Third Year Residents

Meet our 3rd Year Residents

Born and raised in New York, I came out to San Diego for a month-long surf trip about 8 years ago…Haven’t gone home yet!! I was lucky enough to meet my wife down in San Diego, and we were recently blessed with our first child, a baby girl born in June. When not in the hospital and learning the ropes of being a dad, you can find me surfing down at Pleasure Point in Santa Cruz. I also enjoy hiking, mountain biking, camping, gardening and playing African hand drums. Professionally, I am interested in Wilderness Medicine, International Health, Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine, Integrative Medicine and Alternative/Non-Western forms of healing. Choosing NMC as my residency home was very easy for me. After spending time here as a 4^th year student, I was thoroughly impressed with the residents and attendings. NMC truly is a “Family”, and emulates what I think Family Medicine is all about. The calm (at times), friendly atmosphere allows you to really get to know your patients, and develop your skills as a physician. Although we work very hard here, our patients are very grateful, which makes our jobs not only rewarding, but very fun.

Kenny Andrews, DO
Touro University

Robert Fernandez, MD
Univ. of Texas, Southwestern

I was born in Salem, Virginia; grew up in El Paso, Texas; did my undergrad at UT Austin, and completed medical school at UT Southwestern Dallas. After a long and arduous interview trail for residency programs, Natividad made a lasting impression on me that made the ranking process simple. In Salinas, I found a friendly community and welcoming environment, which met my goals of working with an underserved community and enjoying outdoor activities. NMC offers a positive work/life balance. The program directors and hospital staff provide great teaching practices that reinforce their commitment to help us grow as professional physicians. The community we work with is extremely humbling, making every day an honor. Salinas and the Central Coast area offer a wide array of outdoor events and venues that allow me to excel in two of my favorite sports: soccer and biking, and possibly venture into new activities such as surfing and kayaking. One simple pleasure here is the weather -- an average of 68 degrees year-round!

I was born in Mexico City and immigrated to the United States when I was 9 yrs old. As a poor, uninsured and undocumented resident of the U.S., I witnessed first hand the injustices, disparities and obstacles faced by these communities in and outside the health care system. This perspective, along with my knack for teaching and fascination with the inner workings of the human body, led me to pursue medicine as a career choice. Following undergraduate training at UCLA, post baccalaureate work at Saint Louis University, and Medical School training at the University of Utah, I completed my internship training in FM in Modesto, CA. After learning about NMC, I became extremely impressed with the program and jumped at the opportunity to join the team. I'm excited and looking forward to completing my FM training at 'Natividad.' Outside of work I enjoy long distance running, swimming, biking, volunteer work and spending time with my beautiful wife and two adorable daughters at home in San Jose, CA.

Sergio Gonzalez, MD
Univ. of Utah

Trupti Kapatkar, MD
Maharashtra Institute

I was born and raised in India. I feel very lucky to be part of the NMC Residency program, since it matches perfectly to my interests and background. I am very interested in obstetrics and pediatrics and the program here at Natividad gives lot of hands on experience in both. The faculty, colleagues and staff are very friendly, and make us feel comfortable at all times. I enjoy listening to Indian music and going for a long run (that often turns out to be a walk!). I plan to explore the beautiful Monterey County with family and friends as time permits.

Coming to Natividad is truly an exciting opportunity! I am originally from Jerusalem. We came to the U.S. when I was six, and most of my childhood was spent in New Orleans. I completed my undergraduate degree at the American University of Beirut. I then came to Michigan, where I completed a Masters degree in Molecular Biotechnology. I worked as a medical diagnostics sales specialist and went on to complete medical school at Wayne State University in Detroit. I’ve completed one year of OB/GYN residency in Phoenix. I’m especially pleased now to be in this area, since my family lives close by in Monterey. My personal interests include writing, current events, and working toward access to healthcare for all those in need. Natividad provides an excellent learning environment, and is an important asset to the people in this community. I’m excited to be a part of it all!

Sam Muala, MD
Wayne State Univ.

Erica Psych, DO
Touro University

Born in Michigan, I have a DO degree from Touro University in Vallejo, CA. The dynamic culture of Monterey County and its vibrant natural beauty make Natividad Medical Center a wonderful place to be a resident! I enjoy the closeness of the community, which is my primary interest in practicing Family Medicine. I love strolling to various stores, markets, grabbing a nice coffee and interacting with the community on a personal level. In the hospital, that same personal feeling I get in the community translates to the care I can give to my patients. In my spare time I love to travel, hike (this region is unbelievable), Pilates keeps me healthy, cooking provides an excellent release for my creative side, dancing is always good, and family and friends are paramount. My interests are in environmental health, obstetrics, osteopathy, and alternative/complimentary medicine. I hope to integrate those fields into my future practice.

I was born a mile high in Denver, CO, but lived most of my childhood on the East Coast, moving from Connecticut to New York to Washington, DC. I came to California 14 years ago, and have become one of those dreaded “imports” who will never leave! Moving to Salinas from San Francisco is really just going from one Bay Area to another, but I’m hoping that life in Salinas will be a little less foggy, with a lot less traffic. Actually, I fell in love with the Salinas Valley when I rotated at Natividad as a medical student from UCSF…try reading the first page of Steinbeck’s East of Eden and you’ll see what I mean. I chose to come to Natividad to work with a largely underserved Spanish-speaking agricultural population and to immerse myself in the unparalleled dedication and energy of the residents and attendings here. Being a gardener, I’m also banking on a great spinach crop. My professional interests include Western herbal medicine, geriatrics, and prison health. Outside of work, I love to read, swim, play capoeira (a Brazilian martial art), and eat! I’m a new dog mom and can’t get enough of walking in the foothills with my new best friend. And just in case I’m not busy enough with all that, my husband and I just bought our first house, a cute little fixer-upper that needs a lot of fixing up.

Maggie Simon, MD
UCSF

Indira Vanguru, MD
Guntur Med. College

I was born and raised in Hyderabad, India. Natividad Medical Center was my first choice for residency. Being an unopposed program in a county hospital, NMC offers an immense learning opportunity. This program offers lots of hands-on experience, with very dedicated and helpful faculty and staff. Monterey County has the best weather in the entire world! Outside of work, there are many opportunities for outdoor activities. Whenever I have free time, I spend it with my family, and love to cook exotic Indian food.