As a resident of our internal medicine program, you will interact with a diverse patient population and learn alongside our numerous faculty from a variety of general medicine and subspecialty backgrounds. One of the best ways to learn more about a program is to hear from the people who live and work here every day!
Program Overview
Program Director Donna Williams, MD, FACP, Vice Chair for Education, Hal Atkinson, MD and Department Chair, Gary Rosenthal, MD speak to the strength and diversity of the training environment at Wake Forest.
Program Chair and Director
Tinsley R. Harrison Professor and Chair
It is an honor to welcome you to the Department of Internal Medicine at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. The Department, which recently celebrated its 75th anniversary, enjoys a rich heritage. Our founding chair, Tinsley Harrison, MD was an icon in American medicine. His prescient vision for excellence in the core missions of academic medicine – teaching, patient care and research – is deeply woven into the fabric of all that we do and serves as an inspiration for our medical students, residents and fellows.
I am particularly proud of our residency program and clerkships, which emphasizes core clinical problem solving skills and prepare learners for lifetime learning and professional growth. The cornerstone of our educational programs is a commitment to teaching excellence among our faculty, who consistently win institutional and national teaching awards. Our programs provide trainees with exposure to the entire spectrum of subspecialties, while becoming highly competent in the skills and judgment required of the general internist. In many ways, our educational programs are the glue that bind faculty and staff across their diverse professional interests and that creates a strong sense of family.
Our faculty also conduct groundbreaking research to elucidate the mechanisms of disease, to translate these findings to novel treatments and to develop innovative healthcare delivery models to improve patients’ health and wellbeing. Many of our faculty have led large national trials that have defined our current treatment of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and many types of cancer.
The Department of Internal Medicine at Wake Forest is firmly committed to preparing trainees to thrive in a changing health care landscape and to shaping that landscape in ways that promote patient-centered high value care. Perhaps most importantly, the Department is committed to fostering an academic environment that embraces diversity, eliminates healthcare disparities and treats patients with the utmost respect and dignity.
I encourage your to explore our website and to know our faculty, trainees and staff and the resources that are aligned to support each of our missions.
Program Director, Internal Medicine Residency
Welcome to the Wake Forest University School of Medicine Internal Medicine Residency Program website! I hope that the information provided here will give you a glimpse into the exceptional education provided here and of the amazing residents, faculty and staff who call our program home. We are so fortunate to be part of a cutting-edge academic medical center well known for high-quality and patient-centered care, educational innovation and translational and clinical research. In this environment, we are privileged to support residents during the most formative years of your careers. During these years of residency, you will meet patients who inspire you, attendings who mentor you in the career of your dreams and colleagues who support each other unconditionally.
We have a long tradition of comprehensive training in internal medicine at Wake Forest. Our faculty are top-notch teachers who role model the history, physical exam, clinical reasoning and communication skills that are critical for excellent patient care. We also realize that medical knowledge is ever-evolving, and we teach you how to critically review the literature and apply your new knowledge to patient care. Lifelong learning is necessary for all internists, and our program embodies this concept through our innovative teaching strategies which include point of care ultrasound training, simulation lab, Learning Health Systems seminars, Academic Half Day sessions and faculty-mentored quality improvement projects to name just a few opportunities for learning. All of these experiences add to the vast clinical exposure that our residents obtain across our clinical settings, including our large, tertiary care medical center here at Wake Forest, our community hospital in High Point and the VA in Kernersville.
Throughout your training here at Wake Forest, we provide unparalleled mentorship and guidance to promote your personal and professional growth as you build your career. We take pride in nurturing each resident as an individual with unique goals and interests. One way that we accomplish this is though our pathways in medical education, global health, research, clinical informatics, hospitalist training and point of care ultrasound, as well as our Primary Care Track. Each of these pathways provide opportunities for individual growth and mentorship outside of the comprehensive clinical education you receive. Additionally, we have an exceptionally rich academic environment where our residents find many opportunities to partner with faculty and fellows on research projects. Because of our unique research and pathway opportunities and the excellent clinical care provided here, our graduates are sought after for subspecialty fellowships, academic medicine positions and community practice.
Resident wellness is also critically important to our success, and we have multiple recurring programs, including those sponsored by our women in medicine interest group and our wellness committee, which ensure that you are supported by your residency family throughout your training. So, if you are looking for a program with a family feel, comprehensive clinical training, abundant research opportunities and an opportunity to personalize your training through participation in specialized pathways, you are in the right place! I invite you to read on and learn more about the Wake Forest Internal Medicine Residency Program and how we can help you achieve your goals.
