Our Residents

Class of 2025

Maaz Ghouri, DO

New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine

Hello! I was born and raised on Long Island, New York. I earned my Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine and my undergraduate degree from Stony Brook University. My parents are first generation immigrants who instilled in me the power of education and the importance of striving towards goals. I view family medicine as synonymous with humanity. It is built on a foundation of empathy, preventative focus, and continuity of care. As a primary care provider, I aim to build lifelong relationships with patients -- as a listener, advisor, advocate, and healer. I hope to motivate and inspire the younger generation of physicians, especially those who are underprivileged, and instill confidence that they can achieve their dreams.

I grew up with a basketball in my hand and a soccer ball at my feet. At an early age, my passion for sports coincided with my interest in medicine when I volunteered as a sideline medical assistant for my high school’s varsity sports teams. Eventually, I was fortunate to have sports medicine physicians as mentors providing me valuable opportunities throughout the years. As a child, I aspired not only to become a family medicine physician with a sports medicine specialization, but also to be an astronaut. As a child with a telescope looking at the stars - to now an active member of the aerospace medical association - I aim to be a part of the innovative field of space medicine.
Aside from medicine, I prioritize time with family and friends and staying active. I enjoy hot yoga, pilates, and flotation therapy (try it!). In my spare time, I am a DJ who finds music to be therapeutic. I am excited for my journey in Rochester and look forward to my continued growth as a physician and member of this great community!

Jaclyn Grode, MD

Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University 

I grew up in Omaha, Nebraska as the middle of three children. My family spent a lot of quality time in the car as we drove to rural South Dakota to visit family and occasionally struck out on coast-to-coast national park tours - my favorite so far is Mesa Verde. I went to Boston University to study biomedical engineering and to acclimate myself to east coast winters! After graduation I spent another year in Boston working in an emergency department and a research lab before making my way to Philadelphia for medical school at Thomas Jefferson University. During medical school, I spent a year in a program that focused on forming longer relationships with patients as they navigated the healthcare system. I chose family medicine as my future career early on because of its breadth. I'm excited that as a family doc I can care for people of all ages and with health challenges of all kinds. Within family medicine my interests include maternal-child health, rural health care, palliative medicine and addiction medicine, among other things! I’m excited to continue my medical career at Rochester/Highland Hospital!

When not in medicine-mode, I enjoy baking, science fiction, board games, trivia nights, and planning my future travel.

Rhianna Hibbler, MD

Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University 

I grew up on a mountain half an hour outside of town, in the part of the Pennsylvania Wilds known for its dark night skies. My mother was a teacher who encouraged reading and close examination of the natural world, as well as an empathy for people and meeting them where they are. These foundational experiences influenced my later decision to enter Family Medicine - however, it was a bit of a winding road!

I went to Bard College at Simon’s Rock after my sophomore year of high school, then transferred to Brandeis University where I completed a BS in Health: Science, Society, and Policy, with a thesis on Reproductive Decision-Making in Women with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. After graduation, I stayed in Boston to work as a Clinical Research Assistant at BIDMC on projects relating to diabetes and vascular health. Additionally, I volunteered as a birth doula, as I was considering becoming a nurse-midwife. From these experiences I found that I loved talking to people, learning their stories, and understanding their individual health goals and how to support them. To rule out a future in my other love, evolutionary and developmental biology, I took a research position at MGH studying the intersection of bacterial evolution and human immune response in the context of Cystic Fibrosis. There I worked with amazing physician-scientists, but also saw that the lab bench was not for me.

