorite quote from Sherlock Holmes, “Our brain capacity is limited, if something goes in, something else has to come out.”
3. One of the very, very few Indians, who can speak German, and getting better at speaking “Minnesotan”. (Yeah, you betcha!)
4. Immediately after an OB delivery, one should sing “Happy Birthday” to the newborn, as that is the only true birthday.
5. Nerdy hobbies: crosswords, reading and more reading, trivia, chess. Non-nerdy hobbies: swimming, traveling, and table tennis.
6. Nerdy trivia question: Who was born on one continent, lived on a second continent, and died on a third continent?
7. Only favorite shopping place: Barnes and Noble.
8. Affinity for paper is greater than affinity for computer.
9. Starts the day at the office with a crossword, a favorite beverage, and a PPI for EERD.
10. BBC comedy freak, especially “Yes Minister” and “Monty Python”.

Education:
Medical School: Dayanand Medical College, Ludhiana, India
Residency :
St. Paul Ramsey Medical Centerl
Board Certified:
Family Medicine
Certificate of Added Qualification: Geriatrics

Bradford Toso, MD

Bradford L. Toso, MD, I bought flippers and a used wet suit and began college in Boston expecting to follow in the footsteps of Jacques Cousteau. My Norwegian ethos found empathy with the Chinese student community, where I was gifted with my Chinese name. I had imagined for myself a career in a scientific research lab. As there could be only one Cousteau, I completed my degree in chemistry and enrolled in medical school at the University of Minnesota. I earned some honors along the way, but found greater joy in volunteer work and the sports team on which I participated.

I developed a special interest in infectious diseases and spent some time studying tropical diseases in the Philippines. I returned to finish my residency in internal medicine, added two months of peds and started work in community medicine in a bicultural clinic. I became fluent in Spanish, and a novice at classical guitar and folk dancing. Then I began my protest years (later than most). I moved to the Miller Outpatient Department (MOD) Clinic to involve myself more in medical education and geriatric medicine, while continuing in a community service-oriented practice.

Education:
Medical School: University of Minnesota
Residency :
Abbott Northwestern Hospital
Board Certified:
Internal Medicine