Associate Program Directors
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Associate Program Director – Inpatient Education
I am a Cincinnati, Ohio, native who found my home here in Winston-Salem. During my residency training at the University of Kentucky, I was inspired to pursue a career in academic medicine so that I could guide residents during their most formative years of training. I joined as an academic hospitalist here at Wake Forest in 2018 and serve as one of the Associate Program Directors with a focus on inpatient education.
Since joining Wake Forest, I have been amazed with the tremendous opportunities – in all realms – offered to our internal medicine residents. The diverse training pathways, ranging from the Global Health Pathway to the Hospital Medicine Pathway, provide our residents unique training experiences that are not available in other internal medicine residency programs across the country. Also, the mentorship and support provided for all of our residents is truly second to none. Our goal is to support and train our residents into high-quality and high-functioning internists by tailoring their residency experience based on their goals.
Currently, I live in a suburb of Winston-Salem with my wife and two daughters. We love our friendly community and enjoy going to local parks in the area as well as the Dash games! We also enjoy being in close proximity to the mountains and beach, as well the temperate climate!
Associate Program Director – Inpatient Education
I am a Cincinnati, Ohio, native who found my home here in Winston-Salem. During my residency training at the University of Kentucky, I was inspired to pursue a career in academic medicine so that I could guide residents during their most formative years of training. I joined as an academic hospitalist here at Wake Forest in 2018 and serve as one of the Associate Program Directors with a focus on inpatient education.
Since joining Wake Forest, I have been amazed with the tremendous opportunities – in all realms – offered to our internal medicine residents. The diverse training pathways, ranging from the Global Health Pathway to the Hospital Medicine Pathway, provide our residents unique training experiences that are not available in other internal medicine residency programs across the country. Also, the mentorship and support provided for all of our residents is truly second to none. Our goal is to support and train our residents into high-quality and high-functioning internists by tailoring their residency experience based on their goals.
Currently, I live in a suburb of Winston-Salem with my wife and two daughters. We love our friendly community and enjoy going to local parks in the area as well as the Dash games! We also enjoy being in close proximity to the mountains and beach, as well the temperate climate!
Associate Professor of Medicine
Associate Program Director – Subspecialty Training
After training at the University of Pennsylvania and then Vanderbilt University for fellowship, I was excited to join the Wake Forest University program to pursue a career in academic cardiology. The cutting-edge subspecialty medicine and clear commitment to personalized patient care housed in a collaborative and collegial academic medical center drew me here after training. The opportunity to work with an energetic and driven group of house officers attracted me to the residency leadership team.
At Wake Forest, our first goal is to train thoughtful and dedicated internists who are critically aware of the relevant literature and able to apply that evidence to best take care of their patients. This training is accomplished on general medicine services and bolstered through rich exposure to numerous subspecialty rotations. Rounding out this balanced internal medicine training, all residents will gain exposure to and directly participate in quality improvement projects on both the individual and departmental level. We take pride in providing comprehensive internal medicine training, and we are also excited that many of our residents choose to advance their career through subspecialty fellowships. We are committed to supporting this academic transition and all career interests through pointed mentorship and collaborative research opportunities. We are excited to celebrate the products of this mentorship every year, as so many residents present their research at national meetings, land that dream job out of residency, or match successfully into competitive fellowships across the country.
We are proud of the diverse and comprehensive training offered by Wake Forest Internal Medicine, and we are excited to attract residents with a strong interest in academic medicine. We look forward to working with motivated house officers to craft the residency training that best suits their unique career goals.
Associate Program Director – Subspecialty Training
After training at the University of Pennsylvania and then Vanderbilt University for fellowship, I was excited to join the Wake Forest University program to pursue a career in academic cardiology. The cutting-edge subspecialty medicine and clear commitment to personalized patient care housed in a collaborative and collegial academic medical center drew me here after training. The opportunity to work with an energetic and driven group of house officers attracted me to the residency leadership team.