During this time I read Caring for the Country by Dr. Howard Rabinowitz, which profiled rural family physicians who participated in Jefferson’s Physician Shortage Area Program (PSAP). In it I saw the type of physician I could become, interested not only in the pathophysiology of disease but also invested in serving people and their communities. I was fortunate to complete my medical school training at Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, where I participated in the PSAP as well as the Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship, which allowed me to complete my third year rotations in primarily outpatient settings. During my time at Jefferson, I created a podcast 'Along a River in the Wilds', helped lead our Family Medicine and Palliative Care Interest Groups, organized knitting and crocheting volunteers, and took advantage of our rich Humanities and Health program. I continue to be interested in rural medicine, as well as reproductive health, behavioral health, and palliative care. I'm very excited to be joining U of R's program, and to explore more of the Rochester area with my partner, who is from here! In my free time I enjoy walking our two dogs while listening to podcasts, crocheting while watching TV, and cooking with lots of veggies.

Kevin Li, MD

University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry

I was born and raised in San Francisco, CA, a child to immigrants from southern China. My family’s struggles learning to navigate the health care system and a new culture led to my interests in health care accessibility and the importance of social supports. After getting a degree in exercise science at the University of California, Davis, I spent three years in business and technology working for a start-up company in the field of medical education. Attending the University of Rochester for medical school, I had the privilege of working with the unhoused population, public school athletic programs and being involved with several projects involving behavioral health and interprofessional collaboration. Those roles sold me on family medicine as a specialty to learn from and care for people of all ages and backgrounds. I am fortunate to continue doing so in the diverse and wonderful community I have called home for the past 5 years. Outside of medicine, you will find me hiking, cycling, taste-testing my partner’s delightful cooking and working on my Cantonese with my niece, who already is leaps and bounds more fluent than I am.

Christine Ly, MD

State University of New York Upstate Medical University

Hey everyone! I was born and raised in Flushing, NY where I was surrounded by Asian cuisine and learned to speak three different dialects of Chinese (Mandarin, Cantonese, and Fujienese). Although I am not a big foodie, I am always down for bubble tea! My interest in medicine started at a young age when I realized the importance of sight in navigating everyday life and wanted to help people preserve their vision. With high school research experience in a corneal wound healing lab at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, I spent a year at New York University studying biological sciences before transferring to Cornell University, partly in pursuit of snowier weather. After majoring in biological sciences and minoring in business and biomedical engineering, I pursued the dual MD/PhD program at SUNY Upstate Medical University. Following defense of my dissertation on retinal development, I received my PhD in Neuroscience and returned to third year of medical school. With an open mind, I fell in love with Family Medicine. From playing with children to talking to adults, I enjoyed my interactions with people and found myself wanting to learn more about their stories. With my vast interests within Family Medicine, I am excited to begin my training at University of Rochester and become more than capable of treating anyone who comes through my doors.

In my free time throughout the years, I dabbled in music (violin, piano, and flute), Chinese traditional dancing, Lion dance, Wushu martial arts, and arts and crafts (drawing, painting, and origami). Small things in life make me happy, from having a Minion with me to watching squirrels frolic around. I also enjoy spending time with my friends and family, watching television, playing board games, and trying to practice Spanish through the Duolingo app.

Katherine Macarthur, MD

Tufts University School of Medicine

I was born and raised in Acton, Massachusetts, a suburb 20 miles west of Boston. Much of my childhood was spent in the ballet studio, studying classical ballet. In high school, I fell in love with science and medicine and decided to stay close to home for college and attended Tufts University in Medford, MA. In college I studied biochemistry, and during my summer breaks I traveled independently across Europe and volunteered in wildlife reserves in South Africa. In 2018, I graduated from the undergraduate program at Tufts and started medical school at Tufts University School of Medicine. During medical school, I found that I was most passionate about developing longitudinal relationships with my patients and creating a safe and affirming environment in clinic. I loved all of medicine, especially primary care, leading me to choose family medicine as my specialty. Within family medicine, my interests include reproductive health and LGBTQ+ medicine.

When I'm not working, I enjoy reading novels while cuddling with my cat, a 13-pound black cat named Jem. I also am a huge Broadway fan and currently have a stack of about 50 playbills from the many shows I've seen! I am so excited to move to upstate New York and serve the community of Rochester.

