Our Lady of the Lake recently honored 12 graduates from its three-year pediatric residency program who will be going on to practice medicine or continue their education with fellowships at prestigious institutions across the country.
The pediatric residency program, now in its eighth year at Our Lady of the Lake, trains residents at the only children’s hospital and 24/7 pediatric emergency room in the Baton Rouge region. The program's sixth graduation ceremony was held on June 15 at the Country Club of Louisiana.
“These physicians have dedicated their careers to caring for children and the complex healthcare issues that children can face," said Melissa Roy, MD, pediatric residency program co-director. "We are proud to have had them here in Baton Rouge for three years and look forward to seeing them do amazing things for kids here in Louisiana and at prestigious healthcare institutions across the country because of the training they received in our residency program."
As Our Lady of the Lake continues construction on its new freestanding children’s hospital set to open in the fall of 2019, this new facility also enhances its ability to retain top pediatric talent from its own residency program, as well as attract more pediatric specialists and subspecialists to the region.
“By having a freestanding hospital here in Baton Rouge, it is a testament to our dedication to making our children’s hospital the state’s leader in pediatric care and resident education," said Michael Bolton, MD, pediatric residency program co-director. "Talented physicians from across the country are choosing to do their training here with us, and that is a result of the foundation of pediatric excellence we have laid at Our Lady of the Lake."
This year’s pediatric residency program graduates are:
• Rachel Bernard, DO (Fellowship: Gastroenterology - Vanderbilt)
• Mikki Bouquet, MD (2018-2019 Pediatric Residency Program Chief Resident at Our Lady of the Lake)
• Brandii Criss, MD (Fellowship: Adolescent Medicine - Stanford)
• Rebekah Dickman, MD (Primary Care Physician in Washington State)
• Cecilia Duchamp, MD (2018-2019 Pediatric Residency Program Chief Resident at Our Lady of the Lake)
• Laura Finley, MD (Primary Care Physician in Rio Rancho, N.M.)
• Michelle Joseph, MD (Fellowship: Allergy/Immunology - Texas Children’s)
• Julia Kuznetsova, DO (Primary Care Physician in San Francisco, Calif.)
• Dionna Mathews MD (Primary Care Physician in Baton Rouge, La.)
• Catherine Nelson, DO (Fellowship: Hematology/Oncology - Phoenix Children’s)
• Carlos Plancarte, MD (Fellowship: Hospital Medicine - Children’s Hospital at Montefiore)
• Kathryn Tierling, MD (Primary Care Physician in Houston, Texas)
On July 1, Our Lady of the Lake will welcome 65 new residents to train on its campus, including 12 in the pediatric residency program. As the largest academic medical center in the region, the hospital is home to 21 teaching programs that cover nearly all specialties and sub-specialties. Each year, more than 260 residents from across the United States come to Our Lady of the Lake to receive advanced training.