At Wake Forest, our first goal is to train thoughtful and dedicated internists who are critically aware of the relevant literature and able to apply that evidence to best take care of their patients. This training is accomplished on general medicine services and bolstered through rich exposure to numerous subspecialty rotations. Rounding out this balanced internal medicine training, all residents will gain exposure to and directly participate in quality improvement projects on both the individual and departmental level. We take pride in providing comprehensive internal medicine training, and we are also excited that many of our residents choose to advance their career through subspecialty fellowships. We are committed to supporting this academic transition and all career interests through pointed mentorship and collaborative research opportunities. We are excited to celebrate the products of this mentorship every year, as so many residents present their research at national meetings, land that dream job out of residency, or match successfully into competitive fellowships across the country.
We are proud of the diverse and comprehensive training offered by Wake Forest Internal Medicine, and we are excited to attract residents with a strong interest in academic medicine. We look forward to working with motivated house officers to craft the residency training that best suits their unique career goals.
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Associate Program Director – Curriculum Development
Originally from Indiana, I moved to North Carolina in 2010 for internal medicine residency at Duke University. Having coached wrestling at the elementary through high school levels, I have always found joy in teaching, which led me to remain at Duke as a teaching faculty member in hospital medicine after residency. After three years in hospital medicine, I went on to fellowship training in pulmonary and critical care medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill before joining the faculty here at Wake Forest in 2019.
My clinical time is divided between the medical intensive care unit, our pulmonary consultation service, and supervising our pulmonary and critical care fellows in the outpatient pulmonary clinic. My academic time consists of clinical and translational research in pulmonary and critical care medicine and medical education, as well as my roles as Associate Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency and Assistant Program Director of the Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellowship. In my free time, you can find me outside, be it in the mountains, on the lake, or on the golf course, or enjoying the restaurants, breweries and live music around Winston-Salem with my wife and two kids.
My favorite thing about Wake Forest is the dedication from leadership in the Department of Medicine to supporting residents, fellows, and faculty in building a career around their personal strengths and interests; I truly believe that this breeds a culture of support and collegiality that makes Wake Forest an excellent place to train and work. For our residents, this includes a defined mentorship structure that begins early in the intern year to provide support for your transition to Wake Forest. It includes numerous opportunities to tailor your residency training through our multiple pathways, electives, and scholarly opportunities, allowing our residents to maximize their potential to land that dream job or competitive fellowship match. It means working with faculty that are also supported in their own professional growth. And finally, it means working with a residency leadership team that is invested in a process of continual self-reflection and improvement, ensuring that Wake Forest will remain an excellent place to train, even in an ever-changing medical climate. my love of teaching clinical reasoning and evidence-based medicine as the Associate Program Director for Curriculum Development for the internal medicine residency.
Associate Program Director – Curriculum Development
Originally from Indiana, I moved to North Carolina in 2010 for internal medicine residency at Duke University. Having coached wrestling at the elementary through high school levels, I have always found joy in teaching, which led me to remain at Duke as a teaching faculty member in hospital medicine after residency. After three years in hospital medicine, I went on to fellowship training in pulmonary and critical care medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill before joining the faculty here at Wake Forest in 2019.
My clinical time is divided between the medical intensive care unit, our pulmonary consultation service, and supervising our pulmonary and critical care fellows in the outpatient pulmonary clinic. My academic time consists of clinical and translational research in pulmonary and critical care medicine and medical education, as well as my roles as Associate Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency and Assistant Program Director of the Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellowship. In my free time, you can find me outside, be it in the mountains, on the lake, or on the golf course, or enjoying the restaurants, breweries and live music around Winston-Salem with my wife and two kids.
My favorite thing about Wake Forest is the dedication from leadership in the Department of Medicine to supporting residents, fellows, and faculty in building a career around their personal strengths and interests; I truly believe that this breeds a culture of support and collegiality that makes Wake Forest an excellent place to train and work. For our residents, this includes a defined mentorship structure that begins early in the intern year to provide support for your transition to Wake Forest. It includes numerous opportunities to tailor your residency training through our multiple pathways, electives, and scholarly opportunities, allowing our residents to maximize their potential to land that dream job or competitive fellowship match. It means working with faculty that are also supported in their own professional growth. And finally, it means working with a residency leadership team that is invested in a process of continual self-reflection and improvement, ensuring that Wake Forest will remain an excellent place to train, even in an ever-changing medical climate. my love of teaching clinical reasoning and evidence-based medicine as the Associate Program Director for Curriculum Development for the internal medicine residency.
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Associate Program Director – Primary Care Track
After completing residency and chief residency at University of California-San Francisco, I joined faculty at Wake Forest in 2019. Wake Forest has helped craft my academic interests and career in a way I never imagined, and I am grateful to the inspiring learners I get to interact with daily.