Jessica Meyer, MD

University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry

Hello! I grew up in Belmont, MA just outside of Boston. After high school I headed west to attend Colorado College. After college I was interested in Public Health and worked at a non-profit where I facilitated community-based, multi-stakeholder alliances across Colorado to increase health equity. The passionate community leaders I worked with taught me that communities hold the best solutions to the challenges they face.I then I worked as a clinic and research assistant at Planned Parenthood in Minnesota where I developed a love for cheese curds, and a deeper understanding of how clinical care and research can be tools to investigate the causes and identify solutions to unjust health outcomes.

During medical school at the University of Rochester I worked closely with the local Syringe Exchange Program, served as a community advocate for im/migrant, and was lucky to complete an International Research Fellowship with a team based in Santiago, Chile. I found Family Medicine as the perfect space where people were working on innovative and non-traditional models of primary care to increase health equity via clinical care, advocacy, and research. And the people were just the best.

I plan to focus on the clinical areas of reproductive health and addiction medicine and identifying solutions to better care for marginalized patients through advocacy and mixed-methods research. Outside of the clinic I enjoy outside activities including trying to grow new vegetables in my garden and exploring new trails on foot, skis, or by bike. If I am inside, I enjoy any activity in the kitchen and learning how to throw pottery on a wheel. And I love ice cream, regardless of if I am inside or outside.

Julia Norton, MD

State University of New York Upstate Medical University

Hi all! I grew up in Jamesville, NY right outside of Syracuse. I attended Colgate University where I majored in French and minored in biology. I spent a semester abroad in Dijon, France and eventually completed my honors thesis on women in medicine in post-independence period Algeria. My French studies helped me develop a love for life stories, relationships, and identities, which lends well to a career as a primary care physician. While in undergrad I also participated in rural EMS and enjoyed building connections with the local community. After college I went directly to medical school at SUNY Upstate in Syracuse where I was involved in leadership of the OB/GYN and Medical Students for Choice interest groups as well as research projects on fibromyalgia and public health. Throughout my time at Upstate my passion for Family Medicine grew as I realized it was the best environment to bring together all of my clinical interests!

I am especially passionate about reproductive justice work, adolescent medicine, gender-affirming care, and advocacy. Outside of medicine I love to spend time outdoors with my husband and our boxer mix, Juniper. I also love cooking and baking — especially layer cakes! I’m thrilled to complete my Family Medicine training at the University of Rochester!

William Zachary Prebel, MD

Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Hello everyone, my name is William Prebel, but I go by Zach (my middle name). I grew up in Lakewood, Ohio, an inner ring suburb of Cleveland where local programs like Help2Others (H2O) and Key Club helped show me the importance of giving back to the community through service. In high school I discovered my love of the biological sciences through participation in a Biotechnology class sponsored by the local career technical high school. I then went on to major in Molecular Genetics at the University of Rochester, where I also minored in Medical Anthropology. After graduation I worked as a medical scribe in the Emergency Department at Rochester General Hospital for a year before moving back to Cleveland to continue my scribe work in Primary Care through the MetroHealth system. It was through these experiences where I first began to realize that I wanted to continue community work by providing medical care to underserved populations. During my medical school training at Albert Einstein College of Medicine I discovered that the field of Family Medicine really encapsulated all of my prior interests: encompassing a wide breadth of medicine, while at the same time addressing the social determinants of health. Within Family Medicine, I have particular interest in Behavioral Health and HIV care.

Outside of medicine, I enjoy watching documentaries and Youtube videos on various topics, and have recently developed a specific interest in city planning/urban design. I love playing strategy-based computer games, particularly those based in history, such as Sid Meyer’s Civilization and Humankind. I also enjoy spending time outdoors, and love exploring the different greenspaces in my area. I’m really looking forward to spending time in my favorite park in Rochester- the arboretum in Highland Park.