Clinically, I work as the medical director for Care Plus, a high-intensity primary care model located at the Downtown Health Plaza for patients frequently admitted to the hospital. I have the honor of working with a creative, multidisciplinary team to address social determinants of health, complex chronic disease management and patient-centered care for patients who, too often, lack the resources to navigate a convoluted and challenging healthcare environment.
My academic time is spent as Program Director for the Primary Care track. The Primary Care track allows an individualized, mentored experience with ample exposure to ambulatory medicine across diverse settings. Our trainees are well prepared for leadership and careers focused on general medicine, whether in the community, academics, hospital or outpatient-based specialties.
I truly believe in finding joy in outpatient medicine and prioritizing the patient-physician relationship, as well as supporting the strong teamwork with clinic staff and residents. In my free time, I enjoy exploring the trails and outdoor scene of Winston-Salem with my husband and daughter.
Associate Program Director – Primary Care Track
After completing residency and chief residency at University of California-San Francisco, I joined faculty at Wake Forest in 2019. Wake Forest has helped craft my academic interests and career in a way I never imagined, and I am grateful to the inspiring learners I get to interact with daily.
Clinically, I work as the medical director for Care Plus, a high-intensity primary care model located at the Downtown Health Plaza for patients frequently admitted to the hospital. I have the honor of working with a creative, multidisciplinary team to address social determinants of health, complex chronic disease management and patient-centered care for patients who, too often, lack the resources to navigate a convoluted and challenging healthcare environment.
My academic time is spent as Program Director for the Primary Care track. The Primary Care track allows an individualized, mentored experience with ample exposure to ambulatory medicine across diverse settings. Our trainees are well prepared for leadership and careers focused on general medicine, whether in the community, academics, hospital or outpatient-based specialties.
I truly believe in finding joy in outpatient medicine and prioritizing the patient-physician relationship, as well as supporting the strong teamwork with clinic staff and residents. In my free time, I enjoy exploring the trails and outdoor scene of Winston-Salem with my husband and daughter.
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Associate Program Director - Ambulatory Education
I am originally from Sanibel Island, FL, but have lived in Winston Salem since 2018. I completed my three years of Internal Medicine residency training here at Wake Forest. Additionally, I spent a fourth year serving as a Chief Resident, an experience that was pivotal in my decision to join Wake Forest’s General Internal Medicine section. The Department of Medicine is equally as passionate about the well-being of its residents as it is about the faculty who serve as their role models. Wake Forest’s collegial atmosphere and unlimited opportunities for personal and professional growth have stood out to me since day one, and I am grateful to continue to be a part of the Wake Forest family.
I spend my clinical time in both the inpatient and outpatient settings, working alongside our top-notch residents and medical students. At the completion of residency, our residents are incredibly competent and fully equipped to practice medicine in any setting they choose. Academically, I am the Associate Program Director for Ambulatory Education, and it is my personal goal to create a safe and judgment-free learning environment while supporting the well-being of all our trainees. We care for a medically complex population of patients, and through our unique Clinic Coach Program, each intern is paired with a faculty coach, providing an additional layer of support in the clinic setting. Additionally, we immerse our residents in the communities surrounding our clinic locations and teach them how to effectively utilize community resources, ensuring each patient receives the best possible care.
Aside from my passion for medical education, some of my favorite pastimes in Winston-Salem include running on the Muddy Creek Greenway, attending concerts in Bailey Park, and exploring downtown with my dog, Luna.
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Associate Program Director – POCUS
I am a North Carolina native and a former Wake Forest Internal Medicine resident and chief resident. I was inspired to pursue a career in academic medicine because of the incredible mentorship and experiences I had while I was a resident here. The supportive culture, innovative approach and family atmosphere that fosters camaraderie between residents and faculty convinced me that Wake Forest is the ideal place to continue my career as an academic general internist. Here at Wake, we take pride in the many accomplishments of our exceptional residents and we are dedicated to helping them achieve their career goals.
Clinically, I practice both inpatient and outpatient medicine and enjoy teaching at the bedside. Academically, the untapped potential for Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) within internal medicine excites me. I completed an ultrasound fellowship in 2021, but my passion for POCUS began as a resident who collaborated with faculty to develop the foundation of the innovative POCUS curriculum we have today. I currently serve as a special focus Associate Program Director for POCUS. I lead our POCUS curriculum and am the director of the POCUS Champion Pathway.
The goal of our POCUS curriculum is to make our residents proficient with this rapidly evolving tool while simultaneously refining their bedside skills in the traditional sense. We have a multimodal approach to POCUS education in which interactive workshops and didactics teach technique and reinforce important concepts, but the most essential learning occurs at the bedside of hospitalized patients. It is in the clinical setting where residents learn how to incorporate POCUS into the art and science of medicine.
Associate Program Director – POCUS
I am a North Carolina native and a former Wake Forest Internal Medicine resident and chief resident. I was inspired to pursue a career in academic medicine because of the incredible mentorship and experiences I had while I was a resident here. The supportive culture, innovative approach and family atmosphere that fosters camaraderie between residents and faculty convinced me that Wake Forest is the ideal place to continue my career as an academic general internist. Here at Wake, we take pride in the many accomplishments of our exceptional residents and we are dedicated to helping them achieve their career goals.
Clinically, I practice both inpatient and outpatient medicine and enjoy teaching at the bedside. Academically, the untapped potential for Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) within internal medicine excites me. I completed an ultrasound fellowship in 2021, but my passion for POCUS began as a resident who collaborated with faculty to develop the foundation of the innovative POCUS curriculum we have today. I currently serve as a special focus Associate Program Director for POCUS. I lead our POCUS curriculum and am the director of the POCUS Champion Pathway.
The goal of our POCUS curriculum is to make our residents proficient with this rapidly evolving tool while simultaneously refining their bedside skills in the traditional sense. We have a multimodal approach to POCUS education in which interactive workshops and didactics teach technique and reinforce important concepts, but the most essential learning occurs at the bedside of hospitalized patients. It is in the clinical setting where residents learn how to incorporate POCUS into the art and science of medicine.
Vice Chair for Education
I am delighted to welcome you to the Wake Forest Internal Medicine Residency Program! As Vice Chair for Education in the Department of Internal Medicine and former residency director, I am proud of our exceptional training program and superb residency leadership team. As a graduate of the program myself, I am honored to be a part of the tradition of excellence that continues today with each graduating class.
In my role as Vice Chair for Education, I help to oversee the integration of our educational programs within the Department across multiple training levels. Our residents are immersed in a highly effective academic teaching environment with exceptional faculty, fellows, co-residents and medical students who create an atmosphere of scholarly inquiry while providing the best care to their patients. It is a great pleasure to serve as a coach and advisor for the next generation of physicians who begin their careers in Internal Medicine here.
One of the top strengths of the Wake Forest Internal Medicine Residency Program is the well-rounded clinical training that our residents enjoy in diverse specialties under the mentorship of nationally recognized experts in their fields. This is not only helpful in developing clinical proficiency as an internist, but it also allows residents the broad exposure that they need to make an informed decision about their ultimate career pathway. Our large academic health system and our 14 fellowship training programs provide ample opportunities for residents to continue their work or training here after residency, and many do just that.
We have all the key features that make us a great residency program --excellent well-rounded clinical training, abundant clinical research and scholarship and highly effective career mentoring and opportunities. These training components are embedded in a culture focused on wellness where we not only provide excellent care for our patients but we also care for and support each other every day.
2024-2025 Assistant Chiefs of Medicine
Jigisha Srivastav
“I chose to come to Wake Forest due to its academic rigor, supportive environment, commitment to collaborative learning, and comprehensive clinical training. Throughout my residency, I experienced significant personal and professional growth, shaped by the exceptional mentoring and support from both co-residents and faculty. I am deeply grateful for the invaluable knowledge and experiences I've gained from this program, which inspired my decision to give back to the program by serving as one of the chief residents. I was part of the Medical Education Pathway and the POCUS Champion pathway which provided me the opportunities to become a better educator and acquire ultrasound skills which I use in my everyday practice. I look forward to contributing to the program's efforts in cultivating a new generation of skilled physicians.”
Jigisha Srivastav is from Gaithersburg, Maryland. She obtained her undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland-College Park in biological sciences with a minor in Human Development. After graduating college, she completed a master’s degree in biomedical sciences through a joint program at Georgetown University and George Mason University. She then worked as a medical assistant in an outpatient clinic while applying to medical school. She attended the University of Toledo School of Medicine in Toledo, Ohio prior to residency at Wake Forest. She plans to pursue a career in gastroenterology after her chief year. Outside of work, Jigisha enjoys spending time with her husband, her two goldendoodles Millie Mae and Maya Rani, and her family and friends. Jigisha appreciates Winston Salem for its vibrant wineries, diverse restaurants, and abundant outdoor activities.
Zack Pruitt
"When applying to residency, I sought a program with robust academics that would provide a well-rounded foundation for my career. Most importantly, I wanted a program with a uniquely strong collegial atmosphere. Wake Forest was my first interview, and it stood out to me immediately. After three years of residency, the people of Wake Forest have become my family. Going to work feels like spending time with my best friends, and I’m genuinely excited every day.
Beyond collegiality, Wake Forest offers diverse clinical experiences, encouraging residents to find and explore their passions for research, medical education, point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS), and quality improvement. My interest in Cardiology grew through excellent clinical rotations and electives. Strong faculty mentorship led to multiple research publications during residency. The encouragement and support I received at Wake fueled my interest in taking on a year as a chief resident."
Zack Pruitt is from Chapel Hill, North Carolina. He holds undergraduate degrees in Cell/Molecular Biology and Psychology from Appalachian State University. After obtaining his medical degree from East Carolina University’s Brody School of Medicine, he moved to Wake Forest for his residency training. Zack is planning to pursue fellowship training in Cardiology following his Chief Residency year. In Winston-Salem, his favorite activities are biking at Salem Lake, lifting weights at Miller Street Gym, and going to breweries and restaurants with his wife and co-residents.
Beyond collegiality, Wake Forest offers diverse clinical experiences, encouraging residents to find and explore their passions for research, medical education, point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS), and quality improvement. My interest in Cardiology grew through excellent clinical rotations and electives. Strong faculty mentorship led to multiple research publications during residency. The encouragement and support I received at Wake fueled my interest in taking on a year as a chief resident."
Zack Pruitt is from Chapel Hill, North Carolina. He holds undergraduate degrees in Cell/Molecular Biology and Psychology from Appalachian State University. After obtaining his medical degree from East Carolina University’s Brody School of Medicine, he moved to Wake Forest for his residency training. Zack is planning to pursue fellowship training in Cardiology following his Chief Residency year. In Winston-Salem, his favorite activities are biking at Salem Lake, lifting weights at Miller Street Gym, and going to breweries and restaurants with his wife and co-residents.
Scott Thiesfeldt
"I chose Wake Forest for my internal medicine residency because this program has a distinguished reputation for cultivating exceptional internal medicine physicians while simultaneously providing outstanding opportunities for fellowship pursuits. Despite the virtual format of interviews, it was abundantly clear that the residents had a deep camaraderie, worked seamlessly together, and genuinely supported one another. The noon report conference demonstrated the knowledge these residents had and showcased their ability to break down difficult cases and develop an impressive differential diagnosis. Furthermore, Wake Forest excels in granting progressive autonomy, not only throughout the intern year but also during the subsequent senior years, fostering both personal and professional growth. In my experience, the Wake IM Program afforded me excellent opportunities—and mentorship—that fostered a strong interest in pulmonary critical care and paved the way for an exciting path to the subspecialty fellowship training I was seeking on arrival."
Scott Thiesfeldt is from Green Bay, Wisconsin. He obtained his undergraduate degree at the University of Wisconsin Green Bay in Human Biology. After graduating, he was accepted into a graduate program at Marshall University where he obtained his master's in Human Biology with an emphasis in Health Science. He attended medical school at Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine in Huntington, WV, and plans to pursue a career in pulmonary critical care. His favorite things to do in Winston-Salem include going to Wiseman Brewing, hanging out with his wife--a pediatrician--and his daughter, walking around Salem Lake, and visiting the children's museum in Greensboro and the new children’s museum in downtown Winston Salem with his daughter.
Scott Thiesfeldt is from Green Bay, Wisconsin. He obtained his undergraduate degree at the University of Wisconsin Green Bay in Human Biology. After graduating, he was accepted into a graduate program at Marshall University where he obtained his master's in Human Biology with an emphasis in Health Science. He attended medical school at Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine in Huntington, WV, and plans to pursue a career in pulmonary critical care. His favorite things to do in Winston-Salem include going to Wiseman Brewing, hanging out with his wife--a pediatrician--and his daughter, walking around Salem Lake, and visiting the children's museum in Greensboro and the new children’s museum in downtown Winston Salem with his daughter.
Lillie Pitts
"The decision to choose Wake Forest was one of the easiest of my medical career. From the moment I met the residents on our interview day Zoom and throughout the faculty interviews, it was clear to me that the doctors at Wake Forest were passionate about medicine, but more importantly that they cared for each other. Upon starting my residency, I found that sense of camaraderie magnified tenfold. I am so fortunate to have been supported by mentors and colleagues who have become my strongest advocates, allies and life-long friends. I enjoyed residency so much that when the opportunity came to become a Chief Resident, I had to take it. I am so honored to be able to serve and grow the residency program that has given me so much.
While at Wake Forest for residency, I discovered a strong interest in the field of pulmonary and critical care medicine. This interest was fostered through the Point of Care Ultrasound Pathway and through the diverse exposure to critical care medicine in our medical intensive care unit and pulmonary medicine through elective rotations. With the guidance and support of numerous faculty mentors and fellows I was able to engage in research that further solidified my love for Pulmonary and Critical Care medicine. My training at Wake Forest helped me find my passion and gave me the tools to follow it."
Lillie Pitts is from Jonesboro, Arkansas. She holds a B.S. in Biology and a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Arkansas. She graduated from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences School of Medicine, after which she moved to Winston-Salem where she completed her Internal Medicine Residency. Lillie is planning to pursue a fellowship in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine following a year as Chief Resident. When she is away from the hospital Lillie loves spending time outdoors. She particularly loves to go hiking at Hanging Rock State Park, taking her dog on walks at Reynolda Village and trying new local restaurants with her co-residents.
While at Wake Forest for residency, I discovered a strong interest in the field of pulmonary and critical care medicine. This interest was fostered through the Point of Care Ultrasound Pathway and through the diverse exposure to critical care medicine in our medical intensive care unit and pulmonary medicine through elective rotations. With the guidance and support of numerous faculty mentors and fellows I was able to engage in research that further solidified my love for Pulmonary and Critical Care medicine. My training at Wake Forest helped me find my passion and gave me the tools to follow it."
Lillie Pitts is from Jonesboro, Arkansas. She holds a B.S. in Biology and a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Arkansas. She graduated from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences School of Medicine, after which she moved to Winston-Salem where she completed her Internal Medicine Residency. Lillie is planning to pursue a fellowship in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine following a year as Chief Resident. When she is away from the hospital Lillie loves spending time outdoors. She particularly loves to go hiking at Hanging Rock State Park, taking her dog on walks at Reynolda Village and trying new local restaurants with her co-residents.
Nicole Cillis
"While applying to residency, I valued a program at a strong academic center that would provide the most comprehensive training with access to a range of subspecialties, a collaborative learning environment, and a diverse patient population. Wake Forest was my number choice for internal medicine residency for all those reasons and more. Wake Forest has provided me the most robust inpatient and outpatient clinical training, the opportunity to work with multi-disciplinary teams, access to research opportunities and excellent POCUS training, and most importantly the chance to work alongside the most genuine and intelligent group of people. The core of this program is the people--from residents, to attendings, to staff, and administration—we are truly a family. The Wake Forest internal medicine program prepared me to be a strong, well-rounded, and skilled internist in order to provide the best care to my patients. I am extraordinarily grateful for the past 3 years of training at Wake Forest and look forward to chief year!”
Nicole Cillis is originally from Latham, New York. She graduated from Siena College with an undergraduate degree in biology and a minor in history. She earned her master’s in public health with a concentration in biomedical sciences from the University at Albany. She obtained her medical degree from Campbell University and headed to Wake Forest for residency. She plans to pursue a career in cardiology after chief residency. Beyond medicine, she enjoys sports (especially baseball and football), is a huge animal lover (she has a black lab named Baxter), enjoys running and yoga, baking, music, and a guilty pleasure of reality TV.
Nicole Cillis is originally from Latham, New York. She graduated from Siena College with an undergraduate degree in biology and a minor in history. She earned her master’s in public health with a concentration in biomedical sciences from the University at Albany. She obtained her medical degree from Campbell University and headed to Wake Forest for residency. She plans to pursue a career in cardiology after chief residency. Beyond medicine, she enjoys sports (especially baseball and football), is a huge animal lover (she has a black lab named Baxter), enjoys running and yoga, baking, music, and a guilty pleasure of reality TV.