Matthew Sears, MD

Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University

I was born in Pittsburgh and was raised in Amish country in south central Pennsylvania. I grew up around a lot of people in family medicine, including my mom, a family doctor, and my dad, a physician assistant. I came to Rochester in my late teens to study physics at the University of Rochester. After graduating, I got a PhD and began a career teaching sciences at Texas A&M University. I went through several life experiences that convinced me that I would better serve others as a medical doctor, so I hung up my spurs as a college teacher. I completed the postbaccalaureate program at Johns Hopkins University, spent a year as a clinical researcher for patients with sickle cell disease at Johns Hopkins Hospital, and went to medical school at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia.

Seeing patients in Baltimore and Philadelphia invigorated my passion for meeting new people, learning what makes them tick, and helping them manage their health so that they can be doing the things they want with the people they love. I enjoy caring for people of all ages and from all walks of life. I'm interested in all aspects of family medicine and am particularly passionate about women's health, maternal and child care, behavioral health, and sexual health. I'm honored to work and advocate for these things in Rochester! I’m proud to be at URMC, both as a resident and as a patient.

When I'm not working in the clinic or hospital, you'll find me walking my boxer around Rochester, taking photos of people, architecture, and nature. If I'm at home, you might also find me tinkering under my car, working on new recipes in the kitchen, or playing board games with my partner.

Kalyani Sonarikar, MD

Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science

Hi! I grew up in many places but spent a good portion of my life in Round Lake, IL with my parents and younger sister. I got involved in service at an early age through Girl Scouts which taught me the importance of knowing your community. Attending a math and science-focused boarding school led me to try and round out my education by attending Knox College, a liberal arts college in central Illinois. During my undergraduate years, I majored in neuroscience and minored in education policy while staying involved in my local community through various service organizations such as Alpha Phi Omega and Best Buddies.

I stayed close to home for medical school at Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University. During my third year, I fell in love with family medicine because it felt like the perfect combination of serving my community, public health education, and forming long term relationships. Within the field, I am passionate about behavioral health, family planning, lifestyle medicine, nutrition, LGBTQAI+ Health, and medical education.

Outside of medicine, I enjoy spending time with my fiancé, family, and friends (both in person and over video calls!). I also enjoy cooking new foods, thrifting, and continuing to grow my deep appreciation for fall, warm sweaters, and coffee.

Yuki Takeuchi, MD

Asahikawa Medical University

Hi everyone! I was born and raised in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan, a beautiful snowy city located at the same latitude as Rochester. I completed my medical degree at Asahikawa Medical University in 2016. After finishing the Japanese 2-year postgraduate internship at Teine Keijinkai Hospital, I worked at Teine Family Medicine Clinic and U.S. Naval Hospital Yokosuka. Through my clinical experience, I have seen many patients with chronic illnesses related to complex factors. When I struggled as an intern in Japan, I was fortunate enough to meet Dr. Ryohei Otsuka, Class 2011 of URMC Family Medicine Residency. His holistic approach was eye-opening for me. He listened carefully to patients' narratives and supported their biopsychosocial treatment needs with interdisciplinary teams, providing evidence-based care. Since then, I have been pursuing an opportunity to learn holistic care at URMC in order to become a reliable family physician for each and every patient, like Dr. Otsuka.

I am especially interested in behavioral health, academic medicine, geriatrics, and palliative care. One of my unique backgrounds is that I completed training as a motivational interviewing trainer in 2021 after six years of practicing. The experience helps me understand patients' own values and support them to fulfill their wishes. Outside of medicine, I enjoy playing sports, hiking, cycling and spending time with my family. Especially soccer is my favorite sport. I was a competitive high school soccer player and participated in Japan National High School Soccer Tournament (Inter-High) as a member of the delegate team representing Hokkaido. Playing soccer taught me team spirit and leadership. I am very excited to work as a member of the URMC Family Medicine